Prayers of the People: The Tables are Turned ~ 3rd Sunday in Lent '24 Yr B

For Sunday, March 3, 2024, Readings: Exodus 20:1-7, Psalm 19, 

1 Corinthians 1:18-25, John 2:13-22

  I am the Lord your God...you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth...Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy...But the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God... [Exodus 20:2a, 4, 8, 10a]

     The law of the Lord is perfect and revives the soul...The statutes of the Lord are just and rejoice the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear and gives light to the eyes... Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight... [Psalm 19:7a, 8, 14]

     For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength. [1 Corinthians 1:25]

          In the temple [Jesus] found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables…Making a whip of cords he drove all of them out of the temple...poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables..."Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!"...Jesus answered [the Jews], "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up"...But he was speaking of the temple of his body. [John 2:14-15, 16b, 19, 21]

    Here we are at about the halfway point in this Lent, and the first of the appointed readings for this week presents us with the Ten Commandments. While we all think we know them, and perhaps even memorized them as children, it's a good opportunity to look at the list again and re-think our personal relationship with them. By digging through some archaic vocabulary and translating it into current expressions, we may very well discover a fresh perspective. Try this paraphrase: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+20%3A1-17&version=MSG. We may not like it any better but it’s a way of seeing, hearing, and listening differently. Look at a few of the many other translations and paraphrases offered any time you are reading a piece of Scripture; you may be surprised at some of the similarities and significant differences here and there and discover a freshness in something old and familiar.

    Jesus later gave us what seems to be a simplified version when answering a question, by saying that we are to love God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength, and, to love our neighbors as ourselves [Matthew 22:35-40, Mark 12:28-29, Luke 10:25-28]. Yet to me, there is nothing simple in those words of Jesus when we consider the entire list of Commandments ~ that is, if I truly Love God and Love

my neighbor as myself, then I won't create idols or misuse God's name, or covet anything of others, as well as all the other dictates including sabbath. But it's always useful to revisit the original and consider how ~ and if ~ they are truly informing our thoughts and actions.

    We may not use the term idol generally in today’s conversations other than tv talent shows, but here are some questions I need to explore for myself: What are the idols that get in my way of an active and conscious commitment to God? Are they the newest electronic devices, excess number of streaming services, constant social networking on multiple platforms? Is it hyper-adoration of sports teams, actors, musical stars or other celebrities? Are they food, drink, or online shopping? When does wanting something become coveting that becomes acquisition addiction? When is my sabbath time ever spent resting with God? 

    Not unusually, I'm quite taken with the Psalmist's language. For this one I could put every word down in this space and allow my soul to float in the imagery. The law of the Lord revives the soul and gives light to the eyes; cleanse me from my secret faults. Just sliding into a sabbath reverie with these words is resting with God and keeping a holy time, no matter the specific day or the hour.

    In Paul’s writing to the Corinthians this week, the ending note of this small piece that God's foolishness is wiser that human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength reached me differently. It's unusual to think of God with foolishness and weakness but Paul makes it clear that we are definitely not in God's league! And, Christ incarnate is the power and the wisdom and the Word of God, the Word was God, as John’s Gospel says in its opening [John 1:1].

   But the real surprise is Jesus with a whip ~ wow ~ turning the tables in more ways than one! Bad day at the Temple for those livestock sellers and moneychangers*.

   This and similar accounts appear in the other three Gospels, especially in Mt 21:12-17, but at a significantly later time in the ministry of Jesus. All the accounts agree, however, that this action precipitated the plotting against him by the High Priest and his men.

   Here in John’s version, the cleansing of the Temple becomes the first public act of Jesus in Judea. The wedding at Cana was a private event. The issue of the Gentile marketplace in the Temple, for Jesus, was that it profaned a sacred area that was meant to be open to all people, of all nations [Mk 11:17]. It had become a convenience and a source of revenue for the Temple, and also, an opportunity for corruption. Jesus wasn’t opposed to the sacrificial acts themselves ~ as long as they conformed to the Laws, e.g. animals without blemish, and changing the Roman coins with an image of Caesar (no graven images, remember?) for the local coins with no such image. See below for the purpose for moneychangers in the Temple. For Jesus, this was a clear desecration of the space itself. A purpose for this reported incident is to set the stage for the transformation of “Temple” worship in a stone building, to the living structure of The Mystical Body of Christ, people united with their Lord and raised with him to the newness of true life, each as a “temple” of the Holy Spirit.

   When Jesus said if the temple was destroyed he would raise it in three days, he was speaking of the temple of his body. I remember my grandmother telling me that my body is a temple of God and I should treat it with holiness. When was the last time I thought of that, and, adjusted my attitude and behavior because of it? A conscious relationship with my mind and my body might just be a way to mindfully live into those pesky Commandments. A regular attempt at a holy Sabbath could well do more than I expect, especially in days of violence, hate-mongering, here and in our world in distress. It may just reduce my dependence on the idols of my own human excess. I might find God more present in my consciousness beyond that mere and too-often exclamation, Oh My God!, or a dashed off prayer when the thought occurs. Yes, it's time for a few of my personal tables to be turned.

*Click here for one explanation about: Why Moneychangers?

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Lord of Power and Wisdom, from the covenant given to us through Moses, Your Divine Commands give us each clear direction for our daily lives. Embolden us to change our unfaithful ways, to choose the desire to love You above all else in this life, and to actively seek to fulfill our spiritual destiny in the next.

                                               O God of Glory                                              

RESPONSE:                    Revive our Souls and Rejoice our Hearts

~ O Lord of Power and Wisdom, quicken our determination to be heard by every political leader on this Earth, in this Nation, and in this Community. Grant us the words and vitality to inspire and require positive, life-giving action on behalf of all Your people, especially those beset and beleaguered by war, poverty, violence, and discrimination. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O God of Glory

                                                Revive our Souls and Rejoice our Hearts

~ O Lord of Power and Wisdom, restore hope in all who are lost in the illness of body or despair of mind, and give comfort to all who provide them care. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                O God of Glory

                                                Revive our Souls and Rejoice our Hearts

~ O Lord of Power and Wisdom, help our hearts rejoice as the doors of Heaven open wide to receive those we love, now alive again in Christ forever.  We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                O God of Glory

                                                Revive our Souls and Rejoice our Hearts

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

                                                O God of Glory

                                                Revive our Souls and Rejoice our Hearts

   ~ O Lord of Power and Wisdom, excite and enlighten the words and meditations of the hearts of those who lead us in Your Church, and, in our own. Draw us to willingly and joyfully follow the path You have set for us. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O God of Glory

                                                Revive our Souls and Rejoice our Hearts

The Celebrant adds: Lord God Almighty, You created each of us as a living temple to embody the love of You, our neighbors, and, our selves. Cleanse us from our secret faults and shield us from the lure of everyday idols in this earthly life. Lift our hearts and give light to our eyes, as we rejoice in Your steadfast Presence and eternal love for us all. We ask through Your power and wisdom in Jesus our Christ; and the faith-giving fire of the Holy Spirit; who together with You, reign as One God, forever and ever. Amen.

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Meditation Moment in Lent ~ Day 11: Give Up, Take On, Pray '24

February 26, 2024, 2nd Monday in Lent

The Rev, Henri J. Nouwen

When suddenly you seem to lose all you thought you had gained, do not despair. You must expect setbacks and regressions. Don't say to yourself "All is lost. I have to start all over again." This is not true. What you have gained you have gained....When you return to the road, you return to the place where you left it, not to where you started.   ~ ~ Henri Nouwen 1932-1996*

We all have or will have or know people who have those moments in life ~ the loss of someone dearly loved and integral to one's everyday life, a job loss, significant health challenges, or whatever causes one to fall into hopelessness. There is a time and a need to grieve these losses and be surrounded by those who care for us and who give us hope. We need to take the time it takes yet not grieve for the sake of grief. Seeking the help we need when we realize that we have fallen into despair is important and necessary and not a sign of weakness. Life is precious and short; we must live for those who loved us and want us to thrive as they now, in this life, cannot.  We can rejoin the road of this life even if we are limping and bruised. The sun will shine again when we let it.

Dear God of my wounded heart,
       You know the times when it was all I could do to open my eyes and face another day and when I longed to hide myself in the black of night that matched the darkness of my grief. Give me the eyes to see when another is in the merciless grip of heart-felt pain and sorrow and let me be a quiet comforting presence of hope. For today I will give up living in the shadow of yesterday and take on living in the light of today. I pray for the peace to walk down my road, give encouragement to others, and live my life giving thanks for each breath I am given, and in thanksgiving for those no longer here who want my heart to smile again and often. amen.

*A Dutch-born Catholic Priest with a doctorate in Psychology, Henri Nouwen was a prolific writer on the subject of spirituality. He wrestled with clinical depression throughout his life and it informed his abilities for his writing, teaching, and pastoral care. After teaching appointments with The Menninger Clinic, University of Notre Dame, Yale Divinity School, and Harvard Divinity School, he accepted the position of Pastor for a L'Arche Community for the developmentally disabled near Toronto, Canada. His books such as Wounded Healer, The Way of the Heart, and The Return of the Prodigal Son remain widely read and deeply held by people of all faith expressions.

*A Dutch-born Catholic Priest with a doctorate in Psychology, Henri Nouwen was a prolific writer on the subject of spirituality. He wrestled with clinical depression throughout his life and it informed his abilities for his writing, teaching, and pastoral care. After teaching appointments with The Menninger Clinic, University of Notre Dame, Yale Divinity School, and Harvard Divinity School, he accepted the position of Pastor for a L'Arche Community for the developmentally disabled near Toronto, Canada. His books such as Wounded Healer, The Way of the Heart, and The Return of the Prodigal Son remain widely read and deeply held by people of all faith expressions.

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 Lent: Give Up, Take On, Pray ~ Day 10 '24

For February 24, 2024, 2^nd Saturday in Lent, Day 10

I do not ask my students at Riverbend Maximum Security Prison
about their spirituality — I would not intrude on something so personal.
On occasion, however, they do share their views with me.
For a number of them, perhaps for all, the class creates a setting where,
as one student put it, “For two hours a week, we are no longer prisoners."   
~ Dr. Amy-Jill Levine* 

    What does it mean to be a prisoner of unexamined faith?  Have you ever asked yourself, "What exactly do I believe about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and/or the Bible, the rules and expectations of my particular religious affiliation and practice, and, perhaps more importantly, why do I believe or accept it? 

    What or who has influenced you in your beliefs? Maybe you do have questions but aren’t sure who or how to ask.  Sometimes it is just easier to go with the flow, follow the crowd, and just believe what an authority figure tells you is correct, especially if they’re ordained and/or are extremely persuasive. But Lent is a time to begin to look more closely. 

    There are no easy answers but within a trusting community, there are great opportunities to examine your absolutes, your maybes, your confusions, and your questions. Maybe you’re curious about other denominations and even other faiths and practices, how they are different and similar yet not certain where to look for dependable and trustworthy information. Ask a librarian, search online, read several articles or books on the same subject by different authors with different backgrounds and credentials to think about. Perhaps you've examined your faith in the past and are confident in all that you believe, great! Yet now and then it is useful to review as in the grocery or hardware store list updates; some things retained, some things crossed off, some new things added. Think about finding or beginning a reading group to discuss, agreeing first that agreement on content isn’t necessary and will not be forced. 

     Lent is the perfect time to check in with yourself again for some self-examination and discovery of what it means to oneself to be "faith-full" even with certainties, doubts, questions, and uncertainties that linger and change.

We have heard with our own ears, O God,
    our ancestors have told us,
What deeds you performed in their days,
   in the days of old** ~

And, Dear God, those stories are so important in our faith journey and yet, there seems to be so much conflicting information, differing opinions ~ go this way, that's right, that's wrong, don't ask...I get confused. She said/he said/they say, and I like all of those people, how can they think so differently?  I think I know what I believe about all the important things but I'm not always sure why or if what I believe is the right thing given all the shouting and controversies. Another moment for a long, slow, deep, breath... Today I will give up going through the motions of believing that I completely understand my faith. I will take on asking people I trust how to begin to sort out what I really believe and why. I will pray for an open mind and for the opening of the gates of my heart and soul to allow for changes in thought if they should appear; for the open-heart and mind to allow others to decide for themselves; and also for the patience to accept that my journey of examined faith will ebb and flow with doubt and certainty as long as my earthly life.  amen.

*Dr. Amy-Jill Levine, Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt University School of Divinity.  She self-describes as a "Yankee Jewish feminist who teaches in a predominantly Protestant divinity school in the buckle of the Bible Belt," Levine "combines historical-critical rigor, literary-critical sensitivity, and a frequent dash of humor with a commitment to eliminating antisemitic, sexist, and homophobic theologies."

**Psalm 44:1  NRSV

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Meditation Moment in Lent, Day 9: Give Up, Take On, Pray '24

Second Friday in Lent ~ February 23, 2024

 

I really only love God as much as the person I love the least.

~ Dorothy Day* 1897-1980

      How often do you talk about God in your everyday life?  There are many people, good church-going folks, who have difficulty discussing God, Jesus, religion, and/or spirituality in "normal" conversation.  It's one of the taboos of  polite conversation learned early: "Never discuss religion or politics," ostensibly because it leads to conflict and discomfort in relationships.

      Perhaps it sets us up for debates on right and wrong theologies. Maybe there's an element of proselytizing that we are anxious about giving or receiving.  Or it's just a matter of appropriate time and place. Yet those days seem to be gone, at least for now. Social and Communications Media are awash in religious and political debate and diatribe that push away as many as it draws in. We, as a people, seem to have lost sight of the difference between debate and dialogue. In formal debate, one argues one’s position against another’s differing position. Someone wins, someone loses. In dialogue, we discuss our position with each other being open to one or both of us changing our minds somewhat or not at all, and walking away accepting your position for you, mine for me, with no loser or winner, simply remaining friends.

    What about privately ~ to yourself?  Do you talk to God ~ in joy and thanksgiving, blame and anger, frustration and supplication?  When is it right for you to talk about God? 

O God, Holder of my soul, 
         I come to You in my quiet and alone time to speak of needs and wants, for myself and for others. I speak to You during worship along with all the others as we lift our voices in prayer and response. But speaking about You to others outside of the Church's footprint has never come easy to me.  I worry too much about not knowing enough to discuss or fend off debate, or being perceived as some kind of "holy roller."  You don't need me to plead Your cause but I would like to be less constricted in doing so. For today, I will give up being embarrassed in talking about my relationship with You. I will take on finding at least one moment, as a start, outside of Church, to say some small thing about my relationship with You in a conversation with another person, even if only in a casual remark.  I pray to You for the right words at the right moment, and, for me to make things less difficult for myself and others as You would have them be. Amen.

   *Dorothy Day was a primary founder of the Catholic Worker Movement in the 1930s, a pacifist nonviolent organization that continues to aid the poor today. She began and continued as editor of The Catholic Worker newspaper from its founding in 1933 until her death, drawing contributors such as Daniel Berrigan and Thomas Merton. She wrote passionately about women's rights, free love, and birth control early in her life but in the 1940s, she became an Oblate in the Order of St. Benedict. An oblate is a lay person unprofessed as a monk or nun who makes a commitment to a specific Rule of Life ~ often called a Third Order.
    In 2000, Pope John Paul II titled Day "Servant of God" as a person whose cause for Sainthood has been opened. She has been named "a person Worthy of Commemoration" in the US Episcopal Church whose guidelines allow for an official remembrance in the liturgical calendar no sooner than 50 years after death. Day's extensive biographical history is amazing in its breadth and depth. She would never have thought of herself as a saint, but she was most certainly a force to be reckoned with. Her canonization process in the Roman Catholic Church continues, not without some bumps in the path. If you are interested in that long and winding process here’s the most recent update: https://cjd.org/2024/02/03/the-canonization-process-for-dorothy-day/

 

 

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Meditation Moment for Lent: Give Up, Take On, Pray ~ Day 8 '24

Second Thursday in Lent ~ February 22, 2024

Jalāl al-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī  [1207-1273]

was born in what is now Afghanistan and is considered by many to be the greatest Sufi mystic, theologian, and poet in the Persian language. His work achieved global recognition and appreciation by the end of the 20th century, particularly in the United States. In 2007 he was described as America's favorite poet. His words have a unique universal quality to speak to us all in a variety of faith traditions and even with those who claim none. 

    Rumi gives us much to think about in this Lenten season and in every day of our lives. I'm slowly realizing, after years of reading Rumi's poems, quotes, and thoughts, that I could be a much better human if I internalized and acted on more of his messages instead of merely enjoying them.

   Teaching unlimited tolerance, goodness, charity, and awareness through love, his message appeals to a wide range of creeds and sects around the world.       Continuing on from yesterday’s message of love,  people ~ whether they are liked, disliked, loved, hated, or invisible in our path ~ create all sorts of reactions and responses in our individual lives. 

   Pay close attention to the people you meet today ~ family, friends, co-workers, customers, clients, drivers on the road, fast food workers, store clerks. What words come to mind with each encounter (be honest with yourself!)...is there a lesson for you to think about?  How will you accept or resist them? How will they accept or resist you?

Dear Loving Creator of All Humanity,  
           We, Your people come in all shapes, sizes, colors, temperaments, personalities, beliefs, etc., and we judge them all according to our own sense of right, wrong, or indifference as us and them. Yes, yes, I know I'm not supposed to do that however it just seems to come naturally ~ meet, size up (also known as judge), decide, all in a nano-second. For today, I will give up deciding about someone based on a snap-judgment. I will take on an attempt to remember that I do not know the stories behind their eyes from a lifetime or an hour ago, as no one knows mine, and that their smile, disinterest, or anger doesn’t teach me a thing about who they are. I’ll try to learn something, especially about myself, from each individual I encounter even if it is only seconds long. I will pray for everyone I see, or as many as I can, even if only with a quick "Bless her/him/them, Lord," even if the moment is unpleasant, or, perhaps because it is. I'll try to change the ugly words that sometimes come into my head in order to be the kinder, more considerate, and thoughtful person I want to be, as You want me to be. Help me, Lord, to remember that each person is Yours as I am, and to be grateful that “we” are in Your Creation together. amen.

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Meditation Moment in Lent: Give Up, Take On, Pray ~ Day 7 '24

Second Wednesday in Lent, February 21, 2024

The Rule of Love for all of us is perfectly simple.

Do not waste time bothering whether you "love" your neighbour; 

act as if you did...

When you are behaving as if you loved someone, 

you will presently come to love him.

If you injure someone you dislike, you'll find yourself disliking him more.

Do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less...  

~ C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity

         Of course, there's a slight catch ~ Lewis tells us further that doing a good turn to just obey the laws of charity or only to impress God isn't what the rule of love is all about. We are to treat others as equals in the sight of God. Will we fall head over heels with everyone ~ no!  But we can care for them anyway and begin to love them ~ or at least like ~ even if they don't love/like us back nor drip gratitude all over any of our attempts at good deeds. Oh and, remember we are told by Jesus in the Summary of the Law [in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke] to love our neighbors as ourselves, that, is as if that neighbor is my self, me. Sometimes we do love our neighbors as, in the same way that, we love ourselves, so, perhaps, while working on loving that grumpy, annoying, irritating, over-extroverted or over-introverted, terribly driving, late night partying, “get off my lawn” neighbor, we need to examine ourselves more deeply within. Perhaps what we don’t like most in others is what we don’t like most in ourselves. It might help if I keep in mind that the only person I can change is me.

*Eternal Spirit, 
Earth-Maker, Pain-Bearer, Life-giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be,
Father and Mother of us all, 
Loving God, in whom is heaven...
      It is always easier to do good things for people I love and like. It is downright difficult and even unpleasant to attempt to do nice things for someone I dislike and all the harder if the dislike is intense!  Sigh....Ok, it's Lent, a time to try on new behaviors, new ways of living into the love of Christ. SO, for today, I'll take a deep breath and give up looking down on people I have decided for some reason that I don't like. I'll take on looking at all people through a different lens, seeing them as children of God just as I am. At the very least a kind word with no desire for or expectation of return would be a start. I'll pray for the tranquility to leave the details of who is right/wrong/good/bad to God. All I need to do is love others as if they are myself (and figuring out just how do I love myself) ~ and seeing myself and another as equal in the eyes of You, our Eternal God. I will definitely  need some help with this so You and I will be talking about this again. amen.


Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963) held the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance English at Cambridge University in England and is considered a significant Christian writer of his time. An author of more than 30 books, he is best known today for The Chronicles of Narnia and The Screwtape Letters.

*The beginning of an alternative to the Lord's Prayer in A New Zealand Prayer Book

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Meditation Moment in Lent, Day 6: Give Up, Take On, Pray '24

First Tuesday in Lent, February 20, 2024

“It is true that we cannot be free from sin,
but at least let our sins not be always the same.”
~ St. Teresa of Avila  (1515-1582)

      Teresa of Avila: Mystic, Nun, Saint, Author, Theologian, Doctor of the Church, also known as Teresa of Jesus. Teresa co-founded the Carmelite Order along with priest/friar, mystic, poet, and author of The Dark Night of the Soul, John of the Cross. Her writings, especially The Interior Castle and her autobiography The Life of Teresa of Jesus, as part of  Spanish Renaissance Literature are still widely read and cherished today.  Her ecstatic experiences informed her exercise of meditation and provide us with The Way of Perfection. Human and Saint, the often feisty Teresa, who stared down the Inquisition and won, still offers us down-to-earth yet heavenly advice and direction.

God of Heaven, Earth, and every Universe, as I wake each morning my mind and heart intend for me to be a better person, live a better life, and be more faithful to You. By the end of the second cup of coffee, I've wandered off the track again. At the end of the day, I've unconsciously thought and acted in ways contrary to Your love and will for me. For today, I will give up unconsciously doing the same things in the same ways, and I will take on living with a conscious mind ~ thinking carefully and acting thoughtfully, keeping You uppermost in my mind.  I pray for the awareness of Your Presence, the memory of the sacrifice of Jesus, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, now and always. amen. 

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