Prayers of the People: No fair! 15th Sunday after Pentecost

for Sunday, September 21, 2014, 15th Sunday after Pentecost, Readings: Exodus 16:2-15; Ps 105:1-6, 37-45; Philippians 1:20-30; Matthew 20:1-16

      Jesus doesn't do fair, or so it seems to us in this parable of the laborers in the vineyard. Same pay for an hour's work as for a full day - who doesn't get upset about that? Don't those who worked longer and did more work deserve more? No wonder they're grumbling.
         It seems an especially harsh scenario now in these long-awaited days for fast-food workers and others employed in low-wage service industry jobs to be recognized as needing to make a living wage. And yet how many Good Christian People grumble about that possibility?
        Then there are those Israelites having been rescued from generations of horrific slavery. The Red Sea is parted by God so they could escape the Egyptians and now they're all "gimme gimme grumble grumble" to Moses and Aaron, saying "If only we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt..." [Exodus 16:3, emphasis added]  But when we look through a different lens, one that isn't relying on what one deserves or what is fair it is generosity that shines through. God is generous to the Israelites, providing for their every need, but in their case the unknown is more frightening than the known and so they haven't learned to trust that God will provide. The laborers in Jesus' story aren't happy that the Landowner is simply using his prerogative to be generous. Envy, greed, and judgment loom and things will get worse. Do we ever learn?
         It's a difficult balance to fight for equity and fairness in our temporal life while relinquishing jealousy and anger at not getting what is perceived by ourselves to be deserved.  God isn't leading us by clouds and pillars of fire these days, only by the Word of Christ.  My prayer is to try to find that balance, to cut back on my grumbling, and, oh yes: Dear Lord, please save me from all that I deserve.     (P.S.  News Flash: you're still not getting that rose garden)

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O God Most Generous, If only we could remember that Your love for us is limitless even when we grumble about what is fair, who has more than we do, and when we are more interested in judging the faults of others than recognizing our own.

                                Guide us to seek Your strength and presence in every day

RESPONSE:    Teach us again to stand firm in Your Spirit 

~ O God Most Generous, especially in times of war, disease, and great poverty, it is essential for us to remember our own responsibility for the care of ALL of Your people. In the life You have given us to live, we are also charged to engage the leaders in our world, our country, and our community, and require them to temper justice with mercy. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                         Guide us to seek Your strength and presence in every day

                         Teach us again to stand firm in Your Spirit

~ O God Most Generous, as You opened the rock in the desert to provide life-giving waters to Your people; let those suffering in body, mind, or spirit feel the gush of hope and comfort from Your holy embrace. Surround and support also those who give love and care unselfishly in times of great need.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                         Guide us to seek Your strength and presence in every day

                         Teach us again to stand firm in Your Spirit

~ O God Most Generous, we lift up the grief of those who are in mourning to Your gracious care. Help us all feel the pain of loss begin to ease, knowing that our loved ones live on not only in our hearts and memories, but beyond forever in Your eternal home. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 

                         Guide us to seek Your strength and presence in every day

                         Teach us again to stand firm in Your Spirit

~ O God Most Generous, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, silently or aloud…

                         Guide us to seek Your strength and presence in every day

                         Teach us again to stand firm in Your Spirit

~ O God Most Generous, as the burdens of Moses and Aaron, in leading a sometimes unruly flock, have been passed down to their successors, so to have the joys of fulfilling Your call and worshiping You within a vibrant community of faith.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                         Guide us to seek Your strength and presence in every day

                         Teach us again to stand firm in Your Spirit

The Celebrant adds: O God of Permanence in Eternity, help us who live in the temporal realm, see to the fair and equitable treatment of all of Your people, and yet look within ourselves for the release of judgment, greed, and envy. Help us to live our lives with Christ exalted in all of our thoughts and actions. We ask this grace through Jesus our Redeemer who with the Holy Spirit our Sanctifier, live and reign with You in the enduring, immortal, and infinite expanse of Your holy kingdom. Amen.

Please feel free to request a prayer or meditation to be composed for a particular person, 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. If you would like the weekly Prayers of the People prior to its appearance on the blog, please send me an email. Personal prayer requestors will remain anonymous.

Prayers of the People: Once is Not Enough?, 14th Sunday after Pentecost

for September 14, 2014, 14th Sunday after Pentecost, Readings: Exodus 14:19-31, Ps 114, Romans 14:1-12, Matthew 18:21-35

    Seventy-seven times?  So Jesus says we are to forgive those who sin against us, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times." Sometimes forgiving once is the hardest part of my day. And, of course, I hardly ever pass judgment except on those who disagree with my perfect observations and opinions especially in an election year! 

       As for welcoming those weak in faith, I suppose being disheartened would count as weak and I am that at times. It seems, though, that when we get right down to it, the lessons remain clear - we must forgive as we are forgiven, judge not lest we be judged, and live and die in the Lord's honor.  Oh how simply difficult.  Okay then, it's a new week, the waters are parted, the road is before us, let's give it another go...

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Omnipotent God, Pillar of the Universe, we feel as if our world is drowning in the chaos of death, destruction, and rage. Please save us from the slavery of fear and judgment and lead us together onto Your dry ground, into a New Creation of tolerance and forgiveness.   

                                Strengthen our faith when we are weak, O Lord of Mercy  

RESPONSE:     Let us have patience, let us show mercy, let us live in You, O Lord

~ Omnipotent God, Pillar of the Universe, answers of how to act are often elusive in these difficult times in our world, our country, and our community, but please guide us to press upon our political leaders the urgency of calm and rational response to crises. We pray especially for: add your own petitions.

                         Strengthen our faith when we are weak, O Lord of Mercy 

                         Let us have patience, let us show mercy, let us live in You, O Lord

 

~ Omnipotent God, Pillar of the Universe, let the waves of illness, pain, and despair be parted for those who can no longer swim in hope. Care for those who keep them afloat and help them feel again the warmth of Your love. We pray especially for: add your own petitions.

                         Strengthen our faith when we are weak, O Lord of Mercy 

                         Let us have patience, let us show mercy, let us live in You, O Lord

~ Omnipotent God, Pillar of the Universe, stretch out Your loving arms to give eternal comfort to those in mourning, and an everlasting embrace for those now returned to Your infinite peace. We pray especially for: add your own petitions.

                         Strengthen our faith when we are weak, O Lord of Mercy 

                         Let us have patience, let us show mercy, let us live in You, O Lord

~ Omnipotent God, Pillar of the Universe, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, silently or aloud…

                         Strengthen our faith when we are weak, O Lord of Mercy 

                         Let us have patience, let us show mercy, let us live in You, O Lord

~ Omnipotent God, Pillar of the Universe, impart Your special care to our brothers and sisters anointed through Holy Orders and entrusted to bring Your Word and Wisdom to us. Guide us all that we may grow with each other in our worship, support each other in prayer, and give honor to You in all of our actions. We pray especially for: add your own petitions.

                         Strengthen our faith when we are weak, O Lord of Mercy 

                         Let us have patience, let us show mercy, let us live in You, O Lord

The Celebrant adds: O God of wind and water and light in the darkness, in the midst of a world in anguish and turmoil, let us not lose sight of hope, the joy of new birth, and the constant, perpetual, everlasting Presence of You, in every moment of every day, in this life and in the next. We ask always through the blessings of Your Son, Jesus our Christ and Your most Holy Spirit, who are alive with You, as One God, now and forever. Amen.

Please feel free to request a prayer or meditation to be composed for a particular person, 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. If you would like the weekly Prayers of the People prior to its appearance on the blog, please send me an email. Personal prayer requestors will remain anonymous.

Meditation Moments: For a Garden Wedding

             The miracle of love is magnified exponentially when witnessed by caring family and friends gathered to celebrate a precious union. From across a crowded room, or a crowded country, the hearts who discover their true companion will know a joy beyond knowing at the blossoming, and a peace beyond peace in the living of each day.  In the times that are ordinary or special, in the gleeful and the grrrrr-ful, Holy Lord of Heaven, we commend the happiness of these two people to Your care and ours. We pray that these new spouses will find the spices in their life together always fragrant, fulfilling, and affirming.  Dear You and You, may you carry with you always the love and happiness of this moment. And let all who are present signify with a loud AMEN! 

written with love for friends on the occasion of their lovely wedding

Please feel free to request a prayer or meditation to be composed for a particular person, 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. If you would like the weekly Prayers of the People prior to its appearance on the blog, please send me an email. Personal prayer requestors will remain anonymous.

Prayers of the People: No Smote-ing, 13th Sunday after Pentecost

for September 7, 2014, 13^th Sunday after Pentecost, Readings: Exodus 12:1-14, Ps 149, Rom 13: 8-14, Mt 18:15-20

        The Old Testament God got to pass through town on an overnight mission to strike down the first born of the enemies of the ancient Hebrews. Jesus says we're supposed to work through conflict by facing each other and pointing out faults? Neither one sounds like a great idea to me, especially since God seems to have had a change of heart over multi-milennia.
        Conflict resolution is a tricky business in the best of times and the pointing out of faults is fine when you yourself have none. But if we each look deeply enough into that troublesome person, most of us can see ourselves - think about how you would want to be approached if your behavior or attitude was a problem for someone else. Paul tells us yet again as Jesus did, "Love your neighbor as yourself." I used to hear that as "love your neighbor as you love yourself" and, of course, if one has difficulty loving oneself it would be apparent in the way s/he treats others. Yet in the fuller sense, I now read it as written - love your neighbor as your self. THAT person is YOU - so love her/him, love you = love you, love him/her. Unity/community, two or three or more brings Christ's presence. Oh sure, that's much easier, isn't it?  Well, it gives us a place to start; a new song to sing. "Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law." [Romans 13:10]    
      But the world is full of fanatics, psychotics, and sociopaths. I'd paint my doorpost with whatever God wants if that would protect me and those I love, but it seems God has us in a no smote-ing zone now. I have trouble liking some people let alone loving them, especially the people that want to do serious harm. I can't change what anyone else does, I can only change my response. I guess, in lieu of a smote from God, I'll just have to pray that someone will love them and that God will turn my eyes to see into those people, too. 

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Most Holy God, Giver of Life, Your Love will pass over our sins and guide us to redemption through Christ. Help us to keep ready to follow Your call as we close the door to the sinfulness of our past-selves, and open our now-selves to love one another unconditionally. May our doorposts and lintels always gleam with the radiance of the Light of Jesus, our Savior.

                              Let us sing to the LORD a new song 

RESPONSE:   Let us gather together with Christ in our midst

~ Most Holy God, Giver of Life, Love fulfills Your law, therefore, empower to us to assure that we give love and do no wrong in the lives of any of Your children. Embolden us to give witness of our expectations to those who lead us in our World, our Country, and our Community, to act through the strength of Your Love for the safety, wholeness, and health for all of Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                        Let us sing to the LORD a new song 

                        Let us gather together with Christ in our midst

                       

~ Most Holy God, Giver of Life, help us comfort those who know the pain of illness, the relentless demand of addiction, and the hardship of losing a sense of home. Let us not forget the caregivers who also need our support.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                        Let us sing to the LORD a new song 

                        Let us gather together with Christ in our midst

~ Most Holy God, Giver of Life, for those who have tasted the bitter herbs of mourning, grant peace of heart and an easing of grief through the knowledge of their loved ones blossoming in the eternal sunshine of Your Life beyond living.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

 

                        Let us sing to the LORD a new song 

                        Let us gather together with Christ in our midst

~ Most Holy God, Giver of Life, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, silently or aloud…

                        Let us sing to the LORD a new song 

                        Let us gather together with Christ in our midst

~ Most Holy God, Giver of Life, prepare a special place in Your eternal kingdom for those who lead us in Your Church, who pray with us and for us, preach Your word to us, guide us on our path to spiritual growth, and shepherd us through the ups and downs of community life. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 

                        Let us sing to the LORD a new song 

                        Let us gather together with Christ in our midst

The Celebrant adds: The light of Christ is a weapon against the darkness of evil, sin, mistrust, and anger.  Let us see ourselves through the eyes of Jesus, in our weaknesses and our strengths, as mirrors of each other, with love, and tenderness in heart-filled understanding.  We ask Your blessings through Christ, our Redeemer and Messiah and through the Holy Spirit, our Fount of Wisdom, who live and reign together with You, our One God, Timeless, Immortal, and Infinite.    Amen.

Please feel free to request a prayer or meditation to be composed for a particular person, 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. If you would like the weekly Prayers of the People prior to its appearance on the blog, please send me an email. Personal prayer requestors will remain anonymous.

Prayers of the People: Fired Up, Again! 12th Sunday after Pentecost

for August 31, 2014, 12th Sunday after Pentecost, Readings: Ex 3:1-15; Ps 105: 1-6, 23-26, 44-45; Romans 12:9-21; Mt 16:21-28 [NRSV]

       Moses was called from out of the fire to free the Hebrews from the horrors of their existence in the ancient world. The world of today is being consumed by the fires of our own making through political animosity, corporate greed, senseless killings, war, ethnic and racial hatred, suffering, misery, tragedy - thank heavens we live in modern times!
       It would be so easy to wander lost in the wilderness of despair or apathy or cling to the false god of profit and power to save us from ourselves.  Paul, for one, won't let us be still and gives us a rapid-fire list of how to begin to be the Living Sacrifice that Jesus calls us to be:  Let love be genuine, hate evil, hold fast to good, love one another, outdo, don't lag, rejoice, be patient, persevere, contribute, extend, bless, rejoice, weep, live, associate, and don't claim to be wiser than you are, etc., etc., etc. 
       I'm nearly exhausted at the thought of it all yet Jesus reminds us that all that has been done will be repaid. The time is now, the place is here, there is much to do so, let's get fired up, again.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O God of the Past, the Present, and the Eternal, Your Divine Fire sanctifies our faith, transforms our souls, and guides us to find our footing on Your holy ground, this bounteous Earth, our island home. Keep our faces turned toward You, that we may not be consumed by human things, but set our minds on all that is Holy.

                              We seek the LORD’S continual presence and strength

RESPONSE:    As we each say, “LORD, Here I am!”

~ O God of the Past, the Present, and the Eternal, kindle in us the ardor of spirit that will prevail upon the leaders of this world, our country, and our community, to renounce the actions of repaying evil with evil. We must employ honor and zeal to overcome malevolence with the humane. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                        We seek the LORD’S continual presence and strength

                        As we each say, “LORD, Here I am!”

~ O God of the Past, the Present, and the Eternal, You know the sufferings of Your people, give us the listening ear and helping hand to care for those who are caught in a cycle of addiction, physical or mental illness, or homelessness, and for those who are struggling to meet their needs.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                        We seek the LORD’S continual presence and strength

                        As we each say, “LORD, Here I am!”

~ O God of the Past, the Present, and the Eternal, we also weep with those who weep for the loss of their loved ones who are now in Your everlasting care.  Bless those now at rest who are free of misery and tears.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions 

                        We seek the LORD’S continual presence and strength

                        As we each say, “LORD, Here I am!”

~ O God of the Past, the Present, and the Eternal, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, silently or aloud…

                        We seek the LORD’S continual presence and strength

                        As we each say, “LORD, Here I am!”

~ O God of the Past, the Present, and the Eternal, for those among us who, like Moses and Peter, are reluctant but willing to take on Your mantle of leadership and ministry on our behalf, we ask Your enduring grace as we offer our humble gratitude. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                        We seek the LORD’S continual presence and strength

                        As we each say, “LORD, Here I am!”

The Celebrant adds:  Most Divine God of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob, Leah, and Rachel, grant us a hunger, not for the superficial milk and honey of this life, but for the finding of the peace in eternity as the ultimate reward for our living sacrifice. We ask this in the name of Jesus, our Messiah, and the Holy Spirit, the fervor in our hearts, who reign together with You as one Living and Eternal God. Amen.

Please feel free to request a prayer or meditation to be composed for a particular person, 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. If you would like the weekly Prayers of the People prior to its appearance on the blog, please send me an email. Personal prayer requestors will remain anonymous.

Meditation Moments: Tick Tock

Life is short and we do not have too much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel this journey with us, so be quick to love and make haste to be kind.  
         ~ Henri Frédéric Amiel* [1821-1881]






O God of Chronos Time ~
        My present moments are too rapidly becoming my past moments even as I am looking ahead for a glimpse of my future moments. And I am dribbling away the precious life You have given me, by more than a few drops at a time - how much is left?? Only You would know.
         It's always much easier to say "LOVE ONE ANOTHER" than it is to do, especially in a world filled with horror, tragedy, and rage. So, Lord of Now, help me stay in the moment and worry not about the next. Please help me swim through each of the laps I have left knowing that all I truly have is You, all I can truly give is the knowledge of You that I offer through my thoughts which are revealed through my actions. Oh how pathetic when I think of some of my actions BUT that was then, this is NOW....so here I am thinking:
        Dear God of This Moment, please give me the strength to show love to fill in the blank who has been unkind to me here or there, in real or perceived ways. Even if the opportunity for a one-on-one conversation is not presented, at the very (seriously very) least I can do is offer a prayer for her/him to You. Help me balance the weights of time and swing the pendulum to the far reaches of kindness, tolerance, and love. Maybe, that really will make things better somehow. I can't change the face of all the political strife in the world. But I can, in a moment of frustration, as well as in a moment of beauty, think secondly of how to frame a brief prayer in their honor, for their well-being, for my soul. It certainly can't hurt especially for as long as that clock is ticking. amen.

*Henri Frédéric Amiel was a Swiss philosopher, critic, and poet.  He was a professor of aesthetics at the University of Geneva in 1849 and later a professor of moral philosophy.


Please feel free to request a prayer or meditation to be composed for a particular person, 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. If you would like the weekly Prayers of the People prior to its appearance on the blog, please send me an email. Personal prayer requestors will remain anonymous.

Prayers of the People: Catch the Wave and Let Loose, 11th Sunday after Pentecost

for August 24, 2014, 11th Sunday after Pentecost, Readings: Ex 1:8 – 2:10, Ps 124, Romans 12: 1-8, Mt 16:13-20 [NRSV]

         From Noah's Ark to Moses' basket to Jesus and his most famous walk, our history with God is flooded with watery stories. Water is required for life and yet, as with many things, too much is deadly.  In this week's reading the Egyptians try to drown the baby boys to keep the unwanted population from growing, but the kindness and compassion of the midwives and Pharaoh's daughter transform the lives of the Hebrews and Egyptians alike. 
          Paul says to get out of what is of the world - renew our minds and transform ourselves to discover God's will. With the gifts we've each been given by God's grace, there is something for us all to do as individuals who are members of the Body of Christ. And Jesus puts it together - in giving us the keys to the Kingdom our actions on earth will be bound in heaven and what we let loose here, will be let loose in heaven.   
         So let's catch the wave of the Living Water, and let loose some grace-filled transformation. 


LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Living God, through the waters that birth us, that Moses was drawn from, that nourish the Earth and sometimes drown it, we often struggle to navigate our lives between the raging and the calm. Let us not drift aimlessly through tide and torrent, but by Your mercy, steer toward the Light of Christ, our Messiah, the Incarnation of Your Holy Will for us.

                                Our help is in the name of the LORD

RESPONSE:     Who made the heavens and the earth

~ Living God, so many of Your sons and daughters in our earthly home are being thrown into the rivers of despair, brutality, and war. Give us the key and courage to transform the attitudes and actions of the political leaders of this world, our country, and our community, from bitter strife to vigorous compassion. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                            Our help is in the name of the LORD

                            Who made the heavens and the earth

~ Living God, help us to be Your rock of hope, faith, and love for those who are lost in the grip of addiction, depression, and/or illness of body, mind, or spirit. Let us also give comfort to all who give their strength in care for those they love.  We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                            Our help is in the name of the LORD

                            Who made the heavens and the earth

~ Living God, give solace and rest to the sorrowful as they mourn, and open wide the gates of heaven, as You receive in joy, those we now commend to the bliss of eternal life. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                            Our help is in the name of the LORD

                            Who made the heavens and the earth

~ Living God, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, silently or aloud…

                            Our help is in the name of the LORD

                            Who made the heavens and the earth

~ Living God, we give special thanksgivings for those helping us through teaching, preaching, and guiding, to discover what is our holy and acceptable spiritual worship of You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                            Our help is in the name of the LORD

                            Who made the heavens and the earth

The Celebrant adds:  Transcendent, Immortal, and Holy God, we offer the grace-filled gifts You bestowed upon us, in service to Your Supreme will. Let us, as the Body of Christ, renew our minds, transform our souls, and escape the snares of conforming to all that is of this world. We ask through Jesus, Son of Man, our Blessed Messiah; and the Holy Spirit, Your Divine Breath, who together with You are one God, omnipotent, eternal, and everlasting.   Amen.

Please feel free to request a prayer or meditation to be composed for a particular person, 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. If you would like the weekly Prayers of the People prior to its appearance on the blog, please send me an email. Personal prayer requestors will remain anonymous.