Prayers of the People: Divine Bounty ~ Proper 12 ~ 10th Sunday after Pentecost Yr B '24

For Sunday, July 28, 2024, Readings: 2 Samuel 11:1-15, Psalm 14, Ephesians 3:14-21, John 6:1-21

   …[David]…saw from the roof a woman bathing…Bathsheba…wife of Uriah…David sent messengers to get her and she came to him…David wrote a letter [to] “set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting…that he may be struck down and die.” [2 Samuel 11:2b, 3b, 4a, 15a,c] 

    All are corrupt and commit abominable acts...The Lord looks down from heaven upon us all, to see if there is any who is wise, if there is one who seeks after God...those evildoers...[who] do not call upon the LORD...will tremble with fear, because God is in the company of the righteous. [Psalm 14:1b, 2, 4b-c, 5] 

  I pray that...you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith...that you may have the power to comprehend...what is the breadth and length and height and depth...[of] the love of Christ...that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  [Ephesians 3:16-18] 

      A large crowd kept following [Jesus]...they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted...When evening came, his disciples got into a boat, and started across the sea...It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough...[and] they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."  [John 6:2, 10b ,16-20]

      How, when one is the adored [or feared] King with unlimited power and significant human appetites, possessing or immediately acquiring everything desired, even the life or death of another within finger-snapping distance, does one keep that power in check, the appetites moderated, and the ego from attempting to control the world? If you're King David, apparently not very well. But God was watching... and every human reign ends.

      Reckless and wanton disregard for the lives of others, as the psalmist describes corrupt and abominable acts, may ultimately be forgiven by God, though not without consequences and only IF the self-serving seek after God’s love and mercy. Otherwise they will tremble with fear, because God is in the company of the righteous.

      Paul's prayer from prison reminds us, that God has the power to grant us inner strength when we seek God and are rooted and grounded in the love of Christ through faith. Although the faith exhibited by the disciples who followed Jesus wasn't always perfect, as ours is also far from perfection, the people knew by the signs of his actions who Jesus was. The available 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread were all Jesus needed to satisfy the hunger of a large crowd. Imagine how faith in Christ, as the Bread of Life, could satisfy our spiritual hunger and deepest soul needs. And, after all that had happened on that day alone, as Jesus walked across the water to the boat - he still had to tell the disciples not to be afraid. How many of us are fearful, anxious, and worried even as we proclaim our faith?

     All of us falter or fail in how we live our faith, some fail with ego-moderating, and others with the suppression of various appetites, others just fall away. Even Jesus got angry - righteously so, perhaps, but still, in his human nature, he really was angry at times. And God is watching, knowing our hearts even more than we do at times, and loving us anyway. Stop, breathe, and pray, every now and then, to be rooted and grounded in love, to try and understand in some small way what is the breadth and length and height and depth [Ephesians 3:18] of our Creator's gift of this life and the next. Whether feeding the 5,000 on the mountainside or strolling across the Sea of Galilee on foot, God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit, by the power of the work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine  [Ephesians 3:20] from the heavens to the universe, on land and at sea. Let us be fed by faith, in strength or weakness, for spiritual and eternal satisfaction, for courage and comfort in the rough seas of life. When we step out together, no matter how fearful we are, we find courage and support with the knowledge and trust in the wealth of Christ’s divine bounty in our hearts, our minds, and our souls. 

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O God, our Refuge and our Strength, as You look upon us and know us deep in our hearts, fortify our inner beings that we may be rooted in faith, fed by Your limitless love, and express the eternal fullness of You in our everyday lives.

                                                     Faithful, Merciful God             

          RESPONSE:                Turn our fear into courage

~ O God, our Refuge and our Strength, equip us to transform the minds and hearts of all who govern on this Earth, in our Country, and in our Community.  Grant us the energy and determination to release all of Your people from bigotry, poverty, and dread. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Faithful, Merciful God

                                                       Turn our fear into courage

~ O God, our Refuge and our Strength, give rest and hope to all who suffer from serious illness in body, mind, or spirit, and relief to all who give them care. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need…add your own petitions 

                                                       Faithful, Merciful God

                                                       Turn our fear into courage

~ O God, our Refuge and our Strength, comfort all who mourn as you lift the precious souls of our loved ones to the bliss and beauty of everlasting life in You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Faithful, Merciful God

                                                       Turn our fear into courage

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

                                                       Faithful, Merciful God

                                                       Turn our fear into courage          

~ O God, our Refuge and our Strength, enrich and enhance the wisdom and vision of all who lead us in Your Church, as we sail together on the unpredictable waters of life on our journey to You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Faithful, Merciful God

                                                       Turn our fear into courage

The Celebrant adds:  Gracious, Loving Lord, endow us with spiritual insight to know and experience the miraculous breadth, and length, and height, and depth of Your nourishing presence in our lives. Grant us the gifts and willingness we need us to bring You into the life of this world. We ask through Christ Jesus, our Teacher and Healer; and the Holy Spirit, our Comforter in Affliction; who together with You live and reign 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

Prayers of the People: Here, There, and Everywhere, 9th Sunday after Pentecost '24 Yr B

For Sunday, July 21, 2024: Readings: 2 Samuel 7:1-14a, Psalm 89:20-37, 

Ephesians 2:11-22, Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

   Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? …Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” [2 Samuel 7:5, 7]

  My faithfulness and love shall be with him, and he shall be victorious through my Name…He will say to me, “You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation. [Psalm 89:24, 26] 

    ...[In] Christ Jesus...is our peace...he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall...thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body...you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined...you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.  [Ephesians 2:13a-14,16a,19-21a,22]

   As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things…they laid the sick in the marketplace, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.  [Mark 6:34, 56b]

     The last time I worked with these readings was in 2018 and I opened my commentary with: …a mere three years ago, we were reeling from the shooting deaths at the Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Remember that? So much happens so quickly that yesterday’s horrors are replaced by today’s. Little did we know the magnitude and numbers of events ahead with death and destruction, from human hands and natural disaster, locally and around the world. Our psyches are overloaded with tragic and hate-filled images and a barrage of voices with words that incite, frighten, or depress us. And every day we unite ourselves defensively with one group only to alienate ourselves from another, because, as always, we know that “we” are correct in our opinions and reactions and “they” are not. And here we are in 2024 just a few days after an assassination attempt on a presidential candidate.

     How do we take it all in; how do we fix it; how do we reconcile with “them?” What steps might make genuine, helpful, hopeful progress, with and for each other, in our very brief human life?  Every day we are challenged and every day we have to start within ourselves to consciously decide how we will face the tests and tasks ahead.

    The words of Paul are a starting point: For [Jesus] is our peace…he has…broken down the dividing wall between us, that is, the hostility between us… for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father [Ephesians 2:14, 18].  Will this fix all the nastiness in the world, prevent disasters, or change anyone else’s mind? Certainly not on any grand scale. But every individual’s act of kindness, even of just a smile in passing, is a gesture that heals.

    In the opening reading appointed for today, David wanted to build God a house but God said, not so fast. God never asked for a house but made clear that when God wanted one, the builder would come  not from David yet after him through David’s descendants. Paul tells us that together spiritually, we are God’s dwelling place.

    Accepting the peace of Christ within calms my soul, my heart, and my mind. It helps me to project the peace of Christ on the outside, at least until I forget and then something finally calls me to remember to begin again. I can’t change anyone but me. I can seek and find sabbath time, joy, and love as constructive energy to counter and redirect the forces of anger, pain, and suffering. I can offer at least a moment of reconciliation and light in a tunnel of despair, but it can be hard going alone.

   In the Gospel for today, Jesus was trying to find some peace and rest for himself and the disciples yet the scores of people who lined up to be healed by him left little chance for that. But he kept going in the company of the disciples, and so must we, and at the very least hold peace in our hearts, minds, and souls until the respite time is found and we do not have to go it alone.

   Let us actively seek Jesus as the foundation of our spiritual household. In Him there is no "them." Each of us are one connecting piece that joins the whole structure and strengthens the peace among us and beyond. Together, in this one small pocket of this difficult world, we can make our personal, as well as our community house of worship, into a peace-filled home that is truly a dwelling place for God here, there, and everywhere.       

     As the hymn says:  Christ is made the sure foundation,

Christ the head and cornerstone,

  chosen of the Lord, and precious,

binding all the Church in one;

holy Zion's help for ever,

and her confidence alone.

[Hymn 518, The Hymnal 1982]

 

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ God of Faithfulness and Love, break down the walls that divide us, and strengthen the faith we need to reconcile ourselves to each other and to You, as one body. Let us walk together, in similarity and difference, as the heart and hands and feet of Jesus, our Cornerstone in the foundation of Your eternal House.

                                                      Lord of Peace and Compassion

RESPONSE:                 You are the Rock of our Salvation

~ God of Faithfulness and Love, illuminate our path toward healing division and strife. Endow our spirits with the capacity to choose leaders who respect equality, diversity, justice, and mercy in our Community and in our Country, and who will encourage all who hold authority in our World to do the same. Unite us in our quest to stand firm in the peace of Christ, wholly accepting His grace and saving ways even in difficult times. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Lord of Peace and Compassion

                                                       You are the Rock of our Salvation                   

~ God of Faithfulness and Love, embrace with care all the desperate and downtrodden, heal the sick, and energize all who give comfort and care.  We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…add your own petitions

                                                       Lord of Peace and Compassion

                                                       You are the Rock of our Salvation

~ God of Faithfulness and Love, to You we commend our beloved, already citizens with the saints, who now have risen to live again in the glory in Your Kingdom that never ends. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Lord of Peace and Compassion

                                                       You are the Rock of our Salvation

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

                                                       Lord of Peace and Compassion

                                                       You are the Rock of our Salvation            

~ God of Faithfulness and Love, we lift our prayers in gratitude for all who are anointed in Your service as they lead us, teach us, and heal our souls, while journeying with us to life eternal in You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Lord of Peace and Compassion

                                                       You are the Rock of our Salvation             

The Celebrant adds:  Lord God of Hosts, nourish our souls as we seek to open ourselves as conduits of grace to give and receive from all we meet, however differently we each perceive this world. Join us together within the whole structure of Your holy temple, the spiritual dwelling place to be with You and all You whom You have created. We ask through the Hope of Christ Jesus; and the Sacred Breath of the Holy Spirit; who together with You reign as One God, now, forever, and 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

Prayers of the People: The Dancing King ~ 8th Sunday after Pentecost ‘24 Yr B

For Sunday, July 14, 2024, Year B, Readings: 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19; Psalm 24,

 Ephesians 1:3-14, Mark 6:14-29

    David danced before the LORD with all his might...So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. [2 Sam 6:14-15]

  The earth is the LORD's and all that is in it, the world and all who dwell within...who can stand in this holy place? Those who have clean hands and a pure heart...not pledged to falsehood nor...fraud...Who is this King of Glory? The LORD, strong and mighty... [Psalm 24:1, 3a-4, 8a]

   Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…In him we have redemption, through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace...you...when you...had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the...Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory. [Ephesians 1:1-3, 7,13,14]

   When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it." [Mark 6:22]

    The construction of the Ark of the Covenant begins in Exodus 25 and in Deuteronomy 10:1-10, Moses tells us that God directed him to make two tablets to replace the ones Moses broke. After God re-wrote the Commandments on the new tablets, Moses says that he put them into the Ark.  Bringing the ancient, storied, and sacred Ark of the Covenant to his own city has King David leaping and dancing in the procession with sheer joy. Yet the ecstasy and glory of the happy journey expressed in this reading does leave out a puzzling and strange interlude between the verses we are given for today ~ the sudden death of Uzzah by God’s hand, which sparks David’s anger with God and then leaves David afraid [be curious and look at 2 Samuel 6:6-12]. Our reading then pops in three months later. David dances again giving offerings to God and generous gifts of meat, bread, and cake to all the people of Israel who have re-gathered. It’s always interesting, for me, to read what is skipped over by the appointed lessons, as well as what is included that seems to interrupt the intent of the reading. For example, near the middle of what we are given today, is a curiously ominous sentence that takes place in the later celebration: …Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart [2 Sam 6:16]. But if we look back at her story earlier in 1^st and 2^nd Samuel, we can begin to understand her heart, as God does.

    But Paul, in this letter to the church in Ephesus, while cooling his heels in a Roman prison, is singing a different tune. This reading is one long sentence in the original and may well have contained parts of a hymn that the locals would have known. Paul tells both the Gentiles and the Jews who believed in Jesus, that it is God's purpose for all to be united, as God's own people, living holy and blameless lives through the redemption of Christ. By the riches of grace, we are forgiven our trespasses and sealed by the Holy Spirit.

    Mark’s Gospel reading takes us into the later story of Israel. And here comes Herod Antipas, a son of King Herod the Great, now the local ruler in Galilee. The famous dance of his daughter left him and his guests so well pleased and entertained that Herod rashly and boastfully promised her anything, even half his kingdom. When she consulted charming mommy, daughter dearest asked Herod for John the Baptizer’s head. Herod, it seems, actually liked listening to John even if fearful of him. But more fearful was he of the appearance of weakness in front of his guests, and dancing back his own grief over the request, Herod relented and John soon arrived served up on a platter, having parted company with the remainder of his body.

   This, for me, is one of those unusual Sundays when the architects of the Lectionary seem to have had some leftover pieces for which to make an interesting Testamental salad. Perhaps one message is be careful with what you ask for – or – what you offer in return for… Yet each, in their own way, is part of the others in bringing the story of Israel from the earlier time of 2nd Samuel to the Psalm, and on to the later times of Mark and Paul. Through these somewhat disparate pieces we are connected to the fulsome life story and teachings of Jesus.

    As we set our life's purpose to live in obedience, giving praise to God, and with our hope in Christ, we will reap the reward of our inheritance toward redemption, life eternal in God’s Kingdom. That’s where the real and forever music and singing is, with our Triune King leading the greatest Dance of Joy. 

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
 
Leader:  ~ O Lord, Strong and Mighty, release us from all hesitancy in expressing our faith openly and gladly. Fill us with the divine joy that, even in the midst of anguish and anger, allows our spirits to dance away the timidity, the fear, and the trust that holds us back from You.
 
                                            God, our King of Glory
        RESPONSE:          Purify our Hearts through Christ
 
~ O Lord, Strong and Mighty, transform and endow all who hold power on this Earth, in our Nation, and throughout our Community, with character, honor, and integrity. Guide them away from falsehood or fraud and toward decisions and actions of mercy, justice, and peace for Your own people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                God, our King of Glory
                                                Purify our Hearts through Christ
                                               
~ O Lord, Strong and Mighty, pour your healing grace upon all those who wake each day with depression, addiction, or desperation, and revitalize all who provide assistance and care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…add your own petitions
 
                                                God, our King of Glory
                                                Purify our Hearts through Christ
           
~ O Lord, Strong and Mighty, calm the tears of those who mourn, for the lights of those we have sent ahead now shine more brightly, as they dance in heavenly joy forever in You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                God, our King of Glory
                                                Purify our Hearts through Christ
 
~ O Lord, Strong and Mighty, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently…add your own petitions
 
                                                God, our King of Glory
                                                Purify our Hearts through Christ
           
~ O Lord, Strong and Mighty, we give thanks and praise for the work and dedication to Your Will by the deputations of the General Convention of our Church, as we give a hearty Welcome Home to the Deputation from our own Diocese. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                God, our King of Glory
                                                Purify our Hearts through Christ
 
The Celebrant adds:  God of Presence and Promise, from within Your mysterious Will, we receive the riches of grace granting us the forgiveness of our trespasses, the gift of every spiritual blessing, and the inheritance of redemption through Your Holy Son. Grant us each the willingness and courage to pledge ourselves to the praise and glory of Your name, through every word and action of our earthly lives. We ask through Jesus the Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, and through the seal of the Holy Spirit, who together with You, reign 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

Prayers of the People: Shake, Rattle, and Roll On ~ 7th Sunday after Pentecost '24 Yr B

For Sunday, July 7, 2024; Readings: 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10; Psalm 48, 

2 Corinthians 12:2-10, Mark 6:1-13

All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and said, "Look, we are your bone and flesh..." [2 Samuel 5:1]

     As we have heard, so we have seen, in the city of the Lord of Hosts…We have waited in silence on your loving-kindness…This God is our God for ever and ever; he shall be our guide for evermore. [Psalm 48:7a, 8a, 13]

    I know a person in Christ who…was caught up to the third heaven – whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows…and heard things…that no mortal is permitted to repeat…to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh…I appealed to the Lord…but he said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power in made perfect in weakness”… Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults…for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong. [2 Corinthians 12:2, 4b, 7b, 8a, 9a, 10]

 Then Jesus said to [the disciples], "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house"... He said to [the disciples] …if any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” [Mark 6:4,10a, 11]

         In our times, as throughout history, powerful/charismatic leaders attract some ardent followers who want to stay very close, idolize, and would even act as the bone and flesh of the hero. Such absolute devotion by others can easily skew one's initial humility and original intent. Some who claim political or other power and authority become more interested in the adulation and adoration than in the responsibilities of genuine leadership. They cultivate and bask in the unfettered loyalty of a few, while deliberately oppressing and persecuting others who aren't so easily beguiled. Staying modest and humble in the face of eager and constant admirers is difficult for the most sainted of humans. David had such struggles later in his life. Paul may have recognized it in himself and accepted the thorn as a sacred reminder to be aware of the dangers of holding deep power of persuasion over others. His monologue in this passage almost sounds as if he is reminding himself, as well as the Church at Corinth, in his repetition that he, himself, doesn't know all but God knows. 

     As in every life in the public eye, there are always detractors. Jesus was his most human self in his frustration with the hometown reaction he received, as he kept moving along, doing what he could, where he could.  Jesus called the Disciples and sent them off two by two to do God's work. In giving them the command to shake off the dust if not welcomed and roll on, we are reminded by Jesus that our earthly time is short to get done what we are to do. We are also called to keep moving ~ together ~ shaking off the dust of the detractors and disappointment, rattling the chambers of despotic power, and rolling on to the next opportunity to offer the justice, the truth, and the welcome of the Gospel. Together, we can also work to keep the thorns of despair, hardship, and calamity from piercing us all the way through.

    David, Paul, and Jesus were all doing the work God had given them to do and, as in every human life, some days were better than others. There are two post-Communion prayers in the US Episcopal Book of Common Prayer and both say that we are "living members" of the Body of Christ. In one, we, the pray-ers, ask God to, "Send us now into the world in peace..." and in the other to "...send us out to do the work you have given us to do..."  Let us ponder, this week, what work, whose bone and flesh, and what thorns are we willing to take on? And, why? Shake, rattle, and roll on...

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Lord of Hosts, as we are each presented with trials, troubles, and weakness in this earthly life, quicken our ability to recognize and accept these thorns as grace-filled opportunities to remember the Presence of  Christ, whose power dwells within us and gives us strength.

                                                O God of Loving Kindness

          RESPONSE:           Dissolve our doubt; Exhilarate our Faith

~ O Lord of Hosts, You know the hearts and souls of us all, including those who govern in this World, this Country, and this Community. Grant us ever-increasing fortitude and determination to persist in speaking Your truths of love, justice, and mercy on behalf of the most beleaguered and oppressed in our midst and around the globe. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O God of Loving Kindness

                                                Dissolve our doubt; Exhilarate our Faith                                      

~ O Lord of Hosts, restore hope and wholeness to all who struggle with chronic illness, homelessness, or recovery, and infuse their supporters with energy and endurance. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…add your own petitions

                                                O God of Loving Kindness

                                                Dissolve our doubt; Exhilarate our Faith          

~ O Lord of Hosts, ease the sorrow of all who mourn as those who now live again in You, are filled with the joy of bliss in Your eternal peace. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O God of Loving Kindness

                                                Dissolve our doubt; Exhilarate our Faith

~ O Lord of Hosts, 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 Loving Kindness

                                                Dissolve our doubt; Exhilarate our Faith        

~ O Lord of Hosts, as we give You thanks for all in the Church who are ordained to guide us on our journey to You. We offer our prayers of thanksgiving for the election of the Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe as our next Presiding Bishop and for the Mission, Ministry, and Spiritual Leadership and Guidance of Michael Curry as our outgoing Presiding Bishop. We also pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O God of Loving Kindness

                                                Dissolve our doubt; Exhilarate our Faith           

The Celebrant adds: Almighty Creator, our God and Guide forever, embolden our willingness to shake off the dust of rejection and mockery when we step out in faith and turn our lives to Christ. Let us share in his prophetic ministry and be his bone and flesh on earth. We ask through Jesus, our Prophet and Redeemer; and the Holy Spirit, our Fount of Wisdom; who together with You reign 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

Prayers of the People: Sea-ing the Changes ~ Proper 8, 6th Sunday after Pentecost '24 Yr B

For Sunday, June 30,2024,  Readings: 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27; Psalm 130, 

2 Corinthians 8:7-15, Mark 5:21-43

  How the mighty have fallen…I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; greatly beloved were you to me… [2 Samuel 1:25a, 26a]

   Out of the depths have I called to you, O LORD…hear my voice; let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication … I wait for the LORD, my soul waits for him; in his word is my hope … for with the LORD there is mercy...With him there is plenteous redemption [Ps 130: 1, 4, 6b, 7a]

  For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has – not according to what one does not have...it is a question of fair balance between your present abundance and their need…" [2 Cor 8:12, 13b-14a]

    When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea...Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe." [Mark 5: 21, 36b]

   We are living in chaotic times as we try to pay attention to and cope with the whiplashing effects of random violence, continuing de-humanization of some groups of people by others, the political polarization in this country and around the world, terrible weather events, and the devastation of ongoing wars. It often feels much like the storm in the Sea of Galilee, in last week’s Gospel, that so frightened experienced sailors they woke the sleeping Jesus who calmed the seas and stilled the winds. This week the reading begins after the sea was quieted as Jesus, with the disciples, crossed over to the other side. In our time we continue to cross the churning seas of daily news as we seek to re-establish our footing on something that resembles solid ground. In the disarray, the anger, and the fear, some of us move into new consciousness, some of us retreat into the old.

    This week even as David returns home a victor in war, he crosses over the exultation of winning into the woeful lament and mournful loss of Saul and Jonathan. Saul became an enemy that David still loved nonetheless, and Jonathan was in life closer to his heart than anyone else. David exclaims 3 times in this reading: "How the mighty have fallen!" and we suddenly realize how the fallen "mighty" are just ordinary mortals like the rest of us. Even the “mighty” will end their earthly sojourn in a grave, the great equalizer of us all.       

    Paul enters testy waters as he asks the Corinthians to cross over from a previous idea of financial support for the poor in Jerusalem, to actually finishing the plan and giving the funds. He tells us that if we are eager to help, any gift is acceptable given according to what we have and not given from what we do not have. I especially like when he says in verses 13 and 14, I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of fair balance between your present abundance and their need…What is too much; what is too little? Our own eagerness – or lack of – will determine how we give.      

     As Mark gives us Jesus and the Disciples after the storm on the other shore, Jesus is met by a frightened father in fear of his daughter's serious illness. Jesus agrees to go to see the child. On the way, a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for 12 years reached for and touched his cloak and was suddenly healed. Perhaps those witnessing also crossed over into an even greater level of faith in Jesus as Jesus tells the woman, "Your faith has made you well." And it was the faith of Jairus that Jesus responded to yet as he approached, the wailers and weepers declared the child was dead. Jesus responds by telling them that she is just sleeping and the wailers laughed.

     An interesting point is that earlier in Mark’s Gospel (6:5-6) it says that while in Nazareth, Jesus could do no deed of power because of the unbelief of those in his hometown. When there is no faith, healing is exponentially more difficult. To that end, he sends all the scoffers away, takes mom, dad, and his disciples into see the little girl, and once inside they all become collaborators* with Jesus through their faith, unlike the home-crowd in Nazareth.

    As the child crosses back into life from death, I remember my long-held curiosity about the woman suffering for 12 years and the 12 year old girl. Twelve years and twelve years…** 

    I wonder (as usual) ~ what has all this to do with my own faith? This doesn’t appear to me as message to say that if I’m not immediately healed of some affliction that my faith isn't strong enough. Maybe I/we need to revisit what we mean by healed. Perhaps it is that in the reaching for Jesus we are led to faith in action inwardly as well as outwardly. In the most difficult times, when faith is strained, perhaps it is enough to believe that prayer brings God's support to every forward step we attempt to take even if the outcome we most desire isn’t seemingly fulfilled. With our constancy in prayer, we will be more able to live out our faith with far less fear of what is or isn’t and of what is to come. I think that it is in the working through our faith, in all of the sea changes of life, that our souls are healed, or at least mended, and our confidence of Christ’s presence within us grows. It is also that gathering in a determined community of faith, crossing various angry seas at times and floating along in the moments of tranquil waters, that we find our strength and purpose. With all hands on deck, we join together, in a collaboration of faith, sea-ing the changes we face, and in so doing, we are each touching the hem of Christ. In giving money, time, and talent as we are able, in principle and love, we will bring ourselves and each other to that heavenly shore, where there is no death, or chaos, or strife, but only life everlasting. In God, through Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit, there is plenteous redemption.

*On Facebook, I happened to see a meme with a quote from John Dominic Crossan, one of my favorite theologians. When asked why God doesn’t do this or that, Crossan said: While we are waiting for God’s intervention, God is waiting for our collaboration.

**I finally searched on this point and while here is only one source, I found it fascinating and of course the comments that follow it are, well, what they are. I will continue to explore but here’s a beginning point, do click and read and let me know what you think: https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/13692/two-stories-intertwined-in-mark-a-12-year-old-daughter-and-woman-with-a-12-year 

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY 

Leader:  ~ O Lord of Mercy and Hope, as we more easily turn to You in the tragedies of life, remind us that Your presence is constant even in the everyday routines. Guide us to be as constant with You, mindful that even a hesitant prayer touches Christ’s hem, grows our faith, and strengthens our souls.   

                                                O God of Plenteous Redemption

                                                O Lord, hear us call 

~ O Lord of Mercy and Hope, awaken compassion, virtue, and morality within ourselves and in all who govern in our world, our country, and our community, to ensure an equitable balance between the vast abundance of the few and the significant needs of the many. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O God of Plenteous Redemption

                                                O Lord, hear us call                                             

~ O Lord of Mercy and Hope, relieve the suffering of those with serious illness, addiction, or desperate life circumstance, and give wisdom and respite to those who give them care. We now join our voices to pray for those in need…add your own petitions

                                                O God of Plenteous Redemption

                                                O Lord, hear us call           

~ O Lord of Mercy and Hope, fill us with the peace of knowing that those who have crossed to the other side, now live again forever, in the glorious bliss of Your eternal kingdom. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O God of Plenteous Redemption

                                                O Lord, hear us call 

~ O Lord of Mercy and Hope, 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 Plenteous Redemption

                                                O Lord, hear us call 

~ O Lord of Mercy and Hope, strengthen those whom you have called to be our anointed guides through all the uncharted waters of this earthly sojourn. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O God of Plenteous Redemption

                                                O Lord, hear us call    

The Celebrant adds:  O Lord of Peace and Wholeness, as the woman reached to Jesus, and the child awakened at his call, grant us the determination to reach towards You with fearless faith, eagerness of heart, and purity of intent. May justice and mercy prevail among all Your people. We ask through Jesus, our Redeemer; and the Holy Spirit, our Sanctifier; who together with You reign as One God, now and forever. Amen.

 

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