Luke 11:1-13

Pentecost +9 - Year C

Luke 11:1-13

Hmm, even Jesus didn't "pray" continuously. I still appreciate John Wesley's sermon On Zeal where he ends up saying that if you are praying and there is an act of mercy that needs doing - drop your praying and get on with the mercy.

You might be interested in a Peshita Syriac-Aramaic translation:

O Birther!
Father-Mother of the Cosmos,
     focus your light within us—make it useful.
Create your reign of unity now;
Your one desire acts with ours,
     as in all light, so in all forms.
Grant what we need each day in bread and insight.
Loose the cords of mistakes binding us,
     as we release the strand we hold of others’ guilt.
Don’t let surface things delude us,
     but free us from what holds us back.
From you is born all ruling will,
     the power and the life to do,
     the song that beautifies all;
     from age to age it renews.
Amen.

Like in John Wesley's sermon, Jesus goes from teaching a prayer form to merciful action.

Immediately from, "And do not bring us to the time of trial" Jesus goes to examples of times of trial. Will you judge to be merciful? Will you do so quickly or reluctantly?

Mercy is knocking at the door. If you know how to pray and care for your own, open the door and prove your prayer.