Prayers of the People: Really, Get Out of the Boat! ~ 11th Sunday after Pentecost '23 Yr A

For Sunday, August 9, 2020, Readings: 1 Kings 19:9-8; Psalm 85:8-13; Romans 10:5-15, Matthew 14:22-33

  At Horeb, the mount of God, Elijah came to a cave…and spent the night there…[God] said, “Go out and stand on the mountain…for the Lord is about to pass by…” the Lord was not in the wind…in the earthquake…in the fire…and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it…and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave…Then the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus…” [1 Kings 19:9-18]

   I will listen to what the Lord God is saying, for he is speaking peace to his faithful people and to those who turn their hearts to him. [Psalm 85:8]

   For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. [Romans 10:12]

   But when the disciples saw [Jesus] walking on the sea, they were terrified...But...Jesus...said, "...it is I, do not be afraid." Peter [said]..."command me to come to you on the water." He said, "Come." [Peter] became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught [Peter], saying to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" When they got into the boat, the wind ceased.  [Matthew 14:26a, 28-, 30b, 31-32]

   The full story of Elijah has some very interesting twists and turns. In this small snippet, we find Elijah running for his life from the threats of the infamous Jezebel, wife of King Ahab. Arriving at a cave at Mt. Horeb, also known as Mt. Sinai, the accounts of Elijah in this piece are rife with allusions to Moses as read in Exodus last week in the readings for The Transfiguration. Not only is Mt. Horeb where God is first revealed to Moses, this very cave is also reputed to be the place where Moses had such an intense experience of God (theophany) when his face shone so brightly he had to wear a veil when leaving God’s presence. And with all that Elijah tells God of his fear for his own life, God essentially tells him to get back to the work God has given him to do by anointing new kings and appointing Elisha as his successor.
   The constancy of God is a continuing theme throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, no matter the whims and wastes of those God loves. The Psalmist reminds us, among other things in this short piece, to listen to what God is saying and truth shall spring up from the earth.
   Paul tells us that God in Jesus is Lord of all, of everyone, whether Jew or Greek or whatever else you may be ~ this was a shocking idea in those times, a notion that God doesn't dismiss or exclude those people who aren't one of us was quite radical ~ no wonder Paul ended up in prison! Imagine if we felt that way today ~ oh, wait, have you read today’s news? This concept is seemingly shocking to many who identify themselves as Christian and yet encourage the violence and irrational hatred which divides families, friends, neighborhoods, and nations. Yet Paul is adamant that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved [Romans 10:13]. Furthermore, we are the ones who are to proclaim the truth of Christ to all.  
   Just as God is Lord of ALL, regardless of human categorizations of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, status in life, etc., Jesus calls ~ make that requires ~  us all to get our feet wet in the realities of life's unpredictable times, tides, and weather; political and otherwise. Nothing easy about it ~ just ask Peter. But praying for the trust to believe in our hearts, to speak our faith out loud in words and by our actions, and bringing Christ to others, will help us find the strength we need to pull ourselves and each other up from that sinking feeling of fear and doubt. Jesus bids us Come, get out of the boat in faith, and together we will know and share the calmer seas of Christ’s Good News. 

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Generous and Merciful God, the Constant who guides us through the calm and chaos of our earthly life, if we believe in our hearts and call upon Your Holy Name. Amplify our faith, relieve our fears and doubts, and quicken our determination to answer Christ’s simple call, “Come.”

                                                 Jesus, Lord of All

RESPONSE:          Our Strength and Salvation

~ Generous and Merciful God, renew us in spirit daily to carry the message of Christ on our lips and hearts to the leaders of this Community, this Country, and this World for the peace, health, and well-being of all people everywhere. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Jesus, Lord of All

                                                Our Strength and Salvation                                                  

~ Generous and Merciful God, soothe the hearts and minds of all who struggle with serious illness, chronic pain, or depression, and revive the stamina of those who give them care. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                Jesus, Lord of All

                                                Our Strength and Salvation                                                            

~ Generous and Merciful God, we give You thanks and praise for the new life of our loved ones in the glorious eternity of heaven. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Jesus, Lord of All

                                                Our Strength and Salvation   

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

                                                Jesus, Lord of All
                                                Our Strength and Salvation           

~ Generous and Merciful God, grant spiritual vitality and an even keel to all who lead us in Your church by Your Word and Wisdom, through the calm and perilous waters of life. We pray especially for: add your own petitions                                                

                                                Jesus, Lord of All
                                                Our Strength and Salvation  

The Celebrant adds: Almighty and Ever-Living God, You created us all in Your image and bid us always to turn to You in each hour of life. Empower us to step into the depths of our faith and answer Your call with courage and conviction, in tempest and tranquility, for this life and the next. We ask this through Christ Jesus, our Savior; and the Holy Spirit, our Advocate; who together with You, are 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

Prayers of the People: The Cloud of Glory ~ The Transfiguration (10th Sunday after Pentecost) '23 Yr A

For Sunday, August 6, 2023, Readings: Exodus 34:29-35, Psalm 99:5-9, 2Peter 1:13-21, Luke 9:28-36 

   [Moses] came down from Mount Sinai...with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand...Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God...When Moses had finished speaking with [Aaron and the Israelites] he put a veil on his face; but whenever Moses went in before the Lord...he would take the veil off until he came out. [Exodus 34:29-30, 33]

   ...they called upon the Lord, and he answered them. He spoke to them out of the pillar of cloud.  [Psalm 99:6b, 7a]

   We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven...So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. [2 Peter 1: 18-19]  

   Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. [Luke 9:28-31]

    We begin the readings for this Sunday with a taste of the Moses story veiling his face after his divine encounters as his own radiance is nearly blinding to the Israelites on his return.   

   As with Moses and the stone tablets, the Transfiguration of Jesus is at once mystery, miracle, and milestone. Jesus became a dazzling, shining, glowing, gleaming, shimmering beam of radiant glory! A momentary, visible metamorphosis. At the top of the mountain, Jesus becomes the connection, the conduit between human and divine ~ between God and us. Another cloud of God in glory then overshadowed them and again, God spoke to say, as at his baptism, “This is my Son, my Beloved…” and most importantly for Peter, James, John, and us: “…listen to him!”  These particular kinds of clouds in which God is present, are known in Judaism as the Shekinah ~ a feminine Hebrew word for a name of God. It also translates to "settling or dwelling of the Divine Presence."

   The Transfiguration was a miracle of God in which Jesus is not the one performing but the one receiving. We don't know if Jesus knew this moment was coming when he took several of his disciples to the mountain to pray. His three companions were certainly blasted awake from the sleepiness that was about to overtake them as suddenly, at the top of the mountain, in a near-blinding all-encompassing cloud, when the temporal and eternal sparked a dazzling display of transcendent, Majestic Glory, all in the sight of the chosen disciples who then bore witness to the prophecy confirmed.  

    Moses and Elijah appear, representing the Law and the Prophets, converse with Jesus about his coming departure at Jerusalem, then they vanish. Luke, in the original Greek, carefully chooses exodus as the word to describe the coming departure of Jesus. Through this new Exodus, the departure of Jesus in death and resurrection, a new order, that of the Messiah is established, leading God's people out of the bondage of sin and into the true and eternal promised land of the Kingdom of Heaven.       

    The Transfiguration is a critical piece in the significant events in the life of Jesus. The others are his Baptism, Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension. It is at this moment that Christ is confirmed by God as His Chosen, to those present. The mission of the disciples is then fully inaugurated in their own minds and they spend the rest of their lives in Christ's service, spreading the Gospel. It is this moment, in this spectacular cloud, that the Reign of Christ, our King, begins. It is this moment, now, that we must emerge as if from a cloud to listen, to learn, and to live into the Reign of Jesus by our thoughts, our words, and our actions. God knows we are marked as Christ's own forever. It's time that we know it again. As we enter the Cloud of Glory with the disciples, we emerge with hearts and souls shining with Christ’s radiance to guide us in the fullness, in the emptiness, and in the regular-ness of life here and now in Christ’s Kingdom on Earth, until the time to cross into the Forever Kingdom of Heaven.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
 
Leader:  ~ God of Majesty and Glory, upon Your Sacred Mountains you gave Moses the Law for our instruction and transfigured the Being of Your Son, Jesus, as the shining example for our lives. Rise in our hearts as the morning star, as we seek to lift the Gospel veil to listen and live according to Your Word.
 
                                            Beloved Jesus, Face of God                             
         RESPONSE:            Transfigure us for Your Service
 
~ God of Majesty and Glory, transform the hearts, the souls, and the minds of the leaders of this world, this nation, and this community, so that their judgments are unclouded by personal ambition, and they legislate for justice with wisdom, tempered with mercy for all.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                Beloved Jesus, Face of God
                                                Transfigure us for Your Service
                                                
~ God of Majesty and Glory, comfort all who are ill, weary, or anxious, with Your Presence and grant unfailing strength of body and heart to all who care for the weakest of Your children. We now join our hearts to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions
 
                                                Beloved Jesus, Face of God
                                                Transfigure us for Your Service
            
~ God of Majesty and Glory, we give You thanks for those we love who are now received into the holy whirlwind of Your divine radiance, to live again with You in the glory of Christ Jesus forever. We pray especially for:  add your own petitions
 
                                                Beloved Jesus, Face of God
                                                Transfigure us for Your Service
 
~ God of Majesty and Glory, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently… add your own petitions
 
                                                Beloved Jesus, Face of God
                                                Transfigure us for Your Service
            
~ God of Majesty and Glory, endow with fortitude and vitality all who are chosen and anointed as the exemplars of Your Word and Will, our spiritual beacons on the sacred path. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                Beloved Jesus, Face of God
                                                Transfigure us for Your Service
                                                                                                         
The Celebrant adds:  God of gods, Lord of lords, infuse us with greater strength and purpose to faithfully reaffirm our covenant with You. May our lives and souls be purified through the dazzling brilliance of the Transfigured Christ, and the mystical breath 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: Great Pearls and Bad Fish ~ Proper 12, 9th Sunday after Pentecost '23 Yr A

For Sunday, July 30, 2023, Readings: 1 Kings 3:5-12, Psalm 119:129-136, Romans 8:26-39,  

Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

And Solomon said…”O Lord my God…Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people able to discern between good and evil… [1 Kings 3:7a, 9a]

 

  Turn to me in mercy, as you always do to those who love your Name. Let your countenance shine upon your servant and teach me your statutes. [Psalm 119:132, 135]

 

    If God is for us, who is against us?...Who will separate us from the love of Christ?...neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, not things present, nor things to come...will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. [Romans 8:31b, 38]

 

   Jesus [said]: " The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed...like yeast...like treasure hidden in a field...[and] like [a pearl] of great value...[and] like a net that...caught every fish...when it was full, they...put the good into the baskets but threw out the bad. [Matthew 13:31, 33, 44, 45, 48-49]

   In Solomon’s time as in our own, there were corporate/communal rituals and worshipful actions along with precise words that allow for congregants to say in unison. Then, as now, there were also individual conversations with God ~ aka prayers ~ for a more intimate expression of emotion and thoughts to share with God. Solomon’s prayer in 1 Kings 3:6-9 is an early example of such a prayer. God comes to Solomon in a dream and asks Solomon what he wants ~ clearly a test that Solomon passes very well as he is now the icon of his reward: wisdom. The Psalms, of course, are also expressions of prayer and cover every human emotion possible from joy, rage, peace, adoration, and more. Today’s Psalm is a promise to remain faithful with God’s constant help.

   Jesus lets loose quite a barrage of parables to further explain the kingdom of God in everyday illustrations for that time and some in our own. There is something for everyone to do whether we are planting tiny mustard seeds to grow into large trees for nesting birds and human food, mixing yeast with flour to expand the dough of life, finding buried treasure in the field of an everyday experience, or discovering a pearl so perfect that we choose to sell all we own to buy it. And there are times when we must allow ourselves to be caught like fish in a net, and the goal of that moment – and every other – is to be sorted into the baskets with the good fish rather than thrown out with the bad.

   One message here is that there is no perfection in humanity but in choosing well, our smallest efforts can grow and yield a large return. We are to remember that God is always present even if that discovery sometimes requires some digging on our part. Paul tells us that to be separated from the love of God through Jesus, even with all of our faults, is nearly impossible. After all, if God is for us, who can be against us? Only ourselves! And the choice to be separated would have to be our own.

   Even Paul is teaching us about prayer and ways to access God’s help when we often don’t know our own minds or hearts. He reassures us that the Spirit helps us in our weakness if we have faith – however small and however it wavers. It is our intention that will be known by God. We may need to be reminded that prayer isn’t about telling God what to do, but rather to ask and seek to know what we are called to fulfill.

   The Spirit of God, if we open ourselves in faith, is the yeast that expands our understanding, our relationship, and the willingness to seek God’s purpose in all that we do. The love of Christ is what blends us all; it is the pearl of great price to be Christ’s own together. God is the ultimate master of the household who gathers the yield of fish and field, the good and the bad, the mediocre and the exceptional. Some days in God’s Creation are better than others yet God is the constant that draws us near. We’re called to choose our own path to discover the treasures, the nesting places, the full or scanty harvests, and the good fish with the bad on any given day in every given life.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

 

Leader:  ~ God of Steadfast Love, the smallest seeds, the yeast that gives rise, and the hidden treasures of everyday life, are a few of the markers of Your bountiful love. Guide us to see the ordinary as miraculous in Your Creation, filling our souls beyond measure through faith.

 

                                                       O Spirit of God                     

RESPONSE:                            Our help in our weakness

 

~ God of Steadfast Love, endow all who govern in every area of our World with wise and understanding minds, able to discern and choose good over evil for the health and welfare of all Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

 

                                                       O Spirit of God

                                                       Our help in our weakness

 

~ God of Steadfast Love, ease the burdens and fear of illness, injury, or despair for those who suffer, and bring relief to those who give them care. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

 

                                                       O Spirit of God

                                                       Our help in our weakness

           

~ God of Steadfast Love, we hold closely in our hearts all who have traveled to the end of their human experience, and now shine in Your eternal radiance and peace.  We pray especially for… add your own petitions

 

                                                       O Spirit of God

                                                       Our help in our weakness

 

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

 

                                                       O Spirit of God

                                                       Our help in our weakness

                        

~ God of Steadfast Love, bestow the gift of grace-filled respite for all who are called to lead us in Your church, teaching us to pray, worship, and work together, all according to Your purpose. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

 

                                                       O Spirit of God

                                                       Our help in our weakness

 

~The Celebrant adds: O God of Mercy, as You are always for us, nothing can separate us from the enduring love of Christ but ourselves. Catch us in Your ample net and draw us from the troubled waters of this life, into the eternal good of Your Heavenly Kingdom. We ask through Jesus, our Hope and our Savior; and the Holy Spirit, our Advocate and Counselor; who together with You are our 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

Prayers of the People: Tare-ing Things Out ~ Proper 11, 8th Sunday after Pentecost '23 Yr A

For Sunday, July 23, 2023, Isaiah 44:6-8, Psalm 86:11-17; Romans 8:12-25, Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

     Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. [Isaiah 44:6]

     Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth…For great is your steadfast love for me…you, O LOrd, are…merciful and gracious…slow to anger…you, Lord, have helped and comforted me. [Psalm 86:11a, 13a, 15a, 17b]

     When we cry, "Abba! Father!" is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then...heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ...But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience."  [Romans 8:15b-17a, 25]

      [Jesus] answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels...The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect...all causes of sin and all evildoers, and...throw them into the furnace...Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. [Matthew 13:37-42a, 43a]

   To begin this week’s readings, we have a 3 verse snippet of a slightly longer chapter of Isaiah. Essentially we hear about the singularity of God: I am the first, and I am the last. We’ve heard the connection between God and God’s people elsewhere in the Bible and it is what we have all been taught for generations beyond generations, yet, there’s a whole sermon waiting to be written about how this concept of “one God” aka monotheism has been co-opted from the understanding of early Judaism. In ancient times it was assumed that there were other deities who had their own limited things to do and spheres of influence. Israel’s God, however, was intended to be an exclusive relationship and commitment by Israel as God’s chosen, as no other god equals Israel’s God. There’s much to consider but in the interest of time and space, it was the onset of the 17^th century with world conquering and domination to be done by the West, whose leaders determined cultures with multiple gods to be inferior, that the concept of monotheism as the ONLY way it was developed and used as method of continuing colonial baggage and then spreading back to the conquerors' own lands. As Reed Carson writing for WorkingPreacher.com says: Ironically, this naïve self-assurance places Christian theologians in a similar position to what texts like Isaiah 44 sought to correct…Today a host of rival gods contend for our affection and adoration…Among these rival deities are the Christian Nationalist God, the spirits of Profit and Growth, and demons like Patriarchy and White Supremacy. Each of these…has found ways to demand of us sacrifices, oaths of loyalty, and (perhaps most ruinous) awestruck fear.

   In a slight departure, this Psalm gives us many quotations from the Torah, the first five books of the Old/Hebrew Testament and some also appear in other psalms. The Psalmist doesn’t seem to worry at all about people with their other gods. The primary affirmation is that God is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and abounding in love and kindness. These words are to give us the freedom and conviction that we can appeal directly to God, as the Psalmist speaks to his own trust and expectation that even those “others” will come to worship the One.   

   Paul speaks to our inward groaning and mortal struggles to avoid the deeds of the body as he exhorts us to hope for what we do not see and wait for it with patience.

   But it is this parable of Jesus, often known as the wheat and the tares [noxious weeds that resemble the wheat sprouts], that offers us a lesson in prudent personal agronomy. It takes an experienced farmer/gardener to know the difference between seedlings that grow into the desired plants and those that produce invasive, destructive weeds. The Master of this field wisely leaves well enough alone, as at maturity, the reapers will have no difficulty in distinguishing the wheat from the weeds, knowing which to save and which to burn.

   While the Master of this story blames an enemy for the deliberate seeding of tares in his field, we can look to ourselves for the crop of noxious weeds we ourselves produce. One grows each time we point a finger in disgust or hate, however self-righteous and correct we believe we are. Another shoots up each time we judge and belittle those we believe to be the enemy of our personal agenda (even if they are). The next grows tall every time we decide who is an undesirable and useless plant growing where it isn't wanted. And half an acre at least rises up especially when we believe we know who God will ~ or should ~ burn. It is so easy to sow another seed of soul-destroying rubbish in our own spiritual ground, reducing it to an unholy dump.

   The message is pretty clear, and always difficult: it's not our job to reap the harvest and separate the weeds from the wheat. We are called to be the good seeds, the children of the kingdom, to be fruitful and nourish the fields of the Lord. In growing strong in Christ together, we will crowd out temptation, resist and lessen the impact of the noxious weeds sown in God's Creation. The true and fertile seeds of the Spirit are ready to sprout. God is the true and only judge of the hearts of others. As the most famous line in the old Walt Kelly cartoon Pogo says: We have met the enemy and he is us. Jesus came to save the fallen, not just the faithful. Let us not be the enemy.  Only God is the One to tare things out of the wheat.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ O Lord our God, lead us, Your children by Your Spirit, to labor with patience and hope in Your fields to gather for ourselves and all Creation, the everlasting freedom of Your Glory.

                                        Merciful and Gracious God
 RESPONSE:            Our Help and our Comfort

~ O Lord our God, impel the hearts and souls of all who govern our World, our Country, and our Community, to tear out the choking tendrils of the deadly contagion of inequity, injustice, and personal greed, so to save and prosper the lives of all Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                        Merciful and Gracious God
                                        Our Help and our Comfort

~ O Lord our God, relieve the pain and despair from those who suffer with illness, injury, or addiction, and sustain the strength of those who give support. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                        Merciful and Gracious God
                                        Our Help and our Comfort

~ O Lord our God, We lift up and release those we love into Your joyous welcome, to shine like the sun in Your Eternal Kingdom. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                        Merciful and Gracious God
                                        Our Help and our Comfort

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

                                        Merciful and Gracious God
                                        Our Help and our Comfort

~ O Lord our God, We commend to You, with gratitude, those who have committed their lives to us in Your service. Bless, inspire, and uphold them, as they work with us in Your Creation, to guide us always toward You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                        Merciful and Gracious God
                                        Our Help and our Comfort

The Celebrant adds: Abba! Father! Sow in us a longing to clear away the weeds of sin and doubt within, and to prosper our spiritual ground with good seed and great hope, that we may shine like the sun in Your Eternal Kingdom. We ask through Jesus, our Strength and our Redeemer; and the Holy Spirit, our Soul Guide and our Wisdom; 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: Grounded ~ Proper 10, 7th Sunday after Pentecost '23 Yr A

For Sunday, July 16, 2023; Readings: Isaiah 55:10-13, Psalm 65:9-13, Romans 8:1-11, Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

  For you shall go out in joy and be led back in peace; the mountains and hills before you shall burst into song and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. [Isaiah 55:12]

  …the hills gird themselves with joy; the meadows clothe themselves with flocks; the valleys deck themselves with grain; they shout and sign together for joy. [Psalm 65:12b-13]

  To set the mind ion the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace...But you are not in the flesh; You are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.  [Romans 8:6, 9]

   Let anyone with ears listen! ...for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word...yet such a person has no root...and immediately falls away...As for what was sown among thorns, this is one who hears the word but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word, understands it, who indeed bears fruit... [Matthew 13:9, 20a, 21a,b; 22, 23a]

    The poetic beauty of this week’s brief text from Isaiah is overshadowed by current and past news of catastrophic flooding in the US northeast and other areas here and around the world. Yet are there not always times when good news for some contains bad news for others? Of course drought-stricken areas are happy for plenteous rain or snow but too much or too little are each their own problem. The prophet here is no stranger to grieving and this text isn’t intended as mere pretty poetry or platitude. One writer suggests this piece is a catalyst for hope. Prior parts of this section of Isaiah have been about the pain of exile in Babylon and now they have returned to the land of their ancestors. This Creation imagery, coming even in the midst of lingering suffering from exile, as any people displaced by flooding, or earthquakes, or millions of acres on fire can attest, offers the hope and comfort of a deeply loving God. The psalm continues the imagery of a planet thoroughly enriched by God that grows and feeds and sings with joy.

    And then we move to Paul’s Letter to the Romans as he describes how to avoid condemnation. The flawed and sometimes despicable humans that move alongside the people of God are created by God and gifted with the free will to obey or not. Many of those who play larger roles in life find themselves in thorny patches on rocky roads diverted from their appointed mission by the lure of earthly distractions, intemperance, or a volatile nature. Yet they are brought to us in Scripture, remembered for their deeds and misdeeds, as human as we are, and, like us, with depths and shallows, tragedies and triumphs, ordinary and extraordinary depending on the day, the dilemma, and the choices made. 

    We, too, are created and chosen by God with the seeds of the Spirit planted within us. It would seem that all we need to do is till, tend, water, feed, and weed for a bountiful harvest of God's love, that is, to freely set our minds on Christ's salvation and life eternal. But, of course, it's not always quite so simple. Farming is tough work, a 24/7 job on and in the ground. Great soil, good weather, and hard work should yield a good crop. But even excellent farmers have epic failures despite their best efforts. We, as all those who came before and all who come after, will encounter feasts and famines, droughts and floods, rocks, thorns, pestilence, and grief within the span of our lives; some of it through no fault of our own and some by our willing neglect and impetuous choices. But, the Spirit of God always dwells within us and when we are shaken back to that consciousness, it is never too late to replenish the soil, enrich it with the nutrients of prayer and penitence, and nurture the deep roots that remain. Whatever is on the surface of our temporal acreage at any given time, the Word of God will ground us if we will hear and try to understand. 

    Matthew helps us see the impetuous of the “sure, I get that” response from those on rocky ground with no rootedness to live into the Word when things aren’t going well. We know the one living among the thorns who never hears the words of Jesus being lured by earthly distractions and attractions and the gathering of stuff and money that never fully satisfies. But the good soil, cultivated and maintained by regular feeding and replenishment hears and understands, building a strong foundation so that even the dire troubles life can bring, though distracting at times, can withstand and yield ever greater yields of spiritual fruit.

    A dandelion can flower in all manner of ground, and a desert will erupt in blooms with the slightest moisture. Whenever the Word penetrates my awareness, I must try, try again to clear the rocks, cut back the thorns, and cultivate the soil to enable those deep roots to keep me spiritually grounded; to be fruitful and multiply the good yields of my soul, to belong to Christ Jesus again and forever.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Holy God, Ground of our Being, grant us eyes to see and ears to hear the Word that calls us each and together, to seek the fertile path of the Spirit.  Guide us to listen deeply to understand, and to continually enrich the soil of our souls to go out in joy and be led back in peace.

                                                Lord Jesus, our Christ

             RESPONSE:         Deepen our roots in You

~ Holy God, Ground of our Being, sow the healthy seeds of grace and goodness in the souls of those who govern this World, our Nation, and our Community. Divert them from the way of thorns into the arable terrain of fairness, honor, and integrity. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Lord Jesus, our Christ

                                                Deepen our roots in You

~ Holy God, Ground of our Being, comfort and heal all who struggle with illness in body, mind, or heart, and ease the burden of those who care for them.  We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                Lord Jesus, our Christ

                                                Deepen our roots in You       

~ Holy God, Ground of our Being, we commend to Your hand, all who have left this world for Your Kingdom where there is no death, only life everlasting in the fullness of joy. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                Lord Jesus, our Christ

                                                Deepen our roots in You

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

                                                Lord Jesus, our Christ

                                                Deepen our roots in You                   

~ Holy God, Ground of our Being, plant a grower’s faith and vitality within those chosen and anointed as the tillers of Your verdant fields. Guide them to model and inspire spiritual growth in each other, in ourselves, and in our community of Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                Lord Jesus, our Christ

                                                Deepen our roots in You

 

The Celebrant adds:  Lord of Creation, our Divine Gardener, cultivate our hearts to free us from the weeds of temporal pleasures that choke away our spiritual birthright of salvation. Enrich our willingness to tend and nurture Your Word and Presence within us for a fruitful yield; a soul-fulfilling harvest to last eternally. We ask this through Jesus, Sower of the Word; and the Holy Spirit, Wellspring of Wisdom; who live and thrive together with You as One God, now and forever.  Amen.

 

 

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