Being Courageous

A common prayer most Christian traditions have is the Our Father. And it seems to me that it is a very apropos prayer in these days in our nation.

St. Benedict has us pray it at least twice a day in our communal prayer “because thorns of contention are likely to spring up.” In Chapter 13 of the Rule, he says that when we pray the words, “Forgive us as we forgive”, we are making a pledge to one another.  Abbot Jerome Kodell, OSB from Subiaco Abby in Arkansas, said in presentation he gave some years ago, that by praying the Our Father we make a “covenant” with one another.

As I reflect on the call of the Our Father and on the words of Benedict and Abbot Jerome, it gives me pause. God’s forgiveness of me is deeply connected to my forgiving the other.

To pray the Lord’s Prayer is courageous. And to keep true to the prayer, as demonstrated by our actions, is even more courageous!