- St. Luke’s
Abwûn
Oh Thou, from whom the breath of life comes,
d’bwaschmâja
who fills all realms of sound, light and vibration.
Nethkâdasch schmach
May Your light be experienced in my utmost holiest.
Têtê malkuthach.
Your Heavenly Domain approaches.
Nehwê tzevjânach aikâna d’bwaschmâja af b’arha.
Let Your will come true – in the universe
just as on earth.
Hawvlân lachma d’sûnkanân jaomâna.
Give us wisdom for our daily need,
Waschboklân chaubên wachtahên aikâna
daf chnân schwoken l’chaijabên.
detach the fetters of faults that bind us,
like we let go the guilt of others.
Wela tachlân l’nesjuna
Let us not be lost in superficial things,
ela patzân min bischa.
but let us be freed from that what keeps us off from our true purpose.
Metol dilachie malkutha wahaila wateschbuchta l’ahlâm almîn.
From You comes the all-working will, the lively strength to act,
the song that beautifies all and renews itself from age to age.
Amên.
Sealed in trust, faith and truth.
Do you recognize it? These achingly beautiful words are the Arabic translation of the prayer Our Savior taught us and we are bold to say. Do they not add a depth, a haunting beauty to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer version of the Lord’s Prayer that we all have recited since childhood?
I got chills as Father Joe shared this in his booming Texas drawl at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Anchorage, Kentucky, where we were visiting Sunday. Luke and I were married in this church, which my parents attended for 20 years. We sat in our normal pew, on the left, second from the front. We sat so close I think Father Joe could perceive my chills.
I am glad for a fresh sense of the prayer Sadie asks us to say every night before bed. We close each day with a double blessing: the power of those words and the fact that she insists.
I have been humbly reminded to slow down and savor.
We sow so many seeds when preaching and we often do not see the slightest sprout. Thank you for receiving the Word and sharing it with others. You do so very beautifully. I am touched and honored.
Oh, Laura, I loved this. So inspiring and challenging. Thank you!