Friday, March 21, 2008

The Prayer of Jesus in Aramaic



When translated from the original language of Jesus, "The Lord's Prayer" is beautiful, and very different from what I had to say in school every morning as a child! I especially appreciate the idea of god as both verb and feminine and masculine.

The Prayer of Jesus in Aramaic

O Birthing! Fathering-Mothering of the Cosmos!

You create all that moves in light.

Focus your light within us - make it useful: as the rays of a beacon show the way.

Create your reign of unity now - through our firey hearts and willing hands.

Your one desire then acts with ours, as in all light, so in all forms.


Grant what we need each day in bread and insight:

subsistence for the call of growing life.

Loose the cords of mistakes binding us,

as we release the strands we hold of others' guilt.

Don't let us enter forgetfulness

But free us from unripeness

From you is born all ruling will, the power and the life to do,

the song that beautifies all, from age to age it renews.

Truly--power to these statements--

may they be the source from which all my actions grow.

Sealed in trust & faith. Amen.

Transliteration and original translation by Dr. Neil Douglas-Klotz from

the Peshitta (Syriac-Aramaic) version of Matthew 6:9-13 & Luke 11:2-4



A fascinating radio show interview with Dr. Neil Douglas-Klotz and my hero, Caroline Casey:
http://kpfa.org/archives/index.php?arch=24231
and for more info on him:
http://abwoon.com/

And while I'm here... yesterday's Caroline Casey radio show was beautiful, also talking about language and religion:
http://kpfa.org/archives/index.php?arch=25385
This Thursday is the Vernal Equinox, Persian and Afghani New Year, Maundy Thursday, the Eve of Purim, the 5th anniversary of the brutal invasion of Iraq, and.. the Full Moon! a week rife with symbolic and metaphoric guidance. So, more than perfectly, Caroline welcomes back long-time ally, religious scholar and political consultant Pat Ewing, that we may bring informed reverence for life to bear on our personal, collective spiritual and political lives, and cultivate
liberating leadership.




No comments: