ADHD. A common complaint from college students (the same ones with the iPods, Gchats, texts, talking...), but I've learned to cope with it. One part of my life I'm most upset about this tendency toward distraction is my prayer life.
I love the Our Father! However, when I start with the Our Father, I'm halfway through it before my heart convinces my mind to quiet. Only then do I hear and understand the words I'm reciting, so I have to repeat it to myself.
It's no coincidence that the first part of the beautiful, God-given prayer is chock-a-block full of metaphysical thoughts, followed by the more tangible. One begets the other, and in my prayer life: they must beget beget beget in order for me to get the full force of the hit.
It would be so easy just to submit the first part as ritual. I'm grateful that the second part reminds me why I need the first.
I've typed up a little reflection on my thought process through the Our Father and I'd love to hear from those with similarities or differences in their prayer life:
OurFatherwhoartinheavenhallowedbethyname.ThykingdomcomeThywillbedoneonEarthasitisinheaven.
Give us this day our daily bread because so many do not have it. Also, help me see the signs that the Holy Spirit is working in my life. Shame on me if I don't notice them.
And forgive us our trespasses. Oh yeah, those. I have those. Thank You so much for dying for mine. I want to always remember that You would rather die on the cross than spend eternity without me.
As we forgive those who trespass against us Oops. I need to remember that today. Please help me to remember to Love first, to forgive for Christ.
And lead us not into temptation... This part always stopped me when I was little. "Am I supposed to believe Jesus is going to lead me into temptation if I don't ask this?" I'm still slightly unclear every time I recite this. However, I always think: lead us, your people, to open our hearts enough to listen to You. If I let go of my worldly lessons and trust that you'll lead me, I will have an easier time saying no to temptation.
But deliver us from evil. You've already died for me, so You're just waiting for me to follow you to heaven. Deliver my brothers and sisters from the devil's works on Earth so we can be delivered from our tendencies to follow him. True delivery from that fall means a FedEx to heaven.
Amen. Thank you.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come (please!) thy will be done (please help me get there!) on Earth as it is in heaven (please! I want to help!)...
6 comments:
Awesome post...
I often think that I'm not thinking enough about the prayer. Very nice breakdown. I'll certainly think differently about it the next time I recite it :)
when are you going to add a checkbox reaction of "Commendable" or "Very Good"??
Doesn't "neato frito" work for that? I like the "I'll comment instead" because it worked.
After Confession, when I'm reciting my penance, I often find my mind wandering off from concentrating on the words--then I'd feel guilty and say the prayer over again!
Same thing with meditating on the Mysteries of the Rosary--suddenly I'm thinking about what's for lunch, and I make myself start all over again.
Excellent point! ESPECIALLY right after confession, it's like I forget the words. I guess we feel so relieved that our minds are skipping around like a record.
I, too, am fascinated by this prayer.
I see:
"Our Father", meaning He's not mine or yours, but He's for all Christians, He's Catholics and Jews, Coptics, and Hindu's, Muslims and aardvarks.
AS ... as. AS!!!!
When I say: " ... and forgive us our trespasses AS we forgive those who trespass against us."
I am giving permission to judge God as I judge. I am allowing God to use my rules against me. I am saying: "Hey Good Pater: if it's good enough for me against another soul here (judging them, hurting them, helping them), then it's good enough for YOU to use against me!"
The last two lines speak to ME this way:
a) If I give up all control of "driving Life's bus", if I make a decision that YES, GOD IS IN CONTROL, if I give in and allow submission to Your will, then I know I shall never go astray.
b) When I don't . . . and for me it's a WHEN and not an IF . . . when I don't . . . please come get me out of the dark, stupid place I have "mistake-d" myself into and rescue me. Please forgive me once again, let me pass Go and collect $200 worth of grace in Your kingdom.
Thanks! Found you in the first page of a Google Search for "adhd prayer." God answers like that sometimes.
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