Prayers of the People: Flock On! ~ 8th Sunday after Pentecost '21 Yr B

For Sunday, July 18, 2021; Readings: Jeremiah 23:1-6, Psalm 23, Ephesians 2:11-22, Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

    ‘Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!’ says the Lord…It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away and have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings… [Jeremiah 23:1, 2b]

    The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want…Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me…  [Psalm 23:1, 4]

    For [Jesus] is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity of place of the two, thus making peace and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross… [Ephesians 2:14-16a]

    As he went ashore, [Jesus] saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd and he began to teach them many things. [Mark 6:34]

     There is an almost synonymous pattern that develops by the piecing together of these four readings. In the first, Jeremiah tells us of the Lord’s serious displeasure with those shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! By shepherds is meant the irresponsible monarchies who failed to protect Jerusalem’s citizens as the Babylonians seized control and drove most into exile. About 20 generations after David was anointed king, God is promising to raise another David-like ruler to care for the people and restore them to safety that they may once again be fruitful and multiply.
     The Psalm, of course, needs no introduction as even non-believers and those of many other faith traditions know this one well. The simple beauty of its idyllic poetry is deeply resonant in the souls of the hopeless and the hope-filled. Of course, it too, is filled with the imagery of shepherding and some of you who have read my prior comments about Psalm 23 will know that I cannot help but mention a little book titled, A Shepherd’s Look at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller. You can do an internet search and find it easily and for free. Keller, a real-life 20^th century shepherd, takes us on a walk through this psalm explaining the behavior of sheep and how each verse corresponds to the work of a faithful shepherd and the response of each sheep. It brings the Psalm to our own everyday experience of life and connects us more closely to our ultimate Shepherd.
      Paul, in this letter to the Church at Ephesus, doesn’t use the language of shepherding but the same feel of bringing the divisions among us together in Christ is almost tangible. Breaking down the dividing wall that is, the hostility between us…one new humanity…making peace [to] reconcile both groups to God in one body…so then you are no longer strangers and aliens…but members of the household of God… if those are not words for this moment in time there never were and never will be.
      And, then to this piece of Mark’s Gospel. The focus begins with Jesus recognizing the demanding work done by the apostles and offering them and himself a chance to rest. However, things only got busier as they sailed to the other shore of the lake and his focus sharpens as his compassion kicks in for those he describes as like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus recognized that the needs of the followers were greater than his own or the apostles and he continued to teach and heal as there was no time for this shepherd to rest.
      We each are sheep and shepherd in this life. We are sometimes restless and occasionally restful, we have bouts of fear and anger, and moments of pleasure and joy. We must often go beyond our own needs to bring comfort, goodness and mercy to others.  We are meant to be together in that one humanity, with Christ as our cornerstone joining us together. We are God’s Creation, and to quote Psalm 95:7, we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. So, ok people, let us flock together and flock on to the time when we dwell in the house of the Lord forever!

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Lord, our righteousness, gather us again into Your fold, reviving our souls and guiding our pathways, that as we receive, we may also share Your goodness and mercy with each other as members, joined together in Your holy household.  

                   Loving Christ                                                          
RESPONSE:   Teach us and heal us, O Lord        

~ O Lord, our righteousness, reclaim this World, this Nation, and this Community from unfaithful shepherds who scatter and divide Your flocks by evil doing. Bestow special grace and blessings upon all leaders who strive to dispel fear and dismay, who deal wisely and with justice, and who foster safety and hope among all Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                  Loving Christ
                                                  Teach us and heal us, O Lord

~ O Lord, our righteousness, anoint with Your love all who are troubled with physical pain, depression, or addiction, and renew the spirit of those who give them help. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                  Loving Christ
                                                  Teach us and heal us, O Lord     

~ O Lord, our righteousness, comfort our hearts as we send those we love into Your open arms, to dwell in the joy of Your glorious House forever. We pray especially for… add your own petitions  

                                                  Loving Christ
                                                  Teach us and heal us, O Lord

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

                                                  Loving Christ
                                                  Teach us and heal us, O Lord                     

~ O Lord, our righteousness, embrace the hearts of those who shepherd us in Your Church, replenish their souls with enduring energy, and sustain them with Your guiding hand as they endeavor to lead us to Your eternal shore. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                  Loving Christ
                                                  Teach us and heal us, O Lord

The Celebrant adds: God of Compassion and Hope, urge us on as one new humanity in place of many, that we may break down walls of division, and be reconciled to You in the peace of Christ, as one body through the Cross. We ask through Jesus, the Cornerstone who joins us together; and the Holy Spirit, our Access to the Divine; 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 and edited for local use 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: Plumb the Height ~ 7th Sunday after Pentecost '21 Yr B

For Sunday, July 11, 2021; Readings: Amos 7:7-15, Psalm 85:8-13, Ephesians 1:3-14, Mark 6:14-29

      …the Lord was standing beside a wall with a plumb line in his hand…the Lord said to me…’what do you see?” And I said, ‘A plumb line.’ Then the Lord said, ‘See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass them by…’ [Amos 7:7-8]

      [The Lord God]…is speaking peace to his faithful people and to those who turn their hearts to him. [Psalm 85:8b]

     Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places...In him we have redemption, through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace...you...when you...had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the...Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory. [Ephesians 1:1-3, 7,13,14]

      When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it." [Mark 6:22]

     Last week, God told Ezekiel to stand up in order for God to speak to him. This week, the newly-minted and unlikely prophet, Amos, sees God holding a plumb line. God tells him, in effect, that he’s going to use it in the midst of my people Israel. The people of Israel have gotten overly comfortable as the chosen ones, and they will have a rude awakening when they discover through this plumb line that they are not measuring up to God’s expectations as his favorites. Amos is charged with announcing the bad news about what is coming. The local and popular prophet Amaziah tries to scare Amos off but to no avail. Amos knows he is not the usual prophet material, but he also knows God’s voice and how to answer the command, bad news and all.

    The Psalmist then, in one of the most lyrical of psalms, brings us to an understanding of God’s compassion in this excerpt. God speaking peace to his faithful people…mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other… the beauty of this poetry offers hope and healing to us all after the news of the punishment of Israel in Amos.

    Paul, in this letter to the church in Ephesus, while cooling his heels in a Roman prison, also counteracts the harshness for Israel by proclaiming that Christ offers peace to everyone; God has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing. Paul tells the Gentiles and Jews who believed in Jesus, that it is God's purpose for all to be united, as God's own people, living holy and blameless lives through the redemption of Christ. By the riches of grace, we are forgiven our trespasses and sealed by the Holy Spirit. As we set our life's purpose to live in obedience, giving praise to God, and with our hope in Christ, we will reap the reward of our inheritance, life eternal in God’s Kingdom.

     Mark moves us to a later time in the story of Israel. Here we have Herod Antipas, a son of King Herod the Great, now the local governor, tetrarch, in Galilee. The famous dance of his daughter left him and his guests so well pleased and entertained that Herod rashly and boastfully promised her anything, even half his kingdom. When she consulted charming mommy, daughter dearest asked Herod for John the Baptizer’s head. Herod, it seems, actually liked listening to John even if fearful of him. But more fearful was he of the appearance of weakness in front of his guests, and dancing back his own grief over the request, Herod relented, and John soon arrived served up on a platter, having parted company with the remainder of his body.

      In terms of the poetry of the psalmist proclaiming God granting prosperity, and Paul’s positive pronouncement of forgiveness and redemption, there is still the matter of our personal acceptance. The almost fine print from Paul says when you have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him then you/we are marked with the Holy Spirit’s seal. God and Jesus want us to have all that is offered. Our acceptance is demonstrated when we stand tall and upright in our faith, hearing, believing, and living as holy and blameless as we can, with all wisdom and insight he has made known to us. Let us seek to measure up whenever God will plumb the height of our commitment and the depth of our intent.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Lord, Holy and Mighty, fill us with the desire to be as upright and faithful as a plumb line is straight, that with the wisdom and insight You have given us, we may set our hope on Christ in all that we say and all that we do.

                                                            Eternal God of Glory                                                        

      RESPONSE:   We turn our hearts to You         

~ O Lord, Holy and Mighty, transform and endow with character, honor, and integrity, all who hold power on this Earth, in our Nation, and throughout our Community. Guide us all away from falsehood or fraud and toward decisions and actions of mercy, justice, and peace for all Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                            Eternal God of Glory       

                                                            We turn our hearts to You         

~ O Lord, Holy and Mighty, lavish your healing grace on those struggling with chronic pain or the devastation of a difficult diagnosis, and give strength to all who care for their needs. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                            Eternal God of Glory       

                                                            We turn our hearts to You    

~ O Lord, Holy and Mighty, slow the tears of those who mourn, for the lights of those we have sent ahead now shine more brightly, and with heavenly joy, now and forever in You. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                            Eternal God of Glory       

                                                            We turn our hearts to You

~ O Lord, Holy and Mighty, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions

                                                            Eternal God of Glory       

                                                            We turn our hearts to You                   

~ O Lord, Holy and Mighty, we give You great thanks for those among us who have heard, believed, and shared Your Word of Truth. Bless those who have studied, prayed, and then been chosen to teach and preach the Gospel of Salvation to us to learn and to live. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                            Eternal God of Glory       

                                                            We turn our hearts to You

The Celebrant adds: God of Presence and Promise, from within the mystery of Your Will, we receive the riches of grace granting us the forgiveness of our trespasses, the gift of every spiritual blessing, and the inheritance of redemption through Your Holy Son. Grant us each the willingness and courage to pledge ourselves to the praise and glory of Your name, through every word and action of our earthly lives. We ask through Jesus the Christ, our Redeemer; and the Seal of the Holy Spirit, who together with You, reign as One God, now and forever. Amen.

All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution and edited for local use 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: Stand Up, Step Out, and Shake Off ~ 6th Sunday after Pentecost '21 Yr B

For Sunday, July 4, 2021, Readings: Ezekiel 2:1-5, Psalm 123, 2 Corinthians 12:2-10, Mark 6:1-13

The Lord said to me, “O mortal, stand up on your feet and I and I will speak to you. [Ezekiel 2:1]

To you I lift up my eyes…as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, so our eyes look to the Lord our God until he show us his mercy… [Psalm 123:1a, 2a, 3]

 I know a person in Christ who… heard things…that no mortal is permitted to repeat…to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh…I appealed to the Lord…but he said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power in made perfect in weakness”… Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults…for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong. [2 Corinthians 12:2, 4b, 7b, 8a, 9a, 10]

 Then Jesus said to [the disciples], "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house"... He said to [the disciples] …if any place will not welcome you and they refuse to you, as you leave shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” [Mark 6:4,10a, 11]

         In our times, as throughout history, powerful/charismatic leaders attract some ardent followers who want to stay very close, follow every move, and idolize. Such absolute devotion by others can easily skew one's initial humility and original intent. Some who claim power and authority become more interested in the adulation and adoration than in the responsibilities of genuine leadership. They cultivate and bask in the unfettered loyalty of some, while deliberately oppressing and persecuting others who aren't so easily beguiled.  

     Staying modest and humble in the face of eager and constant admirers is difficult for the most sainted of humans. Ezekiel, as priest and designated prophet, likely understood his position of dependence and insignificance as God orders him to stand up and then God would speak to him. Paul may have recognized a tendency in himself for pride in accomplishment and accepted the thorn as a sacred reminder to be aware of the dangers of holding deep power of persuasion over others. His monologue in this passage almost sounds as if he is reminding himself, as well as the Church at Corinth, in his repetition that he, himself, doesn't know everything but God knows. 

     As in every life in the public eye, there are always detractors. Jesus was his most human self in his frustration with the hometown reaction he received. He kept moving along, doing what he could, where he could while amazed at the unbelief of those who had known him from childhood. Later, Jesus called the Disciples and sent them off two by two to do God's work, and the command to shake off the dust if not welcomed, was a reminder that earthly time is short to get done what needs to be done. We are also called to keep moving ~ together ~ shaking off the disappointment and the dust of the detractors, stepping out again toward the next opportunity to offer the justice, truth, and welcome of the Gospel. Together, we can also work to keep the thorns of despair, hardship, and calamity from piercing us all the way through. 

    Ezekiel, Paul, and Jesus were all doing the work God had given them to do and, as in every human life, some days were better than others. There are two post-Communion prayers in the US Episcopal Book of Common Prayer and both say that we are "living members" of the Body of Christ. In one, we, the pray-ers, ask God to, "Send us now into the world in peace..." and in the other to "...send us out to do the work you have given us to do..."  

      Let us, then, stand up, step out in faith, shake off the dust of disappointment and the pressure of our thorns, to do the work we have been given to do, for the sake of Christ and in His name.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

 Leader:  ~ O Lord our God, stand us on our feet and speak to our souls of Your sufficient grace. Quicken our ability to recognize and endure the thorns in this life for the sake of Christ, whose power dwells within us and gives us strength through our weakness.

                                                            Lord of Mercy and Grace  

                                RESPONSE:  We lift our eyes to You             

~ O Lord our God, You know the hearts and souls of us all, including those who govern in this World, this Country, and this Community. Fill us with ever-increasing fortitude and determination to persist in speaking Your truths of love, justice, and mercy on behalf of the most beleaguered and oppressed near and far. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                            Lord of Mercy and Grace

                                                            We lift our eyes to You                                                                 

~ O Lord our God, restore hope and wholeness to all who struggle with chronic illness, homelessness, or recovery, and infuse their supporters with energy and endurance. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                            Lord of Mercy and Grace

                                                            We lift our eyes to You  

~ O Lord our God, ease the sorrow of all who mourn as those who now live again in You, are filled with joy in the bliss of eternal peace. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                            Lord of Mercy and Grace

                                                            We lift our eyes to You 

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

                                                            Lord of Mercy and Grace

                                                            We lift our eyes to You                     

~ O Lord our God, we give You thanks for all those ordained to guide us on our journey to You. Grant them continuing renewal of faith and confidence in teaching and proclaiming the Good News of Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                            Lord of Mercy and Grace

                                                            We lift our eyes to You 

The Celebrant adds: Almighty Creator, our Eternal God, embolden our willingness to shake off the dust of rejection and mockery when we step out in faith and turn our lives to Christ. Fill us with humility in spirit to be as the footsteps of Jesus on all the paths we travel. We ask through Jesus, our Prophet and Redeemer; and the Holy Spirit, the Breath of God; who together with You reign as One God, now and forever. Amen.

All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution and edited for local use 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: Two Daughters ~ 5th Sunday after Pentecost '21 Yr B

For Sunday, June 27, 2021; Readings: Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-34; Psalm 30, 2 Corinthians 8:7-15, 

Mark 5:21-43

    God did not make death, and he does not delight in the death of the living…for God created us for incorruption and made us in the image of his eternity…but through the devil’s envy death entered the world… [Wisdom of Solomon 1:13, 2:23-34]

     For his wrath endures but the twinkling of an eye, his favor for a lifetime. Weeping may spend the night, but joy comes in the morning…O Lord my God, I will give you thanks for ever. [Psalm 30:5-6, 13b] 

    ...I am testing the genuineness of your love against the earnestness of others...For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has – not according to what one does not have...it is a question of fair balance between your present abundance and their need… [2 Cor 8:8b, 12, 13b-14a]

    When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea...Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, 'Do not fear, only believe.' [Mark 5: 21, 36b]

       In these chaotic times our attention is divided among so many issues as we begin to re-emerge from over a year of pandemic fears and quarantines, humanitarian crises in our own land and across the world, as well as political angst and anger. It feels much like the storm in the Sea of Galilee that so frightened experienced sailors that they woke the sleeping Jesus to calm the seas and still the winds. When the sea was quieted, Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to cross over to the other side.

     We continue to cross a churning sea of unknown depth and limit to seek to re-establish our footing on solid ground – and from the disarray, the anger, and the fear, some of us move into new consciousness, some of us retreat into the old.

     Paul enters testy waters as he asks the Corinthians to cross over from the previous idea of financial support for the poor in Jerusalem, to acting on finishing the plan and giving the funds. He tells us all that if we are eager to help, any gift is acceptable, given according to what we have and not given from what we do not have. I especially like when he says in verses 13 and 14, I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of fair balance between your present abundance and their need… What is too much; what is too little? Our own eagerness – or lack of – will determine how we give. How we are judged later is not open to any earthly discussion or decision.    

     Mark gives us Jesus and the Disciples after the storm we read last week, landing on the other shore where Jesus is met by a frightened father, a leader of the synagogue, in fear of his daughter's serious illness. Jesus agrees to go to see the child. On the way, a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for 12 years reached for and touched his cloak and was suddenly healed. Then Jesus goes on to the home of Jairus and is told that the child has died – but of course, we know how this story ends. 

     In this week’s readings, two more crossings have occurred as two daughters are healed – a woman suffering for 12 years crosses back into full health, and a girl of 12 years, seemingly dead, crosses back into life. Perhaps those witnessing also crossed over into a new or greater level of faith as Jesus tells the woman, Daughter, your faith has made you well. Also, it was the faith of Jairus that Jesus responded to in the raising of his daughter. 

     It is in the working through faith that we are healed of the ailments of our souls. It is in a determined community of faith, crossing various angry seas at times and floating along in the moments of tranquil waters, that we find our eagerness of purpose. With all hands on deck pulling together in all the sea changes we face, giving time, talent, and money according to what we each have, in principle and with the genuineness of our love, we will bring ourselves and each other safely to that heavenly shore, where there is no death, or chaos, or strife, but only life everlasting. Through our conscious faith in Christ and the actions of our hearts and hands, many more of God’s daughters and sons will be lifted up out of nights spent weeping, into the dawn of the joy that comes through restoration in God.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O God of Mercy and Healing, hear our cries to lift us each day and restore us to Your favor and spiritual health, that through Your help we may be clothed with the joy of Your immortal righteousness.

                                                             O Lord our God

        RESPONSE:      We will give You thanks forever         

~ O God of Mercy and Healing, awaken the gifts of compassion, virtue, and morality within us and all who govern in our World, in our Country, and in our Community, to ensure that a fair balance be struck between the abundance of the few and the needs of the many. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                            O Lord our God

                                                            We will give You thanks forever

~ O God of Mercy and Healing, relieve the suffering of those with serious illness, addiction, or desperate life circumstance, and give wisdom and respite to those who tend their needs. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                            O Lord our God

                                                            We will give You thanks forever      

~ O God of Mercy and Healing, fill us with the peace of knowing that those who have crossed to the other side, now live again forever, in the glorious bliss of Your eternal kingdom. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                            O Lord our God

                                                            We will give You thanks forever

~ O God of Mercy and Healing, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions

                                                            O Lord our God

                                                            We will give You thanks forever           

~ O God of Mercy and Healing, endow great wisdom, clarity of purpose, and stamina upon all who lead us in Your Church and in the fields of Christ’s Mission and Ministry, as we walk together with eagerness and faith. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                            O Lord our God

                                                            We will give You thanks forever

The Celebrant adds: O Lord of Peace and Wholeness, as the woman reached to Jesus, and the child awakened at his call, grant us the determination to reach toward You with fearless faith, genuine love, and purity of intent to act for justice and mercy to prevail among all Your people. We ask through Jesus, the Healer of our souls; and the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier of our hearts; Who together with You reign as One God, now and forever. Amen.

 

All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution and edited for local use 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 Crossings ~ 4th Sunday after Pentecost '21 Yr B

For Sunday, June 20, 2021, Readings: Job 38:1-11, Psalm 107:1-3, 23-32, 2 Corinthians 6:1-13, Mark 4:35-41

     The Lord answered Job our of the whirlwind…”Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me if you have understanding…”  [Job 38:1, 4]

          Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his mercy endures forever…they cried to the Lord in their trouble…He stilled the storm to a whisper…Then they were glad because of the calm. [Psalm 107:1, 28, 30]

        As we work together with Christ, we urge you not to accept the grace of God in vain…as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance…hardships, calamities…kindness, holiness of spirit…in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. [2 Corinthians 6:1, 4, 6, 8a]

      A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was…asleep…and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be Still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” [Mark 4:37-40]

       Oh Dear Job, it’s no wonder that the trials and tribulations of that man give rise to the expression the patience of Job. After lengthy conversations with his friends, in prior chapters, in this reading God, speaking from out of the whirlwind, is setting the record straight, reminding Job just Who has done all the work of Creation and asking the age-old question, “where were you when I was doing all of this?” The Book of Job can be confounding if taken in literal terms. Essentially, Job is based on an ancient folktale about a saintly man of that name who is also mentioned in Ezekiel 14:14, 20. This is considered to be the most difficult Book of all to interpret because of its poetic and often ambiguous language. For our purposes this week, this reading reminds us Who has Created everything, and of course, the whirlwind mentioned resonates with the appointed parts of the psalm, this section of 2 Corinthians, and, most tellingly, the storm on the Galilee in Mark’s Gospel.

        Jesus wants to cross to the other side of the lake, leaving the crowds behind. He settles down for a nap as the boat sets sail. Then the storm. The Disciples are terrified of this storm on the water. But wait, aren't most of them experienced fishermen? That must have been one whale of a storm to frighten them so much and you can almost hear the translation of Jesus' words to them in today's terms as "Seriously, you woke me for this? Where is your faith?" Jesus then tells the waves and winds, Be Still! And so they become, still and dead calm.

     And what does this all mean for my life? How is my level of faith? In last week’s Gospel, Jesus said we only needed faith the size of a mustard seed. What is my faith level, then, if I’m fearful of tempestuous storms? For me it depends on the day and the fear; especially during times in every human age of not only fear but raging anger and strong division in each country and across the world. But Paul urges the Corinthians not to accept the grace of God in vain.  That sentence jumped out at me. No complacency, no cowering, whatever the hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots...sleepless nights...kindness, holiness of spirit..., as if most on that list isn’t frightening enough, but the message is: we have the grace we need. And whatever part of now we are in, it is the acceptable time to recognize that every now is the day of Salvation! We are to commend ourselves as God’s servants to the work to be done in the fields of faith-filled living. 

       Of course, it is difficult and often thankless work in this earth-bound, high-tech, materialistic, us vs. them, temporary life. Keeping my faith in God through Christ and the Holy Spirit conscious and active takes great effort sometimes. Yet it also means that I may surprise myself with my own strength, resilience, and capacity to face the fearsome foes and woes in life, especially the ones I create for myself. And so even in the most ordinary of times with some low-level daily frustrations, the excitement of great sunshine and joy, or the stormiest days with anger and fear all around, I can reboot by crossing to the other side of my heart and mind for some time to breathe deeply, be still, and calm the winds and waves within myself. And then one step forward and another, and another, in faith, in hope, in genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God [2 Cor 6:6b-7a], I can cross back, renewed and with great awe, to join again with wide open heart and soul to the One Who even the wind and sea obey.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY 

Leader: ~ O Lord of the Whirlwind and the Calm, in the smallest and largest moments of everyday life, in the face of angry seas or fearsome foes, in joy and in suffering, prod our souls often to turn first and always to You in faith with our hearts wide open.

                                        Lord of Enduring Mercy

                    RESPONSE:   Still our fear and quicken our faith        

~ O Lord of the Whirlwind and the Calm, as Your servants, with Your power, we commend ourselves by endurance in afflictions, labors, and calamities, with patience, kindness, and truthful speech to challenge the leaders of Earthly, National, and Local governments as we strive to successfully defeat discrimination, injustice, and physical danger for all Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                  Lord of Enduring Mercy

                                                  Still our fear and quicken our faith

~ O Lord of the Whirlwind and the Calm, restore health and give comfort to those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, and give patience to those who tend their needs We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need... add your own petitions  

                                                  Lord of Enduring Mercy

                                                  Still our fear and quicken our faith       

~ O Lord of the Whirlwind and the Calm, lighten the burden for all who grieve, as You embrace those newly arrived to dwell with You in the glory of everlasting life and peace. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                  Lord of Enduring Mercy

                                                  Still our fear and quicken our faith

~ O Lord of the Whirlwind and the Calm, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions

                                                  Lord of Enduring Mercy

                                                  Still our fear and quicken our faith

                

~ Lord of the Whirlwind and the Calm, endow our ordained Shepherds with extra measures of genuine faith-filled love, holiness of spirit, and serenity of soul, to guide and join us in the ministry of this life that we discover in service to Your Will. We pray especially for: add your own petitions.

                                                  Lord of Enduring Mercy

                                                  Still our fear and quicken our faith

The Celebrant adds: O God Almighty and Ever-Living, release us from merely accepting Your grace in vain. Deliver us from life’s storms, into the humility of knowing that every moment of now is the acceptable time to recognize the day of our Salvation. Fill us with faith enough to quell the angry tempests within ourselves and with each other, that, putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, we may walk together, if differently, to Your Eternal Shore. We ask through Jesus, our Peace and our Salvation, and the Holy Spirit, the Fount of our Wisdom, Who together with You, are One God for all of time eternal. Amen.

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