When Jesus’ disciples asked him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray’ (Luke 11:1) he responded with the words that have come to be known as The Lord’s Prayer.
Father, may your name be honoured; may your kingdom come; give us each day our daily bread; and forgive us our sins, since we too forgive all our debtors; and don’t put us to the test.
Luke 11: 2-4 (Tom Wright, The New Testament for Everyone)
(This prayer is repeated in a slightly different form Matthew’s gospel as part of the Sermon on the Mount)
We can pray this prayer using one of the familiar forms:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
And lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours
now and forever.
An alternative form of the Lord’s prayer is found in the New Zealand Prayer Book:
Eternal Spirit,
Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be,
Father and Mother of us all,
Loving God in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world!
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love,
now and forever.
Amen