In our prayer in schools, these are some of our foundational principles, given to us directly by Jesus in the prayer he taught us. God is very close to us and only wants what is good for us. What is good for us is the Spirit of Jesus living in us and guiding us towards the love of the Creator. The “kingdom” which began with the life of Jesus and which is still unfolding, slowly but surely, is a vision of life in which the gentle ways of God are the norm, not the competitive ways of human beings.
Relationships in this kingdom are understood in a different way. We are invited to be reconciled to each other, to ensure that no-one is a victim or in a state of want, either physically, emotionally or spiritually. In fact, relationships are so central to our relationship with God that in Matthew’s Gospel Jesus tells us that if we are not at peace with our neighbour, then go and sort it out before we start to pray (Matthew 5: 23 – 25).
