Prayers for Lent, Day 34: Give Up, Take On, Pray

          Any time you are with anyone or think of anyone you must say to yourself: I am dying and this person too is dying, attempting the while to experience the truth of the words you are saying. If every one of you agrees to practice this, bitterness will die out, harmony will arise.   
                                                        ― Anthony de Mello* 1931-1987


If you knew that this would be the very last time we would speak to each other, would our conversation be different?  Would we play pretend or would we speak the truth? We have those moments every day with store clerks, shoppers, commuters on the train, people on elevators, those we sit next to at a play or sporting event. What feelings, thoughts, awareness arises if you realize we are all dying. Let's all LIVE while we may and as honestly as we can!

Dear Lord of Life:
     You have given each of us this precious gift of breath; what are we doing with it?  Is it wasted on the young, regretted by the old, dismissed by those in-between who are too busy to recognize it for what it is?  For today, I will give up taking breathing for granted and take on the understanding that even if the next breath isn't my last it will be for someone. I'll pray for the fullness of breath that inhales Your love, patience, and understanding and with each exhale to disperse anger, frustration, and bitterness. Today may be the last chance we'll have together and any beyond it will truly be a gift. Let's not waste it by being dishonest, uncaring, whiny, and/or thoughtless.  amen.   




*Anthony de Mello was a Jesuit priest from India and a psychotherapist who wrote a number of books and made videos on spirituality with an eastern flavor. His first published book Sadhana: A Way to God contained spiritual exercises influenced by Saint Ignatius of Loyola. Long after his sudden death, then Cardinal-Prefect Ratzinger, later Pope Benedict XVI convened a commission to study de Mello's work and seemed to find some of his writings and lectures theologically problematic.  There was a temporary ban on them for Roman Catholics which has been lifted. Millions of Catholics and non-Catholics alike, however, have found great wisdom and transformational thought in de Mello's writings, many more of which were published posthumously. 


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Prayers for Lent, Day 33: Give Up, Take On, Pray

        Racism, prejudice and discrimination still exist in the world, and the Jews have endured the longest continuous manifestation of this racism. I have written that we, as Palestinians, should face Israel candidly and say that we are appalled by the Holocaust, that we should open our hearts "and with a new, magnanimous attitude we should say to the Jews, 'We will accept you and share the land with you. You have suffered for so long. Come share our land. This is God's land. We will live in it together as brothers and sisters.'"  
                   ~ Naim Stifan Ateek* 1937-

             After the discoveries and acknowledgement of the horrors of the Nazi Holocaust, a homeland for the Jews was sympathetically promoted for Palestine as "A Land Without People for People Without A Land" except the flaw in the ointment of the great repatriation was there were people already there, a few Jewish people and also non-Jewish people - Muslims, Christians, and non-believers. The debates, the wars, the persecutions, the walls, the guns, the bombs, the bloodshed continue and escalate on a daily basis....and yet, Who does any of the Earth really belong to? We cannot take the land with us when we die but so many are willing to die - or to kill - to prove it.

God of Heaven and of Earth, and of all the Universes known and unknown:
           We grieve for the pain and suffering, the torment and anger on all sides of this and every other feud over who can, must, should, shouldn't, can't live here or there. Deep as the core of this earth, the anguish belongs to everyone. We are all Your people - please, we implore, we beseech, we beg You - show Your care for Your children and help us learn to care for each other and to live together in peace, safety, and freedom.  Open our eyes, our hearts, and our souls to see ourselves in each other's faces and especially in the faces of all of our children. 
          For today I must give up worrying more about fixing blame and take on learning more about the history of all sides of a conflict whether in the Middle East, my country, my city, or even my family. I pray for the courage to support those who abhor violence and who will encourage dialogue to promote understanding among us all. I entreat You through the Saving Love of Jesus the Christ and the Wisdom of Your Holy Spirit who live and reign with You as one, the God of Abraham, for now, for tomorrow, for eternity. amen.


*The Rev Dr Naim Ateek is a Palestinian priest in the Anglican Church and founder of Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in Jerusalem. A former Canon of St. George's Cathedral in Jerusalem, Dr. Ateek is a much sought after lecturer at home and abroad and receives support across all denominations and faith traditions including those of the Jewish faith.  As a well-respected author of a number of books and articles on Palestinian Liberation Theology, Dr. Ateek has been the recipient of many honors and awards for his work.


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.

Prayers for Lent, Day 32: Give Up, Take On, Pray

           Back when I first started talking about ministry, it was seen as something the ordained did. Lay people had no ministry at all except as they participated in the work of the institution. If you taught in the Christian education program, you had a ministry. If you taught in the public schools, you 'did time' five days a week until you could get to your ministry. When I began my second career, people would say, 'You taught school for thirty-two years; then you began your ministry.' … In my unredeemed way, I would steel myself and reply through clenched teeth, 'No, I continued my ministry.'  
                                                             ~ Verna Dozier* 1917-2006 

What is your definition of ministry?

From Webster: the body of ministers of religion :  clergy
From Dictionary.com:  1.the service, functions, or profession of a minister of religion; 2.the body or class of ministers of religion; clergy.
From TheFreeDictionary.com: a. The profession, duties, and services of a minister; b. The Christian clergy; c. The period of service of a minister

         Perhaps our American Constitutional concept of "Separation of Church and State" permeates our consciousness more than we realize. According to most definitions work is work and ministry is what certain - ordained - people do for work. But are we not Christians every part of every day or does that only happen when we're in Church? How does our idea of ministry change if we are being Christ's ministers whenever and wherever we are? Maybe that seems easier if you're a teacher, a doctor, or even a bartender. Is it possible to be a minister if you're a motorcycle mechanic, house painter, file clerk, or corporate CEO? If we truly are one body in Christ with many members each with our own gifts....

Dear Chief Minister:
       I really don't want to stand on the street corner and handout leaflets, or knock on doors to proclaim You to the world. Even so, I would like to believe that I can be one of Your ministers without having to be so formal about it. Maybe I'm just being presumptuous having no special training or credentials.  So, how do I get to have a ministry?  Maybe if for today I give up the notion that only specially educated, formally trained, ordained people can be ministers, I can take on looking at the most insignificant, or the more important task as a ministry, that is, if it is something that needs to be done, I can complete it without grumbling and resentment. I can smile at someone I pass on the street. I can listen without interruption or one-upping, and let go of feeling superior to others.  I can just be a comfortable presence and accept people where they are.  I can pray to know You are with me and allow that to guide my thoughts, my actions, and my sense of being an integral part of Your One Body.  If all I do is as a minister of Christ, then perhaps I will more easily discern what I will NOT do, and, act accordingly. amen.




*Verna Dozier was a diminutive African-American woman in physical stature only. A trail-blazer in the movement of the "authority of the laity," a foremost Christian educator as a second career, author of books such as The Dream of God, The Calling of the Laity, The Authority of the Laity, and her self-directed Bible study process for lay groups: Equipping the Saints. One of her greatest gifts was making the Bible accessible to everyone by her down-to-earth discussions, sermons, lectures, articles, retreats, and her mere presence.  A master storyteller, educator, and leader, Ms. Dozier spoke with a prophetic voice. To those who knew her well she was funny and she could be quite blunt, but, she was always a minister.  She graced this world, the Church, and anyone who was fortunate enough to have met her and listened to her. But if you were not, you can still read her.


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.

Prayers for Lent, Day 31: Give Up, Take On, Pray

         [There are those activities that] we use...for a kind of pleasure which can be called "fun." But it is not the creative kind of fun often connected with play; it is, rather, a shallow, distracting, greedy way of "having fun." And it is not by chance that it is that type of fun which can easily be commercialized, for it is dependent on calculable reactions, without passion, without risk, without love. Of all the dangers that threaten our civilization, this is one of the most dangerous ones: the escape from one’s emptiness through a "fun" which makes joy impossible.  ~ Paul Tillich* 1886-1965

What kinds of things do you do "for fun" or that you find relaxing or a simple pleasure? 

Photography, playing a musical instrument, bird watching, dancing, reading,

video games, playing the slots, watching television...   

When does fun turn into idle play or idle play into an addiction?

When is "entertainment" at the expense of or in exploitation of others

(however well they are being paid)?

Do your fun times improve your life financially, enhance a relationship, or your health?

Dear God of Free Time ~

         What should I do when my time is my own - is there a right way or a wrong way to do "fun"? Does everything I do in life have to be filled with usefulness and meaning?  Sometimes I just want to sit and veg-out in front of the tv, sometimes I want to run on the beach, learn to paint, or sing in the car. Sometimes I want to write the perfect sonnet or cook the most sumptuous meal for friends. I don't want to be responsible for saving civilization.

         Well, then let me think this through.  For today, I'll give up some of the empty time of mindless "entertainment".  I'll take on some mindful relaxation that will give me a positive outlook on life.  I'll pray to keep idle play from becoming idol play. I'll keep trying to remember that You are present in every moment of my day and only through You can I experience the joy that this life has to offer.  amen.

   

*Paul Tillich is considered as one of the most influential theologians of the 20th century, and Christian Existentialist Philosopher.  His seminal work is a three-volume series on Systematic Theology, which is his most widely known writing though there are many others.  A German-born Lutheran pastor, Tillich came into conflict at the rise of Nazi power and was encouraged by Reinhold Niebuhr [see Prayers for Lent Day 23] to join the faculty of Union Theological Seminary in New York. He later became one of the Five highest ranking Professors at Harvard University and later a professor of theology at the University of Chicago.  His strong influence continues in the world of academic philosophy and theology with its critics and apologists - a legacy that will survive for a very long time to come. 


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.

Prayers of the People: Read my Palm; Palm Sunday

for Palm Sunday, April 13, 2014 ~ Readings:  The Liturgy of the Palms: Mt 21:1-11; The Liturgy of the Word: Isaiah 50:4-9a, Ps 31:9-16, Phil 2:5-11, Mt 26:14-27:66

        The Sunday before Easter is a Christian Feast Day that commemorates the joyful entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on the last week of his life. Coming on the heels of his very public raising of Lazarus from the dead after three days in the tomb in Bethany only two miles away, he begins there and continues on into the gates of the City. The triumphal event is written in all four canonical Gospels and is so significant that it remains an integral part of Christian celebration and worship over two thousand years later.
     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 on a colt - the foal of a donkey- 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. 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.
         The palms, the cloaks and branches on the road, the cheering, exuberance, the presumption by the press of people that Jesus was a prophet and a known miracle worker and, of course, the donkey ~  were all noticed by the Roman occupiers and, the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Council who had its own police force and trial court.  

The die is cast.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

~Jesus, Lamb of God,
You entered Jerusalem in a parade of great joy to the waving of palms and exuberance of the people. Then the manipulated crowds turned hostile and, in fear of the mounting bloodlust, even Your friends betrayed You. We have slept through many moments when we could have been in Your presence. Let us walk consciously through this Holy Week and read the familiar passages with fresh eyes and open hearts.

LEADER:         Hosanna to the Son of David!                        

RESPONSE:     Our faith is awakened; our trust is in You.    

~Jesus, Lamb of God,

Free the leaders of this land and our world from the kind of fear-mongering and political maneuvering that led to Your death.  Lighten their hearts, enlighten their minds, and guide them in to Your compassion. We pray especially for:  add your own petitions

                         Hosanna to the Son of David!                        

                         Our faith is awakened; our trust is in You.   

~ Jesus, Lamb of God,

Shed Your loving grace on all of those who are terribly ill and feeling desperate or hopeless, and for those who worry and care for them. Cradle them in Your benevolent arms and give them peace of heart.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                         Hosanna to the Son of David!                        

                         Our faith is awakened; our trust is in You.   

~Jesus, Lamb of God,

You died and rose to bring us to life in the Glory of God. We yearn for that glory for those we have lost as we look to You for comfort in our grief.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                         Hosanna to the Son of David!                        

                         Our faith is awakened; our trust is in You.   

~Jesus, Lamb of God,

As we walk together through this sacred week, 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 closer to You. We pray especially for:  add your own petitions

                         
                         Hosanna to the Son of David!                        

                         Our faith is awakened; our trust is in You.   

 

The Celebrant adds:    O Lord, our God, this Holy Week begins in jubilance, revolves around friendship, and moves into confusion, shock, and grief before we burst into the exultant euphoria of Christ’s Resurrection.  Sustain our hope and re-kindle our devotion as we move again into new life in You. We ask this through Your Sacrificial Son and Your Wise and Holy Spirit, who live and reign with You, 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.

Prayers for Lent, Day 30: Give Up, Take On, Pray

        [A] personal God can become a grave liability. He can be a mere idol carved in our own image, a projection of our limited needs, fears and desires. We can assume that he loves what we love and hates what we hate, endorsing our prejudices instead of compelling us to transcend them.      ~ Karen Armstrong* 1944-


            In an us and them world, where do we place God as Creator of All in God's own image? How is it that there is only one side that  God is on and it's always ours?


Dear God,
        Of course you're on our side - don't we always kneel on the field and pray to You before the game to help our team win? Aren't we the right color, political party, gender, sexual orientation, and citizen of the best country? 
        For today, I will give up trying to have You act on my will.  I will take on looking more closely for ways to discern Your will. At the very least, I will think more deeply about the admonitions of Jesus to love You with all we have and to love others as ourselves - to love them as if they were us. I pray for the will and the courage to walk this walk and think differently about whose image I serve.  amen.


*Karen Armstrong is a British commentator and renowned author of a multitude of books on quite a breadth and depth of comparative religion studies. A former Roman Catholic nun, she has given us such books as A History of God: A 4,000 Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; Through the Narrow Gate; and Jerusalem:  One City, Three Faiths. Her work centers around the commonalities across major religions and in particular the importance of the Golden Rule and Compassion.  Her work, research, and authorship has garnered her - among many other awards - the $100,000 TED prize in 2008 with which she started the Charter for Compassion: "A document that transcends religious, ideological, and national differences. A cooperative effort to restore compassionate thinking and action to the center of life." Individuals, groups, and even countries can sign and participate in this most human quest to develop humanity to its highest ideal.  http://charterforcompassion.org/






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.

Prayers for Lent, Day 29: Give Up, Take On, Pray

            Imagine a trust in yourself, or another person, or in life itself, that doesn’t need to be proved or demonstrated, that is able to contain uncertainty.          
        People sometimes put their trust in a spiritual leader and are terribly betrayed if that person then fails to live up to ideals.               But a real trust of faith would be to decide whether to trust someone, knowing that betrayal is inevitable because life and personality are never without shadow. 
         The vulnerability that faith demands could be matched by an equal trust in oneself, the feeling that one can survive the pain of betrayal.   
                                       ~Thomas Moore* 1940-          [emphasis added]

Dear Jesus,
          Betrayal in Your life pales in comparison to my own. While You saw it coming and predicted it to the very people who would betray You, perhaps You still hoped that it would not come to be. 
         As for me, learning to trust after discovering a betrayal was very difficult and very painful. I have moved on but the faint echo of the hurt is still there. So, for today, I will give up needing to replay the anguish in my mind and take on making certain that I am not one who will ever deceive another or cause any emotional harm. I will pray to trust my own instinct about people and accept that I will sometimes be disappointed.          
        Betrayal is survivable - out of everyone I've ever known there have been very very few who have willingly mislead me and one or two who didn't trust me enough to tell me the truth. This is proof enough that I can have faith and trust in others as I have in You. And more importantly, I know that my faith and trust in You will always be well-placed.  amen.

*Thomas Moore, is a writer, psychotherapist, and former professor at Glassboro State College and Southern Methodist University.  Dr. Moore has authored of Care of the Soul and Soul Mates among a number of other books on spirituality, and lectures internationally on ecology, psychotherapy, and religion.  

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.