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, January 31, 2022

Prayers of the People: Setting Sail ~ 5th Sunday after the Epiphany '22 Yr C

For Sunday, February 6, 2022; Readings:  Isaiah 6:1-8, (9-13); Psalm 138, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Luke 5:1-11

   One of the seraphs…holding a live coal…touched my mouth with it and said, “...your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send…” And I said, “Here I am, send me!” [Isaiah 6:6-8]

     All the kings of the earth will praise you, O Lord, when they have heard the words of your mouth. They will sing of the ways of the Lord…The Lord will make good his purpose for me…O Lord, your love endures for ever…  [Psalm 138: 5, 6a, 9a]

   I would remind you…of the good news that I proclaimed to you…by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. [1 Corinthians 15:1a, 10a]

  …[Jesus] said to Simon, “Put out in the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” …they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break…when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”…Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.”…they left everything and followed him. [Luke 5:4b, 6b, 8, 10b, 11b]

         In religious circles – as well as secular – we often hear and/or use the word call as, for example, “I/She/He/They are called to ordained ministry, working with homeless shelters, political activism, or medical training, etc. In the lessons and the Gospel, and to some extent in the Psalm appointed for this week we are hearing the language that expresses a calling. The dictionary defines calling in this context as, 1: a strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action especially when accompanied by conviction of divine influence; and 2: the vocation or profession in which one customarily engages. We also use the word commission when one has been more formally launched into her or his chosen path. And that is defined as, 1: an instruction, command, or duty given to a person or group of people; and 2: a group of people officially charged with a particular function.  
       One can decline a call and quit a job, but that divine spark, that still small voice within that nags and niggles will continue to make itself known whether or not you accept. When a sense of a divine call is allowed to bubble up, one may then be commissioned to engage with it throughout the entirety of one’s life, in many and various and surprising ways.
       Isaiah engages us immediately with his vision that places him in the presence of the Divine. In the Lord’s presence, Isaiah declares that he is unworthy as a man of unclean lips. The description that Isaiah then gives when the seraph touches his mouth with a burning coal makes me want to put ice on my lips! Seraph is the highest order of angels and that informs us that this encounter is clearly significant. The angel tells him that now his guilt has been sent away and his sin is blotted out. God speaks asking “Whom shall I send?” Isaiah answers, “Here I am, send me.” He then clearly accepts the commission of the Lord who tells him all that he must do. When Isaiah asks, How long, O Lord? the answer is stark. It is a very long time indeed.
       For the Psalmist, the call is accepted within his heart and all the kings of the earth will be commissioned when they hear God’s words, and “sing of the ways of the Lord.” Presumably, this will be enough for the kings to reign accordingly.
        Paul’s calling was abrupt and startling as we read it in Acts 9 and it is Ananias who is then called to commission him on behalf of Jesus. In this letter to the Corinthians, Paul reminds us of his own feelings of unworthiness when he tells us that Jesus also appeared to him as he had to many others. Paul, feeling especially unfit as a persecutor in his former life, now speaks of his sense and earnestness of mission in his words, But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain…I worked harder…though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
        And then we come to our favorite fishermen. Jesus calls them to go to the deeper water with their nets. You can almost hear the sigh of Simon, who, weary after a full night of fishing with no yield, says, “…if you say so, I will…” Simon has perhaps felt the call and although he is still uncertain, he follows an instinct and does as Jesus says. In a parallel to Isaiah and Paul, Simon stunned by the overly abundant haul of fish, and realizing the reason, spontaneously tells Jesus to go away from him because he is a sinful man. The initial commissioning for Simon who becomes Peter, and for all those with him comes with the words of Jesus, Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people. And they all accepted by leaving everything to follow him and embark on an unexpected new life. They are given the Great Commission by Jesus after the Resurrection [Matthew 28:19-20] which fills the rest of their lives.
       Isaiah, the Psalmist, Paul, Peter and those who became disciples/Apostles, were in it to win it for God, for Jesus, for the abundant catch of people, for whatever came to them and at them for the length of their lives. They acknowledged, accepted, and obeyed the call. We, too, are what we are by God’s creation. Now all we have to do is acknowledge that we are each called by God to discern and accept the commission through the words of the Gospel, then work it every day so that God’s grace within us is never in vain. The Good News in Christ is that we are in this together, setting sail in smooth seas and rough with the breath of God in our sails.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Lord of Glory, cajole us to delve into the depths of our faith, that we may be captured in the net of Christ and the bounty of Your grace within us may never be in vain.

                                                O God of Grace         
RESPONSE:         Your Love endures forever 

~ O Lord of Glory, open the ears of all who wield the power of government across this planet, in our country, and within our community, that they may hear Your Word and give You praise by moving according to Your ways. Guide them to make good Your purpose for the emancipation of all Your people from injustice, intolerance, and incessant injury. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O God of Grace
                                                Your Love endures forever

~ O Lord of Glory, bind the wounds and heal the hearts of all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, and give strength to those who give them care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…add your own petitions

                                                O God of Grace
                                                Your Love endures forever

~ O Lord of Glory, brighten the shadows for all who are bereaved, as those who have stepped from the constrains of this life, now delight in the glory and radiance of new and unending life in Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O God of Grace
                                                Your Love endures forever

~ O Lord of Glory, 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 Grace
                                                Your Love endures forever          

~ O Lord of Glory, renew and empower those who welcome us to the sacred feast at Your table and proclaim the Good News of Christ’s Gospel, that together we may know and experience Your blessings and abiding love. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O God of Grace
                                                Your Love endures forever         

The Celebrant adds: Holy Lord of Hosts, so immerse us in the confidence of Your love that we feel our guilt depart and we stand in Your strength with the courage to say, “Send me.” Diminish our fear of the deep as we set our sails for Christ and bring others along to our glorious destination. We ask through Jesus, Fisher of Souls; and the Holy Spirit, our Navigator; who together with You are One God in Glory, now and forever more.  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, January 24, 2022

Prayers of the People: The Heart's Home ~ 4th Sunday after the Epiphany '22 Yr C

For Sunday, January 30, 2022; Readings: Jeremiah 1:4-10, Psalm 71:1-6, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Luke 4:21-30


 
The word of the LORD came to me saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you...Do not say, ‘I am only a boy’ for you shall go to whom I send you…Now I have put my words in your mouth." [Jeremiah 1:4-5a, 7b, 9b]

  In you, O LORD, have I taken refuge; let me never be ashamed...you are my crag and my stronghold. [Psalm 71:1, 3b]

  If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal...And now faith, hope, and love abide...and the greatest of these is love.  [1 Cor 13:1, 13]

  All spoke well of him…[then] they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” And [Jesus] said, "Truly no prophet is accepted in the prophet's hometown...…all in the synagogue were filled with rage…they drove him out…he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.  [Luke 4:22, 24, 28-29a, 30]     

      “Do not say, I am only a boy,” God said to Jeremiah when he balked at God’s appointment of him as a prophet, citing his lack of skill to speak. In contrast, the synagogue congregation in Nazareth whispered about Jesus saying, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” as if to say, “who is this boy preaching to us?” Jeremiah’s lack of confidence was bolstered with God’s insistence that God would be present and give him the words he would need in his prophetic work. Jesus, however, was very confident in his statement that Isaiah’s words were being fulfilled in and by him in their hearing. Following that, after pointing out that no prophet is accepted in his or her hometown and giving a few unpopular examples, the outrage led to Jesus being driven from the town and barely escaping being thrown from a cliff. (I like the part where Jesus seems to slip away from the angry crowd apparently unnoticed and imagine how angry they were when they did notice.) At first, they are complimentary, spoke well of him and were amazed… Then, it was more likely a sudden realization and insult that Jesus, of low birth, is teaching them with such a sense of authority and influence.
    It IS important, here, to acknowledge that this passage, in the wrong hands, however well-intended, might have anti-semitic overtones. Some commentaries highlight the anger of the men of the Synagogue as a religious patriotism of sorts. The Jews had positive relationships with Gentiles in those times; in fact, there was a Court of the Gentiles in the Jerusalem Temple. This reading is less about what Jesus said and more about who/what Jesus was to them.
    Jeremiah and Jesus were similar and different in other ways. Jeremiah was living in the times that saw the destruction of Solomon's Temple, Jerusalem itself, and the beginning of the Babylonian exile. His prophecies were understandably unpopular and resulted in frequent physical attacks on him and finally he lived out his days away home, in Egypt. Jesus returns to the home of his childhood, and it obviously didn't go well.
    The Psalmist is reassuring to those of us who are reluctant to emulate Jeremiah or Jesus in public or even in private. There is something unnerving about being open and vocal about our individual faith, especially if we are less than confident about our beliefs, why we have them, and what they are based on. Yet the Psalmist is reminding us that God is our refuge, our hope, our confidence, and our strength. All we need to do is to turn in God’s direction.
    For me, of the four appointed readings for this Sunday, the significance of the reading from 1st Corinthians cannot be understated. It is so very much more than a pretty thing to recite at a wedding. In the context of all the readings for this Sunday, it brings the Word to now, to our time, to our space. It is helpfully and clearly instructive. I see it as a blueprint of our inner spiritual selves, our internal faith home, where some rooms are still under construction, some are in serious need of renovation, and still others are only vaguely outlined. As we look outside in this complex world, there is no denying the dissension, hatred, intolerance, and rage in seemingly every facet of human life through war, religion, race, gender, and so much more. There is a cacophony of clanging voices of politicos, power mongers, and everyday people, disparaging everyone who is not one of them. Their supporters and detractors escalate the decibels to unbearable levels where few have a clear tone, or a calming demeanor that defuses the raging. But, turning inside, if we listen we can hear as so many have sung, All You Need is Love, Love is the Answer, How Deep is Your Love, Endless Love, I Just Called to Say I Love You, etc., etc., etc. Love is the ultimate goal of all human endeavor, the path to eternal life.
    When the when irritation begins its churning, when the resentment seeps in, and before the anger is boiling, we can step back and take a breath and discover a more excellent way to live. Let us first seek ways to experience love and acceptance from within ourselves for ourselves. God is our refuge and our strength to grow and to act consciously with confidence in faith, in hope, and especially and intentionally, to live with and by love. Easy? Of course not, but building a room one floorboard at a time moves us closer to a solid foundation to stand in faith. It strengthens our resolve to leave the inside to build an outside community that grows in love. A supportive loving community of faith can grow beyond its boundaries by spreading out to foster a more loving hometown crowd. Love doesn't mean agreement in all things. It does mean acceptance and tolerance of the differences that divide, and welcoming the caring that connects. Let us not meet fire with fire, rage with rage. A simple statement such as "you and I will disagree on that" may help defuse rather than escalate. From one hometown to another, love may not solve all problems but it will make a positive difference in everyone it inhabits. "Home is where the heart is," said Roman author and philosopher Pliny the Elder, who was about 10 when Jesus was crucified. Let's set our hearts on each other and through the Christ within us, we can build a loving home for all our hearts.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
 
Leader:  ~ O Lord, our Hope and our Confidence, You knew us, and formed us, and consecrated us before our earthly birth. Guide us to put away childish ways of envy, boasting, and arrogance to follow Your call to reveal Your endless Love in all that we are, and in all that we say and do.
 
                                              O God, our Refuge, our Strength
               RESPONSE:    Deliver us from the wicked
             
~ O Lord, our Hope and our Confidence, grant our mortal tongues the words of justice, mercy, tolerance, and compassion to calm fear, dissolve rage, and to fill the hearts and souls of all who hold power in countries and communities across this planet. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                             O God our Refuge, our Strength
                                          Deliver us from the wicked
 
~ O Lord, our Hope and our Confidence, sustain the faith of all who suffer with chronic pain, depression, or disease, and refresh the energy of those who assist with their care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…add your own petitions

                                             O God our Refuge, our Strength
                                          Deliver us from the wicked
 
~ O Lord, our Hope and our Confidence, soothe the hearts of those who grieve as the heavens erupt with rejoicing for our loved ones now arriving. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 

                                             O God our Refuge, our Strength
                                          Deliver us from the wicked
 
~ O Lord, our Hope and our Confidence, 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 our Refuge, our Strength
                                          Deliver us from the wicked
             
~ O Lord, our Hope and our Confidence, nourish the gifts of our anointed pastors who join with us in a community of  worship, enrich our faith, and inspire us to step beyond ourselves in this life’s short journey to seek fulfillment in Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                             O God our Refuge, our Strength
                                          Deliver us from the wicked
             
The Celebrant adds: O Constant, Righteous God, embolden our Faith, invigorate our Hope, and permeate our cells with Your purest Love, that we may rejoice in Your truth as living, conscious, and steadfast reflections of Your Enduring Word. We ask through Jesus, the Incarnation of Love; and the Holy Spirit, the Breath of Faith; who together with You reign as One Holy and Eternal God. 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, January 17, 2022

Prayers of the People: This Year of Favor ~ 3rd Sunday after the Epiphany '22 Yr C

For Sunday, January 23, 2022; Readings: Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; Psalm 19, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a, 
Luke 4:14-21

     Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding.  [Nehemiah 8:2a]

     By [the statutes of the LORD] also is your servant enlightened...cleanse me from my secret faults...O LORD my strength and my redeemer. [Ps 19: 8a, 11 a, 12 b, 14b]

    Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body ~ Jews or Greeks, slaves or free ~ and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. [1 Cor 12:12-13]

   [Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit,] stood up to read, and the scroll of the Prophet Isaiah was given to him. He  and unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me...he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor...proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind..."  [Luke 4:14a, 16b, 17-18a]

        This week the prophet Nehemiah tells us that the people of Israel were gathered together to hear a long reading of the law of Moses which God had given. The assembled were people who had forgotten or had even become contemptuous of God’s Covenant and for 3 generations, 70 years, they and their descendants had been exiled to captivity in Babylonia. Now returned home at last, Ezra read the law of God, with interpretation and the sense of it given so the people understood. The people listened and then bowed their heads in worship with their faces to the ground as an act of recognizing their own failings; yet the Levites tell them it is a day holy to the Lord and they are not to mourn or weep. God has not forgotten them and it is God who has brought them home. They then went on their way, with the joy of the Lord as your strength and told to send portions of their feast to those for whom nothing is prepared. 
      The Psalmist tells us the heavens declare the glory of God and reminds us that God's law is perfect and God's statutes are just and rejoice the heart. And there is verse 14 from the Psalm that we hear often as some of our preachers begin their sermons: Let the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. It is a verse we can all use as a beginning to prayer and especially as we prepare to meet and greet others. 
      Comforted and bolstered by the knowledge of the Lord's presence within us, we can imagine the members of the Church in Corinth gathering to listen to Paul's letter. He begins with the reminder that we were all baptized into one body...and made to drink of one spirit. 
      Continuing on from last week's reading of the gifts of the Spirit, Paul takes us further into the anatomy of the Body of Christ as created by God. He dissects our non-hierarchical arrangement of parts, well, except for God giving the greater honor to the inferior member. So very many members ~ digits, organs, and limbs ~ all created in the image of God, and all one body ~ all ordinarily the same and each extraordinarily different. ALL parts of the body ~ individually and corporately, locally and planetarily ~ are created and arranged by God, the ultimate and pre-eminent Architect, Electrical, Chemical, Plumbing, and Systems Engineer. We are endowed from before birth with different gifts that are not our own, but in our human lives are to be given out to and received from each other, so as to have the same care for another...if one member suffers, all suffer...if one member is honored, all rejoice together in it. 
      And then, in the Gospel, we move to the gathering in the Synagogue as Jesus returns to his home town, to his home congregation, and was asked to read the words of Isaiah [61:1-2a+] that were, interestingly and coincidentally (?!), appointed for that day. Quite an honor? Perhaps a test? In those days, as now, the synagogues in Palestine were not staffed by professional rabbis. Members, men, of the congregation read the Scripture lesson and were perhaps asked to explain them or apply them to everyday life. It was not uncommon to ask a visitor, who seemed knowledgeable, to read as a new voice and who might have a fresh understanding of the reading to share.
     Jesus unrolled the scroll, read from it, and then rolled up the scroll...and sat down. Everyone was watching him and so he told them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." Today is the key word, the principle concept. He had read Isaiah's words The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me... Jesus had just announced his ministry, designating himself as the One about whom Isaiah was speaking, to the congregation where he grew up. Is that an audible gasp travelling through the millennia? 
     As we gather together to listen to God's Law and Word, let us who hear with understanding be conscious of the Spirit within us. Let us seek the gifts that are unique to us as individuals and honor the gifts of others. The waters of Baptism flow in a variety of ways and directions and the entire Body has been given the waters of the Spirit to hydrate our souls, to cleanse our hearts even of its secret faults, and to purify our intentions whether known or unknown to the other members. Each time we provide hope for the dispossessed, or offer help to those in need or trouble, we are making a day that is holy to our Lord and proclaiming the year of the Lord’s favor. Let us gather often to drink deeply of one Spirit, experience the Good News and strive for the greater gifts as living members of the Body of Christ. Let this and every year be proclaimed and dedicated to the Lord’s Favor.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
 
Leader:  ~ O Lord of Joy and Glory, revive our souls with the power of Your Good News, as we carry it to all we meet and live it through our words and actions. Enlighten and cleanse us from our secret faults and engage the workings of our bodies, minds, and souls as mindful instruments of Your honor and love.
 
                                                     O Christ, our Teacher    
           RESPONSE:               We are Your Hands, Your Feet, and Your Voice
 
~ O Lord of Joy and Glory, grant us words so effective that they move the hearts and minds of all who govern the countries of our world, our nation, and our community. Endow those in seats of power and judgement with the compassion and courage to act now on behalf of the poor, the blind, the sick, and free those who are oppressed and held captive by misguided aims, debt-slavery, and so much more. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Christ, our Teacher
                                                       We are Your Hands, Your Feet, and Your Voice
 
~ O Lord of Joy and Glory, relieve the pain of those who suffer from chronic illness, anxiety, or depression, and refresh all who provide care and comfort. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Christ, our Teacher
                                                       We are Your Hands, Your Feet, and Your Voice
 
~ O Lord of Joy and Glory, lift the heavy weight of mourning, as those who have now left us in this life, rejoice and dance in Your everlasting light. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Christ, our Teacher
                                                       We are Your Hands, Your Feet, and Your Voice
 
~ O Lord of Joy and Glory, 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 Teacher
                                                       We are Your Hands, Your Feet, and Your Voice
             
~ O Lord of Joy and Glory, we give You thanks and praise for all who are anointed to guide our lives and souls by Your Church, opening the scrolls of Your Word, and journeying with us toward the fulfillment of Your purpose. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Christ, our Teacher
                                                       We are Your Hands, Your Feet, and Your Voice
             
The Celebrant adds:  O Lord our Strength and our Redeemer, overflow us with the desire to drink deeply of the Spirit, as we strive to find even greater gifts within us to use for Your purpose. Teach our hearts, again, to care for and honor each other as the Body of Christ as we proclaim and dedicate this year, and every year, to Your favor. We ask through Jesus, Prince of Peace; and the Holy Spirit, the Fount of our Wisdom; who together with You are One God, forever, and ever. 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, January 10, 2022

Prayers of the People: Being Filled ~ 2nd Sunday after The Epiphany '22 Yr C

For Sunday, January 19, 2022; Readings: Isaiah 62:1-5, Psalm 36:5-10, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, John 2:1-11 [optional: Dr. Martin Luther King, Rt. Rev. Quinton 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]

     These Prayers of the People were originally commissioned by The Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew (SsAM) in Wilmington, Delaware, in 2013. They continue to be used by that Parish who in 2021 celebrated the 25th Anniversary 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 Parish in its own location in 1891. Much later, in the racially fraught 1968, Bishop Quintin Primo, then an African-American Episcopal Vicar, guided St. Matthew's from mission status to full parish status and 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. The selection from Bishop Primo's autobiography (below) is SsAM's additional reading on this Sunday. To learn more about the historical significance and current mission of SsAM see: www.ssam.org  

      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 really knows for certain where the Cana of this story is. As we’re told 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 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, up to the brim, just as the new wine fills the stone jars. And it matters not how late in our lives that we change and recognize the fullness of God's love within. The moment made believers of his chosen disciples: Jesus, Son of God, Worker of Miracles! Let's follow him everywhere!
      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 artificial humility. 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, useful, even admirable ~ if we accept them. Perhaps it is easier to hide from them if it seems that the acceptance and claiming requires some responsibility for using them. Jesus accepted his gifts and used them for teaching, preaching, and healing. Dr. King and Bishop Primo used their gifts and did change the world and, often, especially as with Dr. King, at their own peril.
     But of course Jesus, Dr. King, and Bishop Primo were special people, called by God to do great and memorable things that are written down and remembered. "For Zion's sake I will not keep silent..." says Isaiah, and 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. Bishop Primo was very clear when he said, "What binds us together now is our common loyalty to Jesus Christ..." But 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?" Well, being filled to the brim with gifts of the Spirit and faith, being true of heart, and as Mary directed, do everything He tells us. (And listen to your mother)

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 servant[s] 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 not keep silent as we raise our voices loudly and often for those who are lost and forsaken, and in danger and despair in this life. Let us not rest as we 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. 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 [and the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.]

                                                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.

-----------------------------

*Optional Readings ~ as always, feel free to edit these prayers and reflections to suit your local needs and a small attribution is much appreciated.

 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


Monday, January 3, 2022

Prayers of the People: Being Beloved ~ 1st Sunday after Epiphany, Baptism of Our Lord, Yr C

For Sunday, January 9, 2022; Readings:  Isaiah 43:1-7, Ps 29, Acts 8:14-17, Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

         Thus says the Lord, he who created you...Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. [Isaiah 43:1] 

        Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness…The voice of the LORD is a powerful voice; the voice of the LORD is a voice of splendor. [Ps 29: 2, 4]

        [Peter and John] went down and prayed for them…laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. [Acts 8:15a, 17]

       "...one who is more powerful than I is coming...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand...to gather the wheat into his granary...and when Jesus had been baptized...a voice came from heaven, 'You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.'" [Luke 3:16b-17a, 21b, 22b]

     We’re only a few days after the Epiphany and the arrival and departure of Royal Visitors with their extravagant gifts. So much has happened to this Child Jesus and his family in two short chapters in Luke, and even more in the first two chapters of Matthew. And, as things happen, suddenly the grown man Jesus is meeting his cousin, John the Baptizer, son of Elizabeth and Zechariah, and asking John to baptize him. The life of Jesus will move on quickly from here but let’s slow down a bit and look at the meaning of Baptism.
    The word Baptism is derived from the Greek and Latin words for washing, dipping, or plunging. There are a variety of meanings, protocols, requirements, and reasons for such rituals, for example, initiation into a community of faith or spiritual regeneration. Whether by aspersion (sprinkling with water), immersion (plunging into water), or affusion (pouring water on), Baptism is a sacrament, ceremony, a rite, that hearkens back to the Jewish heritage of Jesus. Ancient and modern Jewish rituals of ablution (washing) for cleansing and/or purification were established millennia before John poured water over his cousin's head or submerged him in the Jordan River. Some Christian denominations believe that Baptism is necessary for Salvation, others do not. Some baptize infants and children; some require one to be older to make one’s own decision. Not all schools of Judaism practice purification/cleansing rituals and neither do all Christians. But for most Christians, this Gospel moment marks the very beginning of the public ministry of Jesus. Jesus was led by the Spirit to the desert immediately afterward to prepare himself further. 
    If you haven't been baptized, christened, or dedicated, many of us believe that it’s not a salvation deal-breaker. And if you want to be baptized but don’t quite know how to go about it, some believe that just wanting to be baptized is enough and you become baptized through desire. And while anyone of us can be a baptizer with water, Jesus brings the fire of the Holy Spirit to set our faith ablaze.
   One important part of baptism, whether by water or desire, is to grow into the willingness to live faithfully. As we hear in the readings for today, God calls us each by our names and claims us. God promises to be with us, to honor us, and to love us always. God gives us strength and the blessing of peace. God also gives us Jesus, who willingly and gladly accepted the role and responsibility of faith ~ and God proclaimed Jesus as Beloved. The most important message in the combined readings for me, is that as God calls us by our names and we are precious in God's sight, we need not fear because we are also God's Beloved. Let us, then, with confidence and courage, give God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit the honor due their names, as we would for those we love. Let us by our every thought, word, and action of a faith-filled life, try to be a reflection of God's Divine Love as we, in turn, reflect on the promise, the joy, and the role and responsibility of being beloved by God. 


LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
 
Leader:  ~ Creator God~Beloved Messiah~Holy Spirit, You call us each by name and we are Your own. Gather us as wheat into Your granary and burn off the chaff within us that turns us from You. Baptize us in the fire of faith that we may discover the beauty of holiness in each day of our earthly lives.
 
                                                    O Lord of Glory
        RESPONSE:                 Bless us with Your strength and peace
 
~ Creator God~Beloved Messiah~Holy Spirit, fill us with the splendor of Your powerful voice to proclaim to all who govern or hold authority with evil intent, that Your boundless love and eternal presence removes our fear and saves us. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord of Glory
                                                       Bless us with your strength and peace
 
~ Creator God~Beloved Messiah~Holy Spirit, cradle the hearts of the sick, the poor, and the lonely, and fortify the hearts of all who give of themselves to help. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord of Glory
                                                       Bless us with your strength and peace
 
~ Creator God~Beloved Messiah~Holy Spirit, carry the sorrowful through the waters of grief, as those You have called Home now live again, forever joyful in Your infinite love and grace. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord of Glory
                                                       Bless us with your strength and peace
 
~  Creator God~Beloved Messiah~Holy Spirit, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently…add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord of Glory
                                                       Bless us with your strength and peace
             
~ Creator God~Beloved Messiah~Holy Spirit, enlighten and excite Your anointed disciples of our own day, who pray with and for us, baptize and confirm us, and instruct, encourage, and travel with us through our earthly sojourn. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord of Glory
                                                       Bless us with your strength and peace
             
The Celebrant adds: O Lord our God, Eternal and Almighty, grant our souls the confidence and courage to give the glory due Your name by our every thought, word, and action, striving to be among those with whom You are well pleased. We ask through Jesus, Your Beloved Son; and the Holy Spirit, the Fire of our Faith; who together live and reign with You as One God, now and 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