Prayers of the People: Love, Act-ually? Sixth Sunday of Easter

for Sunday, May 10, 2015, 6th Sunday of Easter, Yr B, Reading: Acts: 10:44-48, Ps 98, 1 John 5:1-6, John 15:9-17

       The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out, even on the Gentiles...Then Peter said, "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"    [Acts 10:45, 46b-47]

      Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done marvelous things.
      [The LORD] remembers his mercy and faithfulness to the house of Israel, 
and all the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God...
    In righteousness shall he judge the world,
and the peoples with equity. [Ps 98:1, 4, 10]

     Jesus said to his disciples, "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love...This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you...And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last...
[John 15:9, 12, 16b] 

               How intrusive is this message against the backdrop of mistrust, hatred of "the other," and the seemingly endless and rampant violence across the world and even into our very local communities? Them vs Us, You vs Me, This is Mine is the "old song" that never tires of repeating. And the "circumcised believers...were astounded" that the Holy Spirit was given "even to the Gentiles." Peter was clear that the water of baptism cannot be withheld from even those who are different because they "have received the Holy Spirit just as we have..." And Jesus was even more clear: "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." Is there any room for negotiation here? Those people are doing terrible things so how can Jesus possibly expect us to love them? Well, whether or not he expects it is irrelevant, he commands it. IF we believe in Jesus, then we must bear the fruit of God's love to all people, in all places, and every one is included. I don't know who has "received the Holy Spirit" and who hasn't. That's not my job. That's for a much higher pay grade. And some days, loving some people is really, really hard. Help!
             So, let's start by trying to love each other and abide in - or frantically cling to - the Holy Vine together [see last week's Fruit of the Vine post]. As we grow in faith as a community, perhaps we can grow in our ability to sing a new song of love to those less lovable to us than ourselves. No easy journey is promised, only complete joy if we act-ually love.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Jesus, our Loving Christ, remove our doubt; remove our fear; awaken our souls to the complete joy we will know, when we truly believe and abide in You.

 LORD of Mercy and Faithfulness

RESPONSE:  Help us to live in and give out Your love

~ Jesus, our Loving Christ, grant us, born of God through love of You, such strength in faith and consciousness of spirit, that we hold ourselves and all those who govern, to Your standards of righteousness and equity, on behalf of all people everywhere. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                    LORD of Mercy and Faithfulness

                                    Help us to live in and give out Your love

~ Jesus, our Loving Christ, embrace all those who are ill in body, heart, or soul, especially, on this day, if they are mothers of children or children of mothers. We pause now as we pray aloud for those in need…

                                    LORD of Mercy and Faithfulness

                                    Help us to live in and give out Your love

~ Jesus, our Loving Christ, console and brighten the hearts of all who feel lost in sorrow, as You rejoice and celebrate the arrival of our loved ones, who now live again for eternity.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                    LORD of Mercy and Faithfulness

                                    Help us to live in and give out Your love

~ Jesus, our Loving Christ, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently…

                                    LORD of Mercy and Faithfulness

                                    Help us to live in and give out Your love

~ Jesus, our Loving Christ, for those who have pledged their lives in service to Your Church, grant renewal of purpose and replenishment of vigor, to teach and lead us in Your word and ways. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 

                                    LORD of Mercy and Faithfulness

                                    Help us to live in and give out Your love

The Celebrant adds: God of All and Everyone, You call each of us to love one another as Christ loves us, and to be bearers of the fruit of Your love to all the world. Grant us the inner peace and fortitude to freely give our lives to You, from this day forth and forevermore. We ask through the purest Heart of Jesus, and the Truth of the Holy Spirit, who together with You, are One God, now and forever.  Amen.

Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to Leeosophy@gmail.com. All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way.

Prayers of the People: Fruit of the Vine, Fifth Sunday of Easter

for Sunday, May 3, 2015, Fifth Sunday of Easter, Yr B, Readings: Acts 8:26-40, Ps 22:24-30, 1 John 4:7-21, John 15:1-8

        Then the Spirit said to Phillip, "Go over to his chariot and join it." So Phillip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" He replied, "How can I, unless someone guides me?"  [Acts 8:29-31a]

        Those who say, "I love God," and hate their brothers and sisters are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.  [1 John 4:20]

       Jesus said to his disciples, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit...Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches."  [John 15:1-2, 4b-5a]

           Every gardener, even one with just a small plant, knows that good growth requires maintenance. Some plants, such as a vine or an apple tree, need pruning to make them stronger and able to produce more and better fruit. Along with water, sunshine, and good soil, a gardener must tend the pots, or rows, or fields, with care, knowledge of weather, season, and region or growing zones. 
          Jesus calls us to abide in Him, to be joined to Him as branches on a vine. We will bear much spiritual fruit if we cling to the Vine and allow our inner deadwood to be pruned to clear the way for new sprouting. But the fruit we bear is not for our own care and feeding ~ it is to be shared with others for their nurture and growth. As we, the branches, grow stronger, we draw together as brothers and sisters in a community of faith, hope, and eternal love in and with Christ as our Vine, the Holy Spirit as our Guide to understanding, and God Almighty as our Gardener/Vinegrower.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Jesus, Vine of Life Within Us, prune away detachment from our hearts and cultivate us as strong dynamic branches that bear an abundance of the fruit of Your love. Let us not wither, but flourish, as we abide always in You.

  

 Eternal God, Source of Infinite Love

RESPONSE:  Let Your seeds of compassion take root in our lives

~ Jesus, Vine of Life Within Us, grant us the desire and courage to stand in faith and act together, before all who govern globally and locally, so that justice to anyone is never denied. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Eternal God, Source of Infinite Love

Let Your seeds of compassion take root in our lives

~ Jesus, Vine of Life Within Us, comfort and heal all who are poor in health and poor in spirit and bring them into the full flower of Your inexhaustible hope. We pause now as we pray aloud for those in need…

Eternal God, Source of Infinite Love

Let Your seeds of compassion take root in our lives

~ Jesus, Vine of Life Within Us, restore peace in the hearts of those who grieve, while the ones we love enter into Your perfect and everlasting life. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Eternal God, Source of Infinite Love

Let Your seeds of compassion take root in our lives

~ Jesus, Vine of Life Within Us, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently…

Eternal God, Source of Infinite Love

Let Your seeds of compassion take root in our lives

~ Jesus, Vine of Life Within Us, bless those who guide our understanding of You, as they lead us from the wilderness road to the joy of knowing You in this life and the next. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Eternal God, Source of Infinite Love

Let Your seeds of compassion take root in our lives

The Celebrant adds: Holy God, Almighty Vinegrower, prepare our souls as the living and fruitful soil that will bring forth the harvest of Your love and peace, so that we may see, know, and nourish all people as our brothers and sisters. We ask this through our True Vine, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, our Guide, who together with You, live and reign as One God forever and ever. Amen.

Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to Leeosophy@gmail.com. All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way.

Prayers of the People: Just Sheeping Along, 4th Sunday of Easter

for Sunday April 26 ,2015, Yr B, Readings: Acts 4:5-12, Ps 23, 1 John 3:16-24, John 10:11-18

       The poetry of Psalm 23 speaks to us in the simplest of terms that belie the intricacy of its depth. Jesus would, of course, have known the psalm and it is a perfect pairing to his continuing "discussion" with the religious authorities in this week's Gospel of John.
       The symbolism in this well-known Psalm is far more complex and fascinating than just the obvious image of a man walking down a country lane with a big staff and a dog, or the pretty girl of nursery rhymes with a bow on her crook as the sheep dutifully follow. Along with the earlier verses in John 10 (which I encourage you to read), taken line by line we can see, feel, and almost hear Jesus, our Shepherd, with us, reviving, caring, comforting, and anointing. Watching over us, preparing our table, restoring us; nothing we need is withheld. 
      Our Good Shepherd's job is never done. The demands on real living shepherds are constant and endless. Sheep are peculiarly needy and helpless creatures, quite restive, and even self-destructive at times. They can stand still for hours or bolt into stampede because an apple drops unexpectedly from a tree. The shepherd must keep continuous vigil against disease, insect infestations, predators, pecking-order fights, escape artists,
water, and food supplies. Sheep will NOT lie down unless they are completely contented and secure. A special oil mixture that the shepherd prepares and swabs (anoints) around each sheep's head and nose keeps deadly insects from burrowing and causing panic, disease, and injury, and the sheep is calmed for at least a little while. Then there are shearing and lambing seasons...* 
       The sheep know their shepherd's voice and it comforts them. Do we know the voice of our Shepherd? Some days I feel pretty sheepish and need that voice as reminder to get back into the flock. How about you?      

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Lord Jesus, Mystical Shepherd, guide our souls to seek shelter in Your verdant pasture, to know Your voice as You know ours, and to heed Your call to eternal life.

  

  Jesus, Cornerstone of our Salvation

RESPONSE:  Help us to live through You and for one another

~ Lord Jesus, Mystical Shepherd, let our love and trust in You show forth by our truth and action in each day. Let us also require truth and just actions on the part of those who govern on this earth, in our nation, and in our city. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Jesus, Cornerstone of our Salvation

Help us to live through You and for one another

~ Lord Jesus, Mystical Shepherd, we ask Your special tenderness for those in Your flock with illness of body, mind, or spirit, and for those who give them care. We pause now as we pray aloud for those in need…

Jesus, Cornerstone of our Salvation

Help us to live through You and for one another

~ Lord Jesus, Mystical Shepherd, lighten and soothe the shadowed hearts of the mournful as You open wide the gates of Heaven to enfold those who have left us in this mortal world. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Jesus, Cornerstone of our Salvation

Help us to live through You and for one another

~ Lord Jesus, Mystical Shepherd, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently…

Jesus, Cornerstone of our Salvation

Help us to live through You and for one another

~ Lord Jesus, Mystical Shepherd, revive the souls of own shepherds in this earthly day and time, that together we may abide in Your love and obey the commandments of our God. We pray especially for: add your own petitions.

Jesus, Cornerstone of our Salvation

Help us to live through You and for one another

The Celebrant adds: Almighty God, as we are anointed with Your goodness and mercy all the days of our lives, grant us the desire to lay down all trivial wants and to walk the right pathways, so to dwell in Your glorious house forever. We ask through our Redeemer Christ Jesus, and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, who together with You, live and reign as One God, now and forever.  Amen.

*I commend to you a charming and interesting little book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller, himself a modern-day shepherd, for a closer look at the connections between the Psalm's imagery and real life sheep farming.



Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to Leeosophy@gmail.com. All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way.

Prayers of the People: Witness for the Proclamation, 3rd Sunday of Easter

for April 19, 2015, 3rd Sunday of Easter, Year B, Readings: Acts 3:12-19, Ps 4, 1 John 3:1-7, Luke 24:36b-48 

   Then [Jesus] opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things." [Luke 24: 45-48]

        Maybe it was easier in the time when Jesus was fully alive again and able to speak to the Disciples, eat with them, answer questions in person, and explain the plan. All they had to deal with was fear for their lives, an adverse political climate, and the doubt of what they were experiencing. Of course there are many in today's world, even in this country, who are facing daily violence and persecution just for being who they are and what they believe in without having Jesus visible in their midst. 
        Many others of us merely have to deal with listening, again, to the details of a story we know well. Perhaps we also live with the complacency of being in a different time and place with everyday life to manage, and, for some, not ever truly having the experience of the Living Christ in our presence. This Eastertide is the time to think about that relationship with Christ - what has yours been, what do you want it to be, what concerns you about it, what questions do you have?
       And how am I supposed to "Witness" and "Proclaim" that Jesus is about repentance and forgiveness? Repentance simply means to turn toward and if you feel you've turned away from God, just turn back toward God and you are forgiven. How to turn back? Here's a quick first step, an easy prayer. Simply call out the name of Jesus and he's with you immediately. That's it - you can even sing it! Remember the lyrics to that old James Taylor song: Just call out my name, and you know wherever I am, I'll come running, to see you again! click here to sing your prayer: James Taylor - You've Got a Friend and he'll be there, yeah, he'll be there. And what you feel inside will show outside and that will be your witness and proclamation!

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Jesus, Lord of Peace, You stand among us still and call us together in hope. As beloved children of God, our hope in You will purify our souls and our faith will grow beyond measure. Grant us the desire to abide only in You, that we may dwell in safety, know we are forgiven, and live free from the temptations of sin.

 O God, our Defender

RESPONSE:  We put our trust in You

~ Jesus, Lord of Peace, in these times on this Earth, in our nation, and in our local communities, there is no room for ignorance in action on the part of our elected, appointed, or self-declared leaders. Grant wisdom and clarity in the ways of justice and mercy to those who would chart the course of our lives, and courage to each of us to hold You in our hearts as we hold them accountable. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                    O God, our Defender

                                    We put our trust in You

~ Jesus, Lord of Peace, relieve the pain of those who suffer through physical or mental illness and those who feel despair and desperation in their lives. We pause now as we pray aloud for those in need…

                                    O God, our Defender

                                    We put our trust in You

~ Jesus, Lord of Peace, though we weep for the loss of those we love, help us to ease our hearts and minds in the knowledge that they now join You in the glory of Resurrection to eternal life. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                    O God, our Defender

                                    We put our trust in You

~ Jesus, Lord of Peace, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently…

                                    O God, our Defender

                                    We put our trust in You

~ Jesus, Lord of Peace, as the Apostles were in their time, today their successors, the leaders of Your Church, give witness to the truth of Your words and the fullness of life gained by following You. Electrify their message that we may be enveloped by their fervor and stride mindfully into each day, without doubt or fear, proclaiming our faith by thought, word, and action.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                    O God, our Defender

                                    We put our trust in You

The Celebrant adds: God of the Beginning, the Now, and of all that is to Come, You never leave us, it is we who turn away from You. Raise us as You raised our Christ, into the faithfulness of heart, mind, and soul that leads to the glory and the joy of eternal life. We ask through the name of Jesus our Savior, and the Holy Spirit our Sanctifier who reign together with You as One God now and through all eternity.     Amen.

   

Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to Leeosophy@gmail.com. All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way.

Prayers of the People: Undoubtedly? 2nd Sunday of Easter, Yr. B

for April 12, 2015, Second Sunday of Easter,  Year B, Readings: Acts 4:32-35, Ps 133, 1 John 1:1-2:2, John 20:19-31 

   

But Thomas...was not with them when Jesus came....[and] he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in his side, I will not believe..." [Jesus] said to him, "Have you [now] believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." [John 20:24, 25b, 29]

            Thomas often gets a bad rap by the nickname "Doubting Thomas"and becomes a sort of a scapegoat to carry the load for the rest of us. But I wonder ~ has anyone of you never had a doubt about your faith, questions about God, or a wonder about the events recalled in the Bible? If not, please come and have a cup of coffee with me and let me revel in the clarity and steadfastness of your beliefs. I envy that (only marginally, not 7 Deadly-level-ENVY mind you!), as I do have questions now and then, a moment here and there, and the occasional wonder.  And that is why I'm so comforted by today's Gospel. Thomas is very real for me - and by the way, the other Apostles also doubted briefly [see Luke 24:1-12] - so we who have had our own doubts are all in good company. And the company, indeed, is also the point - those who knew Jesus in their own life-time came together as a faith community sharing joy, fellowship, and life's necessities, as followers of the Resurrected Christ. 

          We also come together as a community and relive and re-tell the story of our faith through each season in the Church year. Let us remember, this time, that Easter isn't merely a day or a season, it is meant to be our way of life. We of the faith are Easter People, living into the promise of the Resurrection of our Messiah to new and eternal life. Let us keep the message of Christ alive as we strive for unity and love despite our divisions and occasional doubts, and that through our companioning and fellowship with one another, we will all see our Christ when we, too, believe. Undoubtedly.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Holy Christ, Righteous Lord, we often walk in the stifling darkness of sin and doubt that is of our own making. Help us to breathe in the clear air of pure faith in You, and receive the blessing of life evermore, as ordained by Almighty God.

 Jesus, Light of God,     

RESPONSE:  Help us feel Your unseen Presence and believe!

~ Holy Christ, Righteous Lord, let Your great grace fall upon the leaders of this world, our nation, and our community so that we may live together in the peace and promise of Your resurrection, and no one is left in need. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Jesus, Light of God

Help us feel Your unseen Presence and believe!

~ Holy Christ, Righteous Lord, surround all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, that they may know Your healing touch of hope and love. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Jesus, Light of God

Help us feel Your unseen Presence and believe!

~ Holy Christ, Righteous Lord, however fresh our tears, let us who mourn have a foretaste of the glory into which our loved ones now live forever with You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Jesus, Light of God

Help us feel Your unseen Presence and believe!

~ Holy Christ, Righteous Lord, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently…

Jesus, Light of God

Help us feel Your unseen Presence and believe!

~ Holy Christ, Righteous Lord, as those who knew You in this life gave testimony and witness to the example of Your life, death, and resurrection, so are the leaders in Your church ordained to witness by word and example to us all. Grant them the extra blessings they need to walk with us toward greater, stronger, faith in You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Jesus, Light of God

Help us feel Your unseen Presence and believe!

The Celebrant adds: Holy Jesus, Holy Son, Holy Brother, help us see with new eyes, love with new hearts, and hope with new faith that Easter becomes our way of life, not merely a Day or a Season. We ask through the love of You, our Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit who Sanctifies us, who together live and reign with God our Almighty Creator, into eternity. Amen.

Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to Leeosophy@gmail.com. All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way.

Meditation Moments in Lent: In the Silence, Holy Saturday, April 4, 2015

When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb. [Matthew 27:57-61]

        Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb ~ in the silence. In the silence of deep grief, the shock, the wide-eyed wonder of disbelief colliding with a reality that still hasn't quite set in. They are doing what must be done according to religious law and custom, but there is a nearly indefinable hollow space within them.
        In the midst of all of the "Easter" busy-ness, I must take 5 minutes on this Holy Saturday and find the most silent place I am able to find even if only with headphones on in the bathroom. I must breathe in the quiet, the stillness, the emptiness of the Marys. Yet I am also able to breathe with the relief of knowing how this day will turn into joy. But for the 5 minutes, and more if I can steal the time away, I will sit with the Marys...waiting...in the silence...







Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to Leeosophy@gmail.com. All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way.

Meditation Moments in Lent: Urban Way of the Cross, Good Friday, April 3, 2015

GOOD FRIDAY, April 3, 2015

The Episcopal Church of Sts Andrew and Matthew (SsAM) 

in Wilmington, Delaware, has organized its Second Annual Urban Way of the Cross. 

In a small city on the east coast of the US, halfway between New York and Washington, DC, 

with a resident population of about 60,000, we routinely rank in the top ten in the nation 

for violent crime per capita. This year, the theme of the Way of the Cross is I AM My Brother's Keeper.  

In coordination with the City of Wilmington and the Wilmington Police Department, 
and the participation of the Wilmington Peace Keepers, the Movement for a Culture of Peace,

and a number of other Churches, and individuals, the procession will move through 7 Stations in the City, 

stopping for meditation, prayer, and a sung Spiritual 

where there has been a shooting and/or homicide in the last year. 

The 8th Station will be at SsAM to conclude the service. 

If you cannot join us, please pray along with us.
The Meditations and Prayers are below.

The Urban Way of the Cross:  

A time to remember, a time to mourn, and a time to pray  

                                   

Join us as we journey through the streets of Wilmington on Good Friday, April 3, filled with prayer and spirituals. Begin outside the William “Hicks” Anderson Community Center at 3:00 PM (501 N. Madison Street) and end at The Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew (719 N. Shipley Street) at 4:30 PM where there will be time to place your prayers and commitment to being your brother’s keeper on the Cross. Except for the station at The Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew, all the stations will be held outdoors. 
Music by The SsAM Adult Choir and all of you; Meditations by Bebe Coker, Prayers by Christina Brennan Lee  

  

The Stations:  

Station 1: Jesus is condemned to die, Hicks Community Center      

MEDITATION: An eye-for-an-eye will make the whole world blind! Jesus the Christ lived in the midst of His enemies. We, too, live in the midst of evil-doers; in the center of Sanhedrin darkness; in the center of hatred and commitment to the crucifixion of a sinless Humanity. A Jesus who knew no sin yet He was nailed to a wooden Cross bearing the sins of Cain and Abel and each one of us….AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER? 

PRAYER: Holy Jesus, Holy Son, Holy Brother, 
There is trouble all over this place. There is pain and grief, rebuke and scorn. Cain kills Abel again and again and the blood of our brothers cries out to us from this very ground. Let us find the courage to stand with you and face Caiaphas and Pilate together, to renounce the violence in our City, to live and work every day for peace, justice, and mercy as you did, and never let us ever forget that we are our community’s keeper.
Jesus, Bearer of my sins, never ever let me forget  
 I AM My Brother’s Keeper 

Spiritual: I've Been 'Buked

Station 2: Jesus takes up his cross,  7th and Monroe

MEDITATION:  What Cross do we bear? What splintered beams do we place on our shoulders? What Jericho roads have we traveled? What grief and sins do we bear? Do we bear our brothers’ burdens? Our sisters’ burdens? Do we reach out to share each others’ pain? ....AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER? 

PRAYER: Holy Jesus, Holy Son, Holy Brother, 
You carry the weight of the world on your shoulders amidst the jeers and taunts of those who only look to the angry crowd to guide their own behavior. We walk with you to share the heavy burden and hard work, to learn how to love the unlovable, to restore dignity to the rejected, and to give respect to those who have been disrespected. Never let us ever forget that we are our neighbor’s keeper.
  Jesus, Bearer of my sins, never ever let me forget  
 I AM My Brother’s Keeper 

Spiritual: They Led My Lord Away

Station 3: Jesus falls the first time,  5th and Monroe  

MEDITATION: Who among you lifts his brother’s burdens in love? Who leaves his fallen brother in the Samaritan’s way? Who stoops to lower himself to the level of where his brother finds himself alone? Who claims to love the Jesus who he has not seen and loves not his brother who he has seen? Who lifts the brother whose cries are heard and seen and known? …. AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER? 

PRAYER: Holy Jesus, Holy Son, Holy Brother, 
It’s no wonder that you collapse with the physical exhaustion and the tortuous pain of dragging this heavy wooden beam. Yet you show us how to rise again in obedience to God’s call. Give us the strength and the patience to face with love those who accuse us, who fight with us, who demean us as we walk through these mean streets. Let us carry those who have sons and daughters of their own, who have tried hard in life, who are too tired and too grieved to go on alone. Never let us ever forget that we are our father’s keeper.  
Jesus, Bearer of my sins, never ever let me forget  
 I AM My Brother’s Keeper 

Spiritual: Soon'Ah Will Be Done

Station 4: Jesus meets His Mother,  5th and Madison  

MEDITATION:  Poor and miserable unbelievers all around us dying without the knowledge of the saving grace of Jesus the Christ…and we let them die, be killed. We let them wrestle in the bowels of a fearful community, a dispassionate community. A community blinded by self-hatred, a community in darkness; a community that cannot see the only light to dispel its darkness…the light of God’s love. The invisibility of Man’s inhumanity to man….AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER? 

PRAYER: Holy Jesus, Holy Son, Holy Brother,
the agony in your bruised and bloodied body is only matched by the anguish in the sorrowful face of your mother who suffers at the sight of your torment – Bless’ed Mary, mother of us all. Grant us the faith and the love and the hope to surround and enfold those now childless mothers and all mothers devastated by the needless violent loss of their daughters and sons.  Never let us ever forget that we are our mother’s keeper.  
Jesus, Bearer of my sins, never ever let me forget  
 I AM My Brother’s Keeper 

Spiritual: Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child

Station 5: The Cross is laid on Simon of Cyrene, 7th and Madison  

MEDITATION: I AM MY BROTHER’S KEEPER!  He is not heavy, he is my brother…no matter his race, color, creed, origin, differences… I am my brother’s keeper. Where is your brother Abel? Have we done all that we can to lift the burden of our brothers? Our sisters? Have we served our own as well as others who are not blood kin? Where is your Abel? Where is your Cain? Who is your brother? ….ARE YOU…ARE WE OUR BROTHERS’ KEEPER? 

PRAYER: Holy Jesus, Holy Son, Holy Brother,
another mother’s son is made to bear the weight of your cross and he shows us how to give the gift of mercy even if reluctantly at first. Grant us the ability and willingness to share another’s burden as we see need beyond race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, and any element of life that is different from our own.  Remind us to pray for each other in times of good and in times of trouble, and never let us ever forget that we are our companion’s keeper.  
Jesus, Bearer of my sins, never ever let me forget  
 I AM My Brother’s Keeper 

Spiritual: Nobody Knows the Trouble I See, Lord

Station 6: Jesus and the women of Jerusalem, 7th and Jefferson

MEDITATION: How clean is the house I live in? Women of Jerusalem…Women of Wilmington…is your house swept clean? Are our own children given our love and protection? Our brothers and sisters? Others that we claim to know and love…have we done all that we can do to be the “Christ” in daily living that they need to see in order to be? Have we shared the God of our salvation with the ones for whom we have been given direct responsibility? Where is Abel? Are we our brothers’ keeper? Do we pretend to be contaminated by the presence of those who are not like us? Do we shake their dust from our feet? Is the blood of Abel on our hands? Lord, grant us vision to render no man invisible to the eyes of our hearts. I AM MY BROTHER’S KEEPER.  

PRAYER: Holy Jesus, Holy Son, Holy Brother, 
you tell us not to weep for you but to weep for ourselves, not with mere emotion, but through facing the harsh realities of the serious evil in our streets, and the heavy responsibility we all must share to end it. Dry our tears, Dear Christ, and give us the heart and the energy to not look away but to do all that needs to be done, and never let us ever forget that we are our sister’s keeper.  
Jesus, Bearer of my sins, never ever let me forget  
 I AM My Brother’s Keeper   

Spiritual: He Never Said a Mumbalin' Word

Station 7: The Crucifixion,  7th and Washington 
MEDITATION: If I am not my brother’s keeper…..LET ME NOT BE HIS EXECUTIONER! We crucified Jesus on Calvary’s Hill…where three men were crucified…Crucified for so-called extreme crimes, crimes of extremism. The two thieves were crucified for extremes of immorality, for evil deeds. JESUS WAS NAILED TO THE CROSS AND CRUCIFIED FOR BEING AN EXTREMIST OF LOVE, TRUTH, GOODNESS, FORGIVENESS, FOR MERCY. Jesus an extremist for Love…Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you. He loved us enough to die for us…do we Love Him enough to live for Him? I AM MY BROTHER’S KEEPER.

PRAYER: Holy Jesus, Holy Son, Holy Brother,
the hammering, my Lord, the hammering – it reverberates in my ears, in my heart, in my soul. Each cruel blow to the spike rips at the fibers of our very being. How can humans created by God do such things to one another? Jesus, show us the way to care for those who do despicable acts, to love them back into your Kingdom as you did from your cross. Never let us ever forget that we are our enemy’s keeper. 
Jesus, Bearer of my sins, never ever let me forget  
 I AM My Brother’s Keeper 

Spiritual: Hammering

Station 8: Jesus is laid in the tomb,  Saints Andrew & Matthew  

MEDITATION: The killing of a man does not always mean a stabbing or a bullet or any other so-called “violent means of death.” Violence is the last refuge of the insecure, the incompetent, the undefined, the dispassionate, the brother who does not know the meaning of love. Violence has its roots in wealth without work; pleasure without conscience; knowledge without character; commerce without morality; science without humanity; worship without sacrifice and politics without principles…

WE ARE OUR BROTHER’S KEEPER…

WE ARE OUR BROTHER’S KEEPER…

WE ARE OUR BROTHER’S KEEPER. 

PRAYER: Holy Jesus, Holy Son, Holy Brother, as you are finally free from the terrors, the cruelty, the agony of this terrible day. Let us take this time to rest in you, to live in the hope that will defeat despair, and to await your coming in Glory as we never stop working for and believing that we shall overcome evil someday.  Never let us ever forget that we are each other’s keeper.  
Jesus, Bearer of my sins, never ever let me forget  
I AM My Brother’s Keeper 

Spirituals: Calvary, Any How, Were You There

  

Let Us Depart in Silence

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