Prayers of the People: Mite-y Generous, 24th Sunday after Pentecost

for Sunday, November 8, 2015, 24^th Sunday after Pentecost, Year B, Readings: 1 Kings 17:8-16, Ps 146, Hebrews 9:24-28, Mark 12:38-44

Elijah said to her, "Do not be afraid..." [1 Kings 17:13a]

Praise the LORD, O my soul!...Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help! Whose hope is in the LORD their God. [Ps 146:1, 4]

Jesus said, "Beware of the scribes who like to...be greeted with respect in the marketplaces ...They devour widows' houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation... Truly I tell you, this poor widow...has put in more than...all of them contributing out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had... [Mark 12:38-40, 43-44]


          The Poor Widow gives her last two coins - also known as her mite, a tiny amount - even people who have never read the Bible know this story. What shall we make of it? Give our last two coins or feel guilty because we haven't? It may well be that the story has more to do with Jesus shaming the puffed up scribes in public by comparing their actions for the sake of appearance with the poor woman's gift out of poverty. Perhaps the woman felt obligated or required to give everything she had or she may well have simply wanted to be a full-fledged contributor regardless of her personal cost. It also may be that Jesus knows that his followers will see to this woman's basic needs. We don't really know. How does this passage speak to you? In what ways do you give or hold back? How much of want vs. need, obligation vs. generosity, fear or anxiety determine what your donations will be? Points to ponder on our journey. Let our hope always be in the LORD our God as we struggle with how to be generous with our mite.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O God of Grace and Glory, energize our desire to seek our peace in You, have more faith in Your everlasting sustenance, and eliminate our appetites for unnecessary earthly trappings.

Holy Lord of Hope Eternal

RESPONSE:  We praise You with our souls, our hearts, our lives    

~ O God of Grace and Glory, guide us to be fearless in our audacity, to live into and carry the words and actions of peace and equity, to every hall of government throughout our World, our Nation, and our Community. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Holy Lord of Hope Eternal

                                    We praise You with our souls, our hearts, our lives

~ O God of Grace and Glory, revive the spirits of and grant healing to all who suffer from physical, emotional, or other life-altering pain, and to all who give them care.  We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…add your own petitions

Holy Lord of Hope Eternal

                                    We praise You with our souls, our hearts, our lives

~ O God of Grace and Glory, as You bless and comfort all who mourn, let us rejoice to know that our loved ones have now gloriously entered into their everlasting reward in the kingdom of heaven.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Holy Lord of Hope Eternal

                                    We praise You with our souls, our hearts, our lives

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

Holy Lord of Hope Eternal

                                    We praise You with our souls, our hearts, our lives

~ O God of Grace and Glory, guide the paths of those who lead us on our spiritual journeys, that together we may abandon all fear as we seek to restore justice, mercy, and peace among all Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Holy Lord of Hope Eternal

                                    We praise You with our souls, our hearts, our lives

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds: God of Promise and Trust, grant us peace in spirit to give openly of ourselves to You in love, honor, and virtue, more from the abundance of our faithfulness than from the poverty of mere appearance. We ask You through Jesus our Christ, and the Holy Spirit our Sanctifier, who together with You are One God, now and throughout all generations 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, Our World at Peace, Season of Creation V

for Sunday, November 8, 2015, Our World at Peace, Season of Creation V, Readings: Amos 5:21-24, Ps 85:7-14*, Bishop John Hines**, Matthew 5:1-16

...let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. [Amos 5:24]

Turn, revive us, nourish our joy.
[Ps 85:1a]

I hope for a witnessing community of unquestioned integrity...unashamed of the Gospel. [President Bishop John Hines]

Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything...you are the light of the world...No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to [God] in heaven." [Matthew 5:13-16] 

World Peace. Of course! Who doesn't want it? Yet the concept is exponentially larger than the comparative size of these letters and seems well beyond the scope of my abilities to achieve. It then remains a mere concept, too big to be a goal, reduced to a conversational platitude. Or, is it? When you think of world peace how do you define it? Is it merely the end of all war on the planet or are there other considerations? A few formal definitions describe it as the absence of war, a cessation of hostilities, and/or tranquility. Whole armies are deployed ostensibly to end war - where am I in that? Tranquility, though, sounds a bit more personal. But a day doesn't go by when my anxiety and frustration levels aren't challenged by the local news, comments on social media, and then, there's traffic! And I even play a game for fun whose name begins with "Angry"... probably not a path to tranquility. But all is not lost, I can make a significant contribution. Let us each return to the tranquil and instructional words attributed to St. Francis - platitudinal? Perhaps. Yet at the very least we each can achieve a measure of peace in our own corner of the world by following the examples in this beautiful prayer:

Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is

hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where

there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where

there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where

there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to

be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; 

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; 

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. 

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Glorious God of Love and Justice, fire our hearts with the desire to blaze throughout Creation as beacons of Your righteousness, faithfulness, and mercy, seasoned with the love of Christ Jesus, our Salvation.

Benevolent Lord

RESPONSE:  Salt our souls with the thirst and hunger to work for peace

~ Glorious God of Love and Justice, guide us to be fearless in our audacity, to live into and carry the words and actions of peace and equity, to every hall of government throughout our World, our Nation, and our Community.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Benevolent Lord

Salt our souls with the thirst and hunger to work for peace

~ Glorious God of Love and Justice, revive the spirits of and grant healing to all who suffer from physical, emotional, or other life-altering pain, and to all who give them care. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Benevolent Lord

Salt our souls with the thirst and hunger to work for peace

~ Glorious God of Love and Justice, as You bless and comfort all who mourn, let us rejoice to know that our loved ones have now entered victoriously into their everlasting reward in the kingdom of heaven. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Benevolent Lord

Salt our souls with the thirst and hunger to work for peace

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

Benevolent Lord

Salt our souls with the thirst and hunger to work for peace

~ Glorious God of Love and Justice, help us to navigate the ever-flowing waters of virtue, generosity, and honor together with those who lives are ordained to point our way to You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Benevolent Lord

Salt our souls with the thirst and hunger to work for peace

The Celebrant adds:  Unwavering, Steadfast God, nourish our joy as we strive to be Your faithful witnesses with the integrity to unashamedly and openly embrace Christ’s Gospel of peace, truth, and justice. We ask through Jesus, our Divine Example, and through the Holy Spirit, our Heavenly Inspiration, who together with You are One, Infinite, Eternal God, now and forever. Amen.

*PSALM 85:7-14 

Turn, revive us, nourish our joy. 

Show us mercy, save us, Lord.

I listen to God speaking:

 “I, the Lord, speak peace,

peace to my faithful people who turn their hearts to me.”

Salvation is coming near, 

glory is filling our land.

Love and faithfulness embrace, peace and justice kiss.

Fidelity sprouts from the earth, justice leans down from heaven.

The Lord pours out riches, our land springs to life.

Justice clears God’s path,

justice points the way.

From The Psalter: A faithful and inclusive rendering, Liturgy Training Publications

(International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc.), 1994.

**A Reading from the Farewell Sermon of Presiding Bishop John E. Hines:

What I hope for has little to do with growth in communicant strength, though I would rejoice at a multitude of conversions possessing integrity. This has little to do with bigger budgets, nothing to do with maintaining a respected place with the carriage-trade clientele of our society. I hope for a witnessing community of unquestioned integrity. It may - in the future, this Church of ours - be an even smaller Church because of its witness; less powerful, and less influential - as a secular society gauges power and influence. For the essential question is not, “How shall the Episcopal Church grow?” - but rather, “How can the Episcopal Church be faithful?”For that is the heritage worth sacrificing for - worth passing on to our children and grandchildren. God forbid that they should come to a time and place unashamed of the Gospel, but ashamed of us.

Kenneth Kesselus, John E. Hines - Granite on Fire, Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest, Austin, 1995.

Bishop Hines served as the 22nd Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church from 1965-1973

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: Saints Alive!, All Saints' Day

For All Saints' Sunday, November 1, 2015 (23^rd Sunday after Pentecost), Year B, Readings: Wisdom of Solomon 3:1-9, Ps 24, Revelation 21:1-6a, John 11:32-44

Those who trust in him will understand truth, and the faithful will abide with him in love...
[Wisdom of Solomon 3:9]

They will receive blessing from the Lord, and vindication from the God of Salvation. [Ps 24:5]

Then I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God...
[Revelation 21:2a]

The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go." 
[John 11:44]

          Today we celebrate All Saints' Day, but who were they besides names on calendars and churches? What do Saints have to do with my everyday life? 
          The word “saint” comes from the Greek word hagios, which means “consecrated to God, holy, sacred, pious." The people we think of as "saints" or who have been given the official title of saint, all seem to be all of that definition and more. Special people who are set apart for a special purpose and given all they need to accomplish God's purpose, those are saints. Well, except that God has called ALL of us to be saints, to be sanctified (made holy) in Christ, to build up the Body of Christ, and to seek and serve Christ in all persons. Too bad we can't just leave the work to those who are beatified or canonized by an official Church process. The Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12 give us a comprehensive list of those who will be blessed by God. It also gives us a clear direction on what attributes to adopt in our own lives to draw on all of our God-given gifts and self-developed flaws, to be a part of the total Creation, and to seek to be accepted into the great reward that is heaven. The award-winning poet, Mary Oliver says it thusly:

When it’s over, I want to say:  all my life I was a bride married to amazement.

I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

When it’s over, I don’t want to wonder if I have made of my life something particular, and real.

I don’t want to find myself sighing and frightened, or full of argument

I don’t want to end up simply having visited this world.

So, let us Sing a Song of the Saints of God and all mean to be one, too.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ God of Blessing and Salvation, on this day we celebrate all Saints who have opened their hearts to use their divine gifts and human flaws on behalf of all Creation. Guide us to recognize and act on any saintly moments that appear in each day, as we honor all who give of themselves entirely to Your calling.

Lord of Hosts, King of Glory  

RESPONSE: Help us unbind our faith and abide in You    

~ God of Blessing and Salvation, grant us the courage to continually raise our voices to the leaders of our World, our Country, and our Community, to be the change-agents to eradicate violence, injustice, and poverty everywhere. We pray especially for: Barack, our President; Jack, our Governor; Tom, our County Executive; and Dennis, our mayor.

Lord of Hosts, King of Glory  

Help us unbind our faith and abide in You

~ God of Blessing and Salvation, deliver from distress those whose spirits languish in illness of body, mind, or spirit, and endow those who give them care, with patience, gentleness, and love. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…

Lord of Hosts, King of Glory  

Help us unbind our faith and abide in You

~ God of Blessing and Salvation, soothe the pain of all who grieve as those who have left us now shine forth in the New Jerusalem, where hope is immortal and peace is eternal. We pray especially for:

Lord of Hosts, King of Glory  

Help us unbind our faith and abide in You

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

Lord of Hosts, King of Glory  

Help us unbind our faith and abide in You

~ God of Blessing and Salvation, continue to bless and inspire those who intentionally live into Your Call to guide us to inwardly transform our lives. May we then work together to transform our world in faithfulness and love. We pray especially for: Katharine, our Presiding Bishop; Michael, our Presiding Bishop-Elect; Wayne, our own Bishop; David, our rector; Lloyd, our Rector Emeritus; Emily, our Associate Priest.

Lord of Hosts, King of Glory  

Help us unbind our faith and abide in You

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds:  God of all Saints and all Sinners, even as we often fail, help us to continue to try to live our lives in humility and faith and act on those qualities of saintliness that will bring us to Your eternal life. We ask through Jesus, our Redeemer, and in the Unity of the Holy Spirit, who with You are One God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

* click on words in light blue above for links to more information

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: The Saints Among Us, Season of Creation IV

For All Saints’ Sunday, November 1, 2015, Season of Creation IV, Readings: Ephesians 4:1-6, Ps 107: 1-7, 33, 37; Parker J. Palmer*, Matthew 5:1-12

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit... [Ephesians 4:1-6]

[We] can transform our culture only as we are inwardly transformed. — Parker J. Palmer [1939- ]

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. — Anne Frank [1929-1945]

          The word “saint” comes from the Greek word hagios, which means “consecrated to God, holy, sacred, pious." The people we think of as "saints" or who have been given the official title of saint, all seem to be all of that definition and more. Special people who are set apart for a special purpose and given all they need to accomplish God's purpose, those are saints. Well, except that God has called ALL of us to be saints, to be sanctified (made holy) in Christ, to build up the Body of Christ, and to seek and serve Christ in all persons. Too bad we can't just leave the work to those who are beatified or canonized by an official Church process. The Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12 give us a comprehensive list of those who will be blessed by God. It also gives us a clear direction on what attributes to adopt in our own lives to draw on all of our God-given gifts and self-developed flaws, to be a part of the total Creation, and to seek to be accepted into the great reward that is heaven. The award-winning poet, Mary Oliver says it thusly:

When it’s over, I want to say:  all my life I was a bride married to amazement.

I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

When it’s over, I don’t want to wonder if I have made of my life something particular, and real.

I don’t want to find myself sighing and frightened, or full of argument

I don’t want to end up simply having visited this world.

So, let us Sing a Song of the Saints of God and all mean to be one, too.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Holy Lord of Compassion and Grace, on this day we celebrate all Saints who have opened their hearts to use their divine gifts and human flaws on behalf of all Creation. Guide us to recognize and act on any saintly moments that appear in each day, as we honor all who give of themselves entirely to Your calling.

O God of Enduring Mercy

RESPONSE:  Break open our hearts to answer Your call   

~ Holy Lord of Compassion and Grace, grant us the courage to continually raise our voices to the leaders of the World, our Country, and our Community, to be the change-agents to eradicate violence, injustice, and poverty everywhere. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God of Enduring Mercy

Break open our hearts to answer Your call

~ Holy Lord of Compassion and Grace, deliver from distress those whose spirits languish in illness of body, mind, or spirit, and endow those who give them care, with patience, gentleness, and love. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God of Enduring Mercy

Break open our hearts to answer Your call

~ Holy Lord of Compassion and Grace, soothe the pain of those who grieve as those who have left us now rejoice to enter the glory of eternity with You, welcomed by the Communion of Saints. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God of Enduring Mercy

Break open our hearts to answer Your call

~ Holy Lord of Compassion and Grace, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, silently or aloud…add your own petitions

O God of Enduring Mercy

Break open our hearts to answer Your call

~ Holy Lord of Compassion and Grace, continue to bless and inspire those who intentionally live into Your Call to guide us to inwardly transform our lives. May we then work together to transform all Creation, bearing with all others and ourselves in unity and love. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God of Enduring Mercy

Break open our hearts to answer Your call

The Celebrant adds: God of all Saints and Sinners, in all humility, even as we often fail, help us to continue to try to live our lives worthy of Your calling and act on those qualities of saintliness that will bring us to Your eternal life. We ask through Jesus, our Redeemer, and in the Unity of the Holy Spirit, who with You are One God above all, through all, and in all, for ever and ever.  Amen.

*A reading from Parker J. Palmer: from The Politics of the Brokenhearted: On Holding the Tensions of Democracy/The Broken-Open Heart

        There are at least two ways to picture a broken heart, using heart in its original meaning not merely as the seat of the emotions but as the core of our sense of self. The conventional image, of course, is that of a heart broken by unbearable tension into a thousand shards—shards that sometimes become shrapnel aimed at the source of our pain. Every day, untold numbers of people try to “pick up the pieces,” some of them taking grim satisfaction in the way the heart’s explosion has injured their enemies.

        Here the broken heart is an unresolved wound that we too often inflict on others. But there is another way to visualize what a broken heart might mean. Imagine that small, clenched fist of a heart “broken open” into largeness of life, into greater capacity to hold one’s own and the world’s pain and joy. This, too, happens every day. Who among us has not seen evidence, in our own or other people’s lives, that compassion and grace can be the fruits of great suffering? Here heartbreak becomes a source of healing, enlarging our empathy and extending our ability to reach out.

        Broken-open hearts are in short supply these days, at least in politics. Formed—or deformed—by an impatient and control-obsessed culture, many of us do not hold social and political tensions in ways that open us to the world. Instead, we shut our hearts down, either withdrawing into fearful isolation or angrily lashing out at the alien “other”: the alien at home becomes unpatriotic, the alien abroad, an enemy. Heartbroken and heavily armed, we act in ways that diminish democracy and make the world an even more dangerous place. 

        The capacity to hold tensions creatively is the key to much that matters— from a life lived in love to a democracy worthy of the name to even the most modest movement toward peace between nations. So those of us who care about such things must work to root out the seeds of violence in our culture, including its impatience and its incessant drive toward control. And since culture is a human creation, whose deformations begin not “out there” but in our inner lives, we can transform our culture only as we are inwardly transformed. 

        As long as we are mortal creatures who love other mortals, heartbreak will be a staple of our lives. And all heartbreak, personal and political, will confront us with the same choice. Will we hold our hearts open and keep trying to love, even as love makes us more vulnerable to the losses that break our hearts? Or will we shut down or lash out, refusing to risk love again and seeking refuge in withdrawal or hostility? In personal life and politics, one thing is clear: when the heart breaks in ways that lead us to retreat or attack, we always give death dominion. 

Parker J. Palmer [1939- ], a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) is an author, educator, and activist who focuses on issues in education, community, leadership, spirituality and social change. The founder and Senior Partner of the Center for Courage & Renewal, Parker lives with his wife in Madison, Wisconsin.

**  click on words in light blue above for links to more information
*** for more information on the origin and application of the Season of Creation see: http://prayersofthepeople.blogspot.com/2015/10/prayers-of-people-in-beginning1st.html



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: Did You Ask?, 22nd Sunday after Pentecost

for Sunday, October 25, 2015, 21st Sunday after Pentecost, Yr B, Readings: Job 42:1-6, 10-17; Ps 34:1-8, (19-22); Hebrews 7:23-28, Mark 10:46-52

       I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know... I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes...And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job...    
[Job 42:3b, 5-6, 10a]

      I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me out of all my terror. Look upon him and be radiant, let not your faces be ashamed. [Ps 34:4-5]

And they called the blind man, saying to him, take heart, he is calling you...Then Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" [Mark 10:49b, 51a]

       FINALLY Job is restored and to even greater wealth and health after so many chapters of disaster, scorn, and pain. Although Job questioned God's justice and motives, he never once doubted God's power. Now he realizes he was questioning without having all the information and he's remorseful. And God lifts him out of the ashes and gives him more than he ever had. Is the message of Job perseverance? He sought God's answers and help and received both.   

      Certainly it is the same for the Psalmist and definitely for Bartimaeus who withstood the scorn of the crowds and persevered in getting the attention of Jesus. Then all he had to do was ask and he, too, was restored. Do I first seek the LORD when I'm in trouble? Sometimes. Do I ask for what I really need or only what I really want? That depends...but for me the lesson is clear, I should, at the very least, just ask. Through our questions, through our fears, God is with us and knows our hearts. Our faith will make us well in many ways and all we have to do is ask.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Eternal Creator, how often in our daily lives do we forget to listen for Your voice, know Your Presence, or ask for Your help? Grant us fresh wisdom to renew our faith and trust in You, and rejoice in Your glory and greatness.

            O Lord our God

RESPONSE: Let us heed Your call and thrive in Your love

~ Eternal Creator, strengthen us with courage to call to account the leaders in this World, our Country, and our Community, that their actions will spur life and prosperity for all Your people and end human causes of death and adversity. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Lord our God

Let us heed Your call and thrive in Your love

~ Eternal Creator, shed Your healing light upon those who are weakened by serious illness or despair, and fortify all who give them help. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…add your own petitions

O Lord our God

Let us heed Your call and thrive in Your love

~ Eternal Creator, lift the sorrow of all who grieve as we commend our loved ones to You for the blessing and promise of new life for evermore. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Lord our God

Let us heed Your call and thrive in Your love

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

O Lord our God

Let us heed Your call and thrive in Your love

~ Eternal Creator, take the hands and guide the souls of those entrusted with our spiritual care, that they and we may be faithful in heart and attain salvation together. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Lord our God

Let us heed Your call and thrive in Your love

The Celebrant adds:  Lord God of Righteousness and Grace, help us to regain our spiritual sight by returning to love and serve You with our whole hearts, minds, and souls. We ask through Jesus, our Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit, our Sanctifier, who with You are our One God, now and forevermore. 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, Our Common Humanity, Season of Creation III

for Sunday, October 25, 2015, Third Sunday in the Season of Creation, Readings: Isaiah 42:5-9, Psalm 133, Deuteronomy 30, Mark 10:46-52

        Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it: I am the LORD...   [Isaiah 42: 5-6a]

        Oh how good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity! [Ps 133:1]

        For the Lord your God will restore Your fortunes, bring you back in love... bring you together again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you. Even if your outcasts are at the ends of the world, from there the Lord your God will gather you...For the Lord again will delight in your well-being...since you will be heeding the Lord your God and keeping his commandments...once you return to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. [Deuteronomy 30:3-4, 9b-10]

         Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way. [Mark 10:52]

        We are truly all in "this" together ~ this life, this planet. And God makes it very clear in talking to the Servant in Isaiah, that it is God who put us here, gave us breath and spirit. The Servant is to be a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring prisoners from the dungeon. Too many times, we look at "others" as different than ourselves in skin color, nationality, religion, political views and reject those who aren't one of us. Then suddenly "they" become one of them, not to be trusted or valued as the full human person God created like ourselves and in God's own image. We are to care for each other with love as God has commanded and in so doing we show the depth (or shallowness) of our love for God. To prosper only ourselves and us may carry us in this time but we are called to open the eyes that are blind and, if we are only interested in distancing ourselves from them, we are the ones who are blind. Let us open our own eyes, follow God's commandments with love and we'll have our spiritual sight restored. As Jesus tells us, our faith will make us well.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Eternal Creator, Master of the Universe, we are each in our many shapes, sizes, colors, and ages, only one tiny reflection of the human family to which you have given breath and spirit. Gather us from the ends of the earth to seek You in all others, and live together in peace and unity.

O Lord our God

RESPONSE:  Let us heed Your call and thrive in Your love

~ Eternal Creator, Master of the Universe, strengthen us with courage to call to account the leaders in this World, our Country, and our Community, that their actions will spur life and prosperity for all Your people and end human causes of death and adversity. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Lord our God

Let us heed Your call and thrive in Your love

~ Eternal Creator, Master of the Universe, shed Your healing light upon those who are weakened by serious illness or despair, and fortify all who give them help. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Lord our God

Let us heed Your call and thrive in Your love

~ Eternal Creator, Master of the Universe, lift the sorrow of all who grieve as we commend our loved ones to You for the blessing and promise of new life for evermore. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Lord our God

Let us heed Your call and thrive in Your love

~ Eternal Creator, Master of the Universe, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, silently or aloud…add your own petitions

O Lord our God

Let us heed Your call and thrive in Your love

~ Eternal Creator, Master of the Universe, take the hands and guide the souls of those entrusted with our spiritual care, that they and we may be faithful in heart and attain salvation together. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Lord our God

Let us heed Your call and thrive in Your love

The Celebrant adds:  Lord God of Righteousness and Grace, help us to regain our spiritual sight by returning to love and serve You with our whole hearts, minds, and souls. We ask through Jesus, our Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit, our Sanctifier, who with You are our One God, now and forevermore. 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: Service Station, 21st Sunday after Pentecost

for Sunday, October 18, 2015, 21st Sunday after Pentecost, Yr B, Readings: Job 38-1-7 (34-41), Psalm 104:1-9, 25, 37b; Hebrews 5:1-10, Mark 10:35-45 

         Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind: ...Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements ~ surely you know! Or stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone when the morning stars sang together and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy? [Job 38: 1a,4-7]

    Bless the LORD, O my soul [Ps 104:1a]

         Every high priest chosen from among mortals is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins...In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications...and he was heard because of his reverent submission. [Hebrews 5:1, 7b]

       So Jesus called them and said...whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you but be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. [Mark 10:42a, 43b-45]

       "There's just no good help anymore" seems to be a common complaint. "Full service no longer exists" is another. In an age of high technological achievement, engineering advancement, and more devices for instant information access than any one can possibly need or use, some days I seemingly spin in circles trying to find a simple answer to a simple question. Suddenly the wonders of life disappear in a haze of frustration, complaining, and wasted time. And then, God speaks through the lessons appointed for this week: WHERE WERE YOU when I laid the foundation of the earth? And my favorite line in all of Job: when the morning stars sang together and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy. The bigger question for me is, where am I? 
       With much of the world in turmoil from so many sources, why am I frazzling over some temporary nonsense. While I'm far from being a high priest, I am very mortal and more than capable of offering prayers and supplication and some real sacrifice on behalf of others and for my own sin. Jesus may be the paragon of Full Service, but I can at least be a service station for some one along the way. I can start by praying for guidance, for renewal of faith, and the willingness to take my wants out of that inevitable moment that arrives and listen, be present, and help in whatever way is possible. Let my soul be the blessing that God is calling it to be. Let me be of service in Christ's name.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Eternal God of all Creation, excite us each new day with the abundance in Your precious gift of this living, breathing planet; the literal ground that supports our earthly being. Kindle our desire to actively participate in the care of and for this fragile Earth, our island home.

O LORD, our God

RESPONSE: We bless You with our faithful souls and humble service

~ Eternal God of all Creation, counsel the leaders of our Planet, our Nation, and our Community, so that their words and actions may be enlightened and merciful, knowledgeable and just, and not darkened by willful personal or political power. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                    O LORD, our God

                                    We bless You with our faithful souls and humble service

~ Eternal God of all Creation, grant peace and healing to all who live in the grip of chronic illness, fear and physical danger, or critical life circumstance; and bestow endurance on all who give them care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…add your own petitions

                                    O LORD, our God

                                    We bless You with our faithful souls and humble service

~ Eternal God of all Creation, console the grieving with the knowledge that love never dies, and that those we have sent ahead are with You now in the resplendent grandeur of Eternal Life.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions 

                                    O LORD, our God

                                    We bless You with our faithful souls and humble service

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

                                    O LORD, our God

                                    We bless You with our faithful souls and humble service

~ Eternal God of all Creation, energize our spirits and those who lead us in Your church that we may walk together in service and sacrifice, in prayer and supplication, and drink of the cup You have prepared for us. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                    O LORD, our God

                                    We bless You with our faithful souls and humble service

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds:  God of Glory and Majesty, re-fresh our hearts, our ears, and our minds, to receive, listen, and know again, the splendor of Your word, Your works, and Your gifts of all Creation. We ask through Jesus, our Great High Priest, and the Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Advocate, who together with You are 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.