People's Prayers

Monday, February 6, 2023

Prayers of the People: Word Power ~ 6th Sunday after Epiphany '23 Yr A

For Sunday, February 12, 2023, Readings: Sirach 15:15-20 [Deuteronomy 30:15-20], Psalm 119:1-8, 1 Corinthians 3:1-9, Matthew 5:21-37

If you choose, you can keep the commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your choice. He has placed before you fire and water; stretch out your hand for whichever you choose. [Sirach 15:15-16]

[Choose life so that you and your descendants may live,loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him, for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” [Deuteronomy 30:19b-20]]

Happy are they whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! Happy are they who observe his decrees and seek him with all their hearts! I will thank you with an unfeigned heart... [Psalm 119:1-2, 7a]

I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather...infants in Christ. Even now you are still not ready, for you are still people of the flesh...So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God gives the growth. The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose...For we are God's servants, working together; you are God's field, God's building. [1 Corinthians 3:11b, 2b-3, 7-9]

So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift...If your right eye causes you to sin tear it out...and if your right hand causes you to sin, cut if off and throw it away... [Matthew 5:23, 29a, 30a]

*You must before your God appear to Give an account of your transactions, And how you spent your time, when here.” [The Rev. Absalom Jones 1746-1818]

Life is about our choices. We all have soul choices and faith decisions to make in and for this life, even in the midst of unforeseen circumstances. The reading from the Book of Sirach, also known as Ecclesiasticus, gives those in his time (about 2^nd century BCE) and us, the reality that we ourselves can choose to keep the Commandments and to act faithfully. The other Old Testament reading choice for today, Deuteronomy, similarly outlines our choices and emphasizing that by observing the commandments, decrees, and ordinances and by loving God, we choose life and the “if this/then that” of our actions with their consequences: I set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. The Psalmist chimes in with the incentives of faithfulness by telling us how happy they are who observe the Law of the Lord, our God.

Paul lays it out to the Church at Corinth ~ they were not ready to hear what he had to say ~ and he spoke to them as infants in Christ because they were still of the flesh. He also tells them/us that working together in community, with a common purpose, serves our God. There are planters and waterers in God’s fields, and we are each called in to till, fertilize, or manage. Yet with all we are to do, only God provides the growth.

We also may not be ready to hear the message. It’s so easy to be led astray, to bow to the many gods in the gardens of life’s idol and idle distractions ~ the idolatries of social media, of celebrities, of mega-wealth, of choosing the “correct” side of multiple political issues while fomenting exponentially increasing outrage ~ our own and others; or trying to be around the “right” kind of people while judging and excluding, or worse, "those other" kinds of people.

In this third continuation of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus furthers the idea of community with a list do’s and don’ts regarding our behaviors with and toward others. In one sense, it sounds as though he’s replacing The Law with his own, but read carefully. In his use of You have heard…but I say…Jesus is not reducing but expanding the scope of God’s Law. Most of us avoid murder, for example, but Jesus is warning us that our anger and insult can be a form of violence and subject to God’s judgment. In that vein, it is not a surprise that he says first, be reconciled to your brother or sister.

There is so much depth to each of Christ’s admonitions. These commandments are not simply a basic morality checklist. They are individually and collectively organized around love, trust, and commitment to God through how we are with one another. We must look beyond the literal statements and understand that each and every one of these are intent on us flourishing in this life. By understanding and living into the full expanse of these commandments, we are then able to experience the transformative power of spiritual and relational wholeness. No, not everyone will welcome the love but it’s how we respond that is the crux of the call. We all fail in relationships at one time or another and we have to decide what to do about it. Being reconciled to our brothers and sisters may simply mean I have sincerely offered to work things out. Some will accept, some will not join me in returning to the altar of God. As we hear Jesus say in Mark’s Gospel, the Greatest Commandment is to love God with all of yourself and love your neighbor as (if she/he/they were) yourself ~ if we do all that then we ARE following the Commandments, we ARE living the Law, we ARE reconciled to God and humanity, and we do Choose Life ~ eternal life ~ spiritual nourishment, with an open and unfeigned heart.

As the Episcopal Church in the US honors The Rev. Absalom Jones on February 13, his words also echo all of the readings and lay out the bottom line for our choice: You must before your God appear to give an account of your transactions, and how you spent your time, when here. The clear message of the combined readings that I hear is that God gives us free will to choose the path we take and tells us what results to expect. Take it or leave it. Face the consequences. Be reconciled. Are you still an infant in Christ? Grow up! Be in, with, and for Christ or, not. The power of these words within us gives us the clear options, the choice is ours to make, for this life and the next.

* The Rev. Absalom Jones was born into slavery in Sussex County, Delaware in 1746 and had an extraordinary life in ministry and beyond. He became the first African-American priest in the Episcopal Church in the US, founded several churches, multiple organizations to aid freed and runaway slaves, and a Literary Circle. He is celebrated on the calendar of the US Episcopal Church each February 13. For more information, click here: Prayers of the People: The Rev Absalom Jones

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O God of Blessing and Promise, inject our spirits with a conscious inner hunger that drives us away from human idolatries, to follow Your ways and to choose the soul-saving path of Your Law.

             O Lord, our God
RESPONSE: We place our trust in You

~ O God of Blessing and Promise, may those who govern in our names throughout this world, this country, and this community, be earnest in observing Your decrees and keeping Your statutes faithfully, in good conscience, for the well-being of all Your people and all of Your Creation. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                      O Lord, our God
                                                     We place our trust in You

~ O God of Blessing and Promise, we ask your blessings for those who are dangerously ill, distraught, or life-weary, and for all who serve their needs. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord, our God
                                                      We place our trust in You

~ O God of Blessing and Promise, hold close the hearts in sorrow, as we celebrate the gifts of all who have departed for new life in Your complete love and perfect peace. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord, our God
                                                      We place our trust in You

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

                                                       O Lord, our God
                                                      We place our trust in You

~ O God of Blessing and Promise, may all who serve Your Church feel affirmed and encouraged in guiding us toward growth and grace in You, while we work together as the planters and waterers among Your fields. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord, our God
                                                      We place our trust in You

The Celebrant adds: Holy and Mighty God, turn our hearts away from the distractions of earthly existence and stretch out our hands to choose Life Eternal with You. Grant us courage to reconcile with one another, even in disagreement, and to begin each day with love, determined to carry out the vows we have made in Baptism. As Your Servant, The Rev. Absalom Jones reminds us, we give gratitude for Your blessings and will one day give our account to You for how we used our time in this life. We ask through Jesus, our Redeemer Lord; and the Holy Spirit, our Divine Counselor; who together with You are One God, now and forever. Amen.

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Monday, January 30, 2023

Prayers of the People: Salt-y and Light-ed ~ 5th Sunday after the Epiphany ’23 Yr A

For Sunday, February 5, 2023, Readings: Isaiah 58:1-12, Ps 112:1-10, 1 Cor 2:1-16, Mt 5:13-20

Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet!...Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free...to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house...Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer... [Isaiah 58:1a, 6-7, 9a]

Light shines in the darkness for the upright; the righteous are merciful and full of compassion... They have freely given to the poor...they will hold up their heads with honor. The wicked will see it and be angry, they will gnash their teeth and pine away; the desires of the wicked will perish. [Psalm 112:4, 9-10]

I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom but on the power of God. [1 Corinthians 2:2-5]

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 lighting a lamp puts it under a bushel basket, but on the lampstand and it gives light to all in the house. [Matthew 5:13a, 14-15]

This week we pick up on the second installment of The Sermon on the Mount. Last week, the first part of the Sermon, in Matthew 5:1-12, was a recitation of the Beatitudes. It is always worth re-reading and re-examining what they mean to us individually. One way to approach them is as “Be Attitudes” as there are blessings for each stage along our faith journey. With an attitude of being Christ’s disciples, we aren’t seeking fame and fortune or success by some earthly measure, but rather we change our thinking, adjust our expectations of “life” for our brief sojourn on this earthly plain. The readings appointed for this Sunday are a good primer on ways to start to think again about how to live this human time as Jesus wants.

Isaiah tells us that just showing up to do a few good acts and a bit of fasting without the right intention isn’t enough, especially if we’re still pointing fingers and judging others. God sees through our waving of hands and cries of “Look at Me” when self-interest is our prime motivator in helping another. Paul carries us along by saying that those who are not spiritually inclined don’t care about what is or isn’t of God and are more likely to get caught up in following the "wisdom" that is merely human. But, he says, that if we truly seek the wisdom and spirit of God, we will be given more ways to understand.

Jesus takes us further by giving us a few particulars on the responsibilities of discipleship. He starts by telling us we are the “salt of the earth.” Salt in his time was a commodity of great importance far beyond a condiment, it was currency. Soldiers’ wages were paid in salt ~ salarium in Latin, from where we get the word salary. Everyone used salt as we use money in our own time. If salt loses its taste, its value as currency drops; it becomes worthless, good only to throw on the street. A serious financial problem arises with tasteless salt ~ imagine your paycheck bouncing.

Today good salt enhances the flavors of our food, and the yeast in bread will not rise without it. An appropriate amount of salt is vital to our physical health in digestive and other body processes. In being so identified as the salt of the earth, we are called to realize our own worth and potential in God's sight and to let our good works reflect the Glory of God as a pathway to eternal life.

Jesus also tells us we are the light of the world, a light on the lampstand of life, filling God’s House with spirit-filled light for everyone, unhidden as a city built on a hill, reflecting and refracting God's glory through us as a prism.

These rich images, along with the blessings from the Beatitudes, are a guide for how we choose to live in discipleship. Jesus is clear that he has come to fulfill, not abolish, the Law of God ~ the Commandments ~ and that we are to follow even the least of these to the letter and to teach others to do the same. He doesn't think well of the scribes and Pharisees and while we are challenged to go much farther, the bar is set rather low with them as examples.

It is important to remember that Jesus gave us this summary of the Law: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind…You shall love your neighbor as yourself [Matthew 22:37-39b]. If you live into this you will have well fulfilled all the Commandments as God gave them to Moses. Love God; Love your neighbor as yourself. After all, if you truly love God and love your neighbor-as-yourself you won’t steal, kill, covet, commit, etc. The as yourself part is a very specific clarification that often goes unheard or dismissed. It is to love your neighbor as if your neighbor is yourself; you are your neighbor/your neighbor is you. Not so easy to dismiss one neighbor for another if it is dismissing yourself! Similarly with the Lord’s Prayer, forgive us our sins/trespasses AS [in the same exact way that] we forgive those who sin/trespass against us. There’s something to ponder in lieu of merely rattling off those familiar syllables unconsciously without consciously understanding what it is we are saying/praying.

When we follow these instructions, we will receive the blessings outlined in the Beatitudes and our light shall rise in the darkness to shine God’s glory to others. Stay tuned, this week was a mere introduction to the rest of the Sermon.

Let us go forth salt-y and light-ed by, in, and with God's everlasting remembrance.

In the meantime, let us look at another Summary of God’s wishes, this from John Wesley:

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ O God of Power and Wisdom, infuse our souls with the deep desire to move from the self-indulgence of limitless earthly distractions, to being the upright salt of the earth, preserving and enhancing the freshness of Christ’s call to a life of trust in You.

O Lord, our Guide

RESPONSE: Keep our hearts right and unafraid

~ O God of Power and Wisdom, free us from fear and trembling to be Your beacon as a city on a hill, shining Your Light in the darkness. Let us lift our voices to implore all who lead governments on this Planet, in this Country, and in our Community to be Just, Merciful, Compassionate, and Honorable in their lives and work. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Lord, our Guide

Keep our hearts right and unafraid

~ O God of Power and Wisdom, comfort the spirits of all who are stricken with chronic illness, addiction, or desperation, and grant strength to those who give them care. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

O Lord, our Guide

Keep our hearts right and unafraid

~ O God of Power and Wisdom, console those who grieve with new or freshly remembered loss. May they know that those we love, now live again where joy and peace abound forever with You. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

O Lord, our Guide

Keep our hearts right and unafraid

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

O Lord, our Guide

Keep our hearts right and unafraid

~ O God of Power and Wisdom, grant delight in Your ways to those who lead Your Church and minister in the name of Christ. Gift them with the ability to teach us by word and example, and, shepherd our path to spiritual discernment. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Lord, our Guide

Keep our hearts right and unafraid

The Celebrant adds: God of Abundant Love, we ask You to satisfy our needs and strengthen us in parched places, that we may make each day of our lives acceptable in Your sight, by radiating Your glory to others through our good works. We ask through Jesus the Christ, our Lord of Glory; and the Holy Spirit, Fount of Divine Wisdom; who together with You are One God, forever and ever. Amen.

Monday, January 23, 2023

Prayers of the People: Simply Difficult ~ 4th Sunday after the Epiphany '23 Yr A

For Sunday, January 29, 2023, Readings: Micah 6:1-8, Psalm 15, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, Matthew 5:1-12

[God] has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? [Micah 6:8]

Lord, who...may dwell upon your holy hill? Whoever leads a blameless life...does what is right...speaks the truth from his heart...[with] no guile upon his tongue...does no evil to a friend ...does not heap contempt upon his neighbor...in his sight the wicked is rejected...honors those who fear the Lord...he has sworn to do no wrong...does not take back his word...does not give his money in hope of gain...does [not] take a bribe against the innocent... [Psalm 15]

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. [1 Corinthians 1:27-29]

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: "Blessed are..." [Matthew 5:1-12]

The Sermon on the Mount, is recorded in Matthew as the first public act of Jesus and we will follow this first sermon for the next several weeks. This week we hear the Beatitudes in concert with the words of Micah, the Psalmist, and Paul speaking to the church in Corinth, all giving an outline and direction in the ways in which to follow God as God wills and, from the Gospel, to become followers of Jesus more fully.

These Beatitudes, or state of blessedness, are qualities of life that describe what we are to actively work toward as we humbly submit ourselves to the will of Jesus. These eight Beatitudes are not describing eight different groups of people, but rather the states of being that we each may manifest within our lives, the attributes of true discipleship. They name our blessings and the corresponding reward for faithfulness. Jesus lets us know we are blessed in the first part of his sermon so that we are uplifted. As his teachings continue, we know we will be enfolded and sustained by these blessings whenever life turns difficult as long as we are doing all we can to live into the spirit of these states of being. Yet a part of this lesson may be overlooked. However difficult in the moments in our own times of discomfort, distress, and even despair, it is through all of life's experiences, that we can seek to discover opportunities to become a blessing to and for others.

As I ponder all the readings for this week, I want to experience the message of God, the Psalmist, Paul, and Jesus and actively improve the areas in my life that need some remedial work in doing justice, letting go of my judgment of others, recognizing my weaknesses, and being more constructive in peace-making, among all the other ideals listed.

The instructions we are given in these readings are quite simple at first glance. Do this, do that, and all will be well except that these directions seem to be more about being than doing, attitude more than activity yet all are necessary. Salvation would be so easy to attain if only it wasn’t so simply difficult to tear ourselves away from the easy path of self-comfort. A lingering question remains for me to remember, “when in my life have I found myself among the following”:

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ O God on High, Source of All Life, refine and purify our hearts that we may recognize our blessings, choose to be and do with our lives as Jesus taught us, and walk with You as the embodiment of blessings for all Your people who live in hunger, sickness, fear, injustice, grief, and hopelessness.

Lord of Hope and Joy

RESPONSE: Strengthen our trust in You

~ O God our Source, attend to those who present themselves in the temples of government in our World, in our Country, and in our Community. Fill their souls with Your wisdom, truth, and mercy, and divert them from paths of war, greed, and inhumanity. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Lord of Hope and Joy

Strengthen our trust in You

~ O God our Source, we ask for Your healing for all who are seriously ill, anxious, or exhausted, and for those who tend to their needs. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

Lord of Hope and Joy

Strengthen our trust in You

~ O God our Source, the gloom of grief is lifted when our hearts know that You joyfully embrace all who live again in Your glorious and eternal Paradise. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

Lord of Hope and Joy

Strengthen our trust in You

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

Lord of Hope and Joy

Strengthen our trust in You

~ O God our Source, hold fast in Your embrace all who lead us in Your Church, as they guide and walk with us in Word, Sacrament, and Faith, away from false gods and always to You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Lord of Hope and Joy

Strengthen our trust in You

The Celebrant adds: Holy Lord of the highest Mountains and the lowest Valleys, draw us close to experience Your Presence in each moment, in our success and in our failings, as we strive to seek Your favor and follow Your will in all that we are and all that we do. We ask through the blessings of Christ Jesus, our Redeemer; and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, our Counselor; who together with You are our One God, now and through eternity. Amen.

Monday, January 16, 2023

Prayers of the People: Casting Wide Nets ~ 3rd Sunday of Epiphany '23 Yr A

For Sunday, January 22, 2023, Readings: Isaiah 9:1-4, Psalm 27:1, 5-13; 1 Corinthians 1:10-18,

Matthew 4:12-23

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness ~ on them light has shined. [Isaiah 9:2]

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom then should I fear...Hearken to my voice, O Lord, when I call; have mercy on me and answer me. [Psalm 27:1a, 10]

Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose. [1 Corinthians 1:10]

As [Jesus] walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers...casting a net into the sea ~ for they were fishermen. And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people." ...Jesus went throughout Galilee...proclaiming the good news of the kingdom... [Matthew 4:18-19, 23]

We all know those times in this life when even the smallest amount of good news feels like a tiny ray of light in the darkness bringing a glimmer of hope that things will get better. Isaiah and the Psalmist, and a reminder in Matthew of the words of Isaiah that the Light is always there even when we feel lost and are sinking in the shadows. The Psalmist asks if the Lord is our light and our salvation whom shall we fear? In our everyday reality, of course, we do have fears and worry and anxiety about many things in our lives and it is in such times that we are to try to summon even a vague intention to seek God’s face. Looking for that wee beam of light with a fragment of faith and a bit of faint hope we are able to begin to take a shaky step forward into the always unknown.

Paul speaks to us in our own time through his letter to the Church in Corinth: be in agreement...no divisions among us...be united in the same mind and the same purpose and even more appropriate to now, he warns us not to divide Christ. How many Christian denominations try to out shout one another as the only source for the "true" message of Jesus? How incredibly difficult is it to heal divisions in political opinion let alone in religious? Yet it is in these often dark and scary times, in a world seemingly gone mad with violence in action and in words, that we are called to put aside our ideological differences and follow the simple message of Christ's Gospel: love God, love our neighbors as ourselves, proclaim the Gospel ~ his good news of the kingdom ~ in all we think, do, and say. The frills, bells, and whistles, or lack of, for worship are earth-bound and human-made. We must be aware and wary of creeping idolatry around individuals, the places, and the worship itself if any excludes or diminishes the very elements of our calling.

Jesus called the soon-to-be disciples away from their fishing boats and nets to follow him and become fishers of people. Yet there is an important piece of the story that is often overlooked ~ Zebedee, father of James and John, stays behind mending the nets. It doesn’t mean that he and the others on the fishing crew didn’t believe or want to follow but rather that each of us is called to use the gifts we have been given in different ways. Some are called to teach and preach, some are called to stay behind mending the nets to catch the fish to feed and support those who are in the fields or the kitchens or elsewhere.

Some days and weeks and months are better than others. The nets can be full or nearly empty. The fields can be brimming for harvest or drowned or dry. The car runs well or breaks down on a busy day. The death of a loved one, suddenly or expected, brings grief and turmoil. In the darkest moments of life when our inner nets are torn and faith feels weak, we can search to catch the Light within ourselves however faint and distant it seems. When we allow ourselves to be reeled into the net that Jesus has cast for us, the Word can inhabit us and begin to attract others to the splendid shore of Christ’s love. We'll catch more, or lose more, by our ways and attitudes; we don’t have to be perfect or devout, just hopeful in our search for faith. Whether in the grocery line, on Facebook, or driving in traffic, it is always better to bring the light and respond in love than to bait the hook for a snark attack. Sometimes, what annoys us about others reflects what we feel about ourselves. We trip, we fall, we get up, and then we start over. We pull in our nets, repair them, and cast them out again. Let’s begin again to repair the nets of our own thoughts and words, our judgments and frustrations by working to seek and feel the Good News of the Kingdom within ourselves. Even with only a glimmer of hope and the faintest of faith, we can begin casting wide nets to catch the true meaning of loving our neighbors AS we love ourselves and Follow again, in earnest.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ Oh Lord of Light and Joy, with You as our strength whom shall we fear? As You have caught us up in the safety of Your nets, energize us to beckon the world to Your shore, proclaiming the Good News of Salvation in our every thought, word, and action.

Lord Jesus Christ

RESPONSE: Unite us to You in mind and purpose

~ Oh Lord of Light and Joy, inspire and transform all who govern the peoples of this World, this Country, and this Community, to legislate with integrity not the rod of oppression, ensuring peace, equality, and sustenance for the well-being of all humanity and the protection of our planet. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Lord Jesus Christ