Prayers of the People: Now More Than Ever ~ 5th Sunday after Pentecost RCL '25 Yr C

For Sunday, July 13, 2025, Readings: Deuteronomy 30:9-14, Psalm 25:1-9, 
Colossians 1:1-14, Luke 10:25-37

   “Surely, this commandment…is not too hard for you, nor is it too far away…No, the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe.” [Deuteronomy 30:11, 14]
 
   To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; my God, I put my trust in you…Gracious and upright is the Lord… He guides the humble in doing right and teaches his way to the lowly. [Psalm 25:1a, 7a, 8]
 
   May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from [God's] glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience... [Colossians 1:11]

   [Jesus] said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?" [The lawyer] answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all our soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself…" But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my  neighbor?” [Luke 10:26-27, 29]

     We bounce around non-sequentially in the Old Testament in this season after Pentecost, and this week we slip in near the end of the book of Deuteronomy, only a few chapters shy of the end of Moses’ life. Moses, in this reading, is outlining the many positive ways following the Commandments will bear fruit for the still traveling Israelites ~ in body, in livestock, and in the soil. He wants them to understand the do’s and don’ts of life in God’s care. God delights in and prospers those turning their hearts and souls in obedience. Moses assures the gathered that the incentive to obey is strong because The Law is protective ~ it helps resolve earthly squabbles, the dietary rules of the time are for physical health, and best of all, it is not too hard for you, nor is it far away...the word is very near…it is in your mouth and in your heart… The Psalmist confirms that God, to whom we lift our souls, is gracious and upright and guides the humble in doing right.

    Paul’s letter to the Colossians also speaks of bearing fruit through faith in the Gospel of Jesus. He, like Moses regarding The Law, tells them the Word of Jesus is close as the Gospel has come to them, and in turn, to us all. We will bear its fruit in every good work as we grow in the knowledge of God.

     The lawyer in the passage from Luke speaks words that are so familiar we could recite them yet we still find them difficult to live. This was a shocking parable in its time and might be in our own day if we use a substitute for Samaritan such as Satanist and highly contagious for the man beset by robbers on the road, or, still tragically, as too many can attest, simply the wrong skin tone, gender identification, gay, immigration status, etc. Perhaps, in that way, we can understand the apprehension of those who passed by without helping. One’s adherence to The Law that forbade touching one who is “unclean” is extra-convenient when faced with a distasteful situation. And just imagine the utter amazement of on-lookers that this victim would be helped by so unlikely a person ~ foreigner, a stranger, one not like themselves.

     The “Summary of the Law” as the sentence uttered by the lawyer is known, gives us everything we need to hear, understand, and accept as the way of the Gospel. It is a succinct and complete restatement of all of God’s Commandments. If we truly love God so completely in heart, soul, strength, and mind, we’d never consider coveting, killing, thieving, adulter-ing, etc. Living as the personification of that deep love is our sole purpose for being as well as to absolutely love our neighbors as we love ourselves – that is, to love our neighbors as if they truly are our selves, all of us being created by and through God’s unlimitable, unconditional love.

     Then our lawyer, very learned in The Law, wanting to justify himself, continues and gets more legalistic in his question “who is my neighbor?” The answer is clear, simple, yet complex. From the parable Jesus shares, even the lawyer understands we are to show mercy to everyone, whether liked, unliked, feared, mistrusted, dangerous, contagious, annoying, wrong politics, wrong age or gender-identity-affinity, wrong religion or skin color or legal status, etc. Especially, anyone who needs help is our neighbor, and we become as the Samaritan when we have or can find the means or ability to gather other neighbors to give help. Our neighbor is us. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot love God or our neighbor. If we are mistreating our neighbor, we are reflecting how we love ~ or don’t love or are afraid to love ~ ourselves. We’ve too long been acculturated to worry about being conceited instead of loving ourselves for the miracle of Creation that we are, warts, flaws, and all; and as a temple of God, Our Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit who dwell within us.

     Paul prayed, as we must, for our strength, endurance, and patience from God. The Samaritan showed mercy ~ above and beyond ~ Jesus us tells us to go and do likewise. We must hear, taste, ingest, digest, live into, and breathe through the words again: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself. Love God. Love you. Love your neighbor! It is Simple. It is Difficult. No Exceptions. It is Extremely Necessary, now more than ever.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY 

Leader:  ~ O Gracious Lord, free us from the darkness of fear and suspicion of those who are unlike ourselves, yet who are our neighbors in Your sight. Open us to the knowledge of Your will through Your word already within us, that our acts of love and kindness will be a true measure of our full faith in Christ.

                                                O God of Goodness and Love

            RESPONSE:         To You we lift our souls

~  O Gracious Lord, grant enduring patience and support for the souls of those honorable people, with the principles of integrity, compassion, and mercy, now serving in national and local governments across your Earth. Turn the hearts of others with selfish intent toward righteous, moral, and upright governance everywhere.

                                                     O God of Goodness and Love

                                                     To You we lift our souls 

~  O Gracious Lord, rescue and give hope to the poor, the weak, and the sick, and give comfort and strength to all who assist them. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                      O God of Goodness and Love

                                                     To You we lift our souls 

~ O Gracious Lord, give rest to the hearts of those who grieve, as all who have died now shine in the eternal light of Christ’s heavenly peace. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                     O God of Goodness and Love

                                                     To You we lift our souls 

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

                                                     O God of Goodness and Love

                                                     To You we lift our souls 

              

~ O Gracious Lord, we look to our faithful ministers of Your Word and Sacraments as our guides of truth in action. Endow them with steadfast faith to urge and accompany us along right pathways, to share in the inheritance of the saints. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                     O God of Goodness and Love

                                                     To You we lift our souls 

                                                          

The Celebrant adds: O God of our Salvation, fill us with the spiritual understanding and wisdom to lead lives worthy of You, bearing the fruit of the Gospel to our neighbors, and ourselves, being made strong in Your glorious power. We ask through the forgiveness and redemption of Jesus, our Christ; and by the love of the Holy Spirit, who together with You are One God, now and forever. Amen. 

 

Prayers of the People: Hope for Your Future ~ 5th Sunday after Pentecost WLWC* ‘25 Yr C

For Sunday, July 13, 2025; Readings: Jeremiah 31:2-6, 8-11, 13-17; Psalm 118:14-26, James 5:1-6, Luke 13:31-35

…They found grace in the wilderness, the people—the women, children, and men, survivors of the storm…I shall turn their mourning to joy, I shall comfort, and give them joy for sorrow…They shall come back from the land of their enemy. There is hope for your future… [Jeremiah 31:2b, 13b, 16c-17a]

  The Mighty God is my strength and my might and has become my salvation…The stone the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is the Mighty God’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the Creator of All has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. [Psalm 118:14, 22-24]

  Listen! The wages of the workers who reaped your fields—which you all have defrauded them out of—cry out and the cries of the farm workers have reached the ears of the Commander of heaven’s legions. [James 5:4-5]

  …some Pharisees came to [Jesus] and said to him, “Go! And depart from here, for Herod wants to kill you!”…Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets…How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings… [Luke 13:31b, 34a]

   Dr. Gafney’s choice of readings once again seems to parallel themes of our own time, when held up against the backdrop of our current national and international news.

   Jeremiah is reminding his followers that the promise of the return of Israel to their homeland is still strong, even if not imminent.  Dr. Gafney tells us that Rachel, Israel’s figurative mother, appears as a reminder to acknowledge and lament the losses suffered by Israel’s people, as a subjugated nation in exile. The acknowledgement and lamentation of such subjugation is appropriate for all times of history including our own, for entire nations as well as for ethnic, racial, LGBTQ+, and other communities exiled from the mainstream and considered separate from the “acceptable” population in a given political climate.

   The Psalm continues the promise of restoration across the journeying of history as the Epistle from James is severely unsubtle in its scathing indictment of “wealthy people.” In his time, and our own, Rachel’s weeping is for all who are inhumanely marginalized and abused by traffickers, profiteering, violence, and more. We, who are far from the top echelons of power and enormous wealth, must still take stock of our attitudes and understanding of the realities of those to whom we are part of “the rich.” As we decry the lack of empathy and compassion in various public and private sectors of our life and times, to what actions—large or small—are we each committed and involved? No matter the translation you choose, it is completely clear that James has pulled no punches.

   And Luke shows us a side of those we have been, seemingly, taught to scorn: Pharisees! Here, some are actively attempting to save Jesus’s life. They have heard Jesus preach, seen or at least heard of his miracles and healings and teachings. Perhaps, then, it is only the ones who are jealous, who jump up and down for attention, and then turn to those they delegate to impose state-sanctioned violence and murder to prove their power to themselves and their small-minded yet heavy-handed group of bullies. But that never happens now…does it?

   The promise of restoration remains and if we look for them, we can find moments of gladness, comfort and joy, in and around the moments of mourning and sorrow that occur in everyone’s lifetime. Full restoration ahead! Remember: There is hope for your future…

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ EVER-LIVING GOD, you are our strength and our salvation. Gather us under your wings as we gather and care for all who are in need. Open us to the knowledge of Your will through Your word already within us, that our acts of love and kindness are a true measure of our full faith in Christ.

                                                 O MERCIFUL GOD, FOUNT OF JUSTICE

             RESPONSE:         Our Grace in the wilderness

~ EVER-LIVING GOD, grant enduring patience and support for the souls of those honorable people, with the principles of integrity, compassion, and mercy, now serving in national and local governments across your Earth. Turn the hearts of others with selfish intent toward righteous, moral, and upright governance everywhere. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                               O MERCIFUL GOD, FOUNT OF JUSTICE                                               

                                               Our Grace in the wilderness

~ EVER-LIVING GOD, rescue and give hope to the poor, the weak, and the sick, and give strength to all who assist them. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                               O MERCIFUL GOD, FOUNT OF JUSTICE                                               

                                               Our Grace in the wilderness

~ EVER-LIVING GOD, comfort the hearts of those who mourn, as your children who have left this life are now returned to their everlasting country, where you give them joy for sorrow. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                               O MERCIFUL GOD, FOUNT OF JUSTICE                                               

                                               Our Grace in the wilderness

~  EVER-LIVING GOD, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

                                               O MERCIFUL GOD, FOUNT OF JUSTICE                                               

                                               Our Grace in the wilderness

~ EVER-LIVING GOD, we look to our faithful ministers of Your Word and Sacraments as our guides of truth in action. Endow them with the steadfast faith to urge and accompany us along right pathways. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                               O MERCIFUL GOD, FOUNT OF JUSTICE                                               

                                               Our Grace in the wilderness

The Celebrant adds: O MIGHTY GOD, awaken us to rejoice and be glad in every day you have given us, with hope for our future. Fill us with the spiritual understanding and faithfulness to lead lives worthy of the gifts within us all. Help us to live by the fruit of the Gospel, bearing it to and for all with whom we share this life. We ask through Jesus, our Chief Cornerstone; and the Holy Spirit, the MOTHER OF WISDOM, who together with You are One God, now and forever. Amen.

*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: Staying Ready? ~ 4th Sunday after Pentecost WLWC* ‘25 Yr C

For Sunday, July 6, 2025; Readings: Jeremiah 29:1-14, Psalm 33:8-15, James 5:7-11, Luke 21:29-36

   For surely I know the plans I have planned for you all—an utterance of the Ancient of Days—plans for your well-being and not for evil, to give you all a future and hope. Then when you all call upon me and you come and you all pray to me, I shall hear you.  And when you all seek me, you shall find me; if you all seek me with your whole heart. I will be found by you all, an utterance of the Gracious God, and I shall reverse your captivity and gather you all… [Jeremiah 29:11-14]

  The Mighty One shatters the counsel of the nations, she disallows the designs of the peoples. The counsel of the Wisdom of the Ages stands forever; the designs of her heart to all generations… Our soul waits for She Who Saves; she is our help and shield. In her is our heart glad, because we trust in her holy Name. Let your faithful love, Compassionate God, be upon us, for it is in you in whom we trust. [Psalm 33:10-11, 20-22]

   Be patient, therefore, kindred, until the coming of the Redeemer…Do not grumble against one another beloved, so that you may not be judged… See here, we bless those who showed endurance. Of the endurance of Job you have heard; and you have all seen the end goal of the Holy One, that the Holy One is compassionate and merciful. [James 5:7a,9,11]

  “…Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. Be alert to yourselves so that your hearts are not weighed down with self-indulgence and drunkenness and the cares of this life, and that day catch you suddenly. Like a trap! For it will come upon all who live upon the face of the whole earth. Stay awake at all times, praying so that you might have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Woman.” [Luke 21:33-36]

    There is nothing new happening in the world. The world is and has always been a fearsome place for many. Wars, threats of war, battles for power, hate mongering, violence, poverty and desperation, bad governance, extreme weather, and multiple other catastrophes destroy lives daily everywhere around the globe. We are always in the fields of ancient and new history and humanity. And, there are more of us now than ever before and we think that we know more, given the increasing growth of “news” purveyors and the rapid-fire of the broken  "breaking news," misinformation, disinformation availability. And then there’s the “viral” and manipulated Us vs Them constantly screaming through ever-multiplying social media options, and we weary ourselves and our spirits as we enter into the fray of alternating chaos or collapse in paralyzing ambivalence and/or addictive self-indulgence.

   The readings in this week’s Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church* are incredibly timely. Dr. Gafney, in her lectionary notes, says, “This week’s readings are situated in moments that call for patience we may not have or do not wish to develop.” While social media outlets burn with verbal punching and shoving in a show of anonymous power jabs, lack of patience–to say the least—gives way to completely mind-numbing “entertainment” options of alleged “reality” tv, easy online gambling, and even easier delivery to your door options for food, alcohol, and perhaps more. Every now and then some of us look up from the impatience of doom-scrolling to wonder when things will return to normal, whatever and however that is perceived. If you’ve ever been close to someone who has been in the military and spent time in a war zone, even coming home after the fact has a relatively short moment of relief and longer moments of disappointment that there is no return to whatever normal once seemed to be.

    Jeremiah is preparing the now deported Israelites to learn to live their new life in a new land under the rule of their conquerors. He even tells them to pray for the city in which they are captive and not to give into despair. Yes, God is always present and God’s great plans for them will one day reverse their captivity, however, the timeline is far from immediate.

   While the psalmist offers words of hope and trust in God’s promises, again there is no specific end date all the while giving an impression of generations to pass before their promised liberation. Of course looking more closely, clearly many will die long before the restoration to their homeland. And, I wonder about those born and raised to adulthood in this exile, perhaps as a second or third generation ~ how does being “returned” to a land they never knew feel normal? The food, the housing, the language, the cultural changes… The most startling phrase, for me, is that God, the Mighty One, shatters the counsel of the nations… now there’s a conversation waiting, which counsel does one wish to be shattered? It is a hopeful thought, if even opinions differ.

   And, then, comes James commending us to patience and reminding us of the endurance of Job. As an aside, Dr. Gafney tells us that that Job isn’t the one in the biblical canon with his name on it demanding that God account for the imposed afflictions, as that was written by someone who wrote in Job’s name. The patient enduring Job is a character whose stories probably pre-date the Hebrew Bible.

   Jesus, in Luke’s Gospel passage, seems to be saying “Hang on, things are getting ready to change.” And in every single generation from Jesus’s time until now there are those who believe that He is coming, soon, get ready, stay ready! What about those in our midst who have experienced the terror of state-sponsored violence that seems to be spreading rapidly. How long can people of color, and those who have immigrated from other places and cultures, asylum seekers frightened of being sent back, those scorned due to poverty and homelessness, how can others, even in better life circumstances, hold on to these multigenerational promises?

   Okay, let us put down the phone, resist the doom-scroll, take a break from social media, avoid vacuous distractions, and breathe in deeply of the hope and trust we are given by Jeremiah, the Psalmist, James, even Job. Jesus promises that one day, whatever we experience in this life, we will stand before the Son of Woman if we stay alert and pray to escape what may befall us. But, how can we not entertain the question, and the hope in the answer, by this excerpt from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s speech in Montgomery, Alabama in March 1965 after the march from Selma:

How long?  Not long.

Truth forever on the scaffold,

Wrong forever on the throne,

Yet that scaffold sways the future,

And, behind the dim unknown,

Standeth God within the shadow,

Keeping watch above his own.

How long? Not long, because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.

And though many generations have gone and well may still go before we stand as One before the Son of Woman, let us carry the hearts and souls of those who have gone before as we keep staying ready however long it may be.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ GRACIOUS GOD, fill our souls with the patience and endurance of Job, and strengthen our hearts through difficult times. Remind us often to trust in your Holy Name, in your faithful love, and in your enduring mercy, deeply knowing that you hear our every prayer.

                                             COMPASSIONATE GOD

RESPONSE:      You are our Hope and our Shield 

~ GRACIOUS GOD, enter the minds and intentions of those in political power across this planet, to shatter the counsel of wicked design. O WISDOM OF THE AGES, imbue the leaders of every country with the designs of your heart for all generations, and reverse all evil actions that hold your people captive. We pray especially for: the President, the Vice-President, our Members of Congress, our Governor, our County Executive, our City Council, and our Mayor.

                                               COMPASSIONATE GOD                                                

          You are our Hope and our Shield

~ GRACIOUS GOD, comfort all who are trapped in chronic sickness, poverty, or depression, and lighten the hearts of all who give support. We now join our voices to pray for those in need… 

                                               COMPASSIONATE GOD                                                

          You are our Hope and our Shield

~ GRACIOUS GOD, as You console those hearts in the depths of fresh or remembered grief, infuse a spark of joy that grows into rejoicing, to know that those we have sent ahead, now stand before You, the Holy Spirit, and the Son of Woman, in eternal love and peace everlasting. We pray especially for: 

                                               COMPASSIONATE GOD                                                

          You are our Hope and our Shield

~  GRACIOUS GOD, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… 

                                               COMPASSIONATE GOD                                                

          You are our Hope and our Shield

~ GRACIOUS GOD, grant infectious energy and contagious inspiration to all You have appointed to lead us in your church. Guide all our steps on the sacred path to eternal life in You. We pray especially for: Sean, our Presiding Bishop; Kevin our Bishop; Patrick, our Rector; Lloyd, our Rector Emeritus; and Cecily, our Deacon.

                                               COMPASSIONATE GOD                                                

          You are our Hope and our Shield

The Celebrant adds: O GOD WHO HEARS, excite our desire to shake off the dust of our own complacency and self-indulgence, to immerse ourselves in your service. Breathe into us your plans for our well-being, our gladness of heart, and a blessed future, as we strive to make your constant presence known, through all that we do in the spirit of kindness, empathy, and respect. We ask through Jesus, our Savior; and the Holy Spirit, our Sustainer, who together with You are One God, infinite and eternal. Amen.

 

*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: Soften the Bite ~ 4th Sunday after Pentecost '25 RCL Yr C

For Sunday, July 6, 2025; Readings: Isaiah 66:10-14, Psalm 66:1-8, Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16, Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

  As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you… and it will be known that the hand of the Lord is with his servants…  [Isaiah 66:13a, 14b]

  Bless our God, you peoples…who holds our souls in life… [Psalm:66:7a, 8a]

  You who have received the Spirit should restore [a transgressor] in a spirit of gentleness…Bear one another’s burdens… for you reap whatever you sow...if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life...let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith. [Galatians 6:1b,2a, 7b, 8b, 10]

  [The Lord] said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few...Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves...Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house!' And if anyone...shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not it will return to you...But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you...say, 'Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you.'”  [Luke 10:2a, 3, 5-7, 10-11a]

     There is nothing new happening in the world. The world is and has always been a fearsome place. Wars, threats of war, battles for power, hate mongering, violence, poverty and desperation, bad governance, extreme weather, and multiple other catastrophes destroy lives daily everywhere around the globe. We truly are but sheep among wolves in the fields of ancient and new history and humanity. But there are more of us now than ever before and we think that we know more, given the increasing rapidity of the broken "breaking news," misinformation, disinformation. And then there’s the “viral” and manipulated Us vs Them constantly screaming through ever-multiplying social media options, and we weary ourselves and our spirits as we enter into the fray of alternating chaos or collapse in paralyzing ambivalence. Yet Isaiah provides a glimmer of our consoling God who comforts us, nurtures us, and, as the Psalmist says, who holds our souls in life. All we need to do is know that, accept it, live it, so easy, right? First, we need to sit down, put the phone down, avoid doom-scrolling, and breathe deeply; then resist the temptation to join the wolves.

     Paul slows us down by reminding us that we who have received the Spirit are to do our best to bring back into the community, in a spirit of gentleness, those who have transgressed in some way. As Jesus tells the disciples, enter a house in peace. If we are not welcomed, we are free, through Jesus, to shake off the dust and move along, without accepting the taunts, threats, or disbelief. Each of us must take responsibility for ourselves yet bear one another’s burdens. We can’t make an unbeliever believe by argument, but perhaps through observing our sincerity and faithfulness, a fearful soul will begin to open.

     We reap what we sow, says this part of letter to the Galatians, and we are not to grow weary in showing others helpful care according to the teachings of Christ. We are to find joy in the humility of serving God in the Jesus that lives in everyone. In faith, with prayer, and in community, we can let go of fearing the wolves who will mock us ~ or worse ~ and embrace the commitment to live the life we are called to live. Let us walk together, in the Family of Faith, to follow the Gospel path, offer Peace to all, and accept what is returned. Let us shake the dust of complacency from ourselves as Christ's lambs, and labor among the wolves in the fields of God. Even the strongest most vicious wolf among us will fall eventually; let us always live with and offer the welcome of Jesus’ saving power and love. Whether accepted or refused, the offer softens the bite.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY   

Leader:  ~ Loving Lord, who holds our souls in life, arouse us in heart and mind to bear one another’s burdens as we labor in Your fields. Help us sow to the Spirit to reap a plentiful harvest for the good of all, especially for the family of faith.

                                            O God of All and Everywhere

         RESPONSE:        We find our strength in You

~  Loving Lord, spare the lambs of Your pasture from the wolves of unbridled self-interest that lurk in many global and local governments now and in the ones to come. We pray especially for: add your own petitions                       

                                              O God of All and Everywhere

                                              We find our strength in You

~  Loving Lord, comfort all who are trapped in chronic sickness, poverty, or depression, and lighten the hearts of all who give support. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                              O God of All and Everywhere

                                              We find our strength in You     

~  Loving Lord, as You console hearts in the depths of grief, infuse a spark of joy that grows into rejoicing, to know that those we have sent to You are a new creation of life, love, and peace for all eternity.  We pray especially for…add your own petitions

                                              O God of All and Everywhere

                                              We find our strength in You     

~ Loving Lord, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently…add your own petitions 

                                              O God of All and Everywhere
                                              We find our strength in You

~ Loving Lord, grant infectious energy and contagious inspiration to those You have appointed to lead us on the Path to everlasting life in You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                              O God of All and Everywhere

                                              We find our strength in You 

The Celebrant adds:  Nurturing, Knowing God, excite our desire to shake off the dust of our own complacency and to immerse ourselves in Your service. Grant special Grace to the country of our birth and the one we call home, that Your Presence will be known in how our lives bless You by all that we do in the spirit of gentleness, and in the name of Christ. We ask through Jesus, our Savior; and the Holy Spirit, our Sustainer; who together with You are One God, infinite and eternal. 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

 

 

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: Another Season ~ 3rd Sunday after Pentecost WLWC* ‘25 Yr C

For Sunday, June 29, 2025; Readings: Jeremiah 9:17-22, Psalm 126:1-6, Revelation 21:1-7, Luke 23:26-31

   Thus says the Sovereign of the Vanguard of Heaven: Reason with yourselves, and call for the keening women and they shall come; send for the wise, skilled women and they shall come. Let them quickly raise a wailing over us, so that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids flow with water. [Jeremiah 9:17-18]

  Reverse, Redeeming God, our captivity like the watercourses of the Negeb. Those who sow in tears with shouts of joy shall reap.  [Psalm 126:4-5]

   I saw a new heaven and a new earth…And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! The Home of God is among the woman-born. God will dwell with them as their God; they will be God’s people…” The One also said, “Write for these words are trustworthy and true”…I am the Alpha and the Omega… Those who overcome will inherit these things… [Revelation 21: 1-7]

  A great number of people followed him, and a group of women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, weep only for yourselves and your children.  [Luke 23:27-28]

   This week Dr. Gafney’s Lectionary begins with Jeremiah who will be with us for several weeks to come. She mentions in her notes that these readings will not be in in numerical order as the Book of Jeremiah itself is not in chronological order and it is impossible to determine the chronological order. The collection of readings she has assembled for this week outline various seasons of emotions in the lives of God’s people and she makes several important points. One is that while such times are temporary they will return for a variety of reasons.

   In this reading from Jeremiah, the weeping of Israel in its Babylonian captivity is healing, Dr. Gafney says, as well as didactic and prophetic. The women who are trained professional mourners are guided by God to help the individual and communal mourners to work through their grief to begin a process of healing and adjustment to their surroundings. This reading stays in the sorrow mode without offering a “happy ending.” People who have experienced profound personal grief can understand that there is slow movement from the deep sorrow to a level of acceptance and a later transformation yet it takes however long it takes and the time differs for each person.

   The Psalmist gives us a sense of the cycles of life through the story of Israel. Each of us is in a captivity of one kind or another in our lives, far more than once, and looking back we can recognize when we were tear-filled in grief as well as expressing tears of joy and happiness. As the planets in their movement and the watercourses in Negeb/Negev desert and elsewhere, all life flows, turns, moves, and changes throughout its existence. There are great and good transformations and reversals and those that are far less than comforting.

   We move into the Book of Revelation reading which is triumphal. We will not weep forever, no matter how life has been for us individually or collectively. God is everything to us, our Alpha and Omega, for us and with us “among the woman-born.” And then we move from this fresh breath hope back into the Passion of Jesus.

   As he tells the women who are wailing for him to weep for themselves and their children, we can ponder the centuries, the millennia since, and wonder what is yet to come.

   We who have lived a while know that our seasons come and go, whether we are up or down in them, whether they seem endlessly long or breathtakingly short, we will laugh or cry or both throughout them all with no predictable length. In the difficult times, Jeremiah tells us to reason within ourselves. If we need help we are to ask for it and it will come. The Psalmist says that God has done great things for us and as when Israel was released from its captivity, they rejoiced and shouted for  joy. In those moments we are to do the same and enjoy for as long as we can.

   One important note from Dr. Gafney is that as the seasons of our lives progress, “…circumstances that lead to profound sorrow are not God-ordained and when they involve interpersonal, social, cultural, or international violence, they are not God’s will. God does not require our torture to accomplish divine ends.” This is a view I share.

   We will always have another season of ups or downs in various successions in the time of our human living. The greatest season of all, of course, is the one last will last forever when, as this reading in Revelation says, God will wipe every tear and death will be no more, no grief, no weeping, and no pain of any kind. Breathe deeply and find the good and the hope in every season from now until…

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Holy God, our Alpha and Omega, for seasons of sorrow you gave us tears to cleanse, heal, and strengthen the bedrock of our faith. As we pass through all the seasons of this life, steady our hearts and refill our souls with the knowledge that tragedy and violence are not of your doing. Grant us patience in waiting for the next cycle of living to bring shouts of joy and tears of happiness.

                                             Redeeming God

RESPONSE:      We are Your People; our trust is in You. 

~ Holy God, our Alpha and Omega, renew our strength and courage to stand firm and speak on behalf of those who have no voice, no justice, and no freedom, to the dictatorships and governments in this world, this nation, and this community. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                            Redeeming God                                               
                                            We are Your People; our trust is in You.

~ Holy God, our Alpha and Omega, relieve the anguish of those in physical or emotional pain, and bolster the patience and vitality of all who provide care and support. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                            Redeeming God                                               
                                            We are Your People; our trust is in You.

~ Holy God, our Alpha and Omega, relieve distress and give comfort to those in mourning, as you delight in the arrival of the souls of your beloved returning Home for new life everlasting. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                            Redeeming God                                               
                                            We are Your People; our trust is in You. 

~ Holy God, our Alpha and Omega, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently…

                                            Redeeming God                                               

       We are Your People; our trust is in You.       

~ Holy God, our Alpha and Omega, enhance, enrich, and enlighten the faith of all who are called as today’s prophets in Your church, that they may continue to inspire and guide us throughout the seasons and life of our faith. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                            Redeeming God                                               

       We are Your People; our trust is in You. 

The Celebrant adds: Living, Loving God, release us from the captivity of our self-indulgences, to seek and share the newness of life in everyday moments with all the woman-born you have created. Help us to help each other to overcome the trials of living, moving only forward, as the watercourses of this planet, to the fullness of Your Kingdom beyond. We ask through Jesus, our Redeemer Christ; and the Holy Spirit, our Guide in Truth; who together with You are One God, now and forever.  Amen.

 

*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