Lest we forget that this has been and still is the Year of Prayer. Just like every year, every day, every Liturgy – we call on God, Abba, Father, Papa, Daddy. We lift up His name and glory, looking up to Him for His Kingdom and our needs.
We sing it, say it and muse on it; we consciously lean on the Pater Noster with strain and vigil, with sentiments and supplications, with devotion and petition:
OUR FATHER – Abba, Father, Daddy, Papa – you created us in your image and likeness with your Son and the Spirit.
HALLOWED BE THY NAME: We worship, honour, praise, glorify, and adore your Ominipotence and Omnipresence. Your name is God, Yahweh, Elohim, El Shadai, Creator, Recreator, Redeemer, Saviour, Sanctifier…
THY KINGDOM COME – may your rule, kingship, bliss, benevolence, your peace, joy, love, mercy, and goodness be our experience and portion as we live and strive. May your Kingdom, your divinity, your Mysterium Tremendum come. Make us ascetic, sacrificial and safe.
THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN – please, God, remind us, prune us, and tune us. Keep ushering in your providential designs, purposes, paths, and desires in our world, universe, countries, communities, churches, families, hearts, and minds. Let these reflect your glory, your eternity, and your third Heavens. Make us benevolent, fulfilled, satisfied, and sound.
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD – of grace, love, inner (and world) peace, and mercy; our daily bread of spiritual, material, financial, emotional, social, and relational satisfaction in your paternal providence. Please, Father, provide or help us acquire all we need, not in selfishness or extravagance but the basic needs of sustenance, safety, endurance and progress, each of us and each of your creatures.
FORGIVE US OUR SINS
– our failings, transgressions, weaknesses, and wickedness. We are sinners in need of mercy; we hurt you and others and our very selves by what we do or say and by what we fail to do to you, to our neighbours, to our families, community, countries, superiors, subordinates, environment and other creatures – we hurt and have no clue, compassion or empathy. Forgive us, Father, in your mercy, and grant us the grace of continuous conversion.
AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRANSGRESS US – many people hurt us with words, actions, looks, negligence, pride, anger, envy, lust, sloth or greed (whether in retaliation or simply malice). Sometimes, we are so hurt that we think we can’t forgive. We have to, we need to, we try to, we find it hard to; Lord, help us to forgive those who hurt, transgress, trespass, injure, defame, brutalize, humiliate, negate or victimize us. Give us the grace to forgive them as Jesus did to those who rejected, accused and crucified Him. He is our great model of forgiveness.
AND DO NOT LET US FALL INTO TEMPTATION
– we get tempted every day, every hour, every minute, every second with thoughts, desires, enticements, attractions or intimidations by the devil, the flesh or the world. Father, help us with your grace not to fall or to keep falling.
DELIVER US FROM EVIL – from physical, spiritual, and emotional dangers. Please, Father, safeguard us from all dangers that can lead us astray and break our bodies, spirits, minds, souls, or consciences.
FOR YOURS IS THE KINGDOM, THE POWER AND THE GLORY – now and always. Again, Abba, Daddy, may your kingdom of love, peace, joy, mercy, and goodness come as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be world without end.
As we prepare for another Great Jubilee cycle of liberation, transformation, mercy and miracles – preparing and propelling us into the Eternal Banquet of Heaven – may we be recipients, instruments and conduits of the CORPORAL AND SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY. Make us see and know you at work in our lives and in others’ lives.
FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, THE POWER AND THE GLORY, NOW AND FOREVER.
Emmanuel Mbeh, MHM
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