Prayers of the People: Happy New Year! ~ 1st Sunday of Advent '19 Yr A

For Sunday, December 1, 2019, Readings: Isaiah 2:1-5, Psalm 122, Romans 13:11-14, Matthew 24:36-44

   Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord...that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths...He shall judge between the nations...they shall beat their swords into ploughshares...neither shall they learn war any more. [Isaiah 2:3b,4]

    Now our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem…built as a city that is at unity with itself…Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. 

[Psalm 122:2-3, 6a]

       You know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first became believers...let us live honorably...put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. [Romans 13:11, 13a, 14]

       Jesus said to the disciples, "But about that day and hour no one knows...Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour." [Matthew 24:36a, 44]

       It’s a brand new Liturgical year in the denominations using the Revised Common Lectionary [RCL]. In the RCL we have a schedule of 4 readings appointed for each Sunday in the Liturgical/Church year, and for the 2-year Daily Lectionary. We use an Old Testament reading, a Psalm, an Epistle, and a Gospel specific to a liturgical season of the year. Last Sunday we completed the appointed readings for Year C in the three-year Sunday cycle and begin again now with Year A. 

      The name of our new season, Advent, comes from the Latin “adventus” which means coming, and that derives from the Greek parousia [pa-roo-see-a] which is a term used for the Second Coming of Christ. Advent is a season of preparation for the Nativity of Jesus through repentance and joyful expectation. 

       In a series of booklets for group study called Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton, editors Jonathan Montaldo and Robert G. Toth, writing in the Advent and Christmas volume, say that Advent disposes us to conversion. Conversion? That's a term, a thought, a sensation which often makes more than a few of us who were born into Christianity uncomfortable. After all, I don’t need to be converted if I already believe – or, do I? Montaldo and Toth say further that Advent is a time for judging the choices we make for living our lives. This season is a ritual moment for confronting discomforting truths. It catches us in the act of living unconnected from the Gospel... It would appear that a little refreshment of our conversion is in order. 

       The Trappist Monk, author, and mystic Thomas Merton, said, We are numbered in the billions and massed together...worked to the point of insensibility, dazed by information, drugged by entertainment, surfeited with everything...there is no room for thought. There is no room for attention, for the awareness of our state... What would Merton, who died in 1968, think of the excess and indulgences of this day and age, the addiction to smart phones and social media, 24 hours of non-stop, never-ending everything?! It all speaks to me of being exiled in a wilderness of plenty where too much is still not enough and we are unexpectedly unconscious of all that we have and all that we are, or, are not.        

       In this Advent, now is the moment to wake and discover the faith choices we have yet to make. NOW, for as Jesus reminds us that day and hour no one knows...Therefore you must also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. As Paul also reminds us in this week's excerpt from the Letter to the Romans, “Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light…live honorably…” With Christ as our armor of light, hope is more than fantasy. Hope shines on the path ahead and propels us toward the House of God. 

        Get busy, prepare yourself. Jesus is coming!  Happy New Year. 

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Lord our God, jolt us awake from contented sleep and expose us in our self-imposed wilderness of plenty. Set us on a conscious and urgent quest for Christ’s Salvation, expecting that in an unknown hour we will be called to answer for the paths we choose or ignore in this life. 

                                                       Jesus, Son of Man                        

RESPONSE:                  Grant us Your Armor of Light

~ O Lord our God, disturb and dishearten the souls of those who do evil in this world and prod all leaders of this Planet, globally and locally, into the dignity and decency necessary to govern for and prosper all. We pray especially for: Donald, our President; Tom, Chris, and Lisa, our Members of Congress; John, our Governor; Matt, our County Executive; and Mike, our Mayor.

                                                       Jesus, Son on Man

                                                       Grant us Your Armor of Light

~ O Lord our God, grant peace and quietness to all in chronic pain of body, mind, or spirit, and renew the strength of those who provide support. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… 

                                                       Jesus, Son on Man

                                                       Grant us Your Armor of Light

          

~ O Lord our God, as our own salvation is nearer to us each moment, we rejoice for those now on the highest mountain, inside the gates of Your House, in glory forever. We pray especially for…

                                                       Jesus, Son on Man

                                                       Grant us Your Armor of Light

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

                                                       Jesus, Son on Man

                                                       Grant us Your Armor of Light

                      

~O Lord our God, inspire and refresh our Pastoral Guides whose life work strives to teach us Your ways to transform our temporal lives through the message of the Christ’s eternal Gospel. We pray especially for: Michael, our Presiding Bishop; Kevin our Bishop; David, our Rector; Lloyd, our Rector Emeritus; Emily and Peter, our Associate Priests.

                                                       Jesus, Son on Man

                                                       Grant us Your Armor of Light

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, excite our souls as we begin again to prepare ourselves for Your Kingdom. Make us ready to transform weapons of dominance into implements of peace, to confront ourselves in repentance, and experience the joy of conversion anew. We ask through the Holy Spirit, our Wisdom; and the Lord, the God of Jacob, who together with You are the One Eternal God, now and forever. Amen

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. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com

Prayers of the People: The Cosmic Christ ~ Last Sunday in the Season of Creation '19

For Sunday, November 24, 2019, Readings: Colossians 1:15-20, Psalm 93, Revelation 1:4b-8, Luke 23:33-43

     He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation…He is himself before all things and in him all things hold together.  [Colossians 1:15a, 17]

    Your testimonies are very sure, and holiness adorns your house, O Lord, for ever and for evermore. [Psalm 93:6]

   Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come…and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness…”I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God…  

[Revelation 1:4b, 5a, 8a]

    Father forgive them for they know not what they do…Then [one of the criminals] said, “Jesus, remember me…” and [Jesus] replied, “Truly I tell you , today you will be with me in Paradise.” 

[Luke 23:34, 42a, 43]

      We have arrived at the final Sunday in the Season of Creation (SoC) and also the Last Sunday after Pentecost in the Lectionary season, both of which celebrate Christ the King. Coming next we begin the Season of Advent, preparing for the birth of the Child in whom the fullness of God is pleased to dwell.

       The readings from Colossians and Revelation for this SoC Sunday are filled with mysterious and almost abstract descriptions that are difficult to comprehend for most modern, western minds. While they also may be somewhat familiar to anyone who regularly reads the Christian [aka New] Testament and/or vaguely hears them read in a church setting, these words may seem irrelevant in the scheme of daily living in today’s world. How does one concretely grasp God, the Almighty who is and was and is to come, the Alpha and the Omega, from everlasting. Or, Jesus Christ, the image of the invisible God, the faithful witness, firstborn of all creation and also of the dead, ruler of the kings of the earth? Yet we, who would be counted as faithful Christians, should take heed and examine more closely. It is in this daily life in this time that we may easily lose track of our allegiances and settle in more with the temporary earthly powers than in the everlasting divine Kingship of Christ. Although Jesus says his kingdom is not from here, it is here and in this time and place where we encounter him, if we seek him, and if we choose to follow.

       It seems strange that as we celebrate Christ as King that we end on the Gospel of Luke at the Crucifixion. Yet, without the Crucifixion and Resurrection of what purpose is Advent? For me, the crux of this Sunday’s lessons is the moment in Luke’s Gospel where the contrast is made between the hard-bitten criminal and that of the repentant one. In his response to the “Good Thief,” as he has been called, Jesus gives us the path to freedom from the darkness of sin and fear. For us who endeavor to follow, Christ is our unearthly King in this world who shows us the way to the true and never-ending Kingdom, Paradise, in the next. The question for each of us is: do we choose to be led astray by the hard-hearted in our brief sojourn in this time, or follow him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood? The answer, of course is to seek the path where: In him all things hold together. No easy task with strong faith let alone for those of us who falter in our faith at times. The readings for this Sunday are as timely today as  when first written down. He has made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God, our God, our Lord for ever and for evermore.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Lord God Almighty, in our fleeting mortality turn us always to Christ in whose Kingdom, now and forever, we are forgiven and saved, for in You all things hold together.

                                                       Holy Jesus, Christ of the Cosmos

RESPONSE:                  Our Strength and our Salvation

~  Lord God Almighty, for all who are governed by power or throne, by force or dominion by grant, on our Planet, in our Country, and in our Community, we implore You to infuse the wisdom, sanity, and humanity of Jesus into all who lead Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Holy Jesus, Christ of the Cosmos

                                                       Our Strength and our Salvation 

~ Lord God Almighty, send healing grace to all who suffer in spirit, in mind, or in body, and grace-filled endurance to all who give them care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…add your own petitions

                                                       Holy Jesus, Christ of the Cosmos

                                                       Our Strength and our Salvation 

        

~ Lord God Almighty, lighten our grieving hearts with joy, as the souls of our cherished departed are with you today, in ceaseless joy of Your Eternal Paradise. We pray especially for…add your own petitions

                                                       Holy Jesus, Christ of the Cosmos

                                                       Our Strength and our Salvation 

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

                                                       Holy Jesus, Christ of the Cosmos

                                                       Our Strength and our Salvation 

                       

~ Lord God Almighty, excite the souls of those chosen to lead us through Your Word and Sacraments, keeping us eager to live as impassioned pursuers of the Divine Light of Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Holy Jesus, Christ of the Cosmos

                                                       Our Strength and our Salvation 

                                                                                                       

The Celebrant adds: Most Holy Christ, our Faithful Witness, arouse us from our daily complacence to the thrill of being forgiven and freed from our sins by Your love and blood, invited to live in and as Your Kingdom, welcomed as priests serving the Lord our God, and connected to all who today are in Your glory and eternal peace in Paradise. We ask through the Holy Spirit, the very Breath of Love; and our Divine and Omnipotent Creator; who together with You, Firstborn of all Creation, are One God, for ever and for evermore.  Amen. 

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. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com

Prayers of the People: Christ the King, Last Sunday after Pentecost Yr C '19

For Sunday, November 24, 2019, Readings:  Jeremiah 23;1-6, Psalm 46, Colossians 1:11-20, Luke 23: 33-53

       Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord...So I will attend to you for your evil doings…Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock...and I will bring them back to their fold and they shall be fruitful and multiply. [Jeremiah 23:1, 2c, 3]

          God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change...though the mountains tremble with its tumult. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of the city... [Psalm 46:1-2a,3b-5a]

       He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation…He is himself before all things and in him all things hold together. [Colossians 1:15a, 17]

        Father forgive them for they know not what they do…Then [one of the criminals] said, “Jesus, remember me…” and [Jesus] replied, “Truly I tell you , today you will be with me in Paradise.” [Luke 23:34, 42a, 43]

      We have arrived at the Last Sunday after Pentecost in the Lectionary season to celebrate Christ the King. Coming next we begin the Season of Advent, preparing for the birth of the Child in whom the fullness of God is pleased to dwell.

     The often gloomy Jeremiah has a strong message from God of woe for the destructive shepherds who scatter God’s people through their evil doings!  The psalmist follows immediately with the calming message for us, the sheep, that God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in time of trouble… Regardless of the struggles through natural disasters or the nations who will make much ado, we are remind to Be still, then…the Lord of hosts is with us…and is our stronghold.

       The readings from Colossians had some mysterious descriptions of God in Christ that are difficult to comprehend for most modern, western minds. While they also may be somewhat familiar to anyone who regularly reads the Christian [aka New] Testament and/or vaguely hears them read in a church setting, these words may seem irrelevant in the scheme of daily living in today’s world. How does one concretely grasp God, the Almighty who is and was and is to come, the Alpha and the Omega, from everlasting. Or, Jesus Christ, the image of the invisible God, the faithful witness, firstborn of all creation and also of the dead, ruler of the kings of the earth? Yet we, who would be counted as faithful Christians, should take heed and examine more closely. It is in this daily life in this time that we may easily lose track of our allegiances and settle in more with the temporary earthly powers than in the everlasting divine Kingship of Christ. Although Jesus has said that his kingdom is not from here, it is here and in this time and place where we encounter him, if we seek him, and if we choose to follow.

       It does seem strange, at first, that as we celebrate Christ as King we end our readings from the Gospel of Luke at the Crucifixion. Yet, without the Crucifixion and Resurrection of what purpose is Advent? For me, the crux of this Sunday’s lessons is the moment in Luke’s Gospel where the contrast is made between the hard-hearted criminal and that of the repentant one. In his response to the “Good Thief,” as he has been called, Jesus gives us the path to freedom from the darkness of sin and fear. For us who endeavor to follow, Christ is our unearthly King in this world who shows us the way to the true and never-ending Kingdom, Paradise, in the next. The question for each of us is: do we choose to be led astray by the hard-hearted, by those who would scatter us through evil doings in our brief sojourn in this time, or follow him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood? The answer, of course is to seek the path where: In him all things hold together. No easy task with strong faith let alone for those of us who falter in our faith at times. The readings for this Sunday are as timely today than when first written down. He has made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God, our God, our Lord for ever and for evermore.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O God, our Refuge and our Strength, rescue us from the power of darkness whenever we tremble at earthly tumult, in nature and among the nations. Turn us again toward the Kingdom of our Christ, in whom we have the joy of redemption and the forgiveness of sins.

          O Christ, our King                                   

RESPONSE:             Our Strength and our Redeemer

~ O God, our Refuge and our Strength, for all who are governed by power or throne, by force or dominion by grant, on our Planet, in our Country, and in our Community, we implore You to infuse the wisdom, sanity, and humanity of Jesus into all who lead Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O Christ, our King

                                                       Our Strength and our Redeemer                                         

~ O God, our Refuge and our Strength, send healing grace to all who suffer in spirit, in mind, or in body, and grace-filled endurance to all who give them care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       O Christ, our King

                                                       Our Strength and our Redeemer

          

~ O God, our Refuge and our Strength, lighten our grieving hearts with joy, as the souls of our cherished departed are with you today, in the ceaseless joy of Your Eternal Paradise. We pray especially for…add your own petitions

                                                       O Christ, our King

                                                       Our Strength and our Redeemer

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

                                                       O Christ, our King

                                                       Our Strength and our Redeemer

                       

~ O God, our Refuge and our Strength, guide our earthly Shepherds chosen to gather and lead us to Your Holy Habitation, giving thanks to the Lord of Hosts who is always with us. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

  

                                                       O Christ, our King

                                                       Our Strength and our Redeemer

                                                                                                       

The Celebrant adds: Jesus, our Christ, Firstborn of all Creation, arouse us from our daily complacence and prepare us to endure everything with patience. Keep us striving toward Your purpose and enable us to share in the full inheritance of the saints in the light. We ask through the Holy Spirit, the very Breath of Love; and the Almighty LORD of Righteousness, 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 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: Our Role as Stewards ~ 6th Sunday in the Season of Creation '19

For Sunday, November 17th, 2019, 6th Sunday in the Season of Creation*, Readings: Deuteronomy 26:1a, 2, 4, 8-11; 
Psalm 116:10-17, John Hines**, Luke 21:5-19

   So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, that you, O Lord, have given me…set it down before the Lord your God and bow before the Lord… [Deuteronomy 26:10]

          How shall I repay the Lord for all the good things he has done for me? [Psalm 116:10]

        For the essential question is not, “How shall the Episcopal Church grow?” - but rather, “How can the Episcopal Church be faithful?” For that is the heritage worth sacrificing for - worth passing on to our children and grandchildren. God forbid that they should come to a time and place unashamed of the Gospel, but ashamed of us. [Former Presiding Bishop John Hines]

       When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified…many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and “The time is near!” Do not go after them…By your endurance you will gain your souls. [Luke 21:8b, 9a, 19]

             Any of us who attend church regularly and considers her- or himself as a “member” or a “parishioner” or a “congregant” has heard and understands what is meant by Stewardship. The dictionary defines it as: the responsible overseeing and protection of something considered worth caring for and preserving. Inside the church much is needed to support the staff, the worship, the physical plant, with all the elements of church (small “c”) that we Episcopals call time, talent, and treasure. Outside the walls, the needs are exponentially greater. All of us, each of us are called by Our Lord to give of our selves significantly from what God has given us. Money, or treasure, of course, is what we hear as foremost on the list of needs and wants for inside and outside. Yet there is much more to our role as steward within the Body of Christ.

           We also hear of Stewardship as an element to church growth. Our past Presiding Bishop Hines wrote that while he would rejoice at a multitude of conversions, his hope was for a witnessing community of unquestioned integrity. Further, he says (to imagined groans from the Finance Chair), that the essential question is not, ‘How can the Episcopal Church [insert other denomination or faith community here] grow?’ but rather, ‘How can the Episcopal Church [other denomination] be faithful?’ He tells us that if we want our heritage passed on to younger generations they should come to a time and place unashamed of the Gospel [emphasis added]. We do not want them ashamed of us for creating an exclusive place only for wielding power and influence and losing our way to Christ. 

          The Rev. Eric Law, in his book Holy Currencies: 6 Blessings for Sustainable Missional Ministries, shows us a different way to think about the flow of currencies in our lives. Within the usual offerings of time, talent, and treasure is contained a breadth and depth of re-imagining and discovering our personal gifts for ministry that take us well beyond the scope of a seasonal directive. Stewardship - Missional Ministry - is not merely a specific program for a specific time of year, but rather it is a way of life through which we continue to fulfill our Baptismal, Confirmation, and/or less formal vows to be faithful to God.

         As John Wesley said, "Not, how much money will I give to God, but how much of God's money will I keep for myself?" And that equation works equally well with the other two elements of the stewardship trio: time and talent. I don't know what tomorrow will bring for my community, my country, or this world, but I will pray without ceasing for the faith, the energy, mindset, to be a continuously generous person, to be the Church [capital "C"] as a Christian in the world with many stewarding roles. A faith community builds us up and sends us out and needs our support in every way. The CHURCH is not inside a building, it is in whatever we do together and on our own, to be true, faithful witnesses as part of the Body of Christ by every thought, word, and action. That said, the physical church is a place to gather and be spiritually refueled to take on all that is outside and it does require ongoing sources of funding as well as other resources for all of the seen and unseen support it provides.

         Jesus reminds us, that through faithful endurance, in giving and receiving, we will gain the strength of our souls to ensure our eternal bounty. 

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Lord our God, re-awaken us to the bounty of Your Creation, the miracle of this earth and its treasures. Let us, and all who reside among us, celebrate and offer ourselves as grateful stewards of this sacred trust in times of plenty and also in time of hardship.

                                                    O God of Power and Wonder           

RESPONSE:               We bow in faith and witness          

~ O Lord our God, we lift up our prayers for all who lead this World, this Country, and this Community by election, fiat, or inheritance. Implant in their souls a deepening hunger for unquestionable integrity, global and local peace, and justice tempered with mercy for all the people everywhere. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O God of Power and Wonder

                                                       We bow in faith and witness

~ O Lord our God, nestle the aching, the fearful, and the desperate in Your loving embrace, and revitalize all who support their needs. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       O God of Power and Wonder

                                                       We bow in faith and witness

           

~ O Lord our God, grant us a foretaste of the joy, as the Heavenly gates open for our beloved, who now live in glory in Your Eternal land of milk and honey. We pray especially for…add your own petitions

                                                       O God of Power and Wonder

                                                       We bow in faith and witness

~ O Lord our 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 God of Power and Wonder

                                                       We bow in faith and witness

                       

~ O Lord our God, quicken the spirits of those called and ordained to speak Your Words and celebrate Your Sacraments, inspiring us all to live lives of selfless intent in this earthly life. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O God of Power and Wonder

                                                       We bow in faith and witness

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds: Loving, Patient God, with unashamed confidence in the Holy Gospel of Christ, we seek to repay all You have given us in this time and place. Grant us endurance in faith to gain eternity for our souls and fulfill our vows through the mantle of servanthood in Your Name. We beseech Jesus, our Redeemer Christ, the Holy Spirit, Counselor to our souls, and our Creator Lord, who together are One God, now and forever. Amen. 

*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. Click here for more information about: Season of Creation ~ In The Beginning   

**Reading #2: A READING FROM PRESIDING BISHOP JOHN E. HINES

What I hope for has little to do with growth in communicant strength, though I would rejoice at a multitude of conversions possessing integrity. This has little to do with bigger budgets, nothing to do with maintaining a respected place with the carriage-trade clientele of our society. I hope for a witnessing community of unquestioned integrity. It may - in the future, this Church of ours - be an even smaller Church because of its witness; less powerful, and less influential - as a secular society gauges power and influence. For the essential question is not, “How shall the Episcopal Church grow?” - but rather, “How can the Episcopal Church be faithful?” For that is the heritage worth sacrificing for - worth passing on to our children and grandchildren. God forbid that they should come to a time and place unashamed of the Gospel, but ashamed of us. ~ Kenneth Kesselus,  John E. Hines, from Farewell Sermon in Granite on Fire, Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest, Austin, 1995. Bishop Hines served as the 22^nd Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church from 1965-1973

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. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com