In one of his books Brennan Manning tells of when he was confessor for a nun who couldn't pray the Lord's Prayer. Sexually abused as a child, addressing our "Father" renewed her sense of fear and shame, her unworthiness to address God.
Manning took his lead from Jesus' most anguished prayer, moments before His arrest, when He asked "abba," His "daddy," to "take this cup" from Him, were it the Father's will (Mark 14:36).
And we are told that because He adopted us, and put His Spirit in our hearts, we too can call on Father with the child-like intimacy Jesus did, as "Daddy" (Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:6).
The prayer Manning suggested to the nun is one that comes to mind almost daily, knowing I'm unworthy to address Him except for His love towards me: "Father...Abba...thank you I belong to You."
