If you’re ever prayed in a mixed crowd, by mixed I mean Catholic and Protestants, and the prayer gets around to the Lord’s Prayer, aka The Our Father, there’s usually a bit of tension in the air when we get to the end of the prayer, “Will we pray it or not?”
By “it” I mean the last part of what might, or might not be found, in Matthew 6:13,
For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory for ever. Amen.
I say it might or it might not be found in the Bible because while most translations do not include it, there are a handful of translations that do. Of those that do, all of them have a notation that reads similar to, “The last half of this verse is not found in the oldest manuscripts.”
This is true. If you look it up in the original Greek translations, this phrase is not there. The best hypothesis of why it is included is because it was added by Greek scholars as they copied the scriptures.
“For Thine is the Kingdom…” is a doxology. If you remember from a couple weeks ago, we learned that the word doxology comes from the words doxa which means honor or glory and logia which means language or speak.
Doxology is spoken, sung, or written glory. In times past, the Jewish people frequently used doxologies to conclude prayers. It is possible that they used the doxology found in First Chronicles 29:10-13 as part of their prayer and I think verse 11 will sound familiar to you:
Yours, LORD, are greatness and might,
majesty, victory, and splendor.
For all in heaven and on earth is yours;
yours, LORD, is kingship;
you are exalted as head over all.
These words of First Chronicles have the same purpose as the “For Thine…” prayer, to magnify the Lord.
When prayed with intent, and with our minds focused on the words we are praying, something amazing happens when we pray a doxology: we decrease and God increases.
It is so easy for us to become focused on what is happening around us, in our communities and in our country. We may even start telling God how big our problems are. However, when we start meditating on doxologies like our ancient predecessors did, we can begin to tell our problems how big God is.
If we closed every prayer with the words of First Chronicles 29:11 or at least prayed this verse every morning, we would be covered with God’s greatness, might, majesty, victory, and splendor. We would remind ourselves that we live in HIs kingship right where we are today.
When Catholics pray the Lord’s prayer in their personal prayer time, we may omit “For Thine..” However, when we pray the Mass, it is included. At Mass, between “lead us not into temptation” and “For Thine is the Kingdom…” we include another prayer,
Deliver us, Lord, from every evil, and grant us peace in our day. In your mercy keep us free from sin and protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord.
This prayer and the graces it contains will be our focus for our Lectio the Liturgy next week. I hope you join me.
Julie