Hastings: Stories in the stones — Rocky places of prayer
“Doesn’t scripture say, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples’? But you have turned it into a den of thieves!” — Mark 11:15 The Inclusive Bible
From Bethany, Jesus and the disciples went to Jerusalem. They went first to the rock-hewn Temple where Jesus often taught. But as they entered the courtyard, Jesus was aghast at the way a once-sacred place had been turned into a marketplace. So he overturned the money changers’ tables and the stalls of those selling doves, and would not permit anyone to carry merchandise in the Temple area. This upset the religious system’s economy and threatened those in power. Angry leaders determined to kill him.
Within earshot of the chief priests and religious scholars who sought to destroy him, Jesus began teaching: “Doesn’t scripture say, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples’? But you have turned it into a den of thieves!”
After leaving the Temple, Jesus led the disciples to the Mount of Olives. They entered a cave in the rocks where he often taught them privately. While there, the disciples asked him to “Teach us to pray.” Every rabbi had a prayer which was the summary of his teachings, so this is what the disciples were requesting.
The prayer Jesus gave is a summary of all scripture and a pattern for peace on earth. The prayer expresses awe for divine holiness, purpose and provision as well as pardon, guidance and protection on life’s pilgrimage. This prayer, now known as The Lord’s Prayer, appears in many languages in the corridor of Pater Noster Church which was built to protect the cave.
Whether in a rock-hewn building dedicated to prayer, in the privacy of a cave in the rocks, or wherever one may be, Jesus leads Earth’s flock of people through the rocky times in their lives to the places of peace and plenty beyond.
The Rev. Celia M. Hastings has a master’s degree in religious education from Western Theological Seminary in Holland. She is author of “The Wisdom Series” and “The Undertaker’s Wife.”
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Hastings: Stories in the stones — Rocky places of prayer
