The Great Prayer

Dear Spiritual Family,

For two thousand years, The Lord’s Prayer, given to humanity by Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount, has been prayed, uttered, thought, spoken, sung, and written an untold number of times. 

The great, twentieth century mystic, Irish-born Emmet Fox called it “The Great Prayer.” In his classic work The Sermon on the Mount, he reveals to us some of the deeper truths of this prayer for all people and all seasons. We were guided in this video message to share with you from his insights, his wisdom and his love for God, our Father, as it relates to all of us in our spiritual journeys.

Oliver Wendell Holmes said: “My religion is summed up in the first two words of the Lord’s Prayer.” Dr. Fox adds, “‘Our Father.’ In this clause, Jesus lays down once and for all that the relationship between God and man is that of father and child.” 

In the body of this video message, I (Rev. Steve) offer each phrase and some of the gifts of this great teacher, Emmet Fox, as he illuminates this Great Gift from our Master Teacher, Jesus. 

He refers to the forgiveness phrase as “the turning point of the prayer, the strategic key.” And he then shares how to forgive in a simple, straightforward formula which we feel you will find helpful.

Prayed as rote without intent to feel the Presence of God, the Prayer means little. But prayed with a deeper understanding and appreciation for this “gift” – prayed with the energy of love and connection, “The Great Prayer” reveals the blessing that Jesus intended when he first uttered it in his native language so long ago.

For “Our Father, Thine is the Power and the Glory, forever and ever.” Amen.

We love you,

Rev. Steve and Mary 

Going Deeper

1. If you found new perspectives in this message on The Lord’s Prayer, how might you incorporate them in your spiritual practice?
2. Emmet Fox wrote, “The art of life is to live in the present moment, and to make that moment as perfect as we can by the realization that we are the instruments and expression of God Himself.” In the message, Rev. Steve references the probable influence that this prayer may have had on Queen Elizabeth in her seventy years of selfless and often illumined service to her people. How might you use it to help you express God more fully in your precious life?

We would love to read your thoughts in the comments below.

God bless you. We love you,

Rev. Steve and Mary

Going Deeper on Zoom – Wednesday, September 21

This group meets on Wednesdays from 6 to 7:15 pm CT following a new video message. To learn more, Email Mary McIntosh.