A Letter Home

D. Michael Day

On page 16 in the Science and Health Mrs. Eddy gives us the spiritual sense of the Lord’s prayer. She takes each individual idea and interprets it from a metaphysical basis to give us a clearer sense of Jesus’ words. Recently many of our branch churches and even The Mother Church has included citations from some of the newer translations of the Bible which are helpful in putting these important passages into a clearer context for us to understand in modern language. I thought it be interesting to do the same thing with the Lord’s prayer and wondered how a college student, perhaps away from home for the first time, might be writing to stay in touch with their parents. Perhaps their letter sent home to their parents might go something like this:

Our Father which art in heaven,  

Our Father-Mother God, all-harmonious,

Hi Mom and Dad, Thanks for staying in touch. I’m glad to hear everything is going so well at home

Hallowed be Thy name.  

Adorable One.

Being away for the first time, I realize how grateful I am to have such wonderful parents as you.

Thy kingdom come.  

Thy kingdom is come; Thou art ever-present.

It’s so easy to close my eyes and know that my home and family are always with me in my heart and my consciousness no matter where I go or how far away I travel. It’s like you’re always with me.

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.  

Enable us to know, — as in heaven, so on earth, — God is   omnipotent, supreme.

I just wanted to say how grateful I am for my upbringing and the values you instilled in me. It’s almost like you are with the each day guiding me when I am gone the same way you did when I was there.

Give us this day our daily bread;  

Give us grace for to-day; feed the famished affections;

And thank you again for my allowance. The check really came in handy and I know it was sent with love so I could purchase those extra goodies whenever I seem to run low. I never lack for anything.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  

And Love is reflected in love;

I know I can never repay you for all the wonderful things you have given me and for setting me on the right path so I am paying the debt forward to everyone I meet, just as you would want me to.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil;  

And God leadeth us not into temptation, but delivereth   us from sin, disease, and death.

The kids up here are doing a lot of questionable things which seem to be popular, but I can clearly see past the influence of such destructive behavior. The spiritual foundation you gave me shelters and protects me and my friends from anything trying to disrupt our good relationship.

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.  

For God is infinite, all-power, all Life, Truth, Love, over   all, and All.  

I realize now that the upbringing you gave me at home is more important to my life and career than anything I will learn in college. The basis for happiness is not formal education, but the power of infinite wisdom, a clean mind and heart, living a life of which I can be proud without regret, never lying, cheating or being deceitful, and learning to see loving qualities in everyone, not just my friends, but all with whom I come in contact. College doesn’t make you smart, good choices do. I love you and feel your presence with me every day. 

Thank you forever. Well I guess that’s All for now. Your loving son, J.