Prayer for S'no Trouble (again)

               Thank you, Lord - the snow is falling 
  (again) and it is lovely to watch.  The sounds of life outside are muted with the cushion of several more inches of unique multi-faceted crystals (again).  The driveway is completely covered (again), the roads are treacherous (again), especially when other drivers feel that the posted speed isn't fast enough and I am driving  on ice 10 mph below that (again).  Not that I'm complaining, Lord (again).  I just always want to be thankful for all that Creation gives.  However, I'm finding that very difficult at the moment (again).   SO, I'm praying to ask that if it isn't any trouble, PLEASE MAKE IT STOP (again)!   sigh But, ok, whatever, thank you, Lord, for listening  (again).  amen.











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Prayer for the Bookmark-er

           To the Patron Saints of Libraries:

       Please send a special blessing to the Reader who left this pretty sticky-note as a bookmark in a library book I recently borrowed.  As I turned the page and saw it I thought of the person who put it there and wondered....what did you find on that page?  Did you finish the book?  Did you find it inspiring?  Whatever your life circumstance is, I pray that you truly experience the grace of God and all the Saints.  Go well, be well.  Enjoy and be inspired by your reading, especially things like the Anne Lamott we've now shared.  I hope all of the Stitches in your life repair, renew, and add lovely, surprising new patterns and designs.
                I've kept the bookmark as a remembrance that in God's creation we are never truly alone. Somewhere someone is reading what I'm reading. amen.







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Prayer from Inside

Skylight in my home
covered with snow

          Spirit in the Sky ~ My skylight is blocked with frozen snow but I know that You are still there. I may not get out tomorrow, or even the next day, but I will soon and the sun will shine through my skylight again. Please send Your light, warmth, and comfort to those who are always inside and will never get out especially prisoners in jails or of wars, the chronically sick and elderly, those lost in the darkness of mental illness or addiction or in the endless grip of grief.
              Remove the ice of doubt from their hearts and give our prayers flight to lighten their spirits.  Fortify each of us to take an extra moment to defrost the loneliness of just one person today.

              We lift our prayers to You, our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier ~ our Spirit in the Sky, the breath in our bodies, the lifeblood of our Faith.  amen. 

Please feel free to request a prayer to be composed for a particular concern or topic for posting in this space. You may leave your request in the comments section or contact me directly at Leeosophy@gmail.com All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way. Requestors will remain anonymous.

Prayers of the People: 3rd Sunday after Epiphany

The Good News is Jesus.  

                    The Other News is that we're the ones who are called to proclaim the Good News. Jesus is the Light in the Darkness, our Teacher who has come to guide us, show us the way, and to shine His brightness along our path.  WE are the ones who are to till the fields, fish the waters, feed the sheep, and lead God's People home.  So the saying goes, "We may be the only Bible some people ever read." WE are the hands, feet, eyes, and ears of Jesus! 

Readings:  Is 9:1-4; 1Cor 1:10-18; Mt 4:12-23; Ps 27 1, 5-13

Let us, God's People, Pray:

~ Jesus, our Light in the darkness of fear and sin, You call us, as everyday people, to be the proclaimers of your Good News.  Give us the courage to be Your faithful messengers in all areas of our lives.

        Hear our voices, O Lord.
        Have mercy and answer us.

~ Jesus, our Light in the darkness, You want us to follow and cast Your nets to gather all peoples to Your Saving Power. Grant us the desire to beckon the world to Your Shore and be among those caught in the Glory of Your Salvation.

        Hear our voices, O Lord,
        Have mercy and answer us.

~ Jesus, our Light in the darkness, we pray for You to reveal Your Healing Sight to those who are ill, weary, and frightened, as well as to those who care for them. Dismiss despair and all fear of abandonment by shining Your Holy Face upon them. We pray especially for: add your own petitions.

        Hear our voices, O Lord,
        Have mercy and answer us.

~ Jesus, our Light in the darkness, stay with those who are bereaved and give them rest from their grief. Help them and all of us to turn toward God and follow the radiance of You beyond the fog of anguish and gloom. We pray especially for: add your own petitions.

           Hear our voices, O Lord,
           Have mercy and answer us.

~ Jesus, our Light in the darkness, turn the hearts of our political leaders toward You and toward ridding this world of endless war and violence. Help us all work toward the care of each other as brothers and sisters in You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions.

                 Hear our voices, O Lord,
                 Have mercy and answer us.

~ Jesus our Light in the darkness, renew the zest and joy for Your presence to Your Church and her leaders. Reinvigorate the appetite and enthusiasm for spreading Your Gospel and shepherding Your people to Your life eternal. We pray especially for: add your own petitions.

                 Hear our voices, O Lord,
                 Have mercy and answer us.


Celebrant adds: O God, our Creator, Your Servant Paul admonished Your followers in Corinth to be in agreement with each other, and have no divisions or quarrels that diminish the power of the Cross. Endow us, in our own day, with faithfulness and fortitude. Let us not divide Christ among us. Let us be as living proclamations of Your Gospel and follow You, O God, our Refuge and our Strength. AMEN.

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Prayers of the People: 2nd Sunday after Epiphany and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

           Holiday for Holy Purpose?

         In this country we have converted many federally recognized commemorative dates into "Monday holidays" on which schools, federal, and state offices are closed. For example, we used to celebrate Abraham Lincoln's birthday on February 12th and George Washington's birthday on February 22nd. Memorial Day (originally Decoration Day to remember the dead of the Civil War by decorating their graves) was May 30th. Now they and others all fall on a Monday close to the original date - with the exception that Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays were combined for a single day known now as "Presidents' Day."

        When a holiday/date was selected, and Congressionally approved, to honor Dr. Martin Luther, King, Jr., his birthday of January 15 was so designated. It, too, has become a "Monday holiday" however, there has been a considerable amount of effort by his family, those who literally walked with him, and newer generations to make this more than a "day-off" from work and school but rather that it be a "Day On" of community service in Dr. King's name. But for many it's still a day off to play. The purpose is especially lost among those who despise his memory and what that must require of us as equal human beings.

         It is critical that we carry Dr. King's message forward to uphold people of all colors, creeds, national origin, sexual orientation, and for any reason that any one is targeted for oppression, brutality, bullying, and discrimination. We are all equal in the Eyes and Heart of God. And, as Dr. King said, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."  What service will you do in holy purpose for God's People?

Let us, God's People, Pray:

Readings:  Is 49:1-7, 1 Cor 1:1-9, John 1:29-42, Ps 40:1-12, MLK “I Have A Dream”

Leader:  ~ O God of Compassion and Righteousness, You called us before we were born and named us in the womb. We have spent our strength for nothing and vanity.  We now must turn toward You and answer. Our cause is with the LORD,

       

Response: Our reward is with our God

~ O God of Compassion and Righteousness, You gave us a new song and often we sing it out of tune and use our own words.  Help us to learn Your words, love doing Your Will, and keep Your Law in our hearts. Our cause is with the LORD,

              Our reward is with our God

~ O God of Compassion and Righteousness, You have given us all the gifts we need to proclaim Christ’s glory to the world.  Your Servant Martin used his gifts to show the way to freedom for all of Your people - those who are still terribly oppressed and brutalized in our own day and even those who mistakenly believe that freedom is achieved through power and greed.  Help us to compel our governments to demand equality for all, to put an end to the evil acts of those who inflict intolerance, oppression, and terror to Your People.  Let us be Your light to the nations. We pray especially for:  add your own petitions.  Our cause is with the LORD,

              Our reward is with our God

~ O God of Compassion and Righteousness, let Your Holy Spirit descend upon and give hope to all who are sick, troubled, and weary of life, and also upon those who care for and about them.  We pray especially for:  add your own petitions.  Our cause is with the LORD,

              Our reward is with our God

~ O God of Compassion and Righteousness, lift those who are desolate from the loss of loved ones.  Fill their hearts with peace and comfort as they feel the Lamb of God in their midst and know those they love have indeed found the Messiah.  We pray especially for:  add your own petitions. Our cause is with the LORD,

              Our reward is with our God

~ O God of Compassion and Righteousness, inspire the leaders of Your Church to know, feel, and share the dream of Martin Luther King.   Exhort them to bring Christ among us, to walk with us to restore the dignity of every human being, and to seek and serve Christ in all.  Let us all work together to see to it that   “…the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together…” inside and outside of our temples of worship.    We pray especially for:  add your own petitions.  Our cause is with the LORD,

              Our reward is with our God

The Celebrant adds:  Almighty God, we see and hear again the example of Your Servant, Martin Luther King, Jr, in his powerful vision and compelling certainty that together we can all live in freedom from fear, oppression, intolerance and hatred.  You have called us to carry this vision, to stop our own thoughts and acts that disrespect and bring harm, and to make certain that Your People will know the peace and freedom of Your Salvation.  We ask Your grace to do Your Will through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, who with the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, today and always.  Amen.   

An Excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s I have a Dream speech

from August 28, 1963, Washington, D.C.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!

Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

Full text:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/17/i-have-a-dream-speech-text_n_809993.html

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Prayer in the Fog

Mystical Shepherd,  


I am enveloped by the opaque vapor created where warm and cold collide.

 

A cinereal ceiling obstructs my sense of sky and I seem no longer to stand but rather to levitate over a groundless cloud.  

My dimmed vision sees neither ahead nor behind, neither above nor below.

 

The silence penetrates my soul. 

YOU are HERE.  

I can live in You.

amen.

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Prayers of the People: The Baptism of Jesus

            BAPTISM ~ is a Sacrament, a Rite of Initiation, or admission, or adoption into the Christian faith. A simple definition is that the word comes from a hybrid of Latin and Greek and literally means "washing." John, who Baptizes Jesus in today's Gospel reading, used it as a sacrament in his messianic rituals and it has roots in the Jewish tradition as a ritual of purification.          
                 Depending on denomination, there may or may not be infant baptism sometimes called Christening, or there may be no baptism for anyone at all. In those churches that do baptize, baptism may be by immersion - standing in water while water is poured over the upper body, submersion - one's whole body being dipped under and out of the water three times, aspersion, or affusion with aspersion as the sprinkling of the water, while affusion is pouring water over the head. As there are many methods, there are as many reasons given for and against the ritual that is sacred to some. 
                                                     The Gospels are pretty clear that Jesus was baptized by a somewhat reluctant John who thought that Jesus should baptize him. Jesus prevails - as he does with the footwashing and Peter later on - and we hear the words of God directly who announces "This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." Of course we don't know if everyone present heard God, but isn't the warmth and satisfaction within all of us when we think about a moment (maybe exceedingly rare) when a parent announces pleasure or pride in us or for something we've done? Let it be so with us again, that we may please the One Parent who matters most!  Jesus rises for the first time from the waters of Baptism.  Let us walk with Him through to the time he rises again...

Prayers of the People:  Baptism of the Lord, Jan 12, 2014        Readings:  Is 42:1-9, Ps 29, Acts 10:34-43, Mt 3:13-17

The Leader: ~ Blessed Jesus, Beloved of God, in Your immersion into the Living Waters of Baptism by trusting the hands of John, we discover that our path to righteousness is through You. Help us to live our lives as a reflection of that trust, purified by the inspiration of Your Goodness and Peace.

 Jesus, Fount of Living Water, sanctify our hearts and cleanse our souls,
Response: We put our trust in You.

~ Blessed Jesus, Beloved of God, You are the Covenant God has given even to the lowliest of us; the Wellspring of Glory and Splendor that can reach into the darkest of hearts and blindest of eyes. Open our hearts and eyes, and animate our wills and feet to answer our call to follow You.

Jesus, Fount of Living Water, sanctify our hearts and cleanse our souls,
We put our trust in You.

~ Blessed Jesus, Beloved of God, anointed with the Holy Spirit and the Power of Goodness, we find in You the Perfect Example of humility and the Ideal of Servant as Leader. Impart this special grace to all those who govern in this world in order that they may work together and with us to seek peace, equity, and healing mercy for all. We pray especially for: add your own petitions here.

Jesus, Fount of Living Water, sanctify our hearts, cleanse our souls and strengthen us to do as You will us. 
We put our trust in You.

~ Blessed Jesus, Beloved of God, we ask You to shower with Your healing mercies all those who are ill or filled with worry and dread and for those who care for them. Let them feel Your Glory within and know the Spirit of Hope has descended upon them. We pray especially for: add your own petitions here.

Jesus, Fount of Living Water, sanctify our hearts and cleanse and heal our souls. 
We put our trust in You. 

~ Blessed Jesus, Beloved of God, we mourn the loss of those we love who have returned to the Source of all life. We know they live again with You, yet we ask for Your strength and peace to find solace in our hearts and joy in the memories. We pray especially for the repose of: add your own petitions here.

Jesus, Fount of Living Water, sanctify our hearts, cleanse and soothe the sadness in our souls. 
We put our trust in You.

~ Blessed Jesus, Beloved of God, Your Presence is gentle enough to cajole us and strong enough to cause the oaks to whirl and shake the wilderness. Speak in gentle tones to those who would lead Your Church so they will be moved to whirl the oaks in Your name with grace, wisdom, and strength of spirit. We pray especially for: add your own petitions here.

Jesus, Fount of Living Water, sanctify our hearts and cleanse our souls, 
We put our trust in You.


Celebrant adds: Jesus, our Christ, You rise first from the Living Water of Baptism to bring New Life to carry us through to the time that You will rise again to carry us through eternity. You cleanse us with Your Holy Water, anoint us with the Holy Spirit, and walk with us on the life-path you set before us. We pray that You will be well-pleased with who we strive to become in Your Holy Name. Amen.

Please feel free to request a prayer to be composed for a particular concern or topic for posting in this space. 

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All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution 

as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way. Requestors will remain anonymous.