For Sunday, April
2 , 2016, 5th Sunday of Easter, Year C, Readings: Acts
11:1-8, Ps 148, Revelation 21:1-6, John 13:31-35
And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit; If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that could hinder God? [Acts 11:16-17]
I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more...the home of God is among mortals...Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more. [Revelation 21:1-2, 3b, 4b]
Jesus said..."I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another, By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." [John 13:34-35]
How can we hear these words differently? What can arouse us from our distractions, our inattentiveness, our numbness? This mortal home is seething with rage, disparity, tragedy, poverty, disease, fear, and so much more. Peter, in his time, astonishes his listeners with the words of Jesus and his own realization that he himself received the gift of the Holy Spirit when he believed, as will everyone. The writer of Revelation sees a new earth and tells us that God's home is among us. And Jesus tells us, through the disciples, that we must love one another. Not only those we already love, but everyone.
Our Creator continues to create but do we see? By actively loving others, especially the unlovable, through our words and actions, we are co-creating with God to bring the new earth into our present existence now. There is joy and goodness to be experienced, divisions among people to be repaired, brokenness healed. Will every moment be as running through fields of roses and daisies - not in the least. But by shaking ourselves out of complacency, by dusting off our faith, and becoming a partner with God, the Church, and each other, we can change the tiny parcel of this mortal home we inhabit. Anguish and anger within us could be no more. Who am I to hinder God working in me? We can create love.
LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
Leader: ~ O God of all that is and will be, through the
sacrifice and gift of Christ, we are redeemed and made clean in Your sight. Fill
us with the desire to continue Christ’s mission in our mortal days, as we await
the coming of the new heaven and the new earth to dwell eternally with You.
LORD God, Alpha and Omega,
RESPONSE: Teach our hearts to love as You love
~
O God of all that is and will be, help us partner with You to be the voice of
all who suffer through the actions of those who govern by law or lawlessness on
this earth, in this country, or in our community. We pray especially for:
add your own petitions
LORD
God, Alpha and Omega
Teach our hearts to love as You love
~ O God of all that is and will be, calm the fears
and anguish of all who are chronically ill in body, mind, or spirit, and
replenish the stamina of those giving care and support. We now join our voices
to pray aloud for those in need…
LORD
God, Alpha and Omega
Teach our hearts to love as You love
~
O God of all that is and will be, may the sorrow of those who grieve be eased by
knowing, that those who have left this mortal home, now drink from Your eternal
water of new life, where mourning and crying and pain are no more. We pray
especially for:
LORD
God, Alpha and Omega
Teach our hearts to love as You love
~
O God of all that is and will be, we pause
in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud
or silently…
LORD
God, Alpha and Omega
Teach our hearts to love as You love
~
O God of all that is and will be, ignite the imaginations of those we have
chosen to bring us the Good News, to help us find new ways together to learn,
grow, and embody Christ’s commandment to love. We pray especially for:
LORD
God, Alpha and Omega
Teach our hearts to love as You love
The Celebrant adds: Glorious Christ, our Great High Priest, nourish
our souls through the continuing radiance of Your Resurrection that, marked as
Your own disciples, we will share Your love in every action, every day. We ask
through the Holy Spirit, our Divine Counselor, and God the Creator of Heaven
and Earth, who together with You reign as One God, forever and ever. Amen.
Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to Leeosophy@gmail.com. All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way.
No comments:
Post a Comment