People's Prayers: January 2025

Monday, January 6, 2025

Prayers of the People: Wingless Angels ~ 1st Sunday after the Epiphany WLWC* Yr C

For Sunday, January 12, 2025; Readings: Genesis 21:14-19, 2 Corinthians 9:6-13, Luke 4:1-15

So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar. He placed it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away…When the water in the skin was gone, she thrust the child under one of the bushes… she said, “Let me not see the death of the child…” and the messenger of God…said to her…Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Rise, lift the boy and hold him with your hand, for a great nation of him I will make.” [Genesis 21:14, 15, 16c, 17b, 18]

I will bless SHE WHO IS GOD at all times… I sought SHE WHO SAVES, and she answered me and delivered me out of all my terror… Taste and see that SHE WHO IS DELIGHT is good; happy are they who trust in her!... Turn from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. [Psalm 29: 1a, 4, 8, 14]

The one who sows sparingly, sparingly will also reap, and the one who sows in abundance, in abundance will also reap. Each one must give as decided in your heart, not out of reluctance or under pressure, for “God loves a cheerful giver.” [2 Corinthians 9:6-7]

Now Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by her, the Spirit into the wilderness. Forty days was he tempted by the devil… And when every test was at an end, the devil departed from Jesus for a season… Jesus returned, in the power of the Spirit… and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. And he began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by every woman and man. [Luke 4:1-2, 13-14a, 15]

Now, after the celebration of The Epiphany, Luke gives us the second half of the story of Jesus’s Baptism. We begin with Jesus being led by the Spirit into the wilderness and tempted by the Devil with a variety of tests including authority and glory with only the requirement to worship the devil. He’s even given the chance to prove that God’s own angels will…protect you…and…bear you up. More on that in a moment but let’s look at the story of Hagar.

While we only have a snippet of her story here, it is far more significant than many of us were ever taught to understand and believe. While it is likely understood by most with even a cursory knowledge of the Bible that Abraham is the patriarch of both Jews and Christians, far too many of those who believe themselves to be Christians, at least in current times, miss the point of Hagar’s son, who comes to be known as Ishmael. As Abraham’s first son, by his wife Sarah’s handmaiden, he becomes the father of 12 sons, one of which is the ancestor of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. In this way, Ishmael’s descendants are able to claim their rightful place as one the 3 major Abrahamic faiths, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. As I personally heard, in 1994, the Chief Sheik of the Sufis (the mystical branch of Islam) say to us in the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, Welcome to all of us who are the Children of Abraham. It was, to say the least, an unforgettable moment.

In this rendering of Psalm 29, Dr. Gafney gives us her signature expansive titles for God, particularly potent for the story of Hagar as the context of this psalm is equally relevant to Jesus’s time in the Judean wilderness. It is an opportune and strong reminder that in Hebrew, the Holy Spirit/Wisdom is represented by a feminine word.

Paul reminds of our own personal power to determine how we live as intentional followers of Christ. By sowing sparingly so shall we receive and, the corollary is obvious that when we sow in abundance, then abundance will be reaped. The crux of the matter is that we are to choose how to sow, to give, as we choose not out of reluctance, or under pressure, for God loves a cheerful giver. Now here’s something to ponder: What if while thoughtfully spare in our giving, we are still giving cheerfully?

And now back to the wilderness of Jesus…one of Dr. Gafney’s Text Notes offers another fascinating insight into the Hebrew language. In her translation of this portion of Luke’s Gospel, she says, “Biblical Hebrew does not have a word that means simply ‘divine winged being,’” which is generally translated as angel. I’ve looked at a dozen or more translations and paraphrases [see Biblegateway.com for your own check] and all say “angel.” Hebrew, she tells us, uses mal’akh “that means ‘messenger’” whether or not they are “human or divine.” Further, these messengers are distinct from the cherubim and seraphim…and never interchanged. She also says it is the same in the Greek and that there are no winged angels in the New Testament. That said, she reminds us that we can be angels to each other when need is noted. Women and children, as always, are the most vulnerable as societal norms begin to break down, especially those who are different than the dominant culture. As we approach this still fresh year, we are seeing much political change in areas around the world that have been fairly stable for decades. Those who are different may be truly in more peril than any other group. Let us be wingless angels to those in the wilderness of spirit, or in particular danger from any potential or intentional act of violence whether in word or action. Sometimes a wilderness is right in the midst of our daily living in our very own neighborhood or area. Hagar rose to lift up her child, Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit from his baptism, returned, in the power of the Spirit, so may we feel the Spirit within us, for us, and for us to rise into the Christ-filled well-being of each other.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ Jesus, Full of the Holy Spirit, God’s messenger called Hagar to rise from her wilderness and move forward. Guide us to rise from our own sense of the wilderness of fear and grief, anxiety and anger, or our own self-righteousness. Turn us again to Your teachings to fill us with all we need to be as wingless angels for all of God’s people, and the courage to give in abundance through the character of our ministry in Your Name.

O SHE WHO IS DELIGHT

Happy are we who trust in You

~ Jesus, Full of the Holy Spirit, impart special graces to all who lead the governments of this world, this country, and this community, that they may work together, and with us, to serve with humility, and selflessness, seeking peace and equity for all. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O SHE WHO IS DELIGHT

Happy are we who trust in You

~ Jesus, Full of the Holy Spirit, cradle the hearts of the sick, the poor, and the lonely, and fortify the spirits of all who give of themselves to help. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

O SHE WHO IS DELIGHT

Happy are we who trust in You

~ Jesus, Full of the Holy Spirit, carry the sorrowful through the waters of grief, as those You have called back Home now live again, forever joyful, in Your infinite love and grace. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O SHE WHO IS DELIGHT

Happy are we who trust in You

~ Jesus, Full of the Holy Spirit, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently…add your own petitions

O SHE WHO IS DELIGHT

Happy are we who trust in You

~ Jesus, Full of the Holy Spirit, enlighten and excite Your anointed disciples of our own day, who pray with and for us, baptize and confirm us, and instruct, encourage, and travel with us through our earthly sojourn. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O SHE WHO IS DELIGHT

Happy are we who trust in You

~ O Christ of the Gospel, You rose first from the Living Water of Baptism to bring New Life to God’s people. Raise us up in hope, cleanse our hearts, and walk with us until You rise again to carry us into eternity. We ask through the Holy Spirit, the Fire of our Faith; and SHE WHO PROVIDES, Creator of all that is; who together with You are One God, now and forever and ever.

*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: Faith Ablaze ~ 1st Sunday after Epiphany RCL Yr C

For Sunday, January 12, 2025, Readings: Isaiah 43:1-7, Psalm 29,Acts 8:14-17,

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

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

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

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

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

Here we are in fast-forward mode. Last Sunday, the Magi visited the Christ Child, leaving town in a hurry to avoid Herod. In between then and now Joseph received a dream that caused him to take Mary and the Child to Egypt as Herod was killing all the male children under two. It was after Herod’s death, three years later, that Joseph, Mary, and Jesus returned to settle in Nazareth.

This week, John, the cousin of Jesus, is a God-sent herald to warn the Sadducees and others to turn away from their corruption. As he says “one more powerful than I is coming. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” Enter Jesus, a grown man of 30, beginning his public ministry, who comes to John for Baptism.

As Jesus rises from the water, God announces from on high, "This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." The Holy Spirit descended as a dove to mark this man Jesus as God-sent, of God-nature, One with God, God’s own Human Image. In a very short time, he will claim the sinfulness of the World ~ past, present, and future to take to his crucifixion.

In this awakening time of Epiphany, let us begin again to discover and define our own public and private ministry. With the glitter of Christmas put away, all the turmoil in every corner of the world claims our attention and repels us and it’s easy to be distracted and distanced from the calling of Jesus. Whether you were officially baptized or not, take some time to think about the ritual of Baptism and its deep significance. For many Christians, though not all, Baptism is a Sacrament of purification, a Rite of Initiation, a formal adoption into the Christian faith. A simple definition is that the word comes from a hybrid of Latin and Greek and literally means "washing." This Sacrament is intended to be a means and visible form of God’s grace, just as the dove descending was for Jesus was the beginning of his journey as Messiah.

Whether by aspersion (sprinkling with water), immersion (plunging into water), or affusion (pouring water on), Baptism is a sacrament, ceremony, a rite, that hearkens back to the Jewish heritage of Jesus. Ancient and modern Jewish rituals of ablution (washing) for cleansing and/or purification were established millennia before John poured water over his cousin's head in the Jordan River. Some denominations believe that Baptism is necessary for Salvation, others do not. Not all schools of Judaism practice these rituals and neither do all Christians. But for many Christians, this Gospel moment marks the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus, though after this he immediately went to the desert to prepare further. Whether or not officially anointed, we are each claimed as Christ’s own for ever. As mortal beings we will fail and fall away yet we can and may always return to the One who raises us with Him. Our hearts love to claim the Babe in the Manger. Now we begin to claim the Man ~ the Messiah ~ of the Gospel.

You can read and pray through the ritual of the US Episcopal Church, learn or revisit its purpose and understanding at www.BCP.org and clicking Holy Baptism on the left sidebar. The five questions are asked of and answered by either the one being Baptized or, in the case of a child, a Godparent or Sponsor. Along with the five promises that are part of the Baptismal Covenant, these questions and promises are our operating principles, our acceptance of our charge and responsibilities as followers of Jesus. They are intensely serious and not meant as mere platitudes in a sweet ceremony. We revisit them at least five times per year in the Liturgy to remind us of what we might need to work on, a chance to reflect on how we managed at the end of a day or a month. One or more of them may even point to possibilities to shape our mindset for daily activities, or perhaps a new direction in vocation or volunteering as we make our way through our short human existence.

My favorite part of this Sacrament is near the end, after all the words have been spoken and the water has been poured. It is then that the Celebrant takes the chrism oil that was blessed in Holy Week and anoints the forehead of the one Baptized. The words at that moment stir my heart and my self-reckoning: you are sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked as Christ's own for ever.

From the waters of Creation, to the waters of Baptism, Christ is our bridge over waters troubled and calm and who comes with the infusion of the Holy Spirit. Even if you haven't been baptized, christened, or dedicated, just wanting to be is enough, some believe, and so you become baptized through desire. And while anyone of us can be a baptizer with water, only Jesus brings the fire of the Holy Spirit to set our faith ablaze It is time to be refreshed and renewed as we begin our own ministry again. Come on in and wade in the water. Let us now stake our souls’ claim to the Christ who leads us on His Way to our Salvation.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ Creator God~Beloved Messiah~Holy Spirit, You call us each by name and we are Your own. Gather us as wheat into Your granary and burn off the chaff within us that turns us from You. Baptize us in the fire of faith that we may discover the beauty of holiness in each day of our earthly lives.

O Lord of Glory