The phrase most often repeated from the Bible opens the Lord's prayer: "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name." These words carry a theology in themselves.
The word "our" clearly is inclusive of every human being. No person of any race, creed or color can be omitted from this group. "Our Father" puts every human being into a relationship with our creator and with each other. We are siblings across the globe.
"Our Father" means that we are not alone. We are created beings. We are in touch with our creator. Our creator has begotten us as a father conceives. That creator cares for us as a father. We are purposeful creations. Being created means that we have a relationship with all that is past.
"Father" is not a name but a relationship. This puts us in a family with a dimension that reaches not only to a different generation but to different order which we can only imagine. We pray to our Father "in heaven" because that Father is beyond earthly definitions and limitations.
"Hallowed be thy name" because giving a name brings that named being into our level, and that demeans the Creator God. When we call out a name we are asking for fraternity, but God is in a different phase of being. His name is unknown to us as a result. It is hallowed beyond our naming. The closest we can come to naming God is to recognize God as Father.
The opening of the Lord's prayer opens the door to a first step in identifying God. We reaffirm our faith every time we say the Lord's prayer.
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