Why I’m thinking about “The power and the glory”… those particular words, in The Lord’s Prayer, is hard to figure. I’m hardly, at all, religious.
It’s the word ‘power,’ I suppose, that seems strange. Is it really necessary? And appropriate?
‘Power’ often has to do with “strength and force exerted by something or someone.”
‘Glory,’ on the other hand, is a positive, uplifting word, a word that’s often associated with ‘achievements.’
I looked them up — the two words — in the dictionary.
Wouldn’t The Lord’s Prayer be better without ‘power’ in it? With just ‘glory?’
Considering how power, over the ages, has been used to crush people, societies, civilizations, hope and even humanity… when you come right down to it.
Just look around, at entire nations of people who are under the rule of iron-fisted, authoritarian despots. Too often, it seems, there’s someone seeking to exert power over others.
‘Power politics,’ you hear those words, all the time. In business and sports, some company, or some team, is always hungry for power.
Hearty competition is one thing, but seeking to crush opponents… that’s something else.
Celebrating achievements, rather than power, would seem to be the way to go… going forward with something as important to humanity as The Lord’s Prayer. Wouldn’t you think?
So instead of; “For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,” why not make it:
“For thine is the kingdom,
The glory.
For ever and ever…”
And while we’re at it, maybe strike “kingdom” from the prayer? Since ‘kingdom’ might suggest something that wasn’t fully intended, eons ago?
Or, if what it suggested, so long ago, was intended, maybe it shouldn’t really have been?
Just some minor editing, here and there, might be long overdue.
Harvey Radin is former senior vice president in charge of corporate communications and media relations, Bank of America Western Region. He makes his home in Redwood City, CA.