Here in Ireland, there was, and maybe still is, a massive drive to make Irish, rather than English, our most widely spoken language. It shouldn’t be difficult. We all had to learn it in primary and secondary school. And some of us even had to learn it at third level. I had to learn Irish when I was training to be a teacher.
But few of us are really fluent. I’m certainly not 😀. You here it on train announcements and see it on many documents and sites, particularly government-related. For me, it all seems a bit of a waste. It should be a voluntary fun activity rather than something pushed on us. You don’t need to speak a particular language to have a distinctive culture. Numerous attempts have been made to help us to learn Irish, but they generally failed. Many don’t like to admit that.
Here’s an example of an old Irish hymn sung in Irish:
Generally speaking everyone can practice basic skills. But many aren’t much good at them. I think of home maintenance skills. My parent’s generation were much better at all that stuff. Somehow, we’re gradually getting worse – particularly me 😀.
Spiritually, prayer is something I’d like to get better at. When Jesus spoke to His disciples, the Jews had been praying for thousands of years. Yet, they asked Him to teach them. He gave them a very quick lesson, using an example of how they should pray.
And this lady tells us how to recite the prayer that Jesus gave us in Irish.
Here’s a long passage on prayer from the copyright-free World English Bible:
Luke 11:1-13
11 When he finished praying in a certain place, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.”
2 He said to them, “When you pray, say,
‘Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come.
May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
4 Forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
Bring us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’”
5 He said to them, “Which of you, if you go to a friend at midnight and tell him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him,’ 7 and he from within will answer and say, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give it to you’? 8 I tell you, although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as many as he needs.
9 “I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.
11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he won’t give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, he won’t give him a scorpion, will he? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
I do pray, but I always like tips on how to get better at it. Looking at this passage afresh, I’m reminded of the need for confidence and persistence. And we do need to recognize that when we don’t get exactly what we want, it’s because God has a greater plan. It’s not that He doesn’t respond to us. We even see Jesus asking for something He didn’t get when he prayed on the night before He died:
Matthew 26:39
He went forward a little, fell on his face, and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not what I desire, but what you desire.”
Here are a few hymns based on the Lord’s prayer, including Cliff Richard’s song that made number 1 at the turn of the millenium:
Hibernia Gospel 