Prayers of the People: Son Signs, 1st Sunday of Advent, Yr C

For Sunday, November 29^th, 2015, 1^st Sunday of Advent* Yr C, Readings: Jeremiah 33:14-16, Ps 25: 1-9, 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13, Luke 21-25-36

       In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. [Jeremiah 33:15]

      Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. [1 Thessalonians 3:11]

       There will be signs in the sun, the moon and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations...Then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in a cloud' with power and great glory.
[Luke 21:25a, 27]

           Advent begins again. A time of expectant waiting and preparation for the Nativity of Jesus that will lead to the eventual Second Coming of Christ, our Messiah, for our redemption from sin with the gift of life everlasting. It is the beginning of the Church Year in western Christian observance though not in eastern Christianity where other traditions of Advent are kept. It is a time for us to begin, again, to unburden our hearts from the weight of worldly worries and take on, again, a pattern of prayer and sincere Christian action, to fill our lives with the expectation of eternal life. Too often we are caught up in the tinsel and trappings, the busy and bustling, as if THAT DAY, the one in which we are each called on account, will never really happen. And yet, it will, really and truly. How many days a week am I living as if THAT DAY will pass me by? Time for me to begin, again, and to "Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man. [Luke 21:36]  Time to watch for those Son signs...again.


LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Lord of Steadfast Love, lift up our souls, our hearts, and our minds from the lowest valley of earthly worries to the highest vault of heaven. Grant us the patience and trust to stay alert, unafraid, and ready for our salvation.

Jesus, Our Strength and Our Redeemer

RESPONSE:  Open our lives to Your Presence and Coming

~ O Lord of Steadfast Love, help us to speak clearly to all who lead the nations of this world, our own country, and our own community, to decry all actions creating our earthly distress, to be active in and supportive of all efforts towards peace and reconciliation. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                         Jesus, Our Strength and Our Redeemer

                                       Open our lives to Your Presence and Coming

~ O Lord of Steadfast Love, be merciful to all who are burdened by chronic health issues, emotional pain, or desperate life circumstance, and re-invigorate all who give of themselves to help. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                         Jesus, Our Strength and Our Redeemer

                                       Open our lives to Your Presence and Coming

~ O Lord of Steadfast Love, ease the hearts of those who mourn with the knowing that those who shared this life for a time, are now sharing in the glory everlasting life with You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                         Jesus, Our Strength and Our Redeemer

                                       Open our lives to Your Presence and Coming

~ O Lord of Steadfast Love, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

                                         Jesus, Our Strength and Our Redeemer

                                       Open our lives to Your Presence and Coming

~ O Lord of Steadfast Love, sustain the faith and spirits of those who work to keep our faith strong, as we journey together on this temporal path toward You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                         Jesus, Our Strength and Our Redeemer

                                       Open our lives to Your Presence and Coming

The Celebrant adds: God of Righteousness and Truth, as we enter this season of expectant waiting and preparation, direct us to see beyond mere human distractions, and to be eager for our redemption through the birth and Second Coming of the Son of Man. We ask through Jesus, our Christ, and the Holy Spirit, seat of Wisdom, who together with You are One God, now and forever. Amen.

*click here for more on the Season of Advent

Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to 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.

Prayers of the People: Christ, King in the World, Last Sunday after Pentecost

For Sunday, November 22, 2015, Last Sunday after Pentecost, Year B, Readings: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14, Ps 93, Revelation 1:4b-8, John 18:33-37

      I saw one like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the Ancient One and was presented before him. To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, languages should serve him.  
[Daniel 7:13-14a]

      Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come..."I am the Alpha and the Omega"... [Revelation 1:4b,8]

      Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to  my voice. [John 18:37b]

          God, the Almighty who is and was and is to come, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, timeless, and Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, firstborn of the dead, ruler of the kings of the earth - even in a modern translation the concepts seem ancient, archaic, perhaps even irrelevant in the scheme of daily western life. Yet those of us who believe that we aspire to be Christian should take heed. It is in this daily life that we may easily lose track of our allegiances and settle in more with earthly powers than the divine Kingship of Christ. Though Jesus says his kingdom is not from here, here is where we encounter him. Jesus tells Pilate that everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice. What comes next is not in our appointed reading. In verse 38: Pilate asked him, "What is truth?" And therein lies our ongoing assignment - What is truth? Christ the King, in the world, to show us the way to the real Kingdom - if we really want to go. 

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Holy God, always Ancient, always New, in the midst of all the chaos and uncertainty in our earthly existence, calm us with the warmth of Christ’s love, shelter us in His Kingdom of Glory and Faith.

Jesus, God’s Word Made Human

RESPONSE: Help us hear your voice and live in your truth

~ Holy God, always Ancient, always New, on behalf of all who are governed by legitimate means, or by force of violence, on our planet, in our country, and in our community, we implore You to infuse wisdom, sanity, and humanity into those who lead. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                    Jesus, God's Word Made Human

                                    Help us hear your voice and live in your truth

~ Holy God, always Ancient, always New, grant all who suffer in pain of body, mind, or spirit, the healing grace of  Your Holy Son, our Strength and our Redeemer, the Alpha and Omega. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…add your own petitions

                                    Jesus, God's Word Made Human

                                    Help us hear your voice and live in your truth

~ Holy God, always Ancient, always New, ease the despair of all who grieve, as the souls of our faithful and cherished departed arise from earthly death, lifted into the eternal splendor of new life in heaven. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                    Jesus, God's Word Made Human

                                    Help us hear your voice and live in your truth

~ Holy God, always Ancient, always New, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently…add your own petitions

                                    Jesus, God's Word Made Human

                                    Help us hear your voice and live in your truth

~ Holy God, always Ancient, always New, empower the spirits of those who lead us in Your Church, through Your Word and Sacraments, with the peace and unity of Christ’s all-encompassing love. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                    Jesus, God's Word Made Human

                                    Help us hear your voice and live in your truth

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds: Almighty Creator, transfuse us through the glory of Christ, to move our minds and hearts beyond faithful attendance into prayerful witness and righteous action. We ask through Jesus our Christ, the King and Faithful Witness, and the Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Counselor, who live and reign with You as One God, now and forever.  Amen.

Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to 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.

Prayers of the People: The Reign of Christ, Season of Creation VII

For Sunday, November 22, 2015, The Reign of Christ, Season of Creation VII, Readings: Mary Oliver*, Ps 33, Colossians 1:15-20, Matthew 25:31-46

 Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination, calls to you...over and over announcing your place in the family of things. [Mary Oliver]

[Jesus] is the image of the unseen God and the first-born of all creation, for in him were created all things in heaven and on earth: every thing visible and everything invisible...Before anything was created, he existed, and he holds all things in unity. [Col 1:15-17]

Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me. [Matthew 25:40]

          Let us rejoice in the Lord, says the Psalm, for the Lord loves righteousness and justice. And we are given a nearly lyrical description of Christ from the writer of Colossians. And then, the challenging words from Jesus, Himself. We will be sorted when he comes again in his glory and the criteria is particularly difficult given these times of mistrust, fear, and alienation from anyone who isn't like us, who behaves differently, doesn't care about the same things and looks like those who wreak havoc here and elsewhere. But Jesus isn't sparing us with our excuses about economics, political and social allegiances, or "that was then and this is now" accommodations. Jesus clearly says "...for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me"....And he said that inasmuch as we didn't help those in need then "these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." When we don't help the least of us, the goat herd gets larger. Those of us aspiring to, and believing we are, Christian have a lot of difficult work to do, beginning within ourselves.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Lord of Joy and Justice, in the midst of all the chaos and uncertainty in our earthly existence, calm us with the warmth of Your loving eye upon us, and gladden our hearts that we may always trust and hope in You, our Shield and our Salvation.

Jesus, Son of Man

RESPONSE: Help us love the least-ness in others and ourselves   

~ Lord of Joy and Justice, on behalf of all who are governed by legitimate means, or by force of violence, on our planet, in our country, and in our community, we implore You to infuse wisdom, sanity, and humanity into those who lead. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Jesus, Son of Man

Help us love the least-ness in others and ourselves

~ Lord of Joy and Justice, grant all who suffer in pain of body, mind, or spirit, the grace to hear and be healed by Your call, continually announcing their place in the loving arms of Your universal family. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Jesus, Son of Man

Help us love the least-ness in others and ourselves

~ Lord of Joy and Justice, ease the despair of all who grieve, as You deliver the souls of our faithful and cherished departed from death into eternal glory, We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Jesus, Son of Man

Help us love the least-ness in others and ourselves

~ Lord of Joy and Justice, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, silently or aloud… add your own petitions

Jesus, Son of Man

Help us love the least-ness in others and ourselves

~ Lord of Joy and Justice, empower the spirits of those who lead us in Your Church, through Your Word and Sacraments, with the unity and splendor of Christ’s all-encompassing love. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Jesus, Son of Man

Help us love the least-ness in others and ourselves

The Celebrant adds: God of All Goodness, Steadfast in Love, transfuse us through the glory of Christ, to move our minds and hearts beyond faithful attendance into prayerful witness and righteous action. We ask through Jesus, Firstborn of All Creation, and the Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Counselor, who live and reign with You as One God, now and forever. Amen.

*A reading from Mary Oliver

Wild Geese 

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting -
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.


 From Dream Work, Mary Oliver, Publisher: The Atlantic Monthly Press (May 1986) 



Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to 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.

Prayers of the People: No Stewards of Whine, 25th Sunday after Pentecost

for Sunday, November 15, 2005, 25th Sunday after Pentecost, Yr B, Readings: Daniel 12:1-3, Ps 16, Hebrews 10:11-14, (15-18) 19-25, Mark 13:1-8

   

      Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. [Daniel 12:3]

     Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you... You are my portion and my cup... I have set the LORD always before me... [Ps 16:1a, 5a,8a]

     Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together...but encouraging one another... [Hebrews:10:24-25]

     The Christian life isn't meant to be a solitary journey. Even Jesus had his companions along the way. We, too, are to be companions in, with, and through Christ, sometimes following, sometimes leading, and often together in a supportive, spiritually renewing community. It is through such a community of prayer, worship, and relationship, that we stay connected and encourage one another for the work as stewards or caretakers of God's Creation. 
     While us church types tend to hear only the cha-ching sound of a cash register whenever the word stewardship is mentioned, being a good steward entails more than just giving up our money. The famous time, talent, and treasure trio gets flung around quite a bit in the Stewardship discussions. We each are called to give significantly of ourselves, inside the Church within the community and to support its actual physical foundation, and also in the greater World beyond the doors. We are to build up the Body of Christ through care and action, to provoke one another to love and good deeds. 
     In terms of treasure, John Wesley said it best: "Not, how much money will I give to God, but how much of God's money will I keep for myself." And that equation works equally well with the other two elements. Our talents may seem limited to ourselves but each of us has a way with a recipe, a broom, or organization. Our available time may seem to be scarce to us yet who of us has no time for what we really want to do? In short, we all have all three pieces of this trinity of offerings. All we need to do is give it willingly, happily, and, constantly for the Glory of God.  Stewardship is a way of life and we'll have that whinelessly.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Forgiving and Protecting God, You call us in every time and place to encourage one another with generous hearts, true and wise, in the full assurance of our faith, awakened to the brightness of the everlasting life to come.

                                    O Lord our Portion and our Cup

RESPONSE: Help us to provoke each other to loving and giving

~ Forgiving and Protecting God, give us voice to show the governments of our World, our Nation, and our Community, that they must work together to end violence, poverty, and injustice for the common good of all humanity.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Lord our Portion and our Cup

Help us to provoke each other to loving and giving

~ Forgiving and Protecting God, grant refuge and healing to all who suffer from chronic illness, fear, or alienation. Give strength and energy to those who care for the daily needs of others. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…add your own petitions

O Lord our Portion and our Cup

Help us to provoke each other to loving and giving

~ Forgiving and Protecting God, lift the veil of tears from the sorrowful, as the glorious gates of Your Kingdom swing wide to receive all who are beloved in our hearts. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Lord our Portion and our Cup

Help us to provoke each other to loving and giving

~ Forgiving and Protecting God, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently…add your own petitions

O Lord our Portion and our Cup

Help us to provoke each other to loving and giving

~ Forgiving and Protecting God, hold all who guide and lead us in Your name in the fullness of the joy of Your presence, as together we seek to fulfill Your purpose for our lives. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Lord our Portion and our Cup

Help us to provoke each other to loving and giving

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds:  O God of Earthly and Eternal Life, show us the righteous path of life as we strive to set You always before us, so that our human time is spent as grateful, loving stewards for all of Your Creation. We ask through Christ Jesus, our Salvation, and the Holy Spirit, our Sustainer, who together with You are One God, now and forever. Amen.

Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to 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.

Prayers of the People: Our Role as Stewards, Season of Creation VI

for Sunday, November 15, 2015, Season of Creation VI, Readings: Verna Dozier*, Ps 116:10-17, James 1:17-18, 21-27, Luke 27-38

      Ministry is serving the world God loves.  The people of God are sent to love the world -- the people of the world -- not the kingdoms of the world... One of the bitterest choices the people of God have made is to try to figure out a way to have both, the kingdoms of this world and the kingdom of God. [Verna Dozier*]

     But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror...and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. [James 1:22-24]

We know what is expected of us. Any of us who attends church understands what is meant by Stewardship, inside the church setting in support of the worship, physical plant, and congregation, as well as outside the walls, in all manner of ways. All of us, each of us in our many ways are to give of our selves, significantly, from what God has given us. As John Wesley said, "Not, how much money will I give to God, but how much of God's money will I keep for myself." And that equation works equally well with the other two elements of the stewardship trio: time and talent. 

The Rev. Eric Law, in his book Holy Currencies: 6 Blessings for Sustainable Missional Ministries, shows us a different way to think about the flow of currencies in our lives. Within the usual offerings of time, talent, and treasure, is contained a breadth and depth of re-imagining and discovering our personal gifts for ministry that takes us well beyond the scope of a seasonal directive (or harangue, in some cases). In looking at Time and Place, Gracious Leadership, Relationship, Truth, Wellness, and, of course, inevitably, Money, we can see the interweaving of all of these blessings within ourselves and each other. Stewardship - Missional Ministry - is not merely a specific program for a specific time of year, but rather it is a way of life. Of course, as children of God, we are free to choose how to be - or not to be - a true steward, or caretaker, of God's kingdom and all who are in it. And as we well know, we cannot serve the kingdom of God AND the kingdom of the world. So let us be doers of God's word - or, not. There is no try.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Loving, Patient God, You call us in every time and place, to enter into a generous and caring relationship with You, and all the people of this world. Revitalize our sense of ministry that we may each be an island of refuge, by word and deed even through our own distress, a supportive resting place for each other and all Your creatures.

  O Lord of Refuge and Salvation

RESPONSE:   Help us to hear and act upon Your Word

~ Loving, Patient God, as we were born by the word of truth, give us voice to witness to more positive ways the governments of our World, our Nation, and our Community, can relate to one another, and can earn and spend money to serve the common good of all humanity. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Lord of Refuge and Salvation

Help us to hear and act upon Your Word

~ Loving, Patient God, grant wellness and healing to all who suffer from chronic illness, fear, or alienation. Give strength and energy to those who care for the daily needs of others. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Lord of Refuge and Salvation

Help us to hear and act upon Your Word

~ Loving, Patient God, lift the veil of tears from the sorrowful as the glorious gates of Your Kingdom swing wide to receive all who are beloved in our hearts.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Lord of Refuge and Salvation

Help us to hear and act upon Your Word

~ Loving, Patient God, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, silently or aloud…

O Lord of Refuge and Salvation

Help us to hear and act upon Your Word

~ Loving, Patient God, we give You thanks for all who have shown us gracious leadership and guidance as we seek to fulfill Your purpose for our lives. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Lord of Refuge and Salvation

Help us to hear and act upon Your Word

The Celebrant adds: O God of Earthly and Eternal Life, as we look into our own mirrors, encourage us to see ourselves as an active reflection of Your dream that our human time is spent as grateful, loving stewards for all of Your Creation. We ask through Christ Jesus, our Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit, our Sustainer, who together with You are One God, now and forever. Amen.

*A reading from Verna Dozier’s The Dream of God

Ministry is serving the world God loves.  The people of God are sent to love the world--the people of the world--not the kingdoms of the world, not the way of life that exalts one person over another, greed over giving, power over vulnerability, the kingdoms of this world over against the kingdom of God.  Jesus made the choice for the kingdom, the choice that led him to the cross.  One of the bitterest choices the people of God have made is to try to figure out a way to have both, the kingdoms of this world and the kingdom of God.  We...feast at the tables of the empire six days a week and then bow down to rituals the seventh day as a kind of death insurance, in case there really is a sweet by-and-by.  The people of God are called to a possibility other than the kingdoms of the world.  They must be ambassadors…in every part of life.  They witness to another way that governments can relate to one another; that money can be earned and spent; that doctors and care-givers and engineers and lawyers and teachers can serve their constituencies; that word smiths and musicians and artists and philosophers can give us new visions of the human condition.  All of them need the support system of the institutional church.  There must be those resting places where the story is treasured and passed on in liturgy and education. There must be those islands of refuge where the wounded find healing; the confused, light; the fearful, courage; the lonely, community; the alienated, acceptance; the strong, gratitude.  We have all failed the Dream of God. The terribly patient God still waits.

Dozier, Verna, The Dream of God-A Call to Return, Cowley Publications, Cambridge, 1991

** for more information on the origin and application of the Season of Creation see: http://prayersofthepeople.blogspot.com/2015/10/prayers-of-people-in-beginning1st.html

Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to 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.

Prayers of the People: Mite-y Generous, 24th Sunday after Pentecost

for Sunday, November 8, 2015, 24^th Sunday after Pentecost, Year B, Readings: 1 Kings 17:8-16, Ps 146, Hebrews 9:24-28, Mark 12:38-44

Elijah said to her, "Do not be afraid..." [1 Kings 17:13a]

Praise the LORD, O my soul!...Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help! Whose hope is in the LORD their God. [Ps 146:1, 4]

Jesus said, "Beware of the scribes who like to...be greeted with respect in the marketplaces ...They devour widows' houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation... Truly I tell you, this poor widow...has put in more than...all of them contributing out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had... [Mark 12:38-40, 43-44]


          The Poor Widow gives her last two coins - also known as her mite, a tiny amount - even people who have never read the Bible know this story. What shall we make of it? Give our last two coins or feel guilty because we haven't? It may well be that the story has more to do with Jesus shaming the puffed up scribes in public by comparing their actions for the sake of appearance with the poor woman's gift out of poverty. Perhaps the woman felt obligated or required to give everything she had or she may well have simply wanted to be a full-fledged contributor regardless of her personal cost. It also may be that Jesus knows that his followers will see to this woman's basic needs. We don't really know. How does this passage speak to you? In what ways do you give or hold back? How much of want vs. need, obligation vs. generosity, fear or anxiety determine what your donations will be? Points to ponder on our journey. Let our hope always be in the LORD our God as we struggle with how to be generous with our mite.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O God of Grace and Glory, energize our desire to seek our peace in You, have more faith in Your everlasting sustenance, and eliminate our appetites for unnecessary earthly trappings.

Holy Lord of Hope Eternal

RESPONSE:  We praise You with our souls, our hearts, our lives    

~ O God of Grace and Glory, guide us to be fearless in our audacity, to live into and carry the words and actions of peace and equity, to every hall of government throughout our World, our Nation, and our Community. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Holy Lord of Hope Eternal

                                    We praise You with our souls, our hearts, our lives

~ O God of Grace and Glory, revive the spirits of and grant healing to all who suffer from physical, emotional, or other life-altering pain, and to all who give them care.  We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…add your own petitions

Holy Lord of Hope Eternal

                                    We praise You with our souls, our hearts, our lives

~ O God of Grace and Glory, as You bless and comfort all who mourn, let us rejoice to know that our loved ones have now gloriously entered into their everlasting reward in the kingdom of heaven.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Holy Lord of Hope Eternal

                                    We praise You with our souls, our hearts, our lives

~ O God of Grace and Glory, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently…add your own petitions

Holy Lord of Hope Eternal

                                    We praise You with our souls, our hearts, our lives

~ O God of Grace and Glory, guide the paths of those who lead us on our spiritual journeys, that together we may abandon all fear as we seek to restore justice, mercy, and peace among all Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Holy Lord of Hope Eternal

                                    We praise You with our souls, our hearts, our lives

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds: God of Promise and Trust, grant us peace in spirit to give openly of ourselves to You in love, honor, and virtue, more from the abundance of our faithfulness than from the poverty of mere appearance. We ask You through Jesus our Christ, and the Holy Spirit our Sanctifier, who together with You are One God, now and throughout all generations forever. Amen.

Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to 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.

Prayers of the People, Our World at Peace, Season of Creation V

for Sunday, November 8, 2015, Our World at Peace, Season of Creation V, Readings: Amos 5:21-24, Ps 85:7-14*, Bishop John Hines**, Matthew 5:1-16

...let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. [Amos 5:24]

Turn, revive us, nourish our joy.
[Ps 85:1a]

I hope for a witnessing community of unquestioned integrity...unashamed of the Gospel. [President Bishop John Hines]

Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything...you are the light of the world...No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to [God] in heaven." [Matthew 5:13-16] 

World Peace. Of course! Who doesn't want it? Yet the concept is exponentially larger than the comparative size of these letters and seems well beyond the scope of my abilities to achieve. It then remains a mere concept, too big to be a goal, reduced to a conversational platitude. Or, is it? When you think of world peace how do you define it? Is it merely the end of all war on the planet or are there other considerations? A few formal definitions describe it as the absence of war, a cessation of hostilities, and/or tranquility. Whole armies are deployed ostensibly to end war - where am I in that? Tranquility, though, sounds a bit more personal. But a day doesn't go by when my anxiety and frustration levels aren't challenged by the local news, comments on social media, and then, there's traffic! And I even play a game for fun whose name begins with "Angry"... probably not a path to tranquility. But all is not lost, I can make a significant contribution. Let us each return to the tranquil and instructional words attributed to St. Francis - platitudinal? Perhaps. Yet at the very least we each can achieve a measure of peace in our own corner of the world by following the examples in this beautiful prayer:

Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is

hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where

there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where

there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where

there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to

be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; 

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; 

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. 

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Glorious God of Love and Justice, fire our hearts with the desire to blaze throughout Creation as beacons of Your righteousness, faithfulness, and mercy, seasoned with the love of Christ Jesus, our Salvation.

Benevolent Lord

RESPONSE:  Salt our souls with the thirst and hunger to work for peace

~ Glorious God of Love and Justice, guide us to be fearless in our audacity, to live into and carry the words and actions of peace and equity, to every hall of government throughout our World, our Nation, and our Community.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Benevolent Lord

Salt our souls with the thirst and hunger to work for peace

~ Glorious God of Love and Justice, revive the spirits of and grant healing to all who suffer from physical, emotional, or other life-altering pain, and to all who give them care. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Benevolent Lord

Salt our souls with the thirst and hunger to work for peace

~ Glorious God of Love and Justice, as You bless and comfort all who mourn, let us rejoice to know that our loved ones have now entered victoriously into their everlasting reward in the kingdom of heaven. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Benevolent Lord

Salt our souls with the thirst and hunger to work for peace

~ Glorious God of Love and Justice, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, silently or aloud… add your own petitions

Benevolent Lord

Salt our souls with the thirst and hunger to work for peace

~ Glorious God of Love and Justice, help us to navigate the ever-flowing waters of virtue, generosity, and honor together with those who lives are ordained to point our way to You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Benevolent Lord

Salt our souls with the thirst and hunger to work for peace

The Celebrant adds:  Unwavering, Steadfast God, nourish our joy as we strive to be Your faithful witnesses with the integrity to unashamedly and openly embrace Christ’s Gospel of peace, truth, and justice. We ask through Jesus, our Divine Example, and through the Holy Spirit, our Heavenly Inspiration, who together with You are One, Infinite, Eternal God, now and forever. Amen.

*PSALM 85:7-14 

Turn, revive us, nourish our joy. 

Show us mercy, save us, Lord.

I listen to God speaking:

 “I, the Lord, speak peace,

peace to my faithful people who turn their hearts to me.”

Salvation is coming near, 

glory is filling our land.

Love and faithfulness embrace, peace and justice kiss.

Fidelity sprouts from the earth, justice leans down from heaven.

The Lord pours out riches, our land springs to life.

Justice clears God’s path,

justice points the way.

From The Psalter: A faithful and inclusive rendering, Liturgy Training Publications

(International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc.), 1994.

**A Reading from the Farewell Sermon of Presiding Bishop John E. Hines:

What I hope for has little to do with growth in communicant strength, though I would rejoice at a multitude of conversions possessing integrity. This has little to do with bigger budgets, nothing to do with maintaining a respected place with the carriage-trade clientele of our society. I hope for a witnessing community of unquestioned integrity. It may - in the future, this Church of ours - be an even smaller Church because of its witness; less powerful, and less influential - as a secular society gauges power and influence. For the essential question is not, “How shall the Episcopal Church grow?” - but rather, “How can the Episcopal Church be faithful?”For that is the heritage worth sacrificing for - worth passing on to our children and grandchildren. God forbid that they should come to a time and place unashamed of the Gospel, but ashamed of us.

Kenneth Kesselus, John E. Hines - Granite on Fire, Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest, Austin, 1995.

Bishop Hines served as the 22nd Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church from 1965-1973

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