The Fifth Petition

Loosen the cords of mistakes binding us, as we release the strands we hold of other’s guilt.

Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,

Visually, for me, the Aramaic translation of the fifth petition contains the most powerful words of the Lord’s Prayer. Pondering this petition I pictured lives full of complex relationships, tangled knots of past experiences, and tombs of un-forgiven offenses. These knots and tombs profoundly affect every heart and every relationship including our relationship with God and our relationship with the earth. We are bound by knots and tangles that become so intertwined they have the potential to be impossible to understand, recognize, or unravel.

In my mind’s eye I saw unreachable tangles of knots embedded in my spirit. These tangled knots are like brain neurons with billions of connections that produce conscious and unconscious thought. When I choose to hold onto old hurts, mistakes, frustrated hopes, and failures, it affects my thinking and then has the potential to affect my actions.

“Loosen the Cords” is a mixed media visual representation of the cords wrapped around our neck like a noose slowly choking breath. The lightning bolts flash like brain neurons firing rapidly repeated messages like an assault rifle into our conscious and unconscious thought.

The towers are tomb-like edifices growing unimpeded and unrestrained. Often our knots and tangles have a pleasing appearance; after all, our psyche has bought into the idea that presentation and branding are important. All these cords and strands are very difficult to sort, untangle, and unknot. The prayer of releasing (release the strands we hold of others guilt) is a call that forgiveness needs to be a consistent and regular part of our spiritual life.