Prayers of the People: Not So Black and White... MLK, Quintin Primo, 2nd Sunday after Epiphany, Yr C

For Sunday, January 17, 2016, 2nd Sunday after Epiphany, MLK-Bp Primo*, Year  C, Readings: Isaiah 62:1-5, Ps 36:5-10, [1 Cor 12:1-11**], 
John 2:1-11

       For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn... [Isaiah 62:1]

      Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed... there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. [1 Corinthians 12:1,4-7]

     The congregation is free and the Diocese is free. And being free, we are both free to be One. What binds us together now is our common loyalty to Jesus Christ and to this branch of His Church.  [Bishop Quintin Primo from The Making of a Black Bishop*]

          When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what concern is that to you or me? My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." [John 2: 3-5]

          As with so many Biblical anecdotes, the story of the wedding feast of Cana is so well known that through the centuries people of many beliefs and no faith have heard it. On the face of it, it seems pretty black and white, Jesus turned water into wine - his first miracle, and he didn't think he was ready. While quite an accomplishment, the setting for this first sign may not seem auspicious enough for such a pivotal event. Making wine for a wedding feast doesn't seem to serve humanity in any important way. But the volume is significant; it is an abundant amount of wine late in the celebration. It is a metaphor for the way the love and Presence of God fills us all to the brim as the new wine fills the jars. The moment made his disciples believe in him. All was clear and black and white for them at that moment: Jesus, Son of God, Worker of Miracles! Let's follow him everywhere!
          Jesus was the embodiment of God's gifts as we each are, in our own individual ways. For us mere mortals, discerning our gifts is not easy and many of us are wont to disclaim them, hide under a mask of artificial humility, mistaking confidence for conceit. We may not all have the greatness to save the world but each one of us has abilities, knowledge, and talent that makes us unique, useful, even admirable ~ if we accept them. Perhaps it is easier to hide from them as if claiming them may require some responsibility for using them appropriately. Jesus accepted his gifts and used them for teaching, preaching, and healing. Dr. King and Bishop Primo used their gifts and did change the world and, often, especially with Dr. King, at their own peril.
          But Jesus, Dr. King, and Bishop Primo were special people, called by God to do great and memorable things that are written down in stories and lists in print. "For Zion's sake I will not keep silent..." says Isaiah, and Dr. King, and Bishop Primo. What is Zion for me? What will call me from just dreaming about what I might do someday to pushing myself to action now? The Gospels are clear about what it is we are to do - aren't they? Bishop Primo said,"What binds us together now is our common loyalty to Jesus Christ..." If the Gospel message is so black and white, why are so many Christians arguing with each other? How can there be so many divisions, denominations, theological and ideological differences determining who's in and who's out and who's right and who's wrong, who should be condemned (or worse) and who should be accepted? If hierarchy cannot define a Christianity, based on the Gospels, that brings us all together, it does beg the question, "So, really, What Would Jesus Do?" Not all so black and white after all, unless, we do everything He tells us.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O God, Most Loving and Righteous, give us ears to hear again the Spirit-charged words and voices of Your servants Martin and Quintin. Help us to activate our own spiritual gifts, that through Your loving-kindness, we may change the substance of our lives from self-serving into full-service, to be true of heart and strong in faith.

Lord of Faithfulness and Justice

RESPONSE:             In Your light our souls are free at last

~ O God, Most Loving and Righteous, let us not keep silent; let us speak loudly and continuously for those who are lost and forsaken in this life. Let us not rest until all governments and authorities, locally and globally, make The Dream into truth with peace, justice, and mercy for ALL of Your people. We pray especially for:  add your own petitions

Lord of Faithfulness and Justice

In Your light our souls are free at last

~ O God, Most Loving and Righteous, calm the hearts and minds of those who languish in the uncertainty of physical, emotional, or spiritual challenges, and lighten the load for all who attend to their needs. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

Lord of Faithfulness and Justice

In Your light our souls are free at last

~ O God, Most Loving and Righteous, console all who mourn with Your steadfast and priceless love that has gathered those who have gone ahead, into the joy and abundance of Your House forever. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Lord of Faithfulness and Justice

In Your light our souls are free at last

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

Lord of Faithfulness and Justice

In Your light our souls are free at last

~ O God, Most Loving and Righteous, nurture the gifts of our leaders in Your Church who strive to impart Your wisdom and keep us aware of Your eternal Presence. We pray especially for:  add your own petitions

Lord of Faithfulness and Justice

In Your light our souls are free at last

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds:  Holy God, our Well of Life, extinguish the doubt that our hour has come to be drawn into Your light and to know the true freedom of binding together in the Spirit, as one in Christ. We ask through Jesus, Your Son, and the Holy Spirit, Your Wisdom, who together with You, reign as One God now and forever. Amen.

*A reading from The Making of a Black Bishop by the Rt. Rev. Quintin E. Primo, Jr. [1913-1998]:

          "The day of the yearly (Diocesan) Convention arrived. Presenting to the assemblage our (St. Matthew's) formal application to become a self-supporting unit of the diocese, the Rev. Canon James Birney, program developer/director for the diocese, spoke most eloquently, ''What we are doing at this moment is a symbol of what black and white people must continue to do as we offer our lives to be instruments for bringing the Kingdom of God reality on earth. For the past 122 years, the white congregations have patronizingly supported the black mission of St. Matthew's. Today, when black men everywhere are breaking the bonds of patronage which we hope are the last remnants of slavery and inequality, the people of St. Matthew's now both black and white, are freeing themselves and this Diocese from bondage to each other. Subservience and patronage are both gone. The congregation is free and the Diocese is free. And being free, we are both free to be One. What binds us together now is our common loyalty to Jesus Christ and to this branch of His Church. In this Christian context, you are demonstrating the meaning of Black Power.'"

**These Prayers of the People are commissioned by the Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew (SsAM) in Wilmington, Delaware, who in 2016 celebrates the 20th Anniversary of the blending of a traditionally white parish - St. Andrew's, founded in 1829, and a traditionally, African-American parish, St. Matthew's, that began in 1845 in the lower level of St. Andrew's as the Robert Smith Sunday School until it became St Matthew's in its own location in 1891. Bishop Quintin Primo, then a vicar, guided St. Matthew's from mission status to parish status in 1968 and lived to see the joyous union of these two parishes into one. As many of us knew him personally, we are pleased to celebrate his life and prophetic voice this day along with the vibrant legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The selection from Bishop Primo's biography (above) is SsAM's second reading on this Sunday in lieu of the lectionary's appointed reading from 1st Corinthians. To learn more about the historical significance and current mission of SsAM see: http://www.ssam.org/wpcontent/uploads/2015/09/WelcomeToSsAM_2015.pdf 

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.

Meditation Moment: Kingship, Divinity, Foreboding...Epiphany!

Readings for Epiphany, January 6, 2016, Isaiah 60:1-6, Psalm 72: 1-7, 10-14, Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12

       In the time of King Herod...wise men came from the East to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." ... Herod...sent them to Bethlehem...When they saw that the star had stopped they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother...and...they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
[Matthew 2:1-2, 8a, 10-12]


        Twelfth Night - the official conclusion of the Twelve Days of Christmas - is upon us. Now is the time to put the Magi figures into the family creche; well, except they're probably already there or the creche is slowly being packed away for another year. Epiphany - a sudden intuitive understanding, an appearance of God - overwhelmed the Wise Men with joy having traversed afar bearing gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. For many of us, this gleaming incarnation, this theophany, has, perhaps, lost its luster. But let us be as little children once again with the starry-eyed wonder of the season of Christmas with the birth of the Baby Jesus, the shepherds, the baaa-ing sheep, and lowing cattle, choirs of angels, and a multitude of the heavenly host. Let us keep watch again this night as the Three Kings, overwhelmed with joy, kneel to present their gifts to this sacred Child. Gold is symbolic of Christ as King while Frankincense speaks to His Divinity. But what of Myrrh, its bitter perfume, breathes a life of gathering gloom, a medicinal spice used often in those times to anoint the dead. Kingship, Divinity, Foreboding....Come, let us adore Him, who is the heartbeat of God. Let us keep watch with Him, let us follow Him, come what may.

Click on the video for the Robert Shaw Chorale with We Three Kings:

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: Fire on the Water! 1st Sunday after Epiphany, Yr C

For Sunday, January 10, 2016, 1st Sunday after Epiphany, Year C, Readings: Isaiah 43:1-7, Ps 29, Acts 8:14-17, Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

       Thus says the Lord, he who created you...Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. [Isaiah 43:1]

       Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

       The voice of the LORD is a powerful voice; the voice of the LORD is a voice of splendor. 
[Ps 29: 2, 4]

       "...one who is more powerful than I is coming...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand...to gather the wheat into his granary...and when Jesus had been baptized...a voice came from heaven, 'You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.'" [Luke 3:16b-17a, 21b, 22b]

       Whether by aspersion, immersion, or affusion, Baptism is a sacrament, ceremony, or rite, that hearkens back to the Jewish heritage of Jesus. Ancient and modern Jewish rituals of ablution, or washing, for cleansing and/or purification were established millennia before John poured water over his cousin's head in the Jordan River. The word Baptism is derived from the Greek and Latin words for washing and also dipping or plunging. There are a variety of meanings, protocols, requirements, and reasons for such ablutions. Initiation is one as is spiritual regeneration. Some denominations believe that Baptism is necessary for Salvation, others do not. Not all schools of Judaism practice these rituals and neither do all Christians. But for many Christians, this Gospel moment marks the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus, though after this moment he heads to the desert to prepare further. 
       Even if you haven't been baptized, christened, or dedicated, just wanting it, some believe, is enough and so you are baptized through desire. And while anyone can be a baptizer with water, only Jesus brings the fire of the Holy Spirit to set our faith ablaze. Accepting the role and responsibility of faith ~ now there's the perfect way to make your Dad well pleased!

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Lord of Strength and Peace, You call us by name and we are Your own. Gather us as wheat into Your granary that we may be feed for Your sheep and led by Your Will as we discover the beauty of holiness in our lives.

Jesus, Messiah

RESPONSE:           Baptize us with the fire of the Holy Spirit

~ O Lord of Strength and Peace, let us feel Your powerful voice within us, as we speak of Your blessings and justice for all people, to those who govern or hold authority in all corners of the Earth, nearby and far away. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Jesus, Messiah

Baptize us with the fire of the Holy Spirit

~ O Lord of Strength and Peace, cradle the hearts of the sick, the poor, and the lonely within Your own, and fortify the spirits of all who give of themselves to help. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

Jesus, Messiah

Baptize us with the fire of the Holy Spirit

~ O Lord of Strength and Peace, carry the sorrowful through the waters of grief, as those You have called Home now live again in the glory and splendor of Your infinite love and grace. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Jesus, Messiah

Baptize us with the fire of the Holy Spirit

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

Jesus, Messiah

Baptize us with the fire of the Holy Spirit

~ O Lord of Strength and Peace, enlighten and excite Your disciples of our own day, who pray with and for us, baptize and confirm us, and instruct and encourage us in our earthly sojourn. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Jesus, Messiah

Baptize us with the fire of the Holy Spirit

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds:  O God Who Created Us, immerse our hearts and souls in Your Holy Word, as we strive to be among those with whom You are well pleased. We ask through Jesus, Your Beloved Son, and the Holy Spirit, the fire of our faith, who together live and reign with You as One God, now and through eternity. 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: Grounded! 2nd Sunday after Christmas, Yr C

For Sunday, January 3, 2016 , 2nd Sunday after Christmas, Year C, Readings: Jeremiah 31:7-14, Ps 84, Eph 1:3-6, 15-19a; Luke 2:41-52

       Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow. [Jeremiah 31:13]

       For the LORD God is both sun and shield; he will give grace and glory; no good thing will the LORD withhold from those who walk with integrity. O LORD of Hosts, happy are they who put their trust in you. [Ps 84:10-12]

       I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ...may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation...so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know...the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance...the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe. [Ephesians 1:17-19a]

       After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers..."Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"...And Jesus increased in wisdom, and in years, and in divine favor. [Luke 2:46a, 49, 52]

       "His mother treasured all these things in her heart." [Luke 2:51b]  So very many times I have heard this story and imagined the scene, especially when my own children arrived at the precocious age of 12. If that had been our experience, those kids of mine would have been so GROUNDED! And, of course it, too, would have been part of the thousand million moments I do treasure in my heart - the wonderful, the delightful, the terrifying, the angry-making...the stuff of parenting. 
       And so we have a glimpse of the Jesus to come as the Hope and Promise of God. We don't really know what this young boy knows about himself or who he is to become. But his intelligence has him eager to learn, to listen and ask questions. The teachers were amazed at his understanding and his answers. He speaks cryptically to his earthly parents about being in his Father's house - does he already know what he means by this or is it a spiritual quest of early adolescence not yet matured?  Whatever this moment was, clearly, Jesus at this young age was already invested in the love and knowledge of God, and, very well grounded. May each of our own lives be well grounded in God so that we, too, may increase in wisdom, and divine and human favor throughout all of our years.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O God, our Sun and our Shield, enlighten the eyes of our hearts to know the hope of life in You; to live in the eternal happiness beyond mortal pleasure.

O Lord of Grace and Glory

RESPONSE:           Bring us to Christ’s wisdom and divine favor

~ O God, our Sun and our Shield, with our strength in You, let us be about the work of Your House to urge the leaders of this Earth, this Country, and this Community, to walk and act with integrity, to prosper and enhance the well-being and respect of all Your children.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Lord of Grace and Glory

Bring us to Christ’s wisdom and divine favor

~ O God, our Sun and our Shield, ease the distress of all who suffer from serious illness, addiction, or homelessness, and lighten the hearts of all who offer care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

O Lord of Grace and Glory

Bring us to Christ’s wisdom and divine favor

~ O God, our Sun and our Shield, turn our mourning into joy and change our sorrow into gladness, for those we love now light up the canopies of heaven, rejoicing with You in life everlasting. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Lord of Grace and Glory

Bring us to Christ’s wisdom and divine favor

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

O Lord of Grace and Glory

Bring us to Christ’s wisdom and divine favor

~ O God, our Sun and our Shield, sustain the leaders of Your Church and grant them courage and tenacity of spirit. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Lord of Grace and Glory

Bring us to Christ’s wisdom and divine favor

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds:  Lord God of Hosts, You call us to the optimism of our faith inheritance. Heighten our desire to know and reflect the immeasurable greatness of Your Power and Presence in every facet of life. We ask through Jesus, our Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit, our Advocate, who reign together 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: WORD! 1st Sunday after Christmas Yr C

For Sunday, December 27, 2015, 1st Sunday after Christmas, Year C, Readings: Isaiah 61:10-62:3, Ps 147, Galatians, 3:23-25, 4:4-7; John 1:1-18

        In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God...And the Word became flesh and lived among us...From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace. 
[John 1:1-2, 14a, 16]

        For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what it sown in it to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.  [Isaiah 61:11]

        God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts crying, "Abba, Father!" [Galations 4:6b]

       This Sunday, this year, is a mere two days from Christmas, close enough for some of us to still be in the thrall of music, lights, and presents; not yet throwing us into Monday morning and all the necessities of action in daily life. Time enough to breathe deeply and inhale the air still electric with the promise of the sacred and Holy Infant's birth and the coming of a New Year; holding it, filling our lungs, dispersing it throughout our own life blood. For others, a chance of breathing in the hope and promise of new life for those who are no longer with us, and with whom our mutual love will live forever. John tells us in his Gospel that Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. [John 1:5]  As the Spirit of Jesus lives in our hearts by God's gift, let us radiate that light from within, be the change we want to find in others, live as though we believe in the grace upon grace received from the Incarnation of Jesus, our Christ.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Abba! Lord! You came to us before we came to You, and You are with us always. Help us to live every day in the True Light of the Spirit of Christ that You sent into each of our hearts.

Jesus, Word of God

RESPONSE:           Center our Hearts and Minds on You

~ Abba! Lord! As we seek righteousness and meaningful change among all leaders on this planet, in this nation, and in our community, cause the changes we seek to spring up in us through our daily thoughts and actions. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Jesus, Word of God

Center our Hearts and Minds on You

~ Abba! Lord! Breathe new hope and healing into those laid low by serious illness, loneliness, or unemployment. Renew the love and energy of all who try to help. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

Jesus, Word of God

Center our Hearts and Minds on You

~ Abba! Lord! Bind up the wounds of grief for those who mourn, and help them and us, to feel the reverberations of Joyful Noise from the exquisite, eternal bliss of Heaven. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Jesus, Word of God

Center our Hearts and Minds on You

~ Abba! Lord! We pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

Jesus, Word of God

Center our Hearts and Minds on You

~ Abba! Lord!  May Your Holy Spark forever blaze through the souls of all who are ordained to journey with us toward everlasting salvation through Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Jesus, Word of God

Center our Hearts and Minds on You

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds: Jesus, God’s Ever-Living Glory and Truth, You lived as God’s flesh and blood among us in Your humanity; in Your divinity, You are our grace upon grace. Fill us daily with the joy of Your Salvation that we may be the Light in the darkness for others. We ask through God, our Creator, who together with Christ, in the unity of Holy Spirit, 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: Nativity! Christmas 2015, Yr C

For Christmas, December 24/25, 2015, Year C, Readings: Christmas Eve Luke 2:1-20 at Creche, Isaiah 9:2-7, Ps 96, Titus 2:11-14, John 1:1-14; 

Christmas Day Isaiah 9:2-7, Ps 96, Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-20

     The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light...For a child has been born for us, a son given to us...and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [Isaiah 9:2a, 6]

       Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the whole earth. Sing to the Lord and bless his Name; proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day. [Psalm 96:1-2]

       In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see I am bringing you good news of great joy...to you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is the Messiah...and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God... [Luke 2:8-11, 13]

          There is something almost magical, perhaps mystical is a better word, that occurs within me when I hear the words from Luke 2 especially when we get to:  In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night... I become expectant. I become my 6 year-old self hearing the resonant voice of a familiar narrator. I am hope-filled. All is right in the world...for this moment. 
          Every year someone says, "If only we could stay this way all year." The spell cast by the words and the music, the glitter of ornaments and lights, and the chatter of little ones and bigger ones ripping paper to reap the reward breaks all too soon and our precious Infant has a far and difficult road to travel in only the few months between now and Easter. What part of it will we travel with him as the moment spins into what we call reality? What part of the reality of others in our community and in the world at large - poverty, violence, war, and greed, do we shun, dismiss, ignore or, throw money to, all while decrying the lack of Christ in Christmas?
          Christ is always in CHRISTmas....let's remember to keep Christ in Tuesday, Thursday, February, and August. Let us truly Sing to the Lord and bless his name and proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day to ourselves first! We live out what we believe in. Feel the JOY! The Great Light shines again and always. 
       

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Holy Infant, Lord at thy birth, our joy, at long last, is unbounded by the arrival of our Messiah, come to redeem our sins and mark us as Your own forever. Hallelujah! Christ our Savior is born!

Glory to God in the Highest

RESPONSE:           And Peace to God’s People on Earth          

~ Holy Infant, Lord at thy birth, infuse our souls with Your pure light that we may stand before the earthly powers of our world and our nation and our community, to radiate Your peace, love, and mercy for all. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Glory to God in the Highest

And Peace to God’s People on Earth

~ Holy Infant, Lord at thy birth, in the midst of our joy we ask You to bring healing and comfort to all who are suffering in body, mind, or spirit, and comfort for those who give them support.  We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

Glory to God in the Highest

And Peace to God’s People on Earth

~ Holy Infant, Lord at thy birth, especially now, encircle all grieving hearts with the comfort that brightens the darkness, while the vaults of heaven explode in jubilance and glory as our loved ones enter the gates of eternity. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Glory to God in the Highest

And Peace to God’s People on Earth

~ Holy Infant, Lord at thy birth, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

Glory to God in the Highest

And Peace to God’s People on Earth

~ Holy Infant, Lord at thy birth, for our own Shepherds in this sacred field we give great thanks as they keep watch and guide us toward Your ultimate pasture of redemption. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Glory to God in the Highest

And Peace to God’s People on Earth

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds: O Lord of Hosts, God’s Word Made Flesh, as our Wonderful Counselor, so activate our wills, so engage our very beings, that we will live intentionally into Your saving grace each and every day of our lives. On bended knees, and with worshipful hearts, we ask this of You as our Prince of Peace, and of the Holy Spirit, our Sanctifier, who together with the Almighty High King of Heaven and Earth, reign in glory as One God, now until the end of forever. Hallelujah! Christ our Savior is Born! 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: Unexpected Expectation, 4th Sunday of Advent, Yr C

For Sunday, December 20, 2015, 4^th Sunday of Advent, Year C, Readings: Micah 5:2-5a, Canticle 15 (Lk 1:46-55), Hebrews 10:5-10, Luke 1:39-45

       But you, O Bethlehem... from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. [Micah 5:2]

       My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord...for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant...He has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly. [Luke 1:46a, 48, 51-52, Song of Mary]

       When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb...And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord." [Luke 1:41-42, 45]

      The familiar scene is set, the familiar and beautiful words are spoken. Are we listening or are we pondering all that needs to be done over the next few days? 
      Some of the words of Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist, are spoken millions of times a day all over the world as part of the prayer known as the Hail Mary (Ave Maria in Latin). Although we are hearing them now at the final Sunday of Advent, the remaining few days before the birth of Jesus, the Episcopal Church actually celebrates this meeting on May 31st as the feast of The Visitation of Mary. Fewer of us are paying attention in May! 

      Here is a chance to pause in the midst of all the busy-ness. A moment to listen to the beauty of this exchange between these two kinswomen and consider who they were and who they have become to us. The elder Elizabeth, was a barren woman for so many years until suddenly she is with child, a very important child. In her time she was likely ostracized or at the very least considered a failure for her infertility. The much younger and virginal Mary, recently told by an Angel that she is bearing the Son of God, of all things, is also bearing the shame and uncertainty of her betrothed because of her condition (even though we know he'll have an angelic visitation of his own [Matthew 1:18-25]). They come together and speak to us, to awaken us from the haze of frantic preparations for a celebration that is far more earth-bound than spiritual. In their greetings to each other we discover the unexpectedness of this moment of expectation, the message of embracing the twists and turns of life, and recognizing that God is present at all times ~ when we feel elated and when we feel shamed or anxious or uncertain. We are not alone in the darkest of times or in the happiest. Blessed is s/he who believes that Jesus is the fulfillment of God's Promise. Jesus comes to be the face of God. Let us not race ahead to the end of this moment but remain in the stillness, savoring the expectation of Christ's birth, and finding an unexpected freshness in the joy of anticipation. 

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Holy God, Ancient of Days, scatter our pride, elevate our desires, arouse our hunger for the One who is coming, and feed us all with Your good things.

                                                  Lord of Strength and Mercy

RESPONSE:           Speak to our souls and purify our hearts 

~ Holy God, Ancient of Days, grant us the strength of Your arm as we lift up the mighty in this World, in our Nation, and in our Community, and stand for peace, justice, and joy for all of the children of Abraham. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Lord of Strength and Mercy

Speak to our souls and purify our hearts

~ Holy God, Ancient of Days, come to the help of all who are laid low by chronic illness, poverty or emotional anguish, and bring comfort to all who love them. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

Lord of Strength and Mercy

Speak to our souls and purify our hearts

~ Holy God, Ancient of Days, lighten the hearts of those weighed down by sorrow, as those we love are now with You in the eternal majesty of Your heavenly kingdom. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Lord of Strength and Mercy

Speak to our souls and purify our hearts

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

Lord of Strength and Mercy

Speak to our souls and purify our hearts

~ Holy God, Ancient of Days, bestow extra grace upon those who are anointed to bring us Your words and promise, as they guide us all to discover and act upon Your will in our lives. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Lord of Strength and Mercy

Speak to our souls and purify our hearts

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds: Almighty and Abiding God, sanctify and look with favor upon us as we make ready to receive the One who comes, that the fruit of our lives may magnify and proclaim Your infinite greatness. We ask through Jesus, our Joyful Expectation, and the Holy Spirit, Your Sacred Breath, who together with You, live and reign as One God, now and forever. Amen.

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