Prayers of the People: Wingless Angels ~ 1st Sunday after the Epiphany WLWC* Yr C

For Sunday, January 12, 2025; Readings: Genesis 21:14-19, 2 Corinthians 9:6-13, Luke 4:1-15

So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar. He placed it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away…When the water in the skin was gone, she thrust the child under one of the bushes… she said, “Let me not see the death of the child…” and the messenger of God…said to her…Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Rise, lift the boy and hold him with your hand, for a great nation of him I will make.” [Genesis  21:14, 15, 16c, 17b, 18]

   I will bless SHE WHO IS GOD at all times… I sought SHE WHO SAVES, and she answered me and delivered me out of all my terror… Taste and see that SHE WHO IS DELIGHT is good; happy are they who trust in her!... Turn from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. [Psalm 29: 1a, 4, 8, 14]

  The one who sows sparingly, sparingly will also reap, and the one who sows in abundance, in abundance will also reap. Each one must give as decided in your heart, not out of reluctance or under pressure, for “God loves a cheerful giver.” [2 Corinthians 9:6-7]

  Now Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by her, the Spirit into the wilderness. Forty days was he tempted by the devil… And when every test was at an end, the devil departed from Jesus for a season… Jesus returned, in the power of the Spirit… and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. And he began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by every woman and man. [Luke 4:1-2, 13-14a, 15]

   Now, after the celebration of The Epiphany, Luke gives us the second half of the story of Jesus’s Baptism. We begin with Jesus being led by the Spirit into the wilderness and tempted by the Devil with a variety of tests including authority and glory with only the requirement to worship the devil. He’s even given the chance to prove that God’s own angels will…protect you…and…bear you up. More on that in a moment but let’s look at the story of Hagar.

   While we only have a snippet of her story here, it is far more significant than many of us were ever taught to understand and believe. While it is likely understood by most with even a cursory knowledge of the Bible that Abraham is the patriarch of both Jews and Christians, far too many of those who believe themselves to be Christians, at least in current times, miss the point of Hagar’s son, who comes to be known as Ishmael. As Abraham’s first son, by his wife Sarah’s handmaiden, he becomes the father of 12 sons, one of which is the ancestor of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. In this way, Ishmael’s descendants are able to claim their rightful place as one the 3 major Abrahamic faiths, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. As I personally heard, in 1994, the Chief Sheik of the Sufis (the mystical branch of Islam) say to us in the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, Welcome to all of us who are the Children of Abraham. It was, to say the least, an unforgettable moment.

   In this rendering of Psalm 29, Dr. Gafney gives us her signature expansive titles for God, particularly potent for the story of Hagar as the context of this psalm is equally relevant to Jesus’s time in the Judean wilderness. It is an opportune and strong reminder that in Hebrew, the Holy Spirit/Wisdom is represented by a feminine word.

   Paul reminds of our own personal power to determine how we live as intentional followers of Christ. By sowing sparingly so shall we receive and, the corollary is obvious that when we sow in abundance, then abundance will be reaped. The crux of the matter is that we are to choose how to sow, to give, as we choose not out of reluctance, or under pressure, for God loves a cheerful giver. Now here’s something to ponder: What if while thoughtfully spare in our giving, we are still giving cheerfully?

   And now back to the wilderness of Jesus…one of Dr. Gafney’s Text Notes offers another fascinating insight into the Hebrew language. In her translation of this portion of Luke’s Gospel, she says, “Biblical Hebrew does not have a word that means simply ‘divine winged being,’” which is generally translated as angel. I’ve looked at a dozen or more translations and paraphrases [see Biblegateway.com for your own check] and all say “angel.” Hebrew, she tells us, uses mal’akh “that means ‘messenger’” whether or not they are “human or divine.”  Further, these messengers are distinct from the cherubim and seraphim…and never interchanged.  She also says it is the same in the Greek and that there are no winged angels in the New Testament. That said, she reminds us that we can be angels to each other when need is noted. Women and children, as always, are the most vulnerable as societal norms begin to break down, especially those who are different than the dominant culture. As we approach this still fresh year, we are seeing much political change in areas around the world that have been fairly stable for decades. Those who are different may be truly in more peril than any other group. Let us be wingless angels to those in the wilderness of spirit, or in particular danger from any potential or intentional act of violence whether in word or action. Sometimes a wilderness is right in the midst of our daily living in our very own neighborhood or area. Hagar rose to lift up her child, Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit from his baptism, returned, in the power of the Spirit, so may we feel the Spirit within us, for us, and for us to rise into the Christ-filled well-being of each other.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ Jesus, Full of the Holy Spirit, God’s messenger called Hagar to rise from her wilderness and move forward. Guide us to rise from our own sense of the wilderness of fear and grief, anxiety and anger, or our own self-righteousness. Turn us again to Your teachings to fill us with all we need to be as wingless angels for all of God’s people, and the courage to give in abundance through the character of our ministry in Your Name.

                                                O SHE WHO IS DELIGHT

                                                Happy are we who trust in You

~ Jesus, Full of the Holy Spirit, impart special graces to all who lead the governments of this world, this country, and this community, that they may work together, and with us, to serve with humility, and selflessness, seeking peace and equity for all. We pray especially for: add your own petitions       

                                                O SHE WHO IS DELIGHT

                                                Happy are we who trust in You

~ Jesus, Full of the Holy Spirit, cradle the hearts of the sick, the poor, and the lonely, and fortify the spirits of all who give of themselves to help. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                O SHE WHO IS DELIGHT

                                                Happy are we who trust in You

~ Jesus, Full of the Holy Spirit, carry the sorrowful through the waters of grief, as those You have called back Home now live again, forever joyful, in Your infinite love and grace. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O SHE WHO IS DELIGHT

                                                Happy are we who trust in You

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

                                                O SHE WHO IS DELIGHT

                                                Happy are we who trust in You

~ Jesus, Full of the Holy Spirit, enlighten and excite Your anointed disciples of our own day, who pray with and for us, baptize and confirm us, and instruct, encourage, and travel with us through our earthly sojourn. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O SHE WHO IS DELIGHT

                                                Happy are we who trust in You

~ O Christ of the Gospel, You rose first from the Living Water of Baptism to bring New Life to God’s people. Raise us up in hope, cleanse our hearts, and walk with us until You rise again to carry us into eternity. We ask through the Holy Spirit, the Fire of our Faith; and SHE WHO PROVIDES, Creator of all that is; who together with You are One God, now and forever and ever.

*Readings for our Parish in this Year C are from The Rev. Dr. Wilda [Wil] Gafney, 

Womanist biblical scholar, and the Right Rev. Sam B. Hulsey Professor of Hebrew Bible at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Texas. She is the author of A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church Yr C, and others in her series, and translator of its biblical selections. I definitely commend her book for the complete readings, to Clergy and Laity, for her Text Notes, and “Preaching Prompts” whether or not you will use them in your Liturgies/Services/Preaching. There is much to learn from her work to inform every facet of our lives in Christ.  To learn more about her and her work, see her website: https://www.wilgafney.com/

 

 

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: Faith Ablaze ~ 1st Sunday after Epiphany RCL Yr C

For Sunday, January 12, 2025, Readings: Isaiah 43:1-7, Psalm 29,Acts 8:14-17,

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

  Thus says the Lord, he who created you...Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. [Isaiah 43:1]

  Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness…The voice of the LORD is a powerful voice; the voice of the LORD is a voice of splendor. [Ps 29: 2, 4]

  [Peter and John] went down and prayed for them…laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. [Acts 8:15a, 17]

 "...one who is more powerful than I is coming...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand...to gather the wheat into his granary but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire....and when Jesus had been baptized...a voice came from heaven, 'You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.'" [Luke 3:16b-17, 21b, 22b]

    Here we are in fast-forward mode. Last Sunday, the Magi visited the Christ Child, leaving town in a hurry to avoid Herod. In between then and now Joseph received a dream that caused him to take Mary and the Child to Egypt as Herod was killing all the male children under two. It was after Herod’s death, three years later, that Joseph, Mary, and Jesus returned to settle in Nazareth.

  This week, John, the cousin of Jesus, is a God-sent herald to warn the Sadducees and others to turn away from their corruption. As he says “one more powerful than I is coming. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” Enter Jesus, a grown man of 30, beginning his public ministry, who comes to John for Baptism.

    As Jesus rises from the water, God announces from on high, "This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." The Holy Spirit descended as a dove to mark this man Jesus as God-sent, of God-nature, One with God, God’s own Human Image. In a very short time, he will claim the sinfulness of the World ~ past, present, and future to take to his crucifixion.  

    In this awakening time of Epiphany, let us begin again to discover and define our own public and private ministry. With the glitter of Christmas put away, all the turmoil in every corner of the world claims our attention and repels us and it’s easy to be distracted and distanced from the calling of Jesus. Whether you were officially baptized or not, take some time to think about the ritual of Baptism and its deep significance. For many Christians, though not all, Baptism is a Sacrament of purification, a Rite of Initiation, a formal adoption into the Christian faith. A simple definition is that the word comes from a hybrid of Latin and Greek and literally means "washing." This Sacrament is intended to be a means and visible form of God’s grace, just as the dove descending was for Jesus was the beginning of his journey as Messiah.  

    Whether by aspersion (sprinkling with water), immersion (plunging into water), or affusion (pouring water on), Baptism is a sacrament, ceremony, a rite, that hearkens back to the Jewish heritage of Jesus. Ancient and modern Jewish rituals of ablution (washing) for cleansing and/or purification were established millennia before John poured water over his cousin's head in the Jordan River. Some denominations believe that Baptism is necessary for Salvation, others do not. Not all schools of Judaism practice these rituals and neither do all Christians. But for many Christians, this Gospel moment marks the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus, though after this he immediately went to the desert to prepare further. Whether or not officially anointed, we are each claimed as Christ’s own for ever. As mortal beings we will fail and fall away yet we can and may always return to the One who raises us with Him. Our hearts love to claim the Babe in the Manger. Now we begin to claim the Man ~ the Messiah ~ of the Gospel.

    You can read and pray through the ritual of the US Episcopal Church, learn or revisit its purpose and understanding at www.BCP.org and clicking Holy Baptism on the left sidebar. The five questions are asked of and answered by either the one being Baptized or, in the case of a child, a Godparent or Sponsor. Along with the five promises that are part of the Baptismal Covenant, these questions and promises are our operating principles, our acceptance of our charge and responsibilities as followers of Jesus. They are intensely serious and not meant as mere platitudes in a sweet ceremony. We revisit them at least five times per year in the Liturgy to remind us of what we might need to work on, a chance to reflect on how we managed at the end of a day or a month. One or more of them may even point to possibilities to shape our mindset for daily activities, or perhaps a new direction in vocation or volunteering as we make our way through our short human existence.

    My favorite part of this Sacrament is near the end, after all the words have been spoken and the water has been poured. It is then that the Celebrant takes the chrism oil that was blessed in Holy Week and anoints the forehead of the one Baptized. The words at that moment stir my heart and my self-reckoning: you are sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked as Christ's own for ever. 

    From the waters of Creation, to the waters of Baptism, Christ is our bridge over waters troubled and calm and who comes with the infusion of the Holy Spirit. Even if you haven't been baptized, christened, or dedicated, just wanting to be is enough, some believe, and so you become baptized through desire. And while anyone of us can be a baptizer with water, only Jesus brings the fire of the Holy Spirit to set our faith ablaze It is time to be refreshed and renewed as we begin our own ministry again. Come on in and wade in the water. Let us now stake our souls’ claim to the Christ who leads us on His Way to our Salvation.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Creator God~Beloved Messiah~Holy Spirit, You call us each by name and we are Your own. Gather us as wheat into Your granary and burn off the chaff within us that turns us from You. Baptize us in the fire of faith that we may discover the beauty of holiness in each day of our earthly lives.

                                                       O Lord of Glory

                                                       Bless us with your strength and peace 

~ Creator God~Beloved Messiah~Holy Spirit, fill us with the splendor of Your powerful voice to proclaim Your boundless love, eternal presence, redemption and honor for all faithful people, to all who govern or hold authority in every corner of the Earth, nearby and far away. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord of Glory

                                                       Bless us with your strength and peace 

~ Creator God~Beloved Messiah~Holy Spirit, cradle the hearts of the sick, the poor, and the lonely, and fortify the spirits of all who give of themselves to help. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord of Glory

                                                       Bless us with your strength and peace 

~ Creator God~Beloved Messiah~Holy Spirit, carry the sorrowful through the waters of grief, as those You have called back Home now live again, forever joyful, in Your infinite love and grace. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord of Glory

                                                       Bless us with your strength and peace 

~  Creator God~Beloved Messiah~Holy Spirit, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently…add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord of Glory

                                                       Bless us with your strength and peace            

~ Creator God~Beloved Messiah~Holy Spirit, enlighten and excite Your anointed disciples of our own day, who pray with and for us, baptize and confirm us, and instruct, encourage, and travel with us through our earthly sojourn. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord of Glory

                                                       Bless us with your strength and peace          

The Celebrant adds:  Eternal and Almighty King, enflame us with the joy of freedom from fear and with confidence in Your enduring presence. Grant us the courage to give the glory due Your name by our every thought, word, and deed, striving to be among those with whom You are well pleased. We ask through Jesus, Your Beloved Son; and the Holy Spirit, the Fire of our Faith; who together live and reign with You as 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.

Prayers of the People: Come On In ~ 2nd Sunday after Christmas WLWC* Yr C

For Sunday, January 5, 2025; Readings: Wisdom 3:13-15, Psalm 143, 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, Luke 3:1-6, 15-23

…blessed is the barren woman…undefiled…who has not known transgressive intercourse…[also] blessed is the eunuch whose hands have worked no wickedness…for special grace will be given them…Better is childlessness with excellence of character…because it is known by God and the woman-born. [Wisdom 3:13-14, 4:1]

  Save me, SHELTERING GOD, from my enemies; with you I am covered. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God, Your good Spirit, may she lead me on a level path. [Psalm 143:9-10]

“Everything is possible for me,” but not everything is beneficial…Do you all not know that your bodies are members of Christ?...Or do you all not know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were purchased with a price; therefore glorify God in your body. [1 Corinthians 6:1a, 15a, 19-20]

        As it is written in…the words of the prophet Isaiah, “ A voice crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the MOST HIGH, make God’s paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked, straight, and the rugged smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God…” and when Jesus also had been baptized…the heavens opened and a voice came from the heavens, “You are my Child, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”  [Luke 3:4-6, 21b-22]

     Hold on we’re in fast-forward mode! Last Sunday, the Magi visited the Christ Child, leaving town in a hurry to avoid Herod. In between then and now Joseph received a dream that caused him to take Mary and the Child to Egypt as Herod was killing all the male children under two. It was after Herod’s death, three years later, that Joseph, Mary, and Jesus returned to settle in Nazareth. While there is no historical evidence of Herod’s actions, it is certainly consistent with what we generally know of him. And now we pick up where we left off in Advent just after John the Baptist called the Pharisees and Sadducees a “brood of vipers” for their false piety when they presented themselves for Baptism. John is a God-sent herald to warn them to turn away from their corruption. As he says “one more powerful than I is coming” and now, this week Jesus, a grown man beginning his public ministry, comes to John for Baptism.

     But why does Jesus ask to be baptized? Even John wonders and is reluctant. After all Jesus, as Messiah, is without sin; God’s own Son brought to human incarnation to lead Israel from the old Law of Moses into the new Way of the Greatest Commandment and the Great Commission [Matthew 22:36-40, Matthew 28:19-20]. Yet Jesus prevails – as he does with Peter and the foot-washing later on – and chooses to identify as the good Jew he was raised to be. Through Baptism he claims the sinfulness of the Hebrew nation in this communal rite of repentance and purification. In a very short time, he will claim the sinfulness of the World – past, present, and future – to take to his crucifixion.  

     As Jesus rises from the water, God announces from on high, "This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." The Holy Spirit descended as a dove to mark this man Jesus as God-sent, of God-nature, One with God, God’s own Human Image.

     In this awakening time of Epiphany, let us begin again to discover and define our own public and private ministry. With the glitter of Christmas put away, all the turmoil in every corner of the world claims our attention and repels us and it’s easy to be distracted and distanced from the calling of Jesus. Whether you were officially baptized or not, take some time to think about the ritual of Baptism and its deep significance. For many Christians, though not all, Baptism is a Sacrament of purification, a Rite of Initiation, a formal adoption into the Christian faith. A simple definition is that the word comes from a hybrid of Latin and Greek and literally means "washing." This Sacrament is intended to be a means of and a visible form of God’s grace, just as the dove descending was for Jesus. It was, for Jesus, the beginning of his journey as Messiah.  

     You can read and pray through the ritual of the US Episcopal Church, learn or revisit its purpose and understanding at www.BCP.org and clicking Holy Baptism on the left sidebar. The five questions are asked of and answered by either the one being Baptized or, in the case of a child, a Godparent or Sponsor. Along with the five promises that are part of the Baptismal Covenant, these questions and promises are our operating principles, our acceptance of our charge and responsibilities as followers of Jesus. They are intensely serious and not meant as mere platitudes in a sweet ceremony. We revisit them at least five times per year in the Liturgy to remind us of what we might need to work on, a chance to reflect on how we managed at the end of a day or a month. One or more of them may even point to possibilities to shape our mindset for daily activities, or perhaps a new direction in vocation or volunteering as we make our way through our short human existence.

     My favorite part of this Sacrament is near the end, after all the words have been spoken and the water has been poured. It is then that the Celebrant takes the chrism that was blessed in Holy Week and anoints the forehead of the one Baptized. The words at that moment stir my heart and my self-reckoning: you are sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked as Christ's own for ever. 

    Whether by actual Baptism or a Baptism of desire, and whether or not officially anointed, we are each claimed as Christ’s own for ever. As mortal beings we will fail and fall away yet we can and may always return to the One who raises us with Him. Our hearts love to claim the Babe in the Manger.

    From the waters of Creation, to the waters of Baptism, Christ is our bridge over waters troubled and calm and who comes to set our souls ablaze with the infusion of the Holy Spirit. It is time to be refreshed and renewed as we begin our own ministry again. Come on in and wade in the water.** Let us now stake our souls’ claim to the Christ who leads us on His Way to our Salvation.

*Readings for our Parish in this Year C are from The Rev. Dr. Wilda [Wil] Gafney, Womanist biblical scholar, and the Right Rev. Sam B. Hulsey Professor of Hebrew Bible at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Texas. She is the author of A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church Yr C, and others in her series, and translator of its biblical selections. I definitely commend her book for the complete readings, to Clergy and Laity, for her Text Notes, and “Preaching Prompts” whether or not you will use them in your Liturgies or Preaching. There is much to learn from her work to inform every facet of our lives in Christ.  To learn more about her and her work, see her website:  https://www.wilgafney.com/

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY 

Leader:  ~ Jesus, God’s Beloved, You are the Savior the MOST HIGH God has given us all, the bright beacon of love that can reach into the darkest of hearts and blindest of eyes. Animate our wills to be full members of Your body, the sanctuary of the Holy Spirit within, and to worship You by and with our lives. 

                                                         Jesus, Messiah

RESPONSE:                             Our Hope and our Salvation 

~ Jesus, God’s Beloved, as a Light to the Nations give strength to Your people and the blessing of peace. Grant open hearts filled with mercy and justice to all who lead the governments of this World, this Country, and this Community, that they may work together, with us and for us all, serving with humility, honesty, and integrity. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Messiah

                                                       Our Hope and our Salvation

~ Jesus, God’s Beloved, shower Your healing mercies upon all those who are ill or filled with worry and dread, and refreshment for those who give them care. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Messiah

                                                       Our Hope and our Salvation        

~ Jesus, God’s Beloved, grant solace for those in sorrow through joy in the memories of those well-loved, now returned in eternal glory to You. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Messiah

                                                       Our Hope and our Salvation

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

                                                       Jesus, Messiah

                                                       Our Hope and our Salvation

~ Jesus, God’s Beloved, endow all who lead us in Your Church with the grace, wisdom, and strength of spirit to shake us from the wilderness of apathy and self-absorption, to guide us to the fullness of faith and forgiveness in You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Messiah

                                                       Our Hope and our Salvation                                      

The Celebrant adds: Living Jesus, in Whom God’s soul delights, You rose from the waters of Baptism to bring new life to God’s people. Raise us with You that through repentance to purify our souls, we may give the glory due Your name, and claim You, always, as our Redeemer Christ. We ask through the Holy Spirit, the Fire of our Faith; and our SHELTERING GOD, Creator of All That Is; who together with You are One God, now and for ever.  Amen. 

 **Baptism, for some a rite of initiation and adoption into the Christian faith, for others a sacrament of the Christian Church, required by some, deemed unimportant by others. Whether by aspersion (sprinkling), affusion (pouring), immersion (total or partial, standing or kneeling, or submersion), as an infant, child, or adult, water is the channel of holiness, although there is admission through Baptism of Desire - if you want it, you have it. But John is clear that only Jesus will baptize us with the Holy Spirit. Yet many of us who have been baptized as infants or, even as older children or adults, take this Blessing for granted.
   We are called by Jesus to follow, why not begin at the beginning? The words of an old Negro Spiritual say it best. God will trouble the water ~ that is to stir it up ~ so we can see the right place to enter:  

Wade in the water
Wade in the water, children,
Wade in the water
God's a-going to trouble the water

Look over yonder, what do you see?
God's a-going to trouble the water
The Holy Ghost a-coming on me
God's a-going to trouble the water

To hear this moving message in music here is a link to Sweet Honey in the Rock, Wade in the Water: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRpzEnq14Hs

   

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: Beginning Again ~ 2nd Sunday after Christmas '25 RCL Yr C

For Sunday, January 5, 2025; Readings: Jeremiah 31:7-14, Ps 84, Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-19a; Matthew 2:1-12

  Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow. [Jeremiah 31:13]

   For the LORD God is both sun and shield; he will give grace and glory; no good thing will the LORD withhold from those who walk with integrity. O LORD of Hosts, happy are they who put their trust in you. [Ps 84:10-12]

   I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ...may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation...so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know...the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance...the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe. [Ephesians 1:17-19a]

   In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we have observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” [Matthew 2:1-2]

      The official date for Epiphany is tomorrow January 6^th marking the visit of the Magi (or the Wise Men or 3 Kings from the East) to the stable to see the Child Jesus. They saw his star and were moved to make the journey to find him to pay homage and bring gifts that are at once extremely valuable and also symbolic. The short version of the symbolism is: Gold for royalty as to a King, Frankincense as to a God, and Myrrh as to a Mortal.* And while this isn’t THE date it can’t get much closer so the Gospel for this Sunday is the same Gospel in the Revised Common Lectionary for the official celebration of this event.

    The word Epiphany is the name used in the western Christian churches; in the eastern orthodox Christian churches it is known as Theophany. For the Orthodox, the feast of Theophany celebrates the revelation of God incarnate as Jesus Christ. In western Christian Churches, the feast of Epiphany celebrates the revelation of Jesus as God Incarnate to the Jews but also to the Gentiles, all non-Jews, as the Magi were not Jewish. The word Epiphany means a revelation of a divine being; also a sudden insight or intuitive understanding. The word Theophany is the appearance of God to a human. Whether Epiphany or Theophany, Christ was revealed to the Jewish and Gentile worlds as the Son of God.

     EPIPHANY IS BIG! The feast is a very important date on the Church Calendar. It brings us a bright shiny and HOLY revelation! But unless it falls on a Sunday, the Feast of the Epiphany seems to be somewhat ignored in these times. It IS the continuing and the expanding of the celebration of the birth of our Messiah, and His importance to us all, but perhaps we are too worn out to listen. We have come through the four weeks of anticipation in Advent, the earth-bound hustle and bustle of preparation for gifts and food and gatherings ~ the familiar rush of the time of year for the more fortunate ~ followed by the pageantry and the glorious music, and then the usual “let down.” Perhaps Epiphany, the 12^th Day of Christmas, has become an anti-climax, the end of the story, the time to take down the decorations (if still up!). Yet it is in truth a beginning. We open new chapters of the Story that will take us from Jesus the Baby, to Christ our Redeemer in very quick succession. While we celebrate the birthday with great fanfare, the Epiphany moves us into the reason for which this Child was born, the revelation of God’s eternal purpose is upon us. A theophany then ~ the manifestation of God visible to humans ~ a re-discovery now.

    At the Nativity of Jesus, Luke tells us that the angels appeared to the shepherds who received the good news of great joy, but Luke never mentions the Magi. Matthew never mentions the shepherds or even the birth itself except for a brief phrase: "...until she had borne a son; and he [Joseph] named him Jesus." But Matthew did tell us of the "...wise men from the East..." They saw a great star revealing to them the need for a long journey to pay homage to a new born king of the Jews. Herod gets involved and we begin to see the ominous cloud moving in to shadow the glorious star. But having heard this story so very many times are we listening as it is read again? Have we tuned out rather than engaging with the experience? Or might we take this moment to be re-awakened to the wonder of that moment and what it could mean for each of us in our own understanding?

   These three Kings have trekked long distances to tell Herod, and us all, of the power and majesty this Child brings. It is now a new dawn, another chance to listen and to hear the message deep within ourselves. In the compression of time given in the Gospels and the Church calendar, it is a short season indeed before we begin the unfolding of the ministry, miracles, teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus. It is time again to rediscover the astonishment, the amazement, the true adoration in this event.

    In The Synthesis Commentary of 1997, there is a still significant and timely quote in their reflection on this Gospel that brings us directly to the need to know this story again and again:

We understand from this familiar story how much the Light of Christ was needed in those early days ~ and no less by us today ~ as the world has hardened itself to the poor and needy, the young and the frail, and where personal egos rule kingdoms ~ and hearts.

    Hear the story as if for the very first time ~ know that we have been given an extraordinary gift: Christ, Our Lord, has been born to us! Let us be overwhelmed with joy! Let us search diligently for the child within us and around us. Epiphany is the time for me to seek the Magi-cal moments and spiritual gifts in my own life that call me to pay homage, follow, and live into the light and life of Christ. Our mourning turned into joy...gladness for sorrow...Our God is both sun and shield giving grace and glory, and happy are [we] who put our trust in [God]. Let us pause and be overwhelmed with joy as we realize the Newborn Child, Jesus, who becomes our Redeemer Christ, lives within us every moment of every day. We have another chance for beginning again. Now that IS an Epiphany!

*For a fascinating and deeper look into the Magi's Gifts click here: Nativity explained: the gifts from the Magi

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Holy Messiah, Heartbeat of God, as we arise in the shining Light of Your glory, help us to come together as Your people, to seek the joy that You bring to us again and again, and to share in Your eternal promise.

                                                      Jesus, Light of Heaven                              

               RESPONSE:            Our Strength and our Redeemer 

~ Holy Messiah, Heartbeat of God, guide all nations to come to Your light, and all leaders of governments to the brightness of Your dawn, that they and we model the very compassion and peace needed now to reverse the damage of violence, oppression, and injustice in our own time. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Light of Heaven

                                                       Our Strength and our Redeemer

~ Holy Messiah, Heartbeat of God, deliver from distress all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, and comfort all who give them care. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Light of Heaven

                                                       Our Strength and our Redeemer

~ Holy Messiah, Heartbeat of God, lift the hearts of those lost in grief and turn their mourning into joy, as those we love are surrounded forever by the boundless treasures of eternal life. We pray especially for: add your own petitions 

                                                       Jesus, Light of Heaven

                                                       Our Strength and our Redeemer

~  Holy Messiah, Heartbeat of 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, Light of Heaven

                                                       Our Strength and our Redeemer    

~ Holy Messiah, Heartbeat of God, lavish special blessings upon the wise women and men who lead us in Your Church, as they prayerfully bring us Your words, works, and wonders on our life’s path toward Redemption. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Light of Heaven

                                                       Our Strength and our Redeemer

The Celebrant adds:  Most Holy Christ, God’s Eternal Purpose, grant us Your grace and glory, a spirit of wisdom, and an enlightened heart. Guide us to know the hope to which we are called and the immeasurable greatness of Your power for us who believe. We ask with deep humility and trust in the Almighty Creator, our Sun and Shield; in the Holy Spirit, the Counselor of our souls; 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: This Light Outshines All Darkness ~ 1st Sunday After Christmas '24 RCL Yr C

For Sunday, December 29, 2024, 1st Sunday after Christmas Day, Year C, Readings: Isaiah 61:10-62:3, Ps 147, Galatians, 3:23-25, 4:4-7; John 1:1-18

  For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what it sown in it to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations…I will not keep silent…I will not rest…until the nations see Your vindication. [Isaiah 61:11, 62:1a, 2a]

  Hallelujah! How good it is to sing praises to our God!...He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds…The Lord lifts the lowly, but casts the wicked to the ground. [Psalm 147:1a, 3, 6]

  God sent his Son, born of a woman…so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts crying, "Abba, Father!"  So you are no longer a slave but a child…then also an heir through God. [Galatians 4:4b-7]

  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God...What has come into being was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it...And the Word became flesh and lived among us...From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace.  [John 1:1-2, 3b-5,14a, 16] 

   Still in the thrall of Christmas, we are on the cusp of the end of one year and beginning of another. The music, lights, and now unwrapped presents are all still claiming our senses though perhaps our attention is slightly on the wane. We’re not quite out of the holiday mood even if all the necessities of action in daily life are creeping in. Yet there is time enough to breathe deeply and inhale the air still electric with excitement for the sacred and Holy Infant's birth along with keeping hope alive regardless of our expectations for the New Year. As we fill our lungs the Creator-given oxygen disperses throughout our own life’s blood energizing every cell and tissue. On our exhale, we can thoughtfully, consciously, and intentionally send our doubts and fears of uncertain faith and the everyday concerns into the heavens. We inhale deeply again to refresh our souls’ sights to set our course for a new start, a new birth in ourselves, an awakening, a fresh awareness of the presence Christ within us and in everyone around us ~ every single one, even, and especially, those with whom we disagree mildly or strenuously.

   For many of us this is a special and emotional moment to breathe in the memories of and deeply held hope for the journey of those no longer with us in this life. Our faith gives us comfort for their continuing new life in a joy-filled eternity where our mutual love lives forever.

  Yet, while in the glow of spiritual and earth-bound celebrations, we are to remember the sacred obligation given to us by Jesus to help others struggling with their ongoing day-to-night-to-day life issues of serious illness, severe poverty, homelessness, and/or hopelessness. In this particular season of beauty and fun and exhilaration, it is too easy to look away from and even blame those in poor and often desperate conditions. Perhaps you have given donations of much needed money, food, and/or clothing to worthy organizations. And now is the time, as the New Year approaches, to mark your calendar to search for ways to continue to give in any way possible, more often than the once a year thought, even adding time occasionally or regularly to volunteer to help at food closets, clothing distributors, shelters, or perhaps pre-paying for meals at a trusted local restaurant.

   John tells us in today’s Gospel that Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. As the Spirit of Jesus lives in our hearts by God's gift, let us radiate that light from within, be the change we want to find in others, live as though we believe in the grace upon grace received from the Incarnation of Jesus, our Christ, the Word made flesh who lived among us. Let the first Resolution be made and kept: Begin at the Beginning and follow the Light. As John says, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Jesus, let us begin again with You. Time itself is always moving forward; may we move forward in purpose to rededicate ourselves to and with Christ’s love to be the Christians we claim to be.

 

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Abba! Lord! You have revealed all life through Your Son Jesus, born of a woman to redeem us as Your children, Your heirs. Grant us the faith and courage to live every day in wisdom and in strength, through the Spirit of Christ that You have sent into each of our hearts.

                                                       Jesus, God’s Holy Word             

RESPONSE:                           Center our hearts and minds on You

~ Abba! Lord! Let us not rest or keep silent in seeking Your righteousness and peace among all nations and all leaders, everywhere. Cause the changes we seek in others to spring up in ourselves in our daily thoughts and actions. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, God’s Holy Word

                                                       Center our hearts and minds on You   

~ Abba! Lord! Lift the lowly from their distress and bind up the wounds of all hurting bodies and souls.  Renew the love and energy of all who give care and support. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, God’s Holy Word

                                                       Center our hearts and minds on You   

~ Abba! Lord! Heal the hearts broken by grief as those we love now live again, swathed in the glory and rejoicing in the exquisite bliss of Eternity. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, God’s Holy Word

                                                       Center our hearts and minds on You   

~ Abba! Lord! We pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, God’s Holy Word

                                                       Center our hearts and minds on You            

~ Abba! Lord! May Your Holy Spark forever blaze through the souls of those anointed to lead us on our journey toward Christ’s everlasting redemption. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, God’s Holy Word

                                                       Center our hearts and minds on You        

The Celebrant adds: Jesus, God’s Ever-Present Glory and Truth, You came as God’s flesh and blood among us in Your humanity; in Your divinity, You are our grace upon grace. As You have clothed us in the garments of Salvation, guide us to be Your Light in our world that the darkness of evil cannot overcome. We ask through God, our Creator, who together with You, our Redeemer Christ, in the unity of Holy Spirit, 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