Disciples also know they’re not the centre of the universe – God is – and everything and everyone depends entirely on him. ‘Dying to self’ involves giving up any sense of being independent. Prayer expresses this dependence. Pray Jesus’ words as they are (‘When you pray, say…’ v 2), or use them as a model for your prayer (‘This, then, is how you should pray…’ Matthew 6:9).

‘Father’ (v 2). It’s all about you, Lord, just you. Our origin, roots, place of belonging; the One from whom we’ve received life and will inherit every good thing.

‘Hallowed be your name’ (v 2). We long for everyone to acknowledge how great you are – this is our life goal.

‘Your kingdom come’ (v 2). If only you ruled in everyone’s heart, Father – this is our desire. Please. Please.

‘Give us each day our daily bread’ (v 3). You give us everything we need, Father – every hour, day, month, year. All we are depends on you.

‘Forgive us our sins’ (v 4). Only through Jesus is this possible. We can only look to you, Lord.

‘And lead us not into temptation’ (v 4). Help us, Father, to keep from all that risks drawing us away from you. In ourselves we’re too weak, but you are our strength.

‘Almighty … God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all them that are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts’.¹

Here is Luke’s shorter version of this greatly loved, deeply meaningful but dangerous prayer. I have often participated in translating it into Indigenous Australian and Pacific languages. Praise God, most language groups have a Christian community today. Foreign translators no longer see themselves translating the Bible for unbelievers but supporting local Christians doing it for themselves. We usually begin with a Gospel, but so often people ask for the Lord’s Prayer first, wanting to express all the depth of its meaning in the language of their hearts. 

‘Father’ is a simple word in all languages, often a baby word. We can draw close to God, even call him ‘Father’, an intimacy that is ours even though God’s name is a holy name, which he alone can possess. ‘Hallowed’ challenged us in languages lacking a word for God’s good and perfect holiness but only had words of fear, like ‘taboo’. A way was found, however: God’s high name stands alone, above all other names. Kingdom, too, is complex until we understand it as our deep longing for God to come and rule over us. Praying for our daily bread is familiar to Christians in poor communities. Where bread is not eaten, we may say ‘rice’ or just ‘food’. In one Aboriginal community, we struggled to find a word for ‘forgive’. We thought deeply about forgiveness and listed possible words like remove, throw away, cover, or untie. In the end we all knew it was to untie, to release us, to set us free: a dangerous translation, asking God to free us from our sins in the way we release the sins of others. Luke’s final phrase was less difficult. Everyone in the world knows what sin is and the power of temptation: ‘Don’t let us go down the track to sin.’

Lord of the narrow way, don’t let us go to sin but, when we do, release us, free us to follow you once more along the path to eternal life.

¹ Collect for Ash Wednesday, Book of Common Prayer, 1662