People's Prayers

Monday, May 15, 2023

Prayers of the People ~ Second Rising ~ Sunday after the Ascension, 7th Sunday of Easter Yr A '23

For Sunday, May 21, 2023, Readings: Acts 1:6-14, Psalm 68:1-10, 33-36; 1Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11;

John 17:1-11

[Jesus] replied..."It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you...When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. [Acts 1:7-8a]

But let the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; let them be merry and joyful...Blessed be God! [Psalm 68:3, 36b]

Cast all your anxiety on [God] because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith...God of all grace who has called you to eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen and establish you. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen. [1 Peter 4:7-9a, 10b, 11]

Jesus looked up to heaven and said..."I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world...and they have received me and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf...And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world...Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one." [John 17:6a, 8b-9a, 11a]

On this Sunday after Christ’s Ascension the readings begin well after the fact and yet end with the climax of the Last Supper. The prayer of Jesus, in this Gospel reading from John, reveals some of his human nature as well as his divinity. The Apostles haven’t experienced the Crucifixion at this point, let alone the Resurrection or Ascension and they must have been confused at the very least. Yet as they reflected on these words later, as we do in our time, they offer hope and the soul-safety of God’s steadfast protection.

Jesus prays to God to protect us now that he is leaving this world ~ we who were given to him by God and who remain in this world; and he prays for the unity of God’s people. Samuel Cruz, Assistant Professor of Church and Society at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, had this to say: "A prayer from Jesus asking for protection via unity of the church, provides a great source of comfort to his followers...[it] is powerful because it emerges from his personal experiences as a man...[as when] a parent prays for his or her child, we know that the motivations behind that prayer are deep and primal. Likewise, the deeply loving petition in our favor requested by Jesus is greatly treasured."

The Feast of the Ascension is one of the five major markers in the Gospel accounts of the life of Jesus. The others are his Baptism, Transfiguration, Crucifixion, and Resurrection. The Ascension is also one of the essential elements of Christian creeds and one of the significant mysteries in the life of Christ. The bodily Ascension into heaven is also understood by some as the expression of Christ's two natures: divine and human. The mythology, the mystical, and the mysterious all combine to fuel the fires of discussion, disagreement, and theological divides across generations and denominations. Typically observed on the 6th Thursday, or 40 days, after Easter, it precedes Pentecost Sunday (50 days after Easter) and then next is Trinity Sunday.

At the Ascension, the Divinely Human Christ takes his leave of this earthly plane while the apostles watch him be lifted up and a cloud took him out of their sight. As it says in the Apostles and Nicene Creeds: he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

The Living Jesus cares greatly for his followers then and now. For our part, let us return this great comfort by devoting regular times for ourselves to pray as the apostles did while waiting for the power of the Holy Spirit to come upon them. Let us follow Peter's instructions to cast all our anxiety on God because our adversary, the devil, even in the form of seemingly benign earthly temptation, myth, or fantasy, could easily devour our good intentions, carrying us away from what we are called to do in this life. With some prayer, discipline, and faith, with the presence of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, we, too, will be restored, supported, and strengthened to do the work for which we were created and called ~ to love one another as we are to love ourselves…be glad and rejoice…be merry and joyful…Blessed be God!

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ God of All Grace, You were, You are, and You will always be with us. Jesus brought us to know You, to cast our anxiety upon You, and to receive the protection of Your steadfast love. Let us be humbled and rejoice in Christ, who is Your Glory revealed.

O Christ, Ascended
RESPONSE: Restore, Support, and Strengthen us

~ God of All Grace, instill integrity, dignity, and strength of character in the political leadership on this Earth, in this Nation, and in our Community. Steer and steady them on the course of principled and moral justice for all Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O Christ, Ascended
                                                Restore, Support, and Strengthen us

~ God of All Grace, rest Your healing spirit upon all who are coping with life-threatening or chronic illness, and energize those wearied by giving care and love. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                O Christ, Ascended
                                                Restore, Support, and Strengthen us

~ God of All Grace, gladden our hearts knowing that those we love who have left our lives, are now risen with all the Saints into the eternal heart of the Living Jesus. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                O Christ, Ascended
                                                Restore, Support, and Strengthen us

~ God of All 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 Christ, Ascended
                                                Restore, Support, and Strengthen us

~ God of All Grace, revitalize the leaders of Your Church with the spiritual energy, wisdom, and faith-filled hearts, open to the challenges of being an emissary of Christ, guiding us all to be as one body to do Your work in this world. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O Christ, Ascended
                                                Restore, Support, and Strengthen us

The Celebrant adds: Holy God of Power and Glory, rekindle our desire to renew Your purpose in ourselves for the life You have given us to live, and fortify our faith against the prowling temptations that would devour our fragile promises to You. We ask this through Jesus, the Christ, our Ascended Redeemer; and the Holy Spirit, our Sacred Sanctifier; who live and reign with You, One God, forever and ever.  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

Meditation Moment in Eastertide ~ Monday, Week 6 '23

Every one of us is a variety of persons at the same time, it may be a very rich blending, but also it may be an unfortunate meeting of discordant personalities. We are different according to circumstances and surroundings; the various people that meet us know us as different persons.
There is a Russian proverb that says, 'He is a lion when meeting sheep, but he is a sheep when he meets lions.' When it comes to praying, our first difficulty is to find which one of our personalities should be put forward to meet God...because we are so unaccustomed to be our real self that in all truth we do not know which one that is...

~ Metropolitan Anthony Bloom*

Well, God,
today I come to You as close to being me as I can. It's early in the day and I haven’t had enough coffee yet. There's no one here but me. No one to impress, to one-up, to anger, to suck up to, to order around, to help. No make-up or jewelry, no special clothes, I don't look my best or my worst. I'm just me. You know more about me than I ever will and You still love me. Thank you. I'm just here today to spend a few minutes with You. It's nice to quietly give love and receive love. That's all for now. I'll be back tomorrow and probably ask for something. amen.

*Metropolitan Anthony Bloom [1914-2003] was born in Lausanne, Switzerland. He spent his early childhood in Russia and Iran and the family settled in Paris after the Russian revolution. He went into WWII as a surgeon for France, a participant in the French Resistance, and a secretly professed monk in the Russian Orthodox Church. He was ordained in 1948 and sent to Britain where he was later appointed vicar for the Russian Patriarchal parish in London. In 1957 he was consecrated Bishop and in 1962 as Archbishop for the Russian Orthodox Church in Britain and Ireland. He was Exarch and then assigned as Metropolitan ~ Russian Orthodox ranks ~ for the Moscow Patriarchate in Western Europe. In 1966 he was released from the larger responsibilities upon mutual agreement so he could devote himself to the pastoral needs of his diocese. Between 1966 and 1986 he wrote and published six books on prayer including Living Prayer from which the above quote is taken.

Saturday, May 13, 2023

Meditation Moment in Eastertide ~ Saturday, Week 5 '23

It is the very

pursuit of happiness

that thwarts happiness.

~ Viktor E. Frankl*

So, God,

where did some of us get the idea that happiness is our birthright? We spend so very much of our lives chasing after it and even worrying about how to get it. How many of us have said: If I can just have that car, if we can live in that neighborhood, if that promotion comes through, if I can win the big lottery, then I'll be happy. We waste life looking back crying about "if only ___ had been different" and looking ahead thinking "if only ___ can happen" that we completely miss today. I want to stop missing now by spending my time wishing to change the past while dreaming about my wants in the future. Please, Lord, while I know it's useful and responsible to make plans and work toward fulfilling current and future goals, at the same time help me see that this moment I'm in as the place to fully be and live with whatever is happening.

As the child who finds joy in blowing the seeds of a dandelion into the breeze, let me experience the present as the fruit of the past and the seeds of the future, completely grounded in You and completely in right now. amen.

*Viktor Frankl, [1905-1997] an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist, focused some of his early studies on depression and suicide and set up a youth counseling center in Vienna that successfully reduced teen suicide. Later he set up a suicide prevention program in a psychiatric hospital for women from 1933 to 1937. Being Jewish, he was required to close his practice as the Germans annexed Austria and he was interned in the Nazi Holocaust of concentration camps for three years losing his wife, his mother, and his brother. His seminal work, Man's Search for Meaning, chronicles his imprisonment. It was through this unimaginable time he realized the importance of finding meaning in all forms of existence even under the most difficult and even horrible experiences and finding reasons to continue to live. As he said, crisis offers new opportunities to live as if for the second time. He authored many other books including Yes to Life In Spite of Everything, 11 months after his liberation from Auschwitz.

Friday, May 12, 2023

Meditation Moment in Eastertide ~ Friday ~ Week 5 '23

You are what you do,

not what you say you'll do.
~ C.G. Jung*

Dear Spirit of All Good Intention ~
I am often guilty of following the path of least resistance, also known as the prettier and easier way to procrastinate. Equally as often, I make elaborate plans to do so many good things but then allow myself to be distracted. I jump into being overly busy at superficial pursuits or worse, slacking off altogether. As Paul says in Romans 7:19: For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Well, I'm not out there doing so much evil, I mean, I don't think I'm doing bad things so much as I'm not just doing as many good things as I could. Or, maybe, it's just that my intention is off track. I often race through a day, a week, a month thoughtlessly, without really processing WHY I'm doing things, be they good, not-so-good or just neutral.
Please stoke the desire and intention within me to start and end each day with prayer. Help me to walk through each part of the day with You as my reason for being, with You as my reason for doing, with You who inspires all Good Intention. Um, do You mind if I take the walk along that pretty path while I pray? I'll consciously work to stay intentionally focused...amen.

*Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist and is known as the founder of analytical psychology. He developed the concept of archetypes, extroversion and introversion, and the collective unconscious. His deep and collegial friendship with Sigmund Freud lasted about 6 years until a serious disagreement broke the relationship. Jung believed, in part, that spiritual development, a journey of transformation was essential for human well-being. His study of many religions gave rise to his thought that in what he called individuation, a journey to meet the self also leads to meeting the Divine.

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

Thursday, May 11, 2023

Meditation Moment: in Eastertide ~ Thursday, Week 5 '23

The deeper our faith, the more doubt we must endure; the deeper our hope, the more prone we are to despair; the deeper our love, the more pain its loss will bring: these are a few of the paradoxes we must hold as human beings. If we refuse to hold them in the hopes of living without doubt, despair, and pain, we also find ourselves living without faith, hope, and love.

~ Parker J. Palmer*

Dear God ~ It seems counter-intuitive to me that the deeper my faith and hope and love becomes the crazier that life can get. But in truth, that has been my experience. Things can get all tangled up so that the dark nights can burn through the bright sunlight but then the bright sunlight can also shine through the darkness. Sometimes I've tried to hide in a quiet space away from fear, and pain, and hopelessness, and then discovered my quiet space was just empty. Guide me, my Lord, through all of my momentary and long-term trepidations. When I remember that You are always here, I’m better able to navigate the twists and the turns, the light and the dark, the highs and the lows of all that the life You have given me has to offer. amen.

*Parker J. Palmer [1939 - ] is an educator, activist, poet, and prolific author on issues in education, community, social change, and spirituality. A member of the Religious Society of Friends, he has said that doubt is not the opposite of faith, but it is fear; we are afraid to be disillusioned. He also says that "before you can have a spiritual life, you must have a life." It is in a blending of our active and contemplative life that our sense of spirituality finds a balance. The recipient of many distinguished awards, Dr. Palmer lives with his wife in Madison, Wisconsin.

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Meditation Moment in Eastertide: Wednesday, Week 5 '23

― Gibran Khalil Gibran*

Dear Creator of Darkness and Light:
A positive spin on life has never come easily to me. It's so much easier to feel victimized, to wallow in the drama, to point the finger of blame and fault at others when life has failed to meet my desires. I've lived in the THEY-can't-possibly-understand-or-take-the-time-to-care-about-what-I'VE-endured- self-involvement. And it wasn't until I was so depleted emotionally, that with nowhere else to go, I finally and desperately turned to YOU. When that happened I heard the Voice that had always been there. I felt the Touch that reached for me. And as I came into the Love that never leaves, I started to feel the warmth fill my heart and my eyes opened to see all that has been there all along, for me. The dark days became suddenly brighter, the clouds lifted, and all that I need for life itself in good moments and terrible, in the ordinary and the amazing, from the depths of despair to the heights of heaven is an open heart to You. Thank You for being here for all the time it has taken for me to turn my mind around. Thank You for the Free Will that allows me to choose my own path. And although I may slip again, I now know the gift and glory of being lifted up into the light and no longer will I want to drown in the darkness of my own making. amen.

*Gibran Kahlil Gibran, [1883-1931] the third best-selling poet of all time after Shakespeare and Lao-Tzu, was born in Lebanon and emigrated to the US as a young man settling in Boston's South End. Also an artist and a writer - most famous is his fictional but inspiring The Prophet written in 1923 and which gained a tremendous resurgence of popularity during the 1960s counterculture turbulence and took new root within the New Age movement. Raised a Maronite Catholic, Gibran was also influenced by Islam, particularly Sufi mysticism and had strong connections with the Baha'i faith. His request to be buried in his native Lebanon was fulfilled by his close friend and his sister.

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Meditation Moment in Eastertide: Tuesday, Week 5 '23

We should ask God to

increase our hope when it is small,

awaken it when it is dormant,

confirm it when it is wavering,

strengthen it when it is weak,

and raise it up when it is overthrown.

~ John Calvin*

Well, God, I think I'm a pretty hopeful person. But as I think about it in this moment, I'm not always sure what I'm hopeful about. When I was young I was hopeful about a happy marriage and great kids, a successful career and lots of travel. Some of it has happened. Some of it went a very different way. There were times when things were so bleak I didn't care enough to even want to have hope. But then, through no action of my own, hope blossomed again.

SO, what am I hopeful about now? Mostly, I want to be hopeful even when hope by itself doesn't change things. Of course I hope for the usual list: good health, healthy family and friends, world peace, ending hunger and violence, etc. But so much these days, well, I guess most of the time, is beyond my control and that takes me down a path of despair, or, at the very least feeling disheartened.

I want to and hope to be a better follower of Jesus, taking to heart, especially His commandment to love You and all my neighbors and myself. Some days are better than others with those. At the very least, I know that when life is painful and chaotic, I can pray for the desire to hope and for, as Reinhold Niehbuhr says in his prayer, the wisdom to accept the things I cannot change and change the things I can**. And, when I am feeling hopeful, send a reminder for me to give thanks to You ~ an unexpected butterfly or a child’s smile, or the neighbor's dog who runs to me and licks my hand even with no treat in it! I do know that You are always here, sometimes a little kick somewhere can help. amen.

*John Calvin [1509-1564] was born in France and so would have been addressed by the French pronunciation of his name mostly lost to us over time, which is approximately Zhawn Calvahn. The ordained Calvin left the Roman Catholic Church and became a major player in the Protestant Reformation. His writings were contentious and he was influential in at least one execution. He and his contemporary, Martin Luther, had respect for one another early on though each had a differing theological view. There was a disagreement between Luther and a Reformer in Zurich, Huldrych Zwingli, over the interpretations regarding the Eucharist. Calvin's opinions on the matter caused Luther to equate Calvin with Zwingli. From those tempestuous beginnings, Calvin's theological perspective is seen as the major influence for the Reformed, Congregational, and Presbyterian churches throughout the world today. While not my favorite theologian, the lesson to be gleaned is that there is always something useful to be gleaned from reading, or listening, to someone with whom we disagree.

** Here is the full, original, unabridged Niebuhr text of the famous Serenity Prayer:

God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.