Prayers of the People: Believing is Seeing, 4th Sunday of Easter Yr C

for Sunday, April 17, 2016, Fourth Sunday of Easter, Readings: Acts 9:36-43, Ps 23, Revelation 7:9-17, John 10:22-30

       Peter...knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, "Tabitha, get up." Then she opened her eyes and seeing Peter, she sat up...This became known...and many believed in the Lord. [Acts 9:40b-41, 42b] 

    So the Jews gathered around him and said to him...If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly. Jesus answered, "I have told you, and you do not believe...because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.  [John 10:24-25a, 26-27]

   The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not be in want... [Psalm 23:1]

         The story of Peter raising Tabitha from the dead seems almost incongruent with the other three readings that are filled with images of shepherding. What stood out for me in the passage from Acts was that, again, many people believed in Jesus from seeing what Peter did as a direct disciple of Christ. As Jesus said about Thomas who insisted on touching his wounds to believe in the Resurrection, others are more blessed who do not see and yet believe. And then we have the contrast in John's Gospel relating the story of those who ask Jesus directly if he is the Messiah and he is clear in his response - "I have told you, and you do not believe."

          While the piece of Revelation may be too mystical for us to understand completely, we are given a clear vision of Christ ...the Lamb, robed in white...standing at the center of the Throne will be their shepherd. [Revelation 7:9b, 17a] And, of course, we are given Psalm 23 with its rich and powerful descriptions of God's caring. I have often used this Psalm when praying specifically for someone using her or his name instead of "I" and changing the pronouns accordingly. For example, "The LORD is Joe's shepherd, he shall not be in want. He makes Joe lie down in green pastures and leads Joe beside still waters..." It gives me an amazing sense of triangular connection to God, to the person I pray for, and within myself. I can see and feel my faith so deeply in those moments.
           The symbolism of what is one of the most well-known pieces of Scripture across all faiths and none, is fascinating and complex. I commend to you a charming and interesting little book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller, himself a modern-day shepherd, for a closer look at the connections between the Psalm's imagery and real life sheep farming. I can find myself among Keller's sheep especially in those unruly moments when I wander away. In the meantime, the way these readings are connected reminds me of another Gospel, Mark 9:24, I believe; help my unbelief!  Jesus has us in his grasp, the whole world in is in God's hands, and I see when I believe. Alleluia!

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Merciful LORD, Loving Shepherd, draw us to Your comfort and spread Your table to feed our faith, so that our moments of unbelief are few, and the love in Your voice is strong and clear.

   Jesus, Most Sacred Lamb

RESPONSE:           Revive our souls and guide us

~ Merciful LORD, Loving Shepherd, strengthen our spirits to engage the leaders of this world, this country, and this community, to outline the right pathways for government in health, safety, and equality, for all the sheep of Your divine pasture. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                   Jesus, Most Sacred Lamb

                                                Revive our souls and Guide us

~ Merciful LORD, Loving Shepherd, anoint the hearts of those who are in chronic pain, fighting addictions, or lost in despair, and restore the hope and energy to all who care for them. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                   Jesus, Most Sacred Lamb

                                                Revive our souls and Guide us

~ Merciful LORD, Loving Shepherd, wipe the tears from the eyes of all who grieve, as those we have sent ahead to You, are now bathed in the springs of everlasting light and life. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                   Jesus, Most Sacred Lamb

                                                Revive our souls and Guide us

~ Merciful LORD, Loving Shepherd, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

                                                   Jesus, Most Sacred Lamb

                                                Revive our souls and Guide us

~ Merciful LORD, Loving Shepherd, sanctify again the souls of the Apostles of our own time who confirm Your presence in our lives, our prayers, and our worship. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                   Jesus, Most Sacred Lamb

                                                Revive our souls and Guide us

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds:  Christ, Messiah, amplify Your voice in our souls and keep us in the knowledge that You hold us close and shelter us in the shadows and valleys of earthly life. We ask through the Holy Spirit, our Comforter, and the Almighty, our Creator, who together with You reign 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: Catch of the Day, 3rd Sunday of Easter Yr C

for Sunday April 10, 2016, 3^rd Sunday of Easter, Year C, Readings: Acts 9:1-6, (7-20), Ps 30, Revelation 5:11-14, John 21:1-19

        But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done..." But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and...the people of Israel..." 

[Acts 9:13a-15]

         ...Jesus stood on the beach [and] said to them, "Children you have no fish, have you?" They answered him, "No." He said to them, "Cast the net to the right side of the boat"...and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish...When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread...Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast..." When they had finished breakfast Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John...do you love me..." [John 21:4a-5a, 6b, 9, 12a, 15a]

         The story of Paul's conversion on the Road to Damascus is, as with many Biblical passages, almost too familiar so I may just zone out in the reading of it. Yet there is always a new insight, a fresh awareness of something I already "knew" but needed to see in a new light. What I caught from working with the passage in Acts was not about Paul but rather a sudden re-awakening to the role of Ananias and his reluctance to heal Paul ~ strong enough to question Jesus ~ because of the evil of this enemy of Christians. But Jesus is clear that, however unlikely, Paul has been chosen as an instrument to spread the Good News. In these days of terrorism, fear, and suspicion, here is a strong reminder that even those we perceive as dangerous and evil can work to God's purpose wittingly or un-. 

        And then there's a real sea change when Jesus directs the casting of the fish nets to the other side of the boat yielding a massive catch on that day. And dear sensitive Peter gets his feelings hurt because Jesus asks him three times, "Do you love me?" apparently forgetting that he denied Jesus three times not very long ago. 

        The catch of these readings for me is to become more conscious of when I am reluctant or resistant to look beyond the obvious or dismiss someone or an entire group because I dislike their appearance, their politics, or their general attitude as I ~ perhaps (probably) mistakenly ~ perceive it. When have I denied Jesus through what I do and ~ more likely ~ what I don't do? How have I declared my love for Jesus and in what ways do I take part in feeding the flock? Scripture this week provides yet another opportunity to remove the scales from the eyes of my soul, and dust off all the good intentions. Ready, set, FOLLOW...

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Jesus, Lord of Life, Lord of the Way, interrupt our everyday hurriedness to heed Your call and cast our soul nets in Your direction. As You nourish our spirits, let us in turn feed the sheep of Your flock with Your Word and Sacraments.

                                                  Hear, O God of Glory

RESPONSE:           In faithfulness we give You thanks

~ Jesus, Lord of Life, Lord of the Way, guide the thoughts and actions of all who wield the means of power and authority, over all people in all places, toward compassion, integrity, and fairness. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Hear, O God of Glory

In faithfulness we give You thanks

~ Jesus, Lord of Life, Lord of the Way, instill a fresh source of strength and hope in those who live in physical or emotional pain and suffering, and lift the hearts of all who give them care and comfort. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

Hear, O God of Glory

In faithfulness we give You thanks

~ Jesus, Lord of Life, Lord of the Way, calm the sea of grief for those who weep in the night, and let the morning bring the joy of those now eternally alive in Paradise. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Hear, O God of Glory

In faithfulness we give You thanks

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

Hear, O God of Glory

In faithfulness we give You thanks

~ Jesus, Lord of Life, Lord of the Way, arouse and excite our earthly shepherds that we in turn may experience a rebirth of desire to follow You in every waking moment. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Hear, O God of Glory

In faithfulness we give You thanks

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds:  Christ, Risen and Glorified, You transformed the resistance of Paul and the reluctance of Ananias into instruments expanding the knowledge of Your presence in this world. Convert our complacence to faith in action, and restore our inner vision of life in You. We ask through the fullness of the Holy Spirit, and the power of the Almighty, who together with You reign 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: Hard data? 2nd Sunday of Easter, Yr C

For Sunday, April 3, 2016, Easter 2, Year C, Readings: Acts 5:27-32, Ps 150, Revelation 1:4-8, John 20:19-31 

    "I am the Alpha and Omega," says the Lord God, who is, and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. [Revelation 1:8]

    Then [Jesus] said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said "...Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." [John 20:28-29]

     In this age of instant communication, "viral" posts on numerous kinds of social media, every TV networks' "exclusive breaking news", and those constantly updating [and correcting] internet headlines, it's easy to know immediately what the truth of whatever the matter is, what is safe to believe - or, not. Like Thomas, we all want the hard data, the analysis that gives us the answers, and the summaries that explain things so we don't have to think through all the confusing information. It's also easier when the people we like and trust [broadcasters, politicians, doctors, teachers, clergy, brothers-in-law, etc.] tell us what we want to hear. Yet, how do we distinguish between oft-repeated gossip and rumor that begins to sound true after the eleventeenth hearing and actual truth? In Thomas' case, he had the benefit of seeing and touching the Resurrected Christ, wounds and all, for himself. For us, we often must go on faith. Trust your source, if you will in our day and time, but keep an open mind, at least in the ways of the world. In the ways of Christ, our hard data comes from the legacy of the Apostles, the writings of the New Testament: "[These] are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name." [John 20:31]  What Source of hard data do you trust?

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Jesus, our Lord and our God, through the Apostles’ witness, especially Thomas, grant us the courage to live our faith sincerely, preserving and affirming Your message of peace, repentance, and reconciliation.

Holy and Risen Christ

RESPONSE:           Strengthen our faith against tests and trials      

~ Jesus, our Lord and our God, empower us to reject the rumor and gossip of political soundbites to stand firm in the truth of Your Gospel before all who hold governing or frightening power in this world, near and far. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Holy and Risen Christ

Strengthen our faith against tests and trials

~ Jesus, our Lord and our God, comfort and heal all who are afflicted with pain and suffering, and fill those who give them support with fresh and sustaining vitality. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

Holy and Risen Christ

Strengthen our faith against tests and trials

~ Jesus, our Lord and our God, surround the mournful with the glorious Light of Your Resurrection that destroyed death for all time. Let us now rejoice for all who now live again eternally with You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Holy and Risen Christ

Strengthen our faith against tests and trials

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

Holy and Risen Christ

Strengthen our faith against tests and trials

~ Jesus, our Lord and our God, we give thanksgiving for the life-long dedication of the leaders of Your Church. Overwhelm them with special grace that they many continue to guide and inspire us through their own faithfulness. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Holy and Risen Christ

Strengthen our faith against tests and trials

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds:  Lord God in Christ, erase the doubts of the earth-bound minds of we who have breath, and free our souls to seek our sustenance in You, our Alpha and Omega, our Beginning and our End. We ask through the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, and the unwavering love of our Almighty Creator, who together with You reign as One God, in glory and dominion, forever and ever. 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.

Meditation Moments: Urban Way of the Cross, Good Friday Stations for Our Time

Good Friday, March 25, 2016 ~ Walking the Cross in the City

   On this Good Friday, in Wilmington, Delaware, USA, the parish of Sts. Andrew and Matthew (SsAM) and members of various other congregations and denominations will gather for the third year in a row at 3:15 pm EST, to walk the city streets in procession using 7 different stops as the Stations of the Cross, concluding for the 8th and final meditation, prayer, and song at Brandywine United Methodist Church.     
    The theme for this year's walk is, Jesus: Me, Thee, and the World. The following prayers by this writer are being used for each of the 8 Stations that form part of the overall service in addition to other meditations and singing of Spirituals. The full service leaflet will be available at www.ssam.org. Please join us in prayer and in spirit if you cannot be with us in person.

1.       Jesus is Condemned to Die

  Holy Jesus, Son of God, Brother of All Humanity,

In Your earthly form, you were subjected to the whims and wiles of political power and injustice that whipped the ill-informed throngs into a manipulated bloodlust, blindly and voraciously feeding off the senseless energy of evil. Let us not condemn to death, in flesh or in spirit, any God-created human sister or brother, child or adult, like us or unlike, as a scapegoat for our own frustration, bigotry, and irrational fear. We must stand with You in this world to show love, mercy, and forgiveness for our sins and the sins of others.

Jesus, Lamb of God, Innocent yet Still Slaughtered

Your earthly death calls us to new life now and in eternity

      2.       Jesus Takes Up His Cross

  Holy Jesus, Son of God, Brother of All Humanity,

           

            In Your genuine humility and obedience to God, You bore the burden of the world’s sins, past, present, and future, within the punishing beams of the cross on Your back. Fill us with the courage to be humble and acknowledge the unimaginable weight we have each added, and strengthen us to carry more than our share to walk the full distance with You. We must stand with You in this world to restore the dignity and hope of every person along the Way.

           

Jesus, Lamb of God, Innocent yet Still Slaughtered

Your earthly death calls us to new life now and in eternity

3.       Jesus Falls the First Time

  Holy Jesus, Son of God, Brother of All Humanity,

Your physical frame gave way to the ungodly and inhuman mass upon Your shoulders. Yet You rose again with the strength of God and the Spirit of perseverance, to continue the wearying trek through the hostile streets, enduring the pain and agony of temporal life. Grant us the willingness to climb out of our trenches of fear, and the fortitude to be the faces of faith, especially in adversity. We must stand with You in this world, and rise again and again every time we fall through our own fault, or the demeaning and damage from others.

           

Jesus, Lamb of God, Innocent yet Still Slaughtered

Your earthly death calls us to new life now and in eternity

4.       Jesus Meets His Mother

  Holy Jesus, Son of God, Brother of All Humanity,

In all the anguish on this path to death, You and Your mother share a moment within the unspeakable torment of this dread-filled ordeal. Infuse our hearts with the depth and breadth of such mutual love, that we become as mother, father, sister, and brother to all of God’s children in the worst times and the best, with the faithful and the faithless, in the days of hope and the nights of despair.  We must stand with You in this world and radiate the love and peace that surpasses all understanding.

           

Jesus, Lamb of God, Innocent yet Still Slaughtered

Your earthly death calls us to new life now and in eternity

5.       The Cross is Laid on Simon of Cyrene

  Holy Jesus, Son of God, Brother of All Humanity,

Simon, pulled out of the crowds, is compelled against his will to lift Your cross onto his own shoulders. How often have we resisted sharing the burdens of others in Your name? How often do we resist help for ourselves, either earthly or divine? Remind our souls that there is grace in weakness and strength in being vulnerable. We must stand with You in this world to gratefully and readily share with, give to, and wholeheartedly receive from each other.

           

Jesus, Lamb of God, Innocent yet Still Slaughtered

Your earthly death calls us to new life now and in eternity

6.       Jesus and the Women of Jerusalem

  Holy Jesus, Son of God, Brother of All Humanity,

In Your sacred knowing, the words You gave to the women of Jerusalem tell us all to look toward the work and responsibility of saving each other and ourselves from the tyranny of political suppression and violence. Open our eyes to see, our ears to hear, and our minds to actively engage in choosing those who will seek peace, equity, justice, and mercy in all positions of our various forms of government. We must stand with You in this world, in this country, in this City, as a positive and steadfast force for change through compassion, empathy, and selflessness.

           

Jesus, Lamb of God, Innocent yet Still Slaughtered

Your earthly death calls us to new life now and in eternity

7.       The Crucifixion

  Holy Jesus, Son of God, Brother of All Humanity,

Tortured, battered, and brutally pierced, Your human life ebbed through the flow of the Precious Blood that cleanses our souls and purifies the life we give to Your service. Intensify our desire and ability to forgive even the most horrible of people, so that we may in turn forgive ourselves and ask forgiveness of others. We must stand with You in this world to follow Your light and be as a beacon, that all who search for life’s meaning will find it in You.

           

Jesus, Lamb of God, Innocent yet Still Slaughtered

Your earthly death calls us to new life now and in eternity

8.       Jesus is Laid in the Tomb

  Holy Jesus, Son of God, Brother of All Humanity,

           

            The tempests and travails of Your human existence have ended. The anguish and suffering of all mortal life will ultimately lead to the indescribable peace of new and eternal life in God. In this moment, let us rest with you in the stillness of the tomb gathering strength and renewing our faith, as we await Your coming in Glory. We must stand with You in this world to bear witness to Your Gospel of Hope, Joy, and Resurrection, the Good News for life before Life.

Jesus, Lamb of God, Innocent yet Still Slaughtered

Your earthly death calls us to new life now and in eternity

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: ALLELUIA! EASTER DAY! Yr C

For Sunday, March 27, 2016, Easter Sunday, Year C, Readings: Acts 10:34-43, Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; 1 Cor 15:19-26, Luke 24:1-12

         For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. 

[1Cor 15:21-22]

        Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale...But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened. [Luke 24:10-12]

          We still don't get it, not really. We've heard it a thousand times but when have we actually stopped to ponder: what does all this mean to me in daily living as a mortal human? What does the Resurrection of Christ mean in the midst of bill paying, eating, keeping warm in the winter, raising children, and doing the best I can with what I have? How does faith in Christ inform my thoughts and my actions? When has the Gospel given me clear direction yet I take a different path?

         The time is NOW, the day is TODAY to have all senses engaged and involved - to physically feel the Joy, to be Enthralled, to begin again to know Christ's presence. Let us sing loud Hosannas and shout even louder ALLELUIAS! Christ is risen, for you, for me, for us all, INDEED!

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Christ our Savior, Lord of All, You are ALIVE! Your earthly sacrifice has destroyed death and given us eternal life. Let us experience Your Presence within our mortal bodies and be transformed in every moment of daily life. Grant us the wisdom, the understanding, the JOY of this indescribable gift.

Alleluia! Jesus Christ is Risen today!

RESPONSE:           Alleluia! Christ is Risen indeed!

~ Christ our Savior, Lord of All, free us from the fear-mongering and political bullying that killed You. Empower us to stand in Your Name against such tyranny before all who govern in this World, this Country, and this Community. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                  Alleluia! Jesus Christ is Risen today!

                                                Alleluia! Christ is Risen indeed!

~ Christ our Savior, Lord of All, lighten the burden of the hopeless in serious illness, despair, or desperation, and breathe new strength into all who give them care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                  Alleluia! Jesus Christ is Risen today!

                                                Alleluia! Christ is Risen indeed!

~ Christ our Savior, Lord of All, may the glory of Your Resurrection remind all who mourn that earthly grief is temporary and we shall rejoice again with our loved ones in life everlasting. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                  Alleluia! Jesus Christ is Risen today!

                                                Alleluia! Christ is Risen indeed!

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

                                                  Alleluia! Jesus Christ is Risen today!

                                                Alleluia! Christ is Risen indeed!

~ Christ our Savior, Lord of All, renew the essence of vocation in all those who minister to our spiritual and pastoral needs. Energize and enliven them to take us forward in this glorious season and meet You again on our way. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                  Alleluia! Jesus Christ is Risen today!

                                                Alleluia! Christ is Risen indeed!

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds:  Holy Jesus, Redeemer of the World, Your Resurrection changed the face of the world forever. Excite our hearts and minds, and guide us to follow Your Gospel in our thoughts, words, and actions. We ask through You, our glorious Savior, and the Holy Spirit, the breath of our souls, who together with our Creator, are One God, now and forever in 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: Palms and Passion, Last Sunday in Lent Yr C

For Sunday, March 20, 2016, Palms and Passion, Last Sunday in Lent, Yr C, Readings: Luke 19:28-40, Isaiah 50:4-9a, Ps 150, Philippians 2:5-11, 
Luke 22:39-23:49-56

         [Jesus said] "Go into the village...and as you enter you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden... [Luke 19:29a]

         Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself...humbled himself... [Philippians 2:5-7a,8a]

        Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed [the people] again, but they kept shouting, Crucify, crucify him. A third time he said to them, "Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death...But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he 

should be crucified; and their voices prevailed." [Luke 23:20-23]

         Then a servant-girl, seeing [Peter] in the firelight, stared at him and said, "This man was also with [Jesus]." But he denied it saying, "Woman, I do not know him.] A little later someone else on seeing him said, "You also are one of them." But Peter said, "Man, I am not!" Then about an hour later still another kept insisting, "Surely this man was also with him...But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are talking about!" [Luke 22:56-60a]

         From the symbolism of the colt/donkey [humility and peace rather than a steed of victory and power], the significance of the palms and cloaks [a sign of highest honor], to our knowing how this week will end, Palm Sunday in its exuberance of procession and the viciousness of the Passion is far more than merely the Sunday before Easter. The tone is set for the journey through Holy Week and in these times of political machinations and murders, violence and betrayal, crowd manipulation and wrangling, I must pay closer attention. It is time for me to acknowledge the moments of my own betrayal of Jesus through denial in thought, word, action, or plain inaction. Turning away from the unpleasant, the insincere, and especially the dangerous may be safer and less stressful in the short run, but, going with the flow by participation or neglect, reaps far more tyranny than standing up to oppression. 

        Dr. Martin Luther King said, "A time comes when silence is betrayal." That time came for Peter, that time is now for us.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Christ of Earth and Heaven, in a few short days Your joy-filled entry into Jerusalem to riotous exultations turned to riotous hate-filled betrayal, mirroring the political manipulation of un-informed minds in our own day. Reveal to us the power of love and responsibility we have because of Your sacrifice for us.

                                                Jesus, our Lord, our Messiah

RESPONSE:             Our lives, our hope must be in You

~ Christ of Earth and Heaven, let us stand firmly rooted in Your Gospel and call to account all who hold or seek office in the governments of this Earth, this Country, and this Community for the principles of justice, mercy, and peace. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Jesus, our Lord, our Messiah

                                                Our lives, our hope must be in You

~ Christ of Earth and Heaven, deliver into wholeness those who suffer through illness, depression, or addiction, and renew the energy of all who provide support. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

Jesus, our Lord, our Messiah

                                                Our lives, our hope must be in You

~ Christ of Earth and Heaven, lift the hearts of all who mourn as those we love are transformed through their joyful and jubilant welcome into gracious eternal life. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Jesus, our Lord, our Messiah

                                                Our lives, our hope must be in You

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

Jesus, our Lord, our Messiah

                                                Our lives, our hope must be in You

~ Christ of Earth and Heaven, refresh the hearts and souls of all who are chosen to enliven and encourage our faith that together we find and enter the holy temple of God. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Jesus, our Lord, our Messiah

                                                Our lives, our hope must be in You

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds:  Lord God in Christ, permeate our skin, our tissue, and our bones with the magnitude of Your teaching in earthly life, Your sacrifice in horrific death, and the significance of Your glorious resurrection, that we may live humbly, serve You, and bring You into all that we do. We ask in the name of You who redeemed us, and the Holy Spirit who sanctifies us, who together with our Creator is 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: Nard Enough, 5th Sunday in Lent, Yr C

For Sunday, March 13, 2016, 5th Sunday in Lent, Year C, Readings: Isaiah 43:16-21, Ps 126, Philippians 3:4b-14, John 12:1-8 

        Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters...Do not remember the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth... [Isaiah 43:16, 18-19a] 

        The LORD has done great things for us, and we are glad indeed. [Psalm 126:4]

        For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things...in order that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. [Philippians 3:8b-9]

        Six days before the Passover...Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. [John 12: 1a,3]

        The tension is building as if in a novel. Every thought and phrase expressed reveals a clue to what is coming - if we didn't already know. Six days before Passover  ~ time is running out. Jesus came to Bethany ~ a scant two miles' walk to Jerusalem. Mary anoints his feet with an expensive perfume made of nard and that sets off Judas and the Gospel writer is very clear about the thieving Iscariot's character and coming betrayal. 
        The fragrant nard itself is symbolic. It was customary for the household to prepare for the feet of the guests to be washed as a practical and hospitable welcome. This particular perfume was worth a fortune, maybe as much as or more than a year's wages for a worker and this gesture would have seemed quite excessive by normal standards. Of course this was far from a normal moment. Perhaps this was further fuel for Judas to pass on to the assassination plotters, the Chief Priest and Pharisees. But Jesus was clear that Mary's act of love meant more; it was a foreshadowing of his death and burial. The ritual of burial involved precious spices and oils and the anointing of the body always began with the feet.
        We know what is coming. Those reclining and serving at table that night did not - save Judas. Yet there is much ahead in the short time Jesus has left. A seemingly small albeit extravagant moment at a gathering of friends, not so much in ordinary times, but it was nard enough to kick off a deadly series of events that changed the world forever. Pay closer attention in the coming readings. Even if very familiar, God is about to do a new thing again and there is much to hear, to learn, and to live.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Lord of the Way and the Path, release us from the false piety of mere righteousness in Your law, and awaken us to the freedom of knowing and living each day in Christ and the power of His Resurrection.

                                                                                        

                                                O God in Christ Jesus

RESPONSE:           Help us to press on in Faith   

~ O Lord of the Way and the Path, break down the walls of governments all over this world, this country, and this community, that we may disperse a contagious fragrance of peace, tolerance, justice, and mercy, to all people formed by You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God in Christ Jesus

                                                Help us to press on in Faith

~ O Lord of the Way and the Path, restore the fortunes of hope to all who are poor in body, mind, or spirit, and revitalize all who give them care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

O God in Christ Jesus

                                                Help us to press on in Faith

~ O Lord of the Way and the Path, console those who weep and mourn, as those now returned to the prize of life in You, are celebrated with heavenly shouts of joy. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God in Christ Jesus

                                                Help us to press on in Faith

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

O God in Christ Jesus

                                                Help us to press on in Faith

~ O Lord of the Way and the Path, enliven the hearts and souls of all who guide us on life’s journey toward eternity, that they may share with us the joy of being Christ's own, even in the darkest of times. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God in Christ Jesus

                                                Help us to press on in Faith

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds: God of Great Things, seal the wounds of our earthly life with the ointment of Your saving grace; let us be the spring of Your new work in Creation, and shoulder the sheaves of everlasting salvation. We ask through Jesus, our Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit, our Sanctifier, who together with You reign as One God, forever and ever. Amen.

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