Click HERE to view Rev. Jimmie Scott’s guided meditation during the service.
SUMMARY OF MESSAGE:
During this Service, Rev. Richard Maraj began a two-week series, “The Lord’s Prayer.”
We know the words of the Lord’s Prayer by heart, but how often do we pause to consider their meaning? Rev. Richard invited us to explore the deeper wisdom within this familiar prayer—a spiritual guide to knowing our oneness with God, awakening to our divine nature and expressing it in daily life.
This week he explored the first half of the prayer.
OUR FATHER
In the Aramaic interpretation, “Our Father” depicts God as the Mother/Father Source from which all life emerges—a loving parent whose presence supports, comforts and reassures us. “Our” reminds us that we are all children of God, connected as brothers and sisters. Beginning prayer with this awareness strengthens our faith and, when we feel scattered or disconnected, brings us back to our center and our oneness with God.
WHO ART IN HEAVEN
Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is within you.” Heaven is not a place, but a state of consciousness we can all experience here and now. By turning inward, recognizing God’s presence within us and knowing our oneness with that presence, we cultivate a heavenly consciousness. Our consciousness shapes how we experience life: in the same circumstances, we can either focus on lack, limitation and fear, or recognize goodness, hope and possibility. As we deepen our connection with God, we bring that awareness into our daily lives and open ourselves to greater peace, joy, hope and possibility.
HALLOWED BE THY NAME
“Hallowed” means holiness, wholeness and unlimited goodness. In the Bible, your name refers to your nature, and this phrase affirms God’s nature as love, peace, joy and abundance. Created in the image and likeness of God, all of these divine qualities are our nature, too. Affirming this truth awakens us to the goodness already within and helps our light shine as a beacon for ourselves and others.
THY KINGDOM COME
Bringing God’s kingdom into expression requires our willingness and participation. We must be willing to change, release limiting beliefs and habits, and renew our minds through spiritual practice. As we do this work, we become channels for love, peace, joy, healing and wisdom to flow through us. We are all being called to help manifest the kingdom; what is your soul calling you to express more fully? Each step we take can help bring the kingdom forth in us and through us.
THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN
God’s will is for each of us to reach our divine potential. Surrendering to that will might seem scary, but it calls us to a higher place on our spiritual path. The wisdom and guidance to do so are already within us; surrender means to stop fighting and resisting them. As we let go, trust our inner guidance and act on it, we allow Spirit’s purpose to unfold through our lives.