Prayers of the People: On the Lamb, 4th Sunday of Easter, '17 Yr A

For Sunday, May 7, 2017, 4^th Sunday of Easter, Year A, Readings: Acts 2:42-47, Psalm 23, 1 Peter 2:19-25, John 10:1-10

      Those who had been baptized devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. [Acts 2:42]

      The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters. He revives my soul and guides me along right pathways for his Name's sake. [Psalm 23:1-2]

      But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God's approval. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps...When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten...by his wounds you have been healed...For you were going astray like sheep but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls. [1 Peter 2:20b-21, 23, 24b-25]

      Jesus said, "...the one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name...and the sheep follow him because they know his voice...Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep...Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. [John 10:2-3a, 4b, 7, 9]

       For Episcopalians, the reading from Acts this week is infused with one of the promises made by us or for us in our Baptismal Covenant: "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers..."  The three statements of belief and the five promises of the Covenant are a quick refresher and guide to the basics of true Christian living and always worth reviewing regularly whether or not you are of this denominational heritage. [see the Book of Common Prayer pages 304-5, click here: BCPonline]  
      Psalm 23 is, without doubt, the best-known piece of Scripture in the world among multiple religions, denominations, sects, the believers and the non- . The poetic language, ascribed to David, a shepherd in his youth, gives us the most pastoral image of Christ and draws from the real activities of actual shepherds.* In the lesson from 1st Peter, we are given the difficult reminder that we are to suffer what we must but, as Jesus in his Passion, we are not to return abuse in kind. We are to realize that by the wounds of Jesus we are healed because we were going astray like sheep, but you have now returned...  The Gospel also carries the Shepherd theme and comforts us with another serene image, that of Christ as the divine Gate for all we sheep to have salvation in a safe, and abundant pasture. 
      Sometimes the familiar is too comfortable and we must listen again with fresh ears, hearts, and minds. The comfort of the Shepherd in Psalm 23 is easily zoned in on and the other readings more easily left behind. But even this calming pastoral narrative comes with a price. We who want to know ourselves as true and faithful Christians must rouse ourselves from our sheepdom and listen for the Voice that calls, and then follow, in earnest and in confidence. All we "have" on this earthly plain is temporary.  Let us not go astray like sheep, but rely only on the Lamb of God, Jesus the Christ, Risen and Eternal.

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

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Shepherd of our Souls, You are our Holy Gate to where we find a calm pasture to shelter and nourish our spirits, where You know us each by our names. Let us hear Your voice deep within us and follow You to salvation and abundant life eternal.

                                               

                                                By Your blood we are reconciled

RESPONSE:             By Your wounds we are healed

~ Shepherd of our Souls, as you stood peaceably in front of the political authorities of Your mortal time, grant us courage and confidence to peacefully but persistently urge political leaders of this Earth, this Nation, and this Community, to legislate compassion, equity, and mercy, as well as safety, economic, and environmental justice for all people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                     By Your blood we are reconciled

                     By Your wounds we are healed

                                               

~ Shepherd of our Souls, anoint the hearts, restore the hope, and give rest from anxiety to all who are enduring illness and suffering of all kinds, and for those who see to their daily needs.  We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                     By Your blood we are reconciled

                     By Your wounds we are healed

~ Shepherd of our Souls, we entrust the souls of all who have left this life to Your own care, in the consolation of knowing that they now dwell in the light of Your House forever. We pray especially for: add your own petitions 

                     By Your blood we are reconciled

                     By Your wounds we are healed

~ Shepherd of our Souls, as Your representatives in our time, our pastoral shepherds consecrate Your Body and Blood to bring You to us in the Apostles’ teaching, prayer, and fellowship, with glad and generous hearts. Help us to support them in their work with faith and goodwill, that together we, and all Your sheep, may be fed by Your goodness and mercy. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                     By Your blood we are reconciled

                     By Your wounds we are healed

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds:  O God of Highest Heaven, we are called into Your mystical pasture to live and thrive on the Divine Bread of Life, given by the sacrifice of Christ Jesus. Revive our souls and rekindle our desire to follow You along the right paths of this life and enter into Your glorious and infinite kingdom. We ask this through Jesus the Christ, our Guardian and Shepherd, and the Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of our souls, who together with You, reign as One God, forever, and through all eternity.  Amen.

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. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com

Prayers of the People: The Road Best Travelled, 3rd Sunday of Easter '17 Yr A

For Sunday, April 30, 2017, 3^rd Sunday of Easter, Year A, Readings: Acts 2:14a, 36-41; Psalm 116:1-3, 10-17; 1 Peter 1:17-23, Luke 24:13-35

         Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit..." [Acts 2:38]

       I love the LORD, because he has heard the voice of my supplication, because he has inclined his ear to me whenever I called upon him...Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his servants...O LORD I am your servant...I will offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call upon the Name of the LORD. [Psalm 116: 1, 13, 14a, 15]

       Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth...You have been born anew...of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. 
[1 Peter 1:22a, 23]

      They were saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!" Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. [Luke 24:34-35]

     "If only..." a frequent refrain for all of us who wish we had done things differently, or this or that had gone as planned, or the weather had changed. Mostly, though, I think most of us have yearned, even with some desperation at times, for that if only I could see, talk to, or touch her or him one more time. I can say from my own acute experiences that yes, much time does soften the punch and shock of loss, but then the memories become ever more important along with the hope and desire to believe that they are still present within us. 
      The Disciples had that one-more moment - never enough, to be sure - and they certainly made the most of it as here we are over two thousand years later still hearing their experiences with Jesus, still hearing the words He spoke, still knowing there are ways of living this life that we are called to by Him. Yet it seems too distant to us sometimes - other-worldly, a familiar story and then it's over until we hear it again. 
      Now is the time to hear the story of the Road to Emmaus again with the ears and heart of our own memory of loss. Feel their confusion, their shock, their sadness. Remember the words Jesus tells them, and the next time - and every time - you receive the Bread at a Eucharist, and, the next time you tear a piece of bread at a meal, know him in the breaking of the bread. More than a memory, Christ IS LIVING within us. All we need to do is call upon His name and travel the Best Road of this life, knowing Him, and the Way will be open.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Living Christ, how often we blindly follow the way of the world without seeing that You are with us in every step. Open our hearts to know Your Presence, open our eyes to see Your Way to Life Eternal, and open our souls to accept Your gift of Salvation.

                                                Jesus, Blessed Son of God                                             

RESPONSE:             We call upon Your Name, O Lord

~ Living Christ, grant us the determination, the voice, and the words to turn the hearts of those in political power in our world, our country, and our community, toward Your justice, peace, and mercy.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Jesus, Blessed Son of God

                                                We call upon Your Name, O Lord

                                               

~ Living Christ, please walk closely with all who are lost in serious illness, emotional upheaval, and hopelessness, and with those who give them care and healing.  We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                Jesus, Blessed Son of God

                                                We call upon Your Name, O Lord

           

~ Living Christ, we give You praise and thanksgiving, that all the faithful who have departed this life, are now precious in Your sight, in the glory and splendor in Your heavenly and eternal courts. We pray especially for:  add your own petitions

                                                Jesus, Blessed Son of God

                                                We call upon Your Name, O Lord

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

                                                Jesus, Blessed Son of God

                                                We call upon Your Name, O Lord

           

~ Living Christ, pour Your special grace and energy upon the clergy anointed to lead us in Your Church, that they and we together, may know You in the breaking of the sacred bread, that nourishes our souls with fresh vitality, and strengthens our spiritual quest. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Jesus, Blessed Son of God

                                                We call upon Your Name, O Lord

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds: Lord Jesus, our constant Companion on the Road, as we are born anew through Your Resurrection, excite us to dedicate ourselves again, and incline our ears and eyes to You, that through Your living and enduring Word, our faith and hope will be set on God, and our souls purified by obedience to Your Truth. We ask through our Creator, our Sanctifier, and You, our Redeemer, who live and reign as One God, always, forever, eternally.  Amen.

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. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com

Prayers of the People: Seen and Unseen, 2nd Sunday of Easter, ' 17 Yr A

For Sunday, April 23, 2017, 2nd Sunday of Easter, Year A, Readings: Acts 2:14a, 22-32; Psalm 16, 1 Peter 1:3-9, John 20:19-31

       For David says concerning him, "I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken, therefore my heart was glad...my heart will live in hope." [Acts 2:25-26]

       I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand I shall not fall. My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit rejoices; my body also shall rest in hope. [Psalm 16:8-9]

      Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead... [1 Peter:3]

      [Jesus] said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."...Jesus said to [Thomas], "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." [John 20:22b-23, 29]

      The Apostle Thomas lives in an infamy of sorts, getting all the blame for his disbelief until his eyes beheld the Risen Lord and touched his wounds. Thousands of years later he has become a label - "a Doubting Thomas"- for those who don't believe something without concrete proof. And yet, he was far from alone in his skepticism. The other Gospel accounts all tell of the other disciples doubting. Luke 23:11 tells of the disciples dismissing the women's account as an idle tale and in Mark 16:11, when Mary Magdalene tells them she had seen the risen Jesus, they would not believe. My personal favorite - in defense of Thomas - is in Matthew 28:17 that says even when they saw him they worshiped him; but some doubted. If you are or ever have been unsure or questioning of this preeminent event in the life of Christ, despite the Gospel accounts and the significance to the whole of Christian theology and practice, you are in good company! Yet the story of Thomas, and the other disciples' initial disbelief, humanizes these men and brings them into this current time, as did Peter's denial of Jesus, and even Judas' betrayal and subsequent angst and suicide. We know these people in our own lives, we are some of them when we struggle to accept and understand all that we are told in the New/Christian Testament and by those who have taught us from the pulpit or in our families. If we aren't questioning the tenets of our faith at various times, then, for me, it seems we don't really know what we believe or why. These Gospel moments allow us to be who we are and relate to the people who were with Jesus and still wondered what this movement was all about even as they moved forward with him and, very likely, even after him.

       Whatever I believe about the Resurrection and its significance to our Christian faith, in moments of wavering I think on the message of David that Peter quotes in the Acts reading and that is paired with the appointed Psalm for this day. It is the crux of the message of, Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah - I must keep the Lord before me, live in hope, and follow the path of life he has shown me, as well as I can, through all of this life's trials. The Presence of Christ is within us, and our faith however shaky at times, is the vehicle that keeps us upright and guides our thoughts and actions. Whether seen or unseen, the results of living in faith, as Christ teaches through the Greatest Commandments [Matthew 22:36-40], will be a gift to others and ourselves, in our mortal time and in the time to come, by receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. [1 Peter 1:9]. I’m reminded of a title of a book by Dr. Wayne Dyer, You’ll See It When You Believe It. For now, for always, Christ IS Risen! Alleluia!   

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Risen Christ, our Savior Lord!  Let our hearts be glad and our spirits truly rejoice as we remember, and know again, the fullness of Your Resurrected Presence within us. Thomas saw and believed. Let us simply believe and we will see.

                                                Living Messiah, Son of God                                       

RESPONSE:             Our Strength and our Redeemer

~ Risen Christ, our Savior Lord!  Grant us courage to refresh our faith in the eternal life ahead, while we strive in this temporal life to channel the policies of the leaders of this planet, this nation, and this community, toward providing a just, merciful, and equitable life for all Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Living Messiah, Son of God

                                                Our Strength and our Redeemer

                                               

~ Risen Christ, our Savior Lord!  Soothe the hearts of those who are very ill, anxious, or afraid, and of all who give them care. Surround them each in Your healing embrace. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                Living Messiah, Son of God

                                                Our Strength and our Redeemer

           

~ Risen Christ, our Savior Lord! May our wonder at the mystery and miracle of Your resurrection, enhance the joy of knowing, that those we have sent ahead, are now risen with You in everlasting glory and peace.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions 

                                                Living Messiah, Son of God

                                                Our Strength and our Redeemer

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

                                                Living Messiah, Son of God

                                                Our Strength and our Redeemer

           

~ Risen Christ, our Savior Lord!  Refresh the souls of all who guide us in Your Church, and renew their delight in preaching the Good News of our salvation and the message of Your pure love for us all. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Living Messiah, Son of God

                                                Our Strength and our Redeemer

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds:  Creator of All that is, Seen and Unseen, shelter us when we retreat into doubt, remind us to seek Your Path through this life, to set You always before us, and to forgive as we are forgiven, in the faith of our salvation to come. We ask this through Jesus, our Living and Eternal Hope, and the Holy Spirit, our Wellspring of Wisdom, who together with You, reign as One God, forever and beyond.  Amen.

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. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com

Meditation Moments: Good Friday - In the Shadow of Death there is Life '17

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 fourth 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 SsAM.   
    The theme for this year's walk is, In the Shadow of Death there is Life. As we ponder life in this world in this time, we think of Jesus, a political prisoner on the Way to his execution at the behest of the "Religious Authority." The locations chosen for this year represent the various hallmarks in a citizen's life: The Federal Building - Rome; The City-County Building - Local Authority; State Office Building with Attorney General and Public Defender offices - Centurions; Rodney Square - Public/Communal space; Community Services Building with Community Legal Aid and Delaware Center for Justice - Advocacy, The Church - celebration of Birth, Death, Resurrection. I have written the following prayers as part of the commemoration that are being used for each of the 8 Stations that form part of the overall service in addition to meditations and singing of Spirituals with our choir. 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.

The Urban Way of the Cross:

“In the Shadow of Death there is Life”

Composed by Christina Brennan Lee

for Good Friday, April 14, 2017

1.       [Jesus is condemned to die – truth]

Jesus, Scapegoat of Cowards, Messiah of Humanity, You were condemned to earthly death by the will of the self-interested, who, fearing loss of their local power, fueled and manipulated the rage of the discontented. As we walk through our human time, let us look deeper into Your Gospel to find our guidance, seeking the True Life of eternity with You.

       

      Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

Grant us courage to follow and stand fast in Your TRUTH

2.       [Jesus takes up his cross – fortitude]

Jesus, Scapegoat of Cowards, Messiah of Humanity, with courage and determination, You took on the cross, bearing its worldly weight upon your scourged and weary shoulders. Help us, in everyday moments and our deepest darkest times, to see Your cross as a symbol of survival, on our way to the never-ending joy of Life without shadow in Love’s Pure Light.

Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

            Strengthen our hearts to persist in this life with Your FORTITUDE

3.       [Jesus falls for the first time – perseverance]

Jesus, Scapegoat of Cowards, Messiah of Humanity, even in a most weakened physical state, You are our model of endurance, an example of pushing on through excruciating pain, even in the most brutal stages of Life. As our Perfecter of Faith, reinforce our willingness to get up again and again and again, whenever we fall down in our promises to You.

Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

Empower us to run with PERSERVERANCE the race to everlasting peace.

4.       [Jesus meets His Mother – tenderness]

Jesus, Scapegoat of Cowards, Messiah of Humanity, this exquisite yet tragic image of Mother-Son love reaches profoundly into the essence of us all. Infuse our souls with the instinct to protect and shelter each other in the midst of Life’s traumas – loved ones and strangers alike – as we are sheltered by Your Saving Grace.

Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

Inspire our hearts to reflect and offer the TENDERNESS of Your perfect love.

5.       [The Cross is laid on Simon of Cyrene – hope]

Jesus, Scapegoat of Cowards, Messiah of Humanity, as even the strongest need a helping hand in a difficult time of Life, relieve us of our reluctance to give aid to another in trouble, for whatever the burden and whatever the cost.

Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

May the infinite HOPE of Your Sacrifice dwell deeply in our souls.

6.       [Jesus and the women of Jerusalem – compassion]

Jesus, Scapegoat of Cowards, Messiah of Humanity, in one of Your most difficult moments in Life, You show us an extraordinary example of empathy for others. Assist us as we strive to follow Your Commandments to love God, and to love others as if they were ourselves.

Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

Grant us the COMPASSION to know ourselves and others as Your very own.

7.       [The Crucifixion – acceptance]

Jesus, Scapegoat of Cowards, Messiah of Humanity, as Your mortal time waned upon the cross, Your steadfast spirit gave way to obedience, consenting to the Will of God, for the redemption of sin for every single human Life. Let us take a moment to be still, to breathe deeply, to ponder the depth and breadth of emotion, the wonder and awe, of the moment that Your being transformed from lifeless Human to Eternally Divine.

PAUSE BRIEFLY

Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

Excite us to know Repentance, Faith, Trust, and ACCEPTANCE as our vehicle to Heavenly Glory. In the Shadow of Death there is Life, everlasting.

8.       [Jesus is laid in the tomb – LIFE]

Jesus, Scapegoat of Cowards, Messiah of Humanity, let us wait in quiet solitude, in the silence of the Tomb, for a radiant awakening in the dawn of New Life. Grant us a peaceful transition at our own time, being serenely willing and unflinchingly ready to rise again in Glory, free of sin and strife, through the magnitude of the Sacrifice by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Christ, Lord of Life, Now and Forever

Transform our mortal sojourn by the way of Your Truth, Fortitude, Perseverance, Tenderness, Hope, Compassion, and Acceptance, as we await Your Glorious Resurrection and the LIFE of the World to Come. AMEN.

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. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com

Prayers of the People: Raising the Stakes Easter Day '17 Yr A

for April 16, 2016, Easter Day, Readings: Acts 10:34-43; Ps 118:1-2, 14-24; Colossians 3:1-4; Mt 28-1-10

    ...God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power...he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. [Acts 10:38]

     On this day the LORD has acted; we will rejoice and be glad in it. [Psalm 118:24]

      Since you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is...Set your minds on the things that are above, not on things that are on earth... [Colossians 3:1a, 2a]

      But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. [Matthew 28:5-6a]

      It's Easter! In the midst of all the colored eggs, chocolate bunnies, and baskets of plastic grass and toys, let's all stop and take a breath and consider: It's Easter!  Beyond the glorious music and singing, the solemnity of the Scriptures, the profusion of flowers with their heady perfumes - It's EASTER! Jesus the Christ, Messiah, Son of God, Holy Redeemer of our sins was murdered    and    then    he    ROSE FROM THE DEAD! Alive, breathing, speaking. He said he would and he did. Are we so jaded by secular culture that we have lost the amazement, the awe, the majesty of this moment? It is past time to recapture our wonder and look deeply into the heart of the faith that we claim. As the world around us becomes more "down to earth" and spirit-less, we must seek again those things that are above, where Christ is. The political stakes for Jesus were deathly high - much as they are for many of us today. Jesus raised them. So must we by taking ourselves out of the earthly tombs we create for ourselves and truly, deliberately, intentionally, follow the Christ we claim to believe. It's EASTER! Christ is Risen! Hallelujah!

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Radiant Risen Jesus, our Christ, let us put aside the darkness of yesterday and revel in the Divine Light of Your Glorious Resurrection. On this Day of Days the LORD has acted! We must rejoice and be glad in it.

                                               Hallelujah! Christ is Risen!

                       Response:       Jesus is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

~ Radiant Risen Jesus, our Christ, endow the political leaders of this Earth, this Nation, and this Community with Your mantle of joy, love, and integrity of purpose that arouses compassion, peace, cooperation, justice, and mercy for all people everywhere. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                               Hallelujah! Christ is Risen!

                                               Jesus is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

                                               

~ Radiant Risen Jesus, our Christ, lavish Your healing grace and hope on all who are ailing in body, mind, or spirit, and on those who give them daily care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…

                                               Hallelujah! Christ is Risen!

                                               Jesus is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

~ Radiant Risen Jesus, our Christ, our grateful hearts commend those we love, who have risen with You, into the heavenly peace and splendor of life everlasting. We pray especially for:  add your own petitions

                                               Hallelujah! Christ is Risen!

                                               Jesus is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

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

                                               Hallelujah! Christ is Risen!

                                               Jesus is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

           

~ Radiant Risen Jesus, our Christ, grant special grace to the leaders of Your Church who strive to enlighten and expand our own knowledge, wisdom, and desire to follow Your Truth.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                               Hallelujah! Christ is Risen!

                                               Jesus is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

The Celebrant adds:  Holy Christ, Resurrected in Glory, in dying You destroyed our mortal death; in rising You claimed salvation for our souls. Release us from all that binds us to the temporary and shallow that entombs us in this life, and set us again on the path to claim all that awaits us in our True and Eternal Life in God. We ask through the Holy Spirit, our Breath of New Life, and God, our Creator, who together with You are One God, transcendent, immutable, immortal. Amen.

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. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com

Prayers of the People: Palms and Punishment, Palm/Passion Sunday '17 Yr A

For Sunday, April 9, 2017, Palm and Passion Sunday, Year A, Readings: Isaiah 50:4-9a, Psalm 31:9-16, Philippians 2:5-11, Mt 26:14-27:66

       The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher... Morning by morning he wakens...my ear...The Lord God helps me...and I know I shall not be put to shame. [Isaiah 50:4, 7b]

      But as for me, I have trusted in you, O Lord. I have said, "You are my God. My times are in your hand..." [Psalm 31:14-15a]

      Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God...And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death... [Philippians 2:5-11]

      Then [Jesus] went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples. "Sit here while I go over there and pray"...Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, "So you could not stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak." 
[Matthew 26:36, 40-41]

           Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday are both separate and also one commemoration. The procession with palm branches celebrates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem just on the heels of his miraculous raising of Lazarus from the dead just two miles away. The Passion narrative develops the details of his Last Supper, betrayal by Judas, and the machinations of the Chief Priests whose local standing and power among the Jews and Rome were clearly threatened by this acclaimed and unorthodox prophet and miracle-worker.

       Jesus had not yet been to Jerusalem during the short time of his public ministry but he was becoming very well-known and so his arrival created quite a stir.  To this day in the Palm Sunday processions we hear hymns and shouts with "Hosanna" ("Hoshana" in Hebrew) - praise to God with great elation as Jesus was greeted by the throngs that lined the road. They sang and shouted Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord [Ps 118: 26]. The people laid their cloaks and branches on the pathway for Jesus as a sign of the highest honor. The palm was the symbol of triumph and victory in the Greco-Roman culture of the times.  Another notable symbol is the donkey itself - it would appear to be a very deliberate choice of Jesus sending the disciples to specifically retrieve it. The prophet Zechariah says in the Old/Hebrew Testament: Rejoice greatly, O daughter, Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter, Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey [Zechariah 9:9]. As Jesus was accused later in the week of proclaiming himself "King of the Jews," riding into the city of Jerusalem on a donkey would have symbolized that he was coming in peace, as a ruler would do to show a peaceful arrival rather than a warrior King riding in on a horse bent on war.

         All these elements were carefully noticed and recorded by the Roman occupiers and the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Council who had its own police force and trial court. How easy, it seems, to go from enthusiastic cheers of the crowd to the strongly manipulated and equally enthusiastic and deathly jeers by the same people mere days later. 

        Two thousand plus years on, it is still a story for our own time. How easily are we turned from waving palms to throwing punishing, even deadly, stones by a few well-placed headlines or Facebook posts because we simply followed the crowd?

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Lord God, Who Helps Us, this Holy Week begins in jubilance yet finds us quickly diverted by the glitter of earthly distraction, hiding in our sleeping souls, and unconscious of our own betrayals of Jesus. Awaken our hope, re-kindle our devotion, and move us, yet again, into new life in Christ.

Jesus, Lamb of God

RESPONSE:              We put our trust in You

~ Lord God, Who Helps Us, turn those leaders of this community, this nation, and this world, who engage in fear-mongering and political manipulation, toward enlightened compassion, humanity, and global cooperation. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Jesus, Lamb of God

                                                We put our trust in You

                                               

~ Lord God, Who Helps Us, cradle in Your benevolent arms all who are chronically ill, desperate, or hopeless, and give peace of heart to those who care and worry. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                Jesus, Lamb of God

                                                We put our trust in You

           

~ Lord God, Who Helps Us, ease the burden of grief in dark times, as those for whom we mourn, now live in the eternal radiance of everlasting resurrection, through the glory of God in Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Jesus, Lamb of God

                                                We put our trust in You

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

                                                Jesus, Lamb of God

                                                We put our trust in You

           

~ Lord God, Who Helps Us, through this sacred week and beyond, embrace and enrich those You have called to lead Your Church. Inspire their words, their prayers, and their souls, that they and we together, may draw ever closer to You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Jesus, Lamb of God

                                                We put our trust in You

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds:  Holy God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, keep Your Loving Hand upon us to awaken and encourage our willing spirits, and strengthen our weakened flesh, that humbled in our human form, we may seek and serve Christ in ourselves, each other, and all of humankind. We ask through Jesus, our Lord and Savior, and the Holy Spirit, the Wisdom of our Souls, who together with You are One God, now and forever. Amen

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