Praying with Paul: 'The Authority of the Cross'

Dear Father, confounder of worldly wisdom,

What you have caused us to preach is "Christ crucified," a stumbling block to tradition-followers, like the Jews, and folly to philosophy-lovers, like the Greeks. But to us who are called, he is your power and your wisdom. For we believe that your foolishness is wiser than our wisdom, and your weakness is stronger than our strength.

I am thankful that you have taken most of us from the lower echelons of society. Not many of us are wise according to worldly standards, not many are powerful, not many are of noble birth.

You chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, what is weak to shame the strong, what is low and despised, even things that don't yet exist, to bring to nothing the things that are.

May my weakness and foolishness be transformed into usefulness through your strength and wisdom. In the name of Jesus and by his wisdom and authority I pray. Amen.