Prayers of the People: The Peace of Faith Ablaze ~ Pentecost! WLWC* Yr C

For Sunday, June 8, 2025; Readings: Acts 2:1-18, Psalm 104:1-4, 27-30; Romans 8:14-27, 

John 14:8-17

   When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in the same place. And there came suddenly from heaven a sound like the sweeping of a mighty wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Then there appeared among them divided tongues, as of fire, and one rested on each of them. And all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak in other tongues just as the Spirit gave them to speak. [Acts 2:1-4]

  Bless the Fount of Life, O my soul. Mother of All, my God…She is the one who makes the winds her celestial messengers, fire and flame her ministers…You send forth your Spirit…and you renew the face of the earth. [Psalm 104:1a, 4, 30]

  …you have received a spirit of adoption through which we cry, “Abba! Father!” It is that same spirit who bears witness with our spirit that we are daughters and sons of God. And if daughters and sons, then heirs, heirs of God and heirs of Chris…For in hope we were saved…Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as is necessary, but that very Spirit intercedes…according to the will of God. [Romans 8:15b-17, 24, 27b]

  Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me…Very truly I tell you all, the one who believes in me will also do the works I do and even will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father…If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and God will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth…You know her, because she abides with you, and she will be in you. [John 14:11a, 12, 15-17]

      The word Pentecost is derived from a Greek word meaning “fiftieth.” In Judaism, Pentecost is the holiday of Shavuot [shah-voo-oat] or The Festival of Weeks, 

celebrated seven weeks, or the 50th day, after the first seder of Passover. It commemorates the wheat harvest in Exodus, and also God's giving of the Law to Moses on Mt. Sinai. In Christianity it is the 50th day, or 7 weeks, after Easter, 10 days after Christ’s Ascension.

       The disciples of Jesus, perhaps still struggling with their understandings of and ongoing roles after the Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension, gathered together most likely for the comfortably familiar Shavuot remembrance and feast. Then, as we are told, suddenly from heaven came a rush of violent wind and just as suddenly tongues of fire appeared above their heads and each one immediately began speaking in a different language. From that moment they were able to spread the word of God in Christ across the world with the Holy Spirit granting each voice in each language the precise interpretation of Christ’s saving words and instructions ~ in context of culture, place, and time, not merely by repetition. 

      In this fiftieth day from the most recent celebration of Easter, we are, again and always, called to know that we are filled with the Holy Spirit, called to live into the belief in Christ that we claim or want, and, called to keep the Commandments whose giving on Mt. Sinai we may also commemorate on this day and reaffirm as our life principles. 

      On this Birthday of the Church*– let us claim our heritage as children of God and use the language of love to be as Jesus has shown us to be. Let the teachings of Jesus not only be our governing rules but also our method and practice of daily living. In our times of suffering and our times of joy and in our times of everyday routines, let us breathe deeply and receive the power of the Holy Spirit to un-trouble our hearts and fill us with the Peace of Christ, the peace that passes all understanding; the peace of our own spirits that reaches out and gives peace to another’s. 

      Today is the day to stop merely knowing the story. Today is the day to start again, to re-experience our sense of faith as it is filled with Wind and Fire, from and in the Spirit – to be amazed and astonished!  We always have the Spirit within us, and God’s grace, and the love and Salvation of Christ for the merest wanting of it. Even as we can sense a peace of heart in the most exciting moments in life, when all the hoped-for pieces fall into place, so too, can we experience the peace in the excitement of faith restored, renewed, and ablaze with the love and salvation of Christ Jesus. Let us rejoice and be glad and joy-filled, and alive in it! Bless the Lord, O my soul!

       *As the Birthday of the Church, Pentecost marks the official beginning of the ministry of the Apostles beyond their local area and into the broader world. The descent of the Holy Spirit in the form of tongues of fire imbued them, and each of us by extension, with extraordinary gifts to bring the message of Jesus by word and example into all facets and phases of our Christian life. As the ashes of Ash Wednesday open us to the season of reflection and repentance in Lent, the soul-fire of Pentecost reignites our faith and fervor, restored and renewed in Christ to carry his message forward in our everyday thoughts, words, and actions.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
 
Leader:  ~ Abba, Redeemer, Advocate, infuse us, your children, with the fire of your Spirit and the Peace of Christ. Strengthen us to bear witness with you, to inhale the rush of your heavenly breath, rejoice in Your Presence, and bless you with the work of our souls.

                                             Spirit of the Living God
    RESPONSE:              Fall afresh on us
 
~ Abba, Redeemer, Advocate, impel us to speak in the language of your Truth to the leaders of this Earth, this Country, and this Community, on behalf of those crying in the wilderness of lethal poverty, merciless injustice, faithless intolerance, and crushing despair. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                            Spirit of the Living God
                                            Fall afresh on us
 
~ Abba, Redeemer, Advocate, relieve the fevers of critical illness, depression, or other desperate circumstance, and energize all who give them care and support. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                            Spirit of the Living God
                                            Fall afresh on us
 
~ Abba, Redeemer, Advocate, instill Your care and comfort into the hearts of those who grieve, as the souls of all who have reached the shores of Heaven, now rise and dance in Your everlasting joy and glory.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                            Spirit of the Living God
                                            Fall afresh on us
 
~ Abba, Redeemer, Advocate, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently… add your own petitions 
 
                                            Spirit of the Living God
                                            Fall afresh on us
 
~ Abba, Redeemer, Advocate, un-trouble our hearts as you amplify our Spirit-given abilities, that together with those chosen to lead us in Your Church, we may be steadfast in our journey. As you release us from fear, may the actions of our lives sing as praise to the you, O Lord our God. We pray especially for: add your own petitions                                                                                   
                                            Spirit of the Living God
                                            Fall afresh on us
                                                                                                        
The Celebrant adds:  Lord of Enduring Glory, guide the Spirit of Pentecost to set our souls ablaze once again, that we may keep Your commandments, do greater works, and live as joint heirs of Your eternal kingdom. We ask through Jesus, our Redeemer Christ; and the Holy Spirit, the Sacred Fire in our souls; who together with You reign as 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: Wind and Fire and Peace ~ Pentecost! RCL Yr C

For Sunday, June 8, 2025, Readings: Acts 2:1-21, Psalm 104:25-35, 37; Romans 8:14-17, 

John 14:8-17, (25-27)

                  image created by

illustratedchildrensministry.com

     When the day of Pentecost had come, the disciples were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house...Divided tongues, as of fire...rested on each...All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. [Acts 2:1-4]

   You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; and so you renew the face of the earth. Bless the Lord, O my soul. [Psalm 104:31, 35]

   When we cry, "Abba! Father!" it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ... [Romans 8:13b-17b]

   Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me...If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of Truth...he abides in you, and he will be with you...Peace I leave with you...Do not let your hearts be troubled... 

[John 14:11a, 15-17]

      The word Pentecost is derived from a Greek word meaning “fiftieth.” In Judaism, Pentecost is the holiday of Shavuot [shah-voo-oat] or The Festival of Weeks, celebrated seven weeks, or the 50th day, after the first seder of Passover. It commemorates the wheat harvest in Exodus, and also God's giving of the Law to Moses on Mt. Sinai. In Christianity it is the 50th day, or 7 weeks, after Easter, 10 days after Christ’s Ascension.

       The disciples of Jesus, perhaps still struggling with their understandings of and ongoing roles after the Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension, gathered together most likely for the comfortably familiar Shavuot remembrance and feast. Then, as we are told, suddenly from heaven came a rush of violent wind and just as suddenly tongues of fire appeared above their heads and each one immediately began speaking in a different language. From that moment they were able to spread the word of God in Christ across the world with the Holy Spirit granting each voice in each language the precise interpretation of Christ’s saving words and instructions ~ in context of culture, place, and time, not merely by repetition. 

      In this fiftieth day from the most recent celebration of Easter, we are, again and always, called to know that we are filled with the Holy Spirit, called to live into the belief in Christ that we claim or want, and, called to keep the Commandments whose giving on Mt. Sinai we may also commemorate on this day and reaffirm as our life principles. 

      On this Birthday of the Church*– let us claim our heritage as children of God and use the language of love to be as Jesus has shown us to be. Let the teachings of Jesus not only be our governing rules but also our method and practice of daily living. In our times of suffering and our times of joy and in our times of everyday routines, let us breathe deeply and receive the power of the Holy Spirit to un-trouble our hearts and fill us with the Peace of Christ, the peace that passes all understanding; the peace of our own spirits that reaches out and gives peace to another’s. 

      Today is the day to stop merely knowing the story. Today is the day to start again, to re-experience our sense of faith as it is filled with Wind and Fire and Peace again, from and in the Spirit – to be renewed, amazed and astonished!  We have the Spirit within us, and God’s grace, and the love and Salvation of Christ for just the merest wanting of it. Let us rejoice and be glad and joy-filled, and alive in it! Bless the Lord, O my soul!

        *As the Birthday of the Church, Pentecost marks the official beginning of the ministry of the Apostles beyond their local area and into the broader world. The descent of the Holy Spirit in the form of tongues of fire imbued them, and each of us by extension, with extraordinary gifts to bring the message of Jesus by word and example into all facets and phases of our Christian life. As the ashes of Ash Wednesday open us to the season of reflection and repentance in Lent, the soul-fire of Pentecost reignites our faith and fervor, restored and renewed in Christ to carry his message forward in our everyday thoughts, words, and actions.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
 
Leader:  ~ Abba, Redeemer, Advocate, infuse us, your children, with the fire of your Spirit and the Peace of Christ. Strengthen us to bear witness with you, to inhale the rush of your heavenly breath, rejoice in Your Presence, and bless you with the work of our souls.

 
                                             Spirit of the Living God
    RESPONSE:              Fall afresh on us
 
~ Abba, Redeemer, Advocate, impel us to speak in the language of your Truth to the leaders of this Earth, this Country, and this Community, on behalf of those crying in the wilderness of lethal poverty, merciless injustice, faithless intolerance, and crushing despair. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                            Spirit of the Living God
                                            Fall afresh on us
 
~ Abba, Redeemer, Advocate, relieve the fevers of critical illness, depression, or other desperate circumstance, and energize all who give them care and support. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                            Spirit of the Living God
                                            Fall afresh on us
 
~ Abba, Redeemer, Advocate, instill Your care and comfort into the hearts of those who grieve, as the souls of all who have reached the shores of Heaven, now rise and dance in Your everlasting joy and glory.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                            Spirit of the Living God
                                            Fall afresh on us
 
~ Abba, Redeemer, Advocate, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently… add your own petitions 
 
                                            Spirit of the Living God
                                            Fall afresh on us
 
~ Abba, Redeemer, Advocate, un-trouble our hearts as you amplify our Spirit-given abilities, that together with those chosen to lead us in Your Church, we may be steadfast in our journey. As you release us from fear, may the actions of our lives sing as praise to the you, O Lord our God. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
                                                                                        

                                            Spirit of the Living God
                                            Fall afresh on us
                                                                                                        
The Celebrant adds:  Lord of Enduring Glory, guide the Spirit of Pentecost to set our souls ablaze once again, that we may keep Your commandments, do greater works, and live as joint heirs of Your eternal kingdom. We ask through Jesus, our Redeemer Christ; and the Holy Spirit, the Sacred Fire in our souls; who together with You reign as One God, now and forever.  Amen.

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

Meditation Moment: Ascension Day '25

For Thursday, May 29, 2025, Ascension Day, Readings: Acts 1:1-11, Ps 47,

 Ephesians 1:15-23, Luke 24:44-53 

Then [Jesus] led them out as far as Bethany, and,
lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them,
he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. 

And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy;

and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

[Luke 24:50-53]

          Forty Days after Easter comes the Ascension of the Resurrected Christ into Heaven. One of the five major milestones in the life of Christ [the others are baptism, transfiguration, crucifixion, and resurrection], the Ascension is professed in both the Nicene and Apostles' Creeds. Whether, actual, mystical or metaphorical, it is one of the great feasts of the Christian liturgical calendar. It signifies the completion of his earthly presence as he takes his divine presence seated at the right hand of the Father [Nicene Creed, Book of Common Prayer]. 
        The readings for today give us a direction for our own earthly lives. In the Acts of the Apostles we hear that as Christ's body was being elevated, suddenly two men in robes stood by them. They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven?" From Ephesians, Paul prays, ...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ...may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe...

         Holy Jesus, Son of God, as Your Church we are the Body of Christ.  On this Ascension Day, let us ascend in our hearts, minds, and souls, and raise our own prayers that we may be disciples in our own day, to care for all the People of God. Guide us as we seek to discover You in our daily thoughts, words, and actions. Grant us that wisdom to know the hope to which we are called with enlightened hearts, and be eager for the time when You, who has been taken up...into heaven, will come in the same way... Amen. Alleluia! 

 

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: Through the Narrow Door ~ 7th Sunday after Easter WLWC* ‘25 Yr C

For Sunday, June 1, 2025; Readings: Acts 17:-22-18:4;; Psalm 149:1-6, Romans 16:1-16, Luke 15:18-30

       “Athenians, I see in everything how devout you are. For passing through and regarding objects of your worship, I found an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What, therefore, you all worship as unknown, this is what I proclaim to you: The God who made the world and everything in it…Sovereign of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands. Neither is God served by human hands because of needing anything, since God gives to all life and breath and all things…God made all nations, all persons—women, men, and children—to inhabit the face of the earth and… ordered the seasons and the boundaries of their habitation,  that they would search for God and perhaps reach for God and find God, yet indeed God is not far from any one of us.  For ‘In God we live and move and have our being…’ [Acts 15:1b-28a]

    Praise the Ageless God! Sing to the Breath of Life a new song, her praise in the congregation of the faithful…For the Ever-Present God delights in her people; she adorns those afflicted through poverty with liberation. [Psalm 149:1,4]

    I commend to you all our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cencherae, so that you may receive her in Christ as is worthy of the saints, and stand by her in whatever thing she may need of you, for she has been a benefactress of many, and of myself as well. [Romans 16:1-2]

  Jesus said now then, “What is the Majesty of God like? And to what should I compare it? ¹⁹ It is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in their garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the heavens made nests in its branches.” ²⁰ And Jesus said again, “To what should I compare the Mystery of God? ²¹ It is like yeast that a woman took and folded in with three measures of flour until all was leavened… Struggle to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able… There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth… Indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” [Luke 13:18-21, 24, 28a, 30]

    The reading from Acts this week is long in excerpt and longer in the text itself. It begins with Paul standing in the center of the Areopagus (ah-reeoh-PAYgus), which for some context, is a rock formation just outside of Athens in Greece. It has a very interesting history and I encourage you to look it up. Indeed a prominent place from which to address the Athenians, Paul reminds them and us that God is the reason for the world and everything in it. The sentence that particularly struck me is The God who made the world and everything in it…Sovereign of heaven and earth…does not live in temples made by human hands. [emphasis added]. The pairing of that sentence with the list of names in the reading from Paul to the Romans is a reminder to us all that our “Ever-Present” God exists within the community of faith, however and wherever it is dispersed, the community of the faithful is still connected with and in God’s Presence anywhere and everywhere. Creation is our “Church.” The buildings humans have erected for worship are a convenience for gathering in community to celebrate our Creator, our Redeemer, and our Sanctifier; and, within it (and outside of it) as the Psalmist reminds us, we are to sing a new song of praise in that congregation of the faithful.

   The Gospel gives us two brief analogies in the description from Jesus of the Majesty and Mystery of God. The mustard seed is familiar. I had a necklace of a yellow mustard seed encased in a small glass orb when I was school-aged. Much later, on a visit to Israel, I encountered mustard seeds significantly smaller, the size of tiny flakes of black pepper from a grinder. Either one or many different types of seeds purchased for a home garden can see the exponentially and unimaginably greater size of God’s Majesty than the seed. And the Mystery of how some granulated fungi creates the lift in bread is well beyond us, at least those of us who aren’t chemistry majors. A further analogy might be that the seed’s use is visible and outward as we can see the growth of the plant rising from the ground, while the yeast’s affect is not visible alone until it is mixed into the flour. Both are transformative as we observe the majestic rise of a stalk of corn or experience the mystery of the flutter of love within one’s heart.

   As for Jesus’s advice to “Struggle to enter through the narrow door…” let us regroup back into the passage from Acts 17:30 ~ At one time God overlooked ignorance; now God commands all women and men everywhere to repent. Repent meaning to confess one’s sins but also to turn toward God and walk in the footsteps of Jesus. It isn’t a one and done moment in time but an ongoing, life-lasting “struggle” at times. Extra points for sincerity, especially with true intent and effort to change.

   In giving us a glimpse of the Majesty and Mystery of God, Jesus also points us to the Movement and Magnificence of God. The entry door may be narrow, but if we drop the heavy pounds of anger, judgment, conceit, the 7 deadlies, etc., through the exercise of prayer, care, the love of Christ and so on, we can slim our burdens well enough to slip through that narrow, but always open, door to eternal life.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ O Ageless God, through giving life and breath to us and to all around us as your offspring, and for creating this earth to inhabit with its seasons of life, it is truly in you that we live and move and have our being. May we have the courage to make you known to all on our path of living, through our words of greeting and actions of kindness.

                                                O God, Ever-Present

               Response:           Seed our hearts with your leaven of love

~ O Ageless God, direct the hearts of those who lead this and all nations of your Creation. Open the souls of those who choose harm, to hear, to change course, and to enact plans that ensure justice, peace, and the basic necessities of human life for every woman, man, and child. We pray especially for: add your own petitions          

                                                O God, Ever-Present

                                                Seed our hearts with your leaven of love

~ O Ageless God, hear the prayers and heal the bodies and minds of all who suffer through illness, anxiety, or hopelessness, and grant compassion and empathy to all give support. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                O God, Ever-Present

                                                Seed our hearts with your leaven of love

~ O Ageless God, shine the light of Your Presence on all grieving hearts, as those we have sent ahead, have entered your sacred gates of heavenly peace and life everlasting. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O God, Ever-Present

                                                Seed our hearts with your leaven of love

~ O Ageless 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, Ever-Present

                                                Seed our hearts with your leaven of love

~ O Ageless God, as we rejoice in you, our Maker, let us rejoice also for those anointed and ordained to serve in Your Church to bring us your Word and Sacraments, and walk with us in the love and way of Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O God, Ever-Present

                                                Seed our hearts with your leaven of love

The Celebrant adds: O God of All There Is, our true Breath of Life, fill our spiritual lungs with a new song of praise for all you that have given us. Turn whatever our despair and anger may be, into positive energy to serve our human siblings and ensure the health of this planet and all beyond it. We ask through Christ Jesus, Resurrected; and the Holy Spirit, the Mother of Wisdom; who together with you are our One Living 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: We are One, Together ~ 7th Sunday of Easter ~ RCL Yr C

For Sunday, June 1, 2025, Readings:  Acts 16:16-34, Psalm 97, Revelation 22:12-14; 16-17, 20-21; 

John 17:20-26 

     ...With Paul and Silas...we were going to a place of prayer...[Then the jailer] said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They answered, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."...He and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God. [Acts 16:16, 30-31, 34b]

     Light has sprung up for the righteous, and joyful gladness for those who are truehearted.  [Psalm 97:11]

     It is I, Jesus, who sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star." [Revelation 22:16]

    Jesus...looked up to heaven and said... "I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they all may be one...so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them. [John 17: 1a, 20-21a, 26b]

    The recounting of Paul’s imprisonment is intriguing as it isn’t the typical story of being imprisoned for proselytizing or performing miracles. On the way to a place of prayer, it was his miracle in a particular slave, for which her owners lost money, that landed him and Silas in jail. As those imprisoned with them heard Paul and Silas praying and singing hymns to God, an earthquake loosed the chains that bound them all and yet the prisoners stayed inside despite the opened doors. On this discovery, the jailer and his family were instantly converted to faith in Jesus and baptized. 
    Faith is the primary element of any religious practice and for Christianity and other theological traditions, prayer is the backbone of faith. Sometimes, however, prayer comes ahead of belief through the longing to have the kind of faith observed in others, as with Paul’s jailer. It has been said that the mere desire to have faith is, in itself, an expression of faith. Tentative exploration of prayer may also occur in the search for the meaning of grief at an age when the onset of mortality becomes one’s reality.
    Without faith, “christian” becomes a mere empty label. Yet without sincere and frequent prayer, faith itself is unfulfilled; it has limited direction and action. The whole of John 17 is the prayer by Jesus before he leaves the disciples to carry on without him, but it isn't just about himself or the disciples at hand. It is also about us. Jesus speaks of those who will believe in me through their [and our] word. 
    Now, as this Easter season is ending, it is an excellent time for me to examine the state of my faith and, particularly, how I pray. Do I simply repeat familiar syllables in the liturgical rituals and memorized formal prayers? Do I think to pray only when I want something? How do I thoughtfully and intentionally make time to truly and sincerely pray in faith to build my relationship with God? Even during times when God feels absent, and my soul is lost in a dry and empty desert, remembering that even a short prayer of few words can keep me connected to God in Christ and the Holy Spirit who are already and always within me.  

    There are innumerable volumes of books written on various forms and schools of prayer and many are worth exploring. If prayer seems difficult at times, a simple way to begin is just to have an everyday kind of conversation with God as one might take comfort with and confide in a close confidante. God is the Person who knows us better than we know ourselves. There are no right or special words, no correct procedures, just ordinary words in sincerity and even if only for the hope to have faith, or if/when we think sometimes that our faith is wavering or weak. A quiet help me, Lord can open our hearts and our souls, to the experience of faith even smaller than a mustard seed. However plain or plaintive, we will be heard.     

    Jesus shows us the way of prayer ~ it strengthens us, draws us together in community, and gives us blessings and hope. Prayer is, quite simply, the most perfect conversation we can ever have. Any time, any place, any form ~ aloud, silently, written, poetic, scattered, rambling, angry, fearful, happy, thankful, and so on. Jesus is always the most interested non-judgmental Listener. Prayer is the opportunity to place cares, woes, hopes, dreams, thanksgivings, contrition, into the Heart of God. Let us pray without ceasing [1 Thessalonians 5:17] to our bright morning star, drinking deeply from the water of life. In prayer we are complete, we are known, we are with and in God who is with and in us; we are one, together. 

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Savior Christ, You are the bright morning star of Creation, loved from before the world was founded. Draw us into the prayer of faith that binds us to You and to each other, to all be as one, complete in the eternal love of God.

                                                  Jesus, Root of the Tree of Life

     RESPONSE:                 In prayer we are as one

~ O Savior Christ, strengthen us to use the words You have given us, to reach and to fill the hearts of those who lead this and all the nations of this planet. Open the souls of those who choose harm, to hear, to change course, and to enact plans that ensure justice, peace, and the basic necessities of human life for everyone. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                      Jesus, Root of the Tree of Life

                                                In prayer we are as one

~ O Savior Christ, hear the prayers and heal the bodies and minds of all who suffer through illness, anxiety, or hopelessness, and grant compassion and empathy to all give support. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need…add your own petitions

                                      Jesus, Root of the Tree of Life

                                                In prayer we are as one

~ O Savior Christ, shine the light of Your Presence on all grieving hearts, as those we have sent ahead enter the open gates of heavenly peace and life everlasting. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                      Jesus, Root of the Tree of Life

                                                In prayer we are as one

~ O Savior Christ, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently…add your own petitions

                                      Jesus, Root of the Tree of Life

                                                In prayer we are as one

~ O Savior Christ, as you prayed for the disciples of Your own time, pray without ceasing for us, the disciples of this time, especially for those ordained to serve in Your Church to bring us Your Word and Sacraments.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                      Jesus, Root of the Tree of Life

                                                In prayer we are as one

The Celebrant adds:  Jesus, the Alpha and Omega, as the Word made Flesh You are in God, with God, and of God. Quench our spiritual thirst with the water of eternal life that we may see Your glory, and live forever in You as You live within us. We ask through the Holy Spirit, the Mother of Wisdom; and the Almighty Creator who together with You are One God, now and through eternity. Amen.

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Prayers of the People: Persistence ~ 6th Sunday of Easter WLWC* ‘25 Yr C

For Sunday, May 25, 2025; Readings: Acts 17:1-4, 10-12; Psalm 9: 1-11, 13-14, 18-20; Titus 3:1-8, Luke 18:1-10

  Paul and Silas…came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue…Paul…on three sabbaths presented to them from the scriptures… “This is the Messiah, Jesus who I proclaim to you all…” Now some of [those Jews] were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many devout Greeks and not a few of the prominent women. [Acts 17:1-2, 3b, 4]

  I will give thanks to the God Who Saves with my whole heart…She Who is Faithful is a stronghold for the oppressed. A stronghold in times of trouble…For the needs shall not always be forgotten, nor the hope of those oppressed by poverty perish for all time…Put them in fear…let the nations know that they are mortal.  [Psalm 9:1a, 9, 18, 20b]

  Now remind the sisters and brothers with regard to rulers and persons in authority, to be submissive, to be obedient…When the graciousness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, God saved us through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, not because of any works of righteousness we had done, but according to God’s mercy. This Spirit God poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that having been justified by God’s grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of life eternal. [Titus 3:1a, 4-6]

  Jesus told the disciples a parable about the need to pray continually and not be discouraged. He said, “There was a judge in a certain city who neither feared God nor respected people. There was a widow in that city and she came to him continually and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my accuser.’ And he was not willing for sometime; but later said to himself… ‘yet because this widow persists in troubling me, I will grant her justice…’” And the Messiah said, “…And will not God grant justice to the elect of God who cry to God day and night…God will quickly grant just to them. And yet, when the Son of Woman comes, will he find faith on the earth? [Luke 18:1-4a, 5a, 6-8]

   I have been persistently persistent in putting all of the pieces of this puzzle of readings together! As usual, Dr. Gafney brings readings that are not in the usual Revised Common Lectionary, and, as I have said previously, she does not change the texts themselves except through nuance of her own translations and to highlight women’s roles and pronouns with enhanced titles of God. I would encourage you to read these in whatever translation is your customary, and to explore them in at least one or two other translation (or more) not usual in your own experience.

   What has come through to me in all of these readings as they are for this week is persistence. Dr. Gafney says, “In these lessons, God shows up as a transforming and liberating power changing external circumstances and internal realities.” She also notes that, “The contexts for each of these readings are complex and sometimes contradictory…” Paul and Silas, for example are using their interpretations of Scripture according to their culture and their times ~ and don’t we all? The art of proof texting by some often tries to make a particular point with one or two verses taken out of the whole, and often fails when read with several verses above and below, or a whole chapter, can completely change one’s understanding. One glaring example of contradiction for me this week is the beginning of the reading from Titus especially in contrast with the Gospel reading. Submissive? Obedient to rulers and persons in authority? Am I back in parochial school? Also it doesn’t seem to fit with the balance of the passage of God saving us, not because of righteous behavior but because of God’s mercy and justifying grace. And then Jesus gives us the unjust judge up against the persistent widow. Not so submissive is she and to her benefit. The judge was concerned that she might do violence to him if he didn’t grant her “justice.”

   Paul was indeed persistent in all that he did, preaching and teaching, and walking thousands upon thousands of miles to do so. Some of us may not be quite so diligent in our faith walk! The Psalm coupled with Jesus’s admonition in Luke to pray continually and not be discouraged certainly requires regular attention to not lose heart. For me, this Psalm and the Widow together offer me a way of thought for continual prayer in and for hope even in those times of a crisis of, or at the very least, a moment of weakness in faith.

   Finally, Jesus leaves us with the question for and of all time: When he returns, will he find faith on the earth?  Hmmm…

   

    There is one aside to these readings that I’d like to offer from a personal experience. Many years ago, 1994 to be exact, I was on a three week pilgrimage with my then Bishop and 25 or so others to Israel, specifically through the auspices of St. George’s College in Jerusalem, that ended with Holy Week and Easter. I can’t begin to describe or detail all that we experienced. It was then, not nearly as now, but certainly a very troubled place. One of our trips was to Israel’s Occupied Syria, a portion of Syria just over Israel’s border. We were there to see the remains of a first-century synagogue dig, thoroughly studied by archaeologists. There were piles of broken and leftover pieces that we were allowed to take with us. I have a few pottery sherds that my now adult daughters will no doubt discard one day! We learned that in the time of Paul and before, a synagogue was more of a gathering place for the community. There was some  preparation for Jewish rituals, and Sabbath worship, but mostly a place to go and visit with others, whereas in today’s time it is primarily a worship space and with religious teaching as in our churches with children’s and adult classes. But I asked the guide, saying I realized that while synagogue is a Greek word, I wondered what is the Hebrew word for synagogue. He replied "Knesset" (kuhness-et) which shocked me and still does. If you wonder where you may have heard that word before ~ look it up. If you want to know what I find shocking, feel free to ask!

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Redeeming God, as you do not forsake those know your name, enjoin our hearts to be vigilant yet calm, allow the Spirit to lift us in times of trouble and fear, to pray continually, to rejoice in your salvation and not be discouraged.

                                             She Who is Faithful

RESPONSE:      Be our Stronghold in times of struggle 

~ O Redeeming God, transform the souls of the leaders of this Earth, this Nation, and this Community to remember they, too, are mortal. Imbue them with an unsatiable desire to govern in ways that end oppression of all people: especially children and adults in poverty, those in fear for their lives, those unfairly imprisoned, and those dying from lack of basic needs. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                               She Who is Faithful

                                               Be our Stronghold in times of struggle

~ O Redeeming God, grant Your saving health to all beset by physical, emotional, or spiritual illness, and infuse their caregivers with gentleness and love. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                               She Who is Faithful

                                               Be our Stronghold in times of struggle

~ O Redeeming God, those we love who have reached the end of earthly life, have been  justified by your grace. Turn our mourning into joy, as they have entered into their inheritance of your limitless light and life, forever blessed according to your mercy. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                               She Who is Faithful

                                               Be our Stronghold in times of struggle

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

                                               She Who is Faithful

                                               Be our Stronghold in times of struggle         

~ O Redeeming God, refresh all those who are anointed to lead and inspire us in your church, with the continuing renewal of the fire and depth of your call, guiding us all toward You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                               She Who is Faithful O Redeeming God
                                               Be our Stronghold in times of struggle

The Celebrant adds: O Gracious One, you judge the world in righteousness and with equity, and grant justice to those who cry to you day and night. Let us give thanks to you with our whole hearts, in the times we sing your praises and in the times we are downhearted. We ask for your constant help in the name of Jesus, our Messiah; the Holy Spirit, Renewer of our Hope and Faith; who together with you are One God, 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