Prayers of the People: Even Now? ~ 7th Sunday after the Epiphany RCL Yr C '25

For Sunday, February 23, 2025; Readings: Genesis 45:3-11,15; Psalm 37:1-12, 41-42; 

1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50; Luke 6:27-38

   

   Then Joseph said to his brothers…do not be distressed , or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here…And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them… [Genesis 45:5a, 15]

   Do not fret yourselves over evil doers…for they shall wither like grass…Commit your way to the Lord and put your trust in him…Do not fret…over the one who prospers, the one who succeeds in evil schemes…Refrain from anger, leave rage alone…deliverance of the righteous comes from the Lord, he is their stronghold…because they seek refuge in him. [Psalm 37:1a-2a, 5a,8, 9a, 41b, 42b]

   So it is with the resurrection of the dead…What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor…it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. 

[1 Corinthians 15:42-44a]

   Jesus said, “…Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also*…Do to others as you would  have them do to you… “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them…or the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” [Luke 6:27-29a, 31-32,  38c]

    On the face of the readings, the theme is pretty simple: Do this, don’t do that and, love everyone. Do to others as you would have them do to you, do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned, says Jesus*, and all we have to do is love the unlovable and forgive the unforgivable. Sure, we’ve heard it all before but not so easy to practice, at least for me.

   The beginning point for this week’s lesson is Joseph forgiving his brothers. It is quite a dramatic story especially if you know the history that came before [Genesis 37, 39-50]. Joseph is the youngest, the favorite and most-beloved of his father, the tattletale, the dreamer of grandiose dreams, the very definition of the all-around annoying little brother. His older brothers took it to a whole different level leading to their mostly successful plot to be rid of him. It is a compelling account of the stuff of novels, films, and Broadway musicals. Yet, imagine being Joseph: could I/could you Love your enemies, especially your own family who plotted to kill you? Could I/could you do good to those who hate you? Can any of us refrain from anger at over threats, real and perceived, against family, friends,  and our “neighbors”?

   A priest friend once recounted a TV interview he saw with a man who had committed his life to working with young offenders. The man’s son had been recently murdered by such a person and the interviewer asked if he had forgiven the murderer. He said that he had forgiven him because the killer was just the kind of young person he was trying to help. Is that within or beyond my capacity to do, especially if that was my child? I seriously wonder, and it does put a troubling question to my faith that I must pray about and work on.

   It isn’t that Jesus is promoting a dismissal of appropriate blame and its consequences. There are judicial and other appropriate earth-bound consequences of our own and others’ actions. Rather, as we simply do not and will not know what transpires between God and the one who offended, we cannot, should not, must not assume the final verdict of God who knows what changes of heart and soul occur. It’s God’s job, not mine, to sort out the truly wicked evildoers and the truly righteous and faithful, and all in-between, and to judge, punish, reward accordingly. Hopefully, earthly legal systems will continue to do what they must and mostly should; in the earthly realm with and in faith with Christ, we are called to love and forgive, especially those who are the most difficult. It is, so very often, so very difficult.

   Yet before we can approach and attempt this challenging kind of love and forgiveness, we have to do some internal, self-directed work to believe ~ and accept ~ that God truly loves and forgives us, you, me. That is the hardest work of all, and it is where we must begin. For when we let go of judging ourselves, or at least begin to want to reduce and redirect it, knowing and believing how God loves and forgives us, we can be opened to love and forgive others, slightly more easily, at the very least. 

   In other words, I try to remember in Luke 6:38 that the measure I give out in this life is the measure I’ll get back in the next. Remember the Lord’s Prayer. Spend some time with it this week to read what it says, and go beyond the familiar syllables in recitation to clearer understanding. Look especially at: forgive Us our trespasses (sins), AS we forgive those who trespass against Us. Hear and feel deeply the importance of what it is we are truly asking. Rephrasing might change the perspective a bit and perhaps bring some discomfort if we say: forgive me my trespasses in the same way that I forgive them theirs. It's a radical departure to how we generally think and feel about loving and forgiving those we usually want nothing to do with. Or, honestly, those we secretly love to hate. Be one to love first, forgive next. OH and IT IS VERY HARD sometimes, especially now. But, of course we’re not talking about “romantic love.” We’re talking about the love that says, “it’s God’s job to judge, not mine.” And of course it doesn’t mean that we are to stop working for appropriate Justice. Oh, and the extra hard part: don't expect any gratitude or appreciation in return. And, no, you don’t have to deliver the love in person, it’s about freeing your own heart and soul. The practice of radical love and forgiveness feels like a long road in this life, yet revenge, as someone said, is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. This Love in this life, is the shortest path to receiving immeasurable love and forgiveness now and in the next. “Even now,” you say? Yes [insert several deep breaths here] even [especially] now.

      *"If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also." Walter Wink, [1935-2012] was a theologian and Professor Emeritus of Biblical Interpretation at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York City. His easy-to-read article explains much more about this in a useful context. He said, in part:

    "If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also."  Why the right cheek? A blow by the right fist in that right-handed world would land on the left cheek of the opponent. An open-handed slap would also strike the left cheek.  To hit the right cheek with a fist would require using the left hand, but in that society the left hand was used only for unclean tasks. Even to gesture with the left hand at Qumran [site of the Dead Sea Scrolls discovery] carried the penalty of ten days' penance. The only way one could naturally strike the right cheek with the right hand would be with the back of the hand.  We are dealing here with insult, not a fistfight. The intention is clearly not to injure but to humiliate, to put someone in his or her place...A backhand slap was the usual way of admonishing inferiors.  Masters backhanded slaves; husbands, wives; parents, children; men, women; Romans, Jews. We have here a set of unequal relations, in each of which retaliation would be suicidal. The only normal response would be cowering submission. Click here for: Walter Wink on Turn the Other Cheek and beyond.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
 
Leader:  ~ O God, our Stronghold and our Refuge, grant us the courage and the strength of faith to trust in, and accept as true, Your all-encompassing love for each of our selves. Release us from judgment and anger that we may grant the same love, mercy, and compassion to all others as we receive from You.
 
                                                       O Lord, Most High       
              RESPONSE:               Urge our hearts to love and forgive
 
~ O God, our Stronghold and our Refuge, impel the hearts, minds, and souls of all who govern across every location on this Earth, to act always with the highest ethical, moral, and spiritual intent for those they lead. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord, Most High       
                                                       Urge our hearts to love and forgive
 
~ O God, our Stronghold and our Refuge, ease the distress for those who are poor in health, in spirit, or in the basic needs of life, and for those who selflessly aid and comfort them. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord, Most High       
                                                       Urge our hearts to love and forgive
 
~ O God, our Stronghold and our Refuge, soften the grief for all who are bereft, as our beloved, raised to new life in glory and joy, are now with You for all eternity. We pray especially for... add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord, Most High       
                                                       Urge our hearts to love and forgive
 
~  O God, our Stronghold and our Refuge, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord, Most High       
                                                       Urge our hearts to love and forgive
             
~ O God, our Stronghold and our Refuge, grant extra blessings for those who lead us in Your Church as they inspire and encourage us, through Your Word and Sacraments, to take delight in and commit our ways and our lives entirely to You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord, Most High       
                                                       Urge our hearts to love and forgive
             
The Celebrant adds: Merciful, Benevolent God, relieve us of distress, frustration, and rage over the wickedness of others, and leave that judgment to You. Heighten our desire to be as generous with our love and forgiveness in this life, as You have promised to return to us in the next. We ask through Jesus, our Risen Christ; and the Holy Spirit, our Wisdom Guide; who together with You, are God Almighty, now and forever.  Amen

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