Meditation Moment in Eastertide ~ Wednesday, Week 4 '23

Peace is not something you can force on anything or anyone... much less upon one's own mind. It is like trying to quiet the ocean by pressing upon the waves. Sanity lies in somehow opening to the chaos, allowing anxiety, moving deeply into the tumult, diving into the waves, where underneath, within, peace simply is. 

~ Gerald G. May*

Lord of the Deepest Peace,
      There are so many days that I see the world around me is in such chaos ~ whirling in violence, poverty, pain, and legalized cruelty to others who are not "us" in Your name. I am at such a loss trying to know in which direction to turn, which good cause needs me the most. What can I possibly do to make any kind of useful difference? I am merely the tiniest pebble in the hole of a huge dyke that strains against impending disaster. And then, taking a breath, I remember You and my prayer begins again. Grant me the stillness within myself that I can turn into my focus outwardly. My footing is more certain when peace is in my heart and my soul takes its ease in Your comfort. From there I can move forward and the direction of my path becomes clear.  amen.  

*Gerald Gordon May, [1940-2005] was an American psychiatrist and theologian, and as a conscientious objector, worked as an Air Force psychiatrist in Vietnam. Later he was a staff psychiatrist in a prison mental hospital in Maryland. He later became a senior fellow at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation in Bethesda, Maryland conducting workshops in contemplative theology and psychology. He wrote several books on the subject of combining spiritual direction with psychological therapy. 

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Meditation Moment in Eastertide ~ Tuesday, Week 4 '23

The Lord did not come to make a display. He came to heal and to teach suffering [people]. For one who wanted to make a display the thing would have been just to appear and dazzle the beholders. But for Him who came to heal and to teach the way was not merely to dwell here, but to put Himself at the disposal of those who needed Him, and to be manifested according as they could bear it, not vitiating the value of the Divine appearing by exceeding their capacity to receive it.

~ St. Athanasius of Alexandria*

God, our Creator ~ God, our Redeemer ~ God, our Sanctifier,
     You, 3 in 1, are simply yet complexly God.  It is to each, all, and only You that I pray at this moment. My head cannot understand or define You in Your three-in-one-ness, but if I could, then You could not be You. Let me not be too concerned with the depth and breadth of all the philosophical and theological stuff that others much smarter than me, like Your servant Athanasius, have argued over. Just help me to remember, that each day in my life, all I only need is You to walk with  me on the Way. amen.

   *Renowned, Significant, Profound, Influential ~ there are too few superlatives to fully contain the work of St. Athanasius of Alexandria [c. 296-373] who is celebrated today. At age 30 he became the 20th Bishop (aka Archbishop/Patriarch) of Alexandria, Egypt with a tenure of 45 years. He is also known as  Athanasius the Great, Athanasius the Confessor and, primarily in the Coptic Orthodox Church, Athanasius the Apostolic. He has been named a Doctor of the Church by the Roman Catholic Church, Father of Orthodoxy by the Eastern Orthodox, and Father of the Canon by Protestant theologians.  

   Despite being exiled 5 times by 4 Roman Emperors for political and theological reasons, it is his Trinitarian theology that defines mainstream Christianity today.
   His first great theological struggle was against Arius, a priest from Libya, at the first Council of Nicaea in the year 325. Arius denied the divinity of Christ and his "Arian" orthodoxy was the prevalent theology of the day. It was denounced and ultimately trounced by Athanasius who argued for the dual nature of Jesus ~ human and divine ~ declaring that only one who was fully human could atone for human sin and only one who was fully divine could have the power to save us. He said, that "Those who maintain 'There was a time when the Son was not [divine]' rob God of his Word, like plunderers." Arianism is now considered as heresy. 
   Athanasius' view of the Incarnation is what informed the structure of the Nicene Creed that is used today and he was also the first to identify the 27 books that make up the New Testament canon we use as well. Not without his detractors even today, nonetheless, even if you've never heard his name, if you are Anglican/Episcopal, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Coptic Catholic ~ and any other Christian who reads the New Testament, you have the benefit of this man's work. Diminutive in stature, he was and continues to be a giant in the history of Christianity.

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Prayers of the People: This Way to Truth and Fullness: 5th Sunday of Easter '23 Yr A

For Sunday, May 7, 2023, Readings: Acts 7:55-60, Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16; 1 Peter 2:2-10, John 14:1-14

While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he died. [Acts 7:59-60]

            In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge…Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe….lead me and guide me...for you are my tower of strength...Into your hands I commend my spirit, for you have redeemed me, O Lord, O God of truth. [Psalm 31:1a, 3a-b, 5b]

       Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation...Come to him, a living stone...and like living stones, let yourself be built into a spiritual house...you are a chosen race...God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. [1Peter 2:2 4a, 5a, 9a,b]

       Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe in me also...Jesus said to [Thomas], "I am the way, and the truth, and the life...If you know me, you will know my father also...Very truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these..." [John 14:1, 6a,b; 12a]

    We hear very little about Stephen in the lectionary even as he has the distinction of being Christianity's First Martyr. His story ~ there isn't a whole lot ~ is in the prior chapter and verses, with a few more words beyond his death. The Book of the Acts of the Apostles is Luke's summary account of the activities of the original 11, and the newer Apostles, from the Ascension of Jesus through Paul's final imprisonment in Rome. Stephen's story begins briefly in chapter 6:5 and carries through from 6:8 until 8:3 where we find Saul, who becomes Paul, ravaging the church because people lamented Stephen's death. The more success the Apostles became at attracting disciples to join them, even some of the priests, the angrier the High Priest and Council grew.  These Jesus-followers were a threat to their established order and especially their political power. They thought they had ended their woes when they fomented the political crucifixion of Jesus. And then those pesky followers kept growing in number. Another political murder was essential. It has never really ended; we just don't want to recognize it in our own time.

     Stephen's commitment to Jesus mirrored Jesus' commitment on the cross when Stephen asked for those who stoned him to be absolved, as Jesus did. The recurring theme in all these readings for this Sunday, for me, is commitment. What is the state of my commitment to Christ? Should I be, need I be willing to be a martyr for Christ? Yes, no, maybe, sort of? Is death the only form of martyrdom? It’s not something we western Christians generally want to ponder. Isn’t going to church (even if usually online) and/or praying regularly (mostly), and sending some money, enough of a commitment? We’re not 1^st century Israel after all and I liked the Good Shepherd story better.

     Jesus tells us not to let our hearts be troubled yet, especially in an unsettled local and global political and economic environment, it is troubling to wonder how I am supposed to be as a Christian. The messages from various denominations, not to mention some political factions, seem entirely contradictory to the message of Christ as I know it. But it was the same in Jesus' time, and in many more times since, and this is where we hit and become the living stones on The Way. We cannot be certain that we believe as fully and completely and as well as we want to or know as much as we think we’re supposed to. Yet knowing and living into the strong and true teachings of Jesus becomes that strong rock, that precious cornerstone that holds our spiritual house in place. When we truly turn our hearts and commit our spirits to his teaching through our words and actions, it will definitely be a very rocky road on more than a few occasions. It is by walking together in and as a community of faith, by continually exploring our own understanding of what we believe and why we believe it that our foundation is strengthened, and our hearts are un-troubled a little more each day. We will trip and fall, be ignored or outright rejected, we'll get a lot wrong, but if we got this far on faith, it is because in our hearts we are becoming the living stones. Together we find the courage and the strength to proclaim the mighty acts of him who called each of us out of darkness into his marvelous light. Let us drink deeply of the pure, spiritual milk that will nourish us as we turn to Christ as our Way into His Truth, and the Fullness of this Life into the Next.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
 
Leader:  ~ Jesus, our Stronghold, You are the Cornerstone of our spiritual house, the purest Milk for our spirits; our Way, our Truth, and our Life. Lead us into the fullness of God’s marvelous light, away from the deep darkness of sin.
 
                                                          O Lord, O God of Truth                                            
          RESPONSE:                    Oh Christ, our Rock and our Refuge
 
~ Jesus, our Stronghold, embolden us, and arouse the courage of Stephen within us to urge the political powers across this Nation, this Community, and this Planet, to employ compassion to quell violence, cruelty, and injustice. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord, O God of Truth
                                                       O Christ, our Rock and our Refuge
 
~ Jesus, our Stronghold, un-trouble the hearts of all who are fearfully ill and, reinvigorate all who give them care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord, O God of Truth
                                                       O Christ, our Rock and our Refuge
           
~ Jesus, our Stronghold, we give You praise and thanksgiving for receiving the spirits of those we love, who now dwell with You in the everlasting peace of God. We pray especially for… add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord, O God of Truth
                                                       O Christ, our Rock and our Refuge
 
~ Jesus, our Stronghold, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord, O God of Truth
                                                       O Christ, our Rock and our Refuge
                       
~ Jesus, our Stronghold, grant our anointed leaders ever-increasing fortitude, patience, and desire, to help us flourish as Living Stones, obedient to Your Word, with a firm foundation in faith. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord, O God of Truth
                                                       O Christ, our Rock and our Refuge
                                                                                                        
The Celebrant adds: Creator God, our Tower of Strength, shine Your face upon us that through our spiritual sacrifices, we may fully commit ourselves into the hands of Christ. As did Your servant Stephen, may we proclaim His mighty acts unashamed, hold no sins against others, and be acceptable in Your sight. We ask through Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior; and the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier of our souls; who live and reign with You, as One God, forever and ever.  Amen. 

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