Meditation Moment in Eastertide ~ Friday, Week 6 '23

Prayer for a Discouraging World

   When I see the news it appears to me all too often that we really do "love our neighbors as we love ourselves" although not in the way  it’s intended. The world can be such a discouraging place. Everyone I know has their own personal laundry list of the frustrations, disappointments, trials, and tragedies in their everyday lives and then news from here and around the globe is beyond dreadful at times. It serves to push many of us into de-sensitizing and self-medicating in a variety of ways such as the obvious of alcohol or gambling, but also over-indulgence by food or hours of sports or romance tv, any form of too-much escapism. Sometimes, perhaps all too often, we unwittingly engage in self-destructive behaviors such as over-compensating by working too hard on behalf of others that our true personal needs become lost. Also, self-deprecating self-talk learned from others has taught many from a young age that we are never good enough. At the very least we try to avoid and deny some of the all too harsh realities of life. In this all or nothing world of excess in everything, we must find a balance between doing and being, and between caring for others and caring for oneself, in doing the "good that I can do" in appropriate measure.

Let me feel Your breath in my soul, O Lord. Surround me with Your presence and whisper to my heart. Call me out of my hesitation, avoidance, and procrastination to spend a little time with you each day. Kick me out of my whining and self-absorption and draw me closer. Only by consciously, deliberately, and willingly loving You, can I begin to love myself. Then, I can consciously, deliberately, and willingly, love my neighbors and discover what positive differences I truly am able to make in Your world that is also our island home.* amen.

 

*From Eucharistic Prayer C, in part, The Book of Common Prayer, 1979, page 370:

At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of
interstellar space, galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses,
and this fragile earth, our island home.
By your will they were created and have their being.

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Meditation Moment: LIFT OFF! ~ Ascension Day '23

For Thursday, May 18, 2023, Ascension Day, Readings: Acts 1:1-11, Ps 47, Ephesians 1:15-23, Luke 24:44-53 
Composed by Christina Brennan Lee   https://prayersofthepeople.blogspot.com

Then [Jesus] led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were 

continually in the temple blessing God.

~ Luke 24:50-53

          Forty Days after Easter comes the Ascension of the Resurrected Christ into Heaven. One of the five major milestones in the life of Christ [the others are baptism, transfiguration, crucifixion, and resurrection], the Ascension is professed in both the Nicene and Apostles' Creeds. Whether, actual, mystical or metaphorical, it is one of the great feasts of the Christian liturgical calendar. It signifies the completion of his earthly presence as he takes his divine presence seated at the right hand of the Father [Nicene Creed, Book of Common Prayer, 1979]. 
        The readings for today give us a direction for our own earthly lives. In the Acts of the Apostles we hear that as Christ's body was being elevated, suddenly two men in robes stood by them. They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven?" From Ephesians, Paul prays, ...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ...may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe...

         Holy Jesus, Son of God, as Your Church we are the Body of Christ.  On this Ascension Day, let us ascend in our hearts, minds, and souls, and raise our own prayers that we may be disciples in our own day, to care for all the People of God. Guide us as we seek to discover You in our daily thoughts, words, and actions. Grant us that wisdom to know the hope to which we are called with enlightened hearts, and be eager for the time when You, who has been taken up...into heaven, will come in the same way... Amen. Alleluia! 

 

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Meditation Moment in Eastertide ~ Wednesday, Week 6 '23

Prayer for a Silly Goose

by Me 

Why do we call geese silly?

      Oh, I know we can tease children by calling them a silly goose in fun. And sure. geese are comically ungainly in their gait on the ground and seriously noisy in their discussions. I had to wait on the street one day while two were having a raucous discussion across the white line and I was trying to pull into a driveway. I beeped and they stopped, looked at me, and promptly went right back. After a time, I very slowly let the car drift forward and they finally, unhappily, moved but never stopped their "discussion!"  

     This morning was sunny and clear as they were winging across the sky honking encouragement to each other. The V-formation is beautiful in its symmetry and its purpose. Instinctive, normal, practical. Geese travel together and when one can't go or falls from the formation because of illness or injury, two stay behind to help, to care, to be there until the downed bird can fly again or dies. Then the trio or pair join another passing formation. The leader leads for a time flying just above the others to increase lift and reduce the effort of the flock. Then the leader moves to the back of the formation and another leads for a time and then moves to the back of the formation, and so on until the destination is reached. Everyone takes a turn to lead.  Everyone works together for the good of the entire flock. Hmmm, if only Humans would be better at that.

    

      Dear Lord, help me be a reliable part of the flock I'm in, taking my turns to lead and to fall back. Give me extra grace to be thankful for those who stop to care for me and to be even more willing to stay on the ground to help another. Geese make me look silly ~ in formation and leadership they are a model of Your vision for the rest of us. Of course like the rest of us they can be unruly and very messy! Yet my prayer is for the awareness of the lessons of interconnectedness and interdependence that You provide in each and every part of Your Creation.  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