A moment of contemplation for yourself or on behalf of others on everything from the life-altering to the mundane.


Prayer: A conversation with The Higher Other who lives within each of us. An invitation to vent, to re-think, to ask, and to rest.

Sunday, August 3, 2025

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. 




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