Prayers for Lent, Urban Stations, Good Friday

                On this Good Friday, April 18, 2014, in Wilmington, Delaware, USA, members of seven congregations of various denominations will gather to walk the city streets in procession using places at 8 different stops as the Stations of the Cross. These prayers by this writer are being used for each of the 8 Stations that form part of the overall Service.
               If you cannot join us or have never experienced the Stations of the Cross, pray with us on a virtual walk through the last hours of the earthly life of Jesus. 

Participating Churches in Wilmington, Delaware:

*The Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew

*Tabernacle Full Gospel Baptist Church

*Wilmington Friends Meeting

*Old Asbury Church

*Bethel AME Church

*Ezion Mt. Carmel Church

*First & Central Presbyterian Church

1^st Station:  Jesus is condemned to die

O Dearest Lord Jesus,

How quickly this week has turned from exultation to murderous rebuke.  Let us bear the slanders and endure the anger, as You have, for those who are so quick to condemn a human life to death. Give us strength to pray for those who truly do not understand all that they inflict upon others, as well as for those who do. Grant us the courage to withhold our own judgment and condemnation and, in all humility, take this long walk with You and for You.

Oh Jesus, our Savior

Your cross redeems us all.

2^nd Station: Jesus takes up his cross

O Dearest Lord Jesus,

You are no more truly human than at this moment, dragging a massive piece of rough-hewn timber laid across Your body, through the mean streets, amidst the jeers and tears of bystanders.  Fill us with Your acceptance and willingness to bear any burdens that life gives. Help our understanding that You ask no more of us than You have done for us.  Let us remember that our load is always lightened by our trust in You.

Oh Jesus, our Savior

Your cross redeems us all.

3^rd Station: Jesus falls the first time

O Dearest Lord Jesus,

You buckle under the strain of the enormous burden this world has placed on Your shoulders.  For all that we do that weighs so heavily on You, we beg Your forgiveness. Grant us the fortitude to face our own sinfulness and the determination to overcome the weaknesses that turn us away from Your love. As You rise up in obedience to the call of God, let us follow Your example to stand again and move forward toward You after every fall and every stumble.  

Oh Jesus, our Savior

Your cross redeems us all.

4^th Station: Jesus Meets His Mother

O Dearest Lord Jesus,

O Mother of us all – to meet Your Son in such a plight as this – our hearts weep for Mother and Son in their mutual sorrow.  Change us, Dear Jesus, that we might never abandon those we love in time of need out of selfishness or inconvenience.  Let us see You with a mother’s heart and love You with a father’s joy and strive to love each other as You love us all even through the pain and the suffering that we have laid upon You.

Oh Jesus, our Savior

Your cross redeems us all.

5^th Station: The Cross is laid on Simon of Cyrene

O Dearest Lord Jesus,

Behold Simon, who is not one of us, pressed into taking Your Cross onto his own shoulders.  How often have we let others share our burdens or offered to share another’s, especially someone different from ourselves?  We bless Simon for helping You. And we give thanks to You for the example so that we might be Simon for someone else, without judgment, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or beliefs.  Let us walk together and share the weight of the cross with You.

Oh Jesus, our Savior

Your cross redeems us all.

6^th Station: Jesus and the women of Jerusalem

O Dearest Lord Jesus,

Our mourning is often for ourselves and the pain we feel for another’s anguish. These women mourn for You and You care for them in the midst of all You suffer, knowing that their lives will not be easier.  Help us to look beyond ourselves and into the faces of others with love rather than pity, with hope rather than despair, with justice tempered with mercy, and with true contrition for our own sins of commission and omission.   

Oh Jesus, our Savior

Your cross redeems us all.

7^th Station: The Crucifixion

O Dearest Lord Jesus,

A once living tree now makes the beams of a horrible death.  With Your own agony and the torment of Your appeals, You show us how to give our lives entirely to God.  And as Your life ebbs with excruciating slowness, Your compassion for us all and one who hangs next to You is overwhelming.  Grant us such compassion that we might not return injury for insult but rather reflect Your love and peace in the actions of our lives.

Oh Jesus, our Savior

Your cross redeems us all.

8^th Station: Jesus is laid in the tomb

O Dearest Lord Jesus,

The silence of the Tomb engulfs us.  We are still and hear only the beating of our sorrowful hearts. The night is long and dark and cold. We will be with You. Be with us, Lord, we are at last awake to hear Your call.  Embrace us in the mercy of Your redemption, and when we have returned our souls to You, take us with You into the Kingdom of Your Glory.

Oh Jesus, our Savior

Your cross redeems us all.

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.

Meditations in Lent: Thursday in Holy Week '20

Readings: Ex 12:1-4, (5-10), 11-14; Ps 116:1, 10-17; 1 Cor 11:23-26; Jn 13:1-7, 31b-35

           For the Passover, God, through Moses and Aaron, promised protection to all whose homes displayed the blood of a sacrificed lamb and proclaimed it a day of remembrance forever.
         On this night, Jesus knew his earthly life was coming to an end. In his Last Supper with the Disciples, he gave us the mystery of the sacrament of His Body and Blood ~ the Eucharist ~ as a New Covenant with God, a perpetual remembrance of Him as the blood sacrifice for the redemption of us. On this night, Jesus surprised his Disciples by washing their feet, as a servant would do, to show them humility. And on this night, he told them that Judas would betray him, and, that Peter would deny him 3 times.
               The name for this day varies with Christian worship traditions: Holy Thursday, Great and Holy Thursday, or even Thursday of Mysteries. The Anglican/Episcopal tradition calls it Maundy Thursday which some think may come from the Latin mendicare for beg or, from mandatum for mandate or command. We now enter the solemn Easter Triduum [trid-oo-um] , a period of three days, that in its fullest extent, begins with a Liturgy tonight, reaches its high point in Easter Vigil on Saturday night, and concludes with Evening Prayer on Easter night. In this time of Covid 19, our attention and our prayers, even at a distance from one another, are as important as any other year, perhaps more so now. 
              However you choose to name it, on this night, Jesus said, I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
           

Jesus, Lamb of God,

         Gathering for Holy Eucharist is our primary remembrance of You. Yet in these times we must receive and remember You in our hearts, our thoughts, and through our prayers for the safety of one another and ourselves. Tonight, let us remember You in the Garden of Gethsemane with the disciples who could not stay awake with You for even one hour. It's hard to imagine having to find a way to stay awake all night, in fear, outside, to watch someone else pray for something you don't quite understand. Would I have had the prayer words I'd need? Do I have them now? How much time are we willing to give on this night, and in any day or night, to remember You in fear, in joy, or in everyday activity?  

           Lord Jesus, my Savior, thank You for all You have done for me and for all of us. Help me to be a reflection of Your love and humility in this world so that I may rightly be known as a disciple, as a Christian. As a small token of remembrance before I turn to sleep, whatever the day has brought, I offer these words Lord Jesus, Son of God, and as I breathe out, Have mercy on me, a sinner.  amen. [I'll try to remember to repeat until sleep arrives and any/all other times breathing occurs]

           And, Lord Christ, bless and keep all those who stay awake whole nights and days at a time caring for the sick and fearing for themselves and their own families as we hold them in prayer. Also, let us remember and pray for those who at risk working in areas we all take for granted ~ grocery stores, gas stations, delivery drivers, postal carriers, and trash collectors. Keep us ever aware and mindful of all the people and all the little things of life that we have usually overlooked in our recent "normal" times. Let us love one another in every day close in and at a distance, family, friends, and strangers alike. Let us love You by who we are and how we are in this world. Amen.

All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used or adapted with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way. Feel free to contact me directly at Leeosophy@gmail.com 

Prayers for Lent, Wednesday in Holy Week

Readings: Is 50: 4-9a, Ps70, Heb 12:1-3, Jn 13:21-32

                 On this Wednesday, Judas Iscariot has conspired with the Sanhedrin to support their efforts to trap Jesus. He is paid the sum of 30 pieces of silver, enough to purchase a slave or a good potter's field. How much money is enough to sell someone's life to an enemy - what if the seller is a trusted friend? But of course, Jesus knew it would be Judas...
                Paul's letter to the Hebrews says: Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. When I have felt the world is against me or life is just too hard or I just cannot cope with one more thing to go wrong - did I ever once think of the suffering of Jesus at the hands of others? Have I ever thought of Judas if I did someone a wrong turn to benefit myself, even if only in a small way?  Perhaps Jesus is too big in my mind to compare myself to and perhaps Judas is too bad...  
            On this Wednesday in our time some churches mark this evening - or some others will on Maundy Thursday or Good Friday - with a service called "Tenebrae."  The name comes from the Latin and means shadows or darkness.  The service consists of readings and chanted/sung Psalms while candles are extinguished in sets between readings and chants until the church is completely darkened. Often at the end, in the dark, a sudden loud noise - a gong, slamming a large book, or stamping of feet - is heard as a symbol of the earthquake that signaled the death of Jesus. Holy Wednesday in Holy Week, hearkens back to the penitence of Ash Wednesday just a few weeks ago while the solemnity of the mood deepens.


O Jesus ~ our Ever-Present Light in the Darkness,
         Whether we are in a church, at home, or somewhere else, if we are taking this time to follow Your Passion through this week, we feel the gathering gloom of death approaching. This night of Tenebrae, as the light will fade into dark, all will be still in our hearts. In Your time, You could hear the barking of the dogs across the Kidron Valley as the evening turned to night, along with the growling of camels, and the hee-hawing of donkeys. In our time we hear the traffic going by, tv blaring, and the electronic buzz, clink and chinkle of video games. 
         O Jesus, our Light and Redeemer of us ALL ~ this night reminds us of the story of Judas conspiring with the Sanhedrin and selling you out. This night makes us wonder how he could have done that to You. This night makes us shudder about ways we might have betrayed another for our own benefit even if only in lesser ways. This night calls us to ponder forgiveness  ~ You have forgiven us for all of our sins and trespasses. But have we ever forgiven Judas, the only Apostle never called "saint", the only original Disciple to have died a remorseful death at his own hand, the only one Satan entered to do the bidding that fulfilled the prophecy of our coming Messiah?  Who is a Judas in our own lives that we have not forgiven? Can we take a first step, this night, and breathe the life of forgiveness into Judas Iscariot? Certainly Jesus has. Then, with Your love and help, perhaps we can look at forgiving the Judas closer to home.  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, Tuesday in Holy Week

Reading: Isaiah 49: 1-7;1 Cor: 1:18-31; Ps 71:1-14, John 12:20-36

                       On this Tuesday, disciples Philip and Andrew told Jesus some visiting Greeks wanted to see him and he replied in part, cryptically, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified...unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit..."

        When he met with the Greeks he told them, "Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say-- `Father, save me from this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again."  When the voice came some of the people only heard thunder while others thought it was an angel speaking to Jesus. Jesus told them that the voice was for them to hear, not him.  Some  questioned Jesus about who he was and what was this all about.  He told them the light would be around a little bit longer and to walk in the light because if you walk in the dark you won't see where you're going. If you believe in the light, he told them, "you may become children of the light."  And with that, he went off and hid.

Dear Jesus, our Prophet and our Lord,

         What must your words sound like to those who haven't read The Book or just don't know how things turn out?  I'm confused by those words sometimes and I have read it. On this Tuesday in Your lifetime, You told everyone what was happening in what seems like very plain words yet the message is not quite plain enough for us to grasp well. On this Tuesday in our lifetime it was a day like any other ~ a little shopping for paper cups, plates, and napkins for the upcoming party; pumped gas for the car and tried to remember what else was on the list. Your list was clear enough in one sense - walk in the light ~ Your light ~ and our faith may lead us to be Your children of Your light. It all sounds so easy and so hard at the same time. 

          Help me be one of Yours who hears the voice of God instead of the thundering rumblings of the naysayers and woebegones around me. Give me the courage to stay with the light and not wander off into the darkness of a life with no purpose beyond the correct paper plates.  And then on that Tuesday, You hid away...as I should do sometimes to spend time with You and learn how to be more than just a single grain. 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, Monday in Holy Week

      Reading: John 12:1-11

  Monday, after all of the joy and excitement of Palm Sunday, sees Jesus back in the town of Bethany.  On the previous Saturday, Jesus came to raise his friend Lazarus from the dead after Lazarus had been dead in the tomb for three days, and his sisters Mary and Martha, were in anguish.  Jesus returns to a dinner by Martha to see Lazarus and enjoy a meal among his closest friends. Mary decides to welcome him - in a traditional way - by cleaning and anointing His feet with the exquisite  ointment known as Nard. Then she dries His feet with her hair.  

              One of the disclples, Judas Iscariot, makes a snide comment about the expensive perfumed ointment that Mary used saying that it could have been sold and the money given to the poor.  Jesus, supportive of Mary's actions, told Judas that Mary had purchased the jar of Nard in preparation for Jesus' own death and burial and that, "You always have the poor with you but you do not always have me."

               Meanwhile, a great crowd was assembling to see Jesus and Lazarus.  The chief priests were not at all pleased at this development, especially after throngs of excited people along the entry route into Jerusalem the day before. They decided that they would put both Jesus and Lazarus to death as all that was being said and the miracle of raising of Lazarus were turning Jews away as they began to believe in Jesus. They felt threatened by this new, powerful prophet. The clock is ticking...

Sweet Jesus,
         On this Monday in Holy Week, the Gospel speaks of You relaxing at dinner with friends and being pampered as we go about the busy-ness of everyday life.  How unaware are we, as were the disciples on that day, of the significance of this week in our own lives as Christians? 
        The Sanhedrin were plotting against You, and we are making lists of necessities for Easter Day, including bunny-shaped chocolates and marshmallow peeps in brightly colored baskets with plastic grass and hard-boiled eggs dyed in multiple colors. Where else in the world on this day are executions being planned and carried out against innocent people?   How  many unknown women, men, and their children will be brutalized for their religious beliefs, their race, gender, ethnicity, who they love, or simply because they seem to be a threat to some group in power? 
        Grace us with Your spirit Lord, let us, Christians, Your followers, hear and pay attention to that still small voice inside that tells us to take a moment today to stop, reflect, and pray.  Remind us to give thanksgiving for the ordinary parts of a day that make up an extraordinary life for the many of us that don't have to fear murderous persecution. Have we realized today why it is that we're privileged to be gathering fun fillings for an "Easter Basket"?  It's only Monday and much is yet to come this very week.  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 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. 


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 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.