The Stairway

I could also pray for a different family member or friend by name at each of the steps. How about Psalm 136—each of the 26 verses concludes with “for his mercy endures forever.” I could pray one verse for each foot as it climbs the 13 stairs.

Before I make the climb, I might read Psalm 121, a song of ascents: 

                                    I

I lift up my eyes toward the mountains;

       whence shall help come to me?

   My help is from the Lord,

       who made heaven and earth.

                           II

   May he not suffer your foot to slip;

       my he slumber not who guards you:

   Indeed he neither slumbers nor sleeps,

       the guardian of Israel.

                         III

   The Lord is your guardian; the Lord is your shade;

       he is beside you at your right hand.

   The sun shall not harm you by days

       nor the moon by night.

                         IV

   The Lord will guard you from all evil;

       he will guard your life.

   The Lord will guard your coming and your going,

       both now and forever.

In Genesis 28:12, we read of Jacob’s dream of a stairway between earth and heaven with God’s messengers ascending and descending it. I am not so agile as those messengers, so I may have to try out my ideas to make my trips up and down at least a little holier!

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Photo by Micah Carlson on Unsplash

The passage from the Gospel according to Matthew is from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved.

Psalm 121 is from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved..

Sharon Krause is a RENEW volunteer whose writing has appeared in several resources for small-group faith sharing. She is a wife, mother, and grandmother residing in Manchester, Connecticut. Over the years, she has served in many parish ministries.