Exploring the depth of our prayers
God gave Adam and Eve a powerful task: to name the animals. By doing so, they were to to have power – “dominion” – over them.
In past times, names weren’t so separate from the people or objects they described. That’s why it was so important that “you shall name him Emmanuel” – God is with us.
I’ve always found this phrase to be a bit puzzling:
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
Here’s the issue: we’re asking Mary to pray for us at the hour of our death. First, why is it that we have one hour of our death? We don’t die together, all at the same time, right?
The Salve Regina (Hail Holy Queen) hints at life being pretty miserable here on earth.
But if you look at the way we behave, it’s as if everything of value is here on earth. We do everything we can to avoid death – even to the extent of spending everything we have to live longer.
Not better, just longer.
It all begins with the resurrection.
It’s not that Jesus wouldn’t have been God without rising from the dead. Or that salvation wouldn’t have been possible.
No, it’s because we wouldn’t be paying attention to any of this without the resurrection.
OK, so why does Pontius Pilate get a mention in both our Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed?
It’s not like he’s the hero of the story. Or that his name was particularly important.
He played a crucial role in Jesus’ necessary suffering, but so did others.
Isn’t it interesting that we declare that glory was to be given to God in the beginning?
We weren’t here. Nothing existed except God.
I would say that all creation exists because of the glory of God.