Sunday, August 08, 2004

Let Us Now Praise Famous Men

I've always loved the section of communion in which we remember our spiritual past. The words, "Lord God of our ancestor; God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" fill me with awe in a way that I can't explain. I'm particularly pleased when the celebrant says the long version, which goes on to name, "Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah," for our ancestors are feminine as well as masculine. This morning it occured to me that this is still a limited list. We don't pray for Hagar and Ishmael, or for Billah and Zilpah. Ishmael is, I suppose, more of a spiritual cousin than an ancestor, which would put Hagar out of our prayers, too, but poor Billah and Zilpah.

Words Written: zero
Lessons Graded: thirty-seven

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