People's Prayers

Wednesday, December 17, 2025

Prayers of the People: Christmas Eve & Christmas Day '25 RCL Year A

For December 24/25, 2025, Readings: Christmas Eve ~ Luke 2:1-20 at Creche, Isaiah 9:2-7,

Ps 96, Titus 2:11-14; Christmas Day ~ Isaiah 52:7-10, Ps 98, Hebrews 1:1-12, John 1:1-18

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light...For a child has been born for us, a son given to us...and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [Isaiah 9:2a, 6] How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” [Isaiah 52:7]

Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the whole earth. Sing to the Lord and bless his Name; proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day. [Psalm 96:1-2]

Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things…In righteousness shall he judge the world and the peoples with equity. [Psalm 98:1, 10]

The grace of God appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce…worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly… [Titus 2:11-12]

[God] has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful words. [Hebrews 1:2]

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see I am bringing you good news of great joy...to you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is the Messiah...and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God... [Luke 2:8-11, 13]

In the beginning was the Word…What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it…The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world…And the Word became flesh and lived among us… [John 1:1a, 3b-5, 9, 14a]

There is something almost magical or perhaps enchanting is a better word, that occurs within me when I hear the words from Luke 2, especially when we get to: In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night... I become expectant. I become my 7 year old self, hearing the resonant voice of a familiar TV narrator in the annual retelling of the Christmas story on tv with marionettes. I am hope-filled. All is right in the world...for this moment.

My older self is revels in the mystical phrases of John’s opening of In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… and the entirety of this passage that fills me from the inside out as I breathe in the familiar ending of And the Word became flesh and lived among us…

Every year someone asks, "If only we could stay this way all year." The spell cast by the words and the music of a glorious Liturgy as a prelude or the follow up to the early morning glitter of ornaments and lights, and the chatter of little ones and bigger ones ripping paper to reap the rewards, breaks all too soon. Our precious Infant has a far and difficult road to travel in only the few months between now and Easter. Including, as too many today, a dangerous race into another country out of fear. What part of it will we travel with him as the moment spins into what we call reality? What part of the reality of others in our community and in the world at large ~ poverty, violence, war, greed, and disasters, natural or human made ~ do we shun, dismiss, ignore or, throw money to, all while decrying the lack of Christ in Christmas?

Most of the readings for this sacred season are so familiar that even non-Christians will know them. Yet what stands out for me every year, is the short lesson from the Letter of Paul to Titus, that often gets lost in the sparkle of the others. In particular, I am engaged by a phrase in the first of this only two-sentence reading: The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly… [emphasis added]. Jesus, our personal trainer, in our own time! We are so often bedazzled by the glamor and excitement of this season, in stark contrast to the humble surroundings of the birth of our Redeemer, that I am completely drawn to the concept of Jesus training us. The Gospels give us more than just advice, more than just reminders, more than just checklists of nice things to do. Jesus is our trainer, the one that gives instruction and direction to keep us on track, pushing us to go beyond the comfortable, to reach a potential of faith in action that we didn’t ever consider or because we fear the risks in renouncing, or at the very minimum reducing our dependence on all that is earthbound. It is no easy path, but with Christ as my trainer-in-residence, my faith will begin to shape up, become toned and strengthened into becoming a fully-fledged, faith-filled member of The Body of Christ. For me, now, the question isn’t “what is Christmas all about” but rather “when do I allow Christmas to begin in my life?”

Christ is always in CHRISTmas...let's remember to keep Christ in Mondays, Thursdays, in February, and August. Let us truly Sing to the Lord and bless his name and proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day to ourselves first! Let our lives truly reflect what we say we believe in mindset and in practice. Feel the JOY! The Light shines again and always. Suit up, the training begins NOW!

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ Holy Infant, Lord at thy birth, a great light shines in the darkness and our joy, at long last, is unbounded by the arrival of You, our Messiah, come to redeem our sins and mark us as Your own forever. Hallelujah! Christ our Savior is born!

Glory to God in the Highest

RESPONSE: And Peace to God’s People on Earth

~ Holy Infant, Lord at thy birth, infuse our souls with Your powerful word that we may stand in Your grace before the earthly powers of our world, our nation, and our community, to renounce impiety and worldly passions. Let us sing to all a new song of great joy as we radiate and model Your Good News of peace, love, and mercy for all. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Glory to God in the Highest

And Peace to God’s People on Earth

~ Holy Infant, Lord at thy birth, send healing and renewed hope to all who are suffering in body, mind, or spirit, and comfort those who give them support. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

Glory to God in the Highest

And Peace to God’s People on Earth

~ Holy Infant, Lord at thy birth, especially now, surround all grieving hearts with the solace that brightens the darkness, as the high vaults of heaven explode in jubilance and glory for our loved ones entering the gates of eternity. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

Glory to God in the Highest

And Peace to God’s People on Earth

~ Holy Infant, Lord at thy birth, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions

Glory to God in the Highest

And Peace to God’s People on Earth

~ Holy Infant, Lord at thy birth, for our own Shepherds in this sacred field we give great thanks as they keep watch and guide us toward the ultimate pasture of Your salvation. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Glory to God in the Highest

And Peace to God’s People on Earth

The Celebrant adds: Wonderful Counselor, God’s Word Made Flesh, so activate our wills, so engage our very beings, that we will consciously and intentionally live into Your saving grace each and every day of our lives. On bended knees, and with worshipful hearts, we ask this of You as our Prince of Peace, the exact Imprint of God’s very being; and of the Holy Spirit, our Sanctifier and the Breath of our souls; who together with You, reign in glory as One God, now until the end of forever. Hallelujah! Christ our Savior is Born! Amen.

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Monday, December 15, 2025

Prayers of the People: Called to Belong ~ 4th Sunday of Advent, ‘25 RCL Yr A

For Sunday, December 21, 2025, Readings: Isaiah 7:10-16, Psalm 80: 1-7, 16-18;

Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-25

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. [Isaiah 7:14]

...stir up your strength and come to help us. Restore us, O Lord God of Hosts; show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved…give us life, that we may call upon your Name. [Psalm 80:2b, 7, 17b]

…Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace…to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles…including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ… [Romans 1:4b-6]

…an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to call him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." [Matthew 1:20b-22]

This Season of Advent is nearly over and the 4^th Advent candle, signifying Love, is lighted. As the waiting time is extra short now, the activity level in many households frenetically escalates in anticipation of the Coming. For young children, the glee-filled anticipation of the coming is about Santa/Father Christmas, prettily wrapped presents, colorful lights, sparkling decorations, and sugary delights as for an extra-special birthday party. For many of us adults, the preparatory time is about the planning, the shopping, the wrapping, the baking, the cooking, and the celebration with friends and family, the post-Christmas cleanup, and then the exhaustion.

Again, and again, we hear and we think we know what Christmas is all about. And year after year we fall into the same traps of cultural, familial, and especially commercially designed expectations. We know of, and many of us contribute money, time, and gifts for, those far less privileged as we continue on with our “traditions” of celebration, but for which: crissmiss, or Christ’s Mass? AND, we try to remember that this date is truly meant as a symbolic celebration as we have no idea of an actual date or season of the year for the birth of Jesus. As the apostles didn’t know and as the Gospels were written decades after the Crucifixion there’s nothing in any of them or anywhere else with a date. Most likely as the apostles traveled, and later Paul, the numbers of Jesus followers grew, so somewhere along the line, those now deemed Christians took advantage of the regular and numerous ancient winter festivals, and grabbed December 25^th as the time to celebrate the birth of the Child, who became Christ. It has even been suggested that Jesus, as the Lamb of God, may have been born in the spring as are most lambs around the world. We just don’t know.

Then, moving to the appointed readings from Isaiah and the Psalm, it may be surprising that they are neither happy nor merry, forcing us to remember and honor the penitential part of Advent. God tells Ahaz of Judah, the signs are all there, all he has to do is ask God for them. But the ever-Kingly Ahaz says "Oh-No-I-don't-want-to-test-God" with the false humility of a leader who is really saying, "I can't be bothered."

Isaiah's frustration is palpable when he says, in effect – oh puh-leeze! The Lord Himself is telling you that there's a young woman with child from the House of David, and you'll be out of here before he's old enough to know good from evil. Isaiah’s message foreshadows what later came to pass, the exile and scattering of the tribe of Judah.

The Psalmist’s lament gives a clear plea to God to come to help us…give us life and Restore us…and we shall be saved. Paul’s opening in the Letter to the Romans is definitively setting up the important Davidic lineage of Jesus as the grace we have received. He reminds us that our call is to belong to Christ and spread the Gospel message.

But a question remains: is Christmas merely a birthday celebration with extra-great liturgical music before our other parties?

Quite a few years ago, a local gentleman playwright, as an Artist in Residence, wrote a Christmas musical play for the parochial elementary school my daughters attended ~ sort of an Our Town, the classic prize-winning small-town-USA play by Thornton Wilder, meets the True Meaning of Christmas ~ and all of the several hundred students were in the play as a choir, with a few having key speaking roles. I regret to say that I cannot recall the exact name of the play, or the playwright's name, but the message remains clear to me. For the moment we'll call the play Emily's Birthday Emily is the central character in the original Our Town. If you don’t know the play, for a quick summary click here: Our Town and scroll to Act 3: . The premise in this version is that “Emily's Birthday” is a huge annual event in the town. Emily, who has died, arrives not realizing that she has died, to participate in the celebration of the anniversary of her birth. She finds a grand occasion in the entire town, with glittering decorations, large scale family meals, and many many gifts being exchanged, all because it's Emily's Birthday! As we see her in her own family home with each family member happily greeting each other and everyone with "Happy Emily's Birthday," Emily realizes that no one is thinking of her at all, there is no gift for her, nor is there even a place at the table for her.

While I'm convinced that this message was directed more to us adults, the kids – without any blatant or obvious statement in the script – GOT IT: What is this Birth Day Celebration really all about? It's time for all of us to "get it," again.

Joseph got quite a message in his dream in Matthew’s Gospel about who was coming into his life. With but a few days left, let our primary thoughts be more about the Coming. Emmanu-el, spelled with either an Emm or an Imm, whose name means "God (El) is with us," who is our Christ – the anointed one/Messiah – Jesus, will shine His light upon us and we shall be saved. Let us revel in the Hope, the Peace, the Joy, and the Love that these four Sundays of Advent represent. And then let us truly celebrate by preparing ourselves for and remembering the significance, especially in these times, of the Birth of Jesus, the only true GIFT, God's Love Incarnate for our salvation. The celebration of CHRISTmas is coming quickly! We are to called to belong to Christ, to go about His business in this life that we have been given to live. Jesus IS the reason for the season.

O come, O King of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid all our sad divisions cease
and be yourself our King of Peace.*

*O come, O come, Emmanuel, verse 6, Hymn 56, 1982 Hymnal, Church Publishing, Incorporated, New York

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

~ O Lord God of Hosts, restore our souls with fresh anticipation for the birth of the Holy Child, our Messiah, Christ. Release us from the frantic activity that distracts us from this waiting time, to savor the last few moments in child-like anticipation, opening us to receive the only Gift we will ever need.

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

RESPONSE: O Come, let us adore You

~ O Lord God of Hosts, shine forth upon those who govern in this World, in this Nation, and in this Community, that we all shall be saved. Stir up Your strength and help them to seek Divine truth and relentlessly pursue justice with compassion, tolerance, and mercy. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

O Come, let us adore You

~ O Lord God of Hosts, relieve all who suffer from pain, loneliness, and fear, and renew the energy of those who attend to their needs. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

O Come, let us adore You

~ O Lord God of Hosts, walk with those weighed down with sorrow as You joyously welcome all who live again with You, where suffering and grief are no more. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

O Come, let us adore You

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

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

O Come, let us adore You

~ O Lord of Hosts, grant special grace to those who are anointed in Your Name to lead us in Your Church. With their help and together may we re-dedicate ourselves to the obedience of faith and accept the call to belong to Jesus Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

O Come, let us adore You

The Celebrant adds: Restore us, O God, as we quietly breathe into the present moment, prepare us again to be Christ-Bearers of the One with us and within us, as through His Life we are given life to share His love and light to all we meet. We ask through Jesus, the Incarnation of Love; and the Holy Spirit, our Divine Wisdom; who together with You are One God, beyond forever. Amen.

Monday, December 8, 2025

Prayers of the People: Joy Break ~ 3rd Sunday of Advent '25 Yr A

For Sunday, December 14, 2025, Readings: Isaiah 35:1-10, Canticle 15: The Song of Mary, [Magnificat, Luke 1:46-55]; James 5:7-10, Matthew 11:2-11

The wilderness and dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice...like the crocus it will blossom abundantly...He will come and save you...A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way...the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return...and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. [Isaiah 35: 1-2a, 4b, 8a, 9b, 10a-b]

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant...he has remembered his promise of mercy... [Luke 1:46-48, 54b]

Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. Strengthen your hearts for the coming of the Lord is near.

[James 5:7a, 8b]

Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out to the wilderness to see? A prophet?...Yes, I tell you...This is the one about whom it is written, 'See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you'...among those born of women no one has risen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." [Matthew 11:7a, 9, 11]

Oh, come, our Wisdom from on high,

Who ordered all things mightily,

To us the path of knowledge show,

And teach us in her ways to go.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to you, O Israel!*

*O come, O come, Emmanuel, verse 2, Hymn 56, 1982 Hymnal, Church Publishing, Inc., New York

As we light the 3^rd candle in the Advent Wreath our anticipation and expectation of the birth of Jesus accelerates. However, there is a notable change. This week, instead of a purple candle of repentance or a blue candle of hope, some traditions use a rose colored (or pink) candle and perhaps rose vestments and altar hangings. Why change color in the middle of the season?

Advent has traditionally been a penitential season of waiting, as is Lent, with somber readings and admonishments to fast and pray to be ready and worthy for Christ's coming. Yet, historically, the Latin name for this Sunday is Gaudete (gow-day-tay), which translates as “REJOICE!” It comes from an Introit (opening) of the Liturgy. We hear the Joy, the Rejoicing, the Hope, and the excitement in the readings. We'll be ransomed from sorrow and sadness, lifted up, healed, beloved, and blessed. When our God in Christ comes, we will walk on the Holy Way, safe from lions and ravenous beasts.

Within the aspects of a strictly penitential season, all the candles, hangings, and vestments previously were Lenten purple. More recently, vestments have become blue to lighten our walk while still reminding us that we are in a season of prayer and penitence ~ a time for some spiritual housecleaning. But on this Sunday, the rose color was and is a symbol of a respite in the midst of the serious.

With the Revised Common Lectionary and newer scholarship, there has been more of an emphasis placed on remembering the Joy that is to come. All of this day’s readings are filled with hope and joy ~ which, of course, is not to say that we should not also be prayerful and repentant as we wait.

So let us, in the midst of the holiday flurry of gift selections, wrappings, food shopping and preparations, regularly stop to breathe, to pray, and to experience JOY for the coming Holy-Day of the Nativity.

May our souls proclaim the greatness of the Lord as our spirits rejoice with Mary, even as James reminds us that troubling times are part of every life and we are to be patient…and do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. In Matthew’s Gospel passage, Jesus is clear that while no human had risen greater than John the Baptist, the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Yet with the gift of the coming ~and always present~ Lord Christ, our souls may smile in happy times and rest easier in the trying times as we move forward each day, until our time to journey on the Heavenly Holy Way, with singing and

everlasting joy upon our heads.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ LORD of the Holy Way, grant us strength of heart and prayerful patience as we discover that the voice in the wilderness is our own. Keep us without fear as we await the everlasting joy of Christ’s coming.

O God our Savior

RESPONSE: Look with favor upon us

~ LORD of the Holy Way, as You scatter the proud in their conceit, guide the hearts of all who govern on this Earth, in this Nation, and in our Community, that they may rule with equity, mercy, and justice. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God our Savior

Look with favor upon us

~ LORD of the Holy Way, lift up all who suffer with chronic illness, addiction, or severe life circumstance, and energize all who give them care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

O God our Savior

Look with favor upon us

~ LORD of the Holy Way, may the sorrow and sighs flee away from those who mourn, as Heaven is ablaze in joy and gladness for the arrival of all we hold so dear. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

O God our Savior

Look with favor upon us

~ LORD of the Holy Way, 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 our Savior

Look with favor upon us

~ LORD of the Holy Way, refresh and invigorate those who endeavor in Your Church to prepare us for the coming of Christ through Your Word and Sacraments. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God our Savior

Look with favor upon us

The Celebrant adds: God of Glory and Majesty, as we await the Messiah who ransoms us from sin and death, fill us with continuing rejoicing that our souls may also magnify and proclaim the greatness of Your love. We ask through Jesus, our Redeemer Christ, and the Holy Spirit of Truth, who together with You are One God, forever and ever. Amen.

Monday, December 1, 2025

Prayers of the People: Rooted in Love ~ 2nd Sunday of Advent '25 Yr A

For Sunday, December 7, 2025: Readings: Isaiah 11:1-10, Psalm 72: 1-7, 18-19; Romans 15:4-13,

Matthew 3:1-12

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. [Isaiah 11:1-2]

Give the King your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the King’s son…to defend the needy…[and] rescue the poor. [Psalm 72:1, 4]

May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another...May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. [Romans 15:5a, 13]

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.'" [Matthew 3:1-3, 11b]

The beautiful prose of this passage of Isaiah begins this week's readings with: “A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” Having not grown up with a "Jesse Tree" tradition, the reading would usually zip through my ears with no particular impact until I decided to look deeper into this hint of family history.

There's been a serious uptick in the field of genealogy over the last several decades with online access to family records and DNA kits that allow one to explore both lineage and geographical heritage. Discovering the branches of one's family tree is fascinating, even addicting, and can also be frustrating when one limb is missing or the records stop short of fully revealing the information sought. Yet even the smallest detail can add depth and connectedness to the relationship with those who have gone before us. And so it is with the family tree of Jesus. Thankfully, I have several family members on both sides who have done and continue to do exhaustive family research, saving me the $ and the time. One piece of information solved part of a mystery in family lore, and given so much more information about generations of memory and long past. And the history of Jesse is ours as much as those of our blood.

Jesse was the grandson of Ruth (of “whither thou goest, I will go”) and her husband, Boaz. We first hear of Jesse in the Book of Ruth [Ruth 4:13-18] as the son of their son, Obed. Jesse grows to be a farmer with eight sons, the youngest of which is David who becomes King of the Israelites [in a another twist of Biblical proportions ~ see 1 Samuel 15 & 16]. It is through Jesse’s family tree that this root, this Branch, ultimately flowers as Jesus. The coming of Jesus is the reason we contemplate in Advent, celebrate at Christmas, and cogitate in Lent.

The secular spectacle of christmas [intentional lower "c"] has, for so many, replaced the spiritual celebration and worship in Christ's Mass with the frenzy of over-shopping, over-eating, garish outdoor decorating with clashing colors of blinking or static lights, and inflated cartoon characters on lawns that go flat in the morning in a metaphorical anti-climax. Yet even in this environment Isaiah tells us that this...root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples...

Paul wants us to abound in harmony with one another ~ especially necessary in these trying times. He also wants God to grant us hope and peace in our faith, and, indirectly suggests we need to actively seek that and harmony with others for ourselves and each other.

The Gospel of Matthew brings us the very direct and un-shy voice of John the Baptist.

This is the first appearance of John, cousin to Jesus, with his prophesying voice in the wilderness. In his own time he was unconventional in many ways, and then, as now, his message is at once compelling and disturbing. Nonetheless, it is John who ushers in the public ministry of Jesus and takes the Pharisees and Sadducees to task for their faithless presumptions of self-importance. Calling them vipers was more than just rebuke, it was a significant slur! Likening people, especially those in power to animals in those times was akin to calling them heathens or pagans and, as we know from the later story, can result in deadly consequences. While his warnings are dire, our hopeful understanding is that the possible unquenchable fire will only be for those who deem any form of remorse as unnecessary in their lives ~ and while easily instantaneous for many of us, the final judgment is not ours to make. Our merciful God of steadfastness and encouragement knows all our hearts and gives us every opportunity to adjust our intentions to bear fruit worthy of repentance however well we accomplish or fail in our life’s mission, perhaps even at the moment of death.

And so we light the second candle of Advent ~ the candle of Love. New Testament scholar, theologian, and author Marcus Borg tells us that Advent…is a season of anticipation, yearning and longing for a different kind of life and a different kind of world. In this second week of Advent, one way to prepare the way of the Lord is by contemplating: What kind of life, what kind of world am I longing for? Where is God, where is Jesus, in my family tree? Am I too far out on a limb or can I decorate my branch with hope, peace, joyful anticipation, and, of course, unending Divine Love? Jesus is indeed the reason for the season; the reason for our Christ-mas ~ our act of worship of the One we call Messiah, the Anointed Son of God, the very embodiment of Love itself. The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them… [Isaiah 11:6]

Oh, come O Rod of Jesse's stem,
From ev'ry foe deliver them
That trust your mighty pow'r to save,
Bring them in vict'ry through the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!*

*O come, O come, Emmanuel, verse 4, Hymn 56, 1982 Hymnal, Church Publishing, Incorporated, New York

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ O God of Steadfast Hope, we restlessly await the bloom of the Branch that shall come again from the root of Jesse. Open us to hear and heed the wilderness voice, as we prepare the way within ourselves, bearing the fruit of worthy repentance.

Present and Coming Christ
RESPONSE: Bind us together in peace

~ O God of Steadfast Hope, instill justice and righteousness deeply into the hearts of all who govern, in this World, this Nation, and this Community, that they may make compassionate decisions with equity for the meek, defense of the needy, and rescue for the poor, and us all, without oppression and evil. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Present and Coming Christ

Bind us together in peace

~ O God of Steadfast Hope, relieve pain and distress from all who are ill or downhearted, and strengthen all who give them needed care. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

Present and Coming Christ

Bind us together in peace

~ O God of Steadfast Hope, help us to be calmly present with those who mourn, as our hearts also rejoice for all who live again in Your Eternal Glory. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

Present and Coming Christ
Bind us together in peace

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

Present and Coming Christ

Bind us together in peace

~ O God of Steadfast Hope, enfold and guide those who lead Your Church as they walk in faith with us, into always uncertain, ever-changing tides and times. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Present and Coming Christ
Bind us together in peace

The Celebrant adds: God of Encouragement and Peace, grant us the harmony and hope to turn us toward You again, to follow the Way of Truth and Mercy. Fill us with all the joy and peace of believing in the glory that is and is to come. We ask through Jesus, our Living Redeemer; and the Holy Spirit, the Fire of our Faith; who together with You are One God, now and forever. Amen.

Monday, November 24, 2025

Prayers of the People: Be Woke! ~ 1st Sunday of Advent '25 RCL Yr A

For Sunday, November 30, 2025, Readings: Isaiah 2:1-5, Psalm 122, Romans 13:11-14,

Matthew 24:36-44

Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord... that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths...He shall judge between the nations...they shall beat their swords into ploughshares...neither shall they learn war any more. [Isaiah 2:3b,4]

Now our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem…built as a city that is at unity with itself…Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. [Psalm 122:2-3, 6a]

You know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first became believers... let us live honorably...put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. [Romans 13:11, 13a, 14]

Jesus said to the disciples, "But about that day and hour no one knows...Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour." [Matthew 24:36a, 44]

It’s a brand new Liturgical year in the denominations using the Revised Common Lectionary [RCL]. In the RCL we have a schedule of 4 readings appointed for each Sunday in the Liturgical/Church year, and for the 2-year Daily Lectionary. We use an Old Testament reading, a Psalm, an Epistle, and a Gospel specific to a liturgical season of the year. Last Sunday we completed the appointed readings for Year C in the three-year Sunday cycle and begin again now with Year A.

The name of our new season, Advent, comes from the Latin “adventus” which means coming, and that derives from the Greek parousia [pah-roo-see-ah] which is a term used for the Second Coming of Christ. Advent is a season of preparation for the Nativity [birth] of Jesus through repentance and joyful expectation. We have the festive tradition of lighting the Advent wreath each Sunday, familiar seasonal hymns, and reminders through the appointed Scriptures to revisit our sense of our Christian selves and what that calls us to be and to do in this life.

In a series of booklets for group study called Bridges to Contemplative Living with Thomas Merton, editors Jonathan Montaldo and Robert G. Toth, writing in the Advent and Christmas volume, say that Advent disposes us to conversion. Conversion? That's a term, a thought, a sensation which often makes more than a few of us who were born into Christianity uncomfortable. After all, I don’t need to be converted if I already believe in Jesus – or, do I? Montaldo and Toth say further that Advent is a time for judging the choices we make for living our lives. This season is a ritual moment for confronting discomforting truths. It catches us in the act of living unconnected from the Gospel... It would appear that a little refreshment of what conversion means is in order.

The Trappist Monk, author, and mystic Thomas Merton, said, We are numbered in the billions and massed together...worked to the point of insensibility, dazed by information, drugged by entertainment, surfeited with everything...there is no room for thought. There is no room for attention, for the awareness of our state... What would Merton, who died in 1968, think of the excess and indulgences of this day and age, the addiction to smart phones and social media, 24 hours of non-stop, never-ending everything?! It all speaks to me of being exiled in a wilderness of plenty where too much is still not enough and we are unexpectedly unconscious of all that we have and all that we are, or, are not. And then there are those we think of as lesser beings because of unstable living conditions, food insecurity, laid off from employment, foreign accents, differing skin color, with disabilities of body or mind, addiction, and more.

In this Advent, now is the moment to wake and discover the faith choices we have yet to make NOW, for as Jesus reminds us that day and hour no one knows...Therefore you must also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. As Paul reminds us in this week's excerpt from the Letter to the Romans, “Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light…live honorably…” With Christ as our armor of light, hope is more than fantasy. Hope shines on the path ahead and propels us toward the House of God.

It’s time for a fresh AWAKEning ~ get busy, prepare yourself. BE WOKE! Jesus is coming!

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ O Lord our God, jolt us awake from mindless contentedness and expose us to ourselves in our self-imposed wilderness of plenty. Set us on a conscious and urgent quest for Christ’s Salvation, expecting that in an unknown hour, we will be called to answer for the paths we choose, or ignore, in this life.

Jesus, Son of Man