Devotionals

Monday, March 14 “For Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power and the Glory forever.” For the second time in this short prayer we come up against this problematic word, kingdom.  We’ve heard from Debbie about the meaning this word carried in its historical context, an intentional challenge to the tyrants who ruled strictly class-based […]

Sunday, March 13 “And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil” Several times a year, Fran and I load up her car, settle Jeannie in the back seat, and head south–either to Pennsylvania or Virginia or both.  The best thing about the car ride is extended time for conversation.  We talk about […]

Saturday, March 12 “And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil” How is it that “temptation” and “evil” end up in the same clause, here? On a daily basis, I feel like the only things that tempt me are snacks, both decadent and humdrum, and the lure of staying up later than […]

Friday March 11 Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil There’s a joke and it goes like this: One day a boy came walking home from school.  On the way home he saw a creek.  He quickly jumped in, clothes and all. When he arrived home completely soaked, his mom asked, “What […]

Thursday, March 10 Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil… Twenty-five years ago, when I was in Catholic high school, I read about a study that said 50% of priests were sexually active. Being a snarky kid, I shared the study with my Mom, with a quip that perhaps the priesthood wasn’t […]

Wednesday, March 9 Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil… Temptation.  Oh, sweet temptation.  We all know its seductive pull, that quick fix, feel good, easy out laced with danger that makes us want to go where, in our heart of hearts, we know we have no business, but want to anyway. […]

Tuesday, March 8 “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”  Rather than viewing God as someone who would intentionally set up adverse situations to “test” me, I prefer imagining God as a loving parent.  Naturally, this lens has evolved as my experience working with children and youth has changed. There is […]

Monday, March 7 “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Temptation in American vernacular is too often and too simply connected with topping dinner off with a dessert or having that extra helping at the dinner table.  While the word may have a slightly shameful connotation it isn’t commonly included in […]

Sunday, March 6 Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.                                                           A drama from a Just Peace Play–three actors and a narrator…. […]

Saturday, March 5 Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  Trespass. In daily life, we tend only to think of this somewhat archaic word in terms of “No trespassing” signs which caused me, as a youth, to think this was about walking on someone else’s land. That image stuck until I […]