A Guide to the Our Father Today

This book addresses the need for our generation of Christians to rethink what it means to follow Jesus, and for each of us to decide how best to respond to God's invitation in the midst of a complex and often confusing world. We find strength in prayer, but our life of prayer must be renewed if it is to provide nourishment for the spirit. This book contains scriptural, theological, historical, and personal reflections on the words and phrases of the Lord's Prayer. Prayer can become routine. But if prayer is the most important activity in our lives we should spend time thinking about its meaning. We should consider what kind of person Jesus was and how Christians through the centuries have adopted and adapted his mission and message. Each of the 12 chapters in the book is divided into several parts, and each part offers a distinct perspective on the word or phrase under discussion. For example, we can consider the meaning of the kingdom to Jesus and his followers, the relationship of the church to the kingdom, and the ways in which our lives can help build up the kingdom of God in this world. Each chapter concludes with a prayer and a suggested meditation. The book offers fresh perspectives on a wide range of topics important to contemporary Christian living, including the sacraments as communal celebrations, the paradoxical demands of Jesus, the power of God working with an unfinished creation, and the need to place the needs of others before our own.