Tuesday of the First Week of Lent -- February 28, 2012
Matthew 6:12
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
The language of this part of the Our Father (The Lord's Prayer, the Model Prayer, or in Latin, the Pater Noster) varies, depending on the translation you use. Some favor "trespasses," others "sins," and some "debts."
In congregational prayer, I usually use "trespasses."
When I say the prayer privately, I use "sins."
When I want to meditate on the prayer and linger with the images, I use "debts." As an image, "debt" carries a depth of meaning for me that the others lack. I have daily experiences of being indebted to others, and of others being indebted to me.
Every time I step into a store, for instance, and pay at the checkout, I'm reminded of my debt . . . I have to pay something of value in order to take out something of value. It's the way our economy works. We assign value to something and then extract payment in an amount that we deem to be of commensurate value. That's how we handle debt as a society.
This part of the Our Father is a radical departure from conventional wisdom -- as is the rest of the prayer, as well -- in that Jesus says we should pray from a stance of releasing persons from indebtedness, as God has released us from our indebtedness.
As one who believes in justice, fairness, and rule-keeping, this part of the prayer runs counter to my instincts. I'm more likely to hold someone in their debt, to make them remember and pay, to remind them of what they've done or what they owe. The ingrained pattern in me wants retribution and a balancing of the ledger.
In fact, ledger-keeping or score-keeping might be the underlying images in the language Jesus used.
This much I know: I have lots of life-debt . . . and I wonder if others are still holding onto my debt. Some have released me. With others, I'm not so sure.
Likewise, I am still holding some others in their debt. If I let go of it, I'd have to let go of some significant hurt, and some of that stale hurt has grown to be a familiar companion.
This prayer is hard for me to pray.
For prayer today . . . if you were to pray these lines honestly, who or what would come to mind for you? For example, are you reminded of some way that you are indebted to another? And can you consider someone else who is in your debt, perhaps someone you have not released yet from that debt?
This is real life stuff, material for you to bring into your prayer today.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
The language of this part of the Our Father (The Lord's Prayer, the Model Prayer, or in Latin, the Pater Noster) varies, depending on the translation you use. Some favor "trespasses," others "sins," and some "debts."
In congregational prayer, I usually use "trespasses."
When I say the prayer privately, I use "sins."
When I want to meditate on the prayer and linger with the images, I use "debts." As an image, "debt" carries a depth of meaning for me that the others lack. I have daily experiences of being indebted to others, and of others being indebted to me.
Every time I step into a store, for instance, and pay at the checkout, I'm reminded of my debt . . . I have to pay something of value in order to take out something of value. It's the way our economy works. We assign value to something and then extract payment in an amount that we deem to be of commensurate value. That's how we handle debt as a society.
This part of the Our Father is a radical departure from conventional wisdom -- as is the rest of the prayer, as well -- in that Jesus says we should pray from a stance of releasing persons from indebtedness, as God has released us from our indebtedness.
As one who believes in justice, fairness, and rule-keeping, this part of the prayer runs counter to my instincts. I'm more likely to hold someone in their debt, to make them remember and pay, to remind them of what they've done or what they owe. The ingrained pattern in me wants retribution and a balancing of the ledger.
In fact, ledger-keeping or score-keeping might be the underlying images in the language Jesus used.
This much I know: I have lots of life-debt . . . and I wonder if others are still holding onto my debt. Some have released me. With others, I'm not so sure.
Likewise, I am still holding some others in their debt. If I let go of it, I'd have to let go of some significant hurt, and some of that stale hurt has grown to be a familiar companion.
This prayer is hard for me to pray.
For prayer today . . . if you were to pray these lines honestly, who or what would come to mind for you? For example, are you reminded of some way that you are indebted to another? And can you consider someone else who is in your debt, perhaps someone you have not released yet from that debt?
This is real life stuff, material for you to bring into your prayer today.
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