Prayers of the People: Joy Break ~ 3rd Sunday of Advent '25 Yr A

For Sunday, December 14, 2025, Readings: Isaiah 35:1-10, Canticle 15: The Song of Mary, [Magnificat, Luke 1:46-55]; James 5:7-10, Matthew 11:2-11

  The wilderness and dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice...like the crocus it will blossom abundantly...He will come and save you...A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way...the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return...and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. [Isaiah 35: 1-2a, 4b, 8a, 9b, 10a-b]

   My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant...he has remembered his promise of mercy... [Luke 1:46-48, 54b]

   Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. Strengthen your hearts for the coming of the Lord is near.  

[James 5:7a, 8b]

   Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out to the wilderness to see? A prophet?...Yes, I tell you...This is the one about whom it is written, 'See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you'...among those born of women no one has risen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." [Matthew 11:7a, 9, 11]

Oh, come, our Wisdom from on high,

Who ordered all things mightily,

To us the path of knowledge show,

And teach us in her ways to go.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to you, O Israel!* 

*O come, O come, Emmanuel, verse 2, Hymn 56, 1982 Hymnal, Church Publishing, Inc., New York

 

   As we light the 3^rd candle in the Advent Wreath our anticipation and expectation of the birth of Jesus accelerates. However, there is a notable change. This week, instead of a purple candle of repentance or a blue candle of hope, some traditions use a rose colored (or pink) candle and perhaps rose vestments and altar hangings. Why change color in the middle of the season?

  Advent has traditionally been a penitential season of waiting, as is Lent, with somber readings and admonishments to fast and pray to be ready and worthy for Christ's coming. Yet, historically, the Latin name for this Sunday is Gaudete (gow-day-tay), which translates as “REJOICE!”  It comes from an Introit (opening) of the Liturgy. We hear the Joy, the Rejoicing, the Hope, and the excitement in the readings. We'll be ransomed from sorrow and sadness, lifted up, healed, beloved, and blessed. When our God in Christ comes, we will walk on the Holy Way, safe from lions and ravenous beasts. 

   Within the aspects of a strictly penitential season, all the candles, hangings, and vestments previously were Lenten purple. More recently, vestments have become blue to lighten our walk while still reminding us that we are in a season of prayer and penitence ~ a time for some spiritual housecleaning. But on this Sunday, the rose color was and is a symbol of a respite in the midst of the serious. 

   With the Revised Common Lectionary and newer scholarship, there has been more of an emphasis placed on remembering the Joy that is to come. All of this day’s readings are filled with hope and joy ~ which, of course, is not to say that we should not also be prayerful and repentant as we wait. 

    So let us, in the midst of the holiday flurry of gift selections, wrappings, food shopping and preparations, regularly stop to breathe, to pray, and to experience JOY for the coming Holy-Day of the Nativity. 

   May our souls proclaim the greatness of the Lord as our spirits rejoice with Mary, even as James reminds us that troubling times are part of every life and we are to be patient…and do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. In Matthew’s Gospel passage, Jesus is clear that while no human had risen greater than John the Baptist, the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

   Yet with the gift of the coming ~and always present~ Lord Christ, our souls may smile in happy times and rest easier in the trying times as we move forward each day, until our time to journey on the Heavenly Holy Way, with singing and 

everlasting joy upon our heads.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ LORD of the Holy Way, grant us strength of heart and prayerful patience as we discover that the voice in the wilderness is our own. Keep us without fear as we await the everlasting joy of Christ’s coming.

                                                      O God our Savior

            RESPONSE:               Look with favor upon us 

~ LORD of the Holy Way, as You scatter the proud in their conceit, guide the hearts of all who govern on this Earth, in this Nation, and in our Community, that they may rule with equity, mercy, and justice. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O God our Savior

                                                       Look with favor upon us

~  LORD of the Holy Way, lift up all who suffer with chronic illness, addiction, or severe life circumstance, and energize all who give them care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       O God our Savior

                                                       Look with favor upon us

~  LORD of the Holy Way, may the sorrow and sighs flee away from those who mourn, as Heaven is ablaze in joy and gladness for the arrival of all we hold so dear. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                       O God our Savior

                                                       Look with favor upon us

~  LORD of the Holy Way, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

                                                       O God our Savior

                                                       Look with favor upon us

~  LORD of the Holy Way, refresh and invigorate those who endeavor in Your Church to prepare us for the coming of Christ through Your Word and Sacraments. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O God our Savior

                                                       Look with favor upon us

The Celebrant adds: God of Glory and Majesty, as we await the Messiah who ransoms us from sin and death, fill us with continuing rejoicing that our souls may also magnify and proclaim the greatness of Your love. We ask through Jesus, our Redeemer Christ, and the Holy Spirit of Truth, who together with You are One God, forever and ever. Amen. 

All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution and edited for local use as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com

Prayers of the People: Rooted in Love ~ 2nd Sunday of Advent '25 Yr A

For Sunday, December 7, 2025: Readings: Isaiah 11:1-10, Psalm 72: 1-7, 18-19; Romans 15:4-13,

Matthew 3:1-12

   

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.  [Isaiah 11:1-2] 

   Give the King your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the King’s son…to defend the needy…[and] rescue the poor.  [Psalm 72:1, 4]

   May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another...May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. [Romans 15:5a, 13]

    In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.'" [Matthew 3:1-3, 11b]

     The beautiful prose of this passage of Isaiah begins this week's readings with: “A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.”  Having not grown up with a "Jesse Tree" tradition, the reading would usually zip through my ears with no particular impact until I decided to look deeper into this hint of family history.

    There's been a serious uptick in the field of genealogy over the last several decades with online access to family records and DNA kits that allow one to explore both lineage and geographical heritage. Discovering the branches of one's family tree is fascinating, even addicting, and can also be frustrating when one limb is missing or the records stop short of fully revealing the information sought. Yet even the smallest detail can add depth and connectedness to the relationship with those who have gone before us. And so it is with the family tree of Jesus. Thankfully, I have several family members on both sides who have done and continue to do exhaustive family research, saving me the $ and the time. One piece of information solved part of a mystery in family lore, and given so much more information about generations of memory and long past. And the history of Jesse is ours as much as those of our blood.

    Jesse was the grandson of Ruth (of “whither thou goest, I will go”) and her husband, Boaz. We first hear of Jesse in the Book of Ruth [Ruth 4:13-18] as the son of their son, Obed. Jesse grows to be a farmer with eight sons, the youngest of which is David who becomes King of the Israelites [in a another twist of Biblical proportions ~ see 1 Samuel 15 & 16]. It is through Jesse’s family tree that this root, this Branch, ultimately flowers as Jesus. The coming of Jesus is the reason we contemplate in Advent, celebrate at Christmas, and cogitate in Lent.

   The secular spectacle of christmas [intentional lower "c"] has, for so many, replaced the spiritual celebration and worship in Christ's Mass with the frenzy of over-shopping, over-eating, garish outdoor decorating with clashing colors of blinking or static lights, and inflated cartoon characters on lawns that go flat in the morning in a metaphorical anti-climax. Yet even in this environment Isaiah tells us that this...root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples...

    Paul wants us to abound in harmony with one another ~ especially necessary in these trying times. He also wants God to grant us hope and peace in our faith, and, indirectly suggests we need to actively seek that and harmony with others for ourselves and each other.  

     The Gospel of Matthew brings us the very direct and un-shy voice of John the Baptist. 

    This is the first appearance of John, cousin to Jesus, with his prophesying voice in the wilderness. In his own time he was unconventional in many ways, and then, as now, his message is at once compelling and disturbing. Nonetheless, it is John who ushers in the public ministry of Jesus and takes the Pharisees and Sadducees to task for their faithless presumptions of self-importance. Calling them vipers was more than just rebuke, it was a significant slur! Likening people, especially those in power to animals in those times was akin to calling them heathens or pagans and, as we know from the later story, can result in deadly consequences. While his warnings are dire, our hopeful understanding is that the possible unquenchable fire will only be for those who deem any form of remorse as unnecessary in their lives ~ and while easily instantaneous for many of us, the final judgment is not ours to make. Our merciful God of steadfastness and encouragement knows all our hearts and gives us every opportunity to adjust our intentions to bear fruit worthy of repentance however well we accomplish or fail in our life’s mission, perhaps even at the moment of death.

    And so we light the second candle of Advent ~ the candle of Love. New Testament scholar, theologian, and author Marcus Borg tells us that Advent…is a season of anticipation, yearning and longing for a different kind of life and a different kind of world. In this second week of Advent, one way to prepare the way of the Lord is by contemplating: What kind of life, what kind of world am I longing for? Where is God, where is Jesus, in my family tree? Am I too far out on a limb or can I decorate my branch with hope, peace, joyful anticipation, and, of course, unending Divine Love? Jesus is indeed the reason for the season; the reason for our Christ-mas ~ our act of worship of the One we call Messiah, the Anointed Son of God, the very embodiment of Love itself. The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them… [Isaiah 11:6]

Oh, come O Rod of Jesse's stem,
From ev'ry foe deliver them
That trust your mighty pow'r to save,
Bring them in vict'ry through the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!* 

*O come, O come, Emmanuel, verse 4, Hymn 56, 1982 Hymnal, Church Publishing, Incorporated, New York

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O God of Steadfast Hope, we restlessly await the bloom of the Branch that shall come again from the root of Jesse. Open us to hear and heed the wilderness voice, as we prepare the way within ourselves, bearing the fruit of worthy repentance.

                                                       Present and Coming Christ
                       RESPONSE:      Bind us together in peace       

~ O God of Steadfast Hope, instill justice and righteousness deeply into the hearts of all who govern, in this World, this Nation, and this Community, that they may make compassionate decisions with equity for the meek, defense of the needy, and rescue for the poor, and us all, without oppression and evil. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Present and Coming Christ

                                                       Bind us together in peace                

~ O God of Steadfast Hope, relieve pain and distress from all who are ill or downhearted, and strengthen all who give them needed care. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       Present and Coming Christ

                                                       Bind us together in peace            

~ O God of Steadfast Hope, help us to be calmly present with those who mourn, as our hearts also rejoice for all who live again in Your Eternal Glory. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                       Present and Coming Christ
                                                       Bind us together in peace   

~ O God of Steadfast Hope, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

                                                       Present and Coming Christ

                                                       Bind us together in peace                      

~ O God of Steadfast Hope, enfold and guide those who lead Your Church as they walk in faith with us, into always uncertain, ever-changing tides and times. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Present and Coming Christ
                                                       Bind us together in peace                                                      

The Celebrant adds: God of Encouragement and Peace, grant us the harmony and hope to turn us toward You again, to follow the Way of Truth and Mercy. Fill us with all the joy and peace of believing in the glory that is and is to come. We ask through Jesus, our Living Redeemer; and the Holy Spirit, the Fire of our Faith; who together with You are One God, now and forever.  Amen. 

All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution and edited for local use as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com

Prayers of the People: Be Woke! ~ 1st Sunday of Advent '25 RCL Yr A

For Sunday, November 30, 2025, Readings: Isaiah 2:1-5, Psalm 122, Romans 13:11-14, 

Matthew 24:36-44

  Come, let us go up to the mountain of the  Lord... that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths...He shall judge between the nations...they shall beat their swords into ploughshares...neither shall they learn war any more. [Isaiah 2:3b,4]

  Now our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem…built as a city that is at unity with itself…Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. [Psalm 122:2-3, 6a]

  You know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first became believers... let us live honorably...put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. [Romans 13:11, 13a, 14]

   Jesus said to the disciples, "But about that day and hour no one knows...Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour." [Matthew 24:36a, 44]

    It’s a brand new Liturgical year in the denominations using the Revised Common Lectionary [RCL]. In the RCL we have a schedule of 4 readings appointed for each Sunday in the Liturgical/Church year, and for the 2-year Daily Lectionary. We use an Old Testament reading, a Psalm, an Epistle, and a Gospel specific to a liturgical season of the year. Last Sunday we completed the appointed readings for Year C in the three-year Sunday cycle and begin again now with Year A. 

   The name of our new season, Advent, comes from the Latin “adventus” which means coming, and that derives from the Greek parousia [pah-roo-see-ah] which is a term used for the Second Coming of Christ. Advent is a season of preparation for the Nativity [birth] of Jesus through repentance and joyful expectation. We have the festive tradition of lighting the Advent wreath each Sunday, familiar seasonal hymns, and reminders through the appointed Scriptures to revisit our sense of our Christian selves and what that calls us to be and to do in this life.

    In a series of booklets for group study called Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton, editors Jonathan Montaldo and Robert G. Toth, writing in the Advent and Christmas volume, say that Advent disposes us to conversion. Conversion? That's a term, a thought, a sensation which often makes more than a few of us who were born into Christianity uncomfortable. After all, I don’t need to be converted if I already believe in Jesus – or, do I? Montaldo and Toth say further that Advent is a time for judging the choices we make for living our lives. This season is a ritual moment for confronting discomforting truths. It catches us in the act of living unconnected from the Gospel... It would appear that a little refreshment of what conversion means is in order. 

    The Trappist Monk, author, and mystic Thomas Merton, said, We are numbered in the billions and massed together...worked to the point of insensibility, dazed by information, drugged by entertainment, surfeited with everything...there is no room for thought. There is no room for attention, for the awareness of our state... What would Merton, who died in 1968, think of the excess and indulgences of this day and age, the addiction to smart phones and social media, 24 hours of non-stop, never-ending everything?! It all speaks to me of being exiled in a wilderness of plenty where too much is still not enough and we are unexpectedly unconscious of all that we have and all that we are, or, are not. And then there are those we think of as lesser beings because of unstable living conditions, food insecurity, laid off from employment, foreign accents, differing skin color, with disabilities of body or mind, addiction, and more.      

    In this Advent, now is the moment to wake and discover the faith choices we have yet to make NOW, for as Jesus reminds us that day and hour no one knows...Therefore you must also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. As Paul reminds us in this week's excerpt from the Letter to the Romans, “Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light…live honorably…” With Christ as our armor of light, hope is more than fantasy. Hope shines on the path ahead and propels us toward the House of God. 

   It’s time for a fresh AWAKEning ~ get busy, prepare yourself. BE WOKE! Jesus is coming!

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Lord our God, jolt us awake from mindless contentedness and expose us to ourselves in our self-imposed wilderness of plenty. Set us on a conscious and urgent quest for Christ’s Salvation, expecting that in an unknown hour, we will be called to answer for the paths we choose, or ignore, in this life. 

                                                Jesus, Son of Man

                                                Grant us Your Armor of Light

~ O Lord our God, awaken and restore goodness to the souls of those who do evil in this world, and prod all leaders of this Planet, globally and locally, into the dignity and decency necessary to govern for and prosper all. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Jesus, Son of Man

                                                Grant us Your Armor of Light

~ O Lord our God, grant peace and quietness to all in chronic pain of body, mind, or spirit, and renew the strength of those who provide support. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                Jesus, Son of Man

                                                Grant us Your Armor of Light

~ O Lord our God, as our own salvation is nearer to us each moment, we rejoice for those now on the highest mountain, inside the gates of Your House, in glory forever. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                 Jesus, Son of Man

                                                Grant us Your Armor of Light

~O Lord our God, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

                                                

                                                Jesus, Son of Man

                                                Grant us Your Armor of Light                    

~O Lord our God, inspire and refresh our Pastoral Guides as they teach us to transform this temporal life through Christ’s eternal Gospel. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Jesus, Son of Man

                                                Grant us Your Armor of Light                                        

The Celebrant adds: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, excite our souls as we begin again to prepare ourselves for Your Kingdom. Make us ready to transform weapons of dominance into implements of peace, to confront ourselves in repentance, and experience the joy of conversion anew. We ask through the Holy Spirit, our Wisdom; and the Lord, the God of Jacob, who together with You are the One Eternal God, now and forever. Amen.

 

All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution and edited for local use as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com

Prayers of the People: Christ the King ~ 7th Sunday in the Season of Creation* '25 Yr C

For Sunday, November 23, 2025, Final Sunday in the Season of Creation*

Readings: Daniel 7:13-18, Psalm 46, Matthew Fox**,  Luke 23:33-43

   As I watched...I saw one like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the Ancient One and was...given dominion and glory and kingship that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. [Daniel 7:13-14]

    God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in the time of trouble. Therefore we will not fear...the God of Jacob is our stronghold...Be still, and know that I am God…The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. [Psalm 46: 1-2, 7 & 11, 10]

    Come Children, drink of my waters…Drink of my wisdom from your own unique well…Create harmony and healing together…Celebrate, praise, and thank together. [Matthew Fox: The Coming of the Cosmic Christ]

    Then he said, ‘Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Then [Jesus] replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’ [Luke 23:42-43] 

*The Season of Creation originated in the Anglican Church of South Africa and was formalized in 2008. It is designed for us to explore our faith from a Creation perspective. For more information see: https://prayersofthepeople.blogspot.com/2018/10/prayers-of-people-in-beginning-1st.html  We use Biblical and other readings that pertain to the specific theme of each of the 7 weeks of the Season. Alternate readings used are posted with asterisks.

Week VII's Theme is: 

Christ the King

    We have arrived at the Final Sunday in the Season of Creation (SoC) and it is also the Last Sunday after Pentecost in the Revised Common Lectionary [RCL] season, both of which celebrate Christ the King. Coming next week [11/30/25] we begin the Season of Advent, a new “Church Year,” a time of heart and soul preparation for the birth of the Child whose kingship is one that shall never be destroyed [Daniel 7:14].

    As we begin with words from Daniel, considered a minor prophet, who had extraordinary visions ~ well, maybe not so extra-ordinary as he was a prophet, minor or otherwise. While his writing, though brief, comes at the end of the Major Prophets, just after Ezekiel and just before Hosea in “English” Bibles, in the Hebrew Bible it is placed among other writings. There are several additions that are not found in the Hebrew/Aramaic texts that are placed in the “Apocrypha” in Protestant usage and a few are in the normal flow of the text in Catholic editions rather than set apart. There are variances in the translations [see https://www.biblegateway.com/ for a long list of translations and paraphrases to read varying versions of this reading] but the intent in its usage for this Sunday, referring to one like a human being, may be expressed as “the son of man” and may well be one who represents God’s plan for humanity through Jesus, who has been given dominion and glory and kingship rather than taking it by force.

    Psalm 46 gives us an especially well-timed prayer to keep close and to pray the words regularly. Somewhere on Facebook a few months ago, someone posted that she had friends who were posting a reminder on their phones for Noon every day for a Peace Prayer. Just a moment to stop, to breathe in peace and breathe out worry and fear, and add personal intercessions if desired. I’ve been doing that since seeing the post and while I often don’t have any particularly useful words, it helps me to remember to at least S T O P for a moment to simply breathe deeply in and out several times. I’ve long known the meditational phrasing in this psalm that begins Be still and know that I am God, and moves to Be still and know that I am… repeating each line dropping a word until reaching Be, while breathing deeply in and out all the way through. This psalm reminds us that these are words Jesus knew and as well as the above “Be still,” the other one that captures me now is: The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. I’ve read and heard it too many times to count and yet now, that phrasing, and adding the name of Jesus, becomes for me a deep prayer for inner peace ~ brief, peace-full, and easy to remember when nothing else comes to mind…especially God as our stronghold.

    In his book, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ, author, the developer of and teacher of Creation Spirituality, The Rev. Dr. Matthew Fox, with a fascinating biography, writes: Listen to the Cosmic Christ, to Cosmic Wisdom calling all the children of God together: “Come children, drink of my waters which are all common waters. They are free and available to all my children. Drink of my wisdom from your own unique well.”  What comes to mind when you hear/read the word cosmic? The American Heritage Dictionary defines it as: “Of or relating to the regions of the universe distinct from Earth. Infinitely or inconceivably extended; vast. Pertaining to the universe, and having special reference to universal law or order, or to the one grand harmonious system of things; hence; harmonious; orderly.” In other words, essentially indefinable and beyond our comprehension. God. Jesus. Holy Spirit.

    Moving to the Gospel of Luke, it does feel strange that as we celebrate Christ as King we end our readings at the Crucifixion. Yet, without the Crucifixion and Resurrection, of what purpose is the life of Jesus who we know and follow as our Redeemer? For me, the crux of this Sunday’s lessons is the moment in Luke’s Gospel where the contrast is made between the hard-bitten criminal and that of the repentant one. In his response to the “Good Thief,” Jesus gives us the path to freedom from the darkness of sin and fear. For us who endeavor to follow, Christ is our non-earthly King in this world who shows us the way to his, true and never-ending Kingdom, Paradise, in the next. The question for each of us is: do we choose to be led astray by the hard-hearted to be equally as hard-hearted in our brief sojourn in this time, or follow him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood? We know the answer, of course, and it is no easy task with strong faith let alone for those of us who falter in our faith more than a few times during our lives. The readings for this Sunday are as timely today as when first written down.

     As we approach the preparatory Season of Advent, let us make the God-given Creation we inhabit the altar upon which to offer all of life's triumphs, tragedies, joys, labors, and sufferings. As we go forth in Christ, in the stream of universal becoming, as believers or unbelievers, with faith strong or weak, let us cry out, with and for each other: Lord, make us one! 

**A Reading From the Writings of Matthew Fox: “Listen to the Cosmic Christ, to Cosmic Wisdom calling all the children of God together: “Come children, drink of my waters which are all common waters. They are free and available to all my children. Drink of my wisdom from your own unique well. Let the Taoists drink and the Muslims drink; let the Jews drink and the Buddhists drink; let the Christians drink and let the native peoples drink. And then tell me: What have you drunk? How deeply have you imbibed my refreshment? What wet and running wisdom drips from inside you to the outside? What have you to share with others of my wisdom and harmonious living, of the dripping of the oils of compassion and the lubricants of your common anointings as my images, my other “Christs,” my co-creators of wisdom on earth? I am tired of your religious wars, your sectarian divisions, your crusading spirits that arise from disharmony. I long for harmony. If there must be competition, let it take place at the level of shared gifts and bountiful outpouring of wisdom. Pray together. Create harmony and healing together. Celebrate, praise, and thank together. Cease using religion to divide. Use it for its purpose, to reconnect to Mother Earth, to blessings, to the underground river that I am and that you all share. And cease scandalizing the young by your indifference to these awesome blessings, by your competition, and your boredom. Praise one another. Praise the earth. In doing so, you praise me.” ~ Matthew Fox, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ, Harper and Row, San Francisco, 1988. 

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY 

Leader:  ~ Lord God Almighty, in our fleeting mortality, turn us always to Christ in whose Kingdom, now and forever, we are forgiven and saved by Your Holy Son,

                                                         Most Holy Christ, King of All Creation

RESPONSE:                              Help us pray together for harmony and healing

~  Lord God Almighty, for all who are governed by power or throne, by force, or dominion by grant, on our Planet, in our Country, and in our Community, we implore You to infuse the wisdom, sanity, and humanity of Jesus into all who lead Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                            Most Holy Christ, King of All Creation

                                                            Help us pray together for harmony and healing

~ Lord God Almighty, send healing grace to all who suffer in spirit, in mind, or in body, and grace-filled endurance to all who give them care. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                            Most Holy Christ, King of All Creation

                                                            Help us pray together for harmony and healing

~ Lord God Almighty, lighten our grieving hearts with joy, as the souls of our cherished departed are with you today, in the ceaseless joy of Your Eternal Paradise. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                            Most Holy Christ, King of All Creation

                                                            Help us pray together for harmony and healing

~ Lord God Almighty, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

                                                            Most Holy Christ, King of All Creation

                                                            Help us pray together for harmony and healing

~ Lord God Almighty, excite the souls of those chosen to lead us through Your Word and Sacraments, keeping us eager to create harmony and healing together among all God’s People. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                            Most Holy Christ, King of All Creation

                                                            Help us pray together for harmony and healing

The Celebrant adds: O Jesus, our Christ, Image of the Invisible God, arouse us from our complacence to rediscover the fullness of God through you that is within ourselves. Teach us to celebrate, praise, and give thanks together in your Church and in Creation at large, through our Mother Earth and all the Life she contains. Purify our hearts to receive Your blessings as we seek your face in everyone we meet. We ask through the Holy Spirit, the very Breath of Love; who together with You, are One God, for ever and for evermore.  Amen. 

All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution and edited for local use as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com

Prayers of the People: Christ the King, Last Sunday after Pentecost RCL Yr C '25

For Sunday, November 23, 2025, Readings: Jeremiah 23;1-6, Psalm 46, Colossians 1:11-20, 

Luke 23: 33-53

   Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord...So I will attend to you for your evil doings…Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock...and I will bring them back to their fold and they shall be fruitful and multiply.  [Jeremiah 23:1, 2c, 3]

  God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change...though the mountains tremble with its tumult. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of the city...[Psalm 46:1-2a,3b-5a]

   He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation…He is himself before all things and in him all things hold together. For in him the fullness of God was pleased to dwell… [Colossians 1:15a, 17, 19a]

   Father forgive them for they know not what they do…Then [one of the criminals] said, “Jesus, remember me…” and [Jesus] replied, “Truly I tell you , today you will be with me in Paradise.” [Luke 23:34, 42a, 43]

      We have arrived at the Last Sunday after Pentecost in the Lectionary season to celebrate Christ the King. Next week we begin the Season of Advent, preparing our hearts and souls for the birth of the Child in whom the fullness of God is pleased to dwell.

      As we look at the readings for this week, first up the often gloomy Jeremiah has a strong message from God of woe for the destructive shepherds who scatter God’s people through their evil doings!  The psalmist follows immediately with the calming message for us, the sheep, that God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in time of trouble… Regardless of the struggles through natural disasters or the nations who will make much ado, we are reminded to Be still, then…the Lord of hosts is with us…and is our stronghold.

      The readings from Colossians had some mysterious descriptions of God in Christ that are as difficult to comprehend for most modern, western minds as they were for the minds of their time. While they also may be somewhat familiar to anyone who regularly reads the Christian/New Testament and/or vaguely hears them read in a church setting, these words may seem irrelevant in the scheme of daily living in today’s world. For example, how do you understand the concepts such as Jesus Christ, the image of the invisible God, firstborn of all creation and also of the dead? Yet we, who would be counted as faithful Christians, should take heed and examine more closely. Looking at various translations, I found firstborn of the dead expressed as of the dead, from the dead, from among the dead, etc. For me, the most relatable is in a translation from “J.B. Phillips New Testament” which says: Life from nothing began through him, and life from the dead began through him, and he is, therefore, justly called the Lord of all. Check any translation(s) you have on hand or online and discover what speaks to you. An online source I use often is: www.biblegateway.com as it contains a large variety of translations and paraphrases which are useful as well as interesting.

      Although Jesus has told us that his kingdom is not from here [John 18:36], it is here, in this time and place, where we encounter him, if we seek him, and if we choose to follow. It is in this daily life in this time that we may easily lose track of our allegiances and settle in more with the temporary earthly powers rather than in the everlasting divine Kingship of Christ.

      From the above readings and given the imminent onset of Advent, it does seem strange, at first, that as we celebrate Christ as King, we end our readings this week with this passage from the Gospel of Luke at the Crucifixion. Yet, without the Crucifixion and Resurrection of what purpose is Advent or Christmas? But the reverse is also true: no Christmas = no Easter. For me, the crux of this Sunday’s lessons is the moment in Luke’s Gospel where the contrast is made between the hard-hearted criminal and that of the repentant one. In his response to the “Good Thief,” Jesus gives us the path to freedom from the darkness of sin and fear. For we who endeavor to follow, Christ is our non-earthly King in this earthly world who shows us the way to the true and never-ending Kingdom, Paradise, in the next. The question for each of us is: do we choose to be led astray by the hard-hearted to be equally as hard-hearted in our brief sojourn in this time, or follow him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood? The answer, of course, is to seek the path where: In him all things hold together. No easy task with strong faith let alone for those of us who falter in our faith and doubt many times. The gift of the readings for this Sunday is that they are as timely today as when they were first written down. May [we] be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may [we] be prepared to endure everything with patience… [Colossians 11:1a] 

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Lord God Almighty, in our fleeting mortality turn us always to Christ in whose Kingdom, now and forever, we are forgiven and saved, for in Him all things hold together.

                             Holy Jesus, Firstborn of All Creation

RESPONSE:  In you is redemption and forgiveness of our sins.

~  Lord God Almighty, for all who are governed by power or throne, by force or dominion by grant, on our Planet, in our Country, and in our Community, we implore You to infuse the wisdom, sanity, and humanity of Jesus into all who lead Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

          Holy Jesus, Firstborn of All Creation

         In you is redemption and forgiveness of our sins. 

~ Lord God Almighty, send healing grace to all who suffer in spirit, in mind, or in body, and grace-filled endurance to all who give them care. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

          Holy Jesus, Firstborn of All Creation

          In you is redemption and forgiveness of our sins. 

~ Lord God Almighty, lighten our grieving hearts with joy, as the souls of our cherished departed are with you today, in the ceaseless joy of Your Eternal Paradise. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

         Holy Jesus, Firstborn of All Creation

         In you is redemption and forgiveness of our sins. 

~ Lord God Almighty, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

        Holy Jesus, Firstborn of All Creation

        In you is redemption and forgiveness of our sins. 

~ Lord God Almighty, excite the souls of those chosen to lead us through Your Word and Sacraments, keeping us eager to create harmony and healing together among all God’s People. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

 
          Holy Jesus, Firstborn of All Creation
          In you is redemption and forgiveness of our sins. 
                                                                                                       

The Celebrant adds: Most Holy Christ, Image of the Invisible God, arouse us from our daily complacence to rediscover the fullness of God in Your Presence in ourselves. Teach us to celebrate, praise, and give thanks together in Your Church and in Creation at large, through our Mother Earth and all the Life she contains. Grant us clean hands and a pure heart to receive Your blessing as we seek Your face in all others. We ask through the Holy Spirit, the very Breath of Love; and our Omnipotent Creator; who together with You, are One God, for ever and for evermore.  Amen. 

All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution and edited for local use as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com