Prayers of the People: PLAIN Speaking ~ 10th Sunday after Pentecost WLWC* ‘25 Yr C

For Sunday, August 17, 2025; Readings: Ezekiel 19:1-3, 10-14; Psalm 30:1-12, Romans 12:14-21, Luke 6:17-25

What a lioness was your mother among lions! Among young lions, she lay raising her cubs.  She raised up one of her cubs; who became a young lion, who learned to catch prey, who devoured the woman-born. Your mother was like a vine in a vineyard planted by the waters, fruitful and full of branches from abundant water… Then she was uprooted in a rage, she was thrown to the ground, the east wind withered her fruit, they were stripped off; her strongest stem was withered, then consumed by fire. [Ezekiel 19:2-3, 10, 12]

   I will exalt you, ARK OF SAFETY, because you have pulled me up and have not let my enemies rejoice over me…Hear HOLY ONE, and have mercy upon me: HOLY ONE OF OLD, be my help. You have turned my wailing into dancing; from me you have taken my sackcloth and you have clothed me with joy. So that my glory might praise you and not keep silent; GLORIOUS ONE, my God, forever will I praise you. [Psalm 30:1, 1-12]

  Bless the ones who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with the ones who rejoice, weep with the ones who weep…Do not avenge yourselves beloved rather, leave space for the wrath [of God]; for it is written, “To me belongs vengeance; I will repay, says the Holy One.”  No, “If your enemy hungers, feed them; if they thirst, give them something to drink; for by so doing, burning coals shall you heap on their head.” Do not be overcome by evil rather, overcome evil with good. [Romans 12:14-21]

   Then Jesus looked up at the women and men who were his disciples and said ”Blessed is the poor, for yours is the majesty of God. Blessed are those who are hungry now, for you all shall be fed. Blessed are you who weep now, for you all shall laugh…But woe to you who are rich, for you all have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now, for you all shall be hungry… [Luke 6:20-21, 24-25a]

   This week is no picnic in the park with these readings! Ezekiel starts us off with a pair of allegorical prophecies, poetry as lamentation. In the first, lion is the image of the royal tribe of Judah with the lioness referencing the queen mother raising her cubs. We’re in the Babylonian exile/captivity and Judah has no authority. The second allegory references the mother as a vine which is an image for the people of Israel. In the full reading, the vine is strong and so tall as to reach the clouds and then uprooted in a rage… foretelling the destruction of the kingdom.

  The Psalmist is more comforting and recognizing God as deliverer and that sorrows and joy are cyclical in each human life. Everyone experiences times of sorrow and times of joy no matter our higher or lower, richer or poorer status in life.

  In the reading from Romans, Paul tells us to be with one another, in pastoral terms to be present, on the path of Jesus in those times of weeping and grief and also to rejoice with others in times of joy. It is also important to be present with ourselves in times of grief and in times of joy and, especially, to ask others to be present with us! Of course on the first read, the line that says “If your enemy hungers, feed them; if they thirst, give them something to drink…” your eyebrows may fly higher than usual! BUT keep reading and there is, were I to be completely honest, some satisfaction in the second part about burning coals.  Ahem…yet the message is clear that we are not to be overcome by evil rather, [we are to] overcome evil with good.

     Luke brings us to what, at first glance, seems a brief retelling of the Sermon on the Mount minus lunch. This piece is known as The Sermon on the Plain and also Blessings and Woes. Jesus is speaking to his disciples and also his mere presence is literally healing those who have simply shown up to see him. In making the statement that the poor are blessed is far from suggesting that state of being is better than another. It is truly, as Dr. Gafney says that, “…poverty…so often exists because of the intentionally oppressive and exploitative actions of the rich.” In his time and our own, the poorest are women and children, in our country and in every part of the world. As Dr. Gafney also says, “The persistence and perpetuation of poverty is a sign of the unredeemed world that will be transformed for the last time on the last day.”

    The underlying theme of this group of readings is that no one can be or ever is happy all the time. One problematic part of our western culture, I believe, is the notion that all we need is X, Y, Q, or P and everyone can have all that and more to be fulfilled and happy and beautiful and healthy and wealthy… thanks to advertising and the never-ending quest for more and better and bigger and more expensive. And, for the unprepared, come the crash of unexpected life events that damage or destroy all those expectations, which also can create significant physical and mental health stress. DEEP BREATH here…

    In Plain speaking: Blessed are we who have faith that is better on some days than others, with one good friend or several or a community, for us to be present with and they for us in all manner of life circumstances, even if only by zoom if not in person. Let us let God do God stuff with those who are doing woeful things and just work in our own ways to show up to help others and ourselves through difficult times. There is much good we can do in our own space and the wider spaces around us. Let’s just take the Plain with us wherever we go, feeling blessed especially on one of those days or months or year.  

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY 

Leader:  ~ Most FAITHFUL GOD, throughout our human living we rise and fall in our own cycles of laughter and tears, sickness and health, fear and calm, in our own unique circumstances and durations. Turn the eyes of our hearts and souls to you in every season for deliverance and sustenance, and the guidance for caring and sharing the sweet and the sorrow with all we know and meet along the way.

                                           Healing One, our Ark of Safety

RESPONSE:                Hear and Heal us in Your Mercy

~ Most FAITHFUL GOD, grant us the courage to keep our voices strong and enable them to be heard by the leaders of our Earth, our Country, and our Community. Give us the words to encourage the unscrupulous to lay aside destructive and forceful acts so as to turn the wailing of those harmed into a holy respite of comfort and peace. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                           Healing One, our Ark of Safety                                               

                                           Hear and Heal us in Your Mercy 

~ Most FAITHFUL GOD, sustain and comfort all who suffer physically, emotionally, or spiritually, and renew all who offer supportive care. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                           Healing One, our Ark of Safety                                               

                                           Hear and Heal us in Your Mercy 

~ Most FAITHFUL GOD, accompany the mournful through their trials of loss, as the choirs of Heaven sing in jubilance for those now arrived in the splendor of Your Eternal Kingdom… We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                           Healing One, our Ark of Safety                                               

                                           Hear and Heal us in Your Mercy 

~  Most FAITHFUL GOD, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… 

                                           Healing One, our Ark of Safety                                               

                                           Hear and Heal us in Your Mercy            

~ Most FAITHFUL GOD, grant the grace of authenticity to those we choose to interpret your Word, guiding us as together we sift through the deceits and false prophecy of those who use distortion for their own secret purpose. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                           Healing One, our Ark of Safety                                               

                                           Hear and Heal us in Your Mercy 

The Celebrant adds: Ever-Living God, transform the fires of discord, violence, and hate that rage across this planet into blessings for those who would curse us, and vengeance left in your hands. May we never be overcome by evil in this world, but in our faithfulness to you, let us overcome evil with good. We ask through Jesus, the Perfecter of our Faith; and the Holy Spirit, our Source of Wisdom; who together with You are One God, in the blaze of Mercy, Justice, and Everlasting Peace, forever and ever.  Amen.

 

*Readings for our Parish in this Year C are from The Rev. Dr. Wilda [Wil] Gafney, Womanist biblical scholar, and the Right Rev. Sam B. Hulsey Professor of Hebrew Bible at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Texas. She is the author of A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church Yr C, and others in her series, and translator of its biblical selections. I definitely commend her book for the complete readings, to Clergy and Laity, for her Text Notes, and “Preaching Prompts” whether or not you will use them in your Liturgies/Services/Preaching. There is much to learn from her work to inform every facet of our lives in Christ.  To learn more about her and her work, see her website: https://www.wilgafney.com/

 

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: Lurking Listener ~ 10th Sunday after Pentecost '25 RCL Yr C

For Sunday, August 17, 2025, Readings: Jeremiah 23:23-29, Psalm 82, Hebrews 11:29-12:2, 

Luke 12:49-56

 

   Am I a God nearby, says the LORD, and not a God far off? Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name…Is not my word like fire… [Jeremiah 23:23, 25a, 29a]

   Arise, O God, and rule the earth, for you shall take all nations for your own. [Psalm 82:8]

   Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith... [Hebrews 12:1-2a]

   Do you think that I have come to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three...You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? [Luke 12:51-52, 56]

       In the dining room of my paternal Great-Grandmother, who was born in 1867, was a framed calligraphed message that read: Christ is the head of this house, the unseen guest at every meal, the silent listener to every conversation. As a child, it both fascinated and frightened me and I often tried to avoid going into the room, possibly thinking and hoping that was the only place the charm worked! I was not quite 12 when she died and, for reasons I still do not understand, I asked if I could have it and it was given. I still have it though it is carefully packed away because of its age and fragility. It no longer frightens me yet when I think of it, as with this week’s readings, I am caught a bit short, or, perhaps more than a bit.

       God is blunt in Jeremiah: Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name…Is not my word like fire? God is equally clear in the Psalm when castigating unjust gods who show favor to the wicked…Nevertheless, says God, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince.

      Paul gives us equal clarity for our path now and going forward by emphasizing the role of faith that kept the ancients on their road to God, despite all manner of hardship. He points us to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith as our guide. Yet not only is God nearby, and Jesus within us, along with the power of the Holy Spirit, Paul reminds us that we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, those who have persevered in the life we have each been given. Are we repelled, or at least unsettled as I was with the plaque as a child, or comforted and bolstered by the wonder of a God who knows all we say and do, with Jesus as perfection when we are so imperfect, and a Cloud filled with support?

     In this piece from Luke’s Gospel, Jesus seems uncharacteristically harsh when he tells us that he came to bring fire to the earth and division within households. At first glance it strikes a particularly disheartening chord in these days of fiery political and “religious” false rhetoric that seems designed to enflame passions and instill fear, especially among the weak and the poor. Families, friends, and nations are torn apart by mortals-who-would-be-gods. However, the fire of God and Jesus isn’t intended to burn us to a crisp and turn the Earth into an orbiting cinder, ruled by the “winners” of the race that is set before us. This fire is the refiner’s fire of purifying and cleansing, removing the dross – the junk and rubble that weakens our faith. It is a call, even a warning to us to re-order our priorities, our principles, what we value, our purpose in life. This fire will be uncomfortable as we turn away from the temptations of all the false gold that glitters, but the reward is beyond all joy that we can imagine. Jesus, impatient for us to understand, knew at that moment that his baptism of blood would come first. Our next baptism is upon us.

    This mortal life is not meant to be a “rat-race” to the finish. Yet it will finish at a time unknown and unexpected. As that clock ticks on, I must now ask myself, again, what am I still trying to hide from that Unseen  Listener? Maybe, the unseen listener is also me, hearing my own rationalizing easy temptations, as well as Jesus who is listening to see how I am hearing and heeding His words. I know that I need to be less of a lurking listener who is judging others who don't meet my particular specifications. Ok, it's time for me to go re-read that plaque and make some plans, again, to try to unthink some things I think or at very least un-speak them, and, to ask The Listener for some continuing help.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Lord Most High, kindle our hearts and refine our souls with the purifying fire of Your Presence. Guide us to run with perseverance the race and understand the division from those who have not yet found their enduring faith.

                                          Arise, O God                                           
              RESPONSE:            Fire our Faith

~ O Lord Most High, with the courage and wisdom of the celestial Cloud of Witnesses beside us, let our voices be heard by the leaders of our Earth, our Country, and our Community, to lay aside the clinging sins of destructive and unholy words and actions. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Arise, O God

                                                       Fire our Faith

~ O Lord Most High, sustain and comfort all who suffer physically, emotionally, or spiritually, and renew all who offer supportive care. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       Arise, O God

                                                       Fire our Faith

~ O Lord Most High, accompany the mournful through their trials of loss, as the choirs of Heaven sing in jubilance for those now arrived in the splendor of Your Eternal Kingdom… add your own petitions

                                                       Arise, O God

                                                       Fire our Faith

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

                                                       Arise, O God

                                                       Fire our Faith              

~ O Lord Most High, grant the grace of authenticity to those we choose to interpret the truth in your Word, guiding us as together we sift through the deceits and false prophecy of those who use distortion for their own secret purpose. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Arise, O God

                                                       Fire our Faith                                                                 

The Celebrant adds:  O Lord our God, Who rules the Earth, transform the fires of discord, violence, and hate that rage across this planet into the cleansing waters of Baptism, revealing the glory of Salvation, beneath the dross of human excess, and the eternal beauty of the Gospel message. We ask through Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of Faith; and the Holy Spirit, the Fire of Wisdom; who together with You are One God, in the blaze of Mercy, Justice, and Everlasting Peace, 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

 

Prayers of the People: Each Human’s Race ~ 9th Sunday after Pentecost WLWC* ‘25 Yr C

For Sunday, August 10, 2025; Ezekiel 14:12-22a, Psalm 124:1-8, Hebrews 11:29-12:2, Luke 17:26-37 

 For thus says GOD WHOSE NAME IS HOLY: More so [than these things] my four dreadful judgments I send upon Jerusalem—word, famine, barbarous beasts, and pestilence—to cut off from her humankind and animalkind! And look! There remain in her survivors… bringing forth daughters and sons; they shall come out to you and you all shall see their ways and their deeds, and you all shall be comforted on account of the evil I have brought upon Jerusalem, for all that I have brought upon her. [Ezekiel 14:21-22]

   Blessed be the Holy Protector, who has not given us as prey to their teeth. We like a bird have escaped from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of God Who is Holy, who made the heavens and earth. [Psalm124:6-8]

   They who through faith subdued monarchies, did the work of justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions…since we have surrounding us so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also every weight throw off, along with the sin that distracts; through patience let us run the race that is set before us. Looking to Jesus the foundation and fulfilment of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, its shame despising, and at the right hand of the throne of God is seated. [Hebrews:33a, 12:1-2]

   “Now just as it was in the days of Noah, thus shall it be in the days of the Son of Woman. Women and men were eating, drinking, marrying, being given in marriage—until the day Noah [and his wife and daughters and sons and daughters-in-law] entered the ark and the flood came and destroyed all of them [and their children]. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot… But on the day that Lot [and his wife and daughters] left Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from heaven and destroyed all of them [and their children]. Accordingly shall it be on the day the Son of Woman is revealed. On that day, anyone on the roof who has belongings in the house must not come down to gather them up and likewise, anyone in the field should not turn back…Remember Lot’s wife. The one who seeks to preserve their life will lose it, but the one who loses their life shall save their life...” [Luke 17:5b-6, 7b]

   Dr. Gafney’s* A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church, Year C, with her translations and choices, was published in 2024. Of course, it would have been written and submitted considerably earlier before its acceptance, printing, and release. I acquired my copy after our Rector received permission from the Bishop to use it for our parish for this lectionary cycle. The timing of all was well before the most recent US  General Election less than a year ago, and a scant 8 months, as of this writing, since the Inauguration of the current US Administration. As I have said before in this space, Dr. Gafney does not change the context of the readings in any way, she simply uses expansive titles that she has gleaned from her translations from ancient languages and culture. She uses feminine pronouns for God as well as mentioning specific women by name and title and others by gender, adding children in the readings where appropriate. I mention this because the readings, many of which never appear in our New Revised Common Lectionary, seem to me, to have an eerie prescience about them.

   The 70 or so years of the Babylonian Exile/Captivity of the Jewish people of course had and continues to have a profound impact on the Jewish people. There is no room in this space to examine it closely, other than to establish that the recent Old/Hebrew Testament readings from Dr. Gafney are set in this timeframe.

   Dr. Gafney reminds us that a significant theme in the Hebrew Bible is that God is responsible for all things including good and evil, and everything in between. Yet as she says, “God calls God’s own bluff…” ultimately refraining from total annihilation to a promise that God will not destroy everyone. Catastrophes and cataclysms continue and some people will always blame God while others blame categories of people they have been taught, or try to teach or demand of others, not to tolerate/accept.

   In this week’s readings, God having previously appeared to Ezekiel, who, after accounting for the words of God about the God’s judgments sent upon Jerusalem—sword, famine, barbarous beasts, and pestilence—proclaims that There remain survivors…and you all shall be comforted.

   The psalmist this week is steadfast in proclaiming that God who made the heavens and the earth is our Holy Protector and enables escape from predators as our help is in the Name of God.

   Most biblical scholars agree that The Epistle to the Hebrews is not authored by Paul. That said, the message is that there is no right/correct form of faith that guarantees a life free from significant difficulties. The world that God created, as Dr. Gafney says, is not that simple and God is not that fickle. The full message of Hebrews is perseverance through the hardships of captivity—even those of us not physically held by others are captive of our own vices and devices—and destruction from deliberately human as well as natural disasters. In probably its most well-known words the Epistle says through patience let us run the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the foundation and fulfillment of our faith…

   The Babylonian Captivity, over 70 years, should have ended the people of Israel but it did not. God transcends all boundaries from human to geographic. God is wherever God’s people are.

   Jesus lived in and under oppression by the Romans in all of its forms—religious, cultural, and most of all political. In Luke, Jesus recounts the times of Noah that caused him [and his wife and daughters and sons and daughters-in-law] to enter the ark…and the days of Lot [and his wife and daughters] left Sodom… and offers what will precede his coming and what must be left behind when it does and not to turn back  when these things occur, with a sobering: Remember Lot’s wife. Throughout earthly history we have heard others tell us that end times are near. Our world has been changed many times and will be changed again. Our things are not going with us but are to be left behind. In faith we know that Christ’s return will come and until it does, let us not risk our physical or spiritual life for stuff. A good time to simplify our lives is now. We are each to run in our own human race as it unfolds before us, with patience, through faith, and following Jesus as our Foundation. [When we are worried about the things we have accumulated or wish to, however sentimental or valuable in earthly terms, let’s just remember Lot’s wife.]

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Most HOLY PROTECTOR, in troubled and fearful times, guide our hearts and souls to ascend to you for inner comfort and spiritual safety. Fill us with the constant courage to resist and escape the snares of evil acts that diminish the personhood of the many, as they boost the egos of the few.  

                                             O God who made the heavens and earth

RESPONSE:                  Our help is in your name

~ Most HOLY PROTECTOR, for truth and by faith, we stand among those leaders in this world, this nation, and our community, who are pursuing justice and mercy for the oppressed. Strengthen us to work for the defense of those endangered by all who act from ignorance, violence, and greed, and help us to shut the roaring mouths of would-be lions. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                             O God who made the heavens and earth

                                             Our help is in your name                                           

~ Most HOLY PROTECTOR, release from despair all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, and grant peace to all their loving helpers. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                             O God who made the heavens and earth

                                             Our help is in your name                                           

~ Most HOLY PROTECTOR, lift us from our sorrow as we know our loved ones live again, in the boundless joy you have prepared for them, and for us, in eternity. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                             O God who made the heavens and earth

                                             Our help is in your name                                           

~ Most HOLY PROTECTOR, 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 who made the heavens and earth

                                             Our help is in your name                                           

           

~ Most HOLY PROTECTOR, we give you thanks for those you have called to gather us in your Holy Name. May they guide us through the footsteps of Christ, that together we radiate your divine love to friend and stranger, beloved or divided. We pray especially for: add your own petitions  

                                             O God who made the heavens and earth

                                             Our help is in your name                                           

The Celebrant adds: O God of the Women and Men who were Prophets and Martyrs, let us throw off the weight of sin that distracts, leaning on the Cloud of Witnesses that surrounds us, as we, in patience, run the race of life you have set before us. Urge us to prepare our souls continuously for the unexpected hour when the Son of Woman returns. We ask through Jesus, the Foundation and Fulfillment of our Faith; and the Holy Spirit, our Wisdom Source; who together with you are our One True God, now and forever. Amen.

 

*Readings for our Parish in this Year C are from The Rev. Dr. Wilda [Wil] Gafney, Womanist biblical scholar, and the Right Rev. Sam B. Hulsey Professor of Hebrew Bible at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Texas. She is the author of A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church Yr C, and others in her series, and translator of its biblical selections. I definitely commend her book for the complete readings, to Clergy and Laity, for her Text Notes, and “Preaching Prompts” whether or not you will use them in your Liturgies/Services/Preaching. There is much to learn from her work to inform every facet of our lives in Christ.  To learn more about her and her work, see her website: https://www.wilgafney.com/

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: Real or Imagined ~ 9th Sunday after Pentecost '25 RCL Yr C

For Sunday, August 10, 2025, Readings:  Genesis 15:1-6, Psalm 33:12-22, Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16; 

Luke 12:32-40

   The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, “Do not be afraid…I am your shield; your reward will be very great.” [Genesis 15:1]

    Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. Indeed our heart rejoices in him, for in his name we put our trust. Let your loving-kindness…be upon us, as we have put our trust in you. [Psalm 33:2-22]

   Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen...For he looked forward to the city that has foundations; whose architect and builder is God...they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. [Hebrews 11: 1,10, 16a]

   Do not be afraid, little flock…Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven...For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also...Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit...You must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. [Luke 12:32a,  33b-35, 40]

    We are what we love. There is no difficulty in understanding and recognizing the truth of the statement from Luke’s Gospel that where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

     It is worth the time to consider where it is that our hearts are truly placed, or, misplaced. In this life we are, all too often, confronted by a deep personal loss or the starkness of unexpected tragedy in natural disasters or dreadful episodes of random violence. We are reminded in the Gospel, that earthly life is startlingly, and all too often, abruptly short.  But one day turns to another and many of us are busy accumulating this and that and those other. Sometimes that material treasure can distract and disconnect us from the path to that Heavenly Country prepared for us by God.

    There is much to do to be ready for the return of the Son of Man. In arranging our lives around what is truly important, placing far less emphasis on the material and much more on the spiritual, the unfailing treasure in heaven is the goal for which we were created. But, let’s not worry about that now…there’s always tomorrow, right?!

    In Genesis 12, God has told Abram, not yet Abraham, to leave his home country without even knowing where he was headed. In this passage from Genesis 15, we are reminded of the strength of Abram’s faith and we know that God’s promise to him was fulfilled through the innumerable descendants from two old people who seemed to be nearly as good as dead. Sometimes we forget that those descendants comprise the three Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.

    Faith work seems especially hard in these days and times with so many delicious or frustrating or fearful distractions that keep us from centering ourselves on our soul's vocation: Full-Time Faithful Followers of Christ. 

    The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews (few serious Biblical scholars believe it was Paul) was likely addressing a community of Jewish Christians whose faith was faltering and may have strongly considered the return to Judaism. By using the history of the one who became Abraham, the writer reminds the audience of his time, and we in ours, how Abraham embodied his faith. In saying faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen… it is to say that hope is a necessary ingredient for, of, and in faith. Even the most devout people have moments of uncertainty and so we move through those times with hope, however shaky.

   Then Luke brings us to the reality of examining the focus of our hearts. Where is our primary emphasis in everyday life? I regularly consider reducing the accumulation of unnecessary things, activities, and diversions as I have loads of all of that! It’s past time to consider and begin to do. Another is to begin and end each day in prayer and find moments throughout the day to offer thanks (in between asking for help) or just a quick acknowledgment of God's Presence. Another is genuine, unplugged (electronically and otherwise) Sabbath time. Let us put ourselves in God's way and allow God to get in ours. Yes, yes, I know I must, I'm working on it, I'll get to it as soon as I finish writing this, cleaning that, paying the bills, checking on-line bargains, texting, arguing on social media posts, and posting that hilarious cat video... 

    Part-time Christianity isn't what God has in mind for me or for you. Our Heavenly Broker is all about: Vocation Vocation Vocation ~ using our life's work as preparation for the unexpected hour when we will be called to the City of God. Light that lamp. Be heart-dressed for action, now. Be prepared to abandon earthly appointment calendars to be called forward into an unknown destination. Don't let time slip by unnoticed.    

    Several times a day take a long slow deep breath in as you think: “Dear Lord!” And then, as you slowly let that breath out think: “Thank You for this Breath!” There are more variations of “breath prayer” than any one can imagine, you can search online for them...but not this moment! Stop, breathe deeply, and wonder about the state of your faith.

   And, most of all, do not be afraid, as God said to Abram, and Jesus to his disciples. Now is the time to be energized by the love of God in Christ continually flowing through us. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen now and in an unexpected hour. Time to rethink: What is the treasure now calling my heart? Those that are real, here, and now, or those I spend time imagining? Think about the family all accounted for in that flood, tornado, hurricane, or fire that destroys the house and everything in it ~ where would your heart be?

    BUT hey, we can still make time to laugh at a funny cat video! There is always a fun part of Creation that makes a heart happy.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O God, our Help and our Shield, our souls need not wait for Your love that is already within us and around us every moment of our lives. As we rejoice in Your loving-kindness, guide us to awaken each day ready to abandon our human plans in obedience to Your call, unafraid, even toward an unknown destination.

                                                   Most Loving Lord

RESPONSE:                        We put our trust in You   

~ O God, our Help and our Shield, open and fill us with true conviction to stand among all who lead in this world, this nation, and our community seeking the assurance and the delivery of things hoped: justice, the rescue of the oppressed, and the defense of those made helpless through ignorance, poverty, and greed. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Most Loving Lord                                                      

                                                       We put our trust in You

~ O God, our Help and our Shield, release from despair all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, and grant peace to all loving helpers. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need…  add your own petitions

                                                       Most Loving Lord                                                      

                                                       We put our trust in You

~ O God, our Help and our Shield, our sorrow lifts as we know our loved ones live again in the boundless joy of Your Heavenly Country, and the City You have prepared for them in eternity. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                       Most Loving Lord                                                      

                                                       We put our trust in You

~ O God, our Help and our Shield, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently…

                                                       Most Loving Lord                                                      

                                                       We put our trust in You

~ O God, our Help and our Shield, we give You thanks for those You have called to gather us, Your flock, in Your Holy Name. Grant that our hearts become the purse of Your unfailing treasure that radiates divine love to friend and stranger, beloved or divided. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Most Loving Lord                                                      

                                                       We put our trust in You

The Celebrant adds: Creator, Almighty, you are the Architect and Builder of all that is, seen and unseen. In our short and temporal sojourn, urge us to prepare our souls continuously for the unexpected hour when the Son of Man returns. We ask in the name of Christ Jesus, the Living Word; and the Holy Spirit, the Revealer of Truth; who together with You are One God, infinitely, eternally, 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: In Trust ~ 8th Sunday after Pentecost WLWC* ‘25 Yr C

For Sunday, August 3, 2025; Readings: Habakkuk 1:1-13, Psalm 62:8-12, 2 Peter 3:1-11, Luke 17:20-25 

  Holy One, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear?...Look at the nations and see! Be astonished! Be Astounded! For a work is being worked in your days that you would not believe if you were told…Dreadful and frightful are they; they invent their own justice and majesty. [Habakkuk 1:1a, 5, 7-8]

  Trust in God at all times…pour out your heart before her; God is a refuge for us…power belongs to God. Faithful love belongs to you, Most High. For you repay to each one according to their work. [Psalm 62:8, 11b, 12]

  …in the last days will come scoffers scoffing and chasing after their own lusts…But this one thing, do not ignore, beloved, that with the Most High one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day. The Most High is not slow about God’s promise…but is patient with you all, not wanting anyone to perish, rather all to come to repentance…what sort of persons you all ought to be… [2 Peter 3:3, 8-9, 11b ]

  Jesus…answered, “The majesty of God is not coming with what can be perceived…the majesty of God is among you all… The days are coming when you all will long to see one of the days of the Son of Woman, and you will not see [one]. People will say to you all, ‘Look! Here!’ or ‘There!’ Do not go; do not chase after [them]. [Luke 17:20, 21b, 23]

    Every generation believes that they are living in unique times. Yet the adage that history repeats is reflected in these very readings. Another often heard saying is “Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it” to which I offer a corollary that those who do know history feel doomed by those who are repeating it.

    This reading from the prophet Habakkuk is unusual as it begins with the Prophet giving a message to God instead of the other way around. The reading consists of an opening line by a narrator in verse 1, the Prophet’s complaint follows in verses 2-4, and God responds in verses 5-11. The Prophet then offers a second complaint in verses 12-13 to 2:1. Habakkuk’s outcry of how long is responding to the terrible violence and atrocities on the people of Israel possibly by the Assyrians. God responds by saying she is sending the Chaldeans (aka Babylonians) to take care of it. Habakkuk signifies his doubt of success in this venture inasmuch as God is immortal and doesn’t have to live with the results. Then, you can almost hear him sigh, as he decides to wait and see what will happen with God’s plan.

    The author of the Psalm is also urging caution not to retaliate but to remember that faithful love and the true power and timing of life belongs to God.  

    The writers of 2 Peter are addressing those in a much later time and place and reminding them that God’s time is not measured like our own. In the early Church, it was thought that the return of Christ was imminent. We heard it from Paul’s writing and others, and now in this writing that reminds them and us of the range of history as told in the Hebrew Testament until this 2^nd century writing. The writer or writers offer an explanation that for God, one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. But that isn’t to say that God is unaware of life in our own era and time. The text says that rather than thinking God is slow in responding to our cries, instead, God is patient, giving us each a chance to be repentant so that we do not perish unrepentantly.  

     Luke offers us Jesus explaining to the Pharisees that the majesty of God is not coming with what can be perceived...the majesty of God is among you all.  And further that we aren’t to chase after everyone who points to alleged signs and wonders of Christ’s return. Instead, we are to consider what sort of person we ought to be in our lives. It is of no doubt to me that the disciples then and in the early Church and now are/were/will be confused by these details of the when and the how and the what it will all be like when Jesus returns.

   The piece that gives me some peace is from the psalmist who reminds me that with God and in God and through God, I can pour out my heart in trust. That God in Christ and through the Holy Spirit is my refuge, my strength, and my salvation.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Ancient One, Our God, from the beginning of Creation, your people have been the oppressed or the oppressors, suffered natural and unnatural disasters, held in captivity in wars, or trapped in addiction to worldly lusts. Release us from the fears of our own times, helping us to live in patience, and seeking to be the persons we ought to be in deserving your forgiveness and salvation.

                                                O God Most High, Our Refuge

   RESPONSE:      To you we pour out our hearts

~ Ancient One, Our God, awaken the souls of all who govern by merit or by force in the nations of this world, in this country, and in this community, to remember that neither the greatly honored nor the wicked will live forever. Save us from those who invent their own justice and majesty, as you repay each of us according to our work. Guide us all to good and sincere service to benefit all your children in this life, and the next. We pray especially for: the President, the Vice-President, our Members of Congress, our Governor, our County Executive, our City Council, and our Mayor.

                                              O God Most High, Our Refuge                                               

                                              To you we pour out our hearts                                      

~ Ancient One, Our God, lift the spirits of those who languish in the face of physical or emotional pain, in hunger for food, and in the lack of housing, and refresh the energy of all who try to help. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… 

                                              O God Most High, Our Refuge                                               

                                              To you we pour out our hearts

~ Ancient One, Our God, liberate the hearts that grieve with the joy that those we have sent ahead now rise to live again, revealed in the newness and glory of Christ our Lord. We pray especially for…

                                              O God Most High, Our Refuge                                               

                                              To you we pour out our hearts

~ Ancient One, Our God, we pause in this moment to offer you our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… 

                                              O God Most High, Our Refuge                                               

                                              To you we pour out our hearts            

~ Ancient One, Our God, as we are constantly blessed by those you have called to lead us in your church, grant them Your continuing wisdom to speak in words and ways that guide us all to you. We pray especially for: Sean, our Presiding Bishop; Kevin our Bishop; Patrick, our Rector; Lloyd, our Rector Emeritus; and Cecily, our Deacon.

                                              O God Most High, Our Refuge                                               

                                              To you we pour out our hearts

The Celebrant adds: O God, O Holy One, whose timing is not our own, in these and all turbulent times, turn our despair of waiting for the day of Christ’s coming, into striving to put our full trust in you. Strengthen our belief that all true power and all our souls, our hearts, and our faithful love belong to you. We ask through Christ Jesus, our Redeemer and Savior; the Holy Spirit, the Breath of our Hope; who together with you are One God, always and forever.  Amen.

 

*Readings for our Parish in this Year C are from The Rev. Dr. Wilda [Wil] Gafney, Womanist biblical scholar, and the Right Rev. Sam B. Hulsey Professor of Hebrew Bible at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Texas. She is the author of A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church Yr C, and others in her series, and translator of its biblical selections. I definitely commend her book for the complete readings, to Clergy and Laity, for her Text Notes, and “Preaching Prompts” whether or not you will use them in your Liturgies/Services/Preaching. There is much to learn from her work to inform every facet of our lives in Christ.  To learn more about her and her work, see her website: https://www.wilgafney.com/

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