From One Mountain, Many Paths
An American Freemason Speaks Out for Peace
by Dr. Patrick Swift
Click book or here to go to the page and buy it for yourself,
An American Freemason Speaks Out for Peace
by Dr. Patrick Swift
Click book or here to go to the page and buy it for yourself,
Prayer
5 "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6: 5-6
O mankind! Call upon your Lord humbly and in secret. Lo! He loveth not aggressors.
The Meaning of the Glorious Quran 7:55
Two major religions telling their followers to go and pray humbly and in secret. So should we have loud ranting prayer where we "tell" God what to do, what we want, how to act toward others? Should we ask him to rain (or rain down fire) on a political speech? (Question if it doesn't rain that day will that mean that God doesn't listen to us?)
Are we going to ask the "invisible cloud being in the sky" to give us more money or to make us more powerful? Do we really think that God will take sides in our petty little wars? Is God really someone sitting "up there" on some sort of throne listening to every prayer that mankind babbles up to him?
Are we going to ask the "invisible cloud being in the sky" to give us more money or to make us more powerful? Do we really think that God will take sides in our petty little wars? Is God really someone sitting "up there" on some sort of throne listening to every prayer that mankind babbles up to him?
Acknowledging God through prayer is a good thing. But must it be done in a public restaurant (like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men) Who are they doing it for?
For me (and I emphasize that this is just for me) prayer is a quiet communion with the Spirit that made everything. I don't expect that this Spirit will hear every word I say. In fact, sometimes I don't even use words to pray. I do expect that I will, by praying, bring myself more in line with that Spirit and acknowledge my love for and dependence on that Spirit.
We were taught one prayer by Jesus and most Christians pray this prayer with some variations (debts, debtors, sins, sinners, etc.) It can become memorized ritual. In many churches it is repeated so many times and so quickly that I doubt the prayer is really thought about. For thirty years I was a member of the Christian Science Church. Mary Baker Eddy wrote a Spiritual Interpretation of the Lord's Prayer. When it is prayed on Sunday the Congregation gives one line and the First Reader gives the Spiritual Interpretation. It is not hurried. It is done slowly so that the person can really think about the meaning. I share it with you here.
For me (and I emphasize that this is just for me) prayer is a quiet communion with the Spirit that made everything. I don't expect that this Spirit will hear every word I say. In fact, sometimes I don't even use words to pray. I do expect that I will, by praying, bring myself more in line with that Spirit and acknowledge my love for and dependence on that Spirit.
We were taught one prayer by Jesus and most Christians pray this prayer with some variations (debts, debtors, sins, sinners, etc.) It can become memorized ritual. In many churches it is repeated so many times and so quickly that I doubt the prayer is really thought about. For thirty years I was a member of the Christian Science Church. Mary Baker Eddy wrote a Spiritual Interpretation of the Lord's Prayer. When it is prayed on Sunday the Congregation gives one line and the First Reader gives the Spiritual Interpretation. It is not hurried. It is done slowly so that the person can really think about the meaning. I share it with you here.
Our Father which art in heaven,
Our Father-Mother God, all-harmonious,
Hallowed be Thy name.
Adorable One.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy kingdom is come; Thou art ever-present.
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Enable us to know – as in heaven, so on earth
God is omnipotent, supreme.
Give us this day our daily bread;
Give us grace for today; feed the famished affections;
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And Love is reflected in love;
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil;
And God leadeth us not into temptation, but delivereth us from sin, disease, and death.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.
For God is infinite, all-power, all Life, Truth, Love, over all, and All.
I darkened my favorite line from the prayer above. "And Love (God) is reflected in love." That is so powerful. Regular readers of this blog will know that George Carr was described as a person who "had a deep respect and love for you as a person." That was Love reflected in love. That was, perhaps, George's way of praying.
In Masons when we give our ritualistic prayer or our table grace we respond to the prayer with the words "So Mote it Be!" Which is another way of saying: “The Will Of God Be Done.”
To me prayer is important because it connects me with God. It isn't because I expect Him (or Her) to hear with an auditory nerve or even respond. Because, you know, God already has responded. He/She has shown us what Love is. When we pray we give that love back. That is enough. So Mote it Be!
In Masons when we give our ritualistic prayer or our table grace we respond to the prayer with the words "So Mote it Be!" Which is another way of saying: “The Will Of God Be Done.”
To me prayer is important because it connects me with God. It isn't because I expect Him (or Her) to hear with an auditory nerve or even respond. Because, you know, God already has responded. He/She has shown us what Love is. When we pray we give that love back. That is enough. So Mote it Be!
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