Prayers of the People: Lower is Higher ~ 12th Sunday after Pentecost '19 Yr C

For Sunday, September 1, 2019 ~ 12^th Sunday after Pentecost, Year C, Readings: Proverbs 25:6-7, Psalm 112, 

Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16; Luke 14:1, 7-14

   Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence or stand in the place of the great; for it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put lower in the presence of a noble. 
[Proverbs 25:6-7]

   Light shines in the darkness for the upright; the righteous are merciful and full of compassion…they put their trust in the Lord. [Psalm 112:4, 7b]

  Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it...Keep  your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have...Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you, consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Through him, then, let us offer a sacrifice of praise to God... [Hebrews 13:2, 5, 7-8, 15]

   But when you are invited, go and sit at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, "Friend, move up higher"...For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." [Luke 14:10-11]

         The basic elements of the readings for this week contain the Gospel of Christ in a nutshell:  Humility. Love. Hospitality. These are at once the minimal and the essential requirements for an authentically faithful and faith-filled life. One can be taught how to embrace and internalize these to live and act from within them; yet, confusingly, to actually “have” them is to not be consciously aware of them. We are to, not-so-simply, just “be” and do accordingly. That is contrary to our first-world notions of proof and confidence that we have “arrived” by what we have gathered to ourselves in fulfillment of earthly wants, our worldly status as determined by our place at various tables or events, and our magnanimous gestures to the “less fortunate” among us.

          I place humility first as without genuine humility, we are not able to honestly embrace and live in and through the others. It is also the most difficult to inhabit. Humility can be an ego trap.
          Feeling proud and pleased with a prestigious invitation, having a beautiful home, or wearing the best clothes are not in themselves bad. Rather, as always, it's how we reflect these kinds of acquisitions in our lives. If our attitude, whether conscious or less so, places us above any others, then we have wandered off the path of Christ. We are perfectly justified to be content with what we have as long as we Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have... [Hebrews 13:16] and more especially among those who cannot ~ or will not ~ repay us, or even know it is us.

         Humility is a tricky aspect of character. While philanthropy and generosity are good and necessary, we must take care to be sincere and genuine ~ that is, we must keep our egos unaware so that we are not seeking a particularly ego-boosting end by mostly-well-intentioned means. Some of us may have to start small and practice often until the true spirit of it takes hold. Yes, let that car in ahead of you in traffic and don't say or even think those words – so easy to understand, so hard to do – and all while recognizing ~ being aware ~ of what a first-world problem this is. One definition of humility is “lowliness of mind,” that is, it is a heart attitude, not outward demeanor.
       The truly humble don’t know they are and they naturally exude the love which will instinctively manifest in hospitality to others, contentment with what they have, and result in consciously unconscious respect, love, and worship of God in every thought, word, and action. Tough work ahead for those of us who want to be humble and, if we do it right, we won't know we've gotten there. However in the sincerity of this quest we will know we are forever still working on it.

       I’m reminded of a song by Mac Davis, O Lord It’s Hard To Be Humble [link below]. It is really funny but also slightly sobering. We can only do the best we can and try not to judge those who more reflect the song lyrics! In faith and by intentional attention to our own soul-work, we are more able to let mutual love continue without looking for direct evidence of those hidden angels. Jesus doesn't want us to be proud of our humility. It might just be enough to remember that in considering the outcomes of a life in faith, if we are genuinely placing ourselves through humility, love, and hospitality to a Lower place in this life we will be blessed and placed Higher in next. 

click here for Mac Davis:  O Lord It's Hard To Be Humble

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Lord, our Constant Helper, open our hearts to let mutual love continue among all of Your people, whether known or unknown to us. Let us not neglect to show hospitality in sharing with, and caring for, all who are poor, imprisoned, or tortured in body or soul.

                                                       O God, Light in our Darkness                                             

RESPONSE:                  We put our trust in You

~ O Lord, our Constant Helper, humble the souls of those who wield international, national, and local power. Guide them to the path of leadership vested in compassion, generosity, and thoughtful justice that frees us all from hatred and violence. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                      O God, Light in our Darkness

                                                       We put our trust in You

~ O Lord, our Constant Helper, refresh the spirits of those laid low by serious illness or critical life circumstance, and lift the energies of all who give support. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       O God, Light in our Darkness

                                                       We put our trust in You

           

~ O Lord, our Constant Helper, dry the tears of the sorrowful with the comfort of knowing that our loved ones are now exalted to a place of honor at Your heavenly eternal feast. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                       O God, Light in our Darkness

                                                       We put our trust in You

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

                                                       O God, Light in our Darkness

                                                       We put our trust in You

                      

~ O Lord, our Constant Helper, we ask Your special blessings upon all who lead us in Your Church, who speak Your word to us, and teach us, by example, to imitate their faith and thoughtfully consider the outcome of our own ways of life. In the name of Jesus, our Christ, who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, we pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O God, Light in our Darkness

                                                       We put our trust in You

The Celebrant adds: O Lord, our God, inspire us to choose a lower place at Your holy table than the place we offer to others, that in humility we may entertain angels unaware. May Your name always be the fruit of our lips and each facet of our lives reflect a continual sacrifice of praise to You. We ask through Christ our Present and Eternal Savior; and the Holy Spirit, the Sacred Breath of Heaven, who together with You are One God, from before the beginning to beyond the end.  Amen. 

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. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com

Prayers of the People: Getting in Shape ~ 11th Sunday after Pentecost '19 Yr C

For Sunday, August 25, 2019 ~ 11^th Sunday after Pentecost, Year C, Readings: Isaiah 58:9b-14, Psalm 103:1-8, 

Hebrews 12:18-29, Luke 13:10-17

     If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like noonday. The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places… [Isaiah 58:9b-11a]

    Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name…The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger and of great kindness. [Psalm 103:1, 8]

   Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe, for indeed our God is a consuming fire. [Hebrews 12:28-29]

 And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Woman, you are set free from your ailment." When he laid hands on her, immediately she stood up and began praising God. But the leader of the synagogue [was] indignant because Jesus had cured on the Sabbath... [Luke 13: 11-14a]

     In this hopeful and refreshing passage, Isaiah tells us of God’s care when we refrain from the pointing of the finger and the speaking of evil, and turn to offer food to the hungry and attend to all other good and necessary deeds. The prophet tells us that the Lord will guide us continually…in parched places ~ a comforting phrase to me as in these times, our lives are being scorched by more than the heat of climate change.  

      The Psalmist calls upon our souls to Bless the Lord...who is full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger and of great kindness. Such familiar words to many of us, and a reminder that we are to emulate compassion, mercy, and kindness, and especially to be slow to anger. Perhaps keeping these words in our sight, as a prayer or a mantra, will allow our souls to shape all that we say and do, once our souls, and all that is within us, are in better faith-filled and spiritual shape.

      Luke brings us a significant teaching moment with Jesus curing a woman on the Sabbath in the synagogue creating quite the firestorm. Yes, we Christians basically know what "Sabbath" means even IF we give it a loose interpretation and a nano-second of practice, but for faithful practicing Jews - especially the Orthodox - then and now, Sabbath is not optional. It is a God-mandate, a requirement given as one of the Ten Commandments, a rich spiritual experience, beyond and within formal worship, filled with meaningful rituals and prayer. Rabbis study the Law regarding Sabbath for their entire lives to understand every nuance, dispensation, and imperative to guide their congregations in observance. We Christians could do with a reboot of some understanding and the regular practice of Sabbath time, especially given all the available distractions of temporal living - really, can you put down the phone for an hour once a week to be with God? 

     It is difficult for us as non-Jews, to understand why that moment in Jesus' ministry was such a big deal. Basically, he is pointing to the question: is it more important to follow The [man-made] Rules and "the way it has always been done - the way we do things here” when those local “ traditions” exclude some of God's children? Or perhaps the question really is: when do such rules support and enhance our relationship with God, and when do they become idolatry and soul-damaging? And then there's the part about hypocrites.
         Paul warns us, "Yet once more..." that God can and will easily remove what can be shaken so that what cannot be shaken may remain...we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken and our acceptable worship with reverence and awe is what God truly requires. Oh there are a thousand ideas of what "acceptable worship is." For me I must constantly work on changing the shape of my spiritual practice, beyond attending the Sunday service. I know that I can vastly improve the inclusion of more witness of my faith through how I live, think, and act, and especially, with more genuine and regularly scheduled Sabbath observance, not for mere leisure. It's past time to be more in touch with what really is reverence and the experience of the awe of God's Presence. It's also time to evaluate how I decide on those acceptable exceptions in avoiding Sabbath. What shape are you getting in?  

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Lord of Compassion and Mercy, stand us straight up in Your sight and reshape the direction of our lives. Free us from the yoke of earthly attachments that does damage to our souls, and set our daily course for the Kingdom that cannot be shaken.

                                                       Gracious, Loving God                                              

RESPONSE:                 May our souls bless You always

~ O Lord of Compassion and Mercy, deliver us from any and all leaders who speak evil, oppress others, and only serve their own interests. Guide us to support and join with all who give food to the hungry, satisfy the needs of the afflicted, and brings Your light into our World, our Nation, and our Communities. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Gracious, Loving God

                                                       May our souls bless You always

~ O Lord of Compassion and Mercy, heal the ailments of all who suffer in body and spirit, and release all hearts crippled by anger and hate into the peace of Your great kindness. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       Gracious, Loving God

                                                       May our souls bless You always

~ O Lord of Compassion and Mercy, may those who mourn be comforted by the festal gathering of innumerable angels for the glorious entry of our loved ones into Your Heavenly City. We pray especially for:: add your own petitions 

                                                       Gracious, Loving God

                                                       May our souls bless You always

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

                                                       Gracious, Loving God

                                                       May our souls bless You always

                       

~ O Lord of Compassion and Mercy, we offer blessings and thanksgivings for all Deacons, Priests, and Bishops for their humanity, guidance, and devotion to Your work in this World. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Gracious, Loving God

                                                       May our souls bless You always

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds:  Holy and Living God, burnish, brighten, and fill us with Your holy fire, to shine within us and transform our thoughts, words, and actions into continual, awe-filled, living worship. We ask through Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant; and the Holy Spirit, our Divine Sanctifier; who together with You, reign as One God, now and forever. Amen. 

All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com

Prayers of the People: Trying to Hide? ~ 10th Sunday after Pentecost '19 Yr C

For Sunday, August 18, 2019 ~Readings: Jeremiah 23:23-29, Psalm 82, Hebrews 11:29-12:2, Luke 12:49-56

     Am I a God nearby, says the LORD, and not a God far off? Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name…Is not my word like fire… [Jeremiah 23:23, 25a, 29a]

     Arise, O God, and rue the earth, for you shall take all nations for your own. [Psalm 82:8]

     Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith... [Hebrews 12:1-2a]

     Do you think that I have come to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three...You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? 

[Luke 12:51-52, 56]

        In the dining room of my paternal Great-Grandmother, born in 1867, was a framed calligraphed message that read: “Christ is the head of this house, the unseen guest at every meal, the silent listener to every conversation.” As a child, it both fascinated and frightened me and I often tried to avoid going into the room, possibly as if that was the only place the charm worked. I was not quite 12 when she died and, for reasons I do not understand, I asked if I could have it and it was given. I still have it though packed away because of its age and fragility. It no longer frightens but when I think of it, as with this week’s readings, I am caught a bit short, or, perhaps more than a bit.

        God is blunt in Jeremiah: Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name…Is not my word like fire? God is equally clear in the Psalm, when castigating unjust gods who show favor to the wicked…Nevertheless, says God, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince.

        Paul gives us equal clarity for our path now and going forward by emphasizing the role of faith that kept the ancients on their road to God, despite all manner of hardship. He points us to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith as our guide. Yet not only is God near by, and Jesus within us, along with the power of the Holy Spirit, Paul reminds us that we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, those who have persevered in the life we have each been given. Are we repelled, or at least unsettled as I was with the plaque as a child, or comforted and bolstered by the wonder of a God who knows all we say and do, with Jesus as perfection when we are so imperfect, and a Cloud filled with support?

        In this piece from Luke’s Gospel, Jesus seems uncharacteristically harsh when he tells us that he came to bring fire to the earth and division within households. At first glance it strikes a particularly disheartening chord in these days of fiery political and “religious” false rhetoric that seems designed to enflame passions and instill fear among the weak and the poor. Families, friends, nations are torn apart by mortals-who-would-be-gods. However, the fire of God and Jesus isn’t intended to burn us to a crisp and turn the Earth into an orbiting cinder, ruled by the “winners” of the race that is set before us. This fire is the refiner’s fire of purifying and cleansing, removing the dross – the junk and rubble that weakens our faith. It is a call, a warning to us to re-order our priorities, our principles, what we value, our purpose in life. This fire will hurt as we turn away from the temptations of all the false gold that glitters, but the reward is beyond all joy that we can imagine. Jesus, impatient for us to understand, knew at that moment that his baptism of blood would come first. Our next baptism is upon us.

        This mortal life is not meant to be a “rat-race” to the finish. Yet it will finish at a time unknown and unexpected. As that clock ticks on, I must now ask myself, again, what am I still trying to hide from that Unseen Listener?

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Lord Most High, kindle our hearts and refine our souls with the purifying fire of Your Presence. Guide us to run, with perseverance, the race set before us by Christ, accepting division with those who have not yet won strength from weakness through enduring faith.

                                                       Arise, O God                                           

RESPONSE:                    Fire our Faith

~ O Lord Most High, with the courage and wisdom of the celestial Cloud of Witnesses beside us, let our voices be heard by the leaders of our Earth, our Country, and our Community, to lay aside the sins that cling so closely by destructive and unholy words and actions. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Arise, O God

                                                       Fire our Faith

~ O Lord Most High, sustain and comfort all who suffer physically, emotionally, or spiritually, and renew all who offer supportive care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       Arise, O God

                                                       Fire our Faith

~ O Lord Most High, accompany the mournful through the trial of loss, as the choirs of Heaven sing in jubilance for those now arrived in the splendor of Your Eternal Kingdom. We pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

                                                       Arise, O God

                                                       Fire our Faith

                      

~ O Lord Most High, grant the grace of authenticity to those we choose to interpret the Truth in Your Word, guiding us as together we sift through the deceits and false prophecy of those who use distortion for their own secret purpose. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

  

                                                       Arise, O God

                                                       Fire our Faith

                                                                                                      

The Celebrant adds:  O Lord our God, Who rules the Earth, transform the fires of discord, violence, and hate that rage across this planet into the cleansing waters of Baptism, revealing the glory of Salvation beneath the dross of human excess, and the eternal beauty of the Gospel message. We ask through Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of Faith, and the Holy Spirit, the Fire of Wisdom, who together with You are One God, in the blaze of Mercy, Justice, and Everlasting Peace, forever and ever.  Amen. 

        

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. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com

Prayers of the People: An Unexpected Hour ~ 9th Sunday after Pentecost '19 Yr C

For Sunday, August 11, 2019 ~ 9^th Sunday after Pentecost, Year C, Readings: Genesis 15:1-6, Psalm 33:12-22, Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16; 
Luke 12:32-40

     The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, “Do not be afraid…I am your shield; your reward will be very great.” [Genesis 15:1]

    Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. Indeed our heart rejoices in him, for in his name we put our trust. Let your loving-kindness…be upon us, as we have put our trust in you. [Psalm 33:2-22]

   Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen...For he looked forward to the city that has foundations; whose architect and builder is God...they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. [Hebrews 11: 1,10, 16a]

   Do not be afraid, little flock…Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven...For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also...Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit...You must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. [Luke 12:32a,  33b-35, 40]

    We are what we love. There is no difficulty in understanding and recognizing the truth of the statement from Luke’s Gospel that where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. It is worth the time to consider where it is that we place our hearts, especially as, if by nothing else but the sudden starkness of random tragedy, we are reminded by current events and the Gospel that earthly life is startlingly and all too often abruptly short. What material treasure in this life is so important that it disconnects us from the path to that Heavenly Country prepared for us by God?

    There is much to do to be ready for the return of the Son of Man. In arranging our lives around what is truly important, placing far less emphasis on the material and much more on the spiritual, the unfailing treasure in heaven is the goal for which we were created. Paul reminds us of the strength of the faith of Abram, not yet Abraham, to leave his home not even knowing where he was headed, and God’s promise to him was fulfilled through the innumerable descendants from two old people, nearly as good as dead. 

    This faith work seems especially hard in these days and times with so many delicious or frustrating or fearful distractions that keep us from centering ourselves on our soul's vocation: Full-Time Faithful Followers of Christ. 

    One key is obvious, the simplicity in reducing the accumulation of unnecessary things, activities, and diversions. Another is to begin and end each day in prayer and find moments throughout the day to offer thanks in between asking for help, or a quick acknowledgment of God's Presence. Another is genuine, unplugged (electronically and otherwise ) Sabbath time. Let us put ourselves in God's way and allow God to get in ours. Yes, yes, I know, I'm working on it, I'll get to it as soon as I finish writing this, cleaning that, paying the bills, checking on-line bargains, texting, arguing on social media posts... Part-time Christianity isn't what God has in mind. Our Heavenly Broker is all about Vocation Vocation Vocation - using our life's work as preparation for the unexpected hour when we will be called to the City of God. Light that lamp. Be dressed for action, now. Prepare to abandon earthly appointment calendars to be called forward into an unknown destination. Don't let time slip by unnoticed. And mostly do not be afraid as God said to Abram, and Jesus to his disciples. Now is the time to be energized by the love of God in Christ continually flowing through us. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen now and in an unexpected hour. 

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O God, our Help and our Shield, our souls need not wait upon Your love that is within us and around us every moment of our lives. As we rejoice in Your loving-kindness, guide us to awaken each day ready to abandon our human plans in obedience to Your call, unafraid, even toward an unknown destination.

                                                    Most Loving Lord

RESPONSE:                 We put our trust in You   

~ O God, our Help and our Shield, open and fill us with true conviction to stand among all who lead in this world, this nation, and our community seeking the assurance and the delivery of things hoped: justice, the rescue of the oppressed, and the defense of those made helpless through ignorance, poverty, and greed. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Most Loving Lord                                                      

                                                       We put our trust in You

~ O God, our Help and our Shield, release from despair all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, and peace to all loving helpers. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       Most Loving Lord                                                      

                                                       We put our trust in You

           

~ O God, our Help and our Shield, our sorrow lifts as we know our loved ones live again in the boundless joy of Your Heavenly Country, and the City You have prepared for them for eternity. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                       Most Loving Lord                                                      

                                                       We put our trust in You

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

                                                       Most Loving Lord                                                      

                                                       We put our trust in You

                       

~ O God, our Help and our Shield, we give You thanks for those You have called to gather us, Your flock, in Your Holy Name. Grant that our hearts become the purse of Your unfailing treasure that radiates divine love to friend and stranger, beloved or divided. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Most Loving Lord                                                      

                                                       We put our trust in You

                                                                                                        

The Celebrant adds: Creator, Almighty, You are the Architect and Builder of all that is, seen and unseen. In our short and temporal sojourn, urge us to prepare our souls continuously for the unexpected hour when the Son of Man returns. We ask in the name of Christ Jesus, the Living Word; and the Holy Spirit, the Revealer of Truth; who together with You are One God, infinitely, eternally, forever. Amen. 

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. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com