It’s hard to stay in the dark in this day and time. What I mean is, if you want to know how to do something, the answer is right at your fingertips. And you better not try to use the excuse “I don’t know how,” especially with a kid. They are liable to stick a YouTube video in your face and school you in the art of learning in this modern era. A poll conducted by Pew Research Center last year found that 51% of adults in the US found YouTube very important for figuring out how to do something they had never done before. The other 49% found the media most useful for finding cat videos. Okay, I made that last statistic up. But people are using videos on the internet to learn how to do things. Back in the day, you had to rely on your parents or relatives or friends to teach you something. Or you had to find a book and search for the answers you were seeking. Today, the hard work is done – we no longer have to research very hard to learn something new. This is the world that we live in. And in that respect, these are exciting times. But as with most things in this world, you will find whatever you’re looking for. If you’re looking for ways to squander money, you will find them online. If you’re looking for ways to waste time, you will find them there as well.
In today’s gospel, Jesus is addressing the disciple’s question of how to pray. The first line of the prayer establishes the relationship between us and God. “Father, hallowed be your name.” We are to address the God of all, whose name in the Jewish tradition was not to be said aloud, as Father. Jesus portrays God as a loving parent. In a perfect world, this kind of loving relationship would be universally recognized. I recall my relationship with my very own earthly father who was a humble, kind, and fun-loving being. He provided me with safety, demonstrated a strong work ethic, and revealed a deep respect for others. He provided protection and guidance. Not all of us are so fortunate to grow up with such a role-model. Some fathers may be distant or unkind, or even worse – abusive. Regardless of the experience with our own parents, in today’s gospel, Jesus leads us to the awareness that we have access to a nurturing, loving relationship with The Most High God. God desires to provide the support we need to live a life of wholeness in unity with God and each other. Jesus’ example has become a corporate prayer, which we as Episcopalians are familiar. The Lord’s Prayer establishes a community standard with implications for our collective and individual spiritual journeys.
Prayer is the spiritual discipline that nourishes the relationship that God desires for us – that of parent and child. Through prayer, we are equipped with spiritual perception to enable us to bridge the gap between this world and the next – “Your kingdom come.” Prayer connects us to God and nurtures our spiritual needs. Through prayer we recognize God as a provider that “gives us each day our daily bread.” Prayer connects us to one another bringing us into right relation with God and our neighbors – “forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.” In a sense, we are saved from ourselves as we develop a concentration on God’s will instead of our own. “And do not bring us to the time of trial.” In the parable that follows the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus is demonstrating the kind of boldness with which we may bring our petitions and requests before God. Jesus teaches the disciples that God will not only give us what we can imagine but better.
We have plenty of places to look for answers, most of which can be carried out from the comfort of own homes. But the answers we seek in order to truly fill our soul and find our purpose are even more accessible to us. And they don’t require an install, login, password, or subscription. All we must do is place ourselves before the Lord our God and listen and perhaps on rare occasions speak. Prayer is how we seek. It is also how we find. It builds our relationship with God, which enables us to carry out the work we are called to do as Christians – love the Lord and love our neighbors as ourselves. It’s hard work if we go at it alone. But Jesus assured us that God will give us the help that we need if we look for it.
