Prayers of the People: You Go First ~ 17th Sunday after Pentecost '21 Yr B

For Sunday, September 19, 2021, Readings: Wisdom of Solomon 1:16-2:1, 12-22; Psalm 54, 

James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a; Mark 9:30-37

       The ungodly by their words and deeds summoned death…[they] lie in wait for the righteous…for their wickedness blinded them, and they did not know the secret purposes of God, nor hoped for the wages of holiness, nor discerned the prize for the blameless souls. [Wisdom of Solomon 1:16a, 12a, 21b-22]

               Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth…Behold, God is my helper; it is the Lord who sustains my life. [Psalm 54:2, 4]

            But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth...But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy...And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace. [James 3:14, 17-18] 

    ...for [Jesus] was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again." But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him...Then they came to Capernaum; and...on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. [Jesus]...said to them, "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all." Then he...said to them, "Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me." [Mark 9:31-32, 33a, 34b, 35b, 37]

       The first reading comes from The Wisdom of Solomon, considered an apocryphal book, that is not part of the “official” Christian Canon of the Bible. The word canon basically means the body of work that cannot be changed ~ not that it can’t be re-interpreted through new information and translation, just that the substance of it is set in stone ~ so to speak. The apocryphal writings for biblical purposes are those thought to have been written between 200 BC and 400 AD [or in the language of scholars BCE, Before the Common Era, and CE, Common Era, when dates became more or less standardized globally.] You can go to Wikipedia for a beginning look at Biblical Apocrypha. I offer this explanation only because if some of you are interested in reading more of this Book and discovering others in this “hidden” collection, you may not have it in your printed Bible. Many modern Bibles do include these writings in between the Old Testament and the New Testament, and they become known as "intertestamental writings." But many do not, such as the NIV and KJV (though the KJV did have them for almost 300 years). Online Biblical search sites such as Bible Gateway do not include these writings. Where they are included as non-canonical, they are, for the most part, considered to be useful for instruction without necessarily carrying the full weight of either Testament. One could spend a semester at least on discovering the levels and possible origins of non-canonical writings but, while I find this all very interesting, I believe that such effort brings no extra credit towards salvation.

       In the case of this reading, it is considered by some to be representative of the Jewish religious instruction in which Jesus grew up. This lesson reminds us that there is more to this human life than a comfortable existence. There are those who will mock and try to upend our intentions, but we are to live in God’s ways and choose eternal life as God’s child for our destiny.

       The writer of James brings being righteous into our instruction. It is one of those words we hear often in Bible readings ~ we can guess by its sound that it means to be "right" with God and in truth it does mean that, to lead a life that is pleasing to God, someone whose actions God [who knows us] would find to be justified and ethical. We are told very specifically what happens to those who sit in the seats of the scornful [Ps 1:1] and are boastful and false to the truth [James 3:14b]. James charts the course of attitudes and behaviors reflecting earthly and inwardly unmet cravings against those who find their path in the wisdom, peace, and gentleness from above. Jesus is working to prepare the disciples, again, for all that is to come, and, again, they do not understand.

       As the writer of Mark tells us, the chosen disciples were those closest and most committed to Jesus. Yet, close as they were, they were still afraid to ask Jesus to explain what he meant about being betrayed and killed and rising from the dead. Yet, on the way to Capernaum, they were arguing with each other about which one of themselves was the greatest of all. Perhaps they were confused about and so ignored the hard truth Jesus was giving because it was too difficult to digest and discuss. 

       In a culture, such as ours in the west, that teaches that one must strive to thrive through success, achievement, wealth, power, and position, it is exceedingly difficult to avoid the traps of envy, ambition, conflict, distrust, and so on. Fear of asking questions is also prevalent ~ one learns early to be fearful of being labeled stupid if one asks a “dumb” question. Perhaps each of the disciples were worried that they would ask the wrong question and fail a test of sorts. Or perhaps they were unable to determine the right question. James references that as well by telling us that if we didn’t get what we asked for, it was because we asked wrongly. 

      Jesus gives the disciples, and us, the terms of a righteous life: Be last not first, a servant of all, and those who welcome all as children in his name will be welcoming God into their midst. As followers of Jesus, we are to commit to selfless service, especially among those who make no return; humility in shedding all trace of inward and outward aspiration to greatness; and we must submit ourselves to God. The height and breadth and depth of all that is required can feel daunting. But the disciples were together in the best and worst of times as we are in our communities of faith, working together, learning to understand, committing, and submitting ourselves to Christ for the eternal life of our souls. As we draw near to God, God will draw nearer to thee and me. Ok, let's begin, you go first.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
 
Leader:  ~ God of Wisdom and Mercy, refresh our souls to keep us from envy and selfish ambition, able to resist earthly, unspiritual temptation, willing to yield and submit our hearts and minds to You.   
 
                                                      Knowing Lord                                                       
              RESPONSE:             Draw us near to You
 
~ God of Wisdom and Mercy, embolden us to stand together in Christ’s name as we strive to ensure ethical, principled, just, and peaceable governing by the leaders of our World, our Nation, and our Community. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       Knowing Lord
                                                       Draw us near to You
 
~ God of Wisdom and Mercy, grant hope and comfort to all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, and renewed energy to all who give them care. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions
 
                                                       Knowing Lord
                                                       Draw us near to You
         
~ God of Wisdom and Mercy, shine Your perfect light into the darkness of grief, as You gather those newly departed from this life, into the gleaming expanse of eternal life with You. We pray especially for… add your own petitions
 
                                                       Knowing Lord
                                                       Draw us near to You
 
~ God of Wisdom and Mercy, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions
 
                                                       Knowing Lord
                                                       Draw us near to You
                       
~ God of Wisdom and Mercy, quicken the minds and hearts of those anointed to share Your Word and Sacraments with us, and free us from the fear of asking questions about our faith. Guide them to lead us in the building of a diverse worshiping community, dedicated to sowing the best seeds for a harvest of righteousness and peace. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       Knowing Lord
                                                       Draw us near to You
 
The Celebrant adds: O Lord our God, release us from the grip of mortal pride and temporal lures to be Christ’s selfless, humble, and welcoming servants of all. Let us seek to do the work You have given us to do, not for our own greatness, but the greatness of Your Eternal Kingdom. We ask through the glory and sacrifice of our Savior Christ; and the wise counsel of the Spirit Most Holy; who together with You, are One, boundless, and eternal God, forever and ever. Amen.

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

Prayers of the People: Him and Me ~ 16th Sunday after Pentecost '21 Yr B

For Sunday, September 12, 2021, Readings: Isaiah 50:4-9a, Psalm 116:1-8, James 3:1-12, Mark 8:27-38

   The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens – wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. [Isaiah 50:4]

 

I love the Lord, because he has heard the voice of my supplication…Gracious is the Lord and righteous; our God is full of compassion. [Psalm 116:1a, 4] 

For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle...How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire…From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. 

[James 3:2, 5b-6a, 10] 

Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" And they answered him, "John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" [Mark 8:27-29a]

     Isaiah brings us the voice of the Servant in this autobiographical passage. Messages from Prophets are not always welcomed and often met with significant and violent backlash. This piece is often used in Christian interpretation to refer to Jesus, especially in verses 5-6, I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward. I gave my back to those who struck me…I did not hide my face from insult and spitting…God has given this Servant’s tongue the ability to teach us to awaken, to listen and be sustained, to know that we cannot be shamed or disgraced by our faith and our faith-filled works with God helping us. The Psalmist follows on with how God has heard the pleas and lifted those brought low. We aren’t always aware of our supplications being heard but the last line is a reminder to continue to walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.

      James says, in truth, not many of you should become teachers because teachers are held to a higher standard. He then gives us a true tongue lashing that spares no detail in his descriptions of the restless evil in our mouths, full of deadly poison within us! James is blunt saying that out of our mouths come both blessing and cursing. [I humbly admit I am guilty as charged and will continue to work on that with diligence.] 

      In this mid-point of his Gospel, Mark recounts a trip to Caesarea Philippi with the disciples when Jesus asks them what they have heard others say about him. Always an easier question to answer especially in a group: Who do THEY say...? "They and them" are the best at giving opinions, making comments, uninformed decisions, or judgments ~ hey, it's not me, it was "them" ~ they said, they did, they believe... But then comes the real question: "Who do you say that I am?" Money on the table time and Peter was right on it! "You are the Messiah." Easy-peasy until the conversation went downhill.

      Of course, no one wanted to hear what was coming next: suffering, rejection, and death ~ did they hear the part about rising in three days? Peter ~ Dear Peter ~ started to argue and was shut down by Jesus in the familiar words: Get behind me, Satan! But this reality was not going to be pleasant or easy and Jesus told the disciples and all the crowd around about saving or losing one's life, then and now. Peter, the disciples, and we, are told to get out of the mindset of human things and focus on divine things. We must take up our cross and concern ourselves unashamedly with the Gospel. Yes, there may be difficulties, rejection, and perhaps suffering because of it. But here in this day, I take solace and strength and am heartened by the words of Catholic social activist Dorothy Day* who said, If I have achieved anything in my life, it is because I have not been embarrassed to talk about God.

     The question hangs heavy in the air: Who do I say Jesus is? Do I express my answer well enough merely by wearing a cross, doing occasional good deeds, and attending Church? Am I embarrassed to speak openly of my faith in the face of scoffers? Is trying to keep my all-too-restless tongue tamed one way to take up my cross? There are no easy outs or answers, just truth between me and Jesus in my real time. There are no They and Them in this conversation, just Him and me, and He will never let me face my walk in the land of the living alone.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Gracious and Righteous Lord, You have helped us when we were brought low, heard our supplications, and treated us well. Please energize our souls with the courage to name Jesus as our Messiah and take up our cross to follow Him, for the sake of the Gospel and life everlasting.

                                      O God of Compassion
     RESPONSE:                      Hear our prayer             

~ Gracious and Righteous Lord, amplify the strength of our voices to implore and persuade all political leaders in our World, in our Nation and in our Community, to grant immediate aid and protection to all current and future victims of war, tyranny, violence, and natural disaster. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                               O God of Compassion
                                                               Hear our prayer

~ Gracious and Righteous Lord, in Your generous heart, cradle all who are exhausted by the endless pain of disease or depression, and fortify those whose work is to give comfort. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                                 O God of Compassion
                                                                 Hear our prayer

~ Gracious and Righteous Lord, gladden our mournful hearts as those we love now live forever in the splendor of Your Eternal Shores. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                                 O God of Compassion
                                                                 Hear our prayer

~ Gracious and Righteous Lord, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions

                                                                  O God of Compassion
                                                                  Hear our prayer    

~ Gracious and Righteous Lord, anoint and sanctify again all who lead us in Your Church, who teach us the ways of discipleship, and who journey with us toward You in every phase of our lives. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                                   O God of Compassion

                                                                   Hear our prayer

 The Celebrant adds: O Lord God, guide the tongues of all who should teach and awaken the ears of others to listen. Help our imperfect selves remain always teachable, upright in the face of scorn, with our tongues more filled with blessings than curses, and learning each day to turn from mere human things to the divine Words of our Savior. We ask through Christ Jesus, our Messiah; and the Holy Spirit, our Fount of Wisdom, who together with You reign as the fullness of One God, now and forever. Amen

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

Prayers of the People: Openings ~ 15th Sunday after Pentecost '21 Yr B

For Sunday, September 5, 2021, Readings: Isaiah 35:4-7a, Psalm 146, James 2:1-10, [11-13], 14-17;

 Mark 7:24-37

Say to those who are of a fearful heart, 'Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God…He will come and save you.' 

[Isaiah 35:4a,c]

Put not your trust in rulers, nor of any child of earth…Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help…The Lord sets prisoners free…opens the eyes of the blind…lifts up those who are bowed down…loves the righteous…cares for the stranger…sustains the orphan and widow, but frustrates the way of the wicked. 

[Psalm 146:2a, 7-8] 

My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ…What good is it…if you say you have faith but do not have works? [James 2:1, 14] 

But she answered [Jesus], 'Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.' Then he said to her, 'For saying that, you may go ~ the demon has left your daughter'...Then looking up to heaven, [Jesus] sighed and said to him, 'Ephphatha,' that is, 'Be opened.' And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. [Mark 7:28-29, 34-35] 

 In the midst of all that is happening in our world at this moment, come the appointed readings for this week filled with hope, warnings, instruction, and questions. We are emphatically reminded that awareness, attentiveness, and good works are keys to how we live into the faith we claim, and we ignore them at our eternal peril. In taking easier ~ even unconscious/habitual ~ paths in giving favor to ourselves and only certain others, by not working on behalf of all our sisters and brothers, in following the laws we like and not the ones we don't, we are in sin and our faith will slowly falter and die.

     Isaiah opens us with the hopeful message to all who are of a fearful heart by encouraging us to be strong and not fear, and then comes an immediate warning of God’s vengeance and recompense yet what follows is the comforting He will come and save you.

    The Psalmist instructs us not to put trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth and then parallels the comforting words of Isaiah about the healings of the blind, the deaf, the lame, and others.  

     James then asks if I really believe....well, sure, when I'm consciously aware, attentively faithful, and when in church, more or less. I have to think about what I believe, sometimes. Yet at other times I'm absolutely certain. I suddenly realize how rarely aware of how unaware of God I am in the rush of the day, the list to be completed, life whipping by at warp speed. I am all-too-often lax in the action specified in the Royal Law of scripture to love your neighbor as yourself.

     And then here is Jesus saying, "Ephphatha" ~ "Be opened." This miraculous phrase gives me a pause, a moment to breathe, an opening of my own to release me from the self-imposed binding of mindless selfishness. The writer of James is trying to open us all to act on what we say we believe; after all, aren’t actions borne out of consciousness, mindfulness, and faithfulness the keys to living out our faith in God?

     Even the Syrophoenician woman opened herself ~ in an unexpected way for a woman of her time ~ to talk back to Jesus with quite a stunning retort. Jesus was in the middle of his ministry, and he was becoming well known for his healing and preaching, sought after by his Jewish followers. Being confronted by a non-Jewish [Gentile] woman asking for her child to be healed he told her, in effect, that Jewish people [the "children"] should be fed [healed] first as it wasn't fair to throw their food [healing] to the dogs [Gentiles]. Was he merely testing her or was he in turn also opened by her candor when she replied, Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs? Jesus replied, For saying that you may go, and her child was released from the demon.

      As Jesus healed the man who was deaf and couldn't speak clearly, he also heals us. By these words we can open up to new insight, new awareness. We were created to live and act in faith, to reap the harvest of eternal life, to love and treat all our neighbors as if they were our own selves. Let us explore and re-discover the faith that becomes more conscious with every thought, with every kindness, and every action centered in Christ. It is true that the promises in Scripture of retribution for evil or an easy life for goodness aren't always seen or heard, yet even the tiniest crumbs of faith paired with good acts and obedience to God's law, will live and thrive and grow. A sentence from one of the post-Communion Prayers in the Episcopal Book of Common [page 365] sums it up quite beautifully: Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart. Ephphatha!

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ O Lord our God, rouse us from the distractions of our own time, that we may turn crumbs of neglect into seeds of generosity that blossom into love for our neighbors and ourselves. Guide us to fulfill the royal law according to Scripture and use our work in this earthly life as a reflection of our abiding belief in You.  

God of Hope and Compassion

RESPONSE:        Transform our Faith into Action          

~ O Lord our God, empower our voices to disquiet the satisfaction of those who profit from injustice, and help us turn aside such rulers of earth. Let us call for those who wield power in the halls of government on our Planet, in our Nation, and in our Community, to be true of heart, turn their trust to You, and work to ensure the dignity and humanity of all. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                God of Hope and Compassion

                                                Transform our Faith into Action

~ O Lord our God, lift up those who are bowed down through serious illness, despair, or natural disaster, and energize all who give them loving support. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                God of Hope and Compassion

                                                Transform our Faith into Action

~ O Lord our God, grant peace and comfort to those who grieve in knowing that their beloved has risen into the eternal bliss of life everlasting with You. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                God of Hope and Compassion

                                                Transform our Faith into Action

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

  

                                                God of Hope and Compassion

                                                Transform our Faith into Action                

~ O Lord our God, continually renew and excite the spirits of our earthly Shepherds as they guide, inspire, and walk with us on our journey in faith. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                God of Hope and Compassion

                                                Transform our Faith into Action

The Celebrant adds: Eternal God, open our ears to hear Your Word and release our tongues to speak our faith plainly as we seek to honor Your ways in every thought, word, and deed of our daily lives. We ask in the name of Jesus, our Glorious Christ; and the Holy Spirit, the Breath of our Souls; who together with You reign as one God from before all time and for evermore.  Amen.

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

Prayers of the People: The Heart is the Matter ~ 14th Sunday after Pentecost '21 Yr B

For Sunday, August 29, 2021, Readings: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9; Psalm 15, James 1:17-27, 

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

 …keep the commandments of the Lord your God…observe them diligently for this will show your wisdom and discernment….Take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your minds all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children. [Deuteronomy 4:2b, 6a, 9]

   Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle? Who may abide upon your holy hill? Whoever leads a blameless life and does what is right, who speaks the truth from his heart. [Psalm 15:1-2]

    Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above...let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God's righteousness...be doers of the word, and not merely hearers...care for orphans and widows in their distress...keep...unstained by the world. [James 1:17a, 19b-20, 22a, 27b]

    "Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites...You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition"...For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come... [Mark 7:6a, 8,21a]

     Our first reading this week is from Deuteronomy. The name comes from a compound word with the prefix deutero which means second, and the suffix -nomy­ which means a system of laws or rules, or a body of knowledge of a particular subject. The full word in this context means the second pronouncement of the Law¸ meaning God’s Commandments. The first appearance of the Ten Commandments is in Exodus 20:3-17, and the second is in Deuteronomy 5:6-21. In this reading, Moses is admonishing the Israelites, who like us, need continuing reminders to live in accordance with these commandments. They and we are neither to add to or subtract from them based on a human idea that this or that is no longer valid. Of course, we know that Jesus distilled them in Matthew 22:37-39: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” If you think about the Ten and all they say ~ loving God with all that is in you turns into loving the God within you and therefore loving yourself, and then, the not stealing, killing, coveting, etc. ~ truly means loving your neighbor given that we won’t steal, kill, or covet anything of a beloved neighbor. So, nothing is added or subtracted, all we need to do is observe them diligently.

     The Psalmist asks God who can live in the Tabernacle upon God’s holy hill? Those who lead a blameless life and does what is right, who speaks the truth from his heart. Again, we are given all that we need to know to do what is right.

     The writer of James tells us that it is through God's generous act of giving that we are brought to birth by the word of truth and are directed to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger...we are to be doers of the word, and not merely hearers [James 1:17a, 18a, 19, 22a]. But, as always, it is Jesus who, in quoting Isaiah, speaks bluntly to the Pharisees who make human tradition and precepts into idolatrous doctrine, as they abandon the commandments of God. He tells the rest of us by way of addressing "the crowd" that it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come... [Mark 7:14]

      This Gospel jolts me into awareness that my commitment to God has become more shallow than I am willing to admit to myself and I hearken back to Psalm 51, verses 2 and 10 in particular: Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin...Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 

      In our own time and "religious practice" when the "tradition" and ritual are the ends rather than the means to holiness, when purpose and origin are unknown or forgotten, when the music is more entertainment than worshipful, and the "why" of it is no longer mindfully considered, we have lost the integrity and intention of the worship of God  especially in daily living. We have ceased to be conscious, and have become merely hearers, not doers of God’s Word. We are desensitized, sterilized, and removed from receiving and giving the deep, abiding love of and for God, the God who gazes through the windows of our souls.   

     We are to consciously seek to deepen our relationship with God. James reminds us that our God-given purpose is to act on behalf of those in distress, and to keep ourselves unstained by the world. Committing ourselves again to God's commandments, let us welcome with meekness the implanted word that will save our souls as it goes straight to our hearts, wherein lies the voice of our Beloved. In accepting and returning the lyrics of love from, to, in, and through God, we gladly become the doers of God's Word, grace filled and soul-full. The Heart IS the matter that, when undeceived by human forgetfulness, greed, and selfishness, brings blessings, wisdom, and salvation to ourselves and to all we meet.  

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY 

Leader:  ~ O God, our God, stir our hearts with urgent generosity to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slower to anger. Awaken in us Your perfect gifts to live as doers of Your word and truth, caring for all in distress, and remaining unstained by this world.

                                                     O Lord, Most Beloved                                                        

RESPONSE:               Cleanse our hearts of evil intent

~ O God, our God, grant all who govern Your people everywhere in this Earthly realm, purity of motive and principled determination to stay free of hypocrisy and greed, while eager for justice and mercy. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord, Most Beloved

                                                       Cleanse our hearts of evil intent                                                      

~ O God, our God, release from pain those who suffer through life-threatening illness, depression, or addiction, and give strength to all who provide for their daily needs. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord, Most Beloved

                                                       Cleanse our hearts of evil intent                                                               

~ O God, our God, soothe the wounds of those who grieve, as our loved ones live again with heavenly rejoicing in the Tabernacle of Your Holy Hill. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord, Most Beloved

                                                       Cleanse our hearts of evil intent 

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

                                                       O Lord, Most Beloved

                                                       Cleanse our hearts of evil intent 

                  

~ O God, our God, quicken the spirits of all who bring us Your Word and Sacraments, that together we may move from the idolatry of mere human tradition, to the honoring of Your commandments with each thought and action of our lives. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       O Lord, Most Beloved

                                                       Cleanse our hearts of evil intent 

The Celebrant adds: Holy and Righteous Lord, so draw our hearts, so guide our wills that we always think, pray, speak, and act only through Your implanted Word that holds the power to save our souls. We ask through the perfection of Jesus, our Christ and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, who together with You, reign as One God, now and forever. Amen.

 

 

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Prayers of the People: Choosing the Right Road ~ Pentecost 13 ~ '21 Yr B

For Sunday, August 22, 2021; Readings: Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18; Psalm 34:15-22, Ephesians 6:10-20, John 6:56-69

Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. [Joshua 24:14]

    The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and will save those whose spirits are crushed. [Psalm 34:18]

    Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God…stand firm…and fasten the belt of truth around your waist…Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication.  [Ephesians 6:10-11a, 13c, 14a…18]

    Jesus said, "Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them..." When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?"...[But Jesus said to them] "It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life." [John 6:56, 60, 63]

     We begin the readings this week with Joshua calling the twelve tribes of Israel together at Shechem. The location is centrally located and signifies its importance in the history of religion and politics of Israel. Joshua already had an altar at Shechem and this gathering was a Covenant Ceremony of sorts. Joshua is testing the tribes' loyalty to God which is an important stipulation in the Covenant. Telling them if they’re unwilling to serve God they are to choose that very day the gods they will serve. They answer, Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods. Interestingly, in Genesis 35:2-4, Jacob tells his household to put away the foreign gods that are among you. Then Jacob took all the gods and hid them under the oak that was near Shechem.

     The Psalmist reminds us of the Lord’s care and attentiveness to us, especially saying that, The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and will save those whose spirits are crushed and none will be punished who trust in him. As long as we trust God and do not choose to hate the righteous we will be ransomed.

     Paul exhorts us to shield ourselves from all that could turn us away, and to Put on the whole armor of God for strength and to pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer. The description of the various articles of the armor gives us a clear depiction of the many ways we can fight against the forces of evil, but it also serves as a reminder that the armor gives us strength within ourselves to choose faithfulness and serve Jesus. 

      This week we also come to the end of the discourses of Jesus telling his followers to "eat my body and drink my blood." This piece of the paschal mystery is so difficult to comprehend that many of those who were following Jesus in his time walked away because of the seeming literalness of it. Yet many stayed and struggled and today we each reconcile ourselves to this idea in various ways. Some Christians believe in Transubstantiation at the time of the consecration, that the bread and wine on the altar become, mysteriously and mystically, the True and Actual Body and Blood of Christ. Others accept the consecration as metaphor, or, a Holy yet symbolic representation. Some denominations have no "communion" service at all but rely solely on preaching the Word. Yet the question remains, why is there so very much about BREAD over these last several weeks?

       Bread would have been understood in his time, as often in ours, as basic to everyday life. The graphic language is what is most confounding but hear it in plain and simple terms: when we consume the bread and the water, they are in us, feeding our bodies. When we consume the bread and wine as the body and blood of Christ ~  however one accepts the form as actual or symbolic ~ it represents Christ abiding within us as he tells us we are abiding in him. It is our spiritual sustenance, our soul’s food, to nourish us on our earthly journey, that culminates in eternal life through salvation. For many of us, consuming the small piece of consecrated bread and wine in the Eucharist is a physical connection to an abiding spiritual Presence. Yet when the consecrated bread is not available, as a prayer during the Consecration says in the Book of Common Prayer [pg 365], we can feed on him in our hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

      Another slightly troubling piece is when Jesus says no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father. Yet if we refer back to the Psalm above, it states clearly that God will not punish or abandon those who put their trust in him. It may be that God has the final say, but we are all invited, and we must choose to accept the invitation by loyal and faithful service.

     And, finally, Jesus asks the Twelve if they wish to go away as did Joshua with the tribes of Israel. Peter says, Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God. From those times to our times, we are still seeking to understand, to strengthen our faith, to travel the path to God in our own way and with each other. We struggle with questions and doubts and confidence in our faith. Let us strengthen ourselves to come to believe and know again and again that Jesus is our Redeemer Christ, the Holy one of God. Let us make the saving choice.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Jesus, Holy One of God, keep us sure in the strength of your power through your words of spirit and life. Fill our souls with your Bread of Heaven that we may live for eternity beyond this temporal journey.

O Lord our God

         RESPONSE:         We put our faith and trust in You          

~ Jesus, Holy One of God, guide us to fasten the belt of truth around our waists, expect and require integrity, and stand firm to proclaim the Gospel of peace and justice to all who lead the governments of this World, this Country, and this Community. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O Lord our God
                                                We put our faith and trust in You

~ Jesus, Holy One of God, we pray in the Spirit in supplication that you breathe fresh hope into all who struggle with serious illness, desperation, or addiction, and lift the hearts of those who give them care. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                O Lord our God
                                                We put our faith and trust in You          

~ Jesus, Holy One of God, stay near and lift up the brokenhearted as those we mourn live again and forever in  Your glorious Kingdom. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                O Lord our God
                                                We put our faith and trust in You

~ Jesus, Holy One of God, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions

                                                O Lord our God
                                                We put our faith and trust in You         

~ Jesus, Holy One of God, You have gifted us with disciples who do not turn away but serve You in sincerity and faithfulness, guiding us by Word and Sacrament. As Christ abides in us and we in Him, we join and journey together toward the threshold of Your Eternal House. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                O Lord our God

                                                We put our faith and trust in You

The Celebrant adds: Eternal God, draw us together to clothe ourselves in Your whole armor, nourished by the holy food and drink of Christ. With Your helmet of salvation and shield of faith, we can resist all evil, as we seek to live forever in You. We ask through Christ Jesus, the Son of Man; and the Live-Giving Spirit, who together with You, reign as One God, now and forever.    Amen.

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