6. Some compare our mind to the lightest of
feathers. When it is not affected by moisture and because of its lightness, it
would soar to great heights from the weakest gust of wind. If it is weighed
down with some kind of dampness, then it is unable to rise but adheres to the
ground because of its weight. Similarly with our mind. If it is not
overburdened with passions, earthly cares, not damaged with the dampness of
destructive lusts and is therefore buoyant, then by the power of our natural
purity and with the lightest winnowing of spiritual reflections, it will rise
up high, soaring towards heaven, leaving everything earthly behind. In fact, that
is why Christ teaches us: "But take heed to yourselves, lest your
hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this
life" (Luke 21:34). Thus, if we want our prayers to reach not only the
skies but beyond, then we must bring our mind to its natural buoyancy by
cleansing it of all iniquities and dampness of earthly passions, so that our
prayers — free of any foreign burdens — may soar easily toward God. (Blessed
John Cassian)
6. In turning to God with the words: "Our
Father!" we acknowledge Him — Lord of the universe — as our Father,
because He has set us free from slavery to our passions and adopted us. In
saying further: "Who art in Heaven," — we express our readiness to
put aside every attachment to this temporary life that distances us from the
heavenly things, and henceforth strive fervently toward where our Father is.
This type of disposition obliges us not to do anything that does not conform to
our high calling as children of God and might deprive us of our Fatherly
inheritance and subject us to God’s severe judgment. (Blessed John Cassian)
Having been honored with such a high calling as
children of God, we must be aflame with a son’s love for God and not seek
benefits for ourselves, but His, our Father’s, glory, saying: "hallowed be
Thy Name." Through this we declare that all our wishes and all our
happiness is concentrated in the glory of our Father — henceforth, let the
glorious name of our Father be praised and revered by all.
Our second entreaty of a purified mind is:
"Thy Kingdom come." Here, the conversation is about two kingdoms. One
— is Christ’s kingdom, that is found within Saints and arrives after the
passions have been expelled from our hearts and God begins to guide us with the
fragrance of virtues. The second kingdom is the one that will be revealed at a
predetermined time, promised to all God’s children when Christ said: "Come,
you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world" (Mat. 25:34).
The third entreaty, which is proper for a son:
"Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven," which means: let
people be like Angels. Just as they carry out God’s will, so let it be that the
people on earth carry out His will and not their own. This also means: let all
things in our life be according to Thy will, we place our fate in You,
believing that everything — good fortune as well as misfortune — You will
arrange for our benefit, and that Your concern for our salvation is greater
than our own.
Further: "Give us this day our daily
bread" means more than staple food but is of a higher nature; it is bread
that has come down from heaven — Holy Sacrament. The word daily teaches us that
yesterday’s food is not sufficient if it is not given to us now. This convinces
us to pour out this prayer daily, as there is not one day where we do not need
to strengthen our inner being by eating this Bread.
"And forgive us our debts as we forgive our
debtors." The Merciful Lord promises us forgiveness of our sins if we
ourselves set the example by forgiving our brothers: forgive us as we forgive.
Apparently, only that person that has forgiven others can ask, with hope and
boldness, the forgiveness of his own sins. He who has not forgiven with all his
heart his brother who has sinned against him is asking, by saying this prayer,
condemnation for himself rather than forgiveness. Because if this prayer is
heard, then after the example of the unforgiving person, nothing but implacable
anger and definite punishment will ensue. After all: "For he shall have
judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy" (James 3:13).
"And lead us not into temptation."
Bearing in mind Apostle James’s statement: "Blessed is the man who
endures temptation" (James 1:12), the words in the prayer should not
be understood in the sense that "do not allow us ever to be exposed to
trials," but "do not allow us to be conquered in the presence of
temptation." Job was tempted but was not led into temptation, because with
God’s help he did not utter anything senseless about God (Job 1:22) and did not
defile his lips with blasphemous complaints, toward which his tempter tried to
steer him. So were Abraham and Joseph tempted, but neither one nor the other
were led into temptation, because they did not carry out the will of the
tempter.
"But deliver us from the evil one," i.e. do not allow the devil to tempt us beyond our
strength, but with temptations, send us relief so that we may bear them (1 Cor.
10:13).
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