The Message, July 27, 2025: "On Earth ..." Luke 11:1-13

Author: Rev. Scott W. Cousineau
July 29, 2025

 

“On Earth …”
A Message by Rev. Scott W. Cousineau
Luke 11:1-13

            My guess is that at one time or another you have had one of those panic dreams. You what those are, right? Panic dreams are those dreams in which you forget to go to class, or are running late for a meeting, and no matter how hard you try … no matter how fast you try to run … you just cannot get there. And then you wake up from the dream and the feeling of panic lingers.

            I used to have those dreams all the time. I would dream that I forgot that I had an exam and as I tried to run to class it felt as though my legs were in quicksand … and I … just … could … not … move. Even after I finished school, I still had those dreams.

            Which brings us up to this past week. I had another one of those panic dreams, but this time it was not about forgetting that I had an exam. This time I was leading worship, and I forgot the words to the Lord’s Prayer! I can clearly recall that in my dream I completely blanked on the words. But … here is the thing … so did all of you! The whole congregation struggled as well. We were all mumbling and stumbling our way through a prayer that we have recited hundreds of times!

            And I must admit that that particular panic dream is based upon a real-life event. During a worship service at a previous church, I completely forgot the words to the Lord’s Prayer. I stood in front of the church family, with a microphone amplifying my every word … and I blanked on the words. I was dumbfounded! I was embarrassed! How could I possibly forget the words?!

            That is why I always … ALWAYS … right them out for myself.

            I realize that that can happen to any of us at any time. We can forget a name, or a phone number, or an address that we can normally recall without any effort. So, I know that I should not be too hard on myself, or anyone else for that matter.

            As I reflected on my dream, and as I prepared for our message this morning, it did occur to me that there is another “danger” that we face when we perform a repetitive task, even as “task” such as prayer. When we recite a prayer week after week, year after year, there is a danger that we stop paying attention to the words that are coming out of our mouths. We speak the words without really thinking about them or considering what they may mean to us. We can offer the words of the prayer without having them actually come forth from our heart. They become like the wallpaper in the hall or a piece of furniture that you walk past day after day without really noticing anymore.

            The last thing that I want is for people to mumble and stumble their way through a worship service. My hope is that worship, and the words that we say, speak to us, or touch us, or comfort us, or inspire us in some way. If you ever peek during your recitation of the Lord’s Prayer, you may see me smiling. Marston Poore LOVES saying the Lord’s Prayer, and there are certain Sundays when I can hear him over here in the corner offering those sacred words in full voice.

            In Luke’s Gospel, this passage that we are focused upon this morning follows the parable of the Good or Helpful Samaritan, and the story of Jesus’ visit to the home of Mary and Martha. You recall that it that story, Martha was frantically scurrying about working while Mary sat at Jesus’ feet listening.

            In the Parable of the Good or Helpful Samaritan we are asked to consider what it means when we say “neighbor” and what it means to be a neighbor. And then, in the account of the visit to Mary and Martha’s house, we learn the importance of stopping and listening. Jesus commends Mary for NOT working, for NOT scurrying about, and for taking the opportunity to listen to his teaching.

            Stop and listen. Hear and understand. Learn and ponder what it means to be a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. Stop and listen and learn so that we can DO when the time comes. The certain disciple asked Jesus to teach them to pray, but Jesus taught them so much more. He taught them how to DO discipleship.

            I have said on several occasions that I am NOT Jesus. I do have a Jesus costume up in my costume closet, but putting on a wig, and robe and sandals does not make me Jesus. Not even close. In the same way, we cannot play-act or pretend to be disciples. Simply going through the motions does not get it done.

            Just saying the words of the prayer over and over and over again is not the point. Those words should mean something.

            When I was going through the ordination process, I was required to do a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education. I did a rotation on a medical/surgical floor at the hospital, I did a rotation at a rehabilitation facility, and I did a rotation at a nursing home. While at the nursing home, I met a lovely woman named Ruth. She called me Vicar. During one of our visits, Ruth said to me, “Vicar, can you teach me how to pray? My sister says that I do it wrong. She says that I do not use the proper words.”

            Now, I never met Ruth’s sister, but I did wonder if perhaps her prayers were like those of the Pharisees that paraded through the marketplace with long, flowing robes for everyone to see, offering fancy prayers for everyone to hear.

            I assured Ruth that whatever words she used were “proper.” I assured her that she should not worry about the performance of her prayers and that she could just tell God what is on her heart. “Ruth, tell God what you feel. The words do not matter nearly as much as your sincerity.”

            In Luke’s Gospel lesson this morning, we heard the disciples ask Jesus the same question that Ruth asked me.

            Jesus was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” So, he said to them, “When you pray, say:
Father, may your name be revered as holy. May your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins,
        for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
    And do not bring us to the time of trial.” (Luke 11:1-4)

            We hear a slightly different version in Matthew’s Gospel:

“Pray, then, in this way:
Our Father in heaven, may your name be revered as holy.
May your kingdom come. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
        as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us to the time of trial,
        but rescue us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:9-13)

            Does it matter that the words are different? Do we focus upon the words? Or do we ponder what those words mean for us?

            This week, I looked at five other variations of the Lord’s Prayer. There are dozens of variations, but I limited my focus to five of them. I pulled pieces and phrases from all five of them as created this variation on those sacred words:

            Our Father … our Mother … our Beloved Parent … our Creator … Perfect Love … holy and sacred is your name. There is no other God in our hearts, or minds, or souls.

            May your day dawn … may your community be built … may we work to establish your new order of justice, peace and love.

            May we do as you desire for us. May we hear your call and respond to it. May your Light shine forth from us.

            Feed us today. Give us what we need for growth. Fill us with hope and trust. Grant us what we need each day in bread and in insight.

            Forgive us, O God. Loose the cords of mistake that bind us as we release the strands we hold of others’ guilt. Help us to forgive as we have already been forgiven.

            Strengthen us, O God, in the time of testing that we may resist evil. Do not let us be fooled or deceived by those who would lead us astray.

            For everything belongs to you. Let your power and our glory shine forevermore. Amen.

            The essence of the prayer is the same even though the words are different. In those holy and sacred words, Jesus teaches what faithfulness means. He also teaches us what discipleship means. He teaches us what it means to love.

            God is the Center. God is the Source. God is the compassionate Life-Giver. There is no other before God.

            God’s deepest desire is that we live as the fullest expression of God’s DNA that is within us. We are to shine with God’s light. And we are to manifest God’s love in the way that we live. We are to be the builders of God’s beloved community.

            The prayer that Jesus taught was not about the specific words. It was about the spirit. They are words of comfort. God feeds us and cares for us. God showers us with grace and mercy. For that we thank and praise God with all that we are. But the prayer is also a lesson in discipleship. We are called to be Doers. “O God, may Your desire be done, on earth.”

            Jan Caron wrote a series of books based in a small town in the mountains of North Carolina. The main character is Father Tim. Father Tim had a simple daily prayer that guided him. He said that “it is the prayer that never fails.” His prayer that never fails is just four words:

            “Thy will be done.”

            That is Jesus’ prayer. “Thy will be done, O God.” That is Jesus’ lesson on prayer for us. “Pray this way: ‘Thy will be done, O God.’”

            On earth … through us. Amen.

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