Prayers of the People: At the Last of All ~ Proper 20, 18th Sunday after Pentecost Yr B '24

For Sunday, September 22, 2024; Readings:  Jeremiah 11:18-20, Psalm 1, 

James 3:13-4:3; 7-8a; Mark 9:30-37

   It was the Lord who made it known to me, and I knew; then you showed me their deeds. But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. And I did not know it was against me that they devised schemes… But you, O Lord of hosts, who judge righteously, who try the heart and the mind, let me see your retribution upon them, for to you I have committed my cause. [Jeremiah 11:18-20]

    For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked is doomed. [Psalm 1:6]

    But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth...But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy...And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace. [James 3:14, 17-18]

   ...for [Jesus] was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again." But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him... on the way [to Capernaum] they had argued with one another who was the greatest. [Jesus]...said to them, "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all." Then he...said to them, "Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me." [Mark 9:3-37]

      Taking 2 verses of any book of the Bible is problematic. Out of context of the chapter, the book, and lacking more information of the author’s history, general focus, and intent, even varying translations, all too often leads to weaponization with two or more sides finger pointing toward their intended targets resulting in mutual stare-downs seeing in the “other” what they/we cannot or choose not to see in themselves/ourselves. This is never more so than in contentious times. It is so much easier and self-satisfying to seek retribution for the “other”. This week we have several choices within the assigned Lectionary and the pickings are not mine to make. And so, we have just 2 verses of Jeremiah. Yet in the weaving of these four readings, as is most often the case, there is an underlying coherent message from which a parallel question asked in last week’s Gospel might well be What do you say that the message of these 4 is?

   The Psalmist compares the actions that make for the happy righteous and the doomed wicked, reminding us that the Lord knows both us and them and the who and the what. And James charts the course of attitudes and behaviors reflecting earthly and inwardly unmet cravings against those who find their path in the wisdom, peace, and gentleness from above. But Jesus is working to prepare the disciples, again, for all that is to come, and, again, they do not understand.

    As the writer of Mark tells us, the chosen disciples were those closest and most committed to Jesus. Yet, close as they were, they were still afraid to ask Jesus to explain what he meant about being betrayed and killed and rising from the dead. But, on the way to Capernaum instead of asking those questions among themselves, they were arguing with each other about which one of themselves was the greatest of them all. Perhaps they were confused about and therefore tuned out the hard truth Jesus was giving because it was too difficult to digest and discuss. 

    In a culture, such as ours in the west, that teaches that one must strive to thrive through success, achievement, wealth, power, and position, it is exceedingly difficult to avoid the traps of envy, ambition, conflict, distrust, etc. Fear of asking questions is also prevalent ~ one learns early in school to be fearful of being mocked and labeled stupid if one asks a seemingly “dumb” question. Surely one only wants to ask the "right questions" and not give too much information away to those with whom one competes. Perhaps each of the disciples were worried that they would ask the wrong question and fail a test of sorts. Or perhaps they were unable to determine what question would be right. James references that as well by telling us that if we didn’t get what we asked for, it was because we asked wrongly, that is, we asked for earthly for human pleasure rather than the spiritual treasure that God provides. 

    Jeremiah, the Psalmist, and the writer of James also bring being righteous into our understanding and instruction. It is one of those words we hear often from the Bible readings ~ we can guess by its sound that it means God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are righteous, that is, they are objective yet loving. For us it sounds as if we are to be "right" with God and in truth it does mean that, to lead a life that is pleasing to God who knows us, to be someone whose actions God would find to be just, gentle, and merciful. We are told very specifically what happens to those who sit in the seats of the scornful [Ps 1:1] and are boastful and false to the truth [James 3:14b]. And now Jesus gives the disciples, and us, the terms of a righteous life: Be last not first, a servant of all, and those who welcome in the name of Jesus will be welcoming God into their midst, thereby drawing themselves near to God who will in turn draw nearer to them. 

   As followers of Jesus we are to commit to selfless service, especially among those who give nothing return whether by circumstance or choice; to reach toward humility in shedding traces of inward and outward aspiration to greatness; and we are to submit ourselves to God. The height and breadth and depth and weight of all that is expected feels staggering helping us to understand how the disciples felt at times. Yet they were together in the best and worst of times, as we are in our communities of faith, working together, learning to understand, committing and submitting ourselves to Christ for the life of each other and our eternal souls. We fail regularly as did those closest to Jesus then and now, and we are always given another opportunity to turn ourselves around and begin again and again, and, always, again. As we draw nearer to God, God will draw nearer to thee and me.

   Our place in this life is at the last of all as God’s gentle lambs, not led to a slaughter, but serving all of God’s people in the name of our Righteous Lamb.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ God Almighty, refresh our souls to keep us from envy and selfish ambition, more able to resist earthly temptation, and willing to yield our hearts and minds to Your Divine Wisdom.   

                                                    Knowing, Welcoming Lord                                                       

RESPONSE:             Draw us nearer to You

~ God Almighty, embolden us to stand together in Christ’s name as we strive to ensure ethical and principled, just and merciful governing by the leaders of our World, our Nation, and our Community. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Knowing, Welcoming Lord

                                                       Draw us nearer to You

~ God Almighty, grant hope to all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, and energy to all who give them care. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need…add your own petitions

                                                       Knowing, Welcoming Lord

                                                       Draw us nearer to You

~ God Almighty, shine Your perfect light into the darkness of grief, as You gather those newly departed from this life, into the gleaming expanse of eternal life with You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Knowing, Welcoming Lord

                                                       Draw us nearer to You

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

                                                       Knowing, Welcoming Lord

                                                       Draw us nearer to You

~ God Almighty, quicken the minds and lighten the steps of all who share Your wisdom with us and delight with us in Your Word. Guide us that together we may sow the seeds that will bear the good fruit to prosper a harvest of righteousness and peace. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Knowing, Welcoming Lord

                                                       Draw us nearer to You       

The Celebrant adds: O Lord our God, release us from the grip of mortal pride and temporal lures to be Christ’s selfless, humble, and welcoming servants of all. Strengthen us as we seek to do the work You have given us to do, not for our own greatness, but the greatness of Your Eternal Kingdom. We ask through the glory and sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus; and the wise counsel of the Spirit Most Holy; who together with You, are One, boundless, and eternal 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: How Do I Answer? ~ 17th Sunday after Pentecost '18 Yr B

For Sunday, September 16, 2018, Readings: Proverbs 1:20-33, Psalm 19, James 3:1-12, Mark 8:27-38

   How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?...I will pour out my thoughts to you; I will make my words known to you. [Proverbs 1:22b, 23b]

  Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. [Psalm 19:14]

  For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle... From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. [James 3:2, 10]

   Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" And they answered him, "John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" [Mark 8:27-29a]

    The Proverbial Prophet of the ancient time is speaking loudly to our own time in this week's selection, as we are warned against scoffers and fools, waywardness and complacency. The Psalmist is more optimistic in praise to and of God's gifts as a Master Plan for our salvation. And James gets quite graphic in his descriptions of the restless evil, full of deadly poison within us, a true tongue lashing! Forget being two-faced, James is blunt saying that out of our mouths come both blessing and cursing. [James speaks to my difficult admission that I am guilty as charged.] 

    As Mark recounts a trip to Caesarea Philippi with the disciples, Jesus asks them what they have heard others say about him. Always an easier question to answer especially in a group: Who do THEY say...? "They and them" are the best at giving opinions, making comments, uninformed decisions, or judgments ~ hey, it's not me, it was "them" ~ they said, they did, they believe... But then comes the real question: "Who do you say that I am?" It’s money on the table time and Peter was right on it! "You are the Messiah." Easy-peasy until the conversation went downhill.

    Of course no one wanted to hear what was coming next: suffering, rejection, and death ~ did they hear the part about rising in three days? Peter ~ Dear Peter ~ started to argue and was shut down by Jesus in the familiar words: Get behind me, Satan!  But this reality was not going to be pleasant or easy and Jesus told the disciples and all the crowd around about saving or losing one's life, then and tells us now. Peter, the disciples, and we are told to get out of the mindset of human things and focus on divine things. We must take up our cross and concern ourselves unashamedly with the Gospel. Yes there may be difficulties, rejection, and perhaps suffering because of it. But here in this day, I take solace and strength and am heartened by the words of Catholic social activist Dorothy Day* who said, If I have achieved anything in my life, it is because I have not been embarrassed to talk about God.

    The question hangs heavy in the air: Who do I say Jesus is? Do I express my answer well enough merely by good deeds, attending Church, wearing a cross? Am I embarrassed to speak openly of my faith in the face of scoffers? Perhaps extra work in trying to keep the unkind part of my all-too-restless tongue tamed is one way for me to take up my cross. How and how often do I think about Jesus in real everyday time? How do I answer His question for myself? How do I answer His question directly to Him and to others? How do I answer…

*click the green link above for more information about the extraordinary life of Dorothy Day [1897-1980]

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O God of Glory, may the meditations of our hearts listen for Your thoughts and live into the Words you make known to us. Revive our souls with the courage to openly name Jesus as our Messiah and to take up the cross to follow Him, for the sake of the Gospel, humanity, and life everlasting.

                                                    Lord Jesus, Son of Man                                                         

RESPONSE:              Our Strength and our Redeemer

~ O God of Glory, amplify the strength of our voices to implore all political leaders in our World, in our Nation and in our Community, to grant immediate and compassionate aid to all current and future victims of tyranny, violence, and desperate living. We pray especially for: Joseph, our President; Kamala, our Vice-President; Tom, Chris, and Lisa, our Members of Congress; John, our Governor; Matt, our County Executive; and Mike, our Mayor.

                                                       Lord Jesus, Son of Man

                                                       Our Strength and our Redeemer

~ O God of Glory, cradle in Your generous heart all who are exhausted by the endless pain and fear of disease or depression, and fortify those who work to give them comfort. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need. We pray especially for:

                                                       Lord Jesus, Son of Man

                                                       Our Strength and our Redeemer                               

~ O God of Glory, gladden our mournful hearts as those we love, now live forever in in the splendor of Your eternal shores. We pray especially for: 

                                                       Lord Jesus, Son of Man

                                                       Our Strength and our Redeemer                      

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

                                                       Lord Jesus, Son of Man

                                                       Our Strength and our Redeemer                                

~ O God of Glory, sanctify again all who lead us in Your Church, who teach us the ways of discipleship, and guide us to learn and know who Jesus is to us, and who journey with us toward You in all phases of our lives. We pray especially for: Michael, our Retiring Presiding Bishop; Sean, our Incoming Presiding Bishop, Kevin our Bishop; Patrick our Rector; and Lloyd, our Rector Emeritus.

                                                       Lord Jesus, Son of Man

                                                       Our Strength and our Redeemer   

The Celebrant adds: O True and Righteous God, in the midst of our imperfections in this human life, help us to turn away from scoffers that we may rejoice in and follow Your perfect law. Keep us from presumptuous sins that we may become heart whole, soul sound, and altogether acceptable in Your Divine and Eternal Sight. We ask through Christ Jesus, our Messiah, and the Holy Spirit, our Fount of Wisdom, who together with You reign in the fullness of 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 Energy in Crumbs ~ Proper 18, 16th Sunday after Pentecost '24 Yr B

For Sunday, September 8, 2024; Readings: Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23; Psalm 125, 

James 2:1-10, [11-13], 14-17;  Mark 7:24-37

   Those who are generous are blessed, for they share their bread with the poor...Do not rob the poor...or crush the afflicted at the gate.[Proverbs 22:9,22]

   Show your goodness, O LORD, to those who are good and to those who are true of heart. [Psalm 125:4]

    My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ…What good is it…if you say you have faith but do not have works? [James 2:1, 14]

     "But she answered [Jesus], "Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." Then he said to her, "For saying that, you may go-- the demon has left your daughter"...Then looking up to heaven, [Jesus] sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. [Mark 7:28-29, 34-35]

    In the midst of all that is happening in this world at this moment, comes the appointed readings for this week that are filled with instruction, imaging, warnings, and questions. I'd prefer to escape and think about them another day as some of the Proverbs and Psalm verses contain the harsh tones of the Old Testament God we think we know. Yet there are also vibrant glimpses of the compassion and mercy of our abiding God of Presence, the One who is the maker of us all. 

    We are admonished by the warnings and encouraged by the instructions reminding us that awareness, attentiveness, and good works are keys to how we live into the faith we claim and we ignore them at our eternal peril. In taking easier, even unconscious paths in giving favor to ourselves and only certain others, by not working on behalf of all our brothers and sisters, in following the laws we like and not the ones we don't, our faith slowly falters and dies.

      I'm rarely aware of how unaware of God I am in the rush of the day, the list to be completed, life whipping by at warp speed. Then James asks if I really believe...um...well, sure, when I'm consciously aware, attentively faithful, and when in church, more or less. I have to think about what I believe, sometimes. Yet at other times I'm absolutely certain but think that I don't have the time ~ that is, I don't take nearly enough time ~ to do very much about it.

     And then here is Jesus saying, Ephphatha [EFf-ah-thah]~ "Be opened." This miraculous phrase gives me a pause, a moment to breathe, a release from the self-imposed binding of mindless selfishness. The writer of James is trying to open us to act on what we say we believe, as faith is to always be accompanied by action. Even the Syrophoenician woman opened herself ~ in an unexpected way for a woman of her time ~ to talk back to Jesus in quite the stunning retort. As Jesus was in the middle of his ministry, he was becoming well known for his healing and preaching and sought after by his Jewish followers. Being confronted by a non-Jewish (Gentile) woman asking for her child to be healed he told her, in effect, that Jewish people (the "children") should be fed (healed) first as it wasn't fair to throw their food (healing) to the dogs (Gentiles). Was he merely testing her or was he in turn also opened by her candor when she replied, Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs. Jesus replied, For saying that, you may go, as he then healed her child.

    As Jesus healed the man who was deaf and couldn't speak clearly, he also heals us, right now, in this moment. By these words we, too, can be opened to new insight, new consciousness. We were created to live and act in faith, to be as God wants us to be, to reap the harvest of eternal life, to love and treat all our neighbors as if they were our own selves. As we explore and re-discover a faith that has become less focused over time, it becomes more conscious with every thought and kindness and prayer, and every action intentionally centered in Christ. It is true that the rewards for our actions for and through Christ may be rare, yet even the tiniest crumbs of faith paired with good acts and obedience to God's law, will live and thrive and grow within us. Let us gather the energy of the crumbs of our faith from the soul-freshened nourishment of our Christ’s teachings to live and move and have our being in Him [Acts 17:28]. A sentence from the post-Communion Prayers in the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer (BCP page 365) sums it up quite beautifully: Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart. AMEN.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
 
Leader:  ~ Most Merciful Lord, rouse us from the distractions of our own time, that we may turn crumbs of neglect into seeds of generosity that blossom into love for our neighbors and ourselves. Guide us to fulfill the royal law according to Scripture, and use our work in this earthly life as a reflection of our abiding belief in You.  
 
                                                    O God of Goodness      
RESPONSE:                         Open our faith as Your love in action
 
~ Most Merciful Lord, empower our voices to disquiet the satisfaction of those who profit from injustice, and help us turn aside those with crooked ways. Let all who wield power in the halls of government on our Planet, in our Nation, and in our Community, be true of heart, turn their trust to You, and work to ensure the dignity and humanity of all. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       O God of Goodness
                                                       Open our faith as Your love in action
 
~ Most Merciful Lord, embrace and heal all who are lost in serious illness or despair, and revive spirit and peace in all who give them loving support. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need…add your own petitions
 
                                                       O God of Goodness
                                                       Open our faith as Your love in action
 
~ Most Merciful Lord, grant peace and comfort to those who grieve in knowing that their beloved has risen into the bliss of life everlasting with You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       O God of Goodness
                                                       Open our faith as Your love in action
 
~  Most Merciful Lord, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… add your own petitions
 
                                                       O God of Goodness
                                                       Open our faith as Your love in action
 
~ Most Merciful Lord, as we come to the end of one season and the beginning of another, renew and excite our spirits, especially of those who shepherd us on our journey to You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       O God of Goodness
                                                       Open our faith as Your love in action
 
The Celebrant adds:  O God, Maker of us all, open our ears to hear Your Word and release our tongues to speak our faith plainly. Let us seek and honor Your ways in every thought, word, and deed of our daily lives. We ask in the name of Jesus, our Glorious Lord; and the Holy Spirit, the Breath of our Souls; who together with You reign as one God from before all time and for evermore. 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: Blessed in Our Doing ~ Proper 17, 15th Sunday after Pentecost '24 Yr B

For Sunday, September 1, 2024, Readings: Song of Solomon 2:8-13, Psalm 45:1-2, 7-10; James 1:17-27,  Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

  The voice of my beloved! Look...there he stands behind our wall, gazing in at the windows, looking through the lattice. [Song of Solomon 2:8a, 9b]

    My heart is stirring with a noble song...God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness, above your fellows. [Psalm 45:1a, 8]

    Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above...let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God's righteousness...be doers of the word, and not merely hearers...care for orphans and widows in their distress...keep...unstained by the world. [James 1:17a, 19b-20, 22a, 27b]

    "Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites...You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition"...For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come... [Mark 7:6a, 8,21a]

     The language of the Hebrew Testament readings this week is rich, provocative, and even sensual. The Song of Solomon is clearly a magnificent and moving love poem, and the Psalm carries the romance along enticing our senses with imagining the fragrances of myrrh, aloes, and cassia and idyllic sounds of the music of strings from ivory palaces. [Ps 45:9]  It feels easy to enter into the reverie and be transported into a dreamlike state by the magical quality of the intimacy created by these words.  Long ago and far away, a Catholic priest I knew (considered highly radical for the time and especially the place) held Mass on Sunday evenings on an Army post in the shadow of Pike’s Peak in Colorado, where I lived as a young Catholic Army spouse. The memories are still vivid so many years later, and in particular, with him using recorded contemporary music in the liturgy, specifically love songs, saying that even these can be the language of expressing our love to and for God. And so it goes for the Song of Solomon and the lyrics of this Psalm. Our Beloved, our God, who longs for us, and stands behind our wall…gazing in…looking through to see our hearts, asking us to Arise...and come away.

     The writer of James tells us that it is through God's generous act of giving that we are brought to birth by the word of truth and are directed to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger...we are to be doers of the word, and not merely hearers [James 1:17a, 18a, 19, 22a]. But, as always, it is Jesus who, in quoting Isaiah, speaks bluntly to the Pharisees who make human tradition and precepts into idolatrous doctrine, as they abandon the commandments of God. He tells the rest of us by way of addressing "the crowd" that there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile…that it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come... [Mark 7:14]       

      In our own time and "religious practice" when the "tradition" and ritual are the ends rather than the means to holiness, when purpose and origin are lost or forgotten, when the "why" of it is no longer remembered or even considered, we lose the integrity and intention of the worship of God, especially in daily living. We have ceased to be conscious, and have become merely hearers, not doers of God’s Word. We become desensitized, sterilized, and removed from receiving and giving the deep, abiding love of God, the God who gazes through our personal windows into our souls. 

      We are given these extraordinary words of love this week to deepen our relationship with God who anoints us with the oil of gladness. James reminds us that our God-given purpose is to act on behalf of those in distress, and to keep ourselves unstained by the world. Committing again to God's commandments, let us welcome with meekness the implanted word that will save our souls as it goes straight to our hearts, wherein lies the voice of our Beloved. In accepting and returning the lyrics of love from, to, in, and through God, we gladly become the doers of God's Word, grace filled and soul-full. 

     The timing of these readings could not be more appropriate given the global, national, and local political climate of our current days. As we become doers in, with, and by the love of God, we are blessed in our doing.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY 

Leader:  ~ O God, our God, stir our hearts with urgent generosity to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slower to anger. Instill in us the perfect gifts to live as doers of Your word and truth, caring for all in distress, and remaining unstained by this world.

                                                       O Lord, Most Beloved                                                        

RESPONSE:                            Keep us free of evil intent 

~ O God, our God, grant all who govern Your people everywhere in this Earthly realm, purity of motive and principled determination to stay free of hypocrisy, and be eager for justice and mercy. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord, Most Beloved

                                                       Keep us free of evil intent 

~ O God, our God, release from pain those who suffer through addiction, sickness, or depression, and give strength to all who provide for their daily needs. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord, Most Beloved

                                                       Keep us free of evil intent

~ O God, our God, soothe the wounds of those who grieve, as Heaven is alive with noble song in an eternal festival of joy with those we love. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord, Most Beloved

                                                       Keep us free of evil intent

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

                                                       O Lord, Most Beloved

                                                       Keep us free of evil intent

~ O God, our God, quicken the spirits of all who bring us Your Word and Sacraments, that together we may move from the idolatry of mere human tradition to the honoring of Your commandments with each action of our lives. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord, Most Beloved

                                                       Keep us free of evil intent

The Celebrant adds:  Holy and Righteous God, as we are anointed by Your Oil of Gladness, fortify our resolve to cleanse our own hearts, to think, pray, speak, and act only through Your implanted Word, that holds the power to save our souls. We ask through the perfection of Jesus, our Christ; and the wisdom 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: About the Bread ~ Proper 16, 14th Sunday after Pentecost '18 Yr B

For Sunday, August 25, 2024; Readings: 1 Kings 8:[1, 6, 10-11], 22-30, 41-43; Psalm 84, 

Ephesians: 6:1-20, John 6:56-69

   Hear the plea of your servant…O hear in heaven your dwelling place; heed and forgive. [1 Kings 8:30a, c]

  Happy are the people whose strength is in you! Whose hearts are set on the pilgrims' way…No good thing will the Lord withhold from those who walk with integrity. O Lord of Hosts, happy are they who put their trust in you. [Ps 84:4, 11-12]

   Put on the whole armor of God…Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication.  [Ephesians 6:11a, 18a]

   Jesus said, "Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them..." When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?"...[But Jesus said to them] "It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life." [John 6:56, 60, 63]

   Several weeks ago we read of David dancing happily through the streets leading the Ark of the Covenant to his own City. Last week we opened the story of Solomon ascending David's throne with God's continuing love. This week Solomon completes the journey his father began in seeing the Ark brought home to Jerusalem, proclaiming to all assembled that "there is no other God like you" who keeps the covenant and steadfast love for all.  

    The Psalmist, speaks over and over about the joy of dwelling in the House and Courts of the living God, the Lord of Hosts. A tiny phrase points us in a definite direction when it says hearts are happy when set on the pilgrim's way as those who travel through a desolate valley will find it a place of springs. Paul exhorts us to shield ourselves from all that could turn us away from God, and to Put on the whole armor of God for strength and to pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer. 

    This week we also come to the end of the Farewell Discourses of Jesus telling his followers to "eat my body and drink my blood." This piece of the paschal mystery is so difficult to comprehend that many of those who were following Jesus in his time walked away because of it. Yet many stayed and struggled and today we each reconcile ourselves to this idea in various ways. Some Christians believe in Transubstantiation at the time of the consecration, that the bread and wine on the altar become, mysteriously and mystically, the True and Actual Body and Blood of Christ. Others accept the consecration as metaphor, or, symbolic representation. Some denominations have no "communion" service at all but rely solely on preaching the Word. But the question remains, why are there so very many references about BREAD in the bible?

    Bread* is one of the oldest foods to be "made" from other ingredients ~ even just flour and water can render some form of it. Leavening, or yeast, is what gives us the bread that westerners are most familiar with. It is nutritious enough to sustain a diet of "bread and water" for quite a long time [though for myself, it’s the homemade bread that is more sustaining than the store-bought that is rife with unpronounceable and questionable preservatives and additives]. Bread has been called the "Staff of Life," a staple food for most of the people in the world and would have been understood in Jesus’s time as simply basic to everyday life. His graphic language is what is most confounding but hearing it in plain and simple terms, when we consume the bread and the water, they are in us, feeding our bodies. When we consume the bread and wine as the body and blood of Christ ~ however one accepts the form as actual or symbolic ~ it represents Christ within us as he tells us we are in him. It is our spiritual sustenance to nourish us on our earthly journey, our pilgrimage, that culminates in eternal life through salvation. Consuming the small piece of consecrated bread and wine in the Eucharist, is, for me, a literal physical connection to an abiding spiritual Presence.

    And, finally in the Gospel of John, Jesus asks the Twelve if they wish to also turn away and Peter says, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."  From those times to our times, we are still seeking to understand, to strengthen our faith, to travel the path to God in our own way and with each other. We struggle with questions and doubts and confidence in our faith. We are pilgrims.

   The Oxford dictionary defines pilgrim as: a person who journeys to a sacred place for religious reasons and offers the synonyms: worshiper, devotee, believer, traveler, wayfarer. It isn't necessary to physically travel, we can make progress as a pilgrim in our spiritual journeys wherever we are through prayer and contemplation, in worship and through Communion with fellow journeyers in the Eucharist and/or spiritual companioning. But just as in travel, sometimes there are delays and detours, yet with determination, eventually the destination is reached. Prayer, perseverance, desire, and longing to be part of God's Household is all it takes ... but it is easier if we go together. As the old hymn from John Bunyan, author of the 1678 Pilgrim’s Progress, concludes: Since, Lord, Thou dost defend us with Thy Spirit, We know at the end, shall life inherit. Then fancies flee away! I'll fear not what men say, I'll labor night and day to be a pilgrim.**

    Let us put on the Armor of God, eat our Bread, and continue on our sacred path.

*A little more about bread: According to one source, bread is mentioned more than 490 times in the Bible, appearing in both the Hebrew [Old] and Christian [New] Testaments. The first appearance is in Genesis 3:19 as God explains the consequences of “the fall” to Adam. One of the most interesting pieces, for me, is the Hebrew word for bread which is lechem [lek hem]. Another interesting Hebrew word is beit [bate] which in English is beth and is the word for house. We see that often in local synagogue names such as Congregation Beth Shalom and Congregation Beth Emeth. Beth Shalom is more than House of Peace. In addition to peace, shalom means completeness, well-being, restoration, and more. Emet[h] translates to truth, faithfulness, firmness. Now when I put Beith lechem together it is house of bread. In English, it becomes Bethlehem, where, our Bread of Life was born.

**To listen to an unusual and beautiful rendering of Bunyan's hymn, click here: Steve Parsons: To Be A Pilgrim

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY 

Leader:  ~ Living God, our Sun and our Shield, strengthen our faith that we may reflect Your steadfast love in all that we do. Help us on our pilgrim way to pray in the Spirit at all times; lead us to seek and find springs of joy in the midst of desolation, and to know and follow Christ’s words of eternal life.

                                         O Lord of Hosts                        

RESPONSE:              We put our trust in You

~ Living God, guide us to stand firm and proclaim the Gospel of peace and justice to all who hold authority over the governments of this World, of this Country, and of this Community. Let us take up Your Truth and walk with the integrity that we expect and require of our leaders. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                         O Lord of Hosts

                                         We put our trust in You 

~ Living God, breathe fresh hope into the spirits of all who are weighed down by serious illness, desperation, or addiction, and lift the hearts of those who give them care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                         O Lord of Hosts

                                         We put our trust in You

~ Living God, ease our sorrows with the comfort of knowing that those we have sent ahead to You, now transcend all earthly woes, and live forever in the newness of life, holy and eternal. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                         O Lord of Hosts

                                         We put our trust in You

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

                                         O Lord of Hosts

                                         We put our trust in You         

~ Living God, You have gifted us with disciples who do not turn away but give their daily lives to Your service, guiding us through Word and Sacrament. As Christ abides in us and we in Him, we join and journey together toward the threshold of Your Eternal House. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                         O Lord of Hosts

                                         We put our trust in You    

The Celebrant adds:  Oh God of Grace and Glory, hear our plea and draw us together to clothe ourselves in Your armor of faith, being nourished by the Holy Food and Drink of Christ. With Your helmet of salvation and belt of truth, we can resist all evil, as we seek to live forever in You, rejoicing beyond all time. We ask through Christ Jesus, the Holy One; and our Life~Giving Spirit; who together with You, reign as One God, now and forever. Amen.

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