A moment of contemplation for yourself or on behalf of others on everything from the life-altering to the mundane.


Prayer: A conversation with The Higher Other who lives within each of us. An invitation to vent, to re-think, to ask, and to rest.

Monday, November 30, 2020

Prayers of the People: Seek to be Found ~ 2nd Sunday of Advent '20 Yr B

For Sunday, December 6, 2020, Readings:  Isaiah 40:1-11, Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13; 2 Peter 3:8-15a, Mark 1:1-8

  "Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken..." He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep. [Isaiah 40:5, 11]

          You have been gracious to your land, O LORD...Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring up from the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven. [Psalm 85:1a, 10-11]  

       The Lord is not slow about his promise...but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance...in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. [2 Peter 3:9, 13]  

      As it is written..."See I am sending my messenger ahead...the voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'" And people from the whole Judean countryside, and all of the people of Jerusalem were going out to [John] and were baptized...confessing their sins. [Mark 1:2a, 3, 5]

       The Advent season, as does every Liturgical season of the Christian Church, brings a variety of symbols that aid our intentional prayer and reflection. The use of the Advent wreath was begun in the time of Martin Luther, the prime initiator of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. How it is used differs among the many traditions that employ it. For most, now, there are at least four candles on a wreath of evergreen that is shaped in a perfect circle to symbolize the eternity of God. The lighting of the candles represents the coming of Christ with a different theme each week highlighting the four virtues Jesus brings to us: Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace. The Christ candle, in the center of the wreath, is lighted on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to remind Christians that Jesus is the light of the world.
       Last week Hope was the focus and this week, it is Love and both candles will be lightedKeeping Hope in and Love of Christ is a way to prepare ourselves and keep our own paths uncluttered in these unsettled, uncertain times.
      Things weren't so very different in John the Baptizer's times, except no one knew the story of Jesus as we do now. Their lives were also filled with wars, pestilence, racial hatred, poverty, and oppression, and then here comes this rather wild-looking and sounding person direct from the desert telling them to straighten up and straighten out ~ the way of the Lord must be prepared! Also, the arrival of Jesus really was imminent as Jesus, the man, was literally on his way to them as he was beginning his earthly ministry. These days we’re more complacent. We conveniently forget the admonishment that the time of Christ's return will come like a thief, and that all is according to God’s time, not human calendars. We have set aside imminence for: whatever, whenever. I do wonder: if I didn't know then what I know now about Jesus, how would I have responded to John and his message? What do you think about your own response then and now?
       Today our planet is filled much the same as John's, with life-threatening disease, racial hatred, oppression, and more, yet from the first chapter of the first Gospel ever written, John is still the voice crying...in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. John is the embodiment of Isaiah’s prophecy. Are we listening and heeding or is it just that same old familiar refrain we hear on the way to a sparkly Christmas? We may not be in our mortal body for the full-on End Time of the Great Judgment. We have no idea when this human life we’ve been given is done to dust. How are we preparing ourselves to be the path of and for Christ?
       Advent is a time of beginning, of refreshment, and a re-awakening of our souls that long to be faithful. It is a moment to be mindful, intentional, and conscious about discovering for ourselves: am I increasingly more caught up in the soul-less wilderness of a secular society than in presenting my best self to God? It is again, still, always, time for some soul-searching and sincere repentance.
      To repent means to "turn from" or to "turn toward" those thoughts and actions ~ sin ~ that we have chosen to take us away from God. It is never God who leaves. Through our self-examination, reflection, and a willingness to change, we can choose to leave the spiritual wilderness we make for ourselves and turn toward and improve upon the path that Christ travels to our consciousness.  
     Through the waters of baptism we are forgiven, cleansed, and the fire of sin is doused. Let us turn from sin, turn toward Jesus, and reclaim the forgiveness and cleansing of our baptism. As it is said, it is more blessed to give than to receive, now is the time to give ourselves by preparing for the Coming of Christ, who paradoxically is already within us. We have to declutter the path, ourselves, to let Him through. 
     The Road of Life is brief and full of detours, road-blocks, grief, joy, and always the unexpected. Even with the best map we make a wrong turn now and then. Advent is a time to review the map, the directions, and rid ourselves of as many obstacles as we can that block ourselves from knowing that Christ is here, now. We each are to prepare the way of the Lord, to make his path to our souls as straight as possible for the imperfect beings we are. 
     Take a breath, open your mind, your heart, and your soul, and turn toward the Light within. As the 2nd Letter to Peter says, Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of the Lord as salvation. Seek with love to be loved as found.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Loving Lord, Forgiving and Gracious, draw us out from the spiritual wilderness we make for ourselves by our daily neglect of You, and help us listen as You speak peace to the faithful. Grant us courage to prepare the way and make straight the path for a new heaven and a new earth, as we await the unknown time until our Savior, Christ returns.

                                                       Jesus, Emmanuel                                                
              RESPONSE:                  Come, ransom us again

~ Loving Lord, Forgiving and Gracious, our tumultuous world is rife with conflict through the dismantling of compassion and empathy by unchecked power and unrelenting greed. In this sacred waiting time, make Your Truth spring up from this Earth and fill all who govern across this Planet, with the hunger to comfort Your people by a renewal of mercy, righteousness, and peace. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Emmanuel                                               
                                                       Come, ransom us again

~ Loving Lord, Forgiving and Gracious, gather in Your arms all who suffer through illness, addiction, or despair; and bestow special grace upon those who provide support. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Emmanuel                                               
                                                       Come, ransom us again

~ Loving Lord, Forgiving and Gracious, calm the tears of all who grieve, as Heaven now celebrates each soul that has entered eternal bliss, away from earthly woes, into a peace beyond our understanding. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Emmanuel                                               
                                                       Come, ransom us again

~ Loving Lord, Forgiving and Gracious, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions

 
                                                       Jesus, Emmanuel
                                                       Come, ransom us again

~ Loving Lord, Forgiving and Gracious, energize and excite all who lead us in Your Church, that together in this holy season, we may re-ignite our faith-filled wonder and eager anticipation, turning our hearts, minds, and lives back to You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Emmanuel
                                                       Come, ransom us again

The Celebrant adds: Jesus, Lord at thy Birth, let us repent of our sins in the silent nights of our souls, that we may feel the approach of Your redeeming grace, and seek the dawn of indescribable joy through life and love everlasting in You. We ask through the Holy Spirit, our Advocate; and the Creator, Most High; who together with You, are our One God, on earth, as in heaven, forever.  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


Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Prayers of the People: New Savings Account ~ 1st Sunday of Advent, '20 Yr B

For Sunday, November 29, 2020, Readings: Isaiah 64:1-9, Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, Mark 13:24-37

      O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence - as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil...Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of you hand... O Lord do not remember iniquity forever. Now consider, we are all your people. [Isaiah 64:1-2a, 8, 9b]

    Restore us, O God of Hosts; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved...And so will we never turn away from you; give us life, that we may call upon your name. [Psalm 80:7, 17]


         I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus; for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind - just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you...as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ...He will also strengthen you to to the end. [1 Corinthians 1:4-6, 7b, 8a]

      Then they will see the 'Son of Man coming in clouds' with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds...Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come...Therefore, keep awake - for you do not know when the Master of the House will come...or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. [Mark 26-27, 33, 35a, 36]

        Welcome to Advent, a season of hopeful waiting, and the beginning of a new liturgical year, Year B in the three year cycle of readings. The name advent comes from the Latin adventus, meaning "arrival" or "coming," especially the coming of something of great importance. We are to spend the four weeks before Christmas, preparing ourselves and our souls in hope and with repentance for our sins, as we await the birth of Jesus, our Redeemer Christ. Yet this Advent preparation is about far more than waiting for a sweet baby to be announced by a chorus of angels and welcomed by shepherds. The sacred Birth would have been long forgotten were it not for the intervention of God in the form of Jesus who became the Christ, the Messiah. 
        Jesus in his earthly time came to teach us, warn us, and show us how to prepare for the Second Coming, the Parousia [pahr-oo-see-uh, from the Greek for coming], the Last Judgment. It’s not as warm and fuzzy a concept and is far less exciting for many of us to anticipate than the pretty tree with lights, sparkling decorations, beautifully wrapped gifts, and the wide-eyed wonder of little ones.
        Rituals for this time in some denominations include marking the beginning of each week by the lighting of a candle in an Advent Wreath with a prayerful reflection before the Liturgy [the Mass or the Service] begins. Even at home, families and individuals may use a wreath or an Advent Calendar for daily or weekly reflection. Each of the four candles represents a theme from the readings of that week.
        This week’s theme is Hope. In a year where our world has seen the heavens torn open, mountains quakefire kindles brushwood all across this Earth, and adding in hurricanes and a pandemic all decimating the lives of millions, and then the violence wrought by humans. It does give pause and perhaps a deep inhalation of breath and wonder. But the Prophet Isaiah is reminding God that we are the clay, God is our potter, and we are the work of God’s hands. So please, God, says Isaiah, do not remember iniquity forever...we are all your people. The Psalmist also speaks to and asks God to restore us so that in the hope of God's light we will be saved. We can call upon God’s name.
        Paul, in 1 Corinthians, reminds us that we are not lacking in any spiritual gifts and Jesus will strengthen us ~ if we but let him.
       Jesus, the true Master of the House, also gives us hope with a few warning signs that will signal the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory...But...Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when this time will come. Not the angels nor the Son himself know the time, only God knows the day and the hour. Jesus even seemed to be saying that those he was speaking to would not pass away until all these things have taken place, yet here we are 2000+ years later. Every generation since the time of Christ has seen and interpreted signs that seem to be saying the end is near. Yet, so far, we are still here. But the message is clear, we must not assume that because it hasn’t happened yet, it won’t happen in our time. We must be eternally vigilant about who we and our priorities are. Our Hope truly is in the name of the Lord, and, in our willingness to turn the thoughts and actions of our lives toward the light of God's enduring, continuous presence. 
         It's definitely not easy to get back on the right course, especially at this time of year with all the glitter that is a welcome distraction from woes and worries. But that can obscure our inner vision and divert us from our good intentions. The cloud cover on our path forward begins to lift when we are sincere in our desire to dedicate our lives to Christ, always ready to be gathered from the four winds and claimed for eternity.
        Just as a New Year's resolution starts well and means well, Advent is the opportunity to be intentional about preparing for and renewing our commitment to Jesus as our Savior. Each season of the Liturgical Year is designed to help us to remember, continuously renew, and re-commit ourselves to our faith and to Christ. Here's a new beginning to get back into good habits of faith building. Saving our souls is the reason for every season. Open a new savings account today. The interest will compound daily and with every deposit.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Creator God, we are Your clay, we are all Your people, each of us molded by the work of Your Hand. Gather us from the four winds and restore us, that we may be relieved of our unbelief, awakened by Your Light, and never again turn away from You.

                            O Lord of Hosts                                        
          RESPONSE:      Keep us alert and prepared          

~ O Creator God, enlighten the souls and steady the hearts and minds of all who govern across this Earth. Straighten the path to peace and unity with local, national, and international friends and adversaries alike, guiding the path to justice, mercy, humanitarian, and planetary care. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord of Hosts
                                                       Keep us alert and prepared

~ O Creator God, embrace and sustain all who are seriously ill or facing desperate times, that they, and those who give support, may know Your warmth, light, and encouragement within. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need…add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord of Hosts
                                                       Keep us alert and prepared

~  O Creator God, console and inspire us with the knowing that Your Kingdom is welcoming with glory all who are now entering Your gates, and awaiting all who are transitioning from this life. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord of Hosts
                                                       Keep us alert and prepared

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

                                                       O Lord of Hosts
                                                       Keep us alert and prepared

~ O Creator God, rekindle our hope in this waiting time, especially in all who are anointed in Your Name, to lead us to Your Truth that is our Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord of Hosts
                                                      Keep us alert and prepared

The Celebrant adds:  O Son of Man, Master of the House, keep us awake with joyful anticipation, preparing our souls  through prayer and repentance, for the sudden unknown time of Your return to claim us for eternity. We ask through the Holy Spirit, our Heavenly Advocate; and the Divine Architect of all that Is, who together with You reign as One God, forever and for always.  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


 

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Prayers of the People: Glitter Today or Shine Forever ~ Christ the King, Last Sunday of Pentecost '20 Yr A

For Sunday, November 15, 2020, Readings: Judges 4:1-7, Psalm 123, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, Matthew 25:14-30

        I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep...I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak...I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you pushed with flank and shoulder, and butted at the weak animals with your horns...I will save my flock and they will no longer be ravaged...I will judge between sheep and sheep. [Ezekiel 34:15a, 16,20b-22]

     Come, let us sing to the LORD; let us shout for joy to the Rock of our Salvation...For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. 
[Psalm 95: 1, 7a] 

     I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ...may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe... [Ephesians 1:17-19a]

   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]

   In this Sunday of Christ the King, the Final Sunday in the Season after Pentecost, or The Season of the Kingdom in some places, we look at the Christ of Wisdom, of Eternity, of Majesty, and Jesus, of human form. 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 more than 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, even as we continue to try, and forever as inexplicable and unsolvable as eternal mysteries always are.
     Ezekiel’s message is speaking to the faithless shepherds, those governors of Israel who oppressed their flocks. With inexcusable mishandling of power, governing for the benefit of rulers, they failed in their handling of God’s Divine Plan which is government ~ shepherding ~ for the sake of the governed. A true shepherd is one who strengthens and protects the flock, tends the injured and the sick, calls back all who have strayed. The Shepherds are accountable for the safety and well-being of their flocks. In this passage, God the Almighty, assumes the role of Israel’s shepherd. Ezekiel’s message is of both hope and warning.
     Paul is extolling the faith of the Ephesians and encouraging them so that with the eyes of your heart enlightened, and praying that they [and now we] come to know Christ more deeply, we will all know the hope to which we are called, and the spiritual riches of his glorious inheritance, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
     Matthew’s Gospel account, which has no parallel in the other three Gospels, is a view of the Great Judgment. As disciples, Matthew has been telling us all through his Gospel that the Law is only a starting point, we are to exceed those expectations by cultivating and manifesting an inner attitude of love for God in everything that we do. We are to be that love in all that we think and do, so that in all that we think and do our motives, our deepest intentions, are expressed as genuine service in Christ’s name, without any sense of merit or self-importance. There are many nice people doing good things but if their inner purpose is personal gain or acclaim, however small, they may be heading into the goat pen. And of course, it’s not so easy to be so pure of heart.
     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 not always conscious of what and why we do as we do. It is often challenging, and perhaps distasteful, when confronted with particular issues and people that may repel us. Yet we are called to remember to look for Christ in strangers, the sick, the imprisoned, and the poor, as well as in those who seem better off in life than we are, and those who, in our less than best moments, we simply disparage as goats.
      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, pretty packages, and sparkling decorations, 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 consider again our actions as members of the Body of Christ, and follow Jesus with intention and consciousness ~ the Jesus who is our Messiah, the Rock of our Salvation, Christ the King of Glory.
     The writer of Ephesians prays for our wisdom, our enlightenment, and for us to know the glory of God’s immeasurable greatness. 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? All that truly matters is not glitter, but, in Christ, it will shine forever.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Christ Jesus, King of Glory, awaken us again to the wonder of God’s fullness in You, the beacon of our faith. Gather us as Your sheep into our divine blessings, for being Your love in the world, and for tending to and beckoning the goats of this life to turn and join us in Your eternal flock.
 
                                                         Jesus, Face of God
              RESPONSE:                    Enlighten the eyes of our hearts
 
~ Christ Jesus, King of Glory, guide our conscious intent in our own actions to assure that we and the leaders of governments on this Planet, locally and globally, seek the lost, bind up the injured, feed the hungry, and all for their own sake, in justice with mercy. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       Jesus, Face of God
                                                       Enlighten the eyes of our hearts
 
~ 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 hearts together to pray for those in need… 
add your own petitions
 
                                                       Jesus, Face of God
                                                       Enlighten the eyes of our hearts
          
~ Christ Jesus, King of Glory, embrace all grieving hearts as You joyously bless those now entering Your gracious and forever kingdom. We pray especially for… 
add your own petitions
 
                                                       Jesus, Face of God
                                                       Enlighten the eyes of our hearts
 
~ Christ Jesus, King of Glory, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… 
add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Face of God
                                                       Enlighten the eyes of our hearts
                       
~ Christ Jesus, King of Glory, inscribe special blessings upon the souls of those anointed to lead us in Your Church, as we journey together through the gifts and trials of this mortal life. We pray especially for: 
add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Face of God
                                                       Enlighten the eyes of our hearts

The Celebrant adds: Son of Man, the Incarnation of Love, even as we each are at once sheep and goat, You extend the blessing of Your welcoming and forgiving hands. Strengthen us in our weakness that we may one day rise into Your holy and sacred Kingdom. We offer our praise to You as Jesus, our Redeemer Christ; to the Holy Spirit, our Wisdom Guide; and to our Glorious Creator, who together and before time, live and reign as one God, then, now, and into forever. 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


Monday, November 9, 2020

Prayers of the People: Risk Now, Saved Later ~ 24th Sunday after Pentecost '20 Yr A

For Sunday, November 15, 2020, Readings: Judges 4:1-7, Psalm 123, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, Matthew 25:14-30

    At that time, Deborah, a prophetess…was judging Israel. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel…and the Israelites came up to her for judgement. [Judges 4:1-7]

      To you I lift up my eyes…to the Lord our God…Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy… [Psalm 123:1a, 3b-4a]

       …the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night…”There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction…but you…are not in darkness…for you are all children of the light…keep awake and be sober…put on the breastplate of faith and love and…the hope of salvation. [1 Thessalonians 5:1-11]

     Jesus said, “It is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them…to each according to his ability… [Matthew 25:14, 15b]

      This week’s Gospel is one that is not the most uplifting when it falls on what is generally known in the Episcopal Church as Stewardship Sunday. The prior weeks are given to various moments of personal and positive testimonies as to the value of pledging – I’ve participated in those and have even run two successful stewardship campaigns in two different parishes (don’t tell anyone on the Stewardship Committee, please!). But this is one of “those” pieces of Scripture that often drives long-term clergy around a small bend. 
      There are MANY interpretations and commentaries on this Gospel and even whether or not is a parable or an allegory. Is God the “man” or is it Jesus – after all, the “man” is going on a long journey and later returns to judge the success of those to whom he entrusted the money.
      It is an important point to remember that Jesus was speaking to the disciples AFTER Palm Sunday, during his last week of life. We have only one more Gospel in Matthew left in this cycle and it follows this one immediately. But we won’t finish to the obvious conclusion as that will come as we journey through Lent to Good Friday and Easter next year. Another point is that each worker was given the particular amount of money according to their ability as decided by the man. Now I’m sure that most of us feel terribly sorry for the poor scared schmuck who was thrown out on his ear. Yet the question remains, is this just a cruel and heartless Master – we know he cheats and steals from the phrasing of I knew you were a harsh man, reaping where you do not sow, gathering where you did not scatter seed – and how could this possibly represent our God, our Christ?
       What I have accepted is that this is a forewarning that we have each been given the gifts/talents that we need to fulfill our purpose in this earthly sojourn. Paul has laid it out clearly that the Lord will come like a thief in the night in the midst of seeming peace and security. If we remember the Gospel from last Sunday, the passage just before this one, about the Bridegroom arriving and the foolish and wise maidens [Matthew 25:1-13] then we will remember the similar warning to Keep awake…for you know neither the day or the hour. And this, too, now knowing we have the talents we need, starkly reminds us that we only have so much time to use it or lose it and we do not know how much. This isn’t the time to be shy about doing what you know you can do or what you can learn to do for your faithful mission of Christ in this life. Burying our gifts/talent behind a wall of false humility or just plain fear like our friend above won’t get us the ticket to enter the joy of your master.
      I offer this passage from Pierre Teilhard de Chardin about whom I cannot say enough. A French philosopher, noted paleontologist, geologist, and among other things a Jesuit Catholic priest – not, shall we say, always beloved of Rome. I hope it speaks to you as it does to me. It is from one of his books, The Divine Milieu. Not always easily read yet this piece brought this Gospel together for me (and it was written in 1965 so the masculine language is of its time):

God obviously has no need of the products of your busy activity since he could give himself everything without you. The only thing that concerns him, the only thing he desires intensely, is your faithful use of your freedom and the preference you accord him over the things around you. Try to grasp this: the things that are given to you on earth are given to you purely as an exercise, a blank sheet on which you make your own mind and heart. You are on a testing ground where God can judge whether you are capable of being translated to heaven and into his presence. You are on trial so it matters very little what becomes of the fruits of the earth, or what they are worth. The whole question is whether you have learned how to obey and how to love.

    This life is filled with risky investments of time, of relationships, of errors in judgement. Yet we must continue to endeavor to discover and recognize our gifts, our opportunities, and the path that draws us to salvation. We must risk now to be saved later.

     

The image I used above is probably the most famous quote from John Wesley who is credited with the founding of a method of preaching and worship in the Anglican Church in England, whose congregations are now known as Methodist.  But neither John nor his brother Charles ever left their Anglican roots.

I also commend to you a further look at the Prophetess Deborah - the only female Judge in the Bible - just an interesting serendipity to have her featured in this week when the first female and woman of color has been elected Vice President here in the USA. For an interesting piece on her click here: Deborah, Judge 

PS: PLEASE consider a pledge of any amount to your church or a non-profit cause. Even a small amount that you know you can make is useful for planning a budget and you can always give more. In these times of no or few in-person offerings, even as the daily expenditures of the building and staff continue, think seriously of what you can do and to help you decide re-read Wesley, above!

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Lord, our God, you have given us each our talents according to the abilities with which You created us. Grant us the courage to put on the breastplate of faith, love, and the hope of salvation, to encourage ourselves and one another to boldly risk the peace and security of what we have, to be Your faithful stewards for all of our allotted time.

                                                         Creator and Redeemer Lord
          RESPONSE:                        Grant us Your Mercy           

~ O Lord, our God, keep us from complacence as we continue to call to account those who govern now and those who soon will, in our Nation, in our Community, and in our World. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Creator and Redeemer Lord
                                                       Grant us Your Mercy

~ O Lord, our God, calm and heal the hearts of all who are seriously ill, in depression, or facing other uncertain life circumstance, and steady the course of those who give them care. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       Creator and Redeemer Lord
                                                       Grant us Your Mercy

~ O Lord, our God, fill our hearts with the peace of those who are now alive again, in the glorious and eternal light of Your Kingdom. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                       Creator and Redeemer Lord
                                                       Grant us Your Mercy

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

                                                      Creator and Redeemer Lord
                                                       Grant us Your Mercy

~ O Lord, our God, we give great thanks and prayerful gratitude for the faithful stewards of Your Church, who keep us on a spiritual track in daily life, and guide us in living the mission of Christ on earth. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Creator and Redeemer Lord
                                                       Grant us Your Mercy

The Celebrant adds:  O God Most High, through your Judge and Prophet Deborah, and the Apostles Paul and Matthew, we learn the dangers and the opportunities of investing all our mortal days in Your service. We lift up our eyes to You for the willingness, the strength, and the mercy, to reap enough of what we sow to enter into the joy of our master. We ask through Jesus, our Christ and our Master; the Holy Spirit, the Sacred Breath in our souls; who together with You, live and reign as One God, forever and forever. Amen.

 





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