Bulletin Reflections and Prayers; July

JULY 7

REFLECTION:

            From time to time, we can get stuck in our heads, our own way of thinking. If our way is the right way, the best way - in fact the ONLY way! - we may miss out on alternatives that God is showing us. Our need to be right can overshadow an opportunity to grow in faith.

            This was the case with Naaman in today's first reading: a man so consumed with entitlement that he openly rejects a suggested solution to his suffering. His ego led to resistance, from his anger he imagined pathetic excuses to avoid even trying the cleansing. It was only when his pride was put aside that he was able to receive grace and healing, as his body and spirit were restored.

            How wonderful a lesson for us to move beyond ourselves, to journey in faith as we seek spiritual health! it is in putting aside our own pride that we open ourselves to receive the gifts of spiritual wholeness and restoration.

PRAYERS:

(In peace let us pray to the Lord, saying, “Lord, hear our prayer.”) 

We pray for all who confess the name of Christ: fill us with the power of your Holy Spirit, encourage us to love you with our whole beings, and serve you with a quiet and discerning heart. 

We pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

For all in danger, for those who are far from home, prisoners, exiles, victims of oppression: grant them your salvation. Give us the strength to see the suffering of the world and to respond with loving compassion. 

We pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

We ask traveling mercies for those who travel by land, water, or air. We ask your guidance in welcoming guests and tourists to our home town, that we may present the best of Christian love and charity.

We pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for good weather and abundant harvests for all to share; we pray for those working to feed us from the sea and the land. 

We give thanks for those celebrating vacation and rest, and for those working long hours in this summer season.

We pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

For all who are facing trials and difficulties, for those who are sick, and those who are dying: we ask you to show them your kindness and mercy. Support those who journey alongside all those in any distress.

We pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for one another: may we always be united in service and love. Help us to seek out those who need help, and be inspired to share of our gifts and skills that all may be comfortable.

We pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray to be forgiven our sins and set free from all hardship, distress, want, war, and injustice; we pray that we will use our good fortune to lessen the suffering of others.

We pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

May we discover new and just ways of sharing the goods of the earth, struggling against exploitation, greed, or lack of concern: may we all live by the abundance of your mercies and find joy together. 

We pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

Remind us, O God, to recall our abundant blessings. As you lavish your grace upon us, help us to be thankful and live in a spirit of gratitude.

We pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

May we be strengthened by our communion with all Christ’s saints. 

We pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

JULY 14

REFLECTION: The End Game

            From time to time, we can get stuck in our heads, our own way of thinking. If our way is the right way, the best way - in fact the ONLY way! - we may miss out on alternatives that God is showing us. Our need to be right can overshadow an opportunity to grow in faith.

            This was the case with Naaman in today's first reading: a man so consumed with entitlement that he openly rejects a suggested solution to his suffering. His ego led to resistance, from his anger he imagined pathetic excuses to avoid even trying the cleansing. It was only when his pride was put aside that he was able to receive grace and healing, as his body and spirit were restored.

            How wonderful a lesson for us to move beyond ourselves, to journey in faith as we seek spiritual health! it is in putting aside our own pride that we open ourselves to receive God's gifts of spiritual wholeness and restoration.

PRAYERS:

Focusing on the deep desire of our hearts, to better align ourselves with God's will, we respond to the petition

"Hear us, good Lord," with "Lord hear our prayer."

Deliver us, we pray, from all spiritual blindness, pride, and self-importance; free us from anger, envy, and closed-heartedness.

Hear us, good Lord,

Lord hear our prayer.

Strengthen all in authority; recalling our Queen and the Royal Family, our Prime Minister, Premier, Mayor, and all who serve in government. Guide their hearts to serve with justice and peace.

Hear us, good Lord,

Lord hear our prayer.

We ask your blessing upon our beloved Fred as he transitions to a much deserved retirement; we ask you to grant wisdom and peace to Primate-Elect Linda Nicholls, that she may faithfully serve your church. Guide the Diocese of Huron in their time of change.

Hear us, good Lord,

Lord hear our prayer.

God of compassion, we ask for your Holy Spirit to embrace the hearts of all the delegates at General Synod, as they are in the midst of the intense meetings may their discernment and discussion be done with grace and in love.

Hear us, good Lord,

Lord hear our prayer.

Bring comfort to the brokenhearted and solace to the rejected; provide safety to those feeling hopeless, especially our LGBTQ2+ siblings and allies. Strengthen our compassion as your holy church to provide a loving and inclusive home, where all your children benefit as heirs of your grace, sacrament, and love.

Hear us, good Lord,

Lord hear our prayer.

We ask you to grant to your people unity in their lives, dignity in their employment, rest in their leisure, and enlightenment in their journey. Assist all those who are in danger, have mercy on those who travel, inspire us into loving service.

Hear us, good Lord,

Lord hear our prayer.

Grant spiritual health to those who are sick and infirm, and peace to those who are dying. Comfort the afflicted, empower the caregivers, support the devastated.

Hear us, good Lord,

Lord hear our prayer.

As we ask you to strengthen our faith that we may delight in your service, we offer our thanksgivings for the abundant blessings showering on us. Open our hearts to the beauty of your truth.

Hear us, good Lord,

Lord hear our prayer.

Stir up in our hearts a spirit of gratitude and prayer, of faithfulness and praise; that all we do may bring you greater glory, now and forever.

Hear us, good Lord,

Lord hear our prayer.

JULY 21

REFLECTION:

This morning we welcome Kathy Lucking to share a message of good news about the Madagascar School Project. The success of the project in its 12 years is astonishing, bringing education, nutrition, and life skills to an ever-increasing number of students. The Project also addresses issues of reforestation, sustainable energy, health, micro-finance and economic stability, farming, and teacher training. It is an inspiring message of hope and joy in a country of 22 million where 2/3 of the people live below the $1/day poverty line. Welcome Kathy!

PRAYERS:

Let us pray with confidence to the Lord, saying, “Lord hear our prayer.”

O Lord, guard and direct your Church in the way of unity, service, and praise; help us to overcome all that divides us that we may serve you with our whole hearts.

We pray:

Lord, hear our prayer.

Give to all nations an awareness of the unity of the human family; inspiring us to share love that transcends geo-political boundaries.

We pray:

Lord, hear our prayer.

Cleanse our hearts of the prejudice and selfishness that we confess to bear, and inspire us to both desire and act for what is right.

We pray:

Lord, hear our prayer.

In this time of climate crisis, teach us to use your creation for your greater praise, that all may share the good things you provide; now and in generations to come.

We pray:

Lord, hear our prayer.

Protect all who call Lunenburg home; bless all who travel here; preserve those who work on the sea, encourage those who serve our guests.

We pray:

Lord, hear our prayer.

Strengthen all who give their energy or skill for the healing of those who are sick in body or in mind; that they may minister with compassion and kindness to the vulnerable in their care.

We pray:

Lord, hear our prayer.

Set free all who are bound by fear and despair; that they may find your peace enfolding their hearts, and support through your people.

We pray:

Lord, hear our prayer.

Grant a peaceful end and eternal rest to all who are dying, and your comfort to those who mourn.

We pray:

Lord, hear our prayer.

JULY 28

REFECTION:

            In today's Gospel passage, the disciples ask Jesus "Lord, teach us to pray." These were friends of Jesus who had been following him for some time - prayer was not unknown to them. Clearly, they were not hoping to develop a new skill, but to seek a way to enhance their ongoing and daily communication with God.

            Prayer, for the disciples (and all of us), is meant to be a means to improve our relationship with God, with hopes to better align their lives with the will of the divine. It encourages us to continually open ourselves to the Spirit in our lives, to read and pray over scripture so that we are continually reaching new understanding of God in the world and in one another.

            Jesus' perfect response to his followers is to pray more: more often, more deeply, more personally, more vulnerably. It indicates that we can never have too much prayer, or too much connection with God. How refreshing to be reminded that through the simple and poignant daily practice of prayer, we are being engaged in a mystical dance with the Holy One.

            Lord, teach us to pray!

PRAYERS:

Let us pray in faith to God our Father, to his Son Jesus Christ, and to the Holy Spirit, saying, “Lord, hear our prayer."

Living God, for your Church throughout the world, for our Primate Linda and our Archbishop Ron; we ask the riches of your grace.

We pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

For all who proclaim the word of truth, for those struggling to follow the way of Christ, and for those who have never known the beauty of the Gospel, we ask you to grant your infinite wisdom.

We pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

We ask blessings and strength for Elizabeth our Queen, for Justin our Prime Minister, and for all who govern the nations, that they may strive for justice and peace.

We pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

We ask for your blessing on this community; for all who live here, work here, and visit here; that we greet one another with compassion and love.

We pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

May your light shine in the work of those who strive to protect your creation, that their efforts may respect and benefit all of the glory you have made.

We pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

We ask your loving care on all who are sick in mind, body, or spirit; and upon those who love them, and those who care for them.

We pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

May all who have passed from this life in faith and obedience be granted eternal rest, and may those who mourn be embraced by your comfort.

We pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

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Sermon, Pentecost +5: The Parable of the Good Samaritan and the Marriage Canon

Luke 10.25-37

            I once had a Spiritual Director who didn't tell me what to do: instead he kept asking me questions. At first it was frustrating, as I didn't see the gift of it. He was helping me to journey more deeply into my spiritual life. "I'm not doing your deep diving" he would say. As such, by not giving me the easy answers, I learned to be more intentional about exploring how God was speaking to me through my thoughts, prayers, and ministry.

            This is not a new technique: in fact, it's what Jesus uses here. Ever the teacher, he is not quizzing the lawyer for an easy answer, but inviting him to a more thorough reflection on the individual implications connected to that easy answer, and the subsequent call to action.

            By reciting the Shema (love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love your neighbour as yourself) we see that the lawyer and Jesus are both educated in the tradition. But when the lawyer asks "Who Is My Neighbour?," things go deep. It would have been easy for Jesus to say "everyone. Love everyone; no exceptions." But, then it's not a personalized faith experience for the lawyer. So instead, Jesus offers the parable of the Good Samaritan.

            At the surface, this is one of those feel-good stories, where we easily assign roles to characters. Hurt man in ditch: victim; priest and Levite: secondary characters who are there for negative example; Samaritan, good guy. Great! That's easy. Be like the good Samaritan, and it will all be lovely.

            And yet... we need to go deeper, beyond the simplified Sunday School version we know. We are being called to reflect more fully on the meaning of the parable to us today. This is where that self-reflection and contemplation come in - when we realise that we're not always the Good Samaritan in our own story. At times, we are - both individually and collectively - everyone else in the narrative.

            Let's first consider the priest and the Levite - the men who walk on by. Some may explain their actions due to ritual impurity or law, etc., yet... this does not fit with their own teachings. The Torah had taught them to care for the vulnerable - and they chose not to. Interestingly, as theologian Amanda Brobst-Renaud describes, the rationale for their choice is not explained by Jesus or Luke... and the lawyer doesn't ask; he merely accepts it as normal.

            We also consider the injured man, lying in the ditch. He has been assaulted and robbed; he is the victim of a crime. Now, his entire life he's been taught that 'those people' from Samaria are to be avoided at all costs. They are, after all, the bad guys. So, this man, despite needing help and having nothing to offer in return, could have refused the help of the Samaritan. He has been hurt and ignored; passed by as unworthy of basic care and compassion, and it's probable he would be expecting additional harm to come to him.

            The Samaritan - well, he's the good guy - it's right in the title! Compassionate, kind, Good. This man puts aside his own needs for health and safety, and risks ritual defilement and damaged reputation, to stop and help the injured man.

            There's someone else who is often overlooked - the innkeeper. This man is charged with caring for this injured man. He's given a bit of money and a promise that the Samaritan will be back. We don't know where his tribal affiliation lies; does he support the Samaritan or the injured man? Is he honest, or will he overinflate the bill at the end? Is he competent to be tending to the wounds? We simply don't know; but we trust that he will do what is right.

            And to this, Jesus asks, who was the neighbour?

            A complex and simple question. Simple, as it was obviously the merciful one; complex when the lawyer is told to Go and Do Likewise. Show mercy. Offer care. Love one another, even if society tells you it's okay not to love one another.

            So where does that leave us?

            Well, it leaves us in all of it, I think. Especially this Sunday, as we've just been hearing the full impact of the motions of General Synod that impact our church, our community, our neighbours. Specifically, I refer to the Marriage Canon amendment, Canon XXI, which though strongly supported by both clergy and laity, was not passed by an incredibly small margin in the House of Bishops.

            As a result of this, there has been much pain and grieving across the church. We are heartbroken and divided; we are numb, angry, and confused. We don't know what will happen next. We are in need of mercy and compassion.

            And so: we are the Samaritan, who is called to put aside our differences, our justifications, our excuses, that we might share of what we have: we have grace, we have love, we have the opportunity to be welcoming. We are invited to help in the healing of our beloved church; and in doing so receive the mercy of one another.

            We are also the priest and the Levite: choosing sides and justifications to defend our positions rather than finding the most loving way to respond to those who are suffering. We are invited not to point fingers or make presumptions about 'the other' and their lot in life. We are invited to put aside our perceptions of differences of language, skin colour, country of origin, gender, etc. 

            We are the innkeeper: receiving those who are hurting, without asking what they can offer in return. We don't put up pre-conditions, but work to meet the needs as they present them. We see everyone who comes into our doors as the neighbour to encounter, to welcome, to embrace, to assist, to love.

            And, we are the injured ones. We are hurt; we are in need of help. Yet we continue in faith, and in community: being supported by one another, receiving kindness, and striving for health.

            Because: the injured man is just that: injured. His story is not over. Our story is not over. While we are in pain now, we will recover; we will heal. We will overcome and transcend the boundaries that divide us. It will take time, as all healing does; but if we commit to the journey of health, we can recover. And we can learn from our experience of suffering to be more compassionate to those around us who come in their grief and sorrow.

            Friends, I do not know what the days ahead will look like. I do not know what the General Synod will do, or what decisions will be made for our Diocese. I do know that this community is one of resilience and love; and I trust we will continue to work to be a safe and inclusive place for all who come through our doors.

            We have the choice to decide - as individuals and as the church - what will shape our future, if it will be our wounds, or our hope. In this place, I expect it will be hope.

            May God grant us the power to be good neighbours to each other and the world - through our pain, and in our healing. 

Prayers and Reflection (June)

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JUNE 2

Welcome:

A very warm welcome is extended to all guests this morning! We especially welcome our neighbours from Zion Lutheran Church as we celebrate sharing in ministry within our beautiful town of Lunenburg.

Reflection:

Thursday was the Feast of the Ascension, celebrating Jesus' return to the Father from whence he had come. In Acts (1.1-11), the apostles witness the ascension, and remain awestruck staring at the (now empty) sky.  

...This is where God shakes things up, as two unnamed and unknown men appear and ask "why do you stand looking up toward heaven?" before reminding them that Jesus was doing what Jesus had told them he would do.

While the apostles were understandable amazed by all this, their ministry was not to focus on the past, but to take their experience of Jesus and his teachings and carry out the Good News of God to the world.

No matter how perfect and inspiring our experience with God is, we are not meant to stay still and focus on what was. Rather, the ascension of Jesus and the coming of the Spirit serve to invite us into action, into living fully in the present moment, supported by the gifts of the past and focused on the possibilities of the future.

May our prayers this day be that God will wake us up to the exciting potential of serving one another in the name of the Risen and Ascended Christ!

Prayers:

As we calm our minds and still our souls, we offer our prayers to Almighty God, responding to the petition "Lord in your mercy" with "hear our prayer."     

Loving God, as we gather in your name, we pray for the whole church. We ask you to open our hearts to all of your children; especially as we are reminded today of our brothers and sisters here in this community. May we listen to your call to live in peace and unity.

Lord in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.   

We pray for all those in leadership: for the Queen and our elected governments; for our church leadership nationally and locally. For our Bishops and Archbishops: Fred, Susan, Michael, and Ron. May they lead by example your truth and grace.

Lord in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.   

We pray for those in our world who struggle to cope with the necessities of life: those with limited political stability, those who are denied economic well-being, those whose lives are devastated by the climate crisis, those who are victims of human trafficking, those who feel helpless and hopeless. In a world where fear seems dominant, we ask you to empower us to work for justice and peace.

Lord in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.   

We pray for our communities; for those who live here and those who visit; for those who are easy to love and for those we struggle to love; for those whose employment is dependent on the mercies of the sea and good weather; for those who are unemployed and underemployed. May we be inspired to advocate for a more just society.

Lord in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.   

We pray for those in any need of mind, body, or spirit. For those who received good medical news this week, and those who bear new challenges; for the diseases and infirmities that are known and those that are invisible. As we ask your presence to comfort those in weakness, fear, and pain; we also ask for your blessing on all who work in health care and research.

Lord in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.   

We pray for those who grieve the loss of a loved one. We pray for all who have suffered loss, for all who dwell in fear, for all who have closed their hearts to your grace and love.

Lord in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.   

Gracious God, we also bring you our thanksgivings, for the blessings of this life that we celebrate and those that we take for granted. Help us to enter this week as ambassadors for your Kingdom; bearing a spirit of gratitude, delighting in your generous gifts, and embracing the abundant opportunity for us to live in Christian love.

Lord in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.   

We bring you these prayers, O Lord, knowing that you hear our words and the whispers of our hearts, and ask you to grant us our petitions as may be best for us. May we ever seek your knowledge and truth in this world, and trust in your promise of the ever-near Kingdom.

Lord in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.   Amen.

JUNE 9

Reflection:

Lost In Translation?

In today's passage from the Acts of the Apostles, The Holy Spirit arrives bringing... confusion! So many languages are spoken, as the Spirit gave them all ability - but why? Shouldn't the Spirit bring comfort and solace, not confusion and division?

Alas, that is exactly what the Spirit does. In bringing all these languages to the people that are gathered, the Good News of God is being communicated to all who would hear it in exactly their language, and ways in which they would understand. Nothing is lost in translation or misunderstood; it's exactly and precisely conveyed to all who need comfort that they will be comforted; that all who need advocacy will have an advocate, and that all who would learn about God would know that divine love and grace. The many languages were a great gift!

What is confusing to some is clarity to others; and God offers us all clarity of the Good News in our lives - if only we will listen.

PRAYER FOR THE ANNIVERSARY OF LUNENBURG AND ST. JOHN'S

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As we celebrate the 266th anniversary of our town of Lunenburg and of our parish church, we offer our prayers of thanksgivings to Almighty God. For the history that molds and makes us, and for the abundant gifts and work of generations that have gone before us. As we continue to make new history here, we give thanks for life and health, for laughter and fun, for all our powers of mind and body, for our homes and the love of dear ones, for everything that is beautiful, good, and true. We give thanks for the privilege of hearing anew God's Holy and eternal Word, for receiving the sacraments that nourish us, and for the structure which houses our prayers and praises, inviting us into ministry for your sake. We thank you, Holy Father, for all the gifts of creation, for Jesus our saviour and friend, for the Holy Spirit our advocate and comforter. May we always find our true happiness in serving others and helping them to know and love you, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

JUNE 16

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Reflection

            Imagine if our closest friend said "I'm going away forever, but it's a good thing!" I expect we'd feel hurt and confused. Which is exactly how the apostles, in their pre-telecommunications world felt. Pained; grieving in advance.

            Yet the good news comes then, when Jesus says "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now." This is not to dismiss their emotions, or brush off the importance of the Good News, but rather to offer comfort. Jesus is saying "Friends, you've already been through so much. There's more you need to know, but I don't want to overwhelm you right now."

            And so, the Holy Spirit - the advocate, the comforter, the speaker of truth - is promised! And given credibility! And the apostles are assured that they will continue to hear the Good News of God through this Spirit - words that will come from this inexplicable and astonishing Holy Trinity.

            It truly is more complex than the apostles could bear, but they had the faith to trust: to believe in the God who creates, redeems, and sustains, and to trust that God would continue to reveal truths of love and grace and blessing.

            It is more than we can bear too; human minds simply cannot define the Trinity - it's why we call it a mystery - but we can believe in the fullness of God, and live our lives in faith. Yet God always has more to tell us: more good news, more grace, more love: more than we could hear yesterday, and not as much as we'll be able to bear tomorrow. This is the beauty of our Triune God: we are never left alone, and we are never without more to learn. May we embrace the three-in-one, the Divine Trinity, the presence of God who is always welcoming us into the truth of the Good News of God.

Prayers

(We respond to the petition "Let us pray to the Lord" with “Lord, hear our prayer.”)

We pray for the church: our spiritual home of St John's, for the faithful who helped us to know and love God, and the opportunities to welcome and support others as we journey in faith together.

Let us pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for the peace of the world; may the Lord grant that we may live together in justice and in faith; and inspire us to advocate for those who are newly experiencing violence, and those who have never known peace.

Let us pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for this country, this community, and all communities from which our guests and visitors come. We pray for all in authority: Queen Elizabeth, the Governor General, the Prime Minister, and all in authority: the Lord help them to serve this people according to God's holy will.

Let us pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for children and young people as they come to the excitement of summer holidays: asking the Lord guide their growth and development.

Let us pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for those who are sick in mind, body, or spirit; those whose names we carry in our hearts and those whose names are known to God alone: may the Lord deliver them and keep them in love.

Let us pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for all who suffer for the sake of justice and truth: those who are exiled, ridiculed, assaulted, or in any way denied dignity; may the Lord support them and keep them steadfast.

Let us pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

We remember the prophets, apostles, martyrs, and all who have borne witness to the gospel: we hold in prayer those who have died in the peace of Christ; may God direct our lives in the same spirit of service and sacrifice.

Let us pray to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

JUNE 23

Reflection: 

The scriptures regularly remind us to pause form the busy-ness and noisy-ness of life, and to sit in stillness in the presence of God. Our first reading (1Kgs 19.1-15a), for example, shows Elijah ready to give in having been so overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle, when God’s messenger invites rest and nourishment. ‘Take a nap and have a snack; otherwise the journey will be too much for you.’

While this pause does not make things perfect in Elijah’s journey, it provides him what he needs to continue through the challenges that he faces. He recognises that God is not the driving force in the chaos of wind, and earthquake, and fire; yet that God is present in the stillness that follows. And while the question that he asked of God is the same in the chaos and the stillness, it is when Elijah has an inner peace that he can truly hear the response of God.

As our summer is a time of busy-ness, with guests and tourists and vacations and all sorts of noise, I invite you to rest: to fill yourselves with the calmness and nourishment that your bodies need, so that your souls might be open to listening to the still, small voice of God.

Prayers:

Quieting our minds and opening our hearts, we respond to the petition "Hear us Lord" with "Lord, mercifully hear us.":

We pray for God's church:

            For those without the freedom to worship,

            for those who mourn their faith,

            for those who celebrate their faith,

            for those who take faith for granted,

            for those who reject the beauty of worship.

Hear us, Lord;

Lord mercifully hear us.

We pray for those given earthly authority:

            For those who seek it,

            for those who bear the responsibility,

            for those whose hearts have been corrupted,

            for those who strive for good governance.

Hear us, Lord;

Lord mercifully hear us.

We pray for God's world:

            For those who exploit the creation,

            for those who delight in creation,

            for those who are ignorant of the glorious interconnection of all species,

            for those who strive to realise their niche in creation.

Hear us, Lord;

Lord mercifully hear us.

We pray for our communities:

            For the buildings which shelter us,

            for the land which nurtures us,

            for the neighbours we are called to love,

            for the people holding us in prayer this day,

            for the ever-present opportunity to share the love of God in our midst.

Hear us, Lord;

Lord mercifully hear us.

We pray for the day and it's tasks:

            For the work in which we engage,

            for the invitation to exercise our many ministries,

            for the blessings we take for granted,

            for the abundance of grace waiting to be found in the mundane.

Hear us, Lord;

Lord mercifully hear us.

We pray for those who are in need:

            For those who are ailing in body,

            for those whose spirits know no peace,

            for those whose minds cause them grief,

            for those who we hold in our hearts.

Hear us, Lord;

Lord mercifully hear us.

We pray for those whom we love but see no more:

            May they rest in peace and rise in glory,

            may we embrace and continue the good example they have shown us.

Hear us, Lord;

Lord mercifully hear us.

Holy and loving God, we come to you with all we have and all we are. We ask you to hear the whispers of our hearts and minds, and to stir up in us the desire to bring all things to you in prayer; may we remain ever grateful for your promise to hear us.

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Amen.

JUNE 30

Reflection:

            There are times when we all want to finger-point, to highlight how wrong someone else is, and by extension how right we are. Though James and John in today's gospel try to do just that to the Samaritans, Jesus encourages a more compassionate and loving response. He encourages the disciples not to focus on what is wrong with others, but on what might be preventing full communion with Christ in our own lives. Faith isn't a competition, but a journey of ongoing spiritual self-reflection and growth.

            As we consider our own spiritual journeys today, I invite us to reflect on how we can move on, move forward, in loving service to God. How can we live our own baptismal vows? How can we support our brothers and sisters in God's family? How can we embrace the full life of joy that is being offered? How can we share the light of Christ that has been so freely shared with us?

            God's blessings on your journey!

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