Prayers for Lent, Day 32: Give Up, Take On, Pray

           Back when I first started talking about ministry, it was seen as something the ordained did. Lay people had no ministry at all except as they participated in the work of the institution. If you taught in the Christian education program, you had a ministry. If you taught in the public schools, you 'did time' five days a week until you could get to your ministry. When I began my second career, people would say, 'You taught school for thirty-two years; then you began your ministry.' … In my unredeemed way, I would steel myself and reply through clenched teeth, 'No, I continued my ministry.'  
                                                             ~ Verna Dozier* 1917-2006 

What is your definition of ministry?

From Webster: the body of ministers of religion :  clergy
From Dictionary.com:  1.the service, functions, or profession of a minister of religion; 2.the body or class of ministers of religion; clergy.
From TheFreeDictionary.com: a. The profession, duties, and services of a minister; b. The Christian clergy; c. The period of service of a minister

         Perhaps our American Constitutional concept of "Separation of Church and State" permeates our consciousness more than we realize. According to most definitions work is work and ministry is what certain - ordained - people do for work. But are we not Christians every part of every day or does that only happen when we're in Church? How does our idea of ministry change if we are being Christ's ministers whenever and wherever we are? Maybe that seems easier if you're a teacher, a doctor, or even a bartender. Is it possible to be a minister if you're a motorcycle mechanic, house painter, file clerk, or corporate CEO? If we truly are one body in Christ with many members each with our own gifts....

Dear Chief Minister:
       I really don't want to stand on the street corner and handout leaflets, or knock on doors to proclaim You to the world. Even so, I would like to believe that I can be one of Your ministers without having to be so formal about it. Maybe I'm just being presumptuous having no special training or credentials.  So, how do I get to have a ministry?  Maybe if for today I give up the notion that only specially educated, formally trained, ordained people can be ministers, I can take on looking at the most insignificant, or the more important task as a ministry, that is, if it is something that needs to be done, I can complete it without grumbling and resentment. I can smile at someone I pass on the street. I can listen without interruption or one-upping, and let go of feeling superior to others.  I can just be a comfortable presence and accept people where they are.  I can pray to know You are with me and allow that to guide my thoughts, my actions, and my sense of being an integral part of Your One Body.  If all I do is as a minister of Christ, then perhaps I will more easily discern what I will NOT do, and, act accordingly. amen.




*Verna Dozier was a diminutive African-American woman in physical stature only. A trail-blazer in the movement of the "authority of the laity," a foremost Christian educator as a second career, author of books such as The Dream of God, The Calling of the Laity, The Authority of the Laity, and her self-directed Bible study process for lay groups: Equipping the Saints. One of her greatest gifts was making the Bible accessible to everyone by her down-to-earth discussions, sermons, lectures, articles, retreats, and her mere presence.  A master storyteller, educator, and leader, Ms. Dozier spoke with a prophetic voice. To those who knew her well she was funny and she could be quite blunt, but, she was always a minister.  She graced this world, the Church, and anyone who was fortunate enough to have met her and listened to her. But if you were not, you can still read her.


Please feel free to request a prayer to be composed for a particular concern or topic for posting in this space. You may leave your request in the comments section or contact me directly at Leeosophy@gmail.com All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way. Requestors will remain anonymous.

Prayers for Lent, Day 31: Give Up, Take On, Pray

         [There are those activities that] we use...for a kind of pleasure which can be called "fun." But it is not the creative kind of fun often connected with play; it is, rather, a shallow, distracting, greedy way of "having fun." And it is not by chance that it is that type of fun which can easily be commercialized, for it is dependent on calculable reactions, without passion, without risk, without love. Of all the dangers that threaten our civilization, this is one of the most dangerous ones: the escape from one’s emptiness through a "fun" which makes joy impossible.  ~ Paul Tillich* 1886-1965

What kinds of things do you do "for fun" or that you find relaxing or a simple pleasure? 

Photography, playing a musical instrument, bird watching, dancing, reading,

video games, playing the slots, watching television...   

When does fun turn into idle play or idle play into an addiction?

When is "entertainment" at the expense of or in exploitation of others

(however well they are being paid)?

Do your fun times improve your life financially, enhance a relationship, or your health?

Dear God of Free Time ~

         What should I do when my time is my own - is there a right way or a wrong way to do "fun"? Does everything I do in life have to be filled with usefulness and meaning?  Sometimes I just want to sit and veg-out in front of the tv, sometimes I want to run on the beach, learn to paint, or sing in the car. Sometimes I want to write the perfect sonnet or cook the most sumptuous meal for friends. I don't want to be responsible for saving civilization.

         Well, then let me think this through.  For today, I'll give up some of the empty time of mindless "entertainment".  I'll take on some mindful relaxation that will give me a positive outlook on life.  I'll pray to keep idle play from becoming idol play. I'll keep trying to remember that You are present in every moment of my day and only through You can I experience the joy that this life has to offer.  amen.

   

*Paul Tillich is considered as one of the most influential theologians of the 20th century, and Christian Existentialist Philosopher.  His seminal work is a three-volume series on Systematic Theology, which is his most widely known writing though there are many others.  A German-born Lutheran pastor, Tillich came into conflict at the rise of Nazi power and was encouraged by Reinhold Niebuhr [see Prayers for Lent Day 23] to join the faculty of Union Theological Seminary in New York. He later became one of the Five highest ranking Professors at Harvard University and later a professor of theology at the University of Chicago.  His strong influence continues in the world of academic philosophy and theology with its critics and apologists - a legacy that will survive for a very long time to come. 


Please feel free to request a prayer to be composed for a particular concern or topic for posting in this space. You may leave your request in the comments section or contact me directly at Leeosophy@gmail.com All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way. Requestors will remain anonymous.

Prayers of the People: Read my Palm; Palm Sunday

for Palm Sunday, April 13, 2014 ~ Readings:  The Liturgy of the Palms: Mt 21:1-11; The Liturgy of the Word: Isaiah 50:4-9a, Ps 31:9-16, Phil 2:5-11, Mt 26:14-27:66

        The Sunday before Easter is a Christian Feast Day that commemorates the joyful entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on the last week of his life. Coming on the heels of his very public raising of Lazarus from the dead after three days in the tomb in Bethany only two miles away, he begins there and continues on into the gates of the City. The triumphal event is written in all four canonical Gospels and is so significant that it remains an integral part of Christian celebration and worship over two thousand years later.
     Jesus had not yet been to Jerusalem during the short time of his public ministry but he was becoming very well-known and so his arrival on a colt - the foal of a donkey- created quite a stir.  To this day in the Palm Sunday processions we hear hymns and shouts with "Hosanna" ("Hoshana" in Hebrew) - praise to God with great elation as Jesus was greeted by the throngs that lined the road. They sang and shouted Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord [Ps 118: 26]. The people laid their cloaks and branches on the pathway for Jesus as a sign of the highest honor. The palm was the symbol of triumph and victory in the Greco-Roman culture of the times. 
         Another notable symbol is the donkey itself - it would appear to be a very deliberate choice of Jesus sending the disciples to specifically retrieve it. As Jesus was accused later in the week of proclaiming himself "King of the Jews," riding into the city of Jerusalem on a donkey would have symbolized that he was coming in peace, as a ruler would do to show a peaceful arrival rather than a warrior King riding in on a horse.
         The palms, the cloaks and branches on the road, the cheering, exuberance, the presumption by the press of people that Jesus was a prophet and a known miracle worker and, of course, the donkey ~  were all noticed by the Roman occupiers and, the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Council who had its own police force and trial court.  

The die is cast.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

~Jesus, Lamb of God,
You entered Jerusalem in a parade of great joy to the waving of palms and exuberance of the people. Then the manipulated crowds turned hostile and, in fear of the mounting bloodlust, even Your friends betrayed You. We have slept through many moments when we could have been in Your presence. Let us walk consciously through this Holy Week and read the familiar passages with fresh eyes and open hearts.

LEADER:         Hosanna to the Son of David!                        

RESPONSE:     Our faith is awakened; our trust is in You.    

~Jesus, Lamb of God,

Free the leaders of this land and our world from the kind of fear-mongering and political maneuvering that led to Your death.  Lighten their hearts, enlighten their minds, and guide them in to Your compassion. We pray especially for:  add your own petitions

                         Hosanna to the Son of David!                        

                         Our faith is awakened; our trust is in You.   

~ Jesus, Lamb of God,

Shed Your loving grace on all of those who are terribly ill and feeling desperate or hopeless, and for those who worry and care for them. Cradle them in Your benevolent arms and give them peace of heart.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                         Hosanna to the Son of David!                        

                         Our faith is awakened; our trust is in You.   

~Jesus, Lamb of God,

You died and rose to bring us to life in the Glory of God. We yearn for that glory for those we have lost as we look to You for comfort in our grief.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                         Hosanna to the Son of David!                        

                         Our faith is awakened; our trust is in You.   

~Jesus, Lamb of God,

As we walk together through this sacred week, embrace and enrich those You have called to lead Your Church.  Inspire their words, their prayers, and their souls that they and we together may draw closer to You. We pray especially for:  add your own petitions

                         
                         Hosanna to the Son of David!                        

                         Our faith is awakened; our trust is in You.   

 

The Celebrant adds:    O Lord, our God, this Holy Week begins in jubilance, revolves around friendship, and moves into confusion, shock, and grief before we burst into the exultant euphoria of Christ’s Resurrection.  Sustain our hope and re-kindle our devotion as we move again into new life in You. We ask this through Your Sacrificial Son and Your Wise and Holy Spirit, who live and reign with You, One God, now and forever.  Amen.

Please feel free to request a prayer to be composed for a particular concern or topic for posting in this space. You may leave your request in the comments section or contact me directly at Leeosophy@gmail.com All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way. Requestors will remain anonymous.

Prayers for Lent, Day 30: Give Up, Take On, Pray

        [A] personal God can become a grave liability. He can be a mere idol carved in our own image, a projection of our limited needs, fears and desires. We can assume that he loves what we love and hates what we hate, endorsing our prejudices instead of compelling us to transcend them.      ~ Karen Armstrong* 1944-


            In an us and them world, where do we place God as Creator of All in God's own image? How is it that there is only one side that  God is on and it's always ours?


Dear God,
        Of course you're on our side - don't we always kneel on the field and pray to You before the game to help our team win? Aren't we the right color, political party, gender, sexual orientation, and citizen of the best country? 
        For today, I will give up trying to have You act on my will.  I will take on looking more closely for ways to discern Your will. At the very least, I will think more deeply about the admonitions of Jesus to love You with all we have and to love others as ourselves - to love them as if they were us. I pray for the will and the courage to walk this walk and think differently about whose image I serve.  amen.


*Karen Armstrong is a British commentator and renowned author of a multitude of books on quite a breadth and depth of comparative religion studies. A former Roman Catholic nun, she has given us such books as A History of God: A 4,000 Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; Through the Narrow Gate; and Jerusalem:  One City, Three Faiths. Her work centers around the commonalities across major religions and in particular the importance of the Golden Rule and Compassion.  Her work, research, and authorship has garnered her - among many other awards - the $100,000 TED prize in 2008 with which she started the Charter for Compassion: "A document that transcends religious, ideological, and national differences. A cooperative effort to restore compassionate thinking and action to the center of life." Individuals, groups, and even countries can sign and participate in this most human quest to develop humanity to its highest ideal.  http://charterforcompassion.org/






Please feel free to request a prayer to be composed for a particular concern or topic for posting in this space. You may leave your request in the comments section or contact me directly at Leeosophy@gmail.com All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way. Requestors will remain anonymous.

Prayers for Lent, Day 29: Give Up, Take On, Pray

            Imagine a trust in yourself, or another person, or in life itself, that doesn’t need to be proved or demonstrated, that is able to contain uncertainty.          
        People sometimes put their trust in a spiritual leader and are terribly betrayed if that person then fails to live up to ideals.               But a real trust of faith would be to decide whether to trust someone, knowing that betrayal is inevitable because life and personality are never without shadow. 
         The vulnerability that faith demands could be matched by an equal trust in oneself, the feeling that one can survive the pain of betrayal.   
                                       ~Thomas Moore* 1940-          [emphasis added]

Dear Jesus,
          Betrayal in Your life pales in comparison to my own. While You saw it coming and predicted it to the very people who would betray You, perhaps You still hoped that it would not come to be. 
         As for me, learning to trust after discovering a betrayal was very difficult and very painful. I have moved on but the faint echo of the hurt is still there. So, for today, I will give up needing to replay the anguish in my mind and take on making certain that I am not one who will ever deceive another or cause any emotional harm. I will pray to trust my own instinct about people and accept that I will sometimes be disappointed.          
        Betrayal is survivable - out of everyone I've ever known there have been very very few who have willingly mislead me and one or two who didn't trust me enough to tell me the truth. This is proof enough that I can have faith and trust in others as I have in You. And more importantly, I know that my faith and trust in You will always be well-placed.  amen.

*Thomas Moore, is a writer, psychotherapist, and former professor at Glassboro State College and Southern Methodist University.  Dr. Moore has authored of Care of the Soul and Soul Mates among a number of other books on spirituality, and lectures internationally on ecology, psychotherapy, and religion.  

Please feel free to request a prayer to be composed for a particular concern or topic for posting in this space. You may leave your request in the comments section or contact me directly at Leeosophy@gmail.com All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way. Requestors will remain anonymous.

Prayers for Lent, Day 28: Give Up, Take On, Pray

Our images of God matter. 

Just as how we conceptualize God affects what we think the Christian life is about, so do our images of God.   ~ Marcus Borg* 1942-

           

           Have you ever thought about what your image of God is? There have been lifelong influences, some more unconscious than others. In your mind does he look like the illustrations in Children's Bibles, photos of Michaelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling, the ultimate grandfather or, the ultimate disciplinarian? What about Jesus - sun-tanned, blue eyed European with long flowing locks sun-kissed by expensive-looking highlights or a middle eastern semite, a young Jewish man from Palestine?  And, the Holy Spirit - an upside down white dove? 

            Of course it's easier to relate to and feel comfortable with someone we can picture in our minds. Have you ever had the experience of meeting up with an old friend from school - you have that old photo in your mind and suddenly you're confronted with the reality.  Perhaps it all works fine or perhaps the memory and the reality are difficult to mesh. Just as we watch children grow from newborns, to toddlers, older children, teens, young adults...and just as we sometimes want to hold on to them at a certain moment in time, it's important for our relationship with them to recognize them as they are. 
           Obviously we don't have the luxury of knowing what God looks like, but we can look at how or if our early ideas about the image of God has, or hasn't evolved and what that means to us. 

            Sr. Sandra Schneiders, IHM, STD, Professor Emerita of New Testament Studies and Christian Spirituality at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley has said, "God is more than two men and a bird."

            What does your Trinity look like - how does that affect your prayer, your relationship, your sense of who God is in your life?


Dear God,
       I'm concerned that I might have the wrong image of You in my mind. I want so much to capture the right picture of You in my imaginings - all of You, the Trinity ~ God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, so that I can feel that I'm relating to You correctly. And yet somehow that doesn't seem quite right, either.  Well then, for today I'll give up trying to appropriate someone else's image of You.  I'll take on thinking about how I am made in Your image.  I'll pray for the security and freedom to let You out of the box I keep trying to keep You in. And as I evolve in my relationship with You, perhaps I will be able to realize that all I need to do to see You in my mind's eye, is to look in the mirror and at those all around me and then I will see the Face of My Trinity.  amen.


*Marcus Borg, is a Fellow of the Jesus Seminar, and now retired Hundere Distinguished Professor of Religion and Culture at Oregon State University.  A progressive Christian with a significant record of scholarship and research of the Historical Jesus, a prolific author and lecturer, and known internationally through videos and television, Borg has also been a frequent collaborator with other theologians with whom he both agrees and disagrees.  He remains one of the most recognized and influential theologians of today. 

Please feel free to request a prayer to be composed for a particular concern or topic for posting in this space. You may leave your request in the comments section or contact me directly at Leeosophy@gmail.com All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way. Requestors will remain anonymous.

Prayers for Lent, Day 27: Give Up, Take On, Pray

“The way to misuse our possessions is to use them as an insurance against the morrow. Anxiety is always directed to the morrow, whereas goods are in the strictest sense meant to be used only for to-day.”  “...time is the most valuable thing that we have, because it is the most irrevocable.”
          ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer*  1906-1945

          Two different quotes by the same person and his date on the U.S. Episcopal Calendar isn't until April 9, but wait, here's another: "We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God.”  The plan was to wait for April 9 to use this piece but the plan was interrupted by yet another all day/evening Emergency Room run for an aged aunt who fell, yet again, and will be okay, for now...  The first quote had already been pasted before today's adventure. It seemed prescient, as the following two did as well so, why wait?  We only have NOW.  What will I do with it....what will you?

Holy God of Yesterday, Today, and (maybe) Tomorrow,
       The manna You give me today will not last until tomorrow so cajole me not to waste it, fritter it away, or misuse it.  For today I will give up the worry about what might come tomorrow.  I will take on seeing to the necessary business of the day but more importantly, letting those I care about KNOW, specifically, deliberately, intentionally, definitively, that I care. I will pray that we will each be part of each other's lives for much longer and for the gift of grace to let God interrupt my plans and understand, as Dietrich Bonhoeffer said also, “There is meaning in every journey that is unknown to the traveler.”  amen.


*Dietrich Bonhoeffer, theologian, Lutheran pastor, dissident anti-Nazi.  His book The Cost of Discipleship is considered a modern classic.  Polish by birth, he studied at the University of Tubingen and received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees and his Doctor of Theology at the University of Berlin.  He completed a second doctorate - all before the age of 25. He did post graduate study at Union Theological Seminary in New York and was introduced to and was profoundly inspired by the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem.  His teachings and writings continue to inspire generations after his death.  With great angst but complete abhorrence of the Nazi dictatorship and violence, he was involved with the German Military Intelligence Office's plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler.  He was arrested by the Gestapo in 1943 and executed on April 9, 1945, 23 days before the German surrender. His "time is the most valuable thing we have..." comes from his Letters and Papers from Prison.  He never justified or excused his action but accepted that he was taking guilt upon himself as he wrote "when a man takes guilt upon himself in responsibility, he imputes his guilt to himself and no one else. He answers for it...Before other men he is justified by dire necessity; before himself he is acquitted by his conscience, but before God he hopes only for grace." There is so much more that can be said about Dietrich Bonhoeffer and all in his own words.

Please feel free to request a prayer to be composed for a particular concern or topic for posting in this space. You may leave your request in the comments section or contact me directly at Leeosophy@gmail.com All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way. Requestors will remain anonymous.