Prayers in Easter: Look who's (not) talkin' (as much)

To ‘listen’ another’s soul 
into a condition of disclosure and discovery may be almost the greatest service that any human being ever performs for another   
                    ~ Douglas Steere* [1901-1995]




Well, Dear God, here's a big shocker for you ~ 
     I do acknowledge that sometimes I am so busy thinking about what I want to say that I forget to listen to what someone else is saying! I'm learning, slowly, to give others their air time even though I'm sure my response is the better comment and the most necessary. (Yeah, ok, I'll work on that thought, too.) I have experienced the rare moment when I feel listened to, as if what I think and say and feel are important to someone. Other times I guess I go on and on about my stuff trying to re-experience the feeling of importance. But I've even had the rarer moment when I've just been present and listened to someone in need and let whatever I wanted to say go away unspoken. That is a truly amazing and humbling feeling. 
     True listening is a gift, in either direction, and I need to be more attentive to others and less attentive to what I want to say about it. And the best example I have as a pay-off is You, always here, always listening even when I ramble (like now). Thank You for that and, in the meantime, a little help along the way, please?! amen. 

Best advice for good listening:     

Listen deeply to understand and 

don't listen only with the intent to reply.

*Douglas Steere was a Quaker ecumenist who was professor of philosophy from 1928 to 1964 at Haverford College near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and spent a year as a visiting professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York.  Dr. Steere was significantly involved in Quaker post-war relief efforts in Poland, Norway, and Finland after World War II and was given national recognition by Finland in 1987.  He held a PhD from Harvard and was a Rhodes Scholar with two additional degrees from Oxford University.  A prolific author, editor and translator of books and articles on Quakerism and other religions, he was invited as an Ecumenical Observer at the Second Vatican Council.






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: Follow the Crook-ed Path, 4th Sunday in Easter

for the 4th Sunday in Easter May 11, 2014  Readings:  Acts 2:42-47, Ps 23, 1 Peter 2:19-25, Jn 10:1-10

         For Episcopalians, the reading from Acts this week is infused with one of our Baptismal vows as "They devoted themselves to the  apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers..." And from 1Peter we are admonished again with the difficult reminder to suffer what we must but not return abuse in kind. We are to realize that by the wounds of Jesus we are healed because we were going astray like sheep, but you have now returned...  Psalm 23 is no doubt the best known piece of Scripture in the world and gives us the most pastoral image of Christ. The Gospel also carries the Shepherd theme and comforts us with another serene image, that of Christ as the divine Gatekeeper for all the sheep to have safe and abundant pasture. We are each called to follow the Good Shepherd's Crook along the path to eternal life.  

Let Us, God’s People, Pray

Leader: ~ Shepherd of our Souls, within Your gates we find a calm pasture to shelter us and nourish our spirits. You know our voices when we call; remind us to always listen for Yours and to remember that Your earthly death brings us abundant and eternal life.

                     By Your blood we were reconciled

Response:  By Your wounds we are healed

~ Shepherd of our Souls, so much of our world is filled with hatred, violence, and desperation.  As you stood peaceably in front of the political authorities of Your time, let us peacefully and persistently urge our political leaders to legislate compassion, equity, and mercy, as well as safety, economic and environmental justice.  We pray especially: add your own petitions

                     By Your blood we were reconciled

                     By Your wounds we are healed

~ Shepherd of our Souls, we ask Your comfort for those in our midst who are enduring illness of all kinds, and for those who see to their daily needs.  Anoint their hearts, restore their hope, and give them rest from anxiety.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                     By Your blood we were reconciled

                     By Your wounds we are healed

~ Shepherd of our Souls, we mourn our loss of those who have walked through that Darkest Valley.  We entrust them to Your care and wait in faith for the consolation of knowing that they now dwell in the light of Your House forever. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                     By Your blood we were reconciled

                     By Your wounds we are healed

~ Shepherd of our Souls, with glad and generous hearts our pastoral shepherds here on Earth, break and sanctify the Bread of Life to bring You to us with prayer and fellowship. Let us, with You, support them in their work with and for us, that together we may feed all of Your sheep with goodness and mercy. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                     By Your blood we were reconciled

                     By Your wounds we are healed

The Celebrant adds:  Lord of Heaven, we are called into Your mystical pasture to live and thrive on the Divine Bread of Life raised up for us by the sacrifice of Christ Jesus.  Keep us among the number of those praising You each day with the  goodwill of having been saved by Your love.  We ask this though Jesus Christ, our Guardian and Shepherd, and the Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of our souls, who together with You, reign as One God, forever, and through all eternity.  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 in Easter: ultimate I O U

     

     It is a fact that people are always well aware of what is due them.
     Unfortunately, they remain oblivious of what they owe to others.

               ~ St. Francis de Sales* [1567-1622]

O Lord,
     I am chastened by the recognition of how often I do the check-list thing and think about how to get all that I deserve. Then I look back over my life and worry that I might actually get all that I deserve...Please, God, spare me that! 
     Help me to discover Your peace within myself for my life to reflect. Help me to measure my life in gratitude and spend it seeking forgiveness for my faults and in forgiving others. Remind me of the grace You provide to look beyond myself and live as if You expected great things of me on behalf of all Your people.  
     O Lord, I am also chastened by the recognition that what is owed to me in this life is exponentially less than what I owe You and it is past time for me to begin re-payment.  amen.




*Francis de Sales, a saint in the Roman Catholic calendar, was Bishop of Geneva but not allowed to live there as it was under Calvinist control. Of great accomplishment as a bishop, he is best known now as a mystical writer who championed the laity and provided gentle spiritual direction and counsel. His best known work is Introduction to the Devout Life, still read today, in which he emphasized charity over penance as a means to progress in spiritual pursuit. He is said to have struggled with a short temper but his demeanor always portrayed an inner calm and deep faith.  



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: On the Road Again, 3rd Sunday in Easter

for Third Sunday in Easter, May 4, 2014 ~ Readings: Acts 2:14a, 36-41; Ps 116:1-3, 10-17; 1 Peter 1:17-23; Luke 24:13-35

       Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem and talking with each other about all these things that had happened....When he was at table with them he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. [Luke 24:13-14, 30-31 NRSV]

      Two regular guys are walking down the road talking about the irregular events of the past days. This other guy shows up and seems unaware of these events and their importance. They explain it and even invite him home to dinner. Suddenly the stranger is hosting the meal and even more suddenly, he's gone. Then they realize who He was.        
       Several messages here ~ obviously things/people aren't always what they seem. But more importantly you don't have to be part of the Inner Circle to have a place at the table.  All of us are invited to celebrate the breaking of the Bread ~ friends, strangers, young, old, etc., it makes no difference. We, too, will experience Christ's unseen Presence, not only in the Eucharist but also in every facet of our lives ~ once we let our eyes be opened.

Let Us, God's People, Pray 

Leader:   ~ Lord Jesus, our Companion on the Road, we blindly follow the way of the world without seeing that You are there with us in every step. Open our hearts that we may know Your Presence, open our eyes that we may see Your Path of Life Eternal, and open our souls to receive Your gift of Salvation.

                      Jesus, our Lord and Messiah

Repsonse:   You ransomed us all from sin and death

~ Lord Jesus, our Companion on the Road, guide our vision towards those whose daily lives are filled with hardship and dire circumstance. Please give us the mettle, the words, and the voice to turn the hearts of those in political power in our world to Your justice, peace, and mercy.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                        Jesus, our Lord and Messiah

                   You ransomed us all from sin and death

~ Lord Jesus, our Companion on the Road, some of our very own are lost in serious illness, emotional upheaval, and hopelessness. Walk more closely with them and with those who give them care, to ease their journey with hope and healing.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                        Jesus, our Lord and Messiah

                   You ransomed us all from sin and death

~ Lord Jesus, our Companion on the Road, You returned to see, touch, and inspire Your disciples after Your terrible death.  How many of us would long for such a moment with those we’ve lost?  But while saddened, we are also touched and inspired knowing that our loved ones share eternity with You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                        Jesus, our Lord and Messiah

                   You ransomed us all from sin and death

~ Lord Jesus, our Companion on the Road, we ask Your special blessings on those who have heard the call to lead us along Your Path. Bestow renewed energy and vitality to their spiritual quest, so that together we can strengthen the mission of Your church. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                        Jesus, our Lord and Messiah

                   You ransomed us all from sin and death

The Celebrant adds:   Son of God, Messiah of all People, You do incline Your ear to us whenever we call upon You. Remind us that in good times and in difficulty all we need to do is turn in Your direction. We give thanks and praise for this living blessing through our Creator, our Sanctifier, and You, our Redeemer, who live and reign as one God, always, forever, eternally. 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 in Easter: Psalm 23 again, sort of...

 My Lord, Shepherd of my life,

    You hear me, You know me. When I am most alone I can speak to You and You listen. I can rest in You and my soul is calmed. You enjoy my happiest moments with me. When I am lost, You come to find me. When I am afraid, You embrace me. My Lord, Shepherd of my life, sometimes You are the only one who knows my voice. You feed my heart. You feed my soul. I will follow You everywhere.  amen.  

   Psalm 23 speaks to us in the simplest of terms that belie the intricacy of its depth. The symbolism in this well-known Psalm is far more complex and fascinating than just the obvious image of a guy walking down a lane with a big staff and a dog, or the pretty girl of nursery rhymes with a bow on her crook as the sheep dutifully follow.  Taken line by line we can see, feel, and almost hear Jesus, our Shepherd, here with us, reviving, caring, comforting, and anointing. Watching over us, preparing our table, restoring us.  Nothing we need is withheld.  

       The demands on real living shepherds are constant and endless.  Sheep are peculiarly needy and helpless creatures, quite restive, and even self-destructive at times. They can stand still for hours or bolt into stampede because an apple drops unexpectedly from a tree. The shepherd must keep continuous vigil against disease, insect infestations, predators, pecking order fights, escape artists, water, and food supplies. Sheep will NOT lie down unless they are completely contented and secure. A special oil mixture that the shepherd prepares and swabs (anoints) around each sheep's head and nose keeps deadly insects from burrowing and causing panic, disease, and injury, and the sheep is calmed for a little while. Then there are shearing and lambing seasons...*
         A Good Shepherd's job is never done.



*I commend to you a charming and interesting little book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller, for a closer look at the connections between the Psalm's imagery and real life sheep farming.

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 in Easter: 1, 2, 3 ~ All Together Now

God, our Creator ~ God, our Redeemer ~ God, our Sanctifier,
     You, 3 in 1, are simply yet complexly God.  It is to each, all, and only You that I pray at this moment. My head cannot understand or define You in Your three-in-one-ness, but if I could, then You could not be You. Let me not be too concerned with the depth and breadth of all the philosophical and theological stuff that others much smarter than me, like Your servant Athanasius, have argued over. Just help me to remember, that each day in my life, all I only need is You. amen.


Renowned, Significant, Profound, Influential  there are too few superlatives to fully contain the work of St. Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 296-373) who is celebrated today. At age 30 he became the 20th Bishop (or Archbishop or Patriarch) of Alexandria, Egypt with a tenure of 45 years. He is also known as  Athanasius the Great, Athanasius the Confessor and, primarily in the Coptic Orthodox Church, Athanasius the Apostolic. He has been named a Doctor of the Church by the Roman Catholic Church, Father of Orthodoxy by the Eastern Orthodox, and Father of the Canon by Protestant theologians.  
              Despite being exiled 5 times by 4 Roman Emperors for political and theological reasons, it is his Trinitarian theology that defines mainstream Christianity today.
             His first great theological struggle was against Arius, a priest from Libya, at the first Council of Nicaea in the year 325.  Arius denied the divinity of Christ and his "Arian" orthodoxy was the prevalent theology of the day. It was denounced and ultimately trounced by Athanasius who argued for the dual nature of Jesus ~ human AND divine ~ declaring that only one who was fully human could atone for human sin and only one who was fully divine could have the power to save us. He said, that "Those who maintain 'There was a time when the Son was not [divine]' rob God of his Word, like plunderers." Arianism is considered "heresy" today. 
             Athanasius' view of the Incarnation is what informed the structure of the Nicene Creed that is used today and he was the first to identify the 27 books that make up the New Testament canon in use today as well. Not without his detractors even today, nonetheless, even if you've never heard his name, if you are Anglican/Episcopal, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Coptic Catholic ~ and any other Christian who reads the New Testament, you have the benefit of this man's work.  Diminutive in stature, a giant in the history of Christianity.




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 in Easter: Follow the Leader

      Saints Philip and James are on the Church calendar today, two of the original 12 Apostles called directly by Jesus to follow Him (see Mark 3:13-19). We are told that Philip lived in Bethsaida, in Galilee, the same town as Peter and Andrew. After meeting Jesus, Philip told Nathaniel that Jesus is "the one about whom Moses and the Prophets wrote" (see John 1:43-51). 
            We don't know much about James except that he is the son of Alphaeus and he is called James the Lesser ~ and he is not the son of Clopas, nor is he James the son of Zebedee who is known as James the Greater, nor is he considered to be the author of the Letter of James in the New Testament.  
          We do know that they were pretty ordinary guys called to follow an extraordinary man. It appears from some of the discussions all the Apostles had with Jesus at one time or another that they weren't always swift on the uptake. Jesus was a bit impatient at times with their lack of "getting it" (see John 14:8-9a) but they ultimately understood and, as Jesus said they would, they received the power to heal, and preach, and teach in His name. They were each an integral part of the foundation that Jesus laid and He, the Cornerstone, called them, and us, to continue the work after His resurrection.

Jesus, Fisher of Souls,
       You called these everyday men to give up their ordinary lives to follow You, and they did.  Without completely understanding all that You were about, they trusted, they believed, and they grew into all that You wanted them to be. Even though there was uncertainty, they sometimes squabbled, asked frustrating questions, and they were occasionally fearful, You reached their hearts, and minds, and bodies. You molded them into Your earthly legacy that comes down to us today.  
       Thank You, Lord, for the example of these men. They remind me that, as an ordinary everyday person who doesn't always understand everything, with You as the Cornerstone, I am also a small part of building on the foundation they began. In this Easter season, help me to know You more clearly, love You more dearly, and follow You more nearly, each and every day.  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.