Pause for Prayer: THURSDAY 7/29

For the record...

 

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NIGHT PRAYER: Wednesday 7/29

 

July 29 used to be the Feast of Saint Martha but 5 years ago Pope Francis expanded the feast to include Martha's siblings: Mary and Lazarus. The gospels indicate that the members of this family trio were special friends of Jesus.  You'll remember Jesus stopping in for dinner with them and how, when Lazarus died,  his sisters sent for Jesus - who was late to the funeral - but raised Lazarus from the dead when he finally got there!

 

It's good for us to remember that Jesus who loved all, also had especially close friends, including: the twelve apostles, his closest collaborators; John, often referred to as "the disciple whom Jesus loved; and Martha, Mary and Lazarus. Our prayer tonight (which I've enjoyed updating) celebrates the gift of friendship...

How fine the gift of friendship, Lord!

    Good friends, old friends,

    new friends, work friends,

    wise friends, fun friends, 

    casual friends, life-long friends,

    childhood friends, college friends,

    soul friends, cousin friends, 

    family friends, loyal friends, 

    mentor friends, group friends, 

    friends next door and virtual friends,

    true friends, honest friends, 

    school friends, social friends,

    best friends, long-distance friends,

    friends in faith, FaceBook friends

    and the we-should-get-together

        but-sadly-never-do friends...

How fine the gift of friendship, Lord! 

 

I'm grateful, Lord, for all my friends:

    friends who have my back,

    friends who always remember me,

    friends who never let me down,

    friends who always have time for me,

    generous friends

        who never count the cost, 

    friends who tell me the truth,

    friends I rely on,

    friends I depend,

    friends I count on... 

 

And thank you, Lord, for friends:    

    who pardon and forgive me,

    who praise me and critique me,

    who pray for me and stay with me,

    who always save a place for me,

    who wait for me when I am late,    

    who comfort me in sad times,

    who share my every joy,

    who live within my heart of hearts,

    whose patience with me knows no end, 

    whose very hearts are home to me...

 

I thank you for my closest friends,

    friends as fine as purest gold,

whose love and prayer and sacrifice

    draw me to you, 

the very best of all my friends:

    my Savior and my Lord...

 

Take some time here

    to lift in prayer, by name

the friends for whom

    you pray tonight...

 

Lead me to befriend the friendless, Lord,

    and make me a friend to others 

        as you're a friend to me...

Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake

    and watch over me while I sleep

that awake, I might keep watch with you

    and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

 

Two songs for our prayer this evening... The first was released 14 years ago but it's lyrics fit our own times very well, reminding us of our friendship with Jesus.  The second is a well known piece from Carole King, reminding us of how precious and sacred is the gift of friendship.

Jesus, Friend of Sinners by Casting Crowns

   cover by Chinedu Gboof, 

        featuring Johnny Drille

 

If a video doesn't appear below, click here! 

 

 

Jesus, friend of sinners, we've strayed so far away
We've cut down people in Your name
But the sword was never ours to swing
Oh, Jesus, friend of sinners
The truth's become so hard to see
The world is on their way to You
But they are trippin' over me

 

Always lookin' around, but never lookin' up
I'm so double minded
A plank eyed saint with dirty hands
And a heart divided

 

Oh, Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world
At the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh, Jesus, friend of sinners
Break our hearts for what breaks Yours

 

Yeah, (yeah), yeah

Jesus, friend of sinners
The one who's writing in the sand
Made the righteous turn away
And the stones fall from their hands

Help us to remember we are all the least of these
Let the memory of Your mercy
Bring Your people to their knees

 

Nobody knows what we're for
Only what we're against 

When we judge the wounded
What if we put down our signs
Crossed over the lines and love like You did?

 

Chorus

 

You love every lost cause
You reach for the outcast
For the leper and the lame
They're the reason that You came

Lord, I was that lost cause 
And I was the outcast
But You died for sinners just like me
A grateful leper at Your feet

 

'Cause You are good, oh, You are good
And Your love endures forever...

 

You've Got A Friend by Carole King

If a video doesn't appear below, click here! 

 

  

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NIGHT PRAYER: Tuesday 7/28

At sunset, dusk and twilight, 

in the evening, nighttime, bedtime, Lord,
we turn and lift our hearts to you
as day slips into nightclothes
and we slip into bed...

I'd guess that since the moon first shone
on those of us on earth,
we've turned at night to you, in prayer,
to drop into your waiting lap 
the troubles and the trials 
we've carried through the day...

For how many tens of thousands of years, Lord,
have your children come to you at night
to snuggle in your strong, warm arms,
asking for a bedtime tale,
a story of your love,

of how you've rescued and you've saved us 
from the things we fear the most...

This day's done and here we are, Lord:
lining up with all your children 
stretching back through history:
waiting for your blessing, 
waiting for a goodnight kiss,
waiting 'til you tuck us in 
and tell us one more time, 
how much we're loved,
how safe we are 
and how you'll be there in the morning
when we rise...

Protect us, Lord, while we're awake

    and watch over us as we sleep,

that awake, we might keep watch with you

    and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

Tonight's song is a very old hymn: its lyrics date from the 3rd century and the tune (Jesu Dulcis Memoria) is from the 12th century. In Greek it's the Phos Hilaron, an ode to Christ, our Light in the darkness, the Light no darkness can extinguish. Imagine how many burdens God's children have laid at his feet, singing this hymn, over all those centuries...

O Radiant Light performed by OCP Session Choir

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O radiant Light, O Sun divine  
Of God the Father's deathless face,  
O image of the light sublime  
That fills the heav'nly dwelling place.   

O Son of God, the source of life,  
Praise is your due by night and day.  
Our happy lips must raise the strain 
 Of your esteemed and splendid name.  

Lord Jesus Christ, as daylight fades,  
As shine the lights of eventide,  
We praise the Father with the Son,  
The Spirit blest, and with them one.
 

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NIGHT PRAYER: Monday 7/27

Two of my high school classmates went home to God last week. Each loss is great but two in such a short time makes it even more difficult.   In a class of '65 text group, one member wrote, "What's going on?  This is hard..."  In response, I wrote and shared a prayer which I'm offering to you this evening...

We’re at that time in our lives
when the friends we grew up with,  

people we loved so much and held so dear,
who shaped and shared
our best and fondest memories:
    now they’re going home to you, Lord,
    and leaving us behind… 

We shouldn’t be surprised,

we knew this time would come

but  what long seemed far away

is now so close to hand

and demanding

what we find so hard to do:

to let go into your hands, Lord,

into your everlasting peace,

   the greatest gifts you gave us,

   the treasures of our hearts…

 

We hope, we pray, we trust, Lord,

that they are now with you,

that in your kindness and your mercy

you’ve brought them home to heaven:

   home to where they came from,

   your heart, your love, your arms…

 

And the time will come for us, Lord,

as it has for those we miss,

time at last to leave behind us

all we've known and all we've loved, 

and to fall into your warm embrace,

your mercy and your peace,

there to greet again and meet again

the treasures of our hearts:

   all together, once again,

   in the home you are for us… 

Protect us, Lord while we're awake

    and watch over us while we sleep

that awake, we might keep watch with you

    and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen. 

 

Tonight's song is a contemporary musical setting of a poem by George Matheson, a blind, 19th century Scottish minister, scholar and poet.  This setting includes the first and third of Matheson's 4 stanza poem, O Love.  I've included the whole poem (along with the poet's note on the piece) following the video.

 

 O Love That Will Not Let Me Go

  by Elaine Hagenberg

    performed by Beckhorst Singers

      lyrics from a hymn by George Matheson 

  

If a video doesn't appear below, click here!

 

 

 

 Matheson's comment on O Love and all four verses...

 

 My hymn was composed . . . on the evening of the 6th of June, 1882, when I was 40 years of age. I was alone in the manse at that time. It was the night of my sister’s marriage, and the rest of the family were staying overnight in Glasgow. Something happened to me, which was known only to myself, and which caused me the most severe mental suffering. The hymn was the fruit of that suffering. It was the quickest bit of work I ever did in my life. I had the impression of having it dictated to me by some inward voice rather than of working it out myself. I am quite sure that the whole work was completed in five minutes, and equally sure that it never received at my hands any retouching or correction . . . this came like a dayspring from on high.

O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in Thee;
I give Thee back the life I owe,
That in Thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

O Light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to Thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in Thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to Thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from Thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.

~ George Matheson   

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Monday Morning Offering: 7/27

Image: George Mendoza

The way of the fool seems right in his own eyes
   but he who listens to advice is wise...

 - Proverbs 12 

Good morning, good God!

O Lord,

    you see everything I do 
       and everything I fail to do;
    still, you pardon and forgive me
       and always take me back...

Trusting in your mercy, then,
   I'm here and boldly ask:

"When in this day's course, Lord,

    will I play the fool again?"

 

When will I be foolish

    in my thinking, in my thoughts,

    in my dreams and schemes and plans,

    in my daydreams and delusions,

    in my self-evaluation? 

 

When will I be foolish 

    in my idle conversations,

    in my rumoring and gossip,

    in my cutting, mean remarks

    in half-truths, lies and fibs?

 

When will I be foolish,

    imprudent, careless, silly;

    in what I do and fail to do,

    in how I impede progress

    or fail to foster growth? 

     

When, today, O Lord

    will I fail to seek and heed 

the wisdom you will offer

     in my thoughts, my words, my deeds? 

It only takes a moment
   to tune you out 

and fail to hear you whisper:

    here's what wise and true and just...

It takes me but a second
   to forget what's right
and choose instead 

    what soothes and pleases me...

 

I'm a dunce to have in heart

    you wisdom and your counsel

and yet play the fool, so often

    and make the reckless choice... 

 

Trusting in your mercy, then,
   I'm here and boldly ask:

"When in this day's course, Lord,

    will I play the fool again?"

Help me see my foolish ways
   and hear my foolish words
and keep me from my foolish deeds

    lest I do any harm...

 

I offer my desire, then

    to end my foolish ways

and my earnest hope to smarten up

    and follow where you lead...

  

 Amen.

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Pause for Prayer: SUNDAY 7/26

Image source

 

I love the little things others do for me, Lord,
    things that really make my day!

 

But I think I too often overlook, 

I miss, I just don't see

all the little things YOU do for me:
    I forget that all gifts, large and small,
    come from your heart - into mine...

 

It's so easy for me, 

each day, 

to miss all the ways you:
   whisper your word in my heart
   open my eyes to beauty
   lead my mind to the truth
   help me make the right choice
   give me the strength to go on
   show me the path to take
   give me a second chance
   open my eyes to what's just
   lift me up when I'm feeling down
   restore my trust when I'm filled with doubt
   forgive me again and again and again
   calm my troubled heart
   invite me to walk by your side
   touch my heart with your healing
   send me your Spirit's wisdom
   steer me away from trouble
   never, ever, leave my side
   give me a reason to smile
   draw me out of my fear
   nudge me to do the next right thing
   lead me to trust in your love
   call me to time with you in prayer...

 

Actually 

    - these aren't small things at all, Lord!

 

All of them are

    important

    gracious

    delightful 

    saving

    kind

    generous

    amazing things

you do for me,

all the time,

many more times than I can count... 

 

Still, all too often, Lord, I overlook, 

I miss, I just don't see
so many things you do for me, 

large and small,

come from your heart into mine...

So open me, Lord,
to all the blessings, all the gifts

you'll offer me today:
little things you do for me 

- that aren't so small at all...

Amen.

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Finding your heart's desire - and following its path...

Finding your heart's desire... and following the path of your heart's desire: a life long piece of work...  That's what my homily this weekend today's Sunday's scriptures - especially the story of Solomon's dream and God's extravagant offer. A video of my homily is above and here's the text. (If a video doesn't appear above, click here!)

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / 

Can you imagine?

Can you imagine God coming to you in a dream as he came to Solomon? And in your dream, God says to you, “Ask for whatever you want. I'll give it to you!”

 

What would you ask for? What first came to your mind when I just asked that question? What's at the top of your wish list? What's the most important item on your bucket list? How would you respond to the Lord's offer? 

 

Do you remember how Solomon responded? He said, “Look, God, you made me king, but I'm too young, and I'm inexperienced. I don't know how to be a king. And there are so many people, it's all too much.”  And you can imagine Solomon saying, “God, let somebody else be king. Give me an easier job at the palace.”

 

And maybe, maybe that's how we'd answer the Lord's invitation as well. I can imagine folks saying (I know times in my own life when I might have said that) “Oh, God, look at my life! It’ too much! It's not what I was prepared for. It's not what I wanted. It's not what I expected. Too many problems, too many disappointments. You want to do something for me, God? Here's what you can do: just make my life a little easier, a little simpler, a little happier!”

 

But Solomon didn't ask for a happier life. He didn't ask God to make the Israelite people, over whom he was king - he didn't ask to make the Israelites a better people, or a more orderly people, or people more obedient. Rather, Solomon asked, “Lord, just give me an understanding heart, to help me distinguish between right and wrong, so I can govern your people as you want me to govern them.”

 

And how did God answer him? God said, “I will do as you requested. Because...” (There's a hitch!) “I will do as you requested BECAUSE...”   

 

See, God is really smart. He's not gonna give away the store to Solomon - in a dream. He's not gonna give away the store to you and me, either. God told Solomon, “I will do as you requested BECAUSE you didn't ask for a long life for yourself. You didn't ask for wealth or riches. You didn't ask me to make you successful or happy. You didn't ask me to make you a king who defeats all his enemies. No, Solomon - you asked me for an understanding heart so that you can know what is right to do - and have the wisdom to DO - the next right thing."

 

It's really important for you and me to consider this story very seriously. 

 

And not just Solomon's story, but also the three short parables in today's gospel:   

• The one about what we truly treasure and want to keep in our lives.   

• The one about the pearl of great price that we're willing to give up everything for.   

• The one about deciding which fish to toss back, and which fish to keep.

 

With different images and examples and metaphors, all of today's scriptures are getting at the same three questions.

 

FIRST question… What is my heart's desire? What in my heart-of-hearts is most important to me? What do I treasure? What do I most want? And what do I really need?

 

SECOND question.. What's the path of my heart's desire? What kind of path has my heart's desire mapped out for me? Where has it taken me? Where is it leading me?

 

And turning things around a bit, the THIRD question… What is God's desire for me? What path has God charted to lead my heart to his? What does God (God who knows everything I want and everything I truly need) - what does God ask of me?

 

Now, some of us here today will hear those questions and consider them in retrospect. We're old enough to look back on our lives and how our hopes and dreams and desires have shaped our lives - look back on the often disappointing, joyful, crazy, zigzag paths down which we have walked in pursuing our heart's desires.

 

And we hope, and we pray, and we have every reason to trust - that the Lord is still making that offer. The Lord is still saying to us, no matter how old we are, “Ask for what you want, and I'll give it to you.” We can likewise hope, and pray, and trust that if we ask for it, God will still give us wise and understanding hearts:  to discern, to discover, and to choose what's the next right thing to do - at 59, 69, or 79, or 89 years of age.

 

Others of us here today are still in the process of discerning our heart's desires, of finding and making our way down the paths where our heart's desires are leading us. Young folks… and you younger folks can also hope and pray and trust that: if you ask for it, and open yourselves to it, and if you desire it - God will give YOU a wise and understanding heart - and maybe you'll be able to avoid some of the twists and turns and ups and downs that us old timers have taken.

 

I have no doubt about this: God visits each of us and offers over and over again, as he offered to Solomon, “Ask for what you want, and I will give it to you.”

 

And… but… there's the hitch: God doesn't give away the store. If we ask for what we need - if we ask - not to escape our present circumstances - but to have in our minds and hearts the wisdom and understanding we need to deal with, to work through, to live through the nitty gritty reality of where our paths have led us --- then God will give us what we asked for: offering each of us the grace and the will, the love and the strength, to choose and to decide, to do the next right thing.

 

You know, I'm always aware in my preaching of when I'm saying things that may sound too spiritual - or very impractical. And I think this homily just might be one of those times. You might be sitting there saying, “Yeah, that's nice…”

 

So let me close with something St. Paul said to us in the second reading today, when he wrote, “All things work together for the good, for those who love God…    ALL things WORK TOGETHER for the GOOD, for those who love God.

 

I'm gonna presume that, just by your presence here today: you are people who love God.

 

What we struggle with, and often forget or miss, is that even and especially in the midst of all our difficulties and problems, our pain and our sorrow, our defeats and our disappointments - even in the midst of all that - GOD loves US.

 

But he's not gonna give away the store for us… 

 

We are the people who worship in the shadow of the Cross. The Father didn't rescue Jesus, his son, from his suffering - but rather walked with him - through it. While Jesus - with all the wisdom and love in his heart - Jesus followed the path of his heart’s desire: his desire to give away everything, even his life -for you and for me.

 

In your dreams, in your prayers, in your quiet moments, in your troubles, and your tears, and your fears: the Lord is always saying to you and to me,
“Ask for what you want. I will give it you.”

 

May we all ask for, may we all pray for, may we all desire - wise and understanding hearts - that in discerning and walking the path of our heart's desire, God will give us, always, the grace to know and to choose and to do - the next right thing.

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