Becoming Aware - What do you think when you think of the words in your prayers?

What do the prayers mean to you?


This is an exercise to help you think about the words you are saying when you pray.  Awareness.  This is also an excellent exercise for your prayer journal.

1) Begin with your favorite prayer to invoke the Holy Spirit. 
2) Break your prayer down into phrases and leave a couple of spaces between each prayer. 
3) Listen to the whispers of the Holy Spirit in your heart as you begin to fill in the blanks of your prayers. 
4) Consider doing this exercise every couple of months.  Meanings often change and when you listen to the Holy Spirit, you are called deeper and deeper into prayer.

Here are 3 of our basic prayers and how I interpret the words in each prayer.  Awareness.  Your words will probably  be different from mine.  Let the words from the Holy Spirit flow through you from your heart to your paper. 


Our Father
The prayer taught to us by Jesus as the perfect prayer.

Our Father,
Papa, Dad, Daddy, Beloved Creator, Name above all names, Creator of the Universe,

Who art in Heaven,
You are where we want to be when we die.  We want to be with you in heaven.  Heaven is Your creation, too.  You made this home for us.  Where ever you are is heaven.

Hallowed be Thy Name,
All holy are You.  Your name is Holy.  Your name is love.

Thy kingdom come,
May Your Kingdom come to earth.  May Your peace and love spread through out the world.

Thy Will be done,
May all that You wish be done here on earth.  May we, as your beloved children, live as You would like for us to live.  May we, as Your beloved children, do that which You ask of us as did the Patriarchs old to whom You promised the Messiah.

On earth, as it is in Heaven,
May our earth be filled with peace as peace fills Your heaven.  May we bring this about by doing Your will on earth.

Give us this day our daily bread,
Give us the food we need to eat, the homes in which we need to live, the clothes we need to live,

Forgive us our trespasses,
Forgive us our sins,

As we forgive those who trespass against us,
Forgive us in the  way we forgive others who have sinned against us.  Forgive us so that we might forgive them.

Lead us not into temptation,
Lord, even though you test us, give us the strength and courage to resist sin and abandon our earthly attachments which will lead us into sin.

Deliver us from evil,
Do not let us fall into the pit.  Give us the courage and strength to pick ourselves up when we fall and return to Your paths.

Amen.
So be it.





Hail Mary
Words taken from Sacred Scripture to Mary by the Angel Gabriel and her cousin Elizabeth.


Hail Mary,
Hello, Mary,

Full of grace,
There is no sin in her soul. She is close to God.  She cannot sin.

The Lord is With You,
If The Lord is with you, then you are free of sin.  Your soul is pure. You are His great love.

Blessed are you among women,
You are highly favored in the eyes of God and human kind.  We women look up to you because God has blessed you in a way that He has blessed no other woman on earth.

Blessed is the fruit of your womb.
Your Child is the Blessed One of all ages.  He is the great I AM.  He is Promised One from ancient days.

Holy Mary,
Mary, we know you are holy.

Mother of God,
No one else but you can claim this title.  You are the Mother of God.

Pray for us sinners,
You are the greatest intercessor before God.  Pray for us who are sinful.

Now, and at the hour of our death,
Pray for us as we live our lives and follow the paths of life.  Pray for us when we reach death's door.  Pray for us always.

Amen.
So be it.

Glory Be
Words of Praise and Honor to the Triune God, the Trinity.


Glory be to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
All praise, honor, and glory to the Father Creator, the Son, Jesus the Messiah, and the Holy Spirit, the Great Counselor, the Triune God.

As it was in the beginning,
Before the universe existed, God existed. His creations adored Him in the perfections of heaven.

Is now,
God exists now.  He does not change.  He is the great I AM.

And Ever shall be,
God is infinite and eternal.  He is.  He was.  He will be.

World without end.
God gave us immortal souls.  Where we spend eternity is up to us.  We will live forever. 

Amen.
So be it.

I'd love to hear how this works for you.  Let me know.