Prayers of the People: Soul-full Love Songs ~ 15th Sunday after Pentecost '18 Yr B

For Sunday, September 2, 2018, 15^th Sunday after Pentecost, Year B, Readings: Song of Solomon 2:8-13, Psalm 45:1-2, 7-10; James 1:17-27, 

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

    The voice of my beloved! Look,...there he stands behind our wall, gazing in at the windows, looking through the lattice. [Song of Solomon 2:8a, 9b]

    My heart is stirring with a noble song...God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness, above your fellows. [Psalm 45:1a, 8]

    Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above...let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God's righteousness...be doers of the word, and not merely hearers...care for orphans and widows in their distress...keep...unstained by the world. [James 1:17a, 19b-20, 22a, 27b]

    "Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites...You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition"...For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come... [Mark 7:6a, 8,21a]

     The language of the Hebrew Testament readings this week is rich, provocative, and even sensual. The Song of Solomon is clearly a magnificent and moving love poem, and the Psalm carries the romance along enticing our senses with imagining the fragrances of myrrh, aloes, and cassia and idyllic sounds of the music of strings from ivory palaces. [Ps 45:9]  It may be easy to enter into the reverie and be transported into a dreamlike state by the magical quality of the intimacy created by these words.  

     Long ago and far away, a priest I knew (considered highly radical for the time and especially place) held Mass on Sunday evenings on an Army base in the shadow of Pike’s Peak in Colorado, where I lived as a young Army spouse. The memories are still vivid so many years later, and in particular, of him using recorded contemporary music in the service, specifically love songs, saying that even these can be the language of expressing our love to and for God. And so it goes for the Song of Solomon and the lyrics of this Psalm. Our Beloved, our God, who longs for us, and stands behind our wall…gazing in…looking through to see our hearts, asking us to Arise...and come away.
        The writer of James tells us that it is through God's generous act of giving that we are brought to birth by the word of truth and are directed to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger...we are to be doers of the word, and not merely hearers [James 1:17a, 18a, 19, 22a]. But, as always, it is Jesus who, in quoting Isaiah, speaks bluntly to the Pharisees who make human tradition and precepts into idolatrous doctrine, as they abandon the commandments of God. He tells the rest of us by way of addressing "the crowd" that it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come... [Mark 7:14]  
       This Gospel jolts me into awareness that my commitment to God has become shallow and I hearken back to Psalm 51, verses 2 and 10 in particular: Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin...Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 

        In our own time and "religious practice" when the "tradition" and ritual are the ends rather than the means to holiness, when purpose and origin are lost or forgotten, when the "why" of it is no longer considered, we have lost the integrity and intention of the worship of God, especially in daily living. We have ceased to be conscious, and have become merely hearers, not doers of God’s Word. We are desensitized, sterilized, and removed from receiving and giving the deep, abiding love of God, the God who gazes through our personal windows into our souls.    

       We are given these extraordinary words of love this week to deepen our relationship with God who anoints us with the oil of gladness. James reminds us that our God-given purpose is to act on behalf of those in distress, and to keep ourselves unstained by the world. Committing again to God's commandments, let us welcome with meekness the implanted word that will save our souls as it goes straight to our hearts, wherein lies the voice of our Beloved. In accepting and returning the lyrics of love from, to, in, and through God, we gladly become the doers of God's Word, grace filled and soul-full.  

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O God, our God, stir our hearts with urgent generosity to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slower to anger. Instill in us the perfect gifts to live as doers of Your word and truth, caring for all in distress, and remaining unstained by this world.

                                                     O Lord, Most Beloved                                                        

RESPONSE:                 Keep us free of evil intent

~ O God, our God, grant all who govern Your people anywhere in this Earthly realm, purity of motive and principled determination to stay free of hypocrisy, and be eager for justice and mercy. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord, Most Beloved

                                                       Keep us free of evil intent                                                      

~ O God, our God, release from pain those who suffer through illness, depression, or addiction, and give strength to all who provide for their daily needs. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord, Most Beloved

                                                       Keep us free of evil intent

~ O God, our God, soothe the wounds of those who grieve, as Heaven is alive with noble song, an eternal festival of joy with those we love. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord, Most Beloved

                                                       Keep us free of evil intent

~ O God, our God, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord, Most Beloved

                                                       Keep us free of evil intent

             

~ O God, our God, quicken the spirits of all who bring us Your Word and Sacraments, that together we may move from the idolatry of mere human tradition to the honoring of Your commandments with each action of our lives. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord, Most Beloved

                                                       Keep us free of evil intent

             

The Celebrant adds:  Holy and Righteous God, as we are anointed by Your Oil of Gladness, fortify our resolve to cleanse our own hearts, to think, pray, speak, and act only through Your implanted Word, that holds the power to save our souls. We ask through the perfection of Jesus, our Christ and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, who together with You, reign as 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: Armored Bread ~ 14th Sunday after Pentecost '18 Yr B

For Sunday, August 26, 2018, 14^th Sunday after Pentecost, Year B, Readings: 1 Kings 8:[1, 6, 10-11], 22-30, 41-43; Psalm 84 [1-6], 

Ephesians: 6:1-20, John 6:56-69

Hear the plea of your servant…O hear in heaven your dwelling place; heed and forgive. [1 Kings 8:30a, c]

Happy are the people whose strength is in you! Whose hearts are set on the pilgrims' way…No good thing will the Lord withhold from those who walk with integrity. O Lord of Hosts, happy are they who put their trust in you. [Ps 84:4, 11-12]

Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication.  [Ephesians 6:18a]

Jesus said, "Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them..." When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?"...[But Jesus said to them] "It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life." [John 6:56, 60, 63]

      Some weeks ago we read of David dancing happily through the streets leading the Ark of the Covenant to his own City. Last week we opened the story of Solomon ascending David's throne with God's continuing love. This week Solomon completes the journey his father began in seeing the Ark brought home to Jerusalem, proclaiming to all assembled that "there is no other God like you" who keeps the covenant and steadfast love for all.  

       The Psalmist, speaks over and over about the joy of dwelling in the House and Courts of the living God, the Lord of Hosts. A tiny phrase points us in a definite direction when it says hearts are happy when set on the pilgrim's way as those who travel through a desolate valley will find it a place of springs. Paul exhorts us to shield ourselves from all that could turn us away from God, and to Put on the whole armor of God for strength and to pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer. 

       This week we also come to the end of the seemingly endless discourses of Jesus telling his followers to "eat my body and drink my blood." This piece of the paschal mystery is so difficult to comprehend that many of those who were following Jesus in his time walked away because of it. Yet many stayed and struggled and today we each reconcile ourselves to this idea in various ways. Some Christians believe in Transubstantiation at the time of the consecration, that the bread and wine on the altar become, mysteriously and mystically, the True and Actual Body and Blood of Christ. Others accept the consecration as metaphor, or, symbolic representation. Some denominations have no "communion" service at all but rely solely on preaching the Word. But the question remains, why is there so very much about BREAD?

        Bread is one of the oldest foods to be "made" from other ingredients - even just flour and water can render some form of it. Leavening, or yeast, is what gives us the bread that westerners are most familiar with. It is nutritious enough to sustain a diet of "bread and water" for quite a long time. It's been called the "Staff of Life" as a staple food for most of the people in the world and would have been understood in his time that it was basic to everyday life. The graphic language is what is most confounding but hearing it in plain and simple terms, when we consume the bread and the water, they are in us, feeding our bodies. When we consume the bread and wine as the body and blood of Christ - however one accepts the form as actual or symbolic - it represents Christ within us as he tells us we are in him. It is our spiritual sustenance to nourish us on our earthly journey, our pilgrimage, that culminates in eternal life through salvation. Consuming the small piece of consecrated bread and wine in the Eucharist, is, for me, a literal physical connection to an abiding spiritual Presence.
       And, finally in the Gospel of John, Jesus asks the Twelve if they wish to also turn away and Peter says, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."  From those times to our times, we are still seeking to understand, to strengthen our faith, to travel the path to God in our own way and with each other. We struggle with questions and doubts and confidence in our faith. We are pilgrims.
       The Oxford dictionary defines pilgrim as: a person who journeys to a sacred place for religious reasons and offers the synonyms: worshiper, devotee, believer, traveler, wayfarer. It isn't important to physically travel, we can make progress as a pilgrim in our spiritual journeys wherever we are through prayer and contemplation, in worship and through Communion with fellow journeyers. But just as in travel, sometimes there are delays and detours, yet with determination, eventually the destination is reached. Prayer, perseverance, desire, and longing to be part of God's Household is all it takes ... but it is easier if we go together. As the old hymn from John Bunyan, author of the 1678 Pilgrim’s Progress, concludes:

Since, Lord, Thou dost defend us with Thy Spirit,
We know at the end, shall life inherit.
Then fancies flee away! I'll fear not what men say,
I'll labor night and day to be a pilgrim.

Let us put the on Armor of God, eat our Bread, and continue to our sacred destiny.

To listen to an unusual and beautiful rendering of Bunyan's hymn, click here: Steve Parsons: To Be A Pilgrim

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Living God, our Sun and our Shield, fill us with Your strength that we may reflect Your steadfast love and your grace and glory in all that we do. Help us on our pilgrim way to pray in the Spirit at all times, for all reasons, for all of Your people.

                                         O Lord of Hosts                        

RESPONSE:    We put our trust in You

~ Living God, guide us to stand firm and proclaim the Gospel of peace and justice to all who hold authority over the governments of this World, of this Country, and of this Community. Let us take up Your Truth and walk with the integrity that we expect and require of our leaders. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                         O Lord of Hosts

                                         We put our trust in You

~ Living God, breathe fresh hope into the spirits of all who are weighed down by serious illness, desperation, or addiction, and lift the hearts of those who give them care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                         O Lord of Hosts

                                         We put our trust in You

~ Living God, ease our sorrows with the comfort of knowing that those we have sent on to You, now transcend all earthly woes, and live forever in the newness of life, holy and eternal. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                         O Lord of Hosts

                                         We put our trust in You

~ Living God, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

                                         O Lord of Hosts

                                         We put our trust in You

             

~ Living God, You have gifted us with disciples who do not turn away but give their lives in Your service, guiding us by Word and Sacrament. As Christ abides in us and we in Him, we join and journey together toward the threshold of Your Eternal House. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                         O Lord of Hosts

                                         We put our trust in You

             

The Celebrant adds:  Holy and Eternal God, hear our plea and draw us together to clothe ourselves in Your armor of faith, being nourished by the Holy Food and Drink of Christ. With Your helmet of salvation and belt of truth, we can resist all evil, as we seek to live forever in You, rejoicing beyond all time. We ask through Christ Jesus, the Holy One; and the Live-Giving Spirit, who together with You, reign as 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: Hungry for Wisdom ~ 13th Sunday after Pentecost '18 Yr B

For Sunday, August 19, 2018, 13^th Sunday after Pentecost, Year B, Readings: 1 Kings 2:10-12, 3:3-14; Psalm 111, Ephesians 5:15-20; 
John 6:51-58

...[T]he LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream...and God said, "Ask what I should give you." Solomon said..."Give your servant...an understanding mind...able to discern between good and evil..." 

[1 Kings 3:5, 9-10]

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; those who act accordingly have a good understanding; his praise endures for ever. [Psalm 111:10]

Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time...So do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is... [Ephesians, 5:15-16a, 17]

Jesus said, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever...This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever." [John 6:51a, 58]

           In the Hebrew Testament readings thus far, the tumultuous life of David has ended and he has now gone to sleep with his ancestors. Solomon, second born of David and Bathsheba, succeeds as heir to his father’s throne. God loved David deeply and easily transferred that love to Solomon and, in a dream, God asked what Solomon wanted. Solomon’s response, perhaps surprising to us but very pleasing to God, was to ask for "an understanding mind" or, in other words, wisdom, rather than the expected great wealth or even the death of his enemies. Solomon wasn't always a paragon of virtue but he started out well.

          Of course, being intelligent isn't the same as having wisdom. We are told that Solomon also asked specifically for "discernment between good and evil" and that is a key element of wisdom. Following the “good” is the way of the wise. Following the evil may seem an intelligent move to some as the way of the shrewd, but it isn’t wise, and more importantly, it’s only a short-term strategy. Evil ends in the death of one’s self, a mortal wound.

         The psalmist tells us that "the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom" but "fear" isn't meant as we use it today as "to be frightened of." Rather it meant to have respect for, reverence, or, to be in awe. It should be easy to reverence and be in awe of our God whose work is full of majesty and splendor with eternal righteousness, and who is gracious and full of compassion;  and even more so because our God has sent redemption to his people. The redemption is Christ who is the new manna from heaven that revives and saves us from the mortal wounds we often inflict upon ourselves.

         Paul urges caution in this life and is quite direct in telling us to live wisely. He reminds us to "make the most of the time" we have and not "be foolish” and caught up in mere earth-bound pleasure. Anyone who has watched a child grow, or sees how quickly the pages of the calendar turn, understands the increasing speed of years passing in this human time. As my grandmother used to say, "The days may be long, but the years are short." 

         Christ is not only the true food and true drink for eternal life, this Living Bread fills us with divine purpose NOW, in this life, as preparation for the next. It is time to remember to be in awe of God again, to discover our own beginning of wisdom. Once we wise up and follow on the path that Christ leads, then our renewable faith, especially in a community of believers, will help keep us on track. When we stop on the path or turn in a different direction, we can become lost and spiritually hungry. The best way to continually renew our faith and satisfy our soul’s hunger is to access the spiritual sustenance of the new manna, to eat of the Living Bread from Heaven that is Jesus. Wisdom arrives again and we will live forever and never go hungry.  

         The time to begin is now.  

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Holy and Living God, let our hearts sing with the constant melody of gratitude for Your gift of Jesus as our Bread of Eternal Life. Guide us that our every action is in service to Your Will and in the name of our Lord Christ, Son of Man.

                                                     Gracious, Compassionate Lord                                         

RESPONSE:                 Our wisdom begins with our faith

~ Holy and Living God, as Solomon requested, so do we ask of You to grant an understanding mind and the ability to discern and choose good over evil, for all who hold governing authority across this Planet, in our Nation, and in our Community. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Gracious, Compassionate Lord

                                                       Our wisdom begins with our faith

~ Holy and Living God, grant hopeful relief to all who suffer in body, in spirit, or in life circumstance, and respite to those entrusted with their care. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Gracious, Compassionate Lord

                                                       Our wisdom begins with our faith

~ Holy and Living God, as loved ones fall to sleep with their ancestors, by Your redemption they awaken in the joyful courts of heaven to new life forever after. We pray especially for: add your own petitions 

                                                       Gracious, Compassionate Lord

                                                       Our wisdom begins with our faith

~ Holy and Living God, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

                                                       Gracious, Compassionate Lord

                                                       Our wisdom begins with our faith

             

~ Holy and Living God, we offer our whole-hearted thanksgiving for those You have chosen to inspire us by Your Word, consecrate the precious Body and Blood, and to guide us in the work You have given us to do. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Gracious, Compassionate Lord

                                                       Our wisdom begins with our faith

             

The Celebrant adds:  Almighty and Righteous God, fill us with the Spirit to live wisely now and with Divine purpose, that in our brief time on this earth, we will continually prepare to be raised to eternal life. We ask through Christ Jesus, our Living Bread of Heaven, and the Holy Spirit, our unending Source of Wisdom, who together with You reign as One God, for all time, 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: Peaceful Sunset? ~ 12th Sunday after Pentecost, '18 Yr B

For Sunday, August 12, 2018, 12^th Sunday after Pentecost, Year B, Readings: 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33; Psalm 130, Ephesians 4:25-5:2, 

John 6:35, 41-51 

       The king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went, he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!" [2 Sam 18:33]

        If you, Lord, were to note what is done amiss, O Lord, who could stand? For there is forgiveness with you…I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for him; in his word is my hope…for with the Lord, there is mercy; with him there is plenteous redemption... 

[Psalm 130: 2-3a, 4, 6b-7a]

       Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger...Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. [Ephesians 4:26, 31-32]

   Jesus said, "I am the bread of life.” Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in my will never be thirsty…Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life…This is the bread of life that comes down from heaven so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever... [John 6:35, 47-48, 50-51a] 

      Forgiveness and hope, for me, are the over-arching themes of this week's readings. Without filling in the many and nearly salacious details of earlier chapters, we begin with yet another small piece of David's tangled story that violently ends the lust, intrigue, and betrayal by his sons Amnon and Absalom.  Although there is barely a taste of it over a few weeks of the Sunday lectionary, the life of David takes us from triumph to tragedy, with power and love amidst anger and hatred, revenge, and grief. As the sun sets on this dynamic and dramatic kingship, forgiveness is the repeating core element of God's relationship with David, and with us ~ God forgives David; David forgives Absalom; and God forgives us all. A key ingredient is, as with each of us, that while God saw all of David's deeds and misdeeds, God continued to love him and yet there was no escape from punishment and pain for this very human king.
      The Psalmist gives voice to the anguish of the depths yet holds on to the hope of God's word, that for those who follow, there is plenteous redemption.

     How about this news: not just a wedding shower plaque or a meme on Facebook, it was Paul who gave us that familiar phrase don't let the sun go down on your anger. Though he does give us permission to be angry ~ whew, because it's hard not to be at times ~ we are not given license to sin because of it, and we are strongly admonished to put away the by-products of anger ~ bitterness, wrath, and malice. It's not easy to be tenderhearted and
forgiving when someone has broken your trust and your heart. Yet again we see that God, through Christ, forgives them and us. And as someone else wisely said, if God forgives, who am I not to? 
      In our "real time" of now, it is easier than ever to be goaded into explosive anger by political, religious, and nearly any other subject when there are vicious, reactionary, or merely polarizing opinions voiced on any media outlet you can name. My God-given life is 'way too short to feed the frenzy and be frenzied by the feed. I want to change my anger into positive energy and direct it toward solutions to genuine problems rather than to just add more unproductive trash talk. Jesus tells us no fewer than six times in this Gospel reading, that he is our salvation, our bread of eternal life ~ do we hear it, do we know it, do we believe it yet? Through him, by God, we are forgiven everything, if we only just believe. Then faith will truly change our lives.
      Forgiving is hard and may appear to be unrewarding work. But forgiveness does not mean that I or the other have to give up disagreement or even some true and righteous anger. Forgiveness doesn't mean that the issue has changed from wrong to right and no relevant punishment is due. Wanting justice is surely part of the act of forgiveness yet may not be apparent; however, in the act of forgiveness, mercy is paramount.  As the Prayer of St. Francis says, "It is in pardoning that we are pardoned." Pastor Max Lucado said beautifully, "Forgiveness is unlocking the door to set someone free and realizing you were the prisoner!" Forgiveness is a work in progress. My own satisfaction in forgiving will be in believing that I am also forgiven and thereby have tasted the Bread of Life and freed myself from the useless prison of an angry heart. And so let the sunset always be peaceful as a new day in Christ will soon dawn in this world and the next.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Lord of Mercy, grant us the patience to overturn our own bitterness, wrangling, and self-serving wrath, even if only in thought, and to know our own sin more quickly than another’s. Guide our hearts to be kind and forgiving, to live in love, and to believe in and feed on the Bread of Life.

   God of Plenteous Redemption

RESPONSE:    Let us forgive as we are forgiven          

~ Lord of Mercy, fill us with Your Truth to speak peace-filled words that give grace to those who hear. Let us join together to turn righteous anger into positive energy for the work of Christ across this Planet, this Country, and this Community. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       God of Plenteous Redemption

                                                       Let us forgive as we are forgiven

~ Lord of Mercy, whisper Your word of hope to all who wait and struggle in body, mind, or soul, and calm the hearts of all who give them care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…add your own petitions

                                                       God of Plenteous Redemption

                                                       Let us forgive as we are forgiven

~ Lord of Mercy, instill in all who grieve, deep peace of heart, in knowing that their loved ones now joyfully feast at the glorious banquet of eternal life. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       God of Plenteous Redemption

                                                       Let us forgive as we are forgiven

~ Lord of Mercy, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently…add your own petitions

                                                       God of Plenteous Redemption

                                                       Let us forgive as we are forgiven

             

~ Lord of Mercy, enrich the souls of those entrusted with our spiritual growth through our worship, study, and prayer, that brings us unity in Christ as members of one another. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       God of Plenteous Redemption

                                                       Let us forgive as we are forgiven

             

The Celebrant adds: Eternal God of Hope, energize our faith and excite our souls that whenever this life brings anger, grief, or distraction from You, we do not fall into sin but seek to live and act as the living legacy of salvation through Christ. We ask through Jesus, our sacred Bread of Life, and the Holy Spirit by whom we are Sealed for Redemption, who together with You are One God, for ever and ever.  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