People's Prayers

Monday, January 13, 2025

Prayers of the People: Un-Prophet-Able ~ 2nd Sunday after the Epiphany WLWC* Yr C

For Sunday, January 19, 2025; Readings: 1 Kings 17:8–16; Psalm 40:1–11, 13, 16–17;

Romans 12:9–18; Luke 4:16–27, also celebrating the legacies of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and The Rt. Rev. Quinton E. Primo, Jr.**

The word of the HOLY ONE to Elijah was, 9 “Get up, go to Zarephath, which is part of Sidon, and settle there; watch now, I have commanded a widow woman there to provide for you.” [1 Kings 17:8]

I waited expectantly for the SAVING GOD; she inclined toward me and heard my cry… Blessed is the woman who makes the MAGNIFICENT ONE her trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who turn to lies. [Psalm 40: 1, 4]

Let love be sincere. Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good. In hope rejoice, in suffering endure, in prayer persevere… Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. [Romans 12:9 12, 14]

Now Jesus came to Nazareth…and went… on the day of the sabbath, to the synagogue. And he stood up to read...the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He… found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Most High is upon me, because God has anointed me to proclaim good news to those who are poor...” and every eye of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. Then he began to speak to them, saying, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing…” And Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in their hometown… there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah…Yet Elijah was sent to none of them, rather to Zarephath in Sidon, to a widow woman… [Luke 4:16-18a, 21, 24-25a, 26]

Trust and Love stand out for me in the readings for this Sunday. Elijah trusted God to go and find the widow of Zarephath who in turn trusted God to accept this foreigner and do his bidding, at least to a point. She was also trusting enough to tell him that she had only enough flour and oil left for herself and her child. And, then God provided for them all.

The Psalm is filled with both trust and love as well and Dr. Gafney tells us in her Text Notes, that in using explicitly feminine language in her translations of the psalms in this Year C material, she has translated this particular psalm to be heard as the prayer of the Widow of Zarephath. Read through it again with that in mind and discover a different perspective. I found it helpful as my own prayer ~ although I do feel that with many of the psalms.

This reading from The Letter to the Romans is filled with what I feel are very helpful suggestions rather than harsh admonishments. Not necessarily easy, yet more attainable if we are truly working to be closer to the words of Jesus about how we are to live our faith. For me, blessing persecutors without cursing them (literally and figuratively!) is all too often a significant challenge.

While I have known most of this Gospel reading this, not significantly different from the NRSV, there were pieces that surprised me. I had never taken in the part where those in the synagogue were marveled at the gracious words that came from his mouth. And, for some reason I have always had the impression that those saying Is not this Joseph’s son? was meant as a mockery. It isn’t! That said, he wasn’t particularly popular later on as he predicted by his famous quote of no prophet is accepted in their home-town. The comments he made to Elijah and Elisha being sent out of their home areas to do their work was also a new point of reference for me.

Dr. Gafney also points out that in each of these readings we see God in human flesh…in human actions…she reminds us that our hands are meant to be the hands of God. We’re the ones, as Jesus read from the scroll, to live so as to proclaim the good news to the poor, preach liberation to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, and liberate the oppressed... And yes we may well be rejected, or at the very least unwelcome, as perhaps we may reject others whose views and pronouncements are less or far more unwelcomed by us. So, back to the words of this reading from Romans! The Un-Prophet-able Jesus, by his home-town standards and other places in his short life, has been more than profitable for untold numbers of we, the faith-filled, spiritually speaking, and seeking. Each day brings us more challenges to keep us on The Way with our best and sometimes less than best efforts. I’ll begin again tomorrow by trusting enough and loving God and all of God’s people and Creation enough to take part in meeting the needs of the saints and practicing hospitality. [Romans 12:13]

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ O HOLY ONE, give us ears to hear, hearts to feel, and souls to know and deeply experience Your Spirit-charged words, and listen to the voices of Your servants Martin and Quintin. Activate our own spiritual gifts, that we may change the substance of our lives from self-serving to full-service, to know that differences among us are fewer than our similarities, and to be true of heart and strong in faith, now more than ever.

                                                LOVING, SAVING GOD
                                                Hasten to help us all

~ O HOLY ONE, let us raise our voices loudly and often for those who are lost and forsaken, and in danger and despair in this life no matter how foreign they seem to us, nor us to them. Let us continually urge all Governments and Authorities, locally and globally, to make Martin’s Dream into truth and action, with peace, justice, and mercy for ALL. May we embody Your Truth that the Good News of Jesus never excludes anyone at any time, for any reason, anywhere. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                LOVING, SAVING GOD
                                                Hasten to help us all

~ O HOLY ONE, calm the hearts and minds of those with physical, emotional, or spiritual challenges, and lighten the load for all who give them care. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need … add your own petitions

                                                LOVING, SAVING GOD
                                                Hasten to help us all

~ O HOLY ONE, 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

                                                LOVING, SAVING GOD
                                                Hasten to help us all

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

                                                LOVING, SAVING GOD
                                                Hasten to help us all

~ O HOLY ONE, nurture and enhance the gifts of our anointed leaders in Your Church who strive to impart Your wisdom and keep us aware of Your eternal Presence. Guide us to discover and offer to others the endowment of Your peace, and strengths within ourselves. We pray especially for: add your own petitions [and the legacies of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and The Rt. Rev. Quintin E. Primo, Jr.]

                                                LOVING, SAVING GOD
                                                Hasten to help us all

The Celebrant adds: MAJESTIC ONE, our God, Your Scripture has been fulfilled for us through the Word of the Gospel in the human and divine ministry of Christ. Let us now give our witness of the Good News to the poor, liberation to captives and those who are oppressed. May we bear Your light to all who live in peril and fear, and to those blinded by the darkness of achieving only earthly status. May Your Will always be our delight as we ask through Jesus, our Prophet and our Salvation; and the Holy Spirit, Your Infinite Wisdom; who together with You, reign as One God now, forever, and beyond. 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/

[As always, feel free to edit these prayers to suit your local needs. A small attribution is appreciated.]

** These Prayers of the People were commissioned by The Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew (SsAM) in Wilmington, Delaware, in 2013. They continue to be used by that Parish which is now in its 29^th year of the blending of a traditionally white parish ~ St. Andrew's, founded in 1829, and a traditionally African American parish ~ St. Matthew's, that began in 1846. St. Matthew’s was founded in the lower level of St. Andrew's as the Robert Smith Sunday School until it became St Matthew's Mission in its own location. Much later, beginning in 1993, then an African American Episcopal Vicar, the Rt. Rev. Quintin E. Primo, Jr., guided St. Matthew's from mission status to gaining full parish status in 1966 as he was to do later in Detroit with a pair of similar parishes. He was elected as Suffragan Bishop of Chicago in 1972 and in 1986 he became Interim Bishop of Delaware, then assisted until his death in 1998. He lived to see the joyous union of these two parishes into one. As many of us were privileged to know him personally, we are pleased to celebrate his life and prophetic voice this day along with the vibrant legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther, King, Jr. Selections from Dr. King and from Bishop Primo's autobiography are below. To learn more about the historical significance and current mission of SsAM click here: www.ssam.org

A reading from the I Have a Dream speech by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. [1929-1968], delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, August 28, 1963:

"When we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: “Free at last! Free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

A reading from The Making of a Black Bishop by the Rt. Rev. Quintin E. Primo, Jr. [1913-1998]:

"The day of the yearly (Diocesan) Convention arrived. Presenting to the assemblage our (St. Matthew's) formal application to become a self-supporting unit of the diocese, the Rev. Canon James Birney, program developer/director for the diocese, spoke most eloquently, ''What we are doing at this moment is a symbol of what black and white people must continue to do as we offer our lives to be instruments for bringing the Kingdom of God to reality on earth. For the past 122 years, the white congregations have patronizingly supported the black mission of St. Matthew's. Today, when black men everywhere are breaking the bonds of patronage which we hope are the last remnants of slavery and inequality, the people of St. Matthew's now both black and white, are freeing themselves and this Diocese from bondage to each other. Subservience and patronage are both gone. The congregation is free and the Diocese is free. And being free, we are both free to be One. What binds us together now is our common loyalty to Jesus Christ and to this branch of His Church. In this Christian context, you are demonstrating the meaning of Black Power.'"

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: Think, Pray, Love ~ 2nd Sunday after The Epiphany RCL Yr C

For Sunday, January 19, 2025; Readings: Isaiah 62:1-5, Psalm 36:5-10, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, John 2:1-11, and celebrating the legacies of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Rt. Rev. Quintin E. Primo, Jr.*

For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn... [Isaiah 62:1]

For with you is the well of life. and in your light we see light, Continue your loving-kindness to those who know you, and favor for those who are true of heart. [Psalm 36:9-10]

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed... there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. [1 Corinthians 12:1,4-7]

When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what concern is that to you or me? My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you"… Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. [John 2: 3-5, 7]

As with so many Biblical anecdotes and parables, the story of the wedding feast of Cana is so well known that people of many beliefs and cultures have heard it. Vendors even sell really terrible wine on the streets of a town that might be Cana but no one truly knows the actual location for the Cana of this story. In John's Gospel, Jesus turned water into wine ~ his first miracle ~ and he didn't think he was ready. While quite an accomplishment, the setting for this first sign may not appear to be auspicious enough for such a pivotal event or serve humanity in any important way. Yet his mother asked and he complied, if slightly less than willing, and therefore took the first significant step in his public ministry. Clearly his mother knew her son was ready for bigger things.

The volume of the wine changed from the water is significant; it is an abundant amount given how late in the celebration. It is a metaphor for the way the Love and the Presence of God fills us all, God's own created vessels, just as the new wine filled the stone jars. And it does not matter how late in our lives that we change and recognize the fullness of God's love within. This moment made believers of his chosen disciples: Jesus, Son of God, Worker of Miracles!

Jesus incarnated was the embodiment of God's gifts, as we each are, in our own individual ways. For us mere mortals, discerning our gifts is not easy and many of us ignore or disclaim them, hiding from ourselves under a mask of humility, real or artificial. We may not all have the greatness to save the entire world but each one of us has abilities, knowledge, and talents that make us unique and useful ~ if we accept them ~ even if age or other issues prevent us from being out in the world as much as others we admire. Perhaps it is easier to hide from our gifts if we fear that our acceptance and claiming requires some responsibility for using them. Jesus knew his and used them for teaching, preaching, and healing. Dr. King and Bishop Primo used their gifts and did change the world around them and, often, especially as with Jesus and Dr. King, at their own peril. They each, as was Jesus and many others, for many generations and in our own time, were and are able to do great and memorable things that are written down and remembered. "For Zion's sake I will not keep silent..." says Isaiah, and by the words and actions of Dr. King, and Bishop Primo.

What is Zion for me? What will call me from just dreaming about what I might do someday to pushing myself to action now? Dr. King said, "Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase." Our first step begins with the Gospels.

Today’s Epistle reminds us that we are each endowed by the Holy Spirit with gifts to be used for the common good. Making a phone call or sending an email to a government representative, donating some money or clothes or food are all ways to do things that benefit others and ourselves in the long run. Bishop Primo was very clear when he said, "What binds us together now is our common loyalty to Jesus Christ..." Yet not everyone agrees on how and what to believe. If the Gospel message is so clear why are so many Christians arguing with and disparaging each other? How can there be so many divisions, denominations, theological, and ideological differences determining who's in and who's out and who's right and who's wrong, who should be condemned (or worse) and who should be accepted? If being fully loved by God, as we learn from the Gospels, doesn't bring us all together, it does beg the question: So, really, What Would Jesus Do? Here we are brimming with all we need through the gifts of the Spirit and our faith, so we can, as Mary directed, do all that He tells us. How? By remembering to Love our God with all our hearts, souls, and minds, AND, the really hard one is that we are to love our neighbors AS, in the same way that, WE LOVE ourselves. Think, Pray, Love…

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ O God Most Loving, give us ears to hear, hearts to feel, and souls to know and deeply experience Your Spirit-charged words, and listen to the voice[s] of Your servants Martin and Quintin. Activate our own spiritual gifts, that we may change the substance of our lives from self-serving to full-service, and to be true of heart and strong in faith, now more than ever.

O Righteous, Faithful Lord

RESPONSE: In You our souls are free at last

~ O God Most Loving, let us raise our voices loudly and often for those who are lost and forsaken, and in danger and despair in this life. Let us continually urge all Governments and Authorities, locally and globally, to make Martin’s Dream into truth and action, with peace, justice, and mercy for ALL. May we embody Your Truth that the Good News of Jesus never excludes anyone at any time, for any reason, anywhere. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Righteous, Faithful Lord

In You our souls are free at last

~ O God Most Loving, calm the hearts and minds of those with physical, emotional, or spiritual challenges, and lighten the load for all who give them care. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need … add your own petitions

O Righteous, Faithful Lord

In You our souls are free at last

~ O God Most Loving, console all who mourn as Your steadfast and priceless love gathers our faithful departed into the joy and abundance of Your House forever. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

O Righteous, Faithful Lord

In You our souls are free at last

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

O Righteous, Faithful Lord

In You our souls are free at last

~ O God Most Loving, nurture and enhance the gifts of our anointed leaders in Your Church who strive to impart Your wisdom and keep us aware of Your eternal Presence. Guide us to discover and offer the endowment of Your gifts and strengths within ourselves. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Righteous, Faithful Lord

In You our souls are free at last

The Celebrant adds: Holy God, Our Well of Life, as the vessels were filled at Cana, fill us with Your Light that we may see light; and with Your loving-kindness and favor, grant us courage to follow the path of our Redeemer Christ with refuge under the shadow of Your wings. We ask through Jesus, Your Son and our Salvation; and the Holy Spirit, Your Infinite Wisdom; who together with You, reign as One God forever and forever. Amen.

* As always, feel free to edit these prayers to suit your local needs. A small attribution is appreciated.

These Prayers of the People were commissioned by The Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew (SsAM) in Wilmington, Delaware, in 2013. They continue to be used by that Parish which is now in its 29^th year of the blending of a traditionally white parish ~ St. Andrew's, founded in 1829, and a traditionally African American parish ~ St. Matthew's, that began in 1846. St. Matthew’s was founded in the lower level of St. Andrew's as the Robert Smith Sunday School until it became St Matthew's Mission in its own location. Much later, beginning in 1993, then an African American Episcopal Vicar, the Rt. Rev. Quintin E. Primo, Jr., guided St. Matthew's from mission status to gaining full parish status in 1966 as he was to do later in Detroit with a pair of similar parishes. He was elected as Suffragan Bishop of Chicago in 1972 and in 1986 he became Interim Bishop of Delaware, then assisted until his death in 1998. He lived to see the joyous union of these two parishes into one. As many of us were privileged to know him personally, we are pleased to celebrate his life and prophetic voice this day along with the vibrant legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther, King, Jr. Selections from Dr. King and from Bishop Primo's autobiography are below. To learn more about the historical significance and current mission of SsAM click here: http://www.ssam.org

A reading from the I Have a Dream speech by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. [1929-1968], delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, August 28, 1963:

A reading from The Making of a Black Bishop by the Rt. Rev. Quintin E. Primo, Jr. [1913-1998]:

Monday, January 6, 2025

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