“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, but deliver us from evil. Amen.” ~ Jesus (after much translation)

 
Happy Sunday!
I still find myself unable to meditate properly morning and night (sitting up, straight spine, clear mind). I decided this week to return to reciting the ‘Our Father’ in mind as a way to relax to fall asleep at night. As the words pass through my mind there was a separate part within my head that was trying to translate the familiar, somewhat meaningless words into terms that had more meaning for me.
So this Sunday morning I decided to research these words to find out if perhaps the original word meaning would hold more for me than the prayer that the catechism offers. I sought a ‘spiritual’ language translation that would give the words real meaning to me.
I found the one listed below and got all excited by the references to vibration. Perhaps Jesus really spoke in spiritual terms of energy, light, and ‘other worldly’. But, when I got down to the reference to ‘karma’ my excitement waned. There seems to be a lot being read into the words here.

Oh Thou, from whom the breath of life comes, who fills all realms of sound, light and vibration.
May Your light be experienced in my utmost holiest.
Your Heavenly Domain approaches.
Let Your will come true – in the universe (all that vibrates) just as on earth (that is material and dense).
Give us wisdom (understanding, assistance) for our daily need, detach the fetters of faults that bind us, (karma) like we let go the guilt of others.
Let us not be lost in superficial things (materialism, common temptations), but let us be freed from that what keeps us from our true purpose.
From You comes the all-working will, the lively strength to act, the song that beautifies all and renews itself from age to age.

Sealed in trust, faith and truth.
(I confirm with my entire being)

I came across a site that specifically broke apart this translation (Patheos, 2-2-12, McGrath) stating it was translated from a Syriac dialect and took lots of liberties, just as I felt re-reading it.
I next found a Galilean Aramaic translation (aramaicnt.org) that was so simple. The fact that ‘our Father’ began with ‘Abba’ just felt right.

Father (Abba),

May thy name be holy.

May thy kingdom come.

May thy will be done.

Give us today our needed bread.

And forgive us our debts / sins.

As we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation.

Amen.

Abba, and just ‘Father’, feels more intimate to me than ‘our Father’. I am not sure why but I suspect it is just the years of repeating the words of the prayer without understanding. When I was considering writing my own spiritual translation I considered beginning with ‘beloved’ as the Sufi say; this is a great reflection of love and attachment to the Creator. Abba feels like that to me as well.
The other part of the prayer that I wanted to find greater meaning in is “give us today our daily bread”. Is this what we are to speak to God of about our physical lives, give us bread, food, stuff?
I can’t help but to think of Sadhguru teachings, when he speaks of bread or food he calls it a bit of Earth. He says we take in bits of Earth (on loan from mother Earth) to build this physical body to be in while here. He speaks bluntly about our Earth born bodies as earth and water but also makes me feel the wonder and gratitude for the magnificence of this creation. Life! Sadhguru makes me feel such gratitude for Life. He says to seek understanding of what is within, what is the processor/engine/designer of this life that I experience.
I suppose I was hoping that Jesus’ reference of bread would be similar, to be aware and grateful for the gifts of this life.

Matthew 6:25-34
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
In the prayer Jesus put God first. And, he said not to worry – so why the need to ask? From what I have learned when we put God first and let his will be done Life will bring us what is required to flourish – like the lilies of the field.
Perhaps there is something lost in translation.
One night last week I had a dream in which I was busy talking and meeting with people. In the midst of a conversation I interjected, “oh, and one more thing.”
In my dream I said “put God first”.
I had a big “A-ha” in my dream, held it through waking up, and even until now. It was the ‘a-ha’ of knowingness. I’ve been trying and practicing but now feel I know.
I know Father that you give me each day my daily bread and all the beauty and abundance of the world. I am grateful and humble before you.
This morning on the Dynamic Catholic videos for Lent Matthew Kelly spoke of ‘blind spots’, that we don’t see things as they really are. When we get that it makes us humble and we seek for the Holy Spirit to help us to see things as they really are.
I am not, thou are.
I don’t see, I don’t understand.
Your way Lord, I know it is best.