Our Father

     Christ in the Neighborhood
     Georges Rouault

Pray then in this way:

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be your name.

Your kingdoms come.

Your will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,

As we also have forgiven our debtors.

And do not bring us to the time of trial,

But rescue us from the evil one.

This is a prayer of the poor.

The poor wait each day for bread.

The poor are nothing in the kingdoms of this world.

The poor are without debtors and in this world they face a trial every day.

Jesus’ ministry was a ministry to the poor. He spoke consistently against the accumulation of wealth and power. He spoke and acted against wealth and power especially when these directly affected the lives of the poor. Is there one instance where Jesus spoke positively of wealth and power? He never addressed the Governor or the “King”, the arbiters of power and position, until he faced them before his death.