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, July 10, 2023

Prayers of the People: Grounded ~ Proper 10, 7th Sunday after Pentecost '23 Yr A

For Sunday, July 16, 2023; Readings: Isaiah 55:10-13, Psalm 65:9-13, Romans 8:1-11, Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

  For you shall go out in joy and be led back in peace; the mountains and hills before you shall burst into song and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. [Isaiah 55:12]

  …the hills gird themselves with joy; the meadows clothe themselves with flocks; the valleys deck themselves with grain; they shout and sign together for joy. [Psalm 65:12b-13]

  To set the mind ion the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace...But you are not in the flesh; You are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.  [Romans 8:6, 9]

   Let anyone with ears listen! ...for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word...yet such a person has no root...and immediately falls away...As for what was sown among thorns, this is one who hears the word but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word, understands it, who indeed bears fruit... [Matthew 13:9, 20a, 21a,b; 22, 23a]

    The poetic beauty of this week’s brief text from Isaiah is overshadowed by current and past news of catastrophic flooding in the US northeast and other areas here and around the world. Yet are there not always times when good news for some contains bad news for others? Of course drought-stricken areas are happy for plenteous rain or snow but too much or too little are each their own problem. The prophet here is no stranger to grieving and this text isn’t intended as mere pretty poetry or platitude. One writer suggests this piece is a catalyst for hope. Prior parts of this section of Isaiah have been about the pain of exile in Babylon and now they have returned to the land of their ancestors. This Creation imagery, coming even in the midst of lingering suffering from exile, as any people displaced by flooding, or earthquakes, or millions of acres on fire can attest, offers the hope and comfort of a deeply loving God. The psalm continues the imagery of a planet thoroughly enriched by God that grows and feeds and sings with joy.
    And then we move to Paul’s Letter to the Romans as he describes how to avoid condemnation. The flawed and sometimes despicable humans that move alongside the people of God are created by God and gifted with the free will to obey or not. Many of those who play larger roles in life find themselves in thorny patches on rocky roads diverted from their appointed mission by the lure of earthly distractions, intemperance, or a volatile nature. Yet they are brought to us in Scripture, remembered for their deeds and misdeeds, as human as we are, and, like us, with depths and shallows, tragedies and triumphs, ordinary and extraordinary depending on the day, the dilemma, and the choices made. 
    We, too, are created and chosen by God with the seeds of the Spirit planted within us. It would seem that all we need to do is till, tend, water, feed, and weed for a bountiful harvest of God's love, that is, to freely set our minds on Christ's salvation and life eternal. But, of course, it's not always quite so simple. Farming is tough work, a 24/7 job on and in the ground. Great soil, good weather, and hard work should yield a good crop. But even excellent farmers have epic failures despite their best efforts. We, as all those who came before and all who come after, will encounter feasts and famines, droughts and floods, rocks, thorns, pestilence, and grief within the span of our lives; some of it through no fault of our own and some by our willing neglect and impetuous choices. But, the Spirit of God always dwells within us and when we are shaken back to that consciousness, it is never too late to replenish the soil, enrich it with the nutrients of prayer and penitence, and nurture the deep roots that remain. Whatever is on the surface of our temporal acreage at any given time, the Word of God will ground us if we will hear and try to understand. 
    Matthew helps us see the impetuous of the “sure, I get that” response from those on rocky ground with no rootedness to live into the Word when things aren’t going well. We know the one living among the thorns who never hears the words of Jesus being lured by earthly distractions and attractions and the gathering of stuff and money that never fully satisfies. But the good soil, cultivated and maintained by regular feeding and replenishment hears and understands, building a strong foundation so that even the dire troubles life can bring, though distracting at times, can withstand and yield ever greater yields of spiritual fruit.
    A dandelion can flower in all manner of ground, and a desert will erupt in blooms with the slightest moisture. Whenever the Word penetrates my awareness, I must try, try again to clear the rocks, cut back the thorns, and cultivate the soil to enable those deep roots to keep me spiritually grounded; to be fruitful and multiply the good yields of my soul, to belong to Christ Jesus again and forever.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Holy God, Ground of our Being, grant us eyes to see and ears to hear the Word that calls us each and together, to seek the fertile path of the Spirit.  Guide us to listen deeply to understand, and to continually enrich the soil of our souls to go out in joy and be led back in peace.

                                                Lord Jesus, our Christ
             RESPONSE:         Deepen our roots in You

~ Holy God, Ground of our Being, sow the healthy seeds of grace and goodness in the souls of those who govern this World, our Nation, and our Community. Divert them from the way of thorns into the arable terrain of fairness, honor, and integrity. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Lord Jesus, our Christ
                                                Deepen our roots in You

~ Holy God, Ground of our Being, comfort and heal all who struggle with illness in body, mind, or heart, and ease the burden of those who care for them.  We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                Lord Jesus, our Christ
                                                Deepen our roots in You       

~ Holy God, Ground of our Being, we commend to Your hand, all who have left this world for Your Kingdom where there is no death, only life everlasting in the fullness of joy. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                Lord Jesus, our Christ
                                                Deepen our roots in You

~ Holy God, Ground of our Being, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions

                                                Lord Jesus, our Christ
                                                Deepen our roots in You                   

~ Holy God, Ground of our Being, plant a grower’s faith and vitality within those chosen and anointed as the tillers of Your verdant fields. Guide them to model and inspire spiritual growth in each other, in ourselves, and in our community of Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Lord Jesus, our Christ
                                                Deepen our roots in You
 
The Celebrant adds:  Lord of Creation, our Divine Gardener, cultivate our hearts to free us from the weeds of temporal pleasures that choke away our spiritual birthright of salvation. Enrich our willingness to tend and nurture Your Word and Presence within us for a fruitful yield; a soul-fulfilling harvest to last eternally. We ask this through Jesus, Sower of the Word; and the Holy Spirit, Wellspring of Wisdom; who live and thrive together with You as One God, now and forever.  Amen.


 
 



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