Prayers of the People: Seen and Unseen, 2nd Sunday of Easter, ' 17 Yr A

For Sunday, April 23, 2017, 2nd Sunday of Easter, Year A, Readings: Acts 2:14a, 22-32; Psalm 16, 1 Peter 1:3-9, John 20:19-31

       For David says concerning him, "I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken, therefore my heart was glad...my heart will live in hope." [Acts 2:25-26]

       I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand I shall not fall. My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit rejoices; my body also shall rest in hope. [Psalm 16:8-9]

      Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead... [1 Peter:3]

      [Jesus] said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."...Jesus said to [Thomas], "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." [John 20:22b-23, 29]

      The Apostle Thomas lives in an infamy of sorts, getting all the blame for his disbelief until his eyes beheld the Risen Lord and touched his wounds. Thousands of years later he has become a label - "a Doubting Thomas"- for those who don't believe something without concrete proof. And yet, he was far from alone in his skepticism. The other Gospel accounts all tell of the other disciples doubting. Luke 23:11 tells of the disciples dismissing the women's account as an idle tale and in Mark 16:11, when Mary Magdalene tells them she had seen the risen Jesus, they would not believe. My personal favorite - in defense of Thomas - is in Matthew 28:17 that says even when they saw him they worshiped him; but some doubted. If you are or ever have been unsure or questioning of this preeminent event in the life of Christ, despite the Gospel accounts and the significance to the whole of Christian theology and practice, you are in good company! Yet the story of Thomas, and the other disciples' initial disbelief, humanizes these men and brings them into this current time, as did Peter's denial of Jesus, and even Judas' betrayal and subsequent angst and suicide. We know these people in our own lives, we are some of them when we struggle to accept and understand all that we are told in the New/Christian Testament and by those who have taught us from the pulpit or in our families. If we aren't questioning the tenets of our faith at various times, then, for me, it seems we don't really know what we believe or why. These Gospel moments allow us to be who we are and relate to the people who were with Jesus and still wondered what this movement was all about even as they moved forward with him and, very likely, even after him.

       Whatever I believe about the Resurrection and its significance to our Christian faith, in moments of wavering I think on the message of David that Peter quotes in the Acts reading and that is paired with the appointed Psalm for this day. It is the crux of the message of, Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah - I must keep the Lord before me, live in hope, and follow the path of life he has shown me, as well as I can, through all of this life's trials. The Presence of Christ is within us, and our faith however shaky at times, is the vehicle that keeps us upright and guides our thoughts and actions. Whether seen or unseen, the results of living in faith, as Christ teaches through the Greatest Commandments [Matthew 22:36-40], will be a gift to others and ourselves, in our mortal time and in the time to come, by receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. [1 Peter 1:9]. I’m reminded of a title of a book by Dr. Wayne Dyer, You’ll See It When You Believe It. For now, for always, Christ IS Risen! Alleluia!   

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Risen Christ, our Savior Lord!  Let our hearts be glad and our spirits truly rejoice as we remember, and know again, the fullness of Your Resurrected Presence within us. Thomas saw and believed. Let us simply believe and we will see.

                                                Living Messiah, Son of God                                       

RESPONSE:             Our Strength and our Redeemer

~ Risen Christ, our Savior Lord!  Grant us courage to refresh our faith in the eternal life ahead, while we strive in this temporal life to channel the policies of the leaders of this planet, this nation, and this community, toward providing a just, merciful, and equitable life for all Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Living Messiah, Son of God

                                                Our Strength and our Redeemer

                                               

~ Risen Christ, our Savior Lord!  Soothe the hearts of those who are very ill, anxious, or afraid, and of all who give them care. Surround them each in Your healing embrace. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                Living Messiah, Son of God

                                                Our Strength and our Redeemer

           

~ Risen Christ, our Savior Lord! May our wonder at the mystery and miracle of Your resurrection, enhance the joy of knowing, that those we have sent ahead, are now risen with You in everlasting glory and peace.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions 

                                                Living Messiah, Son of God

                                                Our Strength and our Redeemer

~ Risen Christ, our Savior Lord! We pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

                                                Living Messiah, Son of God

                                                Our Strength and our Redeemer

           

~ Risen Christ, our Savior Lord!  Refresh the souls of all who guide us in Your Church, and renew their delight in preaching the Good News of our salvation and the message of Your pure love for us all. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Living Messiah, Son of God

                                                Our Strength and our Redeemer

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds:  Creator of All that is, Seen and Unseen, shelter us when we retreat into doubt, remind us to seek Your Path through this life, to set You always before us, and to forgive as we are forgiven, in the faith of our salvation to come. We ask this through Jesus, our Living and Eternal Hope, and the Holy Spirit, our Wellspring of Wisdom, who together with You, reign as One God, forever and beyond.  Amen.

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. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com

Meditation Moments: Good Friday - In the Shadow of Death there is Life '17

On this Good Friday, in Wilmington, Delaware, USA, the parish of Sts. Andrew and Matthew (SsAM) and members of various other congregations and denominations will gather for the fourth year in a row at 3:15 pm EST, to walk the city streets in procession using 7 different stops as the Stations of the Cross, concluding for the 8th and final meditation, prayer, and song at SsAM.   
    The theme for this year's walk is, In the Shadow of Death there is Life. As we ponder life in this world in this time, we think of Jesus, a political prisoner on the Way to his execution at the behest of the "Religious Authority." The locations chosen for this year represent the various hallmarks in a citizen's life: The Federal Building - Rome; The City-County Building - Local Authority; State Office Building with Attorney General and Public Defender offices - Centurions; Rodney Square - Public/Communal space; Community Services Building with Community Legal Aid and Delaware Center for Justice - Advocacy, The Church - celebration of Birth, Death, Resurrection. I have written the following prayers as part of the commemoration that are being used for each of the 8 Stations that form part of the overall service in addition to meditations and singing of Spirituals with our choir. The full service leaflet will be available at www.ssam.org. Please join us in prayer and in spirit if you cannot be with us in person.

The Urban Way of the Cross:

“In the Shadow of Death there is Life”

Composed by Christina Brennan Lee

for Good Friday, April 14, 2017

1.       [Jesus is condemned to die – truth]

Jesus, Scapegoat of Cowards, Messiah of Humanity, You were condemned to earthly death by the will of the self-interested, who, fearing loss of their local power, fueled and manipulated the rage of the discontented. As we walk through our human time, let us look deeper into Your Gospel to find our guidance, seeking the True Life of eternity with You.

       

      Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

Grant us courage to follow and stand fast in Your TRUTH

2.       [Jesus takes up his cross – fortitude]

Jesus, Scapegoat of Cowards, Messiah of Humanity, with courage and determination, You took on the cross, bearing its worldly weight upon your scourged and weary shoulders. Help us, in everyday moments and our deepest darkest times, to see Your cross as a symbol of survival, on our way to the never-ending joy of Life without shadow in Love’s Pure Light.

Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

            Strengthen our hearts to persist in this life with Your FORTITUDE

3.       [Jesus falls for the first time – perseverance]

Jesus, Scapegoat of Cowards, Messiah of Humanity, even in a most weakened physical state, You are our model of endurance, an example of pushing on through excruciating pain, even in the most brutal stages of Life. As our Perfecter of Faith, reinforce our willingness to get up again and again and again, whenever we fall down in our promises to You.

Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

Empower us to run with PERSERVERANCE the race to everlasting peace.

4.       [Jesus meets His Mother – tenderness]

Jesus, Scapegoat of Cowards, Messiah of Humanity, this exquisite yet tragic image of Mother-Son love reaches profoundly into the essence of us all. Infuse our souls with the instinct to protect and shelter each other in the midst of Life’s traumas – loved ones and strangers alike – as we are sheltered by Your Saving Grace.

Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

Inspire our hearts to reflect and offer the TENDERNESS of Your perfect love.

5.       [The Cross is laid on Simon of Cyrene – hope]

Jesus, Scapegoat of Cowards, Messiah of Humanity, as even the strongest need a helping hand in a difficult time of Life, relieve us of our reluctance to give aid to another in trouble, for whatever the burden and whatever the cost.

Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

May the infinite HOPE of Your Sacrifice dwell deeply in our souls.

6.       [Jesus and the women of Jerusalem – compassion]

Jesus, Scapegoat of Cowards, Messiah of Humanity, in one of Your most difficult moments in Life, You show us an extraordinary example of empathy for others. Assist us as we strive to follow Your Commandments to love God, and to love others as if they were ourselves.

Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

Grant us the COMPASSION to know ourselves and others as Your very own.

7.       [The Crucifixion – acceptance]

Jesus, Scapegoat of Cowards, Messiah of Humanity, as Your mortal time waned upon the cross, Your steadfast spirit gave way to obedience, consenting to the Will of God, for the redemption of sin for every single human Life. Let us take a moment to be still, to breathe deeply, to ponder the depth and breadth of emotion, the wonder and awe, of the moment that Your being transformed from lifeless Human to Eternally Divine.

PAUSE BRIEFLY

Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

Excite us to know Repentance, Faith, Trust, and ACCEPTANCE as our vehicle to Heavenly Glory. In the Shadow of Death there is Life, everlasting.

8.       [Jesus is laid in the tomb – LIFE]

Jesus, Scapegoat of Cowards, Messiah of Humanity, let us wait in quiet solitude, in the silence of the Tomb, for a radiant awakening in the dawn of New Life. Grant us a peaceful transition at our own time, being serenely willing and unflinchingly ready to rise again in Glory, free of sin and strife, through the magnitude of the Sacrifice by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

Transform our mortal sojourn by the way of Your Truth, Fortitude, Perseverance, Tenderness, Hope, Compassion, and Acceptance, as we await Your Glorious Resurrection and the LIFE of the World to Come. AMEN.

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. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com

Prayers of the People: Raising the Stakes Easter Day '17 Yr A

for April 16, 2016, Easter Day, Readings: Acts 10:34-43; Ps 118:1-2, 14-24; Colossians 3:1-4; Mt 28-1-10

    ...God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power...he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. [Acts 10:38]

     On this day the LORD has acted; we will rejoice and be glad in it. [Psalm 118:24]

      Since you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is...Set your minds on the things that are above, not on things that are on earth... [Colossians 3:1a, 2a]

      But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. [Matthew 28:5-6a]

      It's Easter! In the midst of all the colored eggs, chocolate bunnies, and baskets of plastic grass and toys, let's all stop and take a breath and consider: It's Easter!  Beyond the glorious music and singing, the solemnity of the Scriptures, the profusion of flowers with their heady perfumes - It's EASTER! Jesus the Christ, Messiah, Son of God, Holy Redeemer of our sins was murdered    and    then    he    ROSE FROM THE DEAD! Alive, breathing, speaking. He said he would and he did. Are we so jaded by secular culture that we have lost the amazement, the awe, the majesty of this moment? It is past time to recapture our wonder and look deeply into the heart of the faith that we claim. As the world around us becomes more "down to earth" and spirit-less, we must seek again those things that are above, where Christ is. The political stakes for Jesus were deathly high - much as they are for many of us today. Jesus raised them. So must we by taking ourselves out of the earthly tombs we create for ourselves and truly, deliberately, intentionally, follow the Christ we claim to believe. It's EASTER! Christ is Risen! Hallelujah!

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Radiant Risen Jesus, our Christ, let us put aside the darkness of yesterday and revel in the Divine Light of Your Glorious Resurrection. On this Day of Days the LORD has acted! We must rejoice and be glad in it.

                                               Hallelujah! Christ is Risen!

                       Response:       Jesus is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

~ Radiant Risen Jesus, our Christ, endow the political leaders of this Earth, this Nation, and this Community with Your mantle of joy, love, and integrity of purpose that arouses compassion, peace, cooperation, justice, and mercy for all people everywhere. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                               Hallelujah! Christ is Risen!

                                               Jesus is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

                                               

~ Radiant Risen Jesus, our Christ, lavish Your healing grace and hope on all who are ailing in body, mind, or spirit, and on those who give them daily care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…

                                               Hallelujah! Christ is Risen!

                                               Jesus is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

~ Radiant Risen Jesus, our Christ, our grateful hearts commend those we love, who have risen with You, into the heavenly peace and splendor of life everlasting. We pray especially for:  add your own petitions

                                               Hallelujah! Christ is Risen!

                                               Jesus is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

~ Radiant Risen Jesus, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

                                               Hallelujah! Christ is Risen!

                                               Jesus is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

           

~ Radiant Risen Jesus, our Christ, grant special grace to the leaders of Your Church who strive to enlighten and expand our own knowledge, wisdom, and desire to follow Your Truth.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                               Hallelujah! Christ is Risen!

                                               Jesus is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

The Celebrant adds:  Holy Christ, Resurrected in Glory, in dying You destroyed our mortal death; in rising You claimed salvation for our souls. Release us from all that binds us to the temporary and shallow that entombs us in this life, and set us again on the path to claim all that awaits us in our True and Eternal Life in God. We ask through the Holy Spirit, our Breath of New Life, and God, our Creator, who together with You are One God, transcendent, immutable, immortal. Amen.

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. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com

Prayers of the People: Palms and Punishment, Palm/Passion Sunday '17 Yr A

For Sunday, April 9, 2017, Palm and Passion Sunday, Year A, Readings: Isaiah 50:4-9a, Psalm 31:9-16, Philippians 2:5-11, Mt 26:14-27:66

       The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher... Morning by morning he wakens...my ear...The Lord God helps me...and I know I shall not be put to shame. [Isaiah 50:4, 7b]

      But as for me, I have trusted in you, O Lord. I have said, "You are my God. My times are in your hand..." [Psalm 31:14-15a]

      Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God...And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death... [Philippians 2:5-11]

      Then [Jesus] went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples. "Sit here while I go over there and pray"...Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, "So you could not stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak." 
[Matthew 26:36, 40-41]

           Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday are both separate and also one commemoration. The procession with palm branches celebrates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem just on the heels of his miraculous raising of Lazarus from the dead just two miles away. The Passion narrative develops the details of his Last Supper, betrayal by Judas, and the machinations of the Chief Priests whose local standing and power among the Jews and Rome were clearly threatened by this acclaimed and unorthodox prophet and miracle-worker.

       Jesus had not yet been to Jerusalem during the short time of his public ministry but he was becoming very well-known and so his arrival created quite a stir.  To this day in the Palm Sunday processions we hear hymns and shouts with "Hosanna" ("Hoshana" in Hebrew) - praise to God with great elation as Jesus was greeted by the throngs that lined the road. They sang and shouted Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord [Ps 118: 26]. The people laid their cloaks and branches on the pathway for Jesus as a sign of the highest honor. The palm was the symbol of triumph and victory in the Greco-Roman culture of the times.  Another notable symbol is the donkey itself - it would appear to be a very deliberate choice of Jesus sending the disciples to specifically retrieve it. The prophet Zechariah says in the Old/Hebrew Testament: Rejoice greatly, O daughter, Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter, Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey [Zechariah 9:9]. As Jesus was accused later in the week of proclaiming himself "King of the Jews," riding into the city of Jerusalem on a donkey would have symbolized that he was coming in peace, as a ruler would do to show a peaceful arrival rather than a warrior King riding in on a horse bent on war.

         All these elements were carefully noticed and recorded by the Roman occupiers and the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Council who had its own police force and trial court. How easy, it seems, to go from enthusiastic cheers of the crowd to the strongly manipulated and equally enthusiastic and deathly jeers by the same people mere days later. 

        Two thousand plus years on, it is still a story for our own time. How easily are we turned from waving palms to throwing punishing, even deadly, stones by a few well-placed headlines or Facebook posts because we simply followed the crowd?

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Lord God, Who Helps Us, this Holy Week begins in jubilance yet finds us quickly diverted by the glitter of earthly distraction, hiding in our sleeping souls, and unconscious of our own betrayals of Jesus. Awaken our hope, re-kindle our devotion, and move us, yet again, into new life in Christ.

Jesus, Lamb of God

RESPONSE:              We put our trust in You

~ Lord God, Who Helps Us, turn those leaders of this community, this nation, and this world, who engage in fear-mongering and political manipulation, toward enlightened compassion, humanity, and global cooperation. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Jesus, Lamb of God

                                                We put our trust in You

                                               

~ Lord God, Who Helps Us, cradle in Your benevolent arms all who are chronically ill, desperate, or hopeless, and give peace of heart to those who care and worry. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                Jesus, Lamb of God

                                                We put our trust in You

           

~ Lord God, Who Helps Us, ease the burden of grief in dark times, as those for whom we mourn, now live in the eternal radiance of everlasting resurrection, through the glory of God in Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Jesus, Lamb of God

                                                We put our trust in You

~ Lord God, Who Helps Us, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

                                                Jesus, Lamb of God

                                                We put our trust in You

           

~ Lord God, Who Helps Us, through this sacred week and beyond, embrace and enrich those You have called to lead Your Church. Inspire their words, their prayers, and their souls, that they and we together, may draw ever closer to You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Jesus, Lamb of God

                                                We put our trust in You

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds:  Holy God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, keep Your Loving Hand upon us to awaken and encourage our willing spirits, and strengthen our weakened flesh, that humbled in our human form, we may seek and serve Christ in ourselves, each other, and all of humankind. We ask through Jesus, our Lord and Savior, and the Holy Spirit, the Wisdom of our Souls, who together with You are One God, now and forever. Amen

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. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com

Prayers of the People: Hope and Old Bones, 5th Sunday in Lent '17 Yr A

For Sunday, April 2, 2017, 5th Sunday in Lent, Year A, Readings: Ezekiel 37:1-14, Psalm 130, Romans 8:6-11, John 11:1-45

        The hand of the LORD came upon me...He said to me "Mortal, can these bones live?" I answered, "O Lord GOD, you know." Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them: O dry bones hear the word of the Lord...I will cause breath to enter you and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you...and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the LORD." [Ezekiel 37:1a, 3-5, 6b]

       Out of the depths have I called to  you, O LORD; LORD, hear my voice...For there is forgiveness with you...I wait for the LORD; my soul waits for him; in his word is my hope. [Psalm 130: 1, 3a, 4]

        But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. [Romans 8:10-11]

        Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus said to her, "I m the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die." [John 11:24-26]

       Have you ever been in a true desert sand storm? I have not but I know those who have. They tell me it's blinding, abrading, choking, and all around frightening. The dunes shape-shift so swiftly as to bury and lay bare concurrently. When the particles settle, the air is so dry it's nearly electric. Flesh peels off limbs in sheets and, in the aridity of the desert, you cannot tell the old bones from the new.
       The bones of Ezekiel's valley were very dry and their hope was lost as they felt cut off completely. Martha and Mary, still alive in the Gospel, also felt cut off and lost at the death of their beloved brother, so painful a loss that Jesus also wept. Who among us cannot understand that while shedding an ocean of tears in the midst of immediate grief, there can be a sense of emptiness that feels as dry and as deep as the sands of the Sinai?
       There aren't many of us, I suppose, that expect Jesus to call our loved ones out of the grave and restore them to full life and health, certainly not in this life. Yet that is what the stuff of hope is made of. Paul reminds us that in this life, setting our minds on the flesh is death to eternal life. We are to set our minds on the Spirit which is life and peace. No, it isn't easy, especially in the times of life when we feel blown about as in a sandstorm. But no matter the age of our bones, hope is always the best antidote to despair and the best place to find hope is in a community of faith. We all believe and hope in different ways for different outcomes, but in a community, our bones can come alive as we wait upon the LORD to gather us.The Word is our hope, through Christ, the Resurrection and the Life.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O GOD, Giver of Life, unbind us from the earthly desires that dry our souls through to our hearts and bones. Set our minds on the Spirit of life and peace, that we may seek, believe, and follow Christ Jesus, who is the Resurrection and the Life.

                                                 Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier                 

RESPONSE:              Your Word is our Hope

~ O GOD, Giver of Life, place Your hand on the hearts of those who lead this planet, this nation, and this community. Fill them with virtue, empathy, and honor for the benefit of all Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier

Your Word is our Hope

                                               

~ O GOD, Giver of Life, bestow Your healing touch upon all in ill-health, emotional turmoil, or in despair. Grant them, and those who give them care, rest for today and hope for tomorrow.  We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier

Your Word is our Hope

           

~ O GOD, Giver of Life, let our tears be dried and our grief released, for as Jesus called Lazarus from his tomb, You call our loved ones to the joy of new and eternal life. We pray especially for: add your own petitions 

Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier

Your Word is our Hope

~ O GOD, Giver of Life, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier

Your Word is our Hope

           

~ O GOD, Giver of Life, animate the spirits of those sent to us to lead Your Church as they prophesy Your Word, and bring us together into the Light of Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier

Your Word is our Hope

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds: O Lord our GOD, breathe into our mortal bones and awaken us from the death of sin, as our waiting souls turn toward the radiance of Your mercy, forgiveness, and everlasting life. We ask through Jesus, Your Son, the Holy Spirit, our Guide, who together with You are One God, now and forever. Amen.

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. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com

Prayers of the People: Amazing Mud, 4th Sunday in Lent, '17 Yr A

For Sunday, March 26, 2017, 4th Sunday in Lent, Year A, Readings: 2 Samuel 16:1-13, Psalm 23, Ephesians 5:8-14, John 9:1-41

        But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." [1 Samuel 16:7]

        Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. [Psalm 23:6]

        Once you were in darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light - for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. [Ephesians 5:8-14]

        "...As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." When [Jesus] said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the [blind] man's eyes saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. [John 9:5-6]

       The mud that Jesus used on the blind man's eyes made me ponder once, if Jesus knew he could make the blind man see, why not snap his fingers or simply say "you can see now"? But then, symbolism - when recognized or at least intuited - is important even if not always understood completely. (Do you ever wonder if any of the Pharisees tried this mud idea later?). 

       Although Jesus explains that this man had not sinned, nonetheless his eyes were opened to sight after he washed clean - perhaps as in the waters of Baptism washing us clean of sin? The name Siloam, we are told means Sent, as Jesus was and is sent by God to open our eyes to see the light, to believe and follow the life God calls us to. None of us is perfect but we are forgiven - as is David who, as we know from his later story, was far from perfect (and so there is hope for me!).

       The choosing of David by God, in the passage from 1 Samuel, is merely the beginning of the compelling story of this man. The "blind man" is unnamed and his story is brief, but David begins his reign fresh from his pastures as a young shepherd and has a long and often muddled life. The Psalm appointed for this week is attributed by some traditions to David himself, but surely whoever authored it understood the divine symbolism inherent in shepherding.* 

       Paul speaks to the Ephesians, and ultimately to us, exhorting us to awaken from the sleep of the darkness, live as children of light, and try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Things are always easier to see in the light though not necessarily more clearly. The Pharisees used a different lens to "see" what Jesus was trying to tell them - they didn't seem to get the whole picture. God tells Samuel that the LORD does not see as mortals see...the LORD looks on the heart. 

       This is a good week to try to see what is in my heart, what blinders are on my eyes, and what darkness I invite into my life. I can use this Psalm as a personal prayer and plea as I speak the "my, and the I, and the me" for myself, and then I can take those personal pronouns and replace them with the name of someone else as a prayer for her or him or them. It might also be a good week to change up a familiar hymn a little. How about something along the lines of:

Amazing Grace Mud, how sweet the feel of Christ massaging my eyes. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.

       

*I commend you to a wonderful little book titled, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller who, as a real contemporary shepherd, unpacks all that the psalm speaks of in relation to how a shepherd cares for sheep as God cares and (tries to) lead us.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Eternal Shepherd, Merciful and Just, You chose David in his youth and us from the womb, knowing our full potential and looking on all we hold in our hearts. Lead us from the blindness of self-pride to the clarity of eyes opened to life in You.

                                                O God of Truth and Light

RESPONSE:             Deliver us from the blindness of sin

~ Eternal Shepherd, Merciful and Just, awaken the inner vision of those who lead us in this World, this Country, and this Community, so they will see themselves as You see them, and begin to shepherd their own flocks with compassion, integrity and principle. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O God of Truth and Light

                                                Deliver us from the blindness of sin

                                               

~ Eternal Shepherd, Merciful and Just, comfort and revive the souls of all who suffer with physical or emotional trials, and impart Your calming spirit to those who give them care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                O God of Truth and Light

                                                Deliver us from the blindness of sin

           

~ Eternal Shepherd, Merciful and Just, soothe the hearts of all who grieve as our departed loved ones now live again in the delight of endless green pastures, dwelling in Your House forever. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O God of Truth and Light

                                                Deliver us from the blindness of sin

~ Eternal Shepherd, Merciful and Just, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

                                                O God of Truth and Light

                                                Deliver us from the blindness of sin

           

~ Eternal Shepherd, Merciful and Just, set Your Spirit upon all who are anointed to guide Your Church along right pathways, as we walk together seeking the fruit of the light. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O God of Truth and Light

                                                Deliver us from the blindness of sin

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds:  O LORD our God, Your goodness and mercy overflows our cup of life when we choose the blessings You set before us. Release us from the darkness we make for ourselves to see the eternal table of love that You have prepared for us. We ask this through Jesus our Christ, True Light from True Light, and the Spirit of all that is Holy, who live and reign with You, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

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