People's Prayers

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Prayers of the People: Enter into the Joy ~ 25th Sunday after Pentecost '23 Yr A

For Sunday, November 19, 2023, Readings: Judges 4:1-7, Psalm 123, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, Matthew 25:14-30

At that time, Deborah, a prophetess…was judging Israel…and the Israelites came up to her for judgment. [Judges 4:1-7]

So our eyes look to the Lord our God, until he shows us his mercy. [Psalm 123:3]

For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him.

[1 Thessalonians 5:9-10]

…a man…gave…to each according to his ability…you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master. [Matthew 25:14-15, 21]

There is quite a lot to know about Deborah, the only female Judge and mentioned in one of the oldest writings of the Hebrew/Old Testament. This snippet is far from her whole story and I urge you to take a look at who she was. There are great articles on her online in the Britannica and in some Jewish commentaries, among others. For people named Deborah, it’s a great opportunity for them, as well as the rest of us, to know more about her.

The very brief Psalm 123 is a great one to memorize and pray with. Whether we are the ones subjected to contempt or whether in our occasional sense of entitlement we are attaching our own contempt and derision to others, we can use it as a regular prayer to God for mercy, for ourselves and even, and especially for the indolent rich, letting go of whatever negative feelings or resentments we may harbor.

Paul is the perfect prelude to this Gospel yet may well be left behind as it is customary to preach the Gospel. In this piece from the first letter to the Thessalonians, he is telling us that we cannot know the time of Christ’s return, even as Paul himself thought it was imminent for much of his time of conversion. And so, IF it truly was/is any minute now that Jesus will come like a thief in the night [not the best Christ analogy!], we are to take up the responsibilities of our calling. We are to put on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him.

And then follows Matthew’s Gospel account, which has a slight parallel in Luke 19:11-27 but not in the other two Gospels, is an uncomfortable view of judgement. There is so very much that can be taken apart and analyzed here but lack of time and space limits much more. Some writers have discussed the man going on a journey as God. But as we read the Gospel, the least of the servants is afraid of this man who reaps what [he] does not sow which isn’t the God I know or want. Of course it is the God of those who want to sow fear into their own followers, exploiting the words and phrasing that indicate God’s wrath, or in this case, those who are proponents of a “prosperity gospel.” One interesting phrase in this passage is that this man gives to each according to his ability. And that, for me, is the crux of the matter. As disciples, Matthew has been telling us all through his Gospel accounts that the Law is only a starting point, we are to exceed those expectations by cultivating and manifesting an inner attitude of love for God, ourselves, and each other in everything, to the best of our abilities, spiritually and otherwise. We are to be that love in all that we think and do, so that our motives, our deepest intentions, are expressed as genuine service in Christ’s name, without any sense of merit or self-importance. There are many nice people doing good things but if their inner purpose is personal gain or acclaim, they may well have missed, or ignored, the message of Jesus. And of course, it’s not always easy to be so pure of heart. Yet we strive to do the best we can with what we have been given in heart, body, mind, and soul, failing often as we will, and praying for the mercy we already have, and so we will enter into the joy of [our] Master ~ Jesus, our Christ.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ O Lord, our God, you have given us each our talents according to the abilities with which You created us. Grant us the courage to put on the breastplate of faith, love, and the hope of salvation, to encourage ourselves and one another to boldly risk the peace and security of what we have, to be Your faithful stewards for all of our allotted time.

Creator and Redeemer Lord
RESPONSE: Grant us Your Mercy

~ O Lord, our God, keep us from complacence as we continue to call to account those who govern now and those who soon will, in our Nation, in our Community, and in our World. We pray especially for: add your own petitions.

Creator and Redeemer Lord

Grant us Your Mercy

~ O Lord, our God, calm and heal the hearts of all who are seriously ill, in depression, or facing other uncertain life circumstance, and steady the course of those who give them care. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

Creator and Redeemer Lord

Grant us Your Mercy

~ O Lord, our God, fill our hearts with the peace of those who are now alive again, in the glorious and eternal light of Your Kingdom. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

Creator and Redeemer Lord

Grant us Your Mercy

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

Creator and Redeemer Lord

Grant us Your Mercy

~ O Lord, our God, we give great thanks and prayerful gratitude for the faithful stewards of Your Church, who keep us on a spiritual track in daily life, and guide us in living the mission of Christ on earth. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Creator and Redeemer Lord

Grant us Your Mercy

The Celebrant adds: O God Most High, through your Judge and Prophet Deborah, and the Apostles Paul and Matthew, we learn the dangers and the opportunities of investing all our mortal days in Your service. We lift up our eyes to You for the willingness, the strength, and the mercy, to reap enough of the good we sow to enter into the joy of our Lord. We ask through Jesus, our Christ and our Master; the Holy Spirit, the Sacred Breath in our souls; who together with You, live and reign as One God, forever and forever. Amen.

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Monday, November 13, 2023

Prayers of the People: Our Roles as Stewards ~ 6th Sunday in the Season of Creation '23 Yr A

For Sunday, November 19, 2023; Readings: Deuteronomy 26:1a, 2, 4, 8-11;

Psalm 116:10-17, Bishop John E. Hines*, Matthew 25:14-30

So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, that you, O Lord, have given me…set it down before the Lord your God and bow before the Lord…[Deuteronomy 26:10]

How shall I repay the Lord for all the good things he has done for me? [Psalm 116:10]

For the essential question is not, “How shall the Episcopal Church grow?” - but rather, “How can the Episcopal Church be faithful?” For that is the heritage worth sacrificing for - worth passing on to our children and grandchildren. God forbid that they should come to a time and place unashamed of the Gospel, but ashamed of us. [Former Presiding Bishop John Hines]

…you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master. [Matthew 25:21b]

Any of us Episcopalians who attend church regularly, in person or online, and considers themselves as a “member” or a “parishioner” or a “congregant” has heard and understands what is meant by Stewardship. Inside the church much is needed in support of the staff, the worship, the physical plant, and all the elements of church (small “c”) that we Episcopals call time, talent, and treasure. Outside the walls the needs are greater in all manner of ways. All of us, each of us in our many ways are called by Our Lord to give of our selves, significantly, from what we have been given. Money, or treasure, of course, is what we hear as foremost on the list of needs and wants for inside and outside.

We also hear of Stewardship as an element to church growth. Bishop Hines wrote that while he would rejoice at a multitude of conversions, his hope was for a witnessing community of unquestioned integrity. Further, he says that the essential question is not, ‘How can the Episcopal [insert other denomination or faith community here] Church grow?’ but rather, ‘How can the Episcopal [other] Church be faithful?’ He tells us that if we want our heritage passed on to younger generations they should come to a time and place unashamed of the Gospel [emphasis added]. We do not want them ashamed of us for creating an exclusive place only for wielding power and influence and losing our way to Christ.

The Rev. Eric Law, in his book Holy Currencies: 6 Blessings for Sustainable Missional Ministries, shows us a different way to think about the flow of currencies in our lives. Within the usual offerings of time, talent, and treasure is contained a breadth and depth of re-imagining and discovering our personal gifts for ministry that take us well beyond the scope of a seasonal directive (or harangue, in some places though not in my own parish, thankfully). Stewardship ~ Missional Ministry ~ is not merely a specific program for a specific time of year, but rather it is a way of life.

As John Wesley said, "Not, how much money will I give to God, but how much of God's money will I keep for myself?" And that equation works equally well with the other two elements of the stewardship trio: time and talent. I don't know what tomorrow will bring for my community, my country, or this world, but I will pray without ceasing for the faith, the energy, and mindset to be a continuously generous person, to be the Church [capital "C"] as a Christian in the world with many stewarding roles. A faith community builds us up and sends us out and needs our support in every way. The CHURCH is not inside a building, it is in whatever we do together, to be true, faithful witnesses as part of the Body of Christ by every thought, word, and action; to be the living Gospel. It's no easy task but Jesus tells us, in the parable of the Talents, when we have been trustworthy in a few things, we will be given charge of many things, yet most importantly, we will enter into the joy of our master.

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

~ Kenneth Kesselus, John E. Hines, from “Farewell Sermon” in Granite on Fire,Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest, Austin, 1995. Bishop Hines served as the 22nd Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church from 1965-1973

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ O Lord our God, awaken us to the bounty of Your Creation that we may be grateful stewards of the sacred trust You have given us in the miracle of this earth and its treasures. Grant us the humility and humanity to value and celebrate all of our sisters and brothers, in difference and in disagreement, with esteem and dignity, with love and generosity for all.

O God of Power and Wonder

RESPONSE: Let us grow in faith and witness

~ O Lord our God, we offer our prayers for all who lead this World, this Country, and this Community by election, fiat, or inheritance. Inscribe their souls with a yearning for unquestionable integrity, global and local peace, and justice tempered with mercy for all the people in their charge. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God of Power and Wonder

Let us grow in faith and witness

~ O Lord our God, nestle the aching, the fearful, and the desperate in Your loving embrace, and revitalize all who support their needs. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

O God of Power and Wonder

Let us grow in faith and witness

~ O Lord our God, grant us a foretaste of the joy and glory of Your Heavenly Kingdom as the gates open wide to receive our beloved, who now live in the forever newness of Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God of Power and Wonder

Let us grow in faith and witness

~ O Lord our God, 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 of Power and Wonder

Let us grow in faith and witness

~ O Lord our God, quicken the spirits of those called and ordained to speak Your Words and celebrate Your Sacraments, inspiring us all to live lives of holy and selfless intention in this earthly life. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God of Power and Wonder

Let us grow in faith and witness

The Celebrant adds: Loving, Patient God, grant us such unashamed confidence in the Gospel that we strive to take on the mantle of servanthood in Your Name, by the giving of our time, our abilities, and our support of all others. We ask for guidance to repay all we have been given, to continually grow in faith, and seek, through our regular sacrifices in Thanks-Giving, to one day enter into the joy of Your Eternal life. We beseech You our Redeemer Christ, our Counselor Spirit, and our Creator Lord, who together are One God, now and through all Eternity. Amen.

Monday, November 6, 2023

Prayers of the People: The World at Peace ~ 5th Sunday in the Season of Creation '23 Yr A

For Sunday, November 12, 2023; Readings: Micah 4:1-4, Psalm 127, Rosemary Power,* Matthew 5:43-48

[T]hey shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not life up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore… [Micah 4:3b]

Unless the LORD builds the house, their labor is in vain who build it. [Psalm 127:1]

Creator Lord of the unclaimed place and of clashing claims, of no one’s land where some have homes, in danger zones, in human souls, in nations’ claims: we are all guilty. We build barriers to hide what we fear to see, we draw lines in other people’s hearts, we trample underfoot what others hold dear, we wear wounds unhealed with anger, we defend ourselves from other people’s rights. Drive out the demons that divide neighbours. ["Seven Days," Rosemary Power]

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…the evil and the good…the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, of what more are you doing than others? [Matthew 5:44, 46-47]

*The Season of Creation originated in the Anglican Church of South Africa and was formalized in 2008. It is designed for us to explore our faith from a Creation perspective. We use Biblical and other readings that pertain to the specific theme of each of the 7 weeks of the Season. Alternate readings used are posted with asterisk.

Click here for more information about: Season of Creation ~ In The Beginning

Week V's Theme is:

The World at Peace

The World at Peace. Of course! Who doesn't want it? Yet the concept is exponentially large and is well beyond the scope of my abilities to achieve alone. It then remains a mere concept, too big to be a goal, and reduced to a conversational platitude. Or, is it? When you think of world peace how do you define it? Is it merely the end of all war on the planet or are there other considerations? A few formal definitions describe it as the absence of war, a cessation of hostilities, and/or tranquility. Whole armies are deployed ostensibly to end war ~ where am I in that? The words of Rosemary Power say it clearly: We build barriers to hide what we fear to see, we draw lines in other people’s hearts, we trample underfoot what others hold dear, we wear wounds unhealed with anger, we defend ourselves from other people’s rights. No army is ever really deployed to make peace but rather for power and control, domination, and subjugation. It’s so much easier, isn't it, when war or violence or riots are far away from me and, after all, what could I possibly do to help? In watching or just reading the news, a day doesn't go by when my anxiety and frustration levels aren't challenged even by headlines or political comments on social media, and I find myself highly intolerant of the intolerance of others as my blood pressure rises.

Others wiser than me have said that peace begins within oneself. And so I must earnestly search to find some peace within myself, somewhere. Perhaps by breathing very deeply in and out regularly, stepping away from the noise of all that disturbs a tranquil moment. Listen for the birds ~ even when they’re fighting it calms me. The laughter of children makes me laugh; puppies and kittens and butterflies, and turtles sunning on a rock. Even in the depth of winter's cold heart, there is the peaceful quiet of a snowy day.

As I breathe deeply again, the feisty, feckless, fuming, and fraying world is still there, but within it I can find a small moment of inner peace that remains. Yet I must not simply live into a false peaceful denial in which I only love those who love me. It is the quietly, steadily, holding fast within myself, that calls me to return to a peaceful place regularly, in prayer or meditation, in simple moments of beauty, and then I must let it out so that I can offer a smile, a kind word, some serious restraint in response to a severe difference of opinion ~ World Peace, it seems begins within me, at least in some ways. We must have peace at our core that centers and steadies us. We can support, defend, write, march, care about and join organizations that give us useful tools to at least help those who are in the midst of war whether in their homes, on our streets, or far across the globe. Let us first each invite the Lord to build our house from within us, that we may radiate God’s Eternal Light from the windows of our souls to all we meet, and continue to mingle our peace-filled breath with all the air that flows around this fragile Earth, our island home***. Will we end war ~ sadly, no. But for one person, one moment, one less argument, one less angry retort, one full moment of intention and attention to breathe the breath of God toward and for another may be all the peace and perfection we have to give, and give it is what we are called to do as Christ’s ambassadors of prayer and peace for all and everyone, evil and good, righteous and unrighteous.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ O God-with-us at borders, schools, and shopping malls, in anger, complacency, and peril, energize us to discover and embody Your peace within ourselves, so fully, that it radiates through us to reveal Your love without end to all.