People's Prayers

Monday, June 30, 2025

Prayers of the People: Soften the Bite ~ 4th Sunday after Pentecost '25 RCL Yr C

For Sunday, July 6, 2025; Readings: Isaiah 66:10-14, Psalm 66:1-8, Galatians 6:(1-6) 7-16, Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you… and it will be known that the hand of the Lord is with his servants… [Isaiah 66:13a, 14b]

Bless our God, you peoples…who holds our souls in life… [Psalm:66:7a, 8a]

You who have received the Spirit should restore [a transgressor] in a spirit of gentleness…Bear one another’s burdens… for you reap whatever you sow...if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life...let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith. [Galatians 6:1b,2a, 7b, 8b, 10]

[The Lord] said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few...Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves...Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house!' And if anyone...shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not it will return to you...But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you...say, 'Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you.'” [Luke 10:2a, 3, 5-7, 10-11a]

There is nothing new happening in the world. The world is and has always been a fearsome place. Wars, threats of war, battles for power, hate mongering, violence, poverty and desperation, bad governance, extreme weather, and multiple other catastrophes destroy lives daily everywhere around the globe. We truly are but sheep among wolves in the fields of ancient and new history and humanity. But there are more of us now than ever before and we think that we know more, given the increasing rapidity of the broken "breaking news," misinformation, disinformation. And then there’s the “viral” and manipulated Us vs Them constantly screaming through ever-multiplying social media options, and we weary ourselves and our spirits as we enter into the fray of alternating chaos or collapse in paralyzing ambivalence. Yet Isaiah provides a glimmer of our consoling God who comforts us, nurtures us, and, as the Psalmist says, who holds our souls in life. All we need to do is know that, accept it, live it, so easy, right? First, we need to sit down, put the phone down, avoid doom-scrolling, and breathe deeply; then resist the temptation to join the wolves.

Paul slows us down by reminding us that we who have received the Spirit are to do our best to bring back into the community, in a spirit of gentleness, those who have transgressed in some way. As Jesus tells the disciples, enter a house in peace. If we are not welcomed, we are free, through Jesus, to shake off the dust and move along, without accepting the taunts, threats, or disbelief. Each of us must take responsibility for ourselves yet bear one another’s burdens. We can’t make an unbeliever believe by argument, but perhaps through observing our sincerity and faithfulness, a fearful soul will begin to open.

We reap what we sow, says this part of letter to the Galatians, and we are not to grow weary in showing others helpful care according to the teachings of Christ. We are to find joy in the humility of serving God in the Jesus that lives in everyone. In faith, with prayer, and in community, we can let go of fearing the wolves who will mock us ~ or worse ~ and embrace the commitment to live the life we are called to live. Let us walk together, in the Family of Faith, to follow the Gospel path, offer Peace to all, and accept what is returned. Let us shake the dust of complacency from ourselves as Christ's lambs, and labor among the wolves in the fields of God. Even the strongest most vicious wolf among us will fall eventually; let us always live with and offer the welcome of Jesus’ saving power and love. Whether accepted or refused, the offer softens the bite.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ Loving Lord, who holds our souls in life, arouse us in heart and mind to bear one another’s burdens as we labor in Your fields. Help us sow to the Spirit to reap a plentiful harvest for the good of all, especially for the family of faith.

O God of All and Everywhere

RESPONSE: We find our strength in You

~ Loving Lord, spare the lambs of Your pasture from the wolves of unbridled self-interest that lurk in many global and local governments now and in the ones to come. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God of All and Everywhere

We find our strength in You

~ Loving Lord, comfort all who are trapped in chronic sickness, poverty, or depression, and lighten the hearts of all who give support. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

O God of All and Everywhere

We find our strength in You

~ Loving Lord, as You console hearts in the depths of grief, infuse a spark of joy that grows into rejoicing, to know that those we have sent to You are a new creation of life, love, and peace for all eternity. We pray especially for…add your own petitions

O God of All and Everywhere

We find our strength in You

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

O God of All and Everywhere
We find our strength in You

~ Loving Lord, grant infectious energy and contagious inspiration to those You have appointed to lead us on the Path to everlasting life in You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God of All and Everywhere

We find our strength in You

The Celebrant adds: Nurturing, Knowing God, excite our desire to shake off the dust of our own complacency and to immerse ourselves in Your service. Grant special Grace to the country of our birth and the one we call home, that Your Presence will be known in how our lives bless You by all that we do in the spirit of gentleness, and in the name of Christ. We ask through Jesus, our Savior; and the Holy Spirit, our Sustainer; who together with You are One God, infinite and eternal. Amen.

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Monday, June 23, 2025

Prayers of the People: Another Season ~ 3rd Sunday after Pentecost WLWC* ‘25 Yr C

For Sunday, June 29, 2025; Readings: Jeremiah 9:17-22, Psalm 126:1-6, Revelation 21:1-7, Luke 23:26-31

Thus says the Sovereign of the Vanguard of Heaven: Reason with yourselves, and call for the keening women and they shall come; send for the wise, skilled women and they shall come. Let them quickly raise a wailing over us, so that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids flow with water. [Jeremiah 9:17-18]

Reverse, Redeeming God, our captivity like the watercourses of the Negeb. Those who sow in tears with shouts of joy shall reap. [Psalm 126:4-5]

I saw a new heaven and a new earth…And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! The Home of God is among the woman-born. God will dwell with them as their God; they will be God’s people…” The One also said, “Write for these words are trustworthy and true”…I am the Alpha and the Omega… Those who overcome will inherit these things… [Revelation 21: 1-7]

A great number of people followed him, and a group of women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, weep only for yourselves and your children. [Luke 23:27-28]

This week Dr. Gafney’s Lectionary begins with Jeremiah who will be with us for several weeks to come. She mentions in her notes that these readings will not be in in numerical order as the Book of Jeremiah itself is not in chronological order and it is impossible to determine the chronological order. The collection of readings she has assembled for this week outline various seasons of emotions in the lives of God’s people and she makes several important points. One is that while such times are temporary they will return for a variety of reasons.

In this reading from Jeremiah, the weeping of Israel in its Babylonian captivity is healing, Dr. Gafney says, as well as didactic and prophetic. The women who are trained professional mourners are guided by God to help the individual and communal mourners to work through their grief to begin a process of healing and adjustment to their surroundings. This reading stays in the sorrow mode without offering a “happy ending.” People who have experienced profound personal grief can understand that there is slow movement from the deep sorrow to a level of acceptance and a later transformation yet it takes however long it takes and the time differs for each person.

The Psalmist gives us a sense of the cycles of life through the story of Israel. Each of us is in a captivity of one kind or another in our lives, far more than once, and looking back we can recognize when we were tear-filled in grief as well as expressing tears of joy and happiness. As the planets in their movement and the watercourses in Negeb/Negev desert and elsewhere, all life flows, turns, moves, and changes throughout its existence. There are great and good transformations and reversals and those that are far less than comforting.

We move into the Book of Revelation reading which is triumphal. We will not weep forever, no matter how life has been for us individually or collectively. God is everything to us, our Alpha and Omega, for us and with us “among the woman-born.” And then we move from this fresh breath hope back into the Passion of Jesus.

As he tells the women who are wailing for him to weep for themselves and their children, we can ponder the centuries, the millennia since, and wonder what is yet to come.

We who have lived a while know that our seasons come and go, whether we are up or down in them, whether they seem endlessly long or breathtakingly short, we will laugh or cry or both throughout them all with no predictable length. In the difficult times, Jeremiah tells us to reason within ourselves. If we need help we are to ask for it and it will come. The Psalmist says that God has done great things for us and as when Israel was released from its captivity, they rejoiced and shouted for joy. In those moments we are to do the same and enjoy for as long as we can.

One important note from Dr. Gafney is that as the seasons of our lives progress, “…circumstances that lead to profound sorrow are not God-ordained and when they involve interpersonal, social, cultural, or international violence, they are not God’s will. God does not require our torture to accomplish divine ends.” This is a view I share.

We will always have another season of ups or downs in various successions in the time of our human living. The greatest season of all, of course, is the one last will last forever when, as this reading in Revelation says, God will wipe every tear and death will be no more, no grief, no weeping, and no pain of any kind. Breathe deeply and find the good and the hope in every season from now until…

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ Holy God, our Alpha and Omega, for seasons of sorrow you gave us tears to cleanse, heal, and strengthen the bedrock of our faith. As we pass through all the seasons of this life, steady our hearts and refill our souls with the knowledge that tragedy and violence are not of your doing. Grant us patience in waiting for the next cycle of living to bring shouts of joy and tears of happiness.

Redeeming God

RESPONSE: We are Your People; our trust is in You.

~ Holy God, our Alpha and Omega, renew our strength and courage to stand firm and speak on behalf of those who have no voice, no justice, and no freedom, to the dictatorships and governments in this world, this nation, and this community. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Redeeming God
We are Your People; our trust is in You.

~ Holy God, our Alpha and Omega, relieve the anguish of those in physical or emotional pain, and bolster the patience and vitality of all who provide care and support. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

Redeeming God
We are Your People; our trust is in You.

~ Holy God, our Alpha and Omega, relieve distress and give comfort to those in mourning, as you delight in the arrival of the souls of your beloved returning Home for new life everlasting. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Redeeming God
We are Your People; our trust is in You.

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

Redeeming God

We are Your People; our trust is in You.

~ Holy God, our Alpha and Omega, enhance, enrich, and enlighten the faith of all who are called as today’s prophets in Your church, that they may continue to inspire and guide us throughout the seasons and life of our faith. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Redeeming God

We are Your People; our trust is in You.

The Celebrant adds: Living, Loving God, release us from the captivity of our self-indulgences, to seek and share the newness of life in everyday moments with all the woman-born you have created. Help us to help each other to overcome the trials of living, moving only forward, as the watercourses of this planet, to the fullness of Your Kingdom beyond. We ask through Jesus, our Redeemer Christ; and the Holy Spirit, our Guide in Truth; who together with You are 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

Prayers of the People: What's the Cost? ~ 3rd Sunday after Pentecost '25 RCL Yr C

For Sunday, June 29, 2025; Readings: 1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21; Psalm 16, Galatians 5:1, 13-25; Luke 9:51-62

The Lord said to Elijah…you shall anoint Elisha…as prophet in your place…So he set out from there, and found Elisha, who was plowing…Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle over him…Then [Elisha] set out and followed Elijah… [1 Kings 19:15-16, 19]

Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you…my good above all other…my portion and my cup…You will show me the path of life… [Psalm 16:1, 5a, 11a]

For freedom of Christ has set us free. Stand firm…do not use your freedom for self-indulgence… the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another…Live by the Spirit… [Galatians 5:1a, 13, 14-16]

To another [Jesus] said: "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." But Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." [Luke 9:59-60]

Elisha was going about the daily chores, plowing the fields with a yoke of 12 oxen, not exactly a common task for most of us non-farmers. Elijah passed by and threw his mantle over him, the sign of adoption as Elijah’s God-ordered successor. We don’t know how old Elisha was, but he was likely living with his parents as he wished to kiss them goodbye, which Elijah permitted. A contrast from Jesus who tells a disciple asking to bury his father to follow him and not look back. Both lives were interrupted and abruptly changed by the acceptance of a Divine command. As the saying goes, life happens when you’re making other plans.

The Psalmist is more positive this week praising and feeling more secure and hopeful in God’s presence and guidance. And in Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he reminds us of part of the Great Commandment of Jesus: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. He then says that if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another, an interesting aside that speaks volumes to us in our own day and time.

Paul opens this week’s selection by saying that we are called to freedom by Christ; freedom from a yoke of mortal temptation, and to stand firm in that conviction. He lists examples of desires of the flesh and he also lists a contrasting list of the fruits given us by the Holy Spirit, another mantle of guidance and strength. The Fruits of the Spirit are available as easily as the works of the flesh, yet recognizing the Fruits already within us, and accepting and incorporating them into our daily lives, requires conscious and continuous effort to move beyond earthly self-indulgence. Consciousness and effort, then, are the costs of the freedom "you were called to" by Christ, or as Dietrich Bonhoeffer^* calls it in his book: The Cost of Discipleship.

Bonhoeffer tells us that, We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God. God will be constantly crossing our paths and canceling our plans by sending us people with claims and petitions.

What is the going rate for discipleship? In terms of avoiding earthly self-indulgence or a scheduling inconvenience, the cost may feel high indeed at first awareness. But how do we measure short-term mortal pleasures against eternal life and salvation? Developing a regular, consistent, conscious, active spiritual/prayer life and a like-minded community helps to pay the price in ways that will feel more free than being caught in the traps of the flesh. While we may be quick to beg and pray when all is going wrong, we may be considerably slower giving thanks for all things ~ small and big ~ that go well; and even, upon reflection, to give thanksgiving for things that went wrong yet led us in a direction we might not have found otherwise. Then, sometimes, we are ever-so-slightly aware of that little nagging, goading, prodding something that calls us to take a second look at a person in need, to give extra change to someone in the grocery line, allow that annoying driver to pull into the lane in front of us (ugh), or (albeit with a heavy sigh) go out of our way to help someone at the last minute when other plans had been made. Divine interruption? Perhaps, and/or a sudden conscious moment of discipleship in actually loving your neighbor as if she/he/they were yourself.

The price of eternal freedom is tax free soul transformation, merely a commitment to be the hands, the feet, the voice, the smile, the love of Christ on earth. In asking for the help to find our path of life all we need to do is Follow and live life expecting and hoping for divine interruptions. The cost, then, is irrelevant, (more or less).

^*Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) was a German Lutheran theologian, pastor, and dissident, author of "The Cost of Discipleship" and other books. Spending time in the US in 1930-31 and 1939, he was imprisoned and subsequently executed by the Nazis as the regime was collapsing, just one month before their surrender.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ O Lord, our Path of Life, interrupt our daily thoughts and plans to remind us that Your way is holy, as You are our Portion and our Cup. Help each of us seek and follow You in the ordinary and mundane, in the joy and satisfaction, as well as in sorrow, fear, or frustration. May we love You enough to see You in all others and to truly love them as we want to love ourselves.

Most Holy God

RESPONSE: Our Refuge and our Hope

~ O Lord, our Path of Life, renew our strength and courage that we may continue to stand firm and speak on behalf of those who have no voice, no justice, and no freedom before dictatorships and governments in this world, this nation, and this community. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Most Holy God

Our Refuge and our Hope

~ O Lord, our Path of Life, relieve the anguish of those in physical or emotional pain and bolster the energies of those who provide care and support. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

Most Holy God

Our Refuge and our Hope

~ O Lord, our Path of Life, attend all hearts in the depths of mourning as You lift the souls of those, beloved on earth, to the light of new life in Your everlasting Presence. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Most Holy God

Our Refuge and our Hope

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

Most Holy God

Our Refuge and our Hope

~ O Lord, our Path of Life, enhance, enrich, and enlighten the faith of all who are called as today’s prophets in Your church, that they may continue to inspire and guide our pilgrimage toward You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Most Holy God

Our Refuge and our Hope

Celebrant adds: Living, Loving God, by Your Eternal Presence, rouse us from complacency and self-indulgence to recognize the mantle of Christ already laid upon our shoulders. Open us to wholly accept and live by the Fruit of the Spirit, looking only forward to the fullness of Your Kingdom through all we do on this Earth. We ask through Jesus, our Redeemer Christ; and the Holy Spirit, our Guide in Truth; who together with You are One God, now and forever. Amen.

Monday, June 16, 2025

Prayers of the People: Put it on the Mirror ~ 2nd Sunday after Pentecost WLWC* ‘25 Yr C

For Sunday, June 1, 2025; Readings: Isaiah 8:1-8, Psalm 34:11-22, 1 John 3:1-3,

Luke 9:38-48

Now the Inscrutable God said to me: “Take for yourself a large tablet and write on it… ‘For Maher Shalal Hash Baz (meaning Swiftly Savaged, Rapidly Ravaged)…So I went to the prophetess and she conceived and she gave birth to a child. Then the Fount of Wisdom said to me, “Name the child Maher Shalal Hash Baz. For before the child knows how to call ‘My mother’ or ‘My father,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried off by the ruler of Assyria. [Isaiah 8:1-8]

Come children, listen to me; I will teach you the reverence of She Who is Majesty…Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn from evil, and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the All-Seeing God are upon the righteous, and her ears are open to their cry… [Psalm 34:11, 13, -15]

See what kind of love has our Maker given to us, that we should be called Children of God and we are…Beloved, now we are God’s children and it has not yet been revealed what we will be. [1 John 3:1, 2a]

Now there are arose a debate among them, which one of them was the greatest. But Jesus knowing the debate in their hearts, took a little child and put the child next to him. And Jesus said to them, “Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the least among you all is the greatest. [Luke 9:46-48]

I want to begin with a reminder, that the Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church [WLWC] texts used here are generally not those used in the Revised Common Lectionary [see more below]. Dr. Wilda Gafney as translator uses expansive titles for God and a perspective using feminine titles and pronouns of which some will appear in the prayers below. I cannot provide you with her full readings due to copyright issues. However, the context of these readings have not changed and can be found in whichever translation you prefer. That said, we begin with a passage from Isaiah 8…

A warning of the overthrow of Syria and Israel centers on the prophet fathering a child with the prophetess. While all the translations I looked at used prophetess, the meaning of it in several commentaries I also viewed, is as the wife of the prophet. However, Dr. Gafney explains in her text notes for this Sunday’s readings, the female prophet is articulated as a prophet (masc. sing.) without the feminine suffix in the Great Isaiah Scroll of the Dead Sea Scrolls collection making a number of interpretations possible, including the lack of distinction between prophets based on gender.

At the moment of time for this passage, approximately early 8^th century BCE, war and invasion are imminent. Judah is the continuing people of God and Israel, with the remnant of northern monarchy allied with the Arameans and planning to invade Judah, essentially a civil war. The passage discusses the gentle waters of the Shiloah (later known as the “Pool of Siloam”) and then that God will use the Euphrates to flood everyone “up to neck” and “fill the width of your land.” The underlying message from God to the prophet is that the people may be too focused on anger and threats of violence and the “water” reference is not literal but rather that their lands will be inundated with a flood of violence.

This section of Psalm 34 is fairly self-explanatory. It is God’s presence that restores and preserves us while the absence of God in one’s life is the true cause of destruction. That, then, takes on the appearance of God’s wrath, when it is one’s own inner wrath and lack of faith that is the cause of the presumption of God’s absence. God doesn’t leave ~ we do when we’re angry or judgmental, or worse.

From 1 John 3 we have this peaceful moment to breathe in deeply the words of how God loves us. A gentle comforting respite in the midst of everyday life. It calls out ~ at least to me at this moment ~ to be printed and posted on the refrigerator or the bathroom mirror!

And the Gospel brings us to Jesus encountering a man whose son is possessed by a demonic spirit. This is based on Mark 9:14-29 although the author of Luke leaves out details from the other. Jesus heals the boy and “all were amazed at the greatness of God.” In the midst of the awe of those present, Jesus gives another prediction of his coming passion to the confusion of the disciples. They were then debating which one of them was the greatest and Jesus swiftly and artfully de-thrones their egos.

War, threats of violence, a shrieking demonic presence, punctuated with the reminders of God’s love and constant presence make for quite an arc of emotions in this group of seemingly disparate readings. Yet the true message is sudden, with utmost clarity, and at the very end when Jesus says ~ “Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the least among you all is the greatest. As we are all Children of God no matter our age, gender, ethnicity, race, health, wealth, etc., Jesus takes us immediately back to: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength…’ [and] ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Too often we do love God and our neighbor the same way we love ourselves but haven’t recognized it as such.

So, yeah, the piece from 1 John 3: See what kind of love has our Maker given to us, that we should be called the children of God; and we are. Put it on the mirror for the days when your Grrrrowl is louder than your Grrrrateful and Grrrrace.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ Loving God, keep your eyes upon us and your ears open to our cries. Stay near to the broken-hearted and save all whose spirits are crushed. As we take our hope and refuge in you, strengthen our hearts, deliver us from all evil, and preserve us in your everlasting love.

Compassionate One

RESPONSE: Turn us to do good, to seek peace and pursue it

~ Loving God, You are our strength as we stand before the rulers and regimes on this Earth, in our Nation, and in our Community. Hasten to help us in pressing for leaders to turn from governance for power and self-greatness, to walk a better way toward mercy, justice, and peace for all. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Compassionate One