Prayers of the People: Nourishing Words,10th Sunday after Pentecost

for Sunday, August 2, 2015, 10th Sunday after Pentecost,  Year B, Readings: 2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a, Ps 51:1-13, Eph 4:1-16, John 6:24-35

           Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man. He said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity"...Nathan said to David, "You are the man!  [2 Samuel 12:5-7a]

           I [Paul],...beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called...But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift...The gifts [God] gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ...  [Ephesians 4:1a, 7, 11-12]

           Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you....Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."  [John 6:27, 35]

           David, oh David, God saw. You were mightily punished many times over ~ we've only just seen the beginning. But God never left you, always loved you, and you finally saw your sin with woeful clarity.
           It's wonderfully easy to read this ancient drama/morality tale and feel smugly comfortable that this isn't about me. But David reacts to Nathan's story as I might - and have done - when confronted with a story about or a behavior of someone else that causes a sudden and righteously angry reaction in me that equally suddenly recognizes moments of my own sin upon which I must sincerely reflect. Create in me a clean heart, O God [Ps 51:10] is a prayer that comes to my regretful mind in those times. (Other translations use pure in place of clean.)
           Paul begs us to lead a life worthy of the calling and it is Jesus who brings earthly appetites into focus for us now, in our own time, in our own lives. I remind myself again that the Bible is more than "then" it is also "now." All that happened then is happening now, the dreadful things, the lovely things, the boring things, and the long lists of things ~ look at headlines any day of the week. Jesus has given us the directive of what to take with us and what to leave behind on our Journey to Eternal Life. By him we are fed and led. Through him we are redeemed. All we need to do is believe it and then live into our belief by all that we do, by following Jesus. Jesus is our manna from Heaven, our Bread of Life. Truly nourishing words.
          

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O God of Loving-Kindness, You know the truth deep inside of us, from our best to our worst actions, and all that lies thoughtlessly in between. Create clean hearts in us again and renew Your right spirit within us, that we may lead the worthy lives to which we are called.

 Jesus, Bread of Life

RESPONSE: Feed us with the joy of Your saving help again

~ O God of Loving-Kindness, grant us the courage to speak the truth in love to all who hold authority in this community, in this nation, and on this earth, and help our words stem the tide of greed and violence. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                    Jesus, Bread of Life

                                    Feed us with the joy of Your saving help again

~ O God of Loving-Kindness, deliver all who live in the throes of chronic illness, depression, or addiction, and comfort those who love them. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…add your own petitions

                                    Jesus, Bread of Life

                                    Feed us with the joy of Your saving help again

~ O God of Loving-Kindness, bind the wounds of those who grieve, as You rejoice with all who now live again in Your bountiful Spirit forever. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                    Jesus, Bread of Life

                                    Feed us with the joy of Your saving help again

~ O God of Loving-Kindness, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently…add your own petitions

                                    Jesus, Bread of Life

                                    Feed us with the joy of Your saving help again

~ O God of Loving-Kindness, empower those who have gifts as apostles, spiritual teachers, and pastors, who equip us to do the work of ministry, and build up the Body of Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                    Jesus, Bread of Life

                                    Feed us with the joy of Your saving help again

The Celebrant adds: Eternal LORD, kindle in us the desire to turn to You each day, and to give ourselves to the work of heaven that endures beyond our mere human existence. We ask through Jesus, our Divine Sustenance, and the Holy Spirit, our Heavenly Counselor, who together with You are One God, for all infinite, imperishable time. Amen.

Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to 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.

Prayers of the People, Of Land and Sea, 9th Sunday after Pentecost

for Sunday, July 26, 2015, Pentecost 9, Year B  Readings: 2 Samuel 11:1-15, Ps 14, Eph 3:14-21, John 6:1-21 

          The LORD looks down from heaven upon us all, 
to see if there is any who is wise,
if there is one who seeks after God. 

[Psalm 14:2]

          I pray that...you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith...that you may have the power to comprehend...what is the breadth and length and height and depth...[of] the love of Christ...that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  [Ephesians 3:16-18]
          A large crowd kept following [Jesus]...they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted...When evening came, his disciples got into a boat, and started across the sea...It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough...[and] they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."  [John 6:2,10b,16-20]

            How, when one is the adored King with unlimited power and significant appetites, having everything you want at your fingertips or within finger-snapping distance, does one keep that power in check, the appetites moderated, and the ego from trying to control the world? If you're King David, apparently not very well. But God was watching...And Paul's prayer from prison reminds us, and himself, too, that God has the power to grant us inner strength when we are grounded in the love of Christ through our faith. Although the faith exhibited by the disciples who followed Jesus wasn't always perfect, the people following all of them knew by the signs of his actions who he was. Even as Jesus walked across the water to the boat - he still  had to tell them not to be afraid. 
           All of us fail at faith, ego-moderating, and appetite suppressing. Even Jesus got angry - righteously so, perhaps, but still...And God is watching, knowing our hearts even more than we do at times, and loving us anyway. Stop, breathe, and pray, every now and then, to be rooted and grounded in love, to try and understand in some small way what is the breadth and length and height and depth of our Creator's gift of this life and the next. Whether feeding the 5,000 on the mountainside or strolling across the Sea of Galilee on foot, God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit, by the power of the work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine from the heavens to the universe, on land and at sea.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Faithful and Merciful God, You give us the freedom to be all that we are and do all that we do yet You know us deep in our hearts. Strengthen our inner beings that we may be rooted in Your love and reflect the eternal fullness of You in our daily lives.

Most Nurturing Lord

RESPONSE: Make haste to feed our souls and calm our fears

           

~ Faithful and Merciful God, in You lies the strength to enable the deliverance of all Your people from prejudice, poverty, and war. Help us to bring our voices to all who govern on this earth, in our nation, and in our community.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Most Nurturing Lord

                                    Make haste to feed our souls and calm our fears

~ Faithful and Merciful God, free the hearts, minds, and bodies of those who suffer from illness, despair, or anxiety and give rest to all who give them care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need: add your own petitions

Most Nurturing Lord

                                    Make haste to feed our souls and calm our fears

~ Faithful and Merciful God, rescue the hearts of all who are lost in the whirlwind of grief as you lift the precious souls of our loved ones to the bliss of life everlasting. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Most Nurturing Lord

                                    Make haste to feed our souls and calm our fears

~ Faithful and Merciful God, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently…add your own petitions

Most Nurturing Lord

                                    Make haste to feed our souls and calm our fears

~ Faithful and Merciful God, grant unlimited wisdom to all who lead us in Your church, as together we sail the unpredictable waters of life on our journey to You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Most Nurturing Lord

                                    Make haste to feed our souls and calm our fears

The Celebrant adds: Gracious, Gracious, Loving God, endow us with spiritual vision to know the miraculous breadth, and length, and height, and depth of Your nourishing presence in our lives. Teach us to see how to bring the world to You. We ask through Christ Jesus, our mystical healer, and the Holy Spirit, our comforter in affliction, who together with You live and reign as One God now and forever.    Amen.

Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to 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.

Prayers of the People: House Hunting? 8th Sunday after Pentecost

for Sunday, July 19, 2015, Pentecost 8, Year B, Readings: 2 Samuel 7:1-14a, Ps 89:20-37, Eph 2:11-22, Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 

          ...[T]he word of the LORD came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the LORD: Are you the one to build me a house to live in?... [T]he LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. [2 Samuel 7:4b-5,11b]  [emphasis added]

          ...[In] Christ Jesus...is our peace...he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall...thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body...you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined...you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.
[Eph 2:13a-14,16a,19-21a,22]

            In the weeks since the murders at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, more than half a dozen African-American houses of worship were burned, countless debates and confrontations over the Confederate flag, the Supreme Court has upheld the constitutionality of gay marriage while various and sundry states and counties threaten non-compliance. A sticky provision of the Affordable Care Act was also deemed constitutional and the Court has, as well, sustained the legality of certain drugs used for the execution of prison inmates. That's certainly not all that has happened but it is all just in this country since mid-June. There are natural disasters, wars, terror attacks, ethnic cleansings, religious persecutions, debt crises, famine, etc., etc., every day in this world. People losing houses in devastating ways, or at least, their footing they once thought was sure. And for every "us" there is a "them” and how can we trust “them” if they’re not “us”? 
           How do we take it all in; how do we fix it; how do we reconcile? We have to start at home. No easy answers here, but lots of ideas about reconciliation are available in churches, other faith communities, in non-profit and other organizations. Gather some of your "us" and hear some thoughts and then work on gathering some of your "them"...it's not easy to break down dividing walls, to calm the hostility between us. When all feels lost, let's pray together, us and them.  Jesus is always a good beginning place, the foundation of our spiritual household. Let "us" find our way, with at least some of "them", to truly follow Him, and some peace will come, so that, at least in one small pocket of this difficult world, we can make that house a home, a dwelling place for God.            
           As the hymn says:  

Christ is made the sure foundation,

Christ the head and cornerstone,

chosen of the Lord, and precious,

binding all the Church in one;

holy Zion's help for ever,

and her confidence alone.

[Hymn 518, The Hymnal 1982]

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ God of Promise and Peace, as we work to break down the walls that divide us and reconcile ourselves as one body, You sent us Christ, as our Shepherd, to be the new cornerstone in the foundation of Your eternal household.

LORD of Compassion and Healing

RESPONSE: You are the rock of our salvation

~ God of Promise and Peace, Help us find the words to move the hearts and souls of those who hold authority in our city, in our country, and in all of the governments of this world, to eliminate hostility, hopelessness, fear, and famine. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

LORD of Compassion and Healing

                                    You are the rock of our salvation

~ God of Promise and Peace, surround and relieve the suffering of those in chronic pain, lost in the grip of depression, or trapped in addiction, or homelessness. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…add your own petitions

LORD of Compassion and Healing

                                    You are the rock of our salvation

~ God of Promise and Peace, embrace the hearts of the grieving as we commend those we love to You, as citizens with the saints, to live again in everlasting joy. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

LORD of Compassion and Healing

                                    You are the rock of our salvation

~ God of Promise and Peace, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently…

LORD of Compassion and Healing

                                    You are the rock of our salvation

~ God of Promise and Peace, guide all who are anointed in Your service as they shepherd us along life’s uncertain roads, and journey with us to life eternal in You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

The Celebrant adds: Holy and Living God, grant us the faithfulness to live as Your spiritual dwelling in this life, and rest in the knowledge that we will abide fully in You in the next. We ask through the mercy of Christ Jesus, the cornerstone of our souls, and the Holy Spirit, the sacred breath of peace, who together with You reign as One God, now, forever, and always.  Amen.     

Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to 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.

Prayers of the People: Music, Singing, Dancing, 7th Sunday after Pentecost

for Sunday, July 12, 2015, 7th Sunday after Pentecost,  Year B, Readings: 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19; Ps 24, Ephesians 1:3-14, Mark 6:14-29    

             David danced before the LORD with all his might...So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. [2 Sam 6:14-15]

          When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it." [Mark 6:22]

          Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world...In him you also, when you...had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.
[Ephesians 1:3-14]

           Bringing the Ark of the Covenant to his own city has King David leaping and dancing in the procession with sheer joy and giving generous gifts of meat, bread, and a cake of raisins to all the people of Israel who have gathered together for this momentous event. (The ecstasy and glory of the happy journey expressed in this reading does leave out a puzzling piece that is between the verses we are given for today ~ that of the sudden demise of Uzzah. But you can read that for yourself...) 
           Later on in the story of Israel comes Herod Antipas, a son of King Herod the Great, now the local ruler in Galilee. The famous dance of his daughter left him and his guests so well pleased and entertained that Herod promised her anything and she got the gift mommy told her to ask for, served up on a platter.  
               But Paul, in this letter to Ephesus while cooling his heels in a Roman prison, is singing a different tune. This reading is one long sentence in the original and may well have contained parts of a hymn that the locals would have known. Paul tells the Gentiles and Jews who believed in Jesus, that it is God's purpose for all to be united, as God's own people, living holy and blameless lives through the redemption of Christ. We are forgiven our trespasses, sealed by the Holy Spirit, and our life's purpose is to live in obedience and for the praise of God's grace and glory, with our hope in Christ. In so doing, we will reap the reward of our inheritance, life eternal in the Kingdom of God. No doubt there will be music, singing, and dancing then, and, some great gifts!

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Holy and Mighty God of Glory, free us from all greed, envy, and contempt; purify our hearts to receive and live into Your gospel of salvation.

 LORD Everlasting

RESPONSE:  Help us set our hope on Christ      

~ Holy and Mighty God of Glory, grant wisdom and insight to all who hold authority in this world, our nation, and our community. Guide their actions toward mercy, justice, and peace for all of God’s own people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

LORD Everlasting

                                    Help us set our hope on Christ

~ Holy and Mighty God of Glory, lavish your healing grace on those struggling with chronic pain or the devastation of a difficult diagnosis, and give strength to all who give them support. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…add your own petitions

LORD Everlasting

                                    Help us set our hope on Christ

~ Holy and Mighty God of Glory, calm the tears of those who mourn as the lights of those we have sent ahead, now shine more brightly in Your presence.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

LORD Everlasting

                                    Help us set our hope on Christ

~ Holy and Mighty God of Glory, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently…

LORD Everlasting

                                    Help us set our hope on Christ

~ Holy and Mighty God of Glory, we give You great thanks for those who have heard and believed Your word of truth, who have studied, prayed, and have been chosen to bring it to us. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

LORD Everlasting

                                    Help us set our hope on Christ

The Celebrant adds: God of Presence and Promise, from within Your mysterious will is the gift to us of every spiritual blessing, and the inheritance of redemption through Your Holy Son. Grant us each the will to pledge ourselves to the praise and glory of Your name through every word and action of our earthly lives. We ask through Jesus the Christ, our Savior and Redeemer and the truth and love of the Holy Spirit, who together with You, reign as One God, now and for eternity. Amen.

Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to 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.

Prayers of the People: Prophet-Sharing, 6th Sunday after Pentecost

for Sunday, July 5, 2015, Pentecost 6, Yr B, Readings: 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 12b-19; Ps 48, 2 Corinthians 12:2-10, Mark 6:1-13

          All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and said, "Look, we are your bone and flesh..."            [2 Samuel 5:1] 

          Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness."   [2 Cor 12:7b]

          Then Jesus said to [the disciples], "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house"...Then he went about among the villages teaching. He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two... [Mark 6:4,7-8a]

         In our times, as throughout history, powerful/charismatic leaders attract some ardent followers who want to stay very close, idolize, and would even act as "the bone and flesh"of the hero. Such devotion by others can sometimes skew one's initial humility and original intent. It is isn't so easy to be constantly admired or put on a proverbial pedestal and stay modest. Paul may have recognized that in himself and accepted the thorn as a sacred reminder to be aware of the dangers of holding power over others. And yet there are always detractors. Perhaps Jesus was shaking off the dust of his frustration with the hometown reaction he received as he kept moving along, doing what he could, where he could. David, Paul, and Jesus were all doing the work God had given them to do and, as in every human life, some days were better than others.

         There are two post-Communion prayers in the US Episcopal Book of Common Prayer and in both God says that we are "living members" of the Body of Christ. In one, we, the pray-ers, ask God to, "Send us now into the world in peace..." and in the other to "...send us out to do the work you have given us to do..."  Whose bone and flesh, and what thorns are we willing to take on? Jesus called the disciples and sent them off two by two to do God's work and to "shake off the dust" where they weren't welcomed. Let us do some of God's prophet-sharing work together - there will always be more than two of us to help shake off the dust of disappointment on the difficult days, and to keep the thorns from piercing all the way through. 

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O LORD of Hosts, help us to recognize and receive the thorns of this life as grace-filled challenges in our quest to find our strength through You.   

O God of Loving-Kindness

RESPONSE: Grant us desire to live as the bone and flesh of Christ

~ O LORD of Hosts, even if our words are not welcomed, let us not refrain from speaking the truth of Your love, justice, and mercy to all who govern the peoples of this world, our nation, and our community. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God of Loving-Kindness

Grant us desire to live as the bone and flesh of Christ

~ O LORD of Hosts, restore health to all who must cope with continuing sickness, and hope to all who are homeless in living or in spirit. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…add your own petitions

O God of Loving-Kindness

Grant us desire to live as the bone and flesh of Christ

~ O LORD of Hosts, console all who grieve the earthly loss of loved ones, as You welcome home, with honor and rejoicing, all those we now commend to Your eternal care. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God of Loving-Kindness

Grant us desire to live as the bone and flesh of Christ

~ O LORD of Hosts, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently…

O God of Loving-Kindness

Grant us desire to live as the bone and flesh of Christ

~ O LORD of Hosts, as Jesus called and taught the Twelve, so on behalf of Christ we are called and taught, by those who lead us in our Church, how to live in and proclaim God’s word. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God of Loving-Kindness

Grant us desire to live as the bone and flesh of Christ

The Celebrant adds:  Most Holy LORD, our Eternal Guide, help us to shake off the dust of rejection or mockery as we turn our lives to Christ, share in his prophetic ministry, and be his bone and flesh on earth. We ask through Jesus, our Teacher and the Holy Spirit, our source of Wisdom, who together with You reign as One God, now and forever. Amen.

Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to 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.

Prayers of the People: Suddenly, Crossing Over, 5th Sunday after Pentecost

for Sunday, June 28, 2015, 5th Sunday after Pentecost, Yr B, Readings: 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27; Ps 130, 2 Corinthians 8:7-15, Mark 5:21-43

        Paul said to the Church at Corinth, "...I am testing the genuineness of your love against the earnestness of others...For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has-- not according to what one does not have..." [2 Cor 8:8b, 12]

        When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea...Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe." [Mark 5: 21, 36b]

              The echoes of the Charleston murders are still reverberating, as well they should for a long time to come, coloring the perspective of the readings for this Sunday. We have all crossed over, once again, as we seek to re-establish our footing in the midst of a tragic event - some of us move into new consciousness, some of us retreat into the old. This week even as David returns home a victor in war, he crosses over into the woeful lament and mournful loss of Saul and Jonathan. Saul who became an enemy that David still loved nonetheless, and Jonathan, a friend in life closer to his heart than anyone else. David exclaims, "How the mighty have fallen!" and we suddenly realize - the "mighty" all fall just as do the rest of us mere ordinary mortals.

       Paul asks the Corinthians to cross over from the prior year's merely considering financial support for the poor in Jerusalem, to actually finishing the plan and giving.

       Mark gives us Jesus and the Disciples crossing literally from one side of the sea to the other. They're in the same boat that was nearly sunk by a storm that frightened the Disciples until Jesus demanded and received a sudden calm on the water. On this shore, he is met by a frightened father in fear of his daughter's serious illness so Jesus agrees to go to see the child. On the way, a frightened woman afflicted with hemorrhages for 12 years reached for and touched his cloak and was suddenly healed. And then Jesus goes on to the home of Jairus and is told that the child has died - but of course, we know how this story ends. 

      So two more crossings occur - a woman suffering for 12 years crosses back into full health and a girl of 12 years seemingly dead crosses back into life. Perhaps those witnessing also crossed over into an even greater level of faith in Jesus as Jesus tells the woman, "Your faith has made you well." And it was the faith of Jairus that Jesus responded to in the raising of his daughter. 

      So, what has all this to do with my faith? Am I ready to cross over into consciously living my faith rather than merely desiring it? It's a little frightening sometimes. So the Psalmist reminds me often, and especially this week, to be active in prayer:

Out of the depths have I called to you, O LORD;

LORD, hear my voice; 

let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication.

[Ps 130: 1]

      It is in the reaching for Jesus that we are led to faith in action, and prayer brings God's support every step of the way. With our constancy in prayer, we will be more able to live out our faith with far less fear of what is and of what is to come.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Lord of Hope and Healing, as we more easily turn to You in the tragedies of life, help us to remember that Your presence is constant, even in the most ordinary of moments. Let us be constant and mindful in our prayers so that they will be unceasing and true in purpose.

O God of Mercy and Redemption

RESPONSE: Grant us strength to stand in faith without fear

~ O Lord of Hope and Healing, please bestow a strong sense of conscience, ethics, and virtue to all in authority in government, military, and law enforcement in this world, our country, and this community. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God of Mercy and Redemption

                                    Grant us strength to stand in faith without fear

~ O Lord of Hope and Healing, relieve the suffering of those with chronic pain in body, mind, or spirit, and give respite to those who tend their needs. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…

add your own petitions

O God of Mercy and Redemption

                                    Grant us strength to stand in faith without fear

~ O Lord of Hope and Healing, soothe the hearts of those stricken by grief and grant that we all share in the peace of knowing, that those we love, live again in the bliss of Your eternal kingdom. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God of Mercy and Redemption

                                    Grant us strength to stand in faith without fear

~ O Lord of Hope and Healing, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently…

O God of Mercy and Redemption

                                    Grant us strength to stand in faith without fear

~ O Lord of Hope and Healing, grant wisdom and clarity of purpose for all Deputies, clergy and lay, who now pray and work in the General Convention of our Church. We pray especially for: Katharine, our Presiding Bishop; the nominees for and especially the individual who will be elected as our next Presiding Bishop; add your own petitions.

O God of Mercy and Redemption

                                    Grant us strength to stand in faith without fear

The Celebrant adds:  O LORD, Giver of Life, as the woman reached to Jesus, and the child awakened at his call, let our eyes be open and our spirits made whole. Help us reach towards You with fearless faith, eagerness of heart, and purity of intent. We ask through Jesus, our Redeemer and the Holy Spirit, our Sanctifier, who together with You reign as One God, now and forever. Amen.

Requests for prayers or meditations for this space or private use may be sent to 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.

Meditation Moments: Because of Charleston and Too Many Other Times and People...

Jesus Wept.
[John 11:35]

        There are millions of words to be read, listened to, absorbed, rejected, or accepted about the tragic and sorrow-filled events in Charleston, Ferguson, Staten Island, etc, etc, etc., just this year alone. There are no useful words that I can add and yet I was asked to provide a short litany and closing collect for this moment that will help us gather our prayers communally. Here is what I prepared, adapting the format, style, and some of the language from The Great Litany in our Book of Common Prayer [page 148]. This Litany is generally used at the beginning of Lent. You can find the full original text of it at http://www.bcponline.org/  What follows is my adaptation in hopes that it gives our hearts some of the words our minds cannot find.

        Peace be with you and especially those suffering such losses...

Because of Charleston and too many other times and people:

 

O God, Creator of heaven and earth,
Have mercy upon us.

O God, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy upon us.

O God, Sanctifier of the faithful,
Have mercy upon us.

O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God,
Have mercy upon us.

From all hardness of heart, and contempt of your Word and commandment by thought, word, or deed,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From all oppression, violence, battle, and murder, and from dying suddenly and unprepared,
Good Lord, deliver us.

That it may please you to bring into the way of truth all such as have grievously erred, and are deceived,
We beseech you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you so to rule the hearts of all in authority, that they may do justice, and love mercy, and walk in the ways of truth,
We beseech you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to make wars to cease in all the world; to give to all nations unity, peace, and concord; and to bestow freedom upon all peoples,
We beseech you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to preserve all who are in danger by reason of the color of their skin, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or any other difference from ourselves,
We beseech you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to preserve, and provide for, young children and orphans, the widowed, and all whose homes are broken or torn by the strife and pain of blind hatred, racism, and all other -isms.
We beseech you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to give us true repentance; to forgive us all our sins, negligences, and ignorances; and to endue us with the grace of your Holy Spirit to amend our lives according to your holy Word,
We beseech you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and to turn their hearts and also to turn our own hearts to forgiveness,
We beseech you to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please you to grant to all the faithful departed eternal life and peace, especially:

~Sharonda Coleman-Singleton

~Rev. Clementa Pinckney

~Cynthia Hurd

~Tywanza Sanders

~Myra Thompson

~Ethel Lee Lance

~Rev. Daniel L. Simmons

~Susie Jackson

~Rev. Depayne Middleton-Doctor

And peace to those who love them,
We beseech you to hear us, good Lord.

O Christ, hear us.
O Christ, hear us.

Closing Collect: O God, our Refuge and our Strength, in the face of fearsome foes and the tempests of tragedy, in suffering and in joy, let us remember to always turn first to you with our faith strong and our hearts wide open. We ask with heavy hearts through your Son Jesus, our Savior and the Holy Spirit our Comforter, who together with You are One Holy and Eternal God from before the beginning until beyond the end. Amen.

Adapted from the BCP Great Litany by Christina Brennan Lee

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