Praying for my Car?!?!

Lord,
this weekend you and I 

had a prayer conversation

about my car -- my wife's car to be exact.

Yes, I was hesitant to pray for my car.

Lord,

I pray for all sorts of human and creation related issues.

I have prayed over pet kittens, dogs, and goldfish.

I have prayed for peace in times of violence, 

the courage to turn the other cheek in the face of hatred,

the grace to forgive and be forgiven.

I have prayed for the healing of the land from pollution and draught.

I have prayed for surgeries, medicines, effective treatment, and recovery.

I have enough prayed for the mercy of death when a loved one was suffering.

But, I have never prayed for my car.

Then I remembered I Peter 5:7:

"Cast all your anxieties on God because the Lord cares for you."

The car and its transmission issue have certainly caused me anxiety.

So I prayed,

"Lord, 

may this car problem turn out 

to be simple and affordable."

Monday I took the car to the dealership.

They diagnosed it quickly

and said they could repair it by the next day.

The cost was, well, 

a good bit of money,

but we could put it on 

the credit card that we use for emergencies 

and figure it out.

So, I picked the car up today.

It drives well! a good fix!

I paid the bill.

Then my wife called;

there was a check in the mail 

for more than the amount of the repair.

Coincidence? Perhaps.

Good timing? Absolutely.

God timing? Amen!

Lord,

I believe; help my unbelief!

Amen.

Prayer in times of uncertainty

Lord,
chaos and uncertainty
have always been part of family life.
Working together, parents and children

have always found ways to manage the chaos and live into uncertainty 

because of some steady rhythms of school, childcare, and work.
But even those seem to be eroding these days.

In our parenting,
help us remind our children
of our steady love and committed presence.
In our marriages,
help us remind each other
of our trust and loyalty when all else seems shaky.

And Lord,
reminded us of your steady presence and committed love,
for you are the solid rock,
the foundation that does not move or shake.
Though our worlds may crumble
and tumble into the sea,
you are the steady ground
on which our lives depend.

In this time of chaos and uncertainty,

Lord, teach us new rhythms 

of grace and patience,

of flexibility and hope,

of prayer and interdependence,

of honoring You in the ways we honor one another.

May it be so today

in my life

and in the life of the world.

Amen.

Prayer for Marriage

Lord,

today I pray for marriages. 

A good marriage takes hard work. 

A good marriage requires choosing 

the needs of the other 

over my own needs and wants.

As Paul writes,

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, 

but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. 

Let each of you look not to your own interests, 

but to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:3-4). 

Love is not a feeling, 

but rather a commitment to choose the other. 

In Jesus Christ, 

you showed us love 

by choosing us, our well-being, our redemption. 

Teach us how to choose one another, 

how to be the love Paul describes:

"Love is patient; 

love is kind; 

love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. 

Love does not insist on its own way; 

it is not irritable or resentful;

 it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 

It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Remind us, Lord, that others, 

especially young others, 

are watching us, 

learning from us. 

Help us model the kind of marriage and life 

you want for us. 

Lord, 

we ask for your help 

to make our marriages strong,

and we know you are able! 

Amen

With Reassuring Confidence

"You know more than you think you know."
I remember him saying that
with reassuring confidence in his voice.

Lord,
it was a difficult summer;
Just weeks before I had graduated from college.
I had just moved to Atlanta to start seminary.
My girlfriend had broken up with me.
I felt very alone,
and I was sitting in a lecture hall learning
Koine Greek, the language of the New Testament.

My professor,
who always seemed like he was ready
for an afternoon sailing on the lake with Jimmy Buffet,
my Greek professor would say with reassuring confidence:
"You know more than you think you know."
Having memorized a few endings,
having learned a few regular verbs in Greek,
we had the basic tools; 

we were on our way
to understanding Koine Greek
and reading the New Testament

with new ears to hear.

Lord,
I read an article today about planning for church for this fall. (see below)
The writer invited us to consider that indeed
"We know more than we think we know."
as we enter this 2nd program year of pandemic planning,

We know that church is NOT about the building;
church has always been the people.

We know how to navigate technology better,
how to lead online meetings and classes, and
how to worship in-person and online.

We know that being Christ's presence and voice 

of calm, care, prayer & comfort 

in a time of chaos and uncertainty

can and does bring hope.

Lord,

this is a difficult time too.

But I am trusting the reassuring confidence

of my professor's voice and your still small voice 

saying,

"You know more than you think you know."

 Amen.

__________

The article I read is linked below:

https://buildfaith.org/a-second-pandemic-program-year/

“Be delighted, and be a delight.”

2 Corinthians 5:14-21 

"14 For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. 15 And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.

16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view;[a] even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view,[b] we know him no longer in that way. 17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself,[c] not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

Lord,
in Bible study yesterday,
as we prayerfully discussed
what this passage was calling us to be and do,
someone offered up,

“Be delighted and be a delight.”

Lord,
that phrase keeps echoing in my mind.
"Be delighted…"
To take delight
To find delight
in your love, love for ALL others,

in your grace, grace for ALL others,
in your acceptance, acceptance of ALL others,

in your transforming my life, transforming ALL of us

to be like Christ.

"Be delighted"
by signs of your peace among us,
by daily simple gifts of life,
by the complexity of creation.

"And be a delight."
Be a delight to God
in our praise,
in our prayers,
in our generosity of time, ability, money.

Be a delight to others
in the ways we speak and greet others,
in the ways we live, love, and care for our family.
in the ways we serve the least of these,
in the ways we share God’s love with others,
especially those who we may think don’t deserve it.
None of us “deserve it” that’s why it’s called, “Grace.”

“Be delighted, and be a delight.”

Lord, I think that is a
delightful way (you knew I had to say it!)
to reorient my perspective,
my outlook.

Lord,
Help me see
what delights you in the world.
Help me live out
the delight you take in me.

May it be so
In my life, and in the life of the world
today and every day.
Amen.

Praying for Creation

 “Creator God,
Bless the tear we shed
for the resources that we have squandered. 
Bless the sigh we breathe out
for the spoilt air and atmosphere. 
Bless the head we hang
for the creatures lost and exploited.
Bless the hands we wring
for the things we have broken and wasted. 
Bless us as we lament.
Cradle us as we regret.
Restore us as we start afresh.”
--John Polhill In 'A Heart for Creation'

"You put this child, dear God" - Poem

You put this child, dear God
Into my hands today,

I the potential sculptor

He the mortal clay.

In reaching out to him I pray

That you will give me skill,

So I may help to mold him

According to your will.

Other hands have molded

Smoothed away a line,

Each one has left its mark

In efforts to refine;

As it nears completion

There's a hope in every heart,

That the finished product

Will be "A Work of Art."

-- anonymous

Lord,

a member of my church shared

the above poem with me.

On first read,

I thought about

the responsibility of raising a child,

in my case, a son.

Then my mind wondered,

"Is this a prayer that Joseph

may have prayed over raising Jesus?"

Then my mind wandered

to reflect on the Child of God within me.

Perhaps, Lord, this is a prayer

for shaping and molding

the Beloved Child of God

in each human life.

The member who shared this with me

is in his 90s

a kind remarkable humble man

full of vigor

In his laugh and his smile,

I see childlike wonder

-- maybe even mischief

and the last stanza

takes on introspection:

As life nears completion,

may it be "A Work of Art."

And I am reminded of Ephesians 2:10

"For we are God’s handiwork..."

The Greek word translated here "handiwork"

is poema.

It could equally be translated:

creation, work of art, poem, magnus opus.

Lord,

today I celebrate

the work of art you are creating me to be

and the "Work of Art"

in each human life.

Amen

Don't be fooled by the leaves

John 15:1-8

Jesus said to his disciples: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

Lord,

I often do not understand fully

your farming metaphors.

I grew up in the suburbs.

I know riding bikes and climbing trees,

not fig trees and vines.

That is until 

I lived in a house 

that came with a scuppernong vine.

Every summer

its leaves would be

lush green.

And every summer

I would be disappointed

to find very little fruit,

here and there 

maybe a grape or two,

but never a whole cluster.

If left unattended, 

grapevines can become unruly, 

and fruiting will be poor due to 

overproduction of vegetation.

It may look lush and green,

but without pruning

it will produce little fruit.

Lord,

I thought of this when I read John 15 recently.

Even if from the outside things appear healthy,

that may not really be the case.

Pruning is necessary to bear much fruit.

I think of the church:

dollars may be coming in;

people may be coming in;

things may appear healthy by outside measures,

but what about the fruit?

It is just a random grape here or there,

or is there much fruit?

Lord,

your pruning may be required.

A program at church that did not produce fruit 

(even if people liked it) might need to be pruned

in order to bear much fruit.

Things that seemed to matter so much before the COVID crisis,

might not be so central now and could be pruned back,

so that something we undervalued may grow and bear much fruit.

Lord,

Help me welcome 

your pruning work.

I know now that pruning 

is necessary and desired 

in order to bear much fruit for you.

May it be so 

in my life,

and in your church.

Amen.

Your prayers matter!

"Pray without ceasing"

I Corinthians 5:17

Lord,

I received an email 

from a member of my church recently.

Her husband's health is in decline;

COVID-19 and health concerns have kept them home-bound these days.

In her email she remembered ways she had served you through the church in the past,

then she wrote, "I cannot do much, but pray now."

Yes, she can PRAY!

And her prayers matter.

I was reminded of another conversation from 25 years ago.

A woman I met in church when I was in college.

I do not remember her name.

But what she told me has always stuck with me. 

She said, 

"I may not be able to do much, 

but I can pray. 

I pray for my church, my family, the world, 

and many other things every day. 

I do my best work on my knees in prayer." 

She was a prayer warrior.

Lord,

there are many who feel like they can't do much now.

But they can pray!
Those prayers matter.

Lord,

I call on all those who feel like they can't do much now.

I call on them to claim the role of prayer warrior.

Pray through the prayer list from church. 

Pray through your family by name. 

Pray through the church directory (new or old). 

Pray through the headlines of the newspaper.

Pray for each household in the neighborhood.

for you, O Lord, are doing great things through those prayers!

Amen.

The Spiritual Discipline of Celebrating

"Through the spiritual discipline of celebrating,
we delight in
circumstances,
relationships, and
occasions
that help us remember and anticipate
God's abundant
goodness,
creativity,
faithfulness,
beauty, and
love."
--adapted from "The Practice of Celebrating: Delight in Action" by Chris Schoon



Lord,

it's a new thought for me:
The Spiritual Discipline of Celebrating!

I have studied and practiced

the spiritual disciplines of

prayer, 

Bible reading,

worship, 

silence, 

service,

walking labyrinths,

sabbath,

hospitality,

forgiveness,

honoring the body.

But I have not thought of or read about

the Spiritual Discipline of Celebrating!

The word discipline often sounds hard, but 

a discipline of celebrating! now that sounds like fun.

We celebrate the successes of others.

We celebrate the beauty and goodness of God's creation.

We celebrate the moments of joy in life.

Beholding the colors on a butterfly’s wings; 

marveling at the intricate design of a telescope 

that allows us to see stars, planets, and galaxies; 

and even witnessing with awe the miracle of birth: 

whether human, giraffe, or sea turtle.

Lord,

renew my perspective on life.

Give me new eyes to watch for celebrations around me.

Help me celebrate with you today!

Amen.

Futuring the Church: Winter Growth

from author Katherine May on the seasons of life:

"We are in the habit of imagining our lives to be linear, a long march from birth to death in which we mass our powers, only to surrender them again, all the while slowly losing our youthful beauty. This is a brutal untruth. Life meanders like a path through the woods. We have seasons when we flourish and seasons when the leaves fall from us, revealing our bare bones. Given time, they grow again."

Source: Wintering

Lord,

I have been thinking a lot

about the future of the church,

especially the congregation I serve.

From some measurements,

we are inclined to say,

"The church is in decline."

Membership numbers are decreasing.

Members are aging, in some ways becoming less able.

Buildings are aging, needing more repairs.

In those ways, it seems the church is declining.

But that seems like looking at a tree in winter

when the leaves are gone,

when the fruit has passed,

and declaring the tree dead, only good for firewood.

Don't we know that in winter trees are still growing?

Roots going deeper,

Trunks becoming stronger,

Branches being trimmed ready for new growth,

Cells storing energy for new leaves to come bursting forth.

Perhaps it is better to say,

"This congregation is in a season of winter."

Much is happening deep within

that cannot be measured with the naked eye.

We are becoming more rooted in our faith,

through Spiritual practices,

like prayer, Bible study, giving, 

listening to the needs and hurts of the community, 

in which we live and serve.

We are drawing renewed strength from our core beliefs.

Reexamining who we are as followers of Christ.

Reexamining the neighborhood and neighbors we are called to serve.

Some things are being trimmed away.

Programs and practices that no longer support

our mission or ministry are coming to an end.

The Holy Spirit is preparing us to produce new fruit.

Lord,

remind us of the growth that comes in winter.

Give us the eyes of faith to see below the surface.

Lord,

the church is yours.

Give us faith to trust that you will bring about our winter growth.

Amen.

Halleluiah! He's coming again!

The Lord is risen! He is risen indeed!
Halleluiah! and he is coming again!


Lord,
this day calls for celebration and dancing!
This day calls for all ages, nations, races to rejoice!
You have conquered death.

Today, Lord,

"I rejoice, I am so glad
That Man that gave His all for me is coming back
Let everyone hear
Let every heart rejoice
That Man who gave His all for you is coming back"

I join my voice, my body, in praise and dancing!

Click to join this celebration in music and dance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JWFXgvXRlU

__________

The above song shared by a member of my church from Nigeria. Thank you, Ifeanyi!

Ah, Holy Jesus

"Ah, Holy Jesus"

Click the link below to listen to this hymn:
https://youtu.be/aAhMhAvzTY0

Lord,

this is one of my favorite hymns for Holy Week.

It helps me connect clearly

your suffering, your death

being for me and for my sake.

The hymn tune,

forboding and gut-wrenching,

embodies the heartfelt anguish

realizing that it was I,

I crucified you.

As I listen,

as I sing,

I am profoundly aware

of the depth of your love for me

and I am moved in awe and wonder

and gratitude to live my life for you.

May it be so this day

and all of my days.

Amen.

Jesus Died For Them - Poem by Dave Hopwood

"Jesus Died For Them"

poem by Dave Hopwood
shared from: https://www.engageworship.org/ideas/jesus-died-for-them-poem

Judas betrayed Jesus,
Peter denied Jesus,
Thomas doubted Jesus:
Jesus died for them.

Pilate rejected Jesus,
Herod taunted Jesus,
Caiaphas framed Jesus:
Jesus died for them.

The soldiers crucified Jesus,
the disciples deserted Jesus,
the people laughed at Jesus:
Jesus died for them.

Mary wept for Jesus,
the women anointed Jesus,
Joseph buried Jesus:
Jesus rose for them.

We have doubted Jesus,
we have denied Jesus,
we rejected Jesus:
but Jesus died for us.

Stay with me

"Stay with me;
Remain here with me.
Watch and pray;
Watch and pray."

Listen using the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WNY7vKiMjY

Lord,

this haunting melody,

this haunting prayer -- 

is it your prayer?

This night

as you take Peter, James and John,

as you go a stone's throw further

is this what you asked of them?

Stay with me;

Remain here with me.

Watch and pray;

Watch and pray.

Lord, 

is this your prayer?

Asking us to 

stay awake, pay attention,

attend to you in our prayers?

Stay with me;

Remain her with me.

Watch and pray;

Watch and pray.

Lord,

is this your prayer?
Asking God to

keep watch over you

as you make your way

into the depths of your suffering

and death?

Stay with me;

Remain here with me.

Watch and pray;

Watch and pray.

Lord,

is it MY prayer?

As I am faced

with the ways I betray you,

with the ways I deny you,

with the ways I run away and hide in fear.

Tonight

this is my prayer:

Stay with me;

Remain here with me.

Watch and pray;

Watch and pray.

Watch over my life;

Do not leave me to my own devices.

Rather, Lord, open the way

lead me away from temptation

and into your redemptive love.

Stay with me;

Remain here with me.

Watch and pray;

Watch and pray.

Was blind, but now I see

"Amazing grace how sweet the sound

that saved a wretch like me 

I once was lost but now am found 

was blind, but now I see."

Lord,

these words of a familiar hymn

speak to me anew today,

especially the last line:

"was blind, but now I see."

The past year 2020 put into focus

just how deep the blindness is.

The quarantine of COVID-19

reveals just how interdependent humans are:

from the contact tracing which showed our webs of connection

to global supply chains for goods,

including the materials to make, distribute, and actually give the vaccine shots

to the experience of isolation, despair, depression

from not being physically together

Fierce independence has always been a lie,

a turning from how you, Lord, made us for community.

May we never forget how much we NEED each other

in order to be fully ourselves.

The videos and images of racial violence

are tempting to shut my eyes against and 

ignore as white men, like me, have done for generations.

Lord, it is a very real temptation every day.

Power and privilege are a murderous undertow in a sea of change.

Lord,

I continue to pray for new eyes, new ears, new wisdom and new partnerships.

New eyes to really see the violence and systems

that men, like me, benefit from every day.

New ears to hear your call for change, for repentance and for reconcilliation.

New wisdom to know 

how to act out justice, 

how to embody steadfast covenant faithfulness, and 

how to walk humbly.

New partnerships -- holy friendships with those who are different.

The political division, discord, and estrangement

exhibit my country's willingness

to tear the other down in order to win

no matter what destruction, shrapnel, permanent injury, and trauma remain.

Words matter and some wounds do not heal.

Lord, we are blind to who the other is

not an ideology, not an abstraction, not a nonliving political action committee,

but a person, 

a child of God,

someone who is also the object of your affection,

the one you desire,

the one you think is worth your dying for.

Lord,

we are so blind.

This week

This Holy Week

shine your bright light.

Reveal to us the enormity of our sin.

Give us clarity of vision.

Laser focus our lives

in the sharp resolution of your redemption

so that we may turn from our destructive ways

and become repairs of the breach.

May it be so

in my life and in the life of the world

today and every day.

Amen.

________

The above prayer was inspired by the text I received recently from my mother following her laser eye surgery. She wrote, "Laser eye surgery quick and successful. I can see!!!"

The Way of Suffering

"The Via Dolorosa"

The Way of Suffering

photo by Gali Tibbon /AFP/Getty Images

Lord,
As you make your way,
as we follow you on the way,

you lead us

through pain, betrayal, abandonment,

suffering, false accusations, defamation, 

injustice, whipping, torture,

all the way to the lynching tree.

In your suffering and death,

we witness the worst of our own humanity -

the evil one human does to another human.

Lord,

I would have hoped

we would have learned to turn from such evil.

However,

Concentration camps were still built.

Lynchings still continue.

Gynocide is still a reality.

Humans still do evil to other humans.

And even more troubling,

the church, your church, 

the embodiment of Jesus Christ on earth

has been complicit

explicitly or silently in all of it.

Lord,

I wouldn't blame you

if you walked away from it all.

But amazingly you don't.

You keep walking the way of pain;

you keep leading us;

you keep beckoning us to follow you.

Forgive us, Lord.

Redeem us, Lord.

Do not give up on us, Lord.

Transform us, Lord,

so that we will embody your reconciling love

that brings about peace, justice, and well-being.

Make it so today

and in every day of my life.

Amen.

What a Mess

Mark 11:15-17

15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

What a mess, Lord!

The coins rolling everywhere.

Someone's going to have to count those.

Feathers from the doves and

other mess from the doves too

Someone's going to have to clean that up.

Tables and benches everywhere.

Merchandise left unattended.

What a mess.

But that's not the mess you see,

is it?

You see the mess of our worship.

Twisting a time of prayer

into business connections.

Corrupting communion with you

into being seen by others.

Falsifying fellowship with the people of God

into social standing.

Come, Lord Jesus,

and turn the tables again.

Upset the status quo.

Call us back to

being a people of prayer.

Make your sanctuary once again

a house of prayer for all nations.

Make it so!

Amen.

He had a plan - Palm Sunday

Mark 11:1-8

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’”

4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.

7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields.

Lord,
I have always thought
you just foreknew that the colt would be there.
I assumed it was part of 

the omniscience - all-knowing -- of God.

Maybe.

But this year, I have a new thought:

You planned for the colt to be there.

You had sent word ahead

that you were coming and would need an animal.

You had made arrangements.

Makes sense.

In Luke's gospel, you are quoted saying:

"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower.

Won’t you first sit down

and estimate the cost

to see if you have enough money to complete it?" Luke 14:28

You had a plan.

It even seems your disciples planned ahead,

"others spread branches they had cut in the fields."

I guess I have assumed they just cut from what was at hand.

Now I see, they brought the branches with them

or at least had gathered them along the way intentionally.

This was no spur-of-the-moment parade. 

You had a plan.

The King of peace

riding into Jerusalem

on a donkey colt.

The One coming to depose empire

through peaceful means

and bring about the peace of God

that surpasses understanding.

You had a plan all along.

Now I see it.

Ride on, O King of Peace,

and bring your peace about

in my life and in the life of the world!

Amen.

One Year with COVID

written by by Traci Smith, used by permission www.traci-smith.com

A Prayer Marking One Year of Pandemic Life, for All Ages

God,

you are with us all the time. 

All the time you are with us.

Today we remember: 

We remember how things used to be. 

We remember how many things we have gone through. 

We remember things we missed and people we lost.

Today we hope: 

We hope for healing. 

We hope for vaccines. 

We hope for wisdom.

Today we share: 

We share smiles with one another. 

We share our joys and our sorrows. 

We share our dreams for the future.

God,

you are with us, all the time. 

All the time, you are with us. 

Be with us as we remember, hope, and share.

Amen.

Feeling Whole

Lord,
this week many have asked me how I am doing...

my best answer, my most honest answer has been:
Today I almost feel whole.

Then I began to wonder...

what does it mean to feel whole?

At first, I thought it meant healed.

Then perhaps, it means complete.

The more I reflect on "whole"

its meaning includes complete healing, perhaps,

but it also includes the fullness of life.

The fullness of life for each of us is different I am sure.

Lord,

what does it mean for me to be whole, 

to be in the fullness of life?

For me, 

being whole includes enjoying creation: 

being outside among the birds and beasts, 

flowers and trees, 

rocks and creeks.

Being whole includes being healthy:

eating good and good for me foods,

exercising and getting stronger.

Being whole includes creating:

writing poetry, writing prayers, 

making music, making art.

Being whole includes loving:

my wife, my son, 

my parents, my brother, my family.

Being whole includes being with others:

friends, colleagues, 

at conferences, on retreats, in phone calls.

Being whole includes: 

laughing, dancing, praying, believing, resting.

Being whole means 

celebrating the gift that I am and the gift of others.

Being whole means 

the light of Christ shining in me 

honoring the light of Christ shining through others.

Today, 

I almost feel whole.

In you, O Lord, 

I am whole.

Today I choose

"wholly" living!

Amen.

A Prayer for Healing

O God,

we pray for healing, for health, and for whole-ness

for each and for all.

We pray for those in the throes of illness.

We pray for those recovering from surgery.

We pray for those awaiting surgery, test results, and treatment.

O Healing One,

we ask for effective treatment, wise decision making, and fullness of recovery.

Use doctors, nurses, therapists, family members, 

medicines, vaccines, and rest 

to do your healing work.

In the strong name of Jesus Christ,

we pray.

Amen. 

The Unused Gift of Christmas

written on Epiphany, January 6, 2021

Matthew 2:1-12

1 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:


6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” 9 When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

Lord,

today I am reflecting on the gifts the Magi gave:

Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh.

Gold

a precious metal,

valuable.

Perhaps Mary used it to buy what was needed;

perhaps to pay for the room in the house (see vs 11).

Gold -- a gift for a king, the Messiah!

Frankincense

a perfume,

an incense used in worship. (see Exodus 30:34-35)

Perhaps Mary took it to the temple to consecrate the child;

perhaps to cover the other smells a baby makes.

Frankincense -- a gift for the divine, the Son of God!

Myrrh

a fragrant spice,

an embalming spice used at burial.

Perhaps Mary kept this gift;

perhaps she would find it hidden in a drawer

and be filled with dread by its scent 

reminded of the future that awaited her son.

Perhaps three decades later, 

Mary and the other women prepared it to anoint the dead body.

But it would not be needed.

The used gift of Christmas.

Myrrh -- a gift for the dead... but the Lord is Risen!

He is Risen Indeed!

Lord,

I wonder if Mary kept the Myrrh.

I wonder if the smell brought her a whole host of memories --

the angel's visit,

the trip to Bethlehem,

the night of his birth -- stable and shepherds and all,

the visit of the Magi and their gifts,

the joys and worries of watching him grow,

the power of his preaching,

the marvel of his healing,

the depth of his suffering,

her pain at his death,

the wonder of his rising.

Lord,

thank you for the unused gift of Christmas.

Help me live into its resurrection hope!

Amen.

__________

The above reflection/prayer was inspired by listening to the offering today of Pray As You Go.

https://pray-as-you-go.org/player/prayer/2021-01-06

Sharing A Prayer for the New Year

I read this prayer online today and found it helpful:

God of all time,
help us enter the New Year quietly,
thoughtful of who we are to ourselves and to others,
mindful that our steps make an impact
and our words carry power.
May we walk gently.
May we speak only after we have listened well.

Creator of all life,
help us enter the New Year reverently,
aware that you have endowed
every creature and plant, every person and habitat
with beauty and purpose.
May we regard the world with tenderness.
May we honor rather than destroy.

Lover of all souls,
help us enter the New Year joyfully,
willing to laugh and dance and dream,
remembering our many gifts with thanks
and looking forward to blessings yet to come.
May we welcome your lavish love.
In this new year, may the grace and peace of Christ bless us now and in the days ahead.

- written by Vinita Hampton Wright; offered by Douglas Ruschman

shared from: https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/new-years-prayers#Help%20Us%20Enter%20the%20New%20Year