Last night, my wife and I got some lovely Starbucks. Ahh, refreshing…sorry, I digress. After that, I decided to go to Hastings, our local bookstore/video store/game store. We were looking at kids music for preschoolers (where my wife works). I saw this book about kids first prayers. Here was The Lord’s Prayer (paraphrased).
Dear Father, We love you! We want to make you happy. Thank you for giving us everything we need. Please take care of us today. We’re sorry when we don’t listen to you. Help us to love one another! You are wonderful, God! Amen.
Now, that doesn’t sound at all like this, now does it?
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
I’m trying to decide whether that is better or worse than “The Message”:
Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what’s best— as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You’re in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You’re ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.
I wanted to respond earlier, but I probably would have exploded — not a nice sight.
First, the kiddie “Lord’s Prayer” isn’t a prayer. When you try and give God a hi-five, that’s doesn’t get to the heart of what a prayer is. The kiddie prayer is just a few dopey lines put together to make children feel nice. It’s a joke.
Second, Starbucks is better than “lovely.” It’s a God-send. In my own way, I consider it a sacrament. (OK, that’s plain wrong).
When your day is going stinky and you’re feeling down, nothing says pick me up more than a cinnamon dolce latte with whipped cream and 600 calories. Now you know why I’m overweight…
Rev. Iovine