For
Sunday, November 26, 2017, 7th Sunday in the Season of Creation, Readings: Colossians 1:15-20, Psalm 24,
Song of Creation*, Matthew 25:31-46
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created...all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. [Colossians 1:15-16a, 19-20]Who can ascend the hill of the LORD...those who have clean hands and a pure heart, who have not pledged themselves to falsehood, nor sworn by what is a fraud...Lift up your heads oh gates...and the King of glory shall come in. [Psalm 24:3a, 4, 9a,c]
Then the guardian of mankind adorned this middle-earth below, the world for men and women, everlasting Lord, Almighty King. [adapted from Caedmon's song*]
When the Son of Man comes into his glory...All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats...Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me...but the righteous [will go] into eternal life." [Matthew 25:31a, 32, 40, 46b]
The Season of Creation originated in the Anglican Church of South Africa and was formalized in 2008. It is designed for us to explore our faith from a Creation perspective. The overarching theme for 2017 is Environmental Justice inspired in part by the Youth Principles from the Second National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit in Washington, DC in 2002, the text of which and a fuller explanation of the Season can be found here: http://prayersofthepeople.blogspot.com/2017/10/prayers-of-people-in-beginning-1st.html We use Biblical and other readings that pertain to the specific theme of each of the 7 weeks of the Season. Alternate readings used will follow the prayers.
Week 7's Theme is: The Reign of Christ
The kingly Christ is
now, has always been, will forever be, but the Divine-Human Incarnation, the
manifestation of the love of God that is Jesus is just over 2,000 years old.
Jesus - the human face of God - came and will come again as God's own divine
self on earth. It is more than difficult to comprehend, in those times we stop
and remember to try, as inexplicable and unsolvable mysteries often are.
As we strive to be good sheep, our
everyday lives, with their ups and downs on a variety of fronts, keep us fairly
distracted and it is often very difficult, when confronted with particular
issues, to remember to look for Christ in strangers, the sick, the imprisoned,
and the poor - and especially in those who seem better off in life than we feel we are, or those
who, in our less than best moments, we disparage as goats. Yet our divine calling is to specifically: seek and serve
Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as ourselves, and,
to strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the
dignity of every human being [Baptismal Covenant, U.S. Book of Common
Prayer]. Some days, some seasons, some years, it's much easier to be a goat and
rest in the more comfy Jesus - the sweet Baby of the Christmas glitter, and,
ignoring the other “reason for the season”, the resurrected Jesus in the bright
colors of Easter flowers, dyed eggs, and candy.
But as we are at the end of one
liturgical season and beginning another, it is time to reconsider our actions
as members of the Body of Christ, and truly follow Jesus with intention and consciousness ~ Jesus
who is our Messiah, the Rock of our Salvation, Christ the King of Glory. Let us
not discard divine mystery for a false reality,
but rouse ourselves from the haze of distraction,
indifference, and complacency. Let us, as the blessed inheritors of the Kingdom,
turn toward the inconvenient call of Christ. After all, if we believe that our very existence on
this fragile island planet is truly a gift from God, what is there to lose if we live it through Christ? Wait and you'll see.
LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
Leader: ~
Christ Jesus, King of Glory, awaken us again to the wonder of God’s fullness in
You and to find You first place in our lives. Guide our faith that we may be
gathered as Your sheep, and live into our divine blessings by caring for all
among us, even to beckoning the goats of this life, to join with us in Your eternal
flock.
Jesus,
Face of God
RESPONSE: Let us seek and serve You in all faces
~ Christ
Jesus, King of Glory, clean our hands and purify our hearts that we, and the
leaders of governments on this Earth, may not pledge ourselves to falsehoods,
be sworn to fraud, or embrace injustice and abuse of power anywhere, across the
entire realm of God’s Creation. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
Jesus,
Face of God
Let us seek and serve You in all faces
~
Christ Jesus, King of Glory, grant comfort and healing for all who suffer in body,
mind, or spirit, and for those who give them care. We now join our voices to
pray aloud for those in need…
Jesus,
Face of God
Let us seek and serve You in all faces
~ Christ
Jesus, King of Glory, soothe and brighten all grieving hearts, as You joyously
receive and bless those now entering into Your gracious and forever kingdom.
We pray especially for:
Jesus,
Face of God
Let us seek and serve You in all faces
~ Christ Jesus, King of Glory, we pause in this moment to offer You our
other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud
or silently…
Jesus,
Face of God
Let us seek and serve You in all faces
~ Christ
Jesus, King of Glory, inscribe special blessings upon the souls of those anointed
lead Your Church, as we journey together through the gifts and trials of this
mortal life. We pray especially for: We pray especially for:
Jesus,
Face of God
Let us seek and serve You in all faces
The Celebrant adds:
Son of Man, the Incarnation of Love, let us, sheep and goats as we each
are at once, accept and extend the blessing of Your hands, welcomed and
welcoming, as inheritors and stewards of Your holy and sacred Kingdom. We offer
our praise to You as Jesus, our Redeemer Christ, to the Holy Spirit as the Divine
Breath of the Trinity, and to our Creator, Guardian of Humankind, who together
and before time, live and reign as one God, then, now, and into forever. Amen.
*Reading #2: Song of Creation
Now we must
praise the guardian of heaven, the might of the Lord and his purpose of mind,
the work of the glorious Father. For the God Eternal established each wonder.
The Holy Creator, first fashioned heaven as a roof for the people. Then the
guardian of mankind adorned this middle-earth below, the world for men and
women, everlasting Lord, Almighty King. Adapted from Caedmon’s song – late 7th
century
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