writing in the dust

Several years ago, I happened to be visiting my parents when a longtime friend of my mother died. As I left the funeral, I spoke briefly to the woman’s son and in parting said, “The Lord be with you.” Without hesitation, he responded, “And also with you.” We had not seen one another in nearly a decade, but in that moment our common training in the Lutheran liturgy gave us words to say—*Christian* words—words of comfort and encouragement in the face of death.

Our common training in liturgy had taught us, in that moment at least, to speak Christianly.