Prayers of the People: Fruit of the Divine ~ 5th Sunday of Easter '21 Yr B

For Sunday May 2, 2021; Readings: Acts 8:26-40, Psalm 22:24-30, 1 John 4:7-21, John 15:1-8

   Then the Spirit said to Phillip, "Go over to his chariot and join it." So Phillip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" He replied, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" [Acts 8:29-31a]

     The poor shall eat and be satisfied, and those who seek the Lord shall praise him: "May your heart live for ever!"...My soul shall live for him... [Psalm 22:25, 29a]

   God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in the world.  

[1 John 4:16b-17] 

      Jesus said to his disciples, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit...Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches."  [John 15:1-2, 4b-5a]

        Spring is in full bloom in this part of the globe. The weekend cacophony of lawn mowers, weed trimmers, ATVs, and skateboards rises with the temperature. Gardeners are happily filling their wheeled carts with soil, compost, and mulch, cleaning away the debris of winter, preparing the earthen beds for planting, and pruning shrubs, bushes, and trees. 

      Every gardener, even one with a single small plant, knows that good growth requires maintenance. Some plants, such as a grapevine or an apple tree, need pruning to make them stronger and able to produce more and better fruit. Along with water, sunshine, and good soil, a gardener must constantly tend the pots, rows, fields, or orchards with care. Knowledge of weather, season, and region or growing zones climate is essential.

      As a gardener watches for signs of growth as well as of decline, we must constantly tend our relationship with Christ, finding ways to be more intentional about the spiritual growth of our souls, and, awareness of our distractions that lead to neglect. The First Letter of John reminds us that when we believe the love God has for us through Jesus our Savior, God’s love is then perfected in us. It is with that perfected love within that we become the gardeners for growing God’s Kingdom on Earth.

      In the Gospel of John for this week, Jesus tells us that he is the true vine and that God is the vinegrower. Jesus calls us to abide in him as he abides in us, joined to him as branches on the vine. We will bear much fruit if we seek to prune our inner deadwood to clear the way for new spiritual sprouting. But the fruit we bear is not for our own care and feeding ~ it is to be shared with others for their nurture and growth. As we, the branches, grow stronger, we draw together as brothers and sisters in a community of faith, hope, and eternal love in and with Christ as our Vine, the Holy Spirit as our Guide to understanding, and God Almighty as our ultimate Gardener/Vinegrower. Even if Autumn is the new season where you are, there is always much to do to prepare your inner garden for the winter ahead. Whatever the season, we find our strength in Christ who keeps our souls rooted to produce the fruit of the Divine for us all.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY 

Leader:  ~ Jesus, Abundant Vine of Life, prepare our souls as the fertile soil that will bring forth the harvest of Your love and peace. Teach us to see, know, and nourish all people as our brothers and sisters, companion branches in God’s Holy Vineyard.

                                                       Infinite, Abiding Lord

RESPONSE:                Guide us to perfect love

~ Jesus, Abundant Vine of Life, transform our complacence into compassion and ignite desire and courage within us to stand in faith and act together, for all who are denied justice and basic humanity, across this world and at national and local levels.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Infinite, Abiding Lord

                                                       Guide us to perfect love

~ Jesus, Abundant Vine of Life, comfort and heal all who are poor in health and spirit, and grant energy to all who give them care. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       Infinite, Abiding Lord

                                                       Guide us to perfect love

~ Jesus, Abundant Vine of Life, fill us with praise and gladness and hope as the souls of those we love and sent ahead now live again, sheltered in eternity by Your forever Heart. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                       Infinite, Abiding Lord

                                                       Guide us to perfect love

~ Jesus, Abundant Vine of Life, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions

                                                       Infinite, Abiding Lord

                                                       Guide us to perfect love                

~ Jesus, Abundant Vine of Life, bless all who give their lives in service to Your Church, and walk with us through sometimes fallow fields and barren orchards, as we seek the joy in knowing You are with us now in this brief life and forever in the next.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Infinite, Abiding Lord

                                                       Guide us to perfect love

The Celebrant adds: Living God, Eternal Vinegrower, prune detachment and sin from our hearts to cultivate strong, dynamic, and fruitful branches that flourish, not wither, as we abide always in You. We ask this through Jesus, our True and Perfect Vine; and the Holy Spirit, our Wisdom Guide; who together with You, live and reign as One God forever and ever. Amen.

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

Prayers of the People: Catch Up! ~ 4th Sunday of Easter '21 Yr B

For Sunday, April 25, 2021; Readings: Acts 4:5-12, Psalm 23, 1 John 3:16-24, John 10:11-18

     Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders...This Jesus is 'the stone that was rejected by you...it has become the cornerstone.' There is salvation in no one else... 

[Acts 3:8, 11-12a]

    The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want...Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil; for you are with me...Surely your goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. 

[Psalm 23:1, 4, 6]

    How does God's love abide in anyone who has the world's goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. 

[1 John 3:17-18]

 

      I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and the will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. [John 10:14-16]

        The poetry of Psalm 23 speaks to us in the simplest of terms that belie the intricacy of its depth. Jesus would, of course, have known the psalm and it is a perfect pairing to his continuing "discussion" with the religious authorities in this week's Gospel of John.

     The symbolism in this well-known Psalm is far more complex and fascinating than just the obvious image of a man walking down a country lane with a big staff and a dog, the shepherds of the arid regions of the middle east separating sheep from goats, or the pretty girl of nursery rhymes with a bow on her crook as the sheep dutifully follow. Along with the earlier verses in John 10 (which I encourage you to read), taken line by line we can see, feel, and almost hear Jesus, our Shepherd, with us, reviving, caring, comforting, and anointing. Watching over us, preparing our table, restoring us; nothing we need is withheld. 

      Our Good Shepherd's job is never done. The demands on real living shepherds are constant and endless. Sheep are peculiarly needy and helpless creatures, quite restive, and even self-destructive at times. They can stand still for hours or bolt into stampede because an apple drops unexpectedly from a tree. The shepherd must keep continuous vigil against disease, insect infestations, predators, pecking-order fights, escape artists, water, and food supplies. Sheep will NOT lie down unless they are completely contented and secure. A special oil mixture that the shepherd prepares and swabs (anoints)  around each sheep's head and nose keeps deadly insects from burrowing and causing panic, disease, and injury, and the sheep is calmed for at least a little while. Then there are shearing and lambing seasons...*

      The sheep know their shepherd's voice and it comforts them. Do we know the voice of our Shepherd? Do we stand by as those in our own or other flocks are in need and refuse ~ or neglect ~ to give help? Jesus, as Peter told those in religious and political authority after the Crucifixion, was the Cornerstone of our Salvation rejected and executed by them. But Jesus, the Good Shepherd stood firmly, and peacefully, in the midst of their persecution, and laid down his life for us, his sheep.

       Some days I feel pretty sheepish and need that still small voice of God as reminder to get back into the flock, to follow and, in confidence, abide in the one who abides in us. Time for this sheep to answer the Shepherd's call, again, and catch up with the flock. C'mon along!

      
*I commend to you a charming and interesting little book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller, himself a modern-day shepherd, for a closer look at the connections between the Psalm's imagery and real-life sheep farming, line by line.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Holy Christ, Loving Shepherd, lead our souls to Your verdant pasture to lay aside our earthly wants for your eternal shelter. May our hearts and minds be nourished by Your Word and Sacrifice, learn to know Your voice as You know ours, and answer Your call.

                                         Jesus, Cornerstone of our Salvation

    RESPONSE:          Let us love in truth and action

~ Holy Christ, Loving Shepherd, in the violence, hatred, and desperation of Your times, You stood peaceably as those in authority maligned and executed You. Grant us courage and fortitude in our own desperate times to stand up, peacefully yet persistently, to urge the political leaders of our Planet, our Country, and our Community, to legislate and participate in peace, equity, and mercy, as well as economic and environmental justice for all. We pray especially for: Joseph, our President; Kamala, our Vice-President; add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Cornerstone of our Salvation

                                                       Let us love in truth and action

~ Holy Christ, Loving Shepherd, comfort the hearts, restore the hope, and give rest from anxiety, for all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, and for all who provide love and support. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Cornerstone of our Salvation

                                                       Let us love in truth and action     

~ Holy Christ, Loving Shepherd, we give great thanks, through our mortal tears, for those who have gone through the darkest valley to now live again and dwell forever in the brightest light of Your Holy House. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Cornerstone of our Salvation

                                                       Let us love in truth and action

~ Holy Christ, Loving Shepherd, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Cornerstone of our Salvation

                                                       Let us love in truth and action      

~ Holy Christ, Loving Shepherd, with glad and generous hearts our Earthly Pastoral Shepherds break and sanctify the Bread of Life to bring You to us in prayer and teaching. Bless them in their work with and for us, that together we may feed all Your sheep with goodness and mercy. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Cornerstone of our Salvation

                                                       Let us love in truth and action

The Celebrant adds: Almighty God, Master of Creation, as You have anointed us for all the days of our lives, infuse us with the desire to walk the right pathways, gather all Your sheep into one flock, and to love, serve, and abide in and through the Risen Christ. We ask this though Jesus, our Shepherd and Redeemer; and the Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of our souls; who together with You, reign as One God, forever and ever. Amen.

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

UPDATE - Document Link Added ~ A Resource for Now: Entering the Same Door, Differently

As we edge ever closer to more and more Faith Communities and other organizations slowly opening ever wider as the COVID-19 Pandemic slowly subsides, many of us have wondered: how do we prepare ourselves and our communities? So much has changed and even as we may hunger for what was, there are also new options in gathering we might want to keep.

If you are looking for resources for small group reflection on life during the pandemic and re-imagining our individual and collective futures, I hope you will consider Entering the Same Door, Differently, a set of three designs/formats and supporting materials, developed by six veteran adult theological educator colleagues, of which I'm pleased to say I am one.

The design packet of these Guided Conversational/Retreat/Reflection Sessions is available at no charge, and you are encouraged to adapt and modify the content to suit your needs, including for non-Christian and secular groups such as nonprofits, NGOs, civic groups, etc. Also, they can be used for in-person, online/virtual, and hybrid gatherings. Choose a design for your group, or, pick elements from all three to custom design yet another. The materials also provide conversation prompts for one-on-one pastoral conversations as well as personal reflection.

Click Here to Download Materials:

Entering the Same Door, Differently

The resource described above is offered at no charge. For more information and/or to receive the materials,  please contact me at: Leeosophy@gmail.com

Prayers of the People: Lunch Guest ~ 3rd Sunday of Easter '21 Yr B

For Sunday, April 18, 2021, Readings: Acts 3:12-19, Psalm 4, 1 John 3:1-7, Luke 24:36b-48

      And by faith in his name, his name itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you. [Acts 3:16]

            Many are saying, "Oh, that we might see better times!"...You have put gladness in my heart...for only you, Lord, make me dwell in safety. [Psalm 4, 6a, 7a, 8b]

           You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him sins...Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. [1 John 3:5-6a, 7b]

...Jesus himself stood among the disciples and said to them, "Peace be with you"...Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things." [Luke 24: 36b, 45-48]

         How much easier it was for the Disciples when Jesus returned fully alive again, and able to speak to and eat with them, answer their questions in person, and explain the plan. In those "simpler times" all they really had to deal with was fear for their lives in an adverse political climate, uncertainty in their futures, and the continuing disbelief and wonder of what they were actually experiencing.

       So much for simpler times. There are so very many today, in this country and around the globe, who are facing daily violence and lethal persecution just for being who they are and what they believe, without having a visible Jesus in their midst. And who of us are certain about what the future holds; a future that could change dramatically and instantly? 

       We can only rely on the Scriptures to tell us how things were so that we also may try to believe as the original disciples did. Yet given our familiarity of the readings, how much do we hear and think about now? How can we bring those Scriptures alive and into our consciousness anytime, anywhere, any season? 

      The season of Eastertide, joy-filled as it is meant to be, abounds with reminders of our responsibility for ongoing repentance. Repent is such a bristle-y word ~ didn't we finish with that in Lent? Short answer, no! The word has been loaded with negative and fearful connotations for millennia. It quite simply means to turn toward. Whether we are complacent, distracted, or knowingly neglectful, we all turn away from the call of Jesus and the attention to our faith from time to time, briefly or for longer periods. After awhile, something may trigger a tiny longing that may grow deeper into wanting to reconnect for the soul-fulfillment of faith and worship. Perhaps a death in the family or among friends, a personal diagnosis, or a sudden realization of our own aging and mortality. How then to turn toward Christ once more?

     Here's a quick first step, an easy prayer-form. It may even sound trite but no one but you need know. Simply call out the name of Jesus and he's there, with you, immediately. 

    That's it ~ and, you can even sing it! Pick out a love song in rock, soul, rap, heavy metal ~ whatever suits you. Any love song can be directed to Jesus. Some of you might know the lyrics to that old James Taylor song: Just call out my name, and you know wherever I am, I'll come running, to see you again! Click here to sing your prayer: James Taylor - You've Got a Friend and he'll be there, yeah, he'll be there. And what you feel inside will show outside and that will be your witness and your proclamation that repentance is the key to the forgiveness of our sins, leading you to turn toward Christ with strengthened faith, trust, and a new spiritual lease on life. Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall! Invite Jesus to lunch with you. He likes fish.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Jesus, our Christ and our Peace, as You stood among the disciples then, You stand among us still and call us to the actions of hope and love that will purify our souls. Release us from the doubts and temptations that lure us from Your presence that, by our repentance, we may dwell in the spiritual safety offered by Your love and forgiveness.

                                                         O Lord of Wonders

RESPONSE:     Strengthen our faith and trust         

~ Jesus, our Christ and our Peace, infuse our elected, appointed, or self-declared leaders with wisdom, compassion, and the ways of justice and mercy as they chart the course of our lives on our Planet, in our Nation, and in our Community. Fill us with the courage and grace to hold You in our hearts as we hold them accountable. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord of Wonders

                                                       Strengthen our faith and trust

~ Jesus, our Christ and our Peace, calm the fears and pain for all suffer through physical or emotional illness, addiction or despair, and grant respite to those who provide support. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord of Wonders

                                                       Strengthen our faith and trust 

~ Jesus, our Christ and our Peace, ease our grieving hearts and minds with the knowledge and comfort that those who have joined You in the glory of Resurrection, now dwell in the eternal gladness and freedom of Salvation. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord of Wonders

                                                       Strengthen our faith and trust

~ Jesus, our Christ and our Peace, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord of Wonders

                                                       Strengthen our faith and trust     

~ Jesus, our Christ and our Peace, as the Disciples in their time, our leaders in Your Church today give witness to the truth of Your words and the fullness of life in following You. Energize their message to engage us with their fervor that we may stride confidently and reverently into each day together, proclaiming You by thought, word, and action. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord of Wonders

                                                       Strengthen our faith and trust

The Celebrant adds:  God of the Beginning, the Now, and of all that is to Come, raise us as You raised our Christ, into the faithfulness of heart, mind, and soul that leads us to the glory and the better times with You. We ask through the name of Jesus, our Risen Savior; and the Holy Spirit, our Sanctifier; who together with You reign as One God, forever and ever. Amen.

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

Prayers of the People: Rising Along ~ 2nd Sunday of Easter '21 Yr B

For Sunday, April 11, 2021, Readings: Acts 4:32-35, Psalm 133, 1 John 1:1-2:2, John 20:19-31

With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and a great grace was upon them all. [Acts 4:33]

 Oh how good and pleasant it is, when brethren live together in unity! [Psalm 133:1]

...if we walk in the light, as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us all from sin. [1 John 1:7]

But Thomas...was not with them when Jesus came....[and] he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in his side, I will not believe..." [Jesus] said to him, "Have you [now] believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." [John 20:24, 25b, 29]

     Thomas, the ultimate skeptic, carries the load for those among us who are reluctant to admit to doubts about faith, questions about God, or wondering about events recalled in the Bible. By the way, the other Apostles also doubted briefly [see Luke 24:1-12] ~ so we who have had our own doubts are all in good company. And the company we are in is also the point ~ those who knew Jesus in their own lifetimes came together as a faith community sharing joy, fellowship, and the necessities of life as followers before and after Christ's Resurrection. Then, and in many succeeding generations, those we speak of as early Christians faced tremendous fear and the reality of vicious persecution as many Christians, and many members of other faith traditions, still do today. The continuous re-telling and re-living of our story keeps us connected by remembering the why of our faith even in those moments of faint acceptance or unbelief.

      Easter, however, isn't merely a day or a season, it is meant to be our way of life, as Easter People. From the beginning of Advent we are preparing the way for and seeking the glory and joy of the Resurrection, achieved through the great sacrifice and pain that we have experienced through the readings of Holy Week and, Good Friday in particular.  

      While the penitential season of Lent has given way to the joy of Easter, we are to continue to re-examine the manner in which we live our lives through our thoughts, words, and actions with and for everyone we meet. It is in fellowship that we remember, walk in, and reflect the light he himself is in, with peace and the Holy Spirit within us. 

        In these still confusing and difficult times, let us work together to keep and dispense Christ’s message of Peace be with you, as we strive for unity and love wherever we are. Despite deep divisions among humans, and our own more or less occasional doubts, through our companioning and fellowship with one another, God's truth within us, and living in Christ's name, we can rise along with Chris and each other to new heights of faith ~ undoubtedly! And oh how good and pleasant it is! 

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Holy Christ, our Lord and our Messiah, release us from the stifling darkness of the sin and doubt of our own making, to accept the cleansing of our souls by Your Resurrection that bolsters our faith and fellowship in Your name, through every facet of life.

                                                        Jesus, Light and Peace of God

   RESPONSE:                  Raise us to new heights in Faith  

         

~ Holy Christ, our Lord and our Messiah, awaken Your great grace within us and especially in all the Lawmakers of our World, our Country, and our Community. Activate a deep desire to pursue unity in peace, health, and well-being, so that no one, anywhere, is further ravaged by disease, poverty, war, or any desperate need. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Light and Peace of God

                                                       Raise us to new heights in Faith

~ Holy Christ, our Lord and our Messiah, grant Your healing touch of hope and love to soothe and comfort all who are unwell in body, mind, or spirit, and all who give them care We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Light and Peace of God

                                                       Raise us to new heights in Faith

~ Holy Christ, our Lord and our Messiah, You are Risen Indeed as are all of our faith-filled departed, who now shine in the glory of life everlasting with You. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Light and Peace of God

                                                       Raise us to new heights in Faith

~ Holy Christ, our Lord and our Messiah, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Light and Peace of God

                                                       Raise us to new heights in Faith          

~ Holy Christ, our Lord and our Messiah, infuse Your anointed Disciples with an abundance of spiritual oxygen, to fill us all with the fresh air of Your Presence within and among us, lifting our purpose daily, and carrying us on the current of Your limitless love. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Light and Peace of God

                                                       Raise us to new heights in Faith

The Celebrant adds: Holy Jesus, Risen Lord, guide us to see with new eyes, to love with new hearts, and to hope with new faith that we, as Easter People, open ourselves to new life, unburdened by doubt, radiating Your Light from within. We ask through You, our Glorious Redeemer; and the Holy Spirit, our soul’s Wisdom, who together with God, our Almighty Creator, live and reign now and forever.  Amen.

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

Prayers of the People: Risen Son ~ Easter Day '21 Yr B

For Sunday, April 4, 2021, Readings: Acts 10:34-43, Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Mark 16:1-8

    Peter began to speak..."I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable..."[Jesus] commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead...everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. [Acts 10:34-35]

           Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his mercy endures forever....On this day the LORD has acted and we will rejoice and be glad in it. [Psalm 118:1, 24]

          For I handed on to you as of first importance...that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures... [1 Corinthians 15:3-4]

        As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. [Mark 16:5-6a]

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!  Alleluia!

        EASTER is here! Hallelujah!! Christ is Risen!!! Wherever you are on this planet whether bursting into Spring, slipping into Autumn, or somewhere in between, today our Salvation is assured, again and still, through our faith in this Risen Lord of All. Yet it will likely be the second quietest Easter for many of us.

        Daily life in the time of pandemic continues from the upended of the usual, the regular, and even the irregular from last year. Now we are to experience a second holiday/Holy Day apart from each other and our prior expressions of extra-glorious festival worship services of common memory. Yet hope does spring eternal as we look ahead to newer, improved, and more creative online worship with pre-recorded music and choirs and joy-filled Liturgies. Even for those for whom Easter isn’t “all that” spiritually, this year will have a slightly more celebratory feeling than the abruptness of last year’s quiet.

      Yet, I am again drawn to the words of Thomas Merton in his book The Sign of Jonas, "The grace of Easter is a great silence, an immense tranquility and a clean taste in your soul. It is the taste of heaven...a discovery of order above all order...a wine without intoxication, a joy that has no poison in it. Life without death..." After the strange experience of last Easter, what might we discover about this Easter and the gifts it holds if we decide to accept? 

    There are four Gospel accounts of the death and resurrection of Jesus. This year we hear from the Gospel of Mark, which generally feels to me as a newspaper account, light in detail and flourish with just the basics. If you were asked to tell the Gospel Resurrection story, which of the four is closest to your memory? What does Easter mean to you, how would you describe it? Listening to or reading different accounts of the same event can give us a fresh perspective and a new experience of the moment.

     Take some time this Easter season and read the Gospel accounts of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Reflect on what surprises you and what questions arise. Notice the similarities and differences. Wonder, and try to decide, if one account speaks to you more than another and why? Or perhaps you'll mix and match the Gospel writers' accounts to arrive at your own version, visualizing yourself in the time and place. Whatever you do, ask yourself: So what? What does it all mean for my life today, tomorrow, and beyond? What will I do ~ or stop doing ~ as a result of reflecting on Christ's Death and Resurrection? 

     Merton also says, in He is Risen, “Christ is the Lord of a history that moves. He not only holds the beginning and the end in his hands, but he is in history with us, walking ahead of us to where we are going…True encounter with Christ liberates something in us, a power that we did not know we had, a hope, a capacity for life, resilience, an ability to bounce back when we thought we were completely defeated, a capacity to grow and change, a power of creative transformation.” How important are these words in these current days?

     Let’s seek that clean taste in our souls, that fresh joy, that creative transformation, and discover a bit of the great silence within as we dust off and resurrect our faith to meet and be liberated by Christ beyond the tomb. Now we again meet the Christ moving within us and before us, and our path with him, though not easy, will lead us into the eternal Easter of Salvation. Choirs of angels await… And while we’re at it, let us continue to be in touch with those for whom Church is always distant and unattainable, who are still more isolated than some. A phone call, a note, a mail-ordered Easter basket will help to keep Christ present through us in our absence from one another. A little taste of heaven goes a long way. The Risen Son is our Light of Life. Hallelujah!

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Christ Jesus, Risen Lord of All, the earth-bound tomb is empty! You are raised to the right hand of God from the temporary bindings of human death. You redeemed our souls that we may accept Your gift of new life and join You in the joy and glory of eternal salvation.

                                                      Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

RESPONSE:              Christ is Risen indeed! Alleluia!  

         

~  Christ Jesus, Risen Lord of All, Your Death and Resurrection fulfilled the Scriptures as the Sacred Victim of political murder, feared most by those whose political power was merely temporal and time-limited. Help us strive to remind those who now hold earthly power in our World, in our Country and in our Community, that God shows no partiality and all who believe and do right are acceptable and forgiven through You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

                                                       Christ is Risen indeed! Alleluia!

~ Christ Jesus, Risen Lord of All, lavish Your healing grace and glory on all those who are ill in body, mind, or spirit, and on those who give them care. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

                                                       Christ is Risen indeed! Alleluia!

~ Christ Jesus, Risen Lord of All, by Your Sacrifice, mortal death has been vanquished and the ransom for sin has been paid for those we love, and we ourselves in time, who joyously enter perpetual life with You. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                       Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

                                                       Christ is Risen indeed! Alleluia!

~ Christ Jesus, Risen Lord of All, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions

                                                       Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

                                                       Christ is Risen indeed! Alleluia!                    

~ Christ Jesus, Risen Lord of All, we give You great thanks for those anointed priests of Your Church who, in teaching, care, and humility, walk with us and lead us in this life, toward the fullness of Your Salvation in the next. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

                                                       Christ is Risen indeed! Alleluia!

The Celebrant adds: Son of God, our Savior Christ, You are the Word with God from the Beginning, Who is Beloved of God, and through Whom God is brought to each of us. Release us from our self-imposed tombs of sin, that we may transcend mortal desires, be stronger in faith, and lift our souls to You. We ask through You, our Living Lord, the Power of the Holy Spirit, and the Enduring Grace of the Almighty, who together are our One God, forever and ever. Amen.

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