Prayers of the People: Trick Question ~ 22nd Sunday after Pentecost '19 Yr C

For Sunday, November 10, 2019 ~ 22^nd Sunday after Pentecost, Year C, Readings: Job 19:23-27a, Psalm 17:1-9, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17; 
Luke 20:37-38

    Job said…For I know that my redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand upon the earth…I shall see God… [Job 19:25, 26b]

   Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry; give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit...My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped. I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God...Guard me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.  

[Psalm 17:1, 5-6a, 8]

...God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit...For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ...[2 Thessalonians 2:13b-14]

 …but those who are considered worthy…in the resurrection from the dead...cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection...Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive. [Luke 20:34a, 36, 28]

       Seven Brothers for One Bride is not quite how the Broadway musical and movie title went. [Seven Brides for Seven Brothers in case you're not up on your 1950's musical theater/film history] The Sadducees didn't believe in life after death. That's why they were "sad u cee." I know it's terrible, but it's a mnemonic that helps me remember one difference between the Sadducees and the Pharisees. The Sadducees, who were always interested in baiting Jesus with a trick question, asked about the practice of a woman/widow with no children marrying the brother of her deceased spouse in hopes of producing children (specifically sons) to carry the family line. In this absurd and hypothetical case, the woman would be widowed and childless seven times by seven brothers. The Sadducees wanted to know - if there's this resurrection thing - whose wife would she be in the after-life? For those requiring concrete answers to mystical ponderings it may seem to be a reasonable question, but in truth it is irrelevant.

       Jesus gives a simple answer to a nonsensical question. He points out that the life in resurrection is not a continuation of our earthly human existence. It is, instead, a radical transformation, unimaginable in our human context; a completely different state of being, a transfiguration. We will be who we are but different in ways beyond our limited ability to comprehend in our current state. He tells them that those who belong to this age marry...but...those...in the resurrection of the dead do not marry. Indeed they cannot die anymore...God is not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive... To put it simply, in our human sojourn many of us marry, some more than once or twice. Yet remember, in western wedding ceremonies – religious or not – the marriage is only until death us do part. After a spouse’s death we are no longer married; neither is the spouse who has died. After human death we are alive differently in a transition from the temporary state of humanness to the eternal life in the salvation of Christ. Can we fully understand - sort of, maybe, not really. But have no worries about it. LIVE in this life, work to be worthy of a place in the next. Keep your footsteps on God’s path and hide, when needed, under the shadow of God’s wings. Even Job knew that his Redeemer, and ours, lives. The relevant questions, and so many more, will be answered in the sweet by and by.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O God of Love and Grace, in You earthly death is a transition to Life Eternal for we who are children of the resurrection. Keep us as the apple of Your eye and shelter us under the shadow of Your wings throughout our human moment on this Earth. 

                                                       O Lord of Comfort and Good Hope                                              

RESPONSE:                  Hear our prayer

~ O God of Love and Grace, may we, and those who lead us on this Earth, in this Nation, and in this Community, arise each day with eyes fixed on justice, act without deceit, and have heartfelt intent and purpose to govern only in the best interests of Your planet and Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord of Comfort and Good Hope

                                                       Hear our prayer

~ O God of Love and Grace, incline Your ear to heed the cries of all whose spirits are low from chronic illness, deadly addiction, or emotional turmoil, and lift the energy of those who give them care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord of Comfort and Good Hope

                                                       Hear our prayer

           

~ O God of Love and Grace, turn our grief to joy as we send our loved ones Home to never die again, but be raised in eternal splendor and glory to new life in Christ. We pray especially for…add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord of Comfort and Good Hope

                                                       Hear our prayer

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

  

                                                       O Lord of Comfort and Good Hope

                                                       Hear our prayer

                     

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

                                                       O Lord of Comfort and Good Hope

                                                       Hear our prayer

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds:   Creator Lord, Spirit of Hope, 101 years ago tomorrow, Your people breathed in the promise for the future at the official end to World War I. Yet we restive humans continue wars on battlefields and social media, wars of racial, religious, gender oppression, and more. Hold our footsteps fast in Christ, that we may not stumble on the worthy path toward our own resurrection to live again in Eternity with You. We ask through Christ, our Living Redeemer; and the Holy Spirit, our Wisdom Guide; who together with You are One 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: The Saints Among Us ~ 4th Sunday in the Season of Creation '19

For Sunday, November 3, 2019, 4th Sunday in the Season of Creation*, Readings: Ephesians 4:1-6, Psalm 146, Romans 12:9-18, Luke 19:1-10

       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]

   Then Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost." [Luke 19:9-10]

        This week in the Season of Creation we are seeking and celebrating The Saints Among Us and that gives us an opportunity to intentionally think about and discover what it means to be a saint. Many of us think of saints only as extraordinarily special and Godly people, set apart by God for a special purpose in their lifetime which, if we stopped to think about it, was mostly a very long time ago and far away from my country, my daily life and times. But what is the definition of a saint?

        The word saint is from the Greek, hagios [hagg-ee-ohse], which means “consecrated to God, holy, sacred, pious." There are those people who have been given the title of Saint through some official process. There are some mythical folks who have the title and were never real but their legends hold great object lessons. And there are the many from far history to our current day who have done/are doing extraordinary things in God’s name and through great faith and without such a precise designation. Many of the Saints and Extraordinaries are listed in church calendars for special remembrance and honor. For the rest, we have All Saints Day to cover all those known to God and yet unknown to us, but whose presence in their and our own times have given us examples to emulate and/or inspire our own lives.  

         Paul says in this piece from Ephesians, that he is begging us to lead a life worthy of the calling from Christ and describes some of the elements for us to achieve it. The Psalmist reminds us to give God constant praise from the depth of our souls and to put our trust only in God. In Romans, Paul is very specific in listing ways to live out our call in love, hate, honor, patience and more. Saintly living is not easy work and definitely requires intention, perseverance, and action. Even when we cultivate a desire for it, we'll experience failed attempts, false starts, regression, re-programming, and many cycle repeats. Yet we are not alone. It's helpful for me to keep in mind, that those who are considered Saints, or at least saintly, would tell you of their many faults and failings, and even weakness. But hope abounds. They found it. If I seek it I will find it and nourish it. I'm not working for sainthood but rather that if my faith remains strong ~ or at least if I want it to ~ I can find and act on some measure of virtue to live by.

         Yes, faith wavers at times for the saintliest; I merely get lost in earthly distractions and frustrations. But each new day brings all fresh opportunity to feel the power of God in my life along with the companions great and small who are with me in spirit and in person. The call of Christ guides us always if we turn toward the hope and help, however unwittingly at times. We see that played out with the story of Zacchaeus.

         Curious Zacchaeus wanted to see about this Jesus and climbed a tree seeking a better view. Later the self-exalters grumbled about Jesus being the guest of a sinner. No one was more surprised than Zacchaeus (except perhaps Mrs. Zacchaeus?). Salvation came to Zacchaeus when he answered Christ's bidding to climb down and then renounced his former way of life. Jesus reminded the nay-sayers that like them Zacchaeus was also a son of Abraham. And then Jesus says, the Son of Man came to seek out and save the lost. Perhaps those scorning Zacchaeus weren’t aware of who was more lost. How well he did going forward we do not know. But if he joined a community of those with conscious and living faith, he had help along the way, as can we.

         My prayer for this day is to keep me in a peaceful mindset and let me not repay anger with anger, and strife with strife. Not easy in these unquestionably difficult times. Yet, as the saying goes: what I give out, I get back. I will struggle but feel supported in a strong faith environment that lives with a Christ-purpose, no matter the daily highs, lows, and challenges. As we work with and for the benefit of God's Creation in its totality, 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 above and the saints among us as God’s hope and promise guides us to our great reward. If we get lost, we will be found if we but climb and seek.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O God of Friends and Strangers, in all times of trial, with the examples of those we recognize as the Saints who have gone before us and the saints who live among us now, strengthen us to arise each day with faith, courage, patience, and genuine love for all.

                                                         O God of Hope and Help                                                

RESPONSE:                    We put our trust in You

~ O God of Friends and Strangers, renew us each day to persevere in prayer and take action to kindle morality in the Leaders of all governments across Creation. Guide us all to strive for what is noble, to frustrate the ways of the wicked, and not to repay evil with evil. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O God of Hope and Help

                                                       We put our trust in You

~ O God of Friends and Strangers, 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 Hope and Help

                                                       We put our trust in You

         

~ O God of Friends and Strangers, 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 your own petitions

                                                       O God of Hope and Help

                                                       We put our trust in You

~ O God of Friends and Strangers, 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 Hope and Help

                                                       We put our trust in You

                       

~ O God of Friends and Strangers, 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 Hope and Help

                                                       We put our trust 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, Son of Man, 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. 

* 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. Click here for more information about: Season of Creation ~ In The Beginning

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: Climb and Seek ~ 21st Sunday after Pentecost Yr C '19

For Sunday, November 3, 2019 ~ 21^st Sunday after Pentecost, Year C, Readings: Isaiah 1:10-18, Psalm 32:1-8, 

2 Thessalonians 1:1-4,11-12; Luke 19:1-10

      ...cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.  [Isaiah 1:16b-17]

  You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble, you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. [Psalm 32:7]

We must always give thanks to God for you...because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. [2 Thessalonians 1:3b]

      Then Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost." [Luke 19:9-10]

     As we explore the collection of readings this week I find a theme of forgiveness. And we begin with quite a lambasting of those in Sodom and Gomorrah. Again. God is quite explicit through Isaiah as to what they are NOT to do. For example, those burnt and blood “sacrifices” are not on God’s happy list, but then follows quite clear instructions on what they are to do to be in God’s forgiving graces.

     The Psalmist reminds us that we are happiest when we are forgiven, and calms us by telling us that in time of trouble we are delivered. As we read Paul’s great accolades to the church in Thessalonica, we are given yet more ways to understand what it is we are to do in this life through love by and for others and by steadfastness of faith, especially through difficult times.  

      How easy it is to let go of the reminder in The Lord’s Prayer when we ask God very clearly to forgive us AS we forgive others? Perhaps the words are so familiar and routine the impact of what we are saying is lost. It is time to pay more attention.

      Forgiveness is for those who have lost their way toward God whether they are aware of being lost or not. Forgiveness is what we hope for when we know that we have sinned and feel unworthy. We are called to forgive others more quickly than we hope for God to forgive us. That is, for me, the lesson in Zacchaeus. Did Zacchaeus think he was lost as he climbed the tree?

      When I read the story of Zacchaeus, I admit that I usually wonder: what was Mrs. Zacchaeus thinking? Did she give him that look - you know the one: seriously, THIS guy for dinner, and he invited himself? I'm sure she already knew what the neighbors were thinking being less than the popular couple on the block because of her husband's job. Yet here is Jesus calling Zacchaeus out of the tree - to the grumbling chorus of nay-sayers and finger-pointers - and telling him Salvation has come to this house...the Son of Man came to seek out to save the lost.  How about those grumblers, did they think they were lost? Did those in Sodom and Gomorrah thing they were off the edge again? It's much easier for me to point to another as lost, wrong, sinful, etc., without accepting when I am. Yet in those lost moments, I want some kind of magic fix-it, right away!

      And then again I read the words of the Psalmist saying that God is a hiding place who will preserve me from trouble. For some reason it calls to mind a plaque in my great-grandmother’s hushed Victorian-styled parlor visible through the oak pocket doors: Christ is the Unseen Guest, the Silent Listener to every conversation and it is no longer remembered as a scary shadow from childhood, but that Christ, is my Companion in every moment of the highs, the lows, and the ordinary moments of life. If I continue to remember that, then I will be more able to be that better person I want to be, less likely to point fingers, and instinctively work on behalf of others before myself. If I remember, I will have fewer conversations I wouldn't want Jesus to hear. If I remember, I might realize that I can work to grow my own faith through seeing Christ in others first, and to love even the unlovable - including my sometimes sense of myself - remember that part of the Great Commandment to love your neighbor AS [if they were] yourself?  I must remember to ask for help in forgiving others in the way I ask for myself.

      When we judge another and don’t forgive we also build resentment within ourselves, especially if someone like that Zacchaeus is somehow, we grumble, exalted above us. Nelson Mandela said: Resentment is like drinking poison hoping it will kill your enemies.

      God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are within us all, always. We need only to remember to reach out in prayer not merely in times of trouble but through all we do in each breath-moment of life. In forgiving others we rid ourselves of the poison of resentment, we free ourselves and another, allowing more love to flow through us to all we meet. NOT so easy, but with one breath at a time all improvement is possible. In prayer, Jesus may be Unseen, but he's always there, silently listening, ready to save us whenever we are lost, even when we're up a tree.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ LORD of Hope and Promise, as You know us better than we know ourselves, guide us to seek and recognize You in others, to find You living deep within us, and to learn to rescue, defend, and plead with more fervor for others than for ourselves. 

                                                  Forgiving God

RESPONSE:             Preserve us from trouble

~ LORD of Hope and Promise, renew us each day to persevere in prayer as we take action to kindle morality in the Leaders of all governments across Your Creation. Instruct us all in the ways of Christ’s peace, that together we may find the path where peace will grow and spread beyond all barriers and borders. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Forgiving God

                                                Preserve us from trouble

~ LORD of Hope and Promise, lay Your healing hand upon those weary of pain or anguish in 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

                                                Forgiving God

                                                Preserve us from trouble

            

~ LORD of Hope and Promise, lighten the darkness for the grieving, as our loved ones return Home to the eternal splendor and glory of new life in Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Forgiving God

                                                Preserve us from trouble

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

                                                Forgiving God

                                                Preserve us from trouble

            

~ LORD of Hope and Promise, refresh the courage and confidence of those anointed to call us to Your Holy Table, that our worship may be true, faithful, and pleasing to You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Forgiving God

                                                Preserve us from trouble

The Celebrant adds:  Lord of Creation, Salvation, and Wisdom, grow our faith abundantly and increase our ability to love one another as we are loved by You. Grant us the grace to embody Your Presence and to serve the world together in Your name. We ask through Jesus our Redeemer Christ; and the Holy Spirit, our Wisdom Guide; who together with You are One 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 Common Humanity ~ 3rd Sunday in the Season of Creation '19

For Sunday, October 27, 2019, 3^rd Sunday in the Season of Creation*, Readings: Mother Theresa**, Psalm 133, Abbess Hildegard of Bingen***, Luke 18:9-14

            Whether you are a Hindu, a Muslim, or a Christian, how you live your life is the proof that you are fully God’s or not…Our works of charity are nothing but the overflow of our love of God from within… [Mother Teresa]

       How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! [Psalm 133:1]

       [The earth] is in so many ways fruitful; all creation came from it, yet it forms not only the basic raw materials for humankind, but also the substance of the incarnation of God’s son. [Abbess Hildegard of Bingen]

     The tax collector…was beating his breast saying, God, be merciful to me, a sinner!…for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted. [Luke 18:13-14]

        We are truly all in "this" together ~ this life, this planet, right now. Mother Teresa was quite clear when she said, how you live your life is the proof that you are fully God’s or not. Love must undergird our lives and be as normal to us as living and breathing. Too often, especially in these fraught times, we look at "others" as different from ourselves by skin color, nationality, religion, political views, sexual orientation, life circumstance, or merely because someone lives in a different part of the world, the country, or the community. How easily we dismiss, and worse, completely reject those who aren't one of us. Suddenly "they" become one of them, not to be trusted or valued as the full human person God created, and in God's own image.

        The Psalmist speaks simply with profound truth: How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! How very sad and tragic it is that we set ourselves, within our self-limited chosen circles, as above another individual or group as if our opinions, or neighborhood, or economic circumstance, or political views are the only ones that matter.

        The Abbess Hildegard fills us with an astounding and breath-taking concept when she tells us that from God’s creation of the Earth we each contain not only the basic raw materials for humankind, but also the substance of the incarnation of God’s only son. Jesus is truly in our DNA! And, it’s even in “them.”

       In Luke, Jesus tells the disciples about those who put themselves above others in the pride of their spiritual accomplishments with contempt for those they deemed beneath them. The self-exalted ones will not be justified as are those who are humbled by awareness of their own sin.  

       The ways in which we care for each other ~ all others in our common humanity ~ with the love as God has exhorted us to give, will be a measure of the depth (or shallowness) of our own love for God. To prosper only ourselves and our us may carry us in this short temporal existence but we will not achieve the ultimate reward in eternal life.

         Humility is difficult to achieve. When you think have it, you've lost it in that instant! I must paradoxically pray for humility and to not know that I have it. I am called to seek to become united with God through prayer, which is the germinating power for our words and actions to be works of true charity, in the overflow of our love for God from within ourselves.  It is time to relinquish marking my personal milestones and simply keep putting one foot in front of the other, making each and every breath a prayer for our individual and common humanity.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Most Gracious Parent, Creator of Our Entire Human Family, keep us mindful that when we step from our everyday places and people, we are each the other to someone else. Help us to humbly unite with You in prayer, that our words and actions are as works of true charity, in the overflow of our love for You from within ourselves.  

       

                                                       O God of Earth and Heaven                                              

RESPONSE:                    For Your Mercy, we pray

~ Most Gracious Parent, grant us each and all, in our many shapes, sizes, colors, races, ages, economic status, and genders, the ability to be Your true voice in action. Let us challenge all in governments across this planet, to work together to achieve the peace, for all we kindred, to live together in unity. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O God of Earth and Heaven

                                                       For Your Mercy, we pray

~ Most Gracious Parent, comfort all who are burdened with serious illness, addiction, and/or emotional distress, and fill those who give them care with energy and peace. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions 

                                                       O God of Earth and Heaven

                                                       For Your Mercy, we pray

          

~ Most Gracious Parent, in the midst of sorrow for our temporary loss, we give joyful thanksgiving for the glorious welcome of our loved ones into Your eternal kingdom.  We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                       O God of Earth and Heaven

                                                       For Your Mercy, we pray

~ Most Gracious Parent, 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 Earth and Heaven

                                                       For Your Mercy, we pray

                     

~ Most Gracious Parent, we give You thanks for all who are chosesn to show us by Word and example, in prayer and preaching, how to live in this life, and who walk with us on the path leading to You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O God of Earth and Heaven

                                                       For Your Mercy, we pray

                                                                                                       

The Celebrant adds: God of the Hungry and the Privileged, Lord of those Raised High and those Laid Low, grant us the joyful yet solemn awareness that we each physically, and spiritually, bear within us the very substance of Your Incarnate Son. Let us each be the seeds that germinate the power of Your love, bear the fruit of unity among us, and intentionally seek to be fully Yours in every day. We ask through the Compassion of Jesus our Christ and the Wisdom of the Holy Spirit, who live and reign with You as One God, every day, every way, always, and forever. Amen. 

* 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. Click here for more information about: Season of Creation ~ In The Beginning

**A READING FROM THE WORD OF MOTHER TERESA:

Whether you are a Hindu, a Muslim or a Christian, how you live your life is the proof that you are fully God's or not. Loving must be as normal to us as living and breathing, day after day until death. To understand this and practice it we need much prayer, the kind that unites us with God and overflows continually upon others. Our works of charity are nothing but the overflow of our love of God from within. Therefore, the one who is most united with God loves her neighbor most.    

From Everything Starts With Prayer, White Cloud Press, Ashland, OR, 1998

***Reading #2: Abbess Hildegard of Bingen

          The earth is at the same time mother; she is mother of all that is natural, mother of all that is human, she is the mother of all, for contained in her are the seeds of all. The earth of humankind contains all moistness, all verdancy, all germinating power. It is in so many ways fruitful; all creation came from it, yet in forms not only the basic raw materials for humankind, but also the substance of the incarnation of God’s son.

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