People's Prayers

Monday, February 24, 2014

Prayers of the People: The Clouds of All-Knowing ~ Transfiguration

Readings for Sunday, March 2, 2014: Ex 24:12-18; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Ps 2 or 99; Mt 17:1-9

I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now

From up and down and still somehow

It’s cloud’s Illusions I recall,

I really don’t know clouds at all

(from Both Sides Now as written/performed by Joni Mitchell)

It’s a big week for clouds and mountains! The OT and the Gospel make significant references to the cloud, first covering and settling on Mt Sinai when Moses went up to receive The Law, and next, the cloud that overshadows those assembled on the Mount of Transfiguration and from which God spoke. These particular kinds of clouds, in which God is present, are known in Judaism as the Shekinah (Shek-in-ah) – a feminine Hebrew word for a name of God. It also translates to "settling or dwelling of the Divine Presence." Clouds seems to have emerged as a theme for me; the refrain (above) has been replaying in my head for days. And, as we read at the parish (www.SsAM.org), lectionary study, the phrase "The Cloud of All-Knowing" hit my brain. It is a play on the title of a famous 14th century book on contemplation, The Cloud of Unknowing, by an anonymous mystic. I read it quite a few years ago so to refresh my memory I went to Wikipedia. From a longer quote there I gleaned:

“…[L]et all our thought and desire be contained in the one small word ‘God.’ Nothing else
and no other words are needed… Let this little word represent to you God in all his fullness
and nothing less than the fullness of God.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cloud_of_Unknowing from which you can obtain a free pdf of the book).

A practiced contemplative person becomes comfortable with just the Presence. Although God is "all-knowing,” it is unnecessary for us to know all – Moses was given all he needed to know and teach during his 40 days and nights within the Shekinah. But most of us would have great difficulty trying to let go of, or un-know, the details of God, to give up intellectualizing, and just be in the fullness of the Divine Presence.

As for the cloud that envelopes Jesus on Mt. Tabor (the traditional site of the Transfiguration), it is from that cloud that God speaks again, as at the Baptism of Jesus, to say that Jesus is God’s beloved Son and to tell the chosen disciples (and us!) to listen to him. The 13^th century Italian theologian Thomas Aquinas considered this miraculous moment as the greatest of the miracles of Jesus as it corresponds to the 5 most significant events in his life, the other 4 being: Baptism, Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension. It was at this moment, the Transfiguration of Christ, at the top of the mountain, that Human and Divine meet, when Jesus is the connector between heaven and earth, when the temporal and eternal spark a dazzling display of transcendent, Majestic Glory all in the sight of the chosen disciples who then bear witness to the prophecy confirmed.

Our own connections to these readings and this Life in Christ are a continuing work in progress...and while we don’t have to Climb Every Mountain (from The Sound of Music by Rodgers and Hammerstein) isn’t it comforting to know that There Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (by Ashford and Simpson) to keep God from us, and, vice-versa. (ok, so I got a little swept up in ‘60s music this week) Meanwhile:

Let Us, God’s People, Pray

Leader: ~ Holy God of Glory and Light, upon Your Sacred Mountains you gave Moses the Law for our instruction and transfigured the Being of Your Son, Jesus, as our model for life. Rise in our hearts as the Morning Star, melt the ice that can chill our souls, dwell in us, and embrace us with Your Holy Cloud of All-Knowing.

O God of the Highest Heights,

Response: Let our prayers ascend to You.

~ Holy God of Glory and Light, transform the hearts and minds of the leaders of this world so that their judgments are unclouded and they legislate justice tempered with mercy for all. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God of the Highest Heights,

Let our prayers ascend to You.

~ Holy God of Glory and Light, help us to reassure those who are ill, weary, or anxious, that they, too, are as Beloved of You as is Jesus. Bless those who care for the weakest of Your children and give them unfailing strength of body and heart. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God of the Highest Heights,

Let our prayers ascend to You.

~ Holy God of Glory and Light, our Beacon of Hope in the dark times of mourning, help us find comfort in knowing that the souls of those who have gone before us are now bathed in the dazzling glory of the Transfigured Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God of the Highest Heights,

Let our prayers ascend to You.

~ Holy God of Glory and Light, rejuvenate and sustain those You have given to us as the leaders of Your Church, and help them remember that they may also follow and take refuge in Your wisdom and counsel. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God of the Highest Heights,

Let our prayers ascend to You.

The Celebrant adds: O LORD our God, You bade us “listen” to the Transfigured Jesus, and Jesus told us “do not be afraid.” Let us know and listen to the Radiant Christ in our hearts so we may follow Your Law without fear and receive Your Divine Presence with His. We ask this in the name of Jesus Your Beloved Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Please feel free to request a prayer to be composed for a particular concern or topic for posting in this space. You may leave your request in the comments section or contact me directly at 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. Requestors will remain anonymous.

Monday, February 17, 2014

Prayers of the People: Being Cheeky, 7th Sunday after Epiphany

Readings for Sunday, February 23, 2014: Lev 19:1-2, 9-18; Ps 119:33-40; 1Cor 3:10-11, 16-23; Mt 5:38-48

Turn the Other Cheek.

And get slapped again?

Actually, yes, most likely. That's the way with it, non-violent resistance, that is. And we probably should smile at the same time - sincerely. Oh sure.

But Walter Wink, theologian and Professor of Biblical Interpretation at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York City, gives us a useful context. The very short version is that the usual back handed slap across the face is intended to humiliate. If one turns the left cheek after the first blow, it thwarts the connection. It reduces the power of the one doing the hitting to dehumanize. As Gandhi taught, "The first principle of nonviolent action is that of noncooperation with everything humiliating." Wink's easily-read article explains much more about this. Do take a look at: http://www.cres.org/star/_wink.htm

And this week, like last, we are commanded to care for God's people which, by the way, includes ourselves. Love them and us by not stealing, defrauding, reviling, slandering, hating, or taking vengeance and the like. Love those who love us but mostly those who don't ~ our enemies, our persecutors, the evildoers.

Love is such an enriching emotion that ideally brings pleasure, satisfaction, and even fulfillment, whether romantic, filial, parental, or some other kind that brings a heart flutter. Of course, in reality, love can be painful and difficult. Jesus then gives us this business of loving people we don't like and who don't like us. How do we do that? Perhaps we can start by at least accepting the concept and then work up to doing it. It's a tough sell, especially in these times of instant gratification by whatever means possible.

And then, of course, there's letting go of "An eye for an eye..." When there is almost as much satisfaction in retaliation as there is in love, in a society when violent reaction by physical or social media smack-down is instantaneous, how are we supposed to love everyone and not respond in kind to a disagreement, a threat or a despicable action? Pray.....without ceasing. And work on ways to respond thoughtfully rather than react in haste.

Let Us, God’s People, Pray

Leader: ~ O Holy LORD, our God, as temples of Your most gracious love, You give us the way of Your statutes in Your Commandments. You tell us what we need to know about how to love and serve You. But we often slip on the ice of distraction, and care first and only for ourselves and not our neighbors or those in need.

Lord Jesus of God, Foundation of our souls

Response: Teach us to long for life in Your way.

~ O Holy LORD, our God, turn the hearts of our elected leaders away from what is worthless in this world and toward us working together to build the world according to Your Way. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Lord Jesus of God

Teach us to long for life in Your way.

~ O Holy LORD, our God, you exhort us to show love for our neighbors with every action of our lives. Let us begin anew by caring for those who are sick, injured, or afraid, and for those who selflessly aid and comfort them. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Lord Jesus of God

Teach us to long for life in Your way.

~ O Holy LORD, our God, we are bereft of the company of those in our hearts who have gone home to You; but we are soothed with the knowledge that they are with You in Your Holy Temple. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Lord Jesus of God

Teach us to long for life in Your way.

~ O Holy LORD, our God, we ask Your blessings on those who lead us in Your Church. Revitalize and enliven their sense of Divine Call so that they can show us the way to turn, not just the other cheek, but our whole being toward You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Lord Jesus of God

Teach us to long for life in Your way.

The Celebrant adds: O God of All that is Holy, Your servant Paul tells us to choose carefully how we each build on the Foundation that is Christ. Jesus tells us to always respond in love, to turn the other cheek, and to pray even for those who would not love us in return. Guide us toward having the charity of heart and the strength of character to be as giving of our love as we are eager to receive it. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Please feel free to request a prayer to be composed for a particular concern or topic for posting in this space.

You may leave your request in the comments section or contact me directly at 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. Requestors will remain anonymous.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Prayer for Before the Aftermath

this prayer is by request

   Dear Lord of the Skies, We're bracing again. We know it's coming and all we can do is watch. We're so weary of the snow, ice, wind, floods, and frigid temperatures that have been the hallmarks of this winter in the northern hemisphere.
                  SO, as the sun shines this morning, I'm thinking of those who are in flight, on the roads, away from home, or even at home who will soon be frozen in their tracks by power outages and accidents. Please keep all your children safe, warm, and careful. Help us all be available for each other in prayer and presence.
                 We ask special blessings for utility workers, snow plow crews, ambulance and rescue people, police, postal carriers, and anyone whose work requires them to be outside. May the rest of us have the good sense to stay home, bundle up, and not contribute to the work of emergency personnel.
                 Keep us safe and warm in Your love, keep tempers calmed, and patience increased today and in the days to come. Amen.

                  Oh, and one very small request - please turn the minds of the local tv producers so we don't have to be subjected to 10 hours of "Look, it's snowing." Oh, never mind, we have Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and, the Off button. Then, a good book!
And, really, this storm is named PAX? Who thinks that's a good idea?



Please feel free to request a prayer to be composed for a particular concern or topic for posting in this space. You may leave your request in the comments section or contact me directly at 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. Requestors will remain anonymous.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Prayers of the People: Here's the Deal ~ 6th Sunday After Epiphany

Readings: Deut 30:15-20, Ps 119:1-8, 1Cor 3:1-9, Mt 5:21-37

The readings said to me:

It's All Up to YOU.

      Take It or Leave It.
     What's It Gonna Be?
You CAN handle the truth.
          Make Amends.
Face the Consequences.
             Grow Up.

Reductive? Most certainly! There is so much that could be and has been said about these (and most other) Scripture readings. Literally multiple trillions of academic tomes, texts, and pages have been published; not to mention sermons over the course of two millennia. But, after all is said and written, I need to know: what does it all mean for me in my life NOW? And Jesus himself, reduced it all into very clear terms in what is sometimes called "The Greatest Commandment" and it is taken in part from the sacred Judaic Shema (sheh-mah) from earlier in Deuteronomy. We read it most often in Mark 12:29-31 when Jesus was asked "Which commandment is first of all?" and Jesus said:   The first is, Hear,O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.

Love God, love your neighbor as yourself - if you do all that then you ARE following the Commandments. Of course, there is one slight footnote I feel compelled to add - not by way of defense of the sin, only as a clarification for the sake of historical context. Adultery - ugly though it is - was in that time not exactly what it is now. Polygamy had existed in the distant past (that is, men could have multiple wives) and had never been specifically repudiated by Jewish Law. And "adultery" only existed if the woman in question was married. Otherwise, "visiting" non-married women wasn't adultery for him.

What, for me, is the clear message of the combined readings is God gives us free will to choose the path we take and tells us what to expect as a result of our choice. Think about it. What road are you on?

Let Us, God’s People, Pray

Leader: ~ O God of Mercy and Promise, You offer us the choice of abundant life in You or the emptiness of death to the Spirit. Our hearts are so easily turned by the gods of human distractions. Do not forsake us as we find our way from being milk-fed spiritual babies to the solid food of following Your statutes as conscious, intentional adults.