Intercessions ~ Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

"The Lord is near to the broken hearted" ~ Psalm 34:18

At the start of August,/ we pray for those who will celebrate birthdays,/ anniversaries and other days of remembrance,/ asking for the blessings of good health,/ safety and peace./ We pray to the Lord.

Dozens of uncontrolled fires continue to burn in the western states,/ leaving firefighters exhausted,/ countless persons evacuated,/ vast plant and animal ecosystems destroyed and unimaginable amounts of oxygen and water consumed./ God has made us stewards of this planet./ May we vigorously assume the mandate./ We pray to the Lord.

The national increase of new covid cases,/ hospitalizations and deaths is alarming./ May we learn responsibility for one another./ May we support government where it seeks to fulfill its legitimate role of protecting the well being of citizens./ We pray to the Lord. 

The Summer Olympic games in Tokyo continue for some days into August./ We pray for these games to support and encourage new unity among persons and nations./ We pray to the Lord.

This week we heard the testimony of Capitol and Metropolitan police officers who were defenders in the January 6 hate-filled insurrection on the Capitol/ which left a stain on the nation./ We ask God to forgive,/ enlighten,/ heal and restore our country./ We pray to the Lord.

By the invitation of Pope Francis,/ this week we observed the first Day of Grandparents and the Elderly,/ many of whom are fearful of being forgotten or discarded./ May we listen to what our elders have to say,/ that we might avoid repeating the sins and mistakes of the past./ We pray to the Lord.

O Domina Mea

Colonial South American Mother of God with Franciscan Saints

O my Queen! My Mother!

I give myself entirely to you;

and to show my devotion to you,

I consecrate to you this day my eyes,

my ears, my mouth, my heart,

my whole being, without reserve.

Wherefore, good Mother,

as I am your own,

keep me, guard me,

as your property and possession.

Amen.

Christic Prayer of Protection

This 1998 painting by the Indian artist-theologian, Dr. Solomon Raj, is titled, Jesus on the Lotus Flower. The lotus is a symbol of peace. Here, Jesus the teacher blesses us with his wounded hand. He is peaceful, perhaps saying to us, "Do not be afraid." 

The lotus rests atop a clear blue pond where fish swim. The Greek word for fish holds the initials for the name, Jesus Christ. We see other lotus flowers and their flat green leaves floating off into the distance. The sun and moon appear simultaneously. Christ's peace is for all time.

A Christic Prayer of Protection

May the birth of Christ re-birth you,

   the Mother of Christ count you as one of her own,

   the eyes of Christ reflect your face,

   the bread of Christ nourish you,

   the mind of Christ give you a new perspective.

May the walking of Christ accompany you,

   the sitting of Christ welcome you,

   the hem of Christ's mantle heal you,

   the ears of Christ hear your heartache,

   the arm of Christ ease your fears.

May the cross of Christ support you,

   the pierced heart of Christ give you access to the divine,

   the Easter smile of Christ preserve you in hope,

   the peace of Christ reassure you,

   the glowing wounds of Christ transform the wounds you bear.

Intercessions ~ Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

We pray for the gift of rain where there is drought,/ where people, plants and animals are thirsty,/ where there are out-of-control consuming fires./ May we learn quickly how we are failing our planet./ We pray to the Lord.

While civilian aircraft are recently flying to the edge of the planet's atmosphere/ and even just over into outer space,/ may we realize that the only true "new frontier" is within ourselves,/ where we come to know what it means to be authentic human persons./ We pray to the Lord.

We pray for Baptized persons all around the world this Sunday morning,/ and for those who lead Christian communities./ May we be clean of heart/ and not fail Christ by prejudice,/ greed,/ arrogance or indifference./ We pray to the Lord.

As new cases of covid are increasing,/ may we learn to get out of our own way,/ to protect the health and well-being of others./ We pray for the health care providers who once again must battle to exhaustion this sickness./ We pray to the Lord.

Bless Francis,/ the Pope of Rome,/ who experiences assaults from every side./ May we be grateful for his ministry which seeks to unify a garrulous,/ contentious Church/ and a world often peopled with those who are looking for a fight./ We pray to the Lord.

While we pray for our own families,/ we pray as well for the larger human family which suffers./ For those who flee where there is war and horror,/ where society is collapsing,/ where the poor feel hopeless./ We pray for the world's children/ and those who are elderly,/ frail,/ forgotten or left behind./ We pray to the Lord.

Take a Break

This icon is called the Mandylion, a painting of the cloth upon which Jesus imprinted his face when King Abgar summoned Jesus to cure him. There's a lot that needs a cure these days: a condominium collapsed by neglect, the faces of killers and haters and people (even in government) whose goal is to create chaos, the environment being destroyed by draught and fire, conspiracy theories, covid remedy pushback and new cases on the rise.

We might take a break from it all and ponder the face of Jesus here, and the last line of Psalm 17 which seems to echo it.

But at my vindication I shall see your face;

when I awake, I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.

Inner Garden

 

Philadelphia is called America's Garden Capital. This photograph is of a cedar trained to form a gateway to the vegetable garden at Chanticleer Gardens in Wayne, Pennsylvania. Gates are places of transition — here, from the wide, uncultivated lawn to a good sized vegetable and herb garden on the other side. But gates are also symbolic of the transition or movement to an inner place — an inner garden. We all have an inner garden whether we tend to it or not.

The Genesis story tells us we were created and placed in a garden. Adam and Eve  made an important decision in that garden. And Jesus struggled with the biggest decision of his life in a garden. This lovely and totally natural gateway suggests, Come away, inside. 

The inner garden is our real prayer place. My prayer is silence now — it is where I am simply aware of God's presence as I am aware of sunshine. My inner garden is a place where I can go for rest, away from all the noise. The inner garden is where I can remember the life-memories of great beauty, happiness, confidence, inner strength or resolve.  The inner garden is where "Thank you" piles up. I'm wondering, is there some missed moment that I have yet to acknowledge with  thank you — the smell of rain, the smell of air before a truck's fumes get at it. There is a plant blooming in my neighborhood in late June that takes me right back to a summer pilgrimage to Lourdes. I have looked  high and low for it in front yards and cannot locate it. Perhaps the scent is meant to be elusive — acknowledged gratefully but otherwise unseen. 

My inner garden is where I hear morning bird song, the buzz of bees, detect smiles, pause at some delight. It is where I know the pleasure of genuine friends. The inner garden is where decisions are made — not which salad dressing to buy but which life direction to take. The inner garden is a place of waiting and anticipating, as in an outer garden one waits for spring bulbs to appear, lily buds to open, a tomato or melon to ripen. Perhaps I am waiting for strength to be restored, memories or an addiction to be healed, procrastination to be overcome. 

We might spend a few moments with this picture of the gate with the wonderfully created cedar-arch — together inviting us to interiority. See what  happens.

Intercessions ~ Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

Monarch on Tithonia Rotundifolia

Let us pray for those who these days sow chaos,/ fear,/ suspicion,/ blame,/ fanciful theories,/ rebellions/ and even civil war./ May we find ourselves again as a nation,/ with trust and love uniting us./ We pray to the Lord.

The chief of the Florida Task Force at Surfside said,/ "I feel like I'm physically digging, but I'm also emotionally digging for more strength and courage." We pray for the chief's recovery team/ and the family and friends who wait./ We pray to the Lord.

Give us wisdom of heart and a creative strength of will/ while our nation suffers the calamity of heat,/ draught and fire in the Western States./ We pray to the Lord.

May those who are in power around the world,/ have hearts which listen to the voices of  prophets and the word of God in Christ./ Protect the brave people who speak difficult truths/ and who put themselves at even grave risk./ We pray to the Lord. 

You know us,/ O God,/ even in the sighs of our hearts./ Hear the people of our stressed planet in their desperation,/ tears and brokenness./ Change hearts to lift up and restore those who suffer great need./ We pray to the Lord.

As churches and parishes come out of covid isolation,/ may Sunday be renewed as a day of joy and prayer./ May God's word be proclaimed in clarity and courage./ May the Sabbath be a day of growth and change./ We pray to the Lord.

In a throwaway world ~ Our Lady of Chinquinquira

 

Recently a new mosaic of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chinquinquira was placed in the Vatican Gardens in Rome. She is the patroness of Colombia and is also venerated in Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador and Boliva. 

The original painting depicts The Mother of God with the Infant Christ in an aureole (body halo). There are two crowning angels atop and Sts. Anthony of Padua and Andrew appear left and right. The painting seems to have been originally placed in a simple chapel with a leaky roof which caused the fabric to tear and the organic colors to fade. From 1577 to 1586 the painting was discarded (thrown away) and used to sift flour or dry corn. 

Wondrously, the day after Christmas 1586 the painting was found with its colors again bright and the tears, holes and scratches essentially "healed." On another three occasions witnesses attest the painting to be illuminated from within — most recently in March of 1999.

I say, "wondrously" because these occurrences seem to be inexplicable. Some folks are comfortable staying with the story on this devotional level. Indeed, one website which presents the Chinquinquira Mother of God to children reduces the celebration of her feast day to iced cupcakes, coloring pictures, finding south American countries on the map and sock Mary dolls. I'm afraid an opportunity missed. 

We live in a throwaway world. The throwing away is choking the land, the waterways and even the air. Soon the plastic in the ocean will outweigh the fish. We breathe micro-plastic; it's in our food. But there's more, isn't there?

We are an overfed people who throw away unspeakable amounts of food in a starving world.

We throw away pets. I adopted a dog I found on my front porch one November some years ago. The vet said, "Animal shelters are filled with these old ladies."

Some countries boast of having eliminated down syndrome — aborting those found lacking in early amniocenteses tests. Some countries throw away little girls by abortion. Some countries throw away handicapped boy babies leaving them in the woods or under bridges. The Missionaries of Charity pick through the garbage heaps of Calcutta each morning looking for babies thrown away during the night. In some places mentally troubled family members are thrown away and left to fend for themselves.

The refugees who flee awfulness and show up at the border understand being thrown away. Pope Francis calls the Mediterranean Sea "the world's biggest cemetery" — thrown away people hoping to sail to safety. He is hated by some — including some Catholics for being their voice and advocate. 

Husbands and wives can throw each other away. A very fine man I know said of his much-treasured wife's former husband, "He threw her away."

A damaged veteran can be thrown away. A young gay boy or girl can be thrown away — they often are found wandering city streets. A psychologist told me that transgendered people are the most damaged people in our society. They understand being thrown away. 

Some people are thrown out of their religious communities. A drug addict can be thrown away. A prisoner can be thrown away instead of worked with. We know the expression, "I'd put him in jail and throw away the key." How disappointing when a Christian talks this way — we're a religion of hope, conversion, healing and repair! 

Perhaps we can share the Pope's joy at having the Chinquinquira image placed in the Vatican gardens. But let's skip the cupcakes, coloring books and sock puppets. Let's challenge any throwaway habits or throwaway thinking that's leaked into our own lifestyle. Maybe we can somehow creatively restore someone's dignity and beauty, reflective of the healed and bright-again image of the Mother of God and her heavenly friends.

Psalm 83 ~ Love and Desire for God's Temple

Intercessions ~ Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

Summer Pollinator Garden

This past week we celebrated Independence Day./ Might we re-think and even re-name the day,/ Inter-dependence Day,/ the healing of our relationships with other human persons,/ the animals,/ the plants,/ even the air,/ water and land./ We pray to the Lord.

Every day,/ mindful of the works that make our planet sad,/ unsafe,/ ugly and fearsome,/ may we remember that it is our world too,/ and that we are invited to create and expand what is beautiful,/ good,/ re-assuring and of life./ We pray to the Lord.

Over the 72 hours of the July 4th weekend,/ 233 people were shot dead,/ 618 wounded in 500 separate shooting incidents./ The nation is adrift in violence./ Let us not blame God,/ but change ourselves./ We pray to the Lord.

July is called the month of the Precious Blood of Jesus./ And while we give thanks for the life-gift Christ made for us at Calvary,/ may we remember that all human blood is precious,/ praying for those who research blood for cures,/ who give blood for the welfare of strangers,/ but also those who lose their blood in wars,/  tragedy,/ and cruel violence./  We pray to the Lord.

We pray again for the rescue and recovery teams/ who continue their work at the site of the Surfside building collapse./ We ask for gifts of strength and perseverance./ For family and friends who wait with broken hearts./ We pray to the Lord.

For those who are in hospitals or sick at home,/ for the elderly and those suffering from the terrible heat of the past weeks./ For firefighters and government officials facing unprecedented challenges of draught and fire../ There are states with increases of covid sickness and death./ May we learn to take care of one another./ We pray to the Lord.

Another 99 Names for God

Alaska Sunrise

I visited a church not too long ago that had just celebrated the blessing of an immense mosaic of the Holy Trinity created for the interior dome of their church. An expensive wonder-less copy of a tired image: God as the old white man with the long white hair and beard, seated on a decorated throne, holding a green ball. Around the throne were two dozen angels and saints (fifteen of whom were popes, nuns or priests,) and one married man without his wife. I imagine the meeting to discuss what the image should look like took about twelve minutes. I left feeling disappointment at the loss of spiritual opportunity. The invitation to reflect upon God had been reduced to an execution of  bad decoration. 

What's happened to awe? What's happened to wonder? What's happened to pondering silence? Mary is the first disciple, so aren't we supposed to be the people who are like her? "But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart." Luke 2:19

Since then I learned that Muslims have the practice of reciting the 99 names of God. These are a word-list celebrating or announcing the attributes of God. Attributes are a person's qualities or characteristics. I imagine there are 99 and not 100 as 100 would suggest the naming was complete. God in no way is to be completed, summarized, utterly defined. Without exploring the 99 names (because I didn't want to duplicate or mimic what someone else composed), I chose to create my own. 

I invite you to add to this list or put it aside altogether and wonder into existence your own. But might I suggest, do not use religious language that you've learned over the years: God is omniscient, omnipresent, all powerful, glorious, salvific, holy..." These words are not wrong, but they are someone else's words we were simply expected to learn and repeat endlessly — like the picture of the old man God. We often use these words and images without ever having thought about their meaning. Come up with your own announcing of God's attributes, born of your own life lived with God in Christ.

God, who 

creates by breath,

by a heartbeat,

who is all imagination,

life-giver,

all loveliness,

all joy,

who is shared word,

the good

the tender,

who delights.

God who

gathers,

includes,

enkindles,

welcomes,

searches out,

who greens and grows us,

is kind,

accepting,

challenges,

changes us.

God who

comes as light,

dispels darkness,

expands us,

comforts,

is gentle,

strong,

weeps with us,

laughs with us,

is present in silence,

is friend to us.

God who

is present at my awaking,

gives the nighttime,

surprises us in nature,

redirects us,

who may shock us,

who is beyond our thoughts,

escapes our limitations,

 is not so small,

who understands our folly,

is hidden, so we search beyond ourselves.

God who

salvages,

is lover of us,

can be sudden,

who is highest-deepest,

carries our awful errors,

whose vision exceeds ours,

who hears,

commissions,

initiates,

is inner unity.

God who

is our only hope,

unsleeping,

who consoles trembling hearts,

is present at our departing,

whose hallowed ground is everywhere,

who lights and guards,

holds us in divine hands,

is rightly thanked,

is praised in our singing,

who blazes and burns.

God who

isn't endlessly disappointed with us,

isn't in a bad mood,

who is giver, 

peaceable,

healer,

reconciler,

maternally anxious for us,

longs for us,

is committed to us,

is no loser.

God who

has a face like our own,

touches us,

walks with us,

knows I exist,

cares that I exist,

feels for and with us,

shares everything with us,

summons us to authentic life,

cleans hearts,

understands our vulnerability.

God who

is of the heart,

always free,

who loves when we can't,

the littlest and least,

of angels and us,

saints and sinners,

a foundation,

a new inner land,

a safe hiding place,

hopes for the evil-doer.

God who 

is wondrous in beauty,

like flame,

bright shining,

beyond the beyond,

like covering wings,

protector,

in the simplicity of bread,

stranger to our punitive ways,

who smiles.

Heather Recovery ~ And Human Need

I discovered this small heather on a nursery discount stand of plants with broken branches or which had not been watered and were dry and withered. But I saw spark in it, took it home, watered and planted it in new ground. Having found its right place, it revived and grew.

Now in the first days of July, with white alyssum as neighbors, I see it has started to bloom with delicate white flowers. The tag that accompanies most nursery plants was missing when I bought it, but I have a feeling this little heather will change color in the fall and perhaps even eventually resemble flame!

To be sure, it needed to be watered and freed of its root-confining plastic pot, but I believe the cause of the new growth and beauty, the magic if you will, was that I saw it, acknowledged it, in the first place. There's an epidemic of alienation and loneliness in our country — like the wasted heather, we all need to hear, "Hello, I see you," "There you are." "I've noticed you." "You matter." I think Christians ought to be the world's experts in these things.

"It's not what you look at that matters but what you see." Henry David Thoreau

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector, and rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today." So he made haste and came down and received Jesus joyfully...And Jesus said to him, Today salvation has come this house..."  Luke 19:1-6,9

Intercessions ~ Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

At the start of July,/ we pray for those who celebrate birthdays,/ anniversaries and other days of remembrance./ We ask for the blessings of good health,/ safety and well-being./ We pray to the Lord.

Today is Independence Day./ May our observation of this national holiday be deeper than fireworks,/ parades and barbeques./ May we be freed from bitterness and hatred,/ especially that hatred of persons who are not mirrors of ourselves./ We pray to the Lord.

We pray for the many who died and remain unaccounted for in the Surfside apartment collapse./ Grant comfort for the family and friends who are mourning,/ strength for searchers/ and conscience for any who ignored the decay which resulted in this terrible tragedy./ We pray to the Lord.

This week the nation suffered record breaking heat day after day in many places./ Drought and fire are leaving parts of the country stressed and ruined./ We need a change of heart./ We pray to the Lord.

May we not be aristocrats of knowledge./ Keep us from thinking we know it all / and that things would be fine if everyone thought my way or own way./ We pray to the Lord.

Since the start of the pandemic many religious congregations have dwindled and are no longer sustainable./ Let us not blame everything on COVID;/ the disease has only exacerbated a trend away from religious practice./ Instead,/ may we be renewed in Christ,/ creating congregations which are houses of inclusive welcome./ We pray to the Lord.