Ever hear of Peter Beskendorf? He was Martin Luther’s barber. Evidently Master Peter, as he was called, was well-known and respected in good old Wittenberg. He asked Luther for a simple way to pray for an ordinary person. Luther replied with a 34 page book.

Luther explained that when he prayed, he first said the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and, if he had time, the words of Jesus or Paul or some psalms. That was a kind of warm up. Then he got down to serious business and started praying a part of the Lord’s Prayer. He didn’t just repeat the words, he made it the source of his prayer. For example, he might start, “Hallowed be thy name,” and then continue, “Yes, Lord God, dear Father, hallowed be thy name both in us and throughout the world.” And on he went praying and then took up the next part of the Lord’s prayer. If he still had time after prayer the Lord’s prayer this way, he went also prayed the Commandments and the Creed this way. 

Those of you raised in a Lutheran Church realize Luther was praying the catechism. 

We tend to think of Luther’s Small Catechism as a book we had to memorize in order to be confirmed and then promptly forgot. Luther expected that every household would regularly study the catechism. In his instructions to Master Peter, it is evident that even the learned Dr. Luther had recourse to turn to his catechism and to let it shape his prayers.

It might be helpful for us to do the same. 

Read Mark 11:24 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne