Scripture: 

“Do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6 13)

Reflection:

‘Temptation’ usually suggests attraction in the wrong direction. This translation of the Lord’s Prayer tries to get closer to the Greek word, which was used for testing, for trying out. The Covid pandemic tested us in a frightening way, and now we hope that we can learn lessons from that testing to have greater resilience in future. On a different scale, this is a daily experience for each of us, as our strength of body, mind or spirit is tested, and those tests can lead to improvements (think of the toddler’s progress) – as long as we are not tested beyond breaking point.

Jesus encourages us in our prayers to remember that we need help and protection, both from external threats – evil in the world around us - and from within – St Paul himself talked of not understanding his own actions ‘I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate’.

“Your father knows what you need before you ask, so pray, Our Father,… lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”

David Harmsworth