| Praying the Lord's Prayer is difficult for survivors of | | | | directly or indirectly to God? |
| childhood abuse. The Lord's Prayer is both communal | | | | 2. "The power." How do you experience the power |
| and personal, flowing from one to the other and | | | | of the Holy Spirit? Abuse survivors squirm at the |
| back again. The prayer is about relationships, me with | | | | notion of power because of how humans misuse |
| God, me with other people (family members, priests, | | | | power to their own selfish ends, but the Holy Spirit |
| religious leaders, persons in authority), me with | | | | does not use force. What other expression might |
| myself, and all of us together. The queries below on | | | | you use? Here are couple of expressions I use: "Your |
| assurance and gratitude will assist you in going to | | | | empowerment transforms my life," and "Yours is the |
| deeper places in understanding the prayer that Jesus | | | | tenderness of new life. |
| gave us. | | | | 3. "The glory." What blessings of life do you attribute |
| 1. "For yours is the kingdom." How do you experience | | | | to the Divine? Traditionally, we speak of giving God |
| the presence of God being with you? "Kingdom" is | | | | the glory. What do I thank God for? I am thankful |
| not a concept survivors are likely to embrace | | | | for "the blessings I receive," "the presence of God |
| because of the damage inflicted from authority | | | | healing me," the glory of all creation," and so much |
| figures such as priests, religious, teachers, or family | | | | more. What about you? |
| members. Consider other concepts, "community," for | | | | 4 "Amen." Amen means "So be it." Is yours a spoken |
| instance. How do you experience the presence of a | | | | word? A thank-you? A Namaste? A bow? |
| loving, gentle, and safe God? What do you attribute | | | | |