According to the Gospels, Jesus prayed in private. He taught only one prayer, which John Dominic Crossan called "The Greatest Prayer." Jesus did not ask for great things; he did not offer high praise to an all powerful God; he asked for simple, earthly necessities.

Jesus' prayer began with the salutation which has been translated: "Our Father." This was in keeping with a culture in which the head of the family, the pater familias who would have had the power of life and death over his wife and children as well as his household servants and slaves. We are told that Jesus addressed God as "Abba" which probably should be translated "Dad" or even "Daddy."

Jesus opened for us a direct line into a relationship with God. We do not need intermediaries, not even Jesus, to mediate this relationship. In our faith tradition, this is called "the priesthood of all believers." May we never abuse this special relationship.

Thoughts from Lyn Pickhover

Lenten Devotions
February 25, 2021