Prayer for the Week: There is so much more to the stories of faith than we might first believe. There is so much depth and contextual meaning that is not visible at first glance. There is so much beauty that is lost when we read it through the lens of pithy and empty religiosity that has co-opted following Jesus. O Holy One of the Universe, there is a beckoning that echos throughout creation that draws us beyond some narrow view of life. This invitation is seen in the complexity of literature and genre found in the holy texts of our faith. So many voices attempting to speak faithfully within their ancient world, and we too attempt to speak faithfully in this unique moment of human existence. Encourage an eagerness within us for the purpose of exploring a faithful life that moves beyond a bunch of Do’s and Don’ts, beyond a catchy feel-good phrase. Let us wrestle with the musty, dirty, uneasy and mosaic-like stories of the faithful. Where new questions arise that do not appear to have simple answers, provide us peace as we sit with the questions. Let us push aside the pain-free explanations that require nothing of us. We ask this in the name of the one who was the Living Word, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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