People's Prayers

Monday, October 14, 2024

Prayers of the People: Are You Able ...~ Proper 24, 22nd Sunday after Pentecost '24 Yr B

For Sunday, October 20, 2024, Readings: Job 38:1-7 (34-41), Psalm 104: 1-9, 25, 37b; Hebrews 5:1-10, Mark 10:35-45

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

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

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

Are you able to drink from the cup that I drink...So Jesus called them and said...whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you but be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. [Mark 10:38b, 42a, 43b-45]

In this age of high technological achievement and more devices for instant information access than anyone can possibly need or use, some days all I seem to do is spin in circles trying to find a simple answer to a simple question. The amazement and the wonders of life disappear in a haze of frustration, complaint, and a waste of precious mortal time. And then, God, speaking to Job whose earthly trials far exceed my own or yours, says, WHERE WERE YOU when I laid the foundation of the earth? ...WHO determined its measurements...On what were its bases sunk...or WHO laid its cornerstone…my favorite line in all of Job: when the morning stars sang together and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy? The bigger question for me is, where am I as Creation in all of its forms continues to spin all around me? With much of the world in turmoil and whirlwinds from so many sources, why am I frazzling over some temporary nonsense? I must, instead, remember to pray for my soul to bless the Lord as the Psalmist says.
The writer of Hebrews reminds us that high priests were chosen from among mortals to be in charge of things pertaining to God, among other duties. In no way a "high priest," I am nonetheless very mortal and especially subject to weakness in many ways. Therefore, created as a conscious being, I am called by God to actively discover in what ways I am to offer sacrifice for my own sins and on behalf of others. Jesus explains to his ambitious disciples that the cost of being great is not so glamorous as it might seem. Coming back to the theme of the last shall be first and the first last, we are to be servants of Christ for one another, not seeking personal power or status, but rather to put the needs of others ahead of our own. That news may be disappointing for some on days when the temptations of earthly delight seem particularly appealing.
I may not be a major change-agent for the entire world, but I can work to remember my place and responsibility as an active part of God's Creation. Through continuous prayer for renewal of my faith, and the willingness to listen, be present, and help the people of God however I am able, I can ease the desire for being the one served to the choice of being the servant. The cup of Christ may taste bitter at times but the end result will be as sweet and everlasting as the chorus of the morning stars singing together. May my soul be the blessing that God is calling it to be. May I discover each day the courage to drink deeply of the Cup that is prepared for me. And may I always know, through all the dizzying changes and chances of this mortal life, that God is present wherever I am.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ Great and Living Lord of all that is, the seen and the unseen, excite us each new day with the abundance in Your precious gift of this living, breathing planet; as our Divine Designer and Holy Artisan, You have made it all! Let us sing our thanksgivings with the morning stars as we praise and serve You, one another, and all of Your Creation.

O Divine Parent, Breath of our Being

RESPONSE: We bless You by our faith in action

~ Great and Living Lord, impart insight and prudence to the leaders of our Planet, our Nation, and our Community, that their words and actions may be enlightened and merciful, knowledgeable and just, serving those who called them to office, and not darkened by willful personal or political power. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Divine Parent, Breath of our Being

We bless You by our faith in action

~ Great and Living Lord surround the hearts of all who live in the grip of chronic illness, or critical life circumstance, with Your peace and healing; and extend endurance for those who give them care. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need…add your own petitions

O Divine Parent, Breath of our Being

We bless You by our faith in action

~ Great and Living Lord, keep us in the knowledge that love never dies and that those we have sent ahead, have new life in the resplendent and holy grandeur of Your Eternal Kingdom. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Divine Parent, Breath of our Being

We bless You by our faith in action

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

O Divine Parent, Breath of our Being

We bless You by our faith in action

~ Great and Living Lord, renew and energize all who lead us in Your church, to guide us as we walk together in service and sacrifice, in prayer and supplication, willing to drink of the cup You have prepared for us. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Divine Parent, Breath of our Being

We bless You by our faith in action

The Celebrant adds: God of Glory and Majesty, re-fresh our hearts, our ears, and our minds, to receive, listen, and know again, the splendor of Your Word and Your Works. Kindle the desire within us to offer ourselves in reverent submission, serving all we meet and all Creation in Your name. We ask through Jesus, our Great High Priest; and the Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Advocate; who together with You are One God, now and forever. Amen.

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Prayers of the People: Our Living Planet, 2nd Sunday in the Season of Creation ’24

For Sunday, October 20, 2024; Readings: Genesis 1: 20-31, Psalm 8,*

Chief Seattle,** Matthew 6:25-34

God saw everything that he had made, and indeed it was very good. [Genesis 1:31a]

Lord, our God, the whole world tells the greatness of your name. Your glory reaches beyond the stars. [Psalm 8*]

The earth is precious to god and to harm the earth is to heap contempt on its Creator. Continue to contaminate your bed and you will one night suffocate in your waste. [Chief Seattle**]

Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them…And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?... Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. [Matthew 6:26, 27, 28b-29]

Nearly every day there is news about the deteriorating condition of our planet. Disastrous environmental events that poison water systems and food supplies, and the catastrophes of hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and earthquakes that devastate huge areas and millions of people. And there are the horrifying effects of war and diseases impacting other issues of human survival. All of this requires our continuous attention and purposeful action, as our obedience to the God-ordered stewardship of the Creation we inhabit. We share the planet with so many who continue to deny that there are climate issues and that we could have and still can make significant changes to how we humans manage the Earth we have been given. We waste precious time arguing about how, when, and IF to improve upon what we have been and not been doing.

In this week’s reading from Genesis we hear of the the sea creatures, birds of the sky, the cattle, creeping, and wild others, and also “we” humans have all arrived. God has given us charge over all Creation; yet humans have, all too often, taken the words dominion and subdue out of the context of caring management and cultivation, to promote the strictest definitions of power and control, especially for profit.

Today we are to re-awaken our consciousness to our earthly surroundings close by, and well beyond, our mere location, to learn, and more deeply know, this great gift of our Creator ~ Our Living Planet: Earth.

We are to re-examine its lushness, its highest peaks and deepest depths, the fragrances and the freshness; to re-discover our companion creatures and the extraordinary interconnectedness of life among the plants and organisms that support us. We are to marvel at the vastness of the oceans, the rhythm of the tides, the flow of rivers, the tiny critters in and around a narrow flowing creek. We must look and see what has gone before and where we are now, to intentionally seek ways to safely improve and enhance our world's potential. Most importantly, we are to discover ways to maintain and expand protections against industrial waste, general pollution, the loss of precious water resources, and especially the vast impact of our everyday thoughtless and selfish actions individually, collectively, and globally. This Earth and her resources feed our bodies, provide oxygen for our breath, and in particular give us breath-taking beauty in which we know the wonder of God in the tiniest flower, a glorious butterfly, and the miracle of birthing a tiny replica of ourselves.

We are called to be a servant to our earthly domain, and to humanity, as in Christ’s teaching and example given in this week’s reading from Matthew, the words of the Psalm, and the stirring message from Chief Seattle. In last week’s reading of Genesis 1, through the poetry from In the Beginning Liturgy [© Mark Earey], we heard, in part: Creator God, help us find our place within your diverse creation. In the beginning, God spoke his very image, and the returning echo formed humanity. Creator God, open our eyes to see you reflected in every human face. In the beginning, God created, and it was good. [emphasis added]

Let us protect and prosper the gift we have been given.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ Most Holy Designer and Artisan, architect of all that is, the seen and the unseen, grant us the humility to understand our true place in, and responsibilities for Your Creation. Incline our minds and hearts to learn from every living creature and life form, and to be voice and champion for the protection and preservation of this Earth and all that is in it, that you have given us to care for and to prosper.

O Divine Parent, Breath of our Being

RESPONSE: We bless You by our faith in action

~ Most Holy Designer and Artisan, instill within us and all who lead the Governments of our Planet, our Nation, and our Community, the urgency to care for, feed, and house all people; to stem the increasing tide of violence, and to assure the well-being of eco-systems and environments that sustain the life and existence of Your entire Earth. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Divine Parent, Breath of our Being
We bless You by our faith in action

~ Most Holy Designer and Artisan, surround the hearts of all who live with chronic illness, or critical need with Your peace and healing; and grant endurance for those who give them care. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

O Divine Parent, Breath of our Being
We bless You by our faith in action

~ Most Holy Designer and Artisan, keep us in the knowledge that love never dies and that those we have sent ahead, have new life in the holy grandeur of Your Eternal Kingdom. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

O Divine Parent, Breath of our Being
We bless You by our faith in action

~ Most Holy Designer and Artisan, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions

O Divine Parent, Breath of our Being

We bless You by our faith in action

~ Most Holy Designer and Artisan, set alight the spirits of those called by You to lead us in Your Church, who guide us in ways to make the path to You clear, and who join us to love, honor, and serve as Christ has taught and shown by His example. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Divine Parent, Breath of our Being
We bless You by our faith in action

The Celebrant adds: O God of Glory, awaken us each day with the renewed desire to restore and cherish Your precious gift of Our Living Planet, the literal ground that supports every earthly being. Kindle our fervor to actively engage in assuring its health and wholeness, for all who live and breathe on this planet now and always. We ask through Jesus, our Lord and our Teacher; and the Holy Spirit, the Divine Limitless Energy of our souls; who together with You are One God, forever and ever. Amen.

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

* Psalm 8
-Lord, our God, the whole world tells the greatness of your name. Your glory reaches beyond the stars.
-Even the babble of infants declares your strength, your power to halt the enemy and avenger.
-I see your handiwork in the heavens: The moon and the stars you set in place.
-What is humankind that you remember them, the human race that you care for them?
-You treat them like gods, dressing them in glory and splendor. You give them charge of the earth, laying all at their feet: cattle and sheep, wild beasts, birds of the sky, fish of the sea, every swimming creature.
-Lord our God, the whole world tells the greatness of your name.
[From The Psalter: A faithful and inclusive rendering, Liturgy Training Publications (International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc.), 1994]

** A Reading from Chief Seattle: Every part of this earth is sacred to my people. Every shiny pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every meadow, every humming insect. All are holy in the memory and experience of my people. We know the sap which courses through the trees as we know the blood that courses through our veins. We are part of the earth and it is part of us. The perfumed flowers are our sisters. The bear, the deer, the great eagle, these are our brothers. The rocky crests, the juices in the meadow, the body heat of the pony, and humanity, all belong to the same family. The rivers are our brother. They quench our thirst. They carry our canoes and feed our children. So you must give to the rivers the kindness you would give to any brother. The air is very precious to us, the air shares its spirit with all the life it supports. The wind that gave our grandfather his first breath also receives his last sigh. The wind also gives our children the spirit of life. Will you teach your children what we have taught our children? That the earth is our mother? What befalls the earth befalls all the children of earth. This we know: the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself. One thing we know: our God is also your god. The earth is precious to god and to harm the earth is to heap contempt on its Creator. Continue to contaminate your bed and you will one night suffocate in your waste. Excerpts from a speech to the President of the United States, Attributed to Chief Seattle, Duwamish Tribe, 1855

Monday, October 7, 2024

Prayers of the People: Setting Our Soul's Sights ~ Proper 23, 21st Sunday after Pentecost '24 Yr B

For Sunday, October 13, 2024, Readings: Job 23:1-9, 16-17; Psalm 22:1-15,

Hebrews 4:12-16; Mark 10:17-31

Oh that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his dwelling!...he would give heed to me. There an upright person could reason with him, and I should be acquitted forever by my judge. [Job 23:3, 6b-7]

…you were my God when I was still in my mother’s womb. Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. [Psalm 22:10b-11]

The word of God is living and active... able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart...we have a great high priest...Jesus...Let us...approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. [Hebrews 4:12 a,b; 14a, 16]

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God...[but] for God all things are possible...many who are first will be last, and the last will be first. [Mark 10:25, 27b, 31]

Job, poor Job! We're 23 chapters into his story and things are not only as grim as ever in this terrible game between Satan and God, they are getting worse. In this passage he is answering the continuing attacks from Eliphaz and his other friends. He keeps trying, keeps wondering, keeps asking God: WHY?! And then he answers himself as he knows deeply in his faithful heart, that God would listen to reason and acquit him of these terrible trials, if only he could find God, if only he didn't feel “terrified.” STILL, he doesn't give up; he perseveres. He is honest in his self-defense and in his fear. How long, I ask myself, would I endure with half of Job’s troubles without giving up on God, let alone my friends?

We’re just barely halfway through the Book of Job and there are many difficult questions posed by this entire story in how it shapes our faith and what we believe about what really does God do to us, for us, and, as Job asks, “Why?”

Job is considered by many scholars to be the oldest book of the Bible, written before Genesis, possibly between 1900 and 1700 BCE [Before the Common Era, formerly and still sometimes referred to as BC, in Christian commentary, before Christ]. But the authorship of Job is unknown ~ was it Moses or Solomon? No one knows because the original manuscript does not exist.

The Psalmist lays out the entire case so painfully and so well as to what happens within us when we hit those inexplicable walls of grief and terrible misfortune. Sometimes it feels helpful when I need to scream in despair, to come to this psalm and yell it to the wind as catharsis, to cry it out to feel emotionally lighter and regain some hope however fragile.

The writer of Hebrews confirms what Job believes, that God knows and judges the thoughts and the intentions of our hearts. We have help to hold fast to our faith in and through Jesus, our great high priest, who was tested in every respect as we are and remained without sin. With faith in Christ’s support, we are to be bold and ask God for the mercy and grace that we need to keep us strong and faith-filled on our soul’s journey to eternal life.

This piece from Mark’s Gospel is asking us what it is that we truly need in this life. A man grieves as he walks away from Jesus because while he follows the commandments he doesn't want to let go of his earthly possessions. Perhaps he expected Jesus to extol him for following the Law and confirm his personal sense that there was nothing more he needed do. How many in recent years, months, and weeks, all over this world, and ongoing in our own country as I write, have lost so much because of winds, floods, fires, war, and the everyday tragedies and tempests of life? How many of us say "Oh yes, I believe and follow the Commandments" and go about our everyday lives as if there was nothing we have to do differently, assured of our place in the front of the line at the gates of God’s Kingdom? Will we cry out "Where is God?" when the winds, tragedies, and tempests hit our lives? Will our faith crumble; will we give in to despair? Perhaps we think we will not because our faith is that strong, or those awful things of life won’t happen to me.

Job never stops asking for God to be present because hope keeps him going, as it can for us all even in the times when our faith is weakest. And if we wonder if Jesus literally meant that a camel would have to go through that needle’s eye, Jesus tells us plainly, with God all things are possible.

Through the intentions of our hearts we can seek the path of Christ that is sometimes rocky, sometimes tempestuous, and sometimes calm as we try to remember always that each moment and each day begins and ends with Him beside us.

As difficult as it is in the worst of times, we are called to cling to hope. As great as it is on the greatest day ~ let us give great thanks and continuing prayers of hope for others. Let us set our soul’s sights on the eye of that needle with Jesus as the thread that will pull us through.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ Holy God, Living and Active, keep us mindful of our thoughts and the intentions of our hearts, that we may measure our spiritual wealth each day, by the ways we live into and out of our love for You.

O Lord our God

With You all things are possible

~ Holy God, Living and Active, speak boldly through our voices from Your Throne of Grace to reach all those who govern on this Earth, in our Country, and in our Community. Implore them to show mercy, provide life’s basic necessities, and establish safety and peace for all and especially those who are in great need. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Lord our God

With You all things are possible

~ Holy God, Living and Active, cast the light of Your presence into the shadows of those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, and grant comfort and rest to all who give them care. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need…add your own petitions

O Lord our God

With You all things are possible

~ Holy God, Living and Active, ease the hearts of all who mourn, as those who have gone ahead are now alive again in the glorious Life and Peace of Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Lord our God

With You all things are possible

~ Holy God, Living and Active, 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

With You all things are possible

~ Holy God, Living and Active, refresh and excite all who are called as our Shepherds in Your Church. May they inspire us to live in and by love through our every thought and action. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Lord our God

With You all things are possible

The Celebrant adds: Omnipotent, Eternal God, grant us the courage and strength of faith to turn our lives completely to You, to know deeply that we are never forsaken, and that the path of Christ will lead us to life everlasting with You. We ask through Jesus, our Redeemer; and the Holy Spirit, the Wisdom of our souls; who together with You, reign as One God through all time, forever and ever. Amen.

Monday, September 30, 2024

Prayers of the People: In the Beginning ~ 1st Sunday in the Season of Creation '24

For Sunday, October 6, 2024; Readings: In the Beginning,* Psalm 100,** Hildegarde von Bingen,*** John 1:1-14

Creator God, open our eyes to see you reflected in every human face. In the beginning, God created, and it was good. [“In the Beginning Liturgy” by Mark Earey]*

Shout for joy to the Lord, all earth, Serve the Lord with gladness, Enter God’s presence with joy! [Psalm 100, “The Psalter: A faithful and inclusive rendering”]**

Glance at the sun. See the moon and the stars…So all of creation is a song of praise to God. [Hildegarde von Bingen]***

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. [John 1:1-3, 14a]

Welcome to the Season of Creation!

The Season of Creation originated in the Anglican Church of South Africa in 2008 and is designed for us to explore our faith from a Creation perspective. We are to realize our place in the order of God’s creating and to see and act upon the need to care for our entire life-support system ~ the air we breathe, the water we drink, the soil in which we grow our crops ~ not merely humanity, but our total environment, as it pertains to ALL life.

From the early days of the Season of Creation at The Episcopal Church of Sts. Andrew and Matthew in Wilmington, Delaware [www.SsAM.org], we established that “the primary aim of the events of the season is to enable adults and youth to celebrate and experience the inextricable link which binds together the destinies of all of God’s creatures.” Now more than ever, this is a moment of pause to remind ourselves that God calls us to see “what great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions” and for us to renew our commitment to making real the biblical vision of the earth at unity with itself. It is a vision of human beings of all races, backgrounds and walks of life in local communities and among the nations of the earth, living together in love and peace with justice for all. "As disciples of Christ, we are called through our Baptismal Covenant, to be instruments for the healing of our broken world," and with a renewed commitment to personal and communal prayer and action.

We will use Biblical and other readings that pertain to the specific theme of each of the 7 weeks. The alternate readings used will follow the prayers below.

We begin this Season at the Beginning. Professor Wangari Maathai, [1940-2011], a Kenyan environmental and political activist, Member of Parliament as Assistant Minister for Environment and Natural Resources, was educated in the United States and in Kenya. In 2004, she was the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. She was honored for "her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace". Professor Maathai described the Book of Genesis as "the book for environmentalists." If we had been created on Tuesday, she said, there would have been nowhere for us to stand! God, with infinite wisdom, waited until the last day!

Week I's Theme is: In the Beginning

LET US, GOD'S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ Creator and Eternal God, You are the Light that shines in the darkness, the Light of all people and of all life on our Earth, and in the vastness of the known and unknown beyond. Guide us to know, through Your infinite Word, Christ Jesus, that our purpose in this life is to love and serve You in all that we do to care for each other, ourselves, and every part of Your Creation.

Faithful, Loving God

RESPONSE: We turn to You with thanks and praise

~ Creator and Eternal God, encourage goodness in all who hold political and other authority across the vast expanse of Your Creation. Guide them to see You in themselves, in every human face, in every glance on, above, and below our planet, so as to govern justly, mercifully, and humbly. We pray especially for: Joseph, our President; Kamala; our Vice-President; Tom, Chris, and Lisa, our Members of Congress; John, our Governor; Matt, our County Executive; and Mike, our Mayor.

Faithful, Loving God

We turn to You in thanks and praise

~ Creator and Eternal God, grant healing to the spirits of those laid low by illness or life circumstance, and resilience for all who give them care. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need…

Faithful, Loving God

We turn to You in thanks and praise

~ Creator and Eternal God, may echoes of sweet memory quell the pain of earth-bound grief, as the souls of those who have left this life, now soar in the peace and glory of new life in Christ. We pray especially for…

Faithful, Loving God

We turn to You in thanks and praise

~ Creator and Eternal God, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently…

Faithful, Loving God
We turn to You in thanks and praise

~ Creator and Eternal God, we give thanksgiving for Your anointed and loyal servants who lead us in Your Church, who re-awaken our wonder, and teach us the way to our true place with You. We pray especially for Michael, our Retiring Presiding Bishop; Sean, our Incoming Presiding Bishop, Kevin our Bishop; Patrick our Rector; and Lloyd, our Rector Emeritus..

Faithful, Loving God
We turn to You in thanks and praise

The Celebrant adds: Most Holy God, Divine Architect of all Creation, release us from our selfish diversions and turn us to never-ending thanksgiving, selfless service, and praise of You in each day of our lives. Turn us toward faithful action to increase the health of the land, the sea, the air, all humanity, every living creature, and all that is planted in this Earth, given to us by Your enduring love. We ask through Jesus, our Merciful Healer; and the Holy Spirit, Your sacred Breath within us; who together with You, are our One Almighty and Living God, now and forever. Amen.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. In the empty void and crushing darkness, God spoke light into being. Creator God, bring light into our darkness. In the beginning, God took eternity and formed time and space, seasons, days and years. Creator God, fill and shape the time you have given us. In the beginning, God took land and sea and filled them with life of every kind. Creator God, help us find our place within your diverse creation. In the beginning, God spoke his very image, and the returning echo formed humanity. Creator God, open our eyes to see you reflected in every human face. In the beginning, God created, and it was good.

** Reading #2: Psalm 100

1. Shout for joy to the Lord, all earth, Serve the Lord with gladness, Enter God’s presence with joy! 2. Know that the Lord is God, Our maker to whom we belong, Our shepherd, and we the flock. 3. Enter the temple gates, The courtyard with thanks and praise; Give thanks and bless God’s name. 4. Indeed the Lord is good! God’s love is for ever, Faithful from age to age. [From “The Psalter: A faithful and inclusive rendering,” Liturgy Training Publications (International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc.), 1994]

*** Reading #3: Hildegarde von Bingen

Glance at the sun. See the moon and the stars. Gaze at the beauty of earth’s greenings. Now, think, What delight God gives to humankind with all these things. All nature is at the disposal of humankind. We are to work with it. For without it we cannot survive...The fire has its flame and praises God. The wind blows the flame and praises God. In the voice we hear the word which praises God. And the word, when heard, praises God. So all of creation is a song of praise to God.

Prayers of the People: Through Darkness and Light, Proper 22 ~ 20th Sunday after Pentecost '24 Yr B

For Sunday, October 6, 2024; Readings: Job 1:1, 2:1-10; Psalm 26,

Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12; Mark 10:2-16

Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. [Job 2:10b]

As for me I will live with integrity; redeem me O Lord, and have pity on me. [Ps 26:11b]

[Jesus] is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. [Hebrews 1:3a]

Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it. [Mark 10:15]

As we begin the story of Job, his trials and sufferings at the hands of Satan** have barely begun but are nonetheless difficult. We find him at the time between the daylight and the dark and it will become much darker for him before the dawning of his release from this dread-filled game. The Book of Job is far from easy to read, let alone to understand and receive direction. It is at once a dramatic debate and/or dialogue between God and Satan, Job and his wife, Job and his friends ~ it contains poetry, it is part folk-tale, and it is extremely difficult to interpret. Judaic scholars suggest that the Book has three main and interrelated points. First, which is Job’s position throughout, that human suffering is not always deserved. We can bring on our own by neglect of our health and/or, from a religious perspective, by sinful behavior. But there are many things in life that cause pain and sorrow for someone and is unrelated to anything they have done, such as the death of a loved one. The second point, held by Job’s friends is that human suffering is always deserved and they argue that Job is a sinner and has done something to offend God. The third point, at once simple and complex, is that the understanding of suffering is just beyond human comprehension. The conclusions are inconclusive!

From the opening of this Book, we can almost hear the music of doom playing in the background ~ things will only get worse yet even now we are told In all this Job did not sin... How would each of us fare against such tribulation?

The Psalmist has us asking to be tested, examined in heart and mind. Do I really want to ask to be tried and tested? I'm absolutely certain that I am not ready, nor willing, to be the next Job. Yet the mere thought brings me up short as I reflect on my all-too- frequent sin of judging of others. I am, too often, as a “friend” of Job at times (especially while driving 🤐).

In the reading from the Letter to the Hebrews, we are given some help by the instruction to pay more attention to what God is telling us through all God has done and especially through Jesus ~ who is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being.

And, as Jesus is tested by the Pharisees, he tells the disciples, somewhat indignantly, to let the children come forward and be welcomed fully and completely and with blessing. He is telling us to be as these, feeling the peace and security of a child beloved of a parent ~ whether or not that is our lived experience ~ so that we may receive the kingdom of God as a little child.

A moment for self-reflection: Am I a cup half-full or cup half-empty sort of person? Do I see the image above as a sunset or a sunrise? Am I able to imagine and inhabit the mind and heart and innocence of a child who truly trusts, adores, and clings to a beloved parent?

Let us seek to find and hold the ability to love unconditionally as does a child. When we actively and consciously pursue the love and presence of God, through Jesus and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we will more easily accept and work through all that life provides. Whatever the tests may be, the difficult and the easy, whatever the twists and turns in the trials of faith, God is as faithful to us as the Parent in Longfellow’s The Children’s Hour poem. Let us be as faithful, loving children to our God, through the darkness and light in each and every day, until we enter into the eternal Light of new life in Christ.

And there will I keep you forever,

Yes, forever and a day,

Till the walls shall crumble to ruin,

And moulder in dust away!*

*~ The Children’s Hour, the last stanza, from the poem by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1807-1882, published in the September 1860 Edition of The Atlantic magazine. The first stanza begins with Between the dark and the daylight, when the night is beginning to lower…To read the rest of this poem click on: The Children's Hour

**An interesting aside is the concept of Satan who appears in the texts of Abrahamic traditions (primarily, but not limited to, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) variously translated as "The Adversary," the "Devil," or "The Accuser." Click the links to read more and think about what you’ve been taught, what you actually believe, or what you haven’t yet decided to believe.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ God of Grace and Majesty, through all the darkness and pain, Job stayed faithful and did not sin. Grant us even a small portion of Job’s deep faith and patience, and greater awareness of Your presence and love, to live each day as Your trusting and beloved children.

Creator God Almighty
RESPONSE: Have Pity and Redeem us, O Lord

~ God of Grace and Majesty, release all who govern on this Earth, in this Nation, and in this Community, from any hardness of heart or evil intent, that through actions of integrity, equity, and generosity, they may find their own moral substance in the well-being of all people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Creator God Almighty

Have Pity and Redeem us, O Lord

~ God of Grace and Majesty, give rest and hope to those coping with persistent illness, being unhoused, hungry, or addicted, and reinvigorate those who provide them with care. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

Creator God Almighty

Have Pity and Redeem us, O Lord

~ God of Grace and Majesty, through the sacrifice of Jesus in earthly death, we and all of our faithful departed may live again forever in the light of Your celestial glory. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Creator God Almighty

Have Pity and Redeem us, O Lord

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

Creator God Almighty

Have Pity and Redeem us, O Lord

~ God of Grace and Majesty, bestow extra grace upon our anointed leaders in this congregation and everywhere in Your Church, as they bring us Your precious Word, tell us of the signs and wonders of Christ, and help us discover our own gifts from the Holy Spirit. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Creator God Almighty

Have Pity and Redeem us, O Lord

The Celebrant adds: O God for Whom and through Whom all things exist, kindle and strengthen us to accept all tests and trials of earthly life, remaining faith-filled, thankful, and purified of sin. We ask with a child-like heart through Christ Jesus, the Imprint of Your Being; and the Holy Spirit, Grantor of Divine Gifts; who together with You, are One God, eternal, infinite, limitless. Amen.