Prayers of the People: Birthpangs ~ 26th Sunday after Pentecost '18 Yr B

For Sunday, November 18, 2018, 26^th Sunday after Pentecost, Year B, Readings: 1 Samuel 1:4-20, 1 Samuel 2:1-10, Hebrews 10:11-14, 15-18, 19-25; Mark 13:1-8

        [Hannah] said, “Let your servant find favor in your sight.” 
[1 Samuel 1:18a]

    …there is no Rock like our God…for the Lord is a God of knowledge and by him actions are weighed. [1 Samuel 2:2b, 3b]

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

    Many will come in my name…and they will lead many astray…When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place…This is but the beginning of the birthpangs. [Mark 13:6, 7a, 8c] 

   Hannah’s pain was deep over many years at the inability to bear a child. Yet she continued to faithfully pray through her tears and distress and was finally given a son by God. Perhaps our prayers will seem to be unanswered when we don’t get what we most desire ~ the health of a loved one, or peace in the family. Yet Hannah’s words Let your servant find favor in your sight are the words of faith for us to embrace. We cannot know the mind of God, but we can be assured that our minds and are hearts are not hidden for the Lord is a God of knowledge and by him actions are weighed. And though we are judged, God grants us forgiveness and salvation though Christ.

     The Christian life is not intended to be a solitary journey. Even Jesus had his companions along the way and has told us he’s in our midst whenever two or three – or more – are gathered [Mt 18:20]. We, too, are to be companions in, with, and through Christ, sometimes following, sometimes leading, but often together in a supportive, encouraging, spiritually renewing community. It is through such a community of prayer, worship, and relationship, that we stay connected and are reminded of the faithfulness of God to those who are faithful to God.

     The path of Christ is no easy walk. He tells us to beware of those who claim to be him as they will lead us astray. There will be hardships, rumors of wars and wars, earthquakes and famines. It’s all too easy to be fearful with the speed of news of disasters around the world and nearby. But such times are the beginning of birthpangs, birth of the coming again of the glory of Christ. It is all in God’s time, beyond our comprehension. Do not be alarmed, Jesus says and the writer of Hebrews tells us to have the confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us…by our faith we are cleansed in body and in heart so Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. Let us keep faith in practice and in hope. Birthpangs are just the beginning of the fresh, new life that awaits. 

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

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

                                                    O God our Rock and our Strength           

RESPONSE:                 May we find favor in Your sight

~ O Lord Most High, we offer our prayers for all who lead this World, this Country, and this Community by election, fiat, or inheritance to know that You are a God of knowledge who weighs all actions. Inscribe their souls with a yearning for integrity, global and local peace, and justice tempered with mercy for all the people in their charge. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O God our Rock and our Strength

                                                       May we find favor in Your sight

~ O Lord Most High, nestle the aching, the fearful, and the desperate in Your loving embrace, and revitalize all who support their needs. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…add your own petitions

                                                       O God our Rock and our Strength

                                                       May we find favor in Your sight

~ O Lord Most High, grant us a foretaste of the joy and glory of Your Heavenly Kingdom as the gates open wide to receive our beloved who now live in the newness of Christ forevermore. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O God our Rock and our Strength

                                                       May we find favor in Your sight

~  O Lord Most High, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently…add your own petitions

                                                       O God our Rock and our Strength

                                                       May we find favor in Your sight

             

~ O Lord Most High, quicken the spirits of those called and ordained to speak Your Words and celebrate Your Sacraments, inspiring us all to live lives of holy and selfless intention in this earthly life. We We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O God our Rock and our Strength

                                                       May we find favor in Your sight

             

The Celebrant adds:  Loving, Patient God, grant us unashamed confidence in the Gospel to take on the mantle of servanthood in Your Name in unwavering hope. Show us the righteous path of life, as we strive to set the needs of others above our own, unswayed and undeterred by false prophets who would lead us astray. We ask though Christ, our Great High Priest; the Holy Spirit, our Counselor; and our Creator Lord, who together are One God, now 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: When Too Much is Not Enough ~ 25th Sunday after Pentecost '18 Yr B

For Sunday, November 11, 2018, 5^th Sunday in the Season of Creation, Readings: Reading Bridges Not Walls*, Psalm 127, Seven Days**, 

Mark 12:38-44

      I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you. [Ruth 3:1b]

     Children are a heritage from the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is a gift. [Psalm 127:4]

     Christ…will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those eagerly waiting for him. [Hebrews 9:28]

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

     The Gospel appointed for this week is the usual focus – the impoverished widow who gives her last two coins to the local treasury. The contrast is made between her giving her very last penny and those who give large sums out of their wealth with plenty to spare. The wealthy, of course, ran no risk of hunger or homelessness as this piece implies about the unnamed widow. Whatever became of her – was she cared for by neighbors, did she truly lose everything in a last moment of supreme generosity? We don’t know. But, perhaps trusting it would be for good, she gave all she had.

     This small slice of Mark’s Gospel comes on the heels of Jesus warning about those who cannot be trusted, those who seek only honor for themselves and devour widow’s houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. Jesus is quick to say in effect, that God knows what we carry in our hearts and minds and the mere appearance of faithfulness will not help in the end.

      In the letter to the Hebrews, the writer is clear the Christ will come again – not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. We learn later in this letter that Jesus is faithful to those who live in faith and trust.

     As part of the collection of writings for this week, the first sets the stage for the others as often happens. Ruth was a widow with no children to carry on her and her husband’s lineage. But because of Ruth’s faithfulness to her loving mother-in-law, Naomi, Naomi saw to it that Ruth found a new husband, conceived a child, and through her love Naomi becomes baby nurse and surrogate grandmother. Ruth trusted Naomi and was rewarded in many ways. Her child became the grandfather of King David, the lineage of Jesus.

    The Psalm tells us plainly that Children are a heritage from the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is a gift. While not all women are gifted with children, all of us are the children of parents present or not, good or bad, and always of the God, always present, who created us. We each are a gift of God called to live in faithfulness and to care for one another. It is not we who determine our lineage, who will become great, who will not, but God. It is not up to us to decide which child, young or old, is worthy, as God lives within us all. We are to seek, expect, and honor the spark of God in everyone.

   This day, November 11, 2018, is the 100^th Anniversary of the Armistice that formally ended WWI, the momentary peace in the world that has never lasted long because we deny God’s lineage in ourselves and others. Abundance of wealth and privilege is not an antidote to the poverty of self-importance. When we fail to embrace the fullness of the Gospel message in how we live our lives, we may discover too late that too much is not enough.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Lord our God, children are our heritage from You, the fruit of gifted wombs, where hope blossoms in every birth and Your light shines through every tiny face. Guide us to live in ways that honor the You who lives deeply within all the children You have given us, each other, and especially ourselves as the children of You that we are.

                                                    Holy and Faithful God

RESPONSE:                 We put our trust in You

~ O Lord our God, keep our hearts fearless to carry the words and actions of peace and equity to the halls of government in our World, our Nation, and our Community, to establish for all time that the rights and privileges of some are the rights and privileges of all. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Holy and Faithful God

                                                       We put our trust in You

~ O Lord our God, lay Your healing hand upon those weary of the pain, anguish, or fears of this life, and hold fast to those who offer caring help. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…add your own petitions

                                                       Holy and Faithful God

                                                       We put our trust in You

~ O Lord our God, may our grief be calmed as we send our loved ones Home to the eternal splendor and glory of new life in Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Holy and Faithful God

                                                       We put our trust in You

~  O Lord our God, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… We ask Your special blessings upon all the men and women Veterans who have served their Country in the Armed Forces in war and in peace, and particularly those who have never returned and those who have permanent injury…add your own petitions

                                                       Holy and Faithful God

                                                       We put our trust in You

             

~ O Lord our God, ease the path of all who are anointed to call us to Your Word and Sacraments and to inspire us to serve in this world together in Christ’s holy name, eagerly awaiting his return. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Holy and Faithful God

                                                       We put our trust in You

             

The Celebrant adds: Creator Lord, Spirit of Hope, 100 years ago today, all of Your people breathed a collective sigh of peace and promise for the future, as the misery of World War I was signed, sealed, and finished. But restive humans, never satisfied, keep destroying one another through wars on battlefields and wars of racial, religious, and economic divisiveness and violence. Release us from the poverty of self-importance and complacence to joyfully accept the abundance of unashamedly and openly embracing Christ’s Gospel of peace, truth, and justice with all, for all, and everywhere. We ask through Jesus, our Divine Example, and through the Holy Spirit, our Wisdom Guide, who together with You are One, Infinite, Eternal God, now and forever.  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: Our World at Peace ~ 5th Sunday in the Season of Creation '18 Yr B

For Sunday, November 11, 2018, 5^th Sunday in the Season of Creation, Readings: Reading Bridges Not Walls*, Psalm 127, Seven Days**, 

Mark 12:38-44

      God-with-us, you sit down in our midst. Nothing can separate us from your love – not towering concrete walls or the deep darkness between searchlights; not distance from friends or despair in our hearts that the world’s wrongs cannot be changed. [Jan Sutch Pickard]

      As we honour the graves of our neighbours may we face those we fear, cry justice for the oppressed, tell of love without end: may peace flourish until the moon fails. [Rosemary Power]

     Then [Jesus] called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on. [Mark 12:43-44] 

     God-with-us, you sit down in our midst is the powerful and comforting opening to this week’s readings as we explore the theme of Our World at Peace. This reading from Scottish poet Jan Sutch Pickard is hopeful in its recounting of ways in which humans experience separation and despair and yet are never separated from God’s love. The second reading also shines a strong light on the realities of our world upended by the damage we humans can do to others. By action and by complacency when we build barriers to hide what we fear to see…wear wounds unhealed by anger…when we defend ourselves from other people’s rights peace disappears. Even in the first part of the Gospel, Jesus is warning about those who cannot be trusted, those who seek only honor for themselves and devour widow’s houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. Jesus is quick to say in effect, that God knows what we carry in our hearts and minds and the mere appearance of faithfulness will not help in the end. And then the story of the widow who gives all she has out of her poverty in the midst of those who give so much more from their abundance. But with nothing to lose, who, then, is more impoverished? How is peace in the whole world attained if our actions, consciously or not, are harmful and divisive?

    The concept of World Peace is daunting in and of itself. What possible difference could this one small human make in the face of so much destruction by on-going wars large and small, global and one-on-one?  Peace must begin within ourselves first. St. Francis of Assisi prayed famously, let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me and if we are not at peace inside, we cannot transmit peace to others. 

    This day, November 11, 2018, is the 100^th Anniversary of the Armistice that formally ended WWI, the momentary peace in the world that has never lasted long because we deny God’s lineage in ourselves and others. Abundance of wealth and privilege is not an antidote to the poverty of self-importance. When we fail to embrace the fullness of the Gospel message in how we live our lives, we may discover too late that too much is not enough. Let us begin to change our part of this world by praying for peace within ourselves. When we are at peace, we radiate peace and God’s love to others. Easy, no. But life-giving, yes. Rosemary Power also prays at the end of our 2^nd Reading in hope-filled words that can give rise to acts of peace: As we honour the graves of our neighbours may we face those we fear, cry justice for the oppressed, tell of love without end: may peace flourish till the moon fails. Amen! One small step for humankind…

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O God-with-us, guide us to seek and expect You in everyone we meet, to know You living deep within us, and ask as You sit down in our midst, to teach us the words to pray without ceasing, for the fullness of peace in the whole of Your Creation.

                                                    Lord, in Safety and in Danger 

RESPONSE:                 We put our trust in You

~ O God-with-us, guide us to be fearless as we carry the words and actions of peace and equity to the halls of government in our World, our Nation, and our Community, to establish for all time that the rights and privileges of some are the rights and privileges of all. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Lord, in Safety and in Danger

                                                       We put our trust in You

~ O God-with-us, lay Your healing hand upon those weary of the pain, anguish, or fears of this life, and hold fast to those who offer caring help. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…add your own petitions

                                                       Lord, in Safety and in Danger

                                                       We put our trust in You

~ O God-with-us, may our grief be calmed as we send our loved ones Home to the eternal splendor and glory of new life in Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Lord, in Safety and in Danger

                                                       We put our trust in You

~  O God-with-us, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently. We ask Your special blessings upon all the men and women Veterans who have served their Country in the Armed Forces in war and in peace, and particularly those who have never returned and those who have permanent injury…add your own petitions

                                                       Lord, in Safety and in Danger

                                                       We put our trust in You

             

~ O God-with-us, ease the path of all who are anointed to call us to Your Word and Sacraments and to inspire us to serve in this world together in Christ’s holy name. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Lord, in Safety and in Danger

                                                       We put our trust in You

             

The Celebrant adds: Creator Lord, Spirit of Hope, 100 years ago today, all of Your people breathed a collective sigh of peace and promise for the future, as the misery of World War I was signed, sealed, and finished. But restive humans, never satisfied, keep destroying one another through wars on battlefields and wars of racial, religious, and economic divisiveness and violence. Release us from the poverty of self-importance and complacence to joyfully accept the abundance of unashamedly and openly embracing Christ’s Gospel of peace, truth, and justice with all, for all, and everywhere. We ask through Jesus, our Divine Example, and through the Holy Spirit, our Wisdom Guide, who together with You are One, Infinite, Eternal God, now and forever. Amen.  

*1^st Reading: Bridges Not Walls                                                       

God-with-us, you sit down in our midst.

Nothing can separate us from your love –

not towering concrete walls

or the deep darkness between searchlights;

not distance from friends

or despair in our hearts

that the world’s wrongs cannot be changed.

You are with our brothers crowded at the checkpoint,

with our sisters witnessing for peace:

you sit down in our midst.

Born into poverty, to displaced people living under occupation,

you shared our human lives,

and we know that your love can never be contained

by the walls of separation.

You sit down in our midst, God-with-us. Amen.  

 ~ Jan Sutch Pickard, a poet, preacher and storyteller in Scotland

**2^nd Reading: Seven Days

      Creator Lord of the unclaimed place and of clashing claims, of no one’s land where some have homes, in danger zones, in human souls, in nations’ claims: we are all guilty. We build barriers to hide what we fear to see, we draw lines in other people’s hearts, we trample underfoot what others hold dear, we wear wounds unhealed with anger, we defend ourselves from other people’s rights. Drive out the demons that divide neighbours.

      Jesus, in the land where your feet were tired, where you carried the oppressor’s burden, broke the chains of the prisoners, demolished walls, made wounded lives blossom, and set our hearts free to turn and to serve: may you be the potter in our lives’ neutral zones; in divided land, may justice return.

      Spirit of hope, may those who build houses live in them, those who plant olive trees harvest them, may they shelter under fig trees, give water to strangers, tell stories to children, keep Covenant with God.

      As we honour the graves of our neighbours may we face those we fear, cry justice for the oppressed, tell of love without end: may peace flourish till the moon fails.
~ Rosemary Power, From Seven Days - Stories and reflections for the World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel

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: Divine Endowment ~ All Saints Sunday '18 Yr B

For Sunday, November 4, 2018, All Saints Sunday, Year B, Readings: Wisdom of Solomon 3:1-9, Psalm 24, Revelation 21:1-6a, John 11:32-44

       Those who trust in him will understand truth, and the faithful will abide with him in love... [Wisdom of Solomon 3:9]

       They will receive blessing from the Lord, and vindication from the God of Salvation. [Ps 24:5]

       [The] home of God is among mortals…God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more; for the first things have passed away. [Revelation 21:3b-4]

      The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go." [John 11:44]

      What comes to mind when you think of a Saint? For many of us, I expect, the mind-image that arises is of someone many centuries and continents removed from our everyday place and time in this world; someone who is an example of complete perfection in every facet of life that is unattainable for us mere mortals, and, if we're honest, living a life undesirably difficult for us to accomplish. Yet many saints and Saints, the ordinary and the officially designated, are/were flawed humans with real human frailties and struggles. When and how did their lives become exemplary? The best discussion I have found is from Sister Joan Chittister*, which follows. This piece offers us some food for prayerful thought on ways we might discover our inner saint and seek to, at the very least, support the very basic tenets of the Greatest Commandment [Matthew 22:36-40, Mark 12:28-34, Luke 10:25-28].

       "For centuries the church has confronted the human community with role models of greatness. We call them saints when what we really often mean to say is "icon," "star," "hero," ones so possessed by an internal vision of divine goodness that they give us a glimpse of the face of God in the center of the human. They give us a taste of the possibilities of greatness in ourselves. What qualities will be necessary to live a life of integrity, of holiness, in the twenty-first century? What models of those values, if any, have been raised up to show us the way to God in a world that is more preoccupied with the material than with the spiritual, more self-centered than selfless, more concerned with the mundane than with the divine, more parochial than cosmic? (They) are male and female, Christian and non-Christian, married and unmarried, religious and lay, pragmatists and artists, named saint by a process or proclaimed saint by the people who lived in the shadow of their lives. They are people like you and me. With one exception, perhaps. In their eyes burn the eyes of a God who sees injustice and decries it, sees poverty and condemns it, sees inequality and refuses it, sees wrong and demands that it be set right. These are people for whom the Law above the law is first in their lives. These are people who did not temporize with the evil in one system just because another system could have been worse. These are people who saw themselves clearly as the others' keepers. These are people who gave themselves entirely to the impulses of God for the sake of the world." 

          Sr. Joan has not painted an easy picture of a lifestyle for our time-limited journey in earthly existence. There are choices to be made and sooner rather than later though there’s always an opportunity for us to seek God first above all else, to receive a blessing from the Lord and a just reward from the God of our Salvation. It requires some dedication, some intention, and some transformation. Jesus call us to come out from our self-imposed tombs and unbind ourselves from the temptations that lock us away from our divine endowment. In that release we can change not only ourselves but the culture we live in. Parker Palmer** says it best, [We] can transform our culture only as we are inwardly transformed. So, let’s begin together.

*Sister Joan Chittister, Roman Catholic nun and former Prioress of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, PA, an activist, author and speaker on a variety of subjects such as spirituality, religious life, peace, and justice among others.  The excerpt is from: "A Passion for Life: Fragments of the Face of God", Orbis, Maryknoll, NY, 1996

**Parker J. Palmer is an author, educator, and activist who focuses on issues in education, community, leadership, spirituality and social change. He is the founder and Senior Partner Emeritus of the Center for Courage & Renewal.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Lord of Hosts, our King of Glory, in these times of trial and travail, strengthen us to arise each day with inner peace, purity of heart, and complete trust in You. Fill us with humility, humanity, and hope following the example of those we recognize as the Saints who have gone before, and the saints who live among us now.

                                                    O God of Blessing                                                  

RESPONSE:                 Help us unbind our faith to abide in You    

~ O Lord of Hosts, our King of Glory, come into this, Your home among us, to make all things new. Endow us, as Your instruments, with the perseverance to guide Local, National, and Global Leaders away from falsehoods and fraud to the just reward of those who seek Your face. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                     O God of Blessing

                                         Help us unbind our faith to abide in You    

~ O Lord of Hosts, our King of Glory, deliver from distress all in anguish from illness of body, mind, or spirit, and infuse those who give them care with gentleness and love. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                     O God of Blessing

                                         Help us unbind our faith to abide in You    

~ O Lord of Hosts, our King of Glory, as You wipe the tears of all who mourn, keep us all in the knowledge that death will be no more in the joy and gladness of all who live again in the holy city, the New Jerusalem. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                     O God of Blessing

                                         Help us unbind our faith to abide in You    

~ O Lord of Hosts, our King of Glory, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

                                                     O God of Blessing

                                         Help us unbind our faith to abide in You    

             

~ O Lord of Hosts, our King of Glory, inspire the hearts and minds of all who lead us in Your church, who encourage and remind us through Word and Sacrament, how to lead lives worthy of the calling for which we have been created. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                     O God of Blessing

                                         Help us unbind our faith to abide in You    

             

The Celebrant adds:  God of us all, Saints and Sinners together, set our hearts free from the prison of hate, the emptiness of self-importance, and the mindlessness of earthly privilege. May we each claim our divine endowment of hope, grace, and mercy as we strive to ascend the hill of the Lord and stand always in Your Holy Place. We ask through Jesus, our Christ, and in the Unity of the Holy Spirit, who together with You are One God above all, through all, and in all, for ever and ever.  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 Saints Among Us ~ 4th Sunday in the Season of Creation '18

For Sunday, November 4, 2018, 4^th Sunday in the Season of Creation, Readings: Ephesians 4:1-6, Psalm 146, Romans 12:9-18, Matthew 5:1-12

       The Season of Creation originated in the Anglican Church of South Africa and was formalized in 2008. It is designed for us to explore our faith from a Creation perspective. For more information see: https://prayersofthepeople.blogspot.com/2018/10/prayers-of-people-in-beginning-1st.html.

       We use Biblical and other readings that pertain to the specific theme of each of the 7 weeks of the Season. Alternate, non-scriptural readings used will follow the prayers.

         I, Paul... beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. [Ephesians 4:1-3]

      Praise the Lord! Sing to the LORD a new song, is praise in the assembly of the faithful. [Psalm 149:1]

      Let love be genuine, hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. [Romans 12:9-10]

       [Jesus] taught them saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit...those who mourn...the meek...those who hunger and thirst...the merciful...the pure in heart...the peacemakers...those who are persecuted...Rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven... [Matthew 5:1-12]

         Who or What is a Saint? The word is from from the Greek, hagios, which means “consecrated to God, holy, sacred, pious." The people we think of as "Saints" or who have been given the official title of Saint, seem to be all of that definition and much more. It appears that Saints are special people who are set apart for a special purpose, mostly a very long time ago and also very far away from my country, my life, and my times. Well, except that God has called ALL of us to be saints, to be sanctified (made holy) in Christ, to build up the Body of Christ, and to seek and serve Christ in all persons. And it is highly likely that those who have been officially designated as Saints would tell you of their many faults and failings. Too bad we can't just leave the work to those who are beatified or canonized by an official Church process as this temporary life might be easier. But let us consider sainthood in a slightly different light.

         The Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12 give us a comprehensive list of those who are blessed by God. It also gives us a clear direction on what attributes to adopt in our own lives to draw on the gifts God has already given us, and even our self-developed flaws, to seek to be accepted into the great reward that is to come. Saintly living is not easy work and definitely requires a lifetime of intention, perseverance, and action. We must cultivate a desire for it, which will be followed by attempts, false starts, regression, re-programming, and many cycle repeats. But hope abounds, if I seek it. If my faith remains strong ~ or at least if I want it to ~ I can find some measure of virtue to live by.

         Yes, faith wavers at times, but then there is the morning and a chance for another fresh start. Each new day brings all the opportunities to feel the power of God in my life along the companions great and small who are with me in spirit and in person. In the letter to the Romans, Paul gently says, If it is at all possible, so far as it depends on you, live peacefully with all. So my prayer for this day is keep me in a peaceful mindset and let me not repay anger with anger, and strife with strife. Not an easy task in these unquestionably difficult times. Yet, as the saying goes what I give out I get back. I also must remember that I need not be alone in my quest to be a better person. I have a choice to join with a community of faith, not merely a "like-minded group" but involvement with those who companionship offers spiritual growth, mutual comfort, disagreement at times, an environment that lives consciously and purposefully into the daily highs and lows, and challenges me to work with and for the benefit of God's Creation in all of its glory and grunge. Together we discover the hope of our calling¸ maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, and frustrate the way of the wicked. Let us join with the Saints and saints among us as God’s hope and promise guides us to our great reward. What do we have to lose?

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ God of Hope and Promise, in these times of trial and travail, strengthen us to arise each day with courage, patience, and stability of faith in You. Fill us with humility and the inner peace to express only genuine love to friends and strangers alike, following the example of those we recognize as the Saints who have gone before us, and the saints who live among us now.

                                                       O Lord, our God            

RESPONSE:       Help us keep our hope in You      

~ God of Hope and Promise, continually renew our willingness to place our trust in You, as we actively work through love, to frustrate the ways of the wicked. Endow us with the perseverance to guide Local, National, and Global Leaders to be noble in thought, word, and action and away from repaying evil with evil. We pray especially for: add you own petitions

                                                       O Lord, our God

                                                       Help us keep our hope in You

~ God of Hope and Promise, deliver from distress all in anguish from illness of body, mind, or spirit, and infuse those who give them care with gentleness and love. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add you own petitions

                                                       O Lord, our God

                                                       Help us keep our hope in You

~ God of Hope and Promise, as You bless and comfort all who mourn, keep us all in the knowledge that the days of joy and gladness flourish now in the hearts of all who live again in Your Eternal Kingdom. We pray especially for: add you own petitions

                                                       O Lord, our God

                                                       Help us keep our hope in You

~ God of Hope and Promise, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… add you own petitions

                                                       O Lord, our God

                                                       Help us keep our hope in You

             

~ God of Hope and Promise, inspire the hearts and minds of all who lead us in Your church who encourage and remind us through Word and Sacrament, how to lead lives worthy of the calling for which we have been created. We pray especially for: add you own petitions

                                                       O Lord, our God

                                                       Help us keep our hope in You

The Celebrant adds: God of us all, Saints and Sinners together, set our hearts free from the prison of hate, the emptiness of self-importance, and the mindlessness of earthly privilege. May we each claim the wisdom You have given us and no more, be ardent in spirit, and serve the You that is deep within us all. We ask through Jesus, our Christ, and by the Unity of the Holy Spirit, who together with You are One God above all, through all, and in all, for ever and ever.  Amen.

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