Word to the Wise
Wednesday, October 5, 2022 - Wednesday in the 27th Week in Ordinary Time
[Gal 2:1-2, 7-14 and Luke 11:1-4]"Father, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test." [Luke]
Yes, there are two versions of the "Our Father" in the gospels. The one we are most accustomed to, however, is the one we say at Mass!! In the New American Bible, which is the official translation of the American bishops, the word "trespasses" does not appear, but it DOES appear in the liturgy! The latter is a bit closer to the one in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel According to Matthew.
What should not be lost in translation concerns is "forgiveness." Are we asking God to forgive us to the extent that we forgive others? I hope not! I think most of us would be less than perfect in that! But that familiar prayer should be a challenge to ask ourselves how good we are at forgiving others. The sheer familiarity of the prayer means that its meaning can be lost in the comfort that familiarity provides.
The translation concerns will continue to occupy scholars and liturgists. The challenge from Jesus to forgive as God forgives remains. AMEN