Prayers of the People: Stop, in the Name of Love ~ Proper 18, 15th Sunday after Pentecost '23 Yr A

For Sunday, September 10, 2023, Track 2 Readings: Ezekiel 33:7-11, Psalm 119:3, Romans 13:8-14, 

Matthew 18:15-20

You, mortal, I have made a sentinel for the house of Israel…if…you warn the wicked to turn from their ways, and they do not turn from their ways, and they do not turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but you will have saved your life. [Ezekiel 33:7-11]

  Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes…give me life in your ways. [Psalm 119:33a, 37b]

  “Owe no one anything, except to love one another… The commandments...are summed up in this word, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’...love is the fulfilling of the law...now is the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers...Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light...” [Romans 13:8a, 9b, 11b, 12b]

      "Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven...For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." [Matthew 18:18, 20]

  The passage this week from the priest of Israel turned prophet, Ezekiel, begins in several ways depending on the particular edition/translation you are reading.  I was immediately struck by the wording and the punctuation of verse 7 in the NRSV: …you, mortal,… which is repeated in verse 10…you, mortal,…because it felt as if I was being engaged ~ me, right now, today, this minute. In other translations instead of “mortal,” the phrase is son of man, which according to one source occurs 93 times in Ezekiel. In one Jewish translation it is ben adam, which is Hebrew for son of man; “adam” is, essentially, a Hebrew word for the humans, male and female, that God created.  While mortal leaves no misunderstanding or escape clause regarding we who are not “sons,” I, me, you, him, her, them are all inclusive as a sentinel for the house of Israel, that is, for the house, the city, the state, the country, indeed the entire planet that we, each, occupy now. And it was so for Ezekiel, as this was his personal call from God to warn the wicked to turn from their ways and if they don’t they only had themselves to blame. At least Ezekiel tried and took note that God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Of course we know that in the  Christian/New Testament, Jesus self-described himself as son of man in the human as well as the divine sense. This passage to us, mortals, opens and prepares us to the hear the lessons learned and given to us by Jesus in today's Gospel.

  The psalmist asks to be taught the way of God’s statutes and to turn his eyes away from the worthless to give me life in your ways. This is the way of God’s statutes, to spread the Word by how we ourselves live, not by taking pleasure in the misfortune of others.

   And then, Paul reminds us, because we need to hear again and again, that Jesus said, "Love your neighbor as yourself." I used to hear that as "love your neighbor as you love yourself" and, of course, if one has difficulty loving oneself it would be apparent in the way they treat others. Yet in the fuller sense, I now read it as written ~ love your neighbor as your self. THAT person is YOU. Loving him, her, them is to love yourself, to seek and discover a mirror image in another and love that part of them, however miniscule, that is you. Jesus promises that in unity and community, when two or three or more gather in his name, we bring Him into our midst. It doesn't make it easier, yet it gives us a place to start. We are to Owe no one anything, except to love one another. "Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law." [Romans 13:10] [and also see Mt 22:35-40, Mk 12:28-34, Lk 10:25-28, Jn 13:31-35]

   Jesus lays out a plan for conflict resolution in the Church, which if followed without a clear sense of sincere discretion, care, and sacred responsibility, may have the opposite and a dire effect for many individuals and the community itself. He tells us again, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven, which should have a chilling and sobering effect on how we decide to act in any moment of life with anyone.  Conflict resolution is tenuous in the best of times; a huge responsibility for all parties. Pointing out faults is always easier when we think we have none. I must admit that I have trouble liking some people let alone loving them, especially people who intentionally do serious harm physically, emotionally, and spiritually to others. Yet try as I might, the reality is that I cannot change what anyone else does; I can only stop, breathe, halt my reaction in time and in order to change my response to it. No easy task, no easy solution, but one certainty exists: Salvation is nearer to us now, and every passing moment brings it closer. The time is NOW to turn to Christ, to act for Christ, to love in, through, and as Christ would have us do ~ whew, hard work when there are no guarantees that our efforts will be successful or appreciated now or ever. If only I could just wait a little longer to do all that I should, to build my courage, to reduce my fear. But, time's a-wastin' and for those of us who believe in the word and teachings of Jesus, he tells us that what we do on Earth is directly applied to Heaven. There’s that whatever you bind you loose thing again. But the light of Christ is always with us especially when we stop, in the name of love, to weigh, pray, consider, and reconsider, our intentions for our neighbor and our self.

  

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
 
Leader: ~ Lord GOD, Your Love, through Christ, will give us life in Your ways at the moment we seek to live into our life’s true calling. Guide us to forgive the unforgivable, to live honorably and honestly, and to continue Your work to love everyone we meet as if they are our selves.
 
                                                     Lord of Earth and Heaven
        RESPONSE:                 Bind us together in Love
 
~ Lord GOD, as we put on the armor of Light in Christ, we give witness of Your unending love to all who lead this World, this Country, and this Community, with the express expectations that they will act for the safety, wholeness, and health of all Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       Lord of Earth and Heaven
                                                       Bind us together in Love
                                                      
~ Lord GOD, comfort and heal all who are chronically ill, live in the relentless demand of addiction, or have lost their sense of home, and refresh all who give them care. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions
 
                                                       Lord of Earth and Heaven
                                                       Bind us together in Love
             
~ Lord GOD, grant us peace in knowing that our loved ones now bloom again in the eternal sunshine of Life everlasting with You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       Lord of Earth and Heaven
                                                       Bind us together in Love
 
~ Lord GOD, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions
 
                                                       Lord of Earth and Heaven
                                                       We You a new song by our lives
 
~ Lord GOD, prepare a special place in Your eternal Kingdom for those who lead us in Your Church, who pray with us and for us, preach Your word to us, and shepherd us to spiritual growth in this Community of Faith in ever growing ways. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       Lord of Earth and Heaven
                                                       Bind us together in Love
                                                                                            
The Celebrant adds: God of All and Everything, awaken our hearts, in this short life, to see ourselves as You see us, with love, compassion, and understanding for ourselves and all others. Illuminate our path with the Light of Christ, that we may lay aside the works of darkness and gather together in the name of Christ our Lord. We ask through Jesus, our Redeemer and Messiah; and the Holy Spirit, the Counselor of our Souls; who live and reign together with You, One God, Timeless, Immortal, and Infinite. Amen.

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