Here is something we all skip over as we simply go about the motions of being God's children.
In ancient times and in contemporary time, it is the anticipatin of the faithful that God's sovereign rule will become visible and effective in the world. We Christians end our most elemental prayer, echoing the doxology of Revelation, with the conviction "Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen."
In that familiar phrasing, we deny the claims of every empire, including the one in which we live. We "do time" there, but it is not our true habitat.
Our praying - such as the Lord's prayer and the ending noted above - is meant to carry us into that life about which we pray. Hearing those words again and again is meant to help us walk into that Reigning power of God's rule even though we are so in line with the ways of the empire. For example, just today - after a retreat on 'hospitality' I was working with a family in the neighborhood who just lost their mother. I really wanted to be a help to them and treat them with respect and honor and grace. Then, after a comment made by one of the people, I could feel my head turn around and come out with a comment that was not as gracious as I would have hoped. And yet, I had the next moments to back off what I said and again attempt to make this a moment of grace and hospitality for all of us. Duh. How can I be so dumb and short-sighted?! The reminder within the most basic prayer is one meant to keep us grounded in that Reign that is shaped by God - not our wants and desires.
Connection: Some days, the empire rules and I let myself be one of the subjes - if not one of the eager participants in that rule. I hate it - and yet it happens. That is why we continue to say "come, Lord Jesus' when we share the Eucharist. Come and help us stop being knotheads.
Again, through stories you call us into new life today, O God. Open our hearts that we may join in the liberation of God's Reign. Amen.
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