HEY ALL YOU MOTHERS AND FATHERS AND SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GO - Don Hanley's blog #60

Before I get into the Messiah question, I want to know what John says about the prayer, Our Father. I understood Jesus Himself wrote it.

Only Mary, John, and Paul were sitting in the garden when I arrived, and it looked like they were waiting for me. That felt good as I touched each one of them. I had gotten used to touching people affectionately since I began my Nazareth visits. I think more folks back in the States should do that – along with dancing and singing. Anyway, I asked John about the Lord’s prayer. He wasn’t sure what prayer I was referring to, and I recited the English prayer I had muttered too quickly a million times: “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil. Amen.

I didn’t recite the ending that had been added centuries later – "...for Thine is the Kingdom" and so on.

John rubbed his chin, “I remember that prayer. It has some beautiful sentiments, and I think it is probably the same prayer Jesus asked a few of us to help him with it during his last year of life. Of course, none of us knew then that it would be his last year, so I think we came up with these words – they sound less two-worldly than your version. Anyway, it goes like this.

OUR FATHER WHO IS COMPLETELY FULL OF LIFE, WE HAVE YOU IN OUR LIVES AND OUR HEARTS. MAY WE CONTINUE TO USE YOUR STRENGTH AS WE WORK TO SUSTAIN OUR LIVES. AND MAY WE HAVE YOUR ABILITY TO HELP THOSE WHO HARM US AND OTHERS AND INSPIRE US TO DO AS WELL AND EVEN BETTER THAN WE DO NOW - FOR OURSELVES AND OTHERS. AND GIVE US THE ABILITY TO SEE WHERE AND WHEN WE MAY FAIL SO WE MAY AVOID FAILING TO DO WHAT IS MOST LOVING.”

I, Mary, and Paul clapped when John was finished, and Paul said, “I think all of you, even you, Don, have had the Father’s energy; I’ll say ‘grace,’ as you have helped me these past many weeks. I hope I can keep those words in my mind and my heart. John, do you have them written down?”

John smiled and said, “Paul, I have them written in my heart.” He chuckled, adding, “I will write them down in Hebrew and Greek. How’s that?” He paused and said, "The one you recited for us, Don, is shorter and easier and also beautiful, so, let's keep both of them."

Mary smiled when she said, “Don, you told us that you even have a prayer directed to me—as if I were some God. Please tell Paul about that one and let me tell him what I think. I’ll let myself be embarrassed.”

“How about hearing me sing it?” I looked around at my trio of friends, and they nodded. “There are many musical versions, and I like this one best. I’ll sing it in Latin, but our translating angel will translate it for you, Mary, and John. Paul will understand it. I sang Gounod’s Ave Maria.” I’ll write the English version for this writing: “Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.  Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, amen.” 

The three listeners clapped and congratulated me on being able to sing it so well. Mary nodded and said, “I love the song as you sang it and dislike being called the ‘mother of God’. I am the mother of an extraordinary guy and proud of him. I still believe that he has tuned into our Father, and we can tune into Him and Our Father by loving and having compassion and being co-creators of and for all creation.” She slowly made eye contact with us, and we all held hands. 

I said, "Mary, how about this idea: all women who are mothers should be called 'Mothers of God' for they are the care-givers of the presence of a person who is a Son of God or Daughter of God?"... before I could hear their responses, I Againthe first time, I disappearaed. So, please . . . 

Make a special place in your heart for all creation and be one with it. And don’t just worship words on a page, but radiate love for all that IS.

OUR FATHER WHO IS NOT IN HEAVEN - Don Hanley’s blog #59

I'm reading a very enlightening book, QUANTUM THEOLOGY, by Diarmuid O’Murchu. I’m sure that’s not a household name. But he is a very clear writer and writes in English. The first writer who introduced me to the idea that God is present throughout reality was Teilhard de Chardin, who wrote in French and translated into English. I found it very difficult to understand, but when I read him in l960, he inspired me to stay in the seminary and continue studying for the priesthood. I liked the theory that debunked the traditional European idea that there is a three-decker universe = Earth – here, where I am sitting; Heaven – where God sits on His throne and fiddles with earthlings; and where we’ll go if we’re good, and Hell – where we’ll go if we are bad.

I wanted to ask John and Luke what Jesus had said about the nature of the Father.

I learned that Luke had returned to Jerusalem with the surgeon, and Paul was feeling better. He, John, Mary, Ruth, Joshua, and Julie were happily chatting on a beautiful day as they sat in Mary’s flower garden in Nazareth. After the greetings, I turned to John and said, “You spent many hours with Jesus, and I’m wondering how Jesus viewed our heavenly Father and told you of his thoughts.”

John glanced at Paul and said, “I’ve been talking with Paul almost non-stop about Jesus since he woke up from his coma. And I told him that Jesus only called God, “Father” and once I heard him use the Mosaic term YaHWeH as has been customary among us Jews.” Paul added, “And you said that he never talked about the Father as if he was in a place you just called ‘heaven.’ John said Jesus would look up toward the sky to indicate that he thought that the Father is above us, but not on a different plane of existence.”

Paul nodded in agreement and John continued, “He and I were both impressed by the holy men in the east who made it clear that God as they envisioned him was with us at all times and everywhere – even with all animals and all of nature. And why do you ask?”

“For centuries and even now, many Christians believe that there is a triune, or three-person God; that is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. And that all three sometimes answer our prayers of petition if we are properly disposed.”

“Wow, that is something different; the first three persons are only one god, and they sometimes ‘answer’ our prayers? Do you mean perform miracles and give us some kind of special gift? Like what?” John asked, and Luke nodded.

“If I’m sick, I might pray that God will make me well. Or that Jesus will give us a boy-child when my wife is pregnant. Things like that.”

Luke looked at John and said, “Well, Jews have always done that, but it was more a prayer of hope than a petition, I think. What do you think, John?”

John nodded and said, “I agree and added that he thought some folks expected more, and if God didn’t grant their wishes, it meant that God did not love them or, more likely, that they were not favored by God. If I am talking with someone who thinks that, I try to convince them that God does not think like that.  We have encountered many people who think that Jesus will heal them if they touch him or even his cloak or something. Jesus discourages that and encourages them to love and care for others, and their lives will be positive and blessed. How do you respond to them in your day?”

“I respond the same way you do; sometimes they listen, and sometimes they even turn away from any belief in Jesus or God. Too often, they have little faith in their lovability and power and give up hope. And that makes me sad, and I was about to ask John about Jesus’s view on the Messiah, and damn it–I disappeared too soon, I often had that thought, anyway, keep . . . 

Nurturing your heart and hope. Do not eat the menus; share your banquet of hope and acceptance.