Prayers of the People: The One Thing ~ 4th Sunday in Lent WLWC* ‘25 Yr C

For Sunday, March 30, 2025; Readings: Numbers 26:33, Psalm 56:1-13, Acts 18:1-3, 18-20; Luke 10:38-42

Now Zelophehad ben Hepher had no sons, for he had daughters…The Judge of all the Earth spoke to Moses saying: … Since the daughters of Zelophehad are correct in their word, you shall indeed give them a hereditary possession… “When a man dies and has no son you shall pass the possession of the father on to his daughter…” [Numbers 26:33, 2-11]

 On days I fear, I place my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I am not afraid. What can flesh do to me? [Psalm 56:3-4]

 Paul departed Athens and went to Corinth…after staying for quite some time…sailed for Syria and with him were Priscilla and Aquila…When they arrived in Ephesus, Paul left them there…Apollos…taught accurately…concerning Jesus though he knew only the baptism of John. He  began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila, heard him, they took him in and explained the Way [of God] to him more accurately…   [Acts 5:1-3, 4c]

   …“Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered by much. Yet only one thing is necessary; Martha has chosen the better portion, which will not be taken away from her.”  [Luke 10:40-42]

   This week Dr. Gafney’s Lectionary centers on “women and their word in matters of religious and cultural authority in matters of religion in relation to God’s word and Jesus as the Word…” This Sunday is also known as Laetare Sunday** in some Christian traditions.

   The story of Zelophehad’s daughters’ inheritance story is quite fascinating on a number of levels. Firstly for it boldness in highlighting women as not being heirs to their fathers’ estates and also because even though God commanded Moses to change the status of women, Moses failed to obey God. Gafney tells us in her text notes that this is “one of the most significant legal cases in the Torah” as the daughters returned many times to petition for the compensation due them by God’s verdict. Finally, after the death of Moses, Joshua eventually gave them their due. She gives citations for the number of times it is mentioned in the Hebrew canon ~ more times than the Resurrection of Jesus is mentioned in the Christian Testament. See additionally Numbers 27:1-11, 36:1-12; Joshua 17:3-6, 1 Chronicles 7:15.

   Priscilla and Aquila had been evicted from Rome in the expulsion of Jews by Emperor Claudius. As their story unfolds, no matter the translations, Priscilla is more often mentioned first before her husband suggesting she was a more learned disciple of Jesus and may well have been a leader in her former Roman synagogue.

   The Martha and Mary story is obviously one of the best known of the Christian Testament. As a forerunner to the diakonia, serving, it is also ministry by its definition of service to others, hospitality being one way to serve. The Deaconate became a formal office of the Church, most often in the form of ordination, but we can all “serve” as the non-ordained ministers of Christ’s message.

   But what is the better portion? Clearly we can understand Martha’s dilemma with people to feed and a house to clean and Mary sitting and listening with work to be done! Perhaps it is the listening as heeding as well as hearing. If all hands help, there is more time to listen, to learn, to hear and to heed which proceed to doing what we, as the ministers of Christ are called in our many and various ways. So often from ancient to current times, the ministry of hospitality and service has fallen to women, many in the background of the stories of the Church. This is one of the reasons that Dr. Gafney has chosen the stories we don’t generally know. This Laetare Sunday offers a great opportunity to highlight all who particularly serve through the ministry of hospitality, especially in a parish where the majority of those are women.

   It is the word of Jesus as the Word of God, that calls us all to only one thing that is necessary. The One Thing is Christ our Lord.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ O Judge of All the Earth, guide the choices of our minds, hearts, and souls to choose the better portion of life’s pathways, by trust, in faith, through the teachings of Jesus.

                                                O God in Christ Whose Word We Praise

              RESPONSE:        Turn our faith and trust to you

~ O Judge of All the Earth, infuse the leaders of our Planet, our Nation, and our Community, with the wisdom and understanding to govern all Your people with integrity, justice, and compassion. We pray especially for: add your own petitions          

                                                O God in Christ Whose Word We Praise

                                                Turn our faith and trust to you

~ O Judge of All the Earth, restore hope and wholeness to all who are seriously ill, addicted, or victims of violence, and renewed energy for all who give them care. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                O God in Christ Whose Word We Praise

                                                Turn our faith and trust to you

~ O Judge of All the Earth, soothe the hearts of those who mourn, as all of Heaven rejoices that those lost to mortal existence, are now found with new and eternal life. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O God in Christ Whose Word We Praise

                                                Turn our faith and trust to you

~ O Judge of All the Earth, 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 in Christ Whose Word We Praise

                                                Turn our faith and trust to you

~ O Judge of All the Earth, may all who are called and anointed in Your service, seek continual refreshment in Your unwavering Presence, as they persevere in guiding us always to You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O God in Christ Whose Word We Praise

                                                Turn our faith and trust to you

The Celebrant adds: Through you, O She Who Speaks Life, we are fully instructed in the Way of the Messiah. Guide us in our life choices to seek the necessary lessons of the Word in and for our daily lives, reminding us, especially in the comfortable times, of Your constant presence and continuing grace. We ask through Jesus, our Redeemer Christ; the Holy Spirit, Your Sacred Breath within us; who together with You are our One 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/

** In the Church’s tradition, the Fourth Sunday of Lent has been known as Laetare Sunday [lay-tare-ray]. The term "Laetare Sunday" is used by most Roman Catholic, and some Lutheran, and Anglican churches. Laetare is Latin for "rejoice!" It is also known as Mothering Sunday [Mother’s Day] in the UK, and in other places Refreshment Sunday, mid-Lent Sunday, and Rose Sunday as rose-colored/pink, rather than violet vestments, is permitted on this day. Laetare Sunday is exactly 21 days before Easter Sunday, a moveable feast based on the cycles of the moon. 

 

 

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