Prayers of the People: Removing the Inside Veil ~ (8th) Last Sunday after the Epiphany '25 RCL Yr C

For Sunday, March 2, 2025, Readings: Exodus 34:29-35, Psalm 99, 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2, 

Luke 9:28-36, [37-43a]

  As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. [Exodus 34:29]

   Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our God and worship him upon his holy hill; for the Lord our God, is the Holy One. [Psalm 99:9]

  And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit…we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God. [2 Corinthians 3:18, 4:2b]

   And while [Jesus] was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem... Then from a cloud came a voice that said, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!" [Luke 9:29-31, 35]

    We have arrived at the Last Sunday after the Epiphany and we end nearly as we began. All the way back on January 6^th, in the readings for the day of the Feast of the Epiphany, not on a Sunday, Isaiah told us to Arise, shine; for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. [Isaiah 60:1] and the Gospel reminded us of the Wise men from the East following a shining star leading them to newly born king of the Jews [Matthew 2:2]. This Sunday Moses has talked with God and comes down from the Mountain with the two tablets and the skin of this face was shining. [Exodus 34:29] And a parallel is in the Gospel of Luke telling us of the Transfiguration of Jesus as his face changed and his clothes became dazzling white.
    The season of Epiphany can last anywhere from 4-9 weeks depending on how Easter falls on the lunar calendar guided by the timing of Vernal Equinox (Autumnal in the Southern Hemisphere). This year, Easter is April 20, almost as late as it can be. We are finishing this season on the 8^th Sunday after the Epiphany, with Ash Wednesday following immediately. Whatever the number of Sundays, the final one is always known as The Last Sunday after the Epiphany and includes one of the three Gospel accounts of the Transfiguration.
    As we hear this week, Moses brought the tablets down to those waiting at the base of the Mountain in the time of the Exodus. As you will recall, the Israelites are in the desert after fleeing slavery in Egypt. Having spoken with God, his face is shining so brightly it frightens everyone. So, after revealing the Commandments that God had spoken to him, Moses veiled his face to hide the brilliance but removed the veil whenever he went in before the Lord.    
    Paul gives us a different perspective, with a seeming rebuke in saying about those who when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. In turning to Christ we are as with unveiled faces. Through the Spirit of Christ there is freedom and, in that freedom with our unveiled faces we, too, are being transformed.
    As Jesus takes Peter, John, and James to another mountain to pray, he knows his destiny. This was the chance to reveal himself in such a way to give them the strength to go through what was to come.
         In the midst of the stunning change in his appearance, who appears in the blaze of glory but Moses and Elijah and they discuss with Jesus his coming departure, his own exodus. The disciples were too overwhelmed in that moment to consciously understand that the presence of these others is what connects Jesus to the breadth of the history of Salvation. In that moment, Jesus completes the teachings of the Law and the Prophets. As the voice of God appears from a cloud – as through the pillar of cloud along the trek of the Exodus – the command is to listen to him, the one who is chosen as the Son of God.
    As we leave the season of Epiphany let us carry the dazzling glory of the Transfiguration with us so as to not lose our spiritual momentum during the weeks of Lent ahead. Let us not live as if Lent is dark and dreary and full of don’ts and severity. To repent simply means to reexamine ourselves in order to turn toward God.  It is a time to reflect on our faith, our lives, and through our repentance we turn toward and seek the new radiance of Christ’s Resurrection. As Paul says through Christ, we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth, we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.
    Verse 9 of today’s Psalm 99 says: Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our God and worship him upon his holy hill; for the Lord our God, is the Holy One. Our whole Earth, this island home, is God’s holy hill as are the sanctuaries of our houses of worship that serve the same special purpose to proclaim God’s greatness.
     To paraphrase Julia Ward Howe’s poem that became the Battle Hymn of the Republic: “In the beauty of the lilies, Christ was born across the sea, with a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me. As He died to make us holy, let us live to make all free, with Christ we’re marching on.”  It is time again to remove the veil from the inside that we use to hide Christ's shining glory within us from ourselves and others, so we can light up the world we live in!

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
 
Leader:  ~ Great and Glorious Lord, unveil our hearts to know Your Glory within us that we may shine upon all we meet. Transform our faith from passive to active, reflecting Your mercy and love in all of our thoughts, words, and actions.
 
                                                Jesus, our Christ
             RESPONSE:         We turn again to You
 
~ Great and Glorious Lord,  inspire and remind all who govern on this Planet, in this Nation, and in this Community, to commend themselves in Your sight and in good conscience to renounce all forms of racism, injustice, and all legislative acts that deprive basic human rights to our brothers and sisters everywhere. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                Jesus, our Christ
                                                We turn again to You 

~ Great and Glorious Lord,  release all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, and grant resilience to those who offer support. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need…add your own petitions
                                                Jesus, our Christ
                                                We turn again to You
 
~ Great and Glorious Lord,  brighten the shadows for all who grieve by the new radiance of those we love, who now share in the bliss of new and unending life in Christ.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                Jesus, our Christ
                                                We turn again to You

 ~  Great and Glorious Lord,  we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently…add your own petitions
                                                Jesus, our Christ
                                                We turn again to You
           
~ Great and Glorious Lord,  uplift and continually energize all who are chosen and anointed as our earthly Shepherds of Your Word and Will, the guiding beacons on our sacred path to You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                Jesus, our Christ
                                                We turn again to You
 
The Celebrant adds: O Christ, Transfigured, draw us by Your Light and Love to obey God’s command to listen and to heed the words of Your Gospel. Strengthen our hearts to feel Your constant presence, and to faithfully embrace the call to Your ministry as our purpose, lighting the way for us all in this life. We ask this of You, God’s Chosen Son; and the Holy Spirit, our Divine Source of Wisdom; who together with our Creator of All That Is, live and reign as one God, in Glory, now and for 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: Light Up the World! ~ (8th) Last Sunday after the Epiphany WLWC* Yr C

For Sunday, March 2, 2025; Readings: Judges 4:5-10, Psalm 46,  2 Peter 1:16-21, 

Luke 9:28-36

   Now, Deborah sat [as judge] under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim…and she sent for Barak ben Abinoam…and said to him, “Did not the SOVEREIGN GOD…command you? Go! March on Mount Tabor and take ten thousand men…”Indeed I will go with you…then Deborah…went with Barak…and ten thousand warriors went up behind Barak…and Deborah went up with him. [Judges 4:5-10]

  God is for us a refuge and strength, a help in trouble, easily found. Therefore we shall not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains quiver in the heart of the sea…The WARRIOR PROTECTRIX is with us; a stronghold for us is the God of Rebekah’s line. [Psalm 46: 1-2, 7]

  For we did not follow sophisticated mythologies when we made known to you all the power and the coming of our Redeemer Jesus Christ, rather we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For Christ from God the Sovereign received honor and glory, a voice came from the Majestic Glory saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” [1 Peter 1:16-17]

   …Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed and his clothing lit up like white lightning. And suddenly! They saw…Moses and Elijah, speaking to Jesus…a cloud came and overshadowed them and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then a voice came from the cloud that said, “This is my Son, the Chosen One; listen to him!”  [Luke 9:28-30, 34-35]

     We have arrived at the Last Sunday after the Epiphany and we end nearly as we began. All the way back on January 6th, in the readings for the day of the Feast of the Epiphany, not on a Sunday, Isaiah told us to Arise, shine; for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. [Isaiah 60:1] and the Gospel reminded us of the Wise men from the East following a shining star leading them to newly born king of the Jews [Matthew 2:2] The Gospel of Luke is telling us of the Transfiguration of Jesus as his face changed and his clothes became dazzling white. This  hearkens back to Moses having talked with God, comes down from the Mountain with the two tablets and the skin of this face was shining so brightly that he frightened the Israelites. He then began to wear a veil over his face which he removed when he was talking to God. [Exodus 34:29-35]

   The season of Epiphany can last anywhere from 4-9 weeks depending on how Easter falls on the lunar calendar guided by the timing of Vernal Equinox (Autumnal in the Southern Hemisphere). This year, Easter is April 20, almost as late as it can be. We are finishing this season on the 8^th Sunday after the Epiphany, with Ash Wednesday following immediately. Whatever the number of Sundays, the final one is always known as The Last Sunday after the Epiphany and includes one of the three Gospel accounts of the Transfiguration.

   This week, we are provided with a brief but fascinating passage from the book of Judges and I encourage you to read this entire chapter as it is quite stunning. From the brief part we are given it is hard to understand the comparison that Dr. Gafney makes in the Preaching Prompts in her book that Mount Tabor first represents salvation through Deborah, leading Barak and the ten thousand troops, and later it may be that Mount Tabor represents that the saving work of Jesus will also come at the cost of shed blood. 

   As Jesus takes Peter, John, and James up on the mountain to pray, he knows his destiny. This was the chance to reveal himself in such a way to give them the strength, and to pass it on to the other disciples, that which was to come.

   In the midst of the stunning change in his appearance, who appears in the blaze of glory but Moses and Elijah and they discuss with Jesus his coming departure, his own exodus. The three disciples were too overwhelmed in that moment to consciously understand that the presence of these others is what connects Jesus to the breadth of the history of Salvation. In that moment, Jesus completes the teachings of the Law and the Prophets. As the voice of God appears from a cloud – as through the pillar of cloud along the trek of the Exodus – the command is to listen to him, the one who is chosen as the Son of God. Yet, as from the reading in 1 Peter, the three were eyewitnesses to this because they managed to stay awake. Dr. Gafney makes another analogy between their being awake to the recent call to “stay woke” used during the Black Lives Matter movement. The enemies of Christ as well as those who today ridicule “wokeness,” have lost that battle, as we who are committed to Christ’s truth and Salvation, must stay awake and realize how often awake is repeated in Scripture. One source says 89 times. We must keep awake to be aware of the dangers that face too many of God’s people in these difficult times and find ways to be, more truly, modern-day disciples.

   As we leave the season of Epiphany let us carry the dazzling glory of the Transfiguration with us so as to not lose our spiritual momentum during the weeks of Lent ahead. Let us not live as if Lent is dark and dreary and full of don’ts and severity. To repent simply means to reexamine ourselves in order to turn toward God. It is a time to reflect on our faith, our lives, and through our repentance we turn toward and seek the new radiance of Christ’s Resurrection. 

   Our whole Earth, this island home, is God’s holy hill as are the sanctuaries of our houses of worship that serve the same special purpose to proclaim God’s greatness. 

   To paraphrase Julia Ward Howe’s poem that became the Battle Hymn of the Republic: “In the beauty of the lilies, Christ was born across the sea, with a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me. As He died to make us holy, let us live to make all free, with Christ we’re marching on.” It is time again to remove the veil from the inside that we use to hide Christ's shining glory within us from ourselves and others so we can light up the world we live in!

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Most SOVEREIGN GOD, unveil our hearts to know Your Glory within us that we may shine upon all we meet. Transform our faith from passive to active, reflecting Your mercy and love in all of our thoughts, words, and actions.
 
                                                God our Refuge and our Strength
             RESPONSE:        We turn again to You
 
~ O Most SOVEREIGN GOD, inspire and remind all who govern on this Planet, in this Nation, and in this Community, to commend themselves in Your sight and in good conscience to renounce all forms of racism, injustice, and all legislative acts that deprive basic human rights to our brothers and sisters everywhere. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                God our Refuge and our Strength
                                                We turn again to You
 
~ O Most SOVEREIGN GOD, release all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, and grant resilience to those who offer support. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need…add your own petitions
 
                                                God our Refuge and our Strength
                                                We turn again to You
 
~ O Most SOVEREIGN GOD, brighten the shadows for all who grieve by the new radiance of those we love, who now share in the bliss of new and unending life in Christ.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                God our Refuge and our Strength
                                                We turn again to You
 
~  O Most SOVEREIGN GOD, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently…add your own petitions
 
                                                God our Refuge and our Strength
                                                We turn again to You
           
~ O Most SOVEREIGN GOD, uplift and continually energize all who are chosen and anointed as our earthly Shepherds of Your Word and Will, the guiding beacons on our sacred path to You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                God our Refuge and our Strength
                                                We turn again to You
 
The Celebrant adds: O Christ, Transfigured, draw us by Your Light and Love to obey God’s command to listen and to heed the words of Your Gospel. Strengthen our hearts to feel Your constant presence, and to faithfully embrace the call to Your ministry as our purpose, lighting the way for us all in this life. We ask this of You, God’s Chosen Son; and the Holy Spirit, our Divine Source of Wisdom; who together with our Creator of All That Is, live and reign as one God, in Glory, now and for 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: Tilling the Ground of Our Being ~ 7th Sunday after the Epiphany WLWC* ‘25 Yr C

For Sunday, February 23, 2025; Readings: Genesis 47:13-25, Psalm 107: 1-3, 35-43; Acts 5:1-11, 

Luke 8:1-15

  

                The Four Soils by Minkar

  Now there was no food in all the land, for the famine was very severe and the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine. Then Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan for the grain that they bought, and Joseph brought the money into the house of Pharaoh… Buy us and our land for food and we with our land will become slaves to Pharaoh; now give us seed that we may live and not die and that the land not become desolate.” Thus Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh and every Egyptian sold their fields because the famine pressed down upon them and the land became Pharaoh’s. As for the people, he moved them to cities [and made slaves of them] from one end of the border of Egypt to the other end…They said, “You have saved our lives; may it find pleasure in your eyes my lord, we will be slaves to Pharaoh.” [Genesis 47: 13-14, 19b-21, 25]

   And she has gathered them from all the lands…She turns deserts into pools of water, and dry ground into springs of water. And there she settles the hungry…Then she elevates the needy from affliction, and makes their families like flocks…They will come to understand the faithful love of the SHEPHERDING GOD. [Psalm 107:3a, 35-36a, 41, 43b]

   Now a certain man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold some property. And he kept back some of the proceeds…and brought only a part and placed it at the feet of the apostles. “Ananias,” Peter asked, “why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to withhold the proceeds of the land?...You did not lie to [mere] mortals but to God!” [Acts 5:1-3, 4c]

   Now a great crowd of women, children, and men gathered, coming to Jesus town by town and he said in a parable: 5 “A sower went out to sow seed and while sowing some fell on the path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 And another batch fell on rock and as it grew up, it withered having no moisture. 7 And other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 Yet more fell onto good ground, and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold.” As Jesus said this he called out, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!” [Luke 8:4-9]

   We begin the readings this week with Joseph, whose extensive backstory [worth a re-reading in Genesis chapters 37-50] may be remembered more for his “coat of many colors,” yet has much more for us to know. As the quintessential annoying and spoiled little brother, his jealous older brothers wanted to kill him and then decided to sell him into slavery in Egypt.

   Because of the same famine in the Genesis reading for this week, in the Revised Common Lectionary, the brothers have been forced to go to Egypt to seek food and find their little brother in charge of the distribution of Pharoah’s stores. Joseph warmly receives them much to their [and perhaps even our own] surprise. Here we move into a different piece of Joseph’s story, as Dr. Gafney again, presents us with a passage never read in the usual Sunday or Daily Lectionary. Can we imagine being so desperate as to sell ourselves into slavery, whatever that would be for today? Consider, in these days and times, with many beyond mere desperation, with little or no option for food, shelter, or healthcare. In reading all of this passage, we see that Joseph has the authority to be generous and is indeed generous to all who come to him for sustenance in the short and the long terms, even volunteering themselves as slaves for Pharoah.

   The Psalmist gives us a poetic rendering of life in our own times as well as in the ancient past. The full psalm, Parts I, II, and III, are also worth the full reading whether in your favorite translation or paraphrase, or from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer [BCPonline.org]. We see the fearful who become thankful and the rebellious who learn from their mistakes. In Dr. Gafney’s translation as well, and more or less the same in other versions, my favorite line is the second part of verse 42: but all wickedness will shut its mouth.

   This piece from Acts is perplexing for a variety of reasons, mostly because, with Peter’s severe chastisement, the quickly deceased couple, are guilty of as Dr. Gafney puts it, a crime without occasion because there was no requirement to give any of their wealth, though that was the common practice. As Peter finds them convicted of lying to the Holy Spirit, perhaps there was a prior pledge made by Ananias that we aren’t told about. It certainly puts me on notice for my current and future pledging.

   In this Gospel reading, we find yet another interesting piece which we haven’t heard in the usual lectionary before, a prelude to the familiar Parable of the Sower, a regular in our customary readings. Yet in the NRSV, the NKJV, the NIV and others use this beginning and all mention several of women by name and many others, who in various phrasings, are providing for them, that is Jesus and the Twelve, out of their resources/out of their substance/out of their own means. In her use of these passages, it certainly puts a spotlight on what is usually in the shadows, or unnoticed at best ~ the true prominence of women in the ministry of Jesus and the Twelve.

    Many of us have and many of us have not spent much time reading the Bible. For those of us who have, we still seem to only remember the pieces we hear regularly through the Revised Common Lectionary in all three weekly and two daily of its sets of readings. I have not remembered these passages from Genesis, Acts, or Luke, though I have read all of these completely, but not recently, nor do I remember all of Psalm 107, although bits of it are familiar. These translations and their use are difficult for some who only want what is familiar. Yet, for me, these pieces can fill out our perspectives, and give light and breadth and depth to the entirety of our informed Faith and its Narrative, push me to wonder and wander further into these texts and other commentaries.

   A thread that winds through these readings is money and persistence. Money, wealth, and such resources in and of themselves are neither good nor bad, despite one source showing 30+ biblical quotes reflecting the usual adage that money is the root of all evil. Rather, these are tools for walking through this journey of life. Some are gifted with or earn much, some are relatively comfortable, and some for a variety of reasons have far less. So it is and has always been. How we use these resources speaks volumes about our priorities, our faith, and, even our character. How we persist in trying to make a positive difference with whatever we have also speaks to our priorities for all of God’s Creation.

   As we look at life today, especially in light of these passages, we know that there are several enormous chasms dividing the really haves, the sort of haves, and the really do-not haves. How we reach into those divisions is both personal and communal, a call to each and all of us to pay attention, to act however we are able, even if we can only show up with an extra blanket, to help serve a meal, or to spend time and/or donate in whatever other way we can. Of course we cannot solve the problems of our local community let alone the entire world individually, but we can make a difference in a minute, an hour, or a day, for someone somewhere. We can gather together and make a loud noise for those who have ears to hear and to listen and who can do more, to do so.  We can till the ground of our own beings and through our sowing of prayer, of care, and of persistence, we can produce a fruitful bounty of spiritual seeds to grow within us and to scatter among all we meet.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ Faithful SHEPHERDING GOD, grant us each the wisdom, the desire, and the willingness to till, nourish, and tend the ground of our hearts and souls. May we flourish, flower, and bear the fruit of your divine Seed for our spiritual health, through which we become the sowers of your love and grace, in all of our thoughts, words, and actions.

                                                O Christ, God’s Word Incarnate

            Response:              Open us to listen, grow, reap, and sow

~ FAITHFUL SHEPHERDING GOD, impel the hearts, minds, and souls of all who govern across cities, villages, towns, counties, states, and countries upon this Earth, to act always with the highest ethical, moral, and spiritual intent for everyone they lead. We pray especially for: add your own petitions         

                                                O Christ, God’s Word Incarnate

                                                Open us to listen, grow, reap, and sow

~ FAITHFUL SHEPHERDING GOD, ease the distress for those who are poor in health, in spirit, or in the basic needs of life, and for those who selflessly aid and comfort them. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                O Christ, God’s Word Incarnate

                                                Open us to listen, grow, reap, and sow

~ FAITHFUL SHEPHERDING GOD, soften the grief for all who are bereft, as our beloved, raised to new life in glory and joy, are now with You for all eternity. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O Christ, God’s Word Incarnate

                                                Open us to listen, grow, reap, and sow

~ FAITHFUL SHEPHERDING 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 Christ, God’s Word Incarnate

                                                Open us to listen, grow, reap, and sow

~ FAITHFUL SHEPHERDING GOD, grant extra blessings for those who lead us in Your Church as they inspire and encourage us, through Your Word and Sacraments, to take delight in and commit our ways and our lives entirely to You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O Christ, God’s Word Incarnate

                                                Open us to listen, grow, reap, and sow

The Celebrant adds: O God WHO SAVES, create in us good and honest hearts, filled with Your divine seeds of faith sown in the comfort of Your mercy and the hope of the Resurrection. In our deeply held knowledge of Your enduring love, guide us to hold fast to Your call, elevate the needy from affliction, and yield abundant spiritual harvests for us all, as we flock together as Your Family. We ask through Jesus, Sower of all the good that blooms within us; and the Holy Spirit, Divine Nutrient for our souls; who together with You are our One God, now and forever. Amen.

 

 

*Readings for our Parish in this Year C are from The Rev. Dr. Wilda [Wil] Gafney, Womanist biblical scholar, and the Right Rev. Sam B. Hulsey Professor of Hebrew Bible at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Texas. She is the author of A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church Yr C, and others in her series, and translator of its biblical selections. I definitely commend her book for the complete readings, to Clergy and Laity, for her Text Notes, and “Preaching Prompts” whether or not you will use them in your Liturgies/Services/Preaching. There is much to learn from her work to inform every facet of our lives in Christ.  To learn more about her and her work, see her website: https://www.wilgafney.com/

 

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: Even Now? ~ 7th Sunday after the Epiphany RCL Yr C '25

For Sunday, February 23, 2025; Readings: Genesis 45:3-11,15; Psalm 37:1-12, 41-42; 

1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50; Luke 6:27-38

   

   Then Joseph said to his brothers…do not be distressed , or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here…And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them… [Genesis 45:5a, 15]

   Do not fret yourselves over evil doers…for they shall wither like grass…Commit your way to the Lord and put your trust in him…Do not fret…over the one who prospers, the one who succeeds in evil schemes…Refrain from anger, leave rage alone…deliverance of the righteous comes from the Lord, he is their stronghold…because they seek refuge in him. [Psalm 37:1a-2a, 5a,8, 9a, 41b, 42b]

   So it is with the resurrection of the dead…What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor…it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. 

[1 Corinthians 15:42-44a]

   Jesus said, “…Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also*…Do to others as you would  have them do to you… “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them…or the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” [Luke 6:27-29a, 31-32,  38c]

    On the face of the readings, the theme is pretty simple: Do this, don’t do that and, love everyone. Do to others as you would have them do to you, do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned, says Jesus*, and all we have to do is love the unlovable and forgive the unforgivable. Sure, we’ve heard it all before but not so easy to practice, at least for me.

   The beginning point for this week’s lesson is Joseph forgiving his brothers. It is quite a dramatic story especially if you know the history that came before [Genesis 37, 39-50]. Joseph is the youngest, the favorite and most-beloved of his father, the tattletale, the dreamer of grandiose dreams, the very definition of the all-around annoying little brother. His older brothers took it to a whole different level leading to their mostly successful plot to be rid of him. It is a compelling account of the stuff of novels, films, and Broadway musicals. Yet, imagine being Joseph: could I/could you Love your enemies, especially your own family who plotted to kill you? Could I/could you do good to those who hate you? Can any of us refrain from anger at over threats, real and perceived, against family, friends,  and our “neighbors”?

   A priest friend once recounted a TV interview he saw with a man who had committed his life to working with young offenders. The man’s son had been recently murdered by such a person and the interviewer asked if he had forgiven the murderer. He said that he had forgiven him because the killer was just the kind of young person he was trying to help. Is that within or beyond my capacity to do, especially if that was my child? I seriously wonder, and it does put a troubling question to my faith that I must pray about and work on.

   It isn’t that Jesus is promoting a dismissal of appropriate blame and its consequences. There are judicial and other appropriate earth-bound consequences of our own and others’ actions. Rather, as we simply do not and will not know what transpires between God and the one who offended, we cannot, should not, must not assume the final verdict of God who knows what changes of heart and soul occur. It’s God’s job, not mine, to sort out the truly wicked evildoers and the truly righteous and faithful, and all in-between, and to judge, punish, reward accordingly. Hopefully, earthly legal systems will continue to do what they must and mostly should; in the earthly realm with and in faith with Christ, we are called to love and forgive, especially those who are the most difficult. It is, so very often, so very difficult.

   Yet before we can approach and attempt this challenging kind of love and forgiveness, we have to do some internal, self-directed work to believe ~ and accept ~ that God truly loves and forgives us, you, me. That is the hardest work of all, and it is where we must begin. For when we let go of judging ourselves, or at least begin to want to reduce and redirect it, knowing and believing how God loves and forgives us, we can be opened to love and forgive others, slightly more easily, at the very least. 

   In other words, I try to remember in Luke 6:38 that the measure I give out in this life is the measure I’ll get back in the next. Remember the Lord’s Prayer. Spend some time with it this week to read what it says, and go beyond the familiar syllables in recitation to clearer understanding. Look especially at: forgive Us our trespasses (sins), AS we forgive those who trespass against Us. Hear and feel deeply the importance of what it is we are truly asking. Rephrasing might change the perspective a bit and perhaps bring some discomfort if we say: forgive me my trespasses in the same way that I forgive them theirs. It's a radical departure to how we generally think and feel about loving and forgiving those we usually want nothing to do with. Or, honestly, those we secretly love to hate. Be one to love first, forgive next. OH and IT IS VERY HARD sometimes, especially now. But, of course we’re not talking about “romantic love.” We’re talking about the love that says, “it’s God’s job to judge, not mine.” And of course it doesn’t mean that we are to stop working for appropriate Justice. Oh, and the extra hard part: don't expect any gratitude or appreciation in return. And, no, you don’t have to deliver the love in person, it’s about freeing your own heart and soul. The practice of radical love and forgiveness feels like a long road in this life, yet revenge, as someone said, is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. This Love in this life, is the shortest path to receiving immeasurable love and forgiveness now and in the next. “Even now,” you say? Yes [insert several deep breaths here] even [especially] now.

      *"If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also." Walter Wink, [1935-2012] was a theologian and Professor Emeritus of Biblical Interpretation at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York City. His easy-to-read article explains much more about this in a useful context. He said, in part:

    "If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also."  Why the right cheek? A blow by the right fist in that right-handed world would land on the left cheek of the opponent. An open-handed slap would also strike the left cheek.  To hit the right cheek with a fist would require using the left hand, but in that society the left hand was used only for unclean tasks. Even to gesture with the left hand at Qumran [site of the Dead Sea Scrolls discovery] carried the penalty of ten days' penance. The only way one could naturally strike the right cheek with the right hand would be with the back of the hand.  We are dealing here with insult, not a fistfight. The intention is clearly not to injure but to humiliate, to put someone in his or her place...A backhand slap was the usual way of admonishing inferiors.  Masters backhanded slaves; husbands, wives; parents, children; men, women; Romans, Jews. We have here a set of unequal relations, in each of which retaliation would be suicidal. The only normal response would be cowering submission. Click here for: Walter Wink on Turn the Other Cheek and beyond.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
 
Leader:  ~ O God, our Stronghold and our Refuge, grant us the courage and the strength of faith to trust in, and accept as true, Your all-encompassing love for each of our selves. Release us from judgment and anger that we may grant the same love, mercy, and compassion to all others as we receive from You.
 
                                                       O Lord, Most High       
              RESPONSE:               Urge our hearts to love and forgive
 
~ O God, our Stronghold and our Refuge, impel the hearts, minds, and souls of all who govern across every location on this Earth, to act always with the highest ethical, moral, and spiritual intent for those they lead. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord, Most High       
                                                       Urge our hearts to love and forgive
 
~ O God, our Stronghold and our Refuge, ease the distress for those who are poor in health, in spirit, or in the basic needs of life, and for those who selflessly aid and comfort them. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord, Most High       
                                                       Urge our hearts to love and forgive
 
~ O God, our Stronghold and our Refuge, soften the grief for all who are bereft, as our beloved, raised to new life in glory and joy, are now with You for all eternity. We pray especially for... add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord, Most High       
                                                       Urge our hearts to love and forgive
 
~  O God, our Stronghold and our Refuge, 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, Most High       
                                                       Urge our hearts to love and forgive
             
~ O God, our Stronghold and our Refuge, grant extra blessings for those who lead us in Your Church as they inspire and encourage us, through Your Word and Sacraments, to take delight in and commit our ways and our lives entirely to You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord, Most High       
                                                       Urge our hearts to love and forgive
             
The Celebrant adds: Merciful, Benevolent God, relieve us of distress, frustration, and rage over the wickedness of others, and leave that judgment to You. Heighten our desire to be as generous with our love and forgiveness in this life, as You have promised to return to us in the next. We ask through Jesus, our Risen Christ; and the Holy Spirit, our Wisdom Guide; who together with You, are God Almighty, now and forever.  Amen

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PRAYERS of the People: Saving Faith ~ 6th Sunday after the Epiphany, WLWC* Yr C

For Sunday, February 16, 2025; Readings: Numbers 5:11-24, 27-28; Psalm 7:1-8, 14-17; 

1 Corinthians 7:1-17, Luke 7:36-50

   Now the JUDGE OF ALL FLESH spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the women and men of Israel and say to them: If the wife of any man goes astray…and she has rendered herself unacceptable…or if a spirit of jealousy comes on him…and she has not rendered herself unacceptable…Then the man shall bring his wife to the priest and he shall bring the offering for her…it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of remembrance…of iniquity. Then the priest shall bring her near and set her before the JUDGE OF ALL THE EARTH… [Numbers 5:11ff]

  SHELTERING ONE my God, in you I take refuge; save me from all who pursue me and deliver me… Rise up, THUNDERING GOD, in your anger; raise up in opposition to the wrath of my enemies; wake on my behalf the justice you have appointed… His troublemaking returns upon his own head, and on his head does their violence descend. ...I will give thanks to the JUDGE OF ALL FLESH according to her righteousness, and I shall sing praise to the Name of the HOLY GOD, the Most High.  [Psalm 7:1, 6, 16-17]

   Now, about what you have written: It is good for a man not to take hold of a woman. But because of sexual immorality, each man should have his own woman and each woman her own man. For the wife, the husband should do his duty and likewise the wife for her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, rather the husband does; likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, yet the wife does…However let us each walk through life as the Holy One has designated and as God has called them. This is what I instruct all the churches.  [1 Corinthians 7:1-4, 17] 

   Now one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him…And suddenly, a woman who was in the city [known as] a sinner…brought… perfumed ointment...began with her tears to bathe his feet and with the hairs of her head dried them…the Pharisee said to himself, “If this man was ever a prophet, he would know…what kind of woman this is...touching him… a sinner…” Then Jesus replied [to his thoughts] and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you…” Jesus said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; water for my feet you gave not…No kiss [of peace]…Oil for my head you did not prepare…That is why I say to you, forgiven are her sins…And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” [Luke 7:36-50]

     I must say upfront that this was certainly the most challenging set of readings I’ve ever encountered as I head toward the completion of 4 sets of Years A, B, & C later this year. Of course, as Dr. Gafney intentionally provides us with non-Revised Common Lectionary readings, therein lies an explanation. As there is much in the first lesson from Numbers alone that requires detailed explanation, I will offer some, given the space I am using. I will always encourage you to read the texts in these lessons in the translation you prefer as a comparison to her translations, and in particular, to acquire, if you don’t already have, an annotated study Bible that has explanatory footnotes. You can find them on used book websites fairly inexpensively.

    The reading from Numbers offers us some insight to one particular ancient ritual that is sometimes referred to as “the jealousy offering” or “the ordeal of bitter water.” It’s all about a man deciding that his wife has been unfaithful with no evidence. So, he takes her to the priest for this “test” to prove whether or not she has rendered herself unacceptable or he is jealous…and she has rendered herself not unacceptable. There is symbolic use of the dust, holy water, and having her hair unbound…all to test the woman’s truth-telling. According to several sources, there was nothing biologically harmful. While this text says it contains that which, if guilty, the woman’s womb will swell and she’ll be forever infertile, it is considered to be a highly unlikely outcome. It puts me in mind of the Salem and other Witch Trials. THAT SAID, with its symbolism and drama it was a useful protection against what we would call today domestic violence or spousal abuse based on jealousy, and while most who were tested proved “innocent,” presumably, if by sheer nervousness alone, some would have been considered guilty by which her husband could have legally thrown her out to the proverbial wolves, murdered her, or have her executed. Hmmm, can you say misogyny? BUT, some ancient Jewish commentators suggest that the curse may well have worked against an adulterous male. Yet I wonder how often might a woman be strong and fearless enough to bring such a charge? Although it is an ancient ritual, it has its parallels in later and ongoing history into our own day.

    Dr. Gafney tells us in her text notes that while some translations of the psalm use gender neutral language, she has intentionally kept the masculine singular because of the binary framework of the text. As always she uses expansive titles for God, expressed in all capital letters, and the occasional feminine pronoun.

  And then there’s Paul…it is important to reiterate, that Paul wrote letters to specific churches for specific reasons that may or may not apply in our own times even though they have been, by some, raised high above the Gospel writers. Dr. Gafney writes, “Neither Greek nor Hebrew has distinct words for wives or husbands,” rather both simply use “’her man’ and ‘his woman’ in ‘conjugal relationships.’” Therefore, it isn’t clear if Paul is speaking about all men or all people.

    In the passage from Luke, no actual sin is named but in the world of the ancients all the way to today, it suggests that as a female her sin is more likely considered to be sexual in nature. Jesus, especially in Luke, had close relationships with women and men in his circle. And speaks quite directly to his host, the Pharisee, as to why “this woman” has offered him more hospitality than the host. The ending of this reading is our beginning, that is, through Jesus, she was and we are each saved by our faith.

    The combination of all these texts offer us an opportunity to examine how we read them, what our first reactions are, how do these expose our own biases to us, and how the cultural, sexual, stereotypical, and other influences of our lives change our perceptions of what lessons we are to imitate or ignore. Reading other translations and paraphrases (not direct translations but a reframing in modern language such as The Message or The Living Bible, etc.) can show us similarities and differences. For a quick look, use BibleGateway.com. Something else to read is the Gospel of Luke in this week’s Revised Common Lectionary: Luke 6:17-26, a differing version of Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount [Matthew 5:1-12] and on a different occasion and known as Blessings and Woes.

    Let us breathe deeply, contemplate our earthly wants, worries, triggers, and tranquilities, as we move forward one step at a time strengthening and saving faith.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ SHELTERING ONE, our God, remind us to always take our refuge in and gather around you, especially in the midst of fear for ourselves and others in life’s troubling times. Judge us all by our righteousness and integrity, as we give thanks and praise to our HOLY GOD, the Most High.

                                                Holy and ALL-SEEING GOD

                                                Save us by our strong faith and deep love 

~ SHELTERING ONE, our God, rise up and wake the justice you have appointed in the wisdom of your Creation. Endow all the leaders of this World, this Country, and this State, with irreproachable ethics, right moral character, and exemplary governance on behalf of all your people, everywhere. We pray especially for: the President, the Vice-President, our Members of Congress, our Governor, our County Executive, our City Council, and our Mayor.

                                                Holy and ALL-SEEING GOD

                                                Save us by our strong faith and deep love 

~ SHELTERING ONE, our God, embrace the hearts of all who are seriously ill, unhoused, and/or life-weary, and grant energy to those who give them care. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… 

                                                Holy and ALL-SEEING GOD

                                                Save us by our strong faith and deep love 

~ SHELTERING ONE, our God, surround those who mourn with Your perfect peace, as the glory and joy of eternity, now enfold those we have sent ahead to You. We pray especially for: 

                                                Holy and ALL-SEEING GOD

                                                Save us by our strong faith and deep love 

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

                                                Holy and ALL-SEEING GOD

                                                Save us by our strong faith and deep love 

~ SHELTERING ONE, our God, grant all who lead us in Your Church with wise and gracious spirits, as they guide each of us and themselves, on the path toward the radiance of everlasting life in You. We pray especially for: Sean, our Presiding Bishop; Kevin our Bishop; Patrick, our Rector; and Lloyd, our Rector Emeritus.

                                                Holy and ALL-SEEING GOD

                                                Save us by our strong faith and deep love 

The Celebrant adds: Infinite Boundless God, push us firmly beyond our worldly biases of ethnicity, gender, culture, and beyond, to embrace the breadth and depth, the highs and lows of all life, especially human, in your design and domain. Guide our hearts and souls to know the healing grace of Jesus, our Christ; to repent often, and to love and be loved deeply in the peace of his forgiveness. We ask in the name Jesus, Your Human and Divine Son; and of the Holy Spirit, Your Sacred Breath within us; who together with You as our One God, fill us, guide us, and love us, forever and ever. Amen.

 

*Readings for our Parish in this Year C are from The Rev. Dr. Wilda [Wil] Gafney, Womanist biblical scholar, and the Right Rev. Sam B. Hulsey Professor of Hebrew Bible at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Texas. She is the author of A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church Yr C, and others in her series, and translator of its biblical selections. I definitely commend her book for the complete readings, to Clergy and Laity, for her Text Notes, and “Preaching Prompts” whether or not you will use them in your Liturgies/Services/Preaching. There is much to learn from her work to inform every facet of our lives in Christ.  To learn more about her and her work, see her website: https://www.wilgafney.com/

 

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