First Pauca Verba post was in 2013...

 

Now nearly 2000 posts later, 

taking a vacation from blogging for a time

Oremus pro invicem!

Intercessions ~ Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

It is World Series time/ where the purpose of every baseball game is to "get home."/ Spiritually, there is our heavenly home to hope for,/ but there is also that immediate home/ which is to live in the heart of Christ/ becoming fully Christ's sister;/ Christ's brother./ May we desire this above all else./ We pray to the Lord.

We pray for our parish family at Mass today./ May there be a spirit of openness among us,/ where we share and lift up each other's prayer as we pray our own./ For the gift of persistence in prayer./ We pray to the Lord.

For those who lead nations,/ states,/ counties,/ communities and neighborhoods./ Grant that they may not despair of doing good,/ living in justice and fairness for all./ We pray to the Lord.

There seems to be a great emergence of violence all around./ We pray for Ukraine/ where war has killed more than 1000 children./ For those who live by and in/ gang,/ gun,/ or domestic violence./ For those who are discriminated against because of race,/ ethnicity,/ gender,/ sexual orientation,/ religion/ or any of the ways we sort and divide people./ May we come to see each person as God's child./ We pray to the Lord.

For the many whose lives are ruined by natural disasters and climate change,/ those who are struggling through floods,/ fires,/ hurricanes,/ drought and famine./ For the strengthening and perseverance of the good people who work to help./ We pray to the Lord.

For those who are sick,/ physically,/ emotionally or spiritually./ We remember those in chronic pain or weakness./ For doctors,/ nurses,/ technicians/ and those who staff hospitals,/ clinics,/ nursing homes and hospices./ We pray to the Lord.

November is the month of prayer for the dead./ We pray for our departed loved ones,/ friends and family,/ especially those who I now bring to mind _______./ May they delight in God's mercy,/ light and peace./ We pray to the Lord.

In movies we often hear the name of Jesus used as a curse or expletive./ Many Christians offend in this regard as well./ May be revere the name of Jesus/ which the angel gave to Mary in the Annunciation,/ and be more brave in calling offenders to attention./ We pray to the Lord.

Blessed be God forever!

weightless wren's enormous song

At every Mass we hear the priest, "Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, through your goodness we have this bread, this wine to offer..." And we respond, "Blessed be God forever!"  A lovely brief moment of grateful praise. But it is also a phrase we can take with us through the day, acknowledging the gifts along the way. I've tried it out and left lines at the bottom for you add your own praises.

All that awakens...

noisy flock of sparrows in a bamboo grove,

the English Gothic church made of schist-rock sparkling,

White Pine needles pouring down like rain,

geranium's blood-red flowering — brought in before first frost.

Blessed be God forever!

All that astonishes...

fritillaria bulbs are planted on their sides,

feathered ferns turned bronzy-red,

the compost pile crumbly, warm and black,

the green chasuble's orphrey, blue and gold,

weightless wren's enormous song.

Blessed be God forever!

All that dazzles...

autumn's sunrise pink and yellow,

Witch Hazel's buds—holding orange petals,

the potted cypress leaves lemon scent on my hand,

Monarchs are Mexico bound,

two feet of snow in the drought stricken states.

Blessed be God forever!

All that is marvelous...

Van Gogh's pounding waves — white paint squeezed right out of the tube,

crisped sycamore leaves make clacking sounds in high winds,

morning tea from Kenya and "Ceylon,"

Blue Heron's appearing — its vertical flight,

waking seconds before the black cast iron clock strikes a long mid-night.

Blessed be God forever!

All that is praise-stirring...

this morning's conscious breath,

first thought of God — creative gift-giver,

first thought of Christ's kindness; his Mother's joy,

hearing weather — wind and rain on my window,

tonight's waning crescent — deep yellow-green.

Blessed be God forever!

All that is wonderment...

God's patience with our stupidity and death-stained sin,

a lawn-full of gray acorn-ing squirrels,

the seven year old, styling a yellow yarmulke, zooming around on his Shabbat scooter,

Robin's request—"Are the holly berries ripe?"

September through October—God's resplendent smile.

Blessed be God forever!

All that is delightful...

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The Abundant Gifts of Christ Jesus

 

This is an illuminated page from a 15th century liturgical book. Of course it is a tender depiction of Christ's Nativity. We see the Father en-rayed, looking down on Bethlehem through the night sky. The Holy Child is there on a bed of straw which is placed on a red-royal second bed. Mary prays. The cow and donkey stand outside the wattle fence. They know who this Child is. The monk who created the page must have been a tender-hearted and thoughtful fellow — he has Joseph seated and warming the baby's blanket by the fire. 

But what I find most intriguing is the larger stylized garden in which the scene sits. From the bottom center urn springs far reaching vines of flowers, leaves and even tiny berries. They might well be strawberries — a Medieval symbol of the Virgin Mary, the delicate berries growing close to the ground, emblematic of the Virgin's humility (down to earth-ness). The entire page speaks of God's super abundant gift-ing of us in Christ. So here is my prayer growing out of pondering the page and for a world that everyone seems to agree, is in great need. 

May the love Christ Jesus gave, expand hearts in every place.

May the joy Christ Jesus gave, gladden the world gone sad.

May the hope Christ Jesus gave, keep us from dark despair.

May the peace Christ Jesus gave, be shared by all.

May the friendship Christ Jesus gave, be cherished by us.

May the forgiveness Christ Jesus gave, search us deeply.

May the kindness Christ Jesus gave, form us.

May the reconciliation Christ Jesus gave, enliven us.

May the spirit-gift Christ Jesus gave, grow us up.

May the glory-promise Christ Jesus gave, be cherished.

May the light Christ Jesus gave, be kept burning brightly.

May the God-presence Christ Jesus gave, be reassuring.

May the wonder-healings Christ Jesus gave, find us.

May the prayer Christ Jesus gave, inspire us.

May the promises Christ Jesus gave, encourage us.

May the Word Christ Jesus gave, live within human hearts.

May the invitation-call Christ Jesus gave, awaken sleeping minds.

May the Holy Food Christ Jesus gave, sustain us.

May the cross-carrying Christ Jesus gave, quiet the complaining.

May the blood and water flow Christ Jesus gave, free a self-burdening world.

May the Resurrection-life Christ Jesus gave, be the air we breathe.

Intercessions ~ Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The name Gethsemane means olive press./ As Jesus prayed in that garden the night before his death,/ was it the vision of all the world's horrifying wars that pressed him to the ground?/ On Sunday,/ we ask the Risen One for the healing of our war obsessed world./ We pray to the Lord.

Like much of the world,/ the church is bitterly polarized and distracted./ Many people long for a return to the past/ while others are satisfied only with innovation./ "May the Church be overwhelmed by joy,"/ Pope Francis prays./ Grant that the Christian people would re-discover Christ,/ where this First Love has been exchanged for another./ We pray to the Lord. 

Seemingly every day there is news of yet another mass murder in our country./ The nation's children are being trained in sorrow,/ pain and home-grown violence./ May God forgive and heal us/ covered in shame/ as innocent people die by gun violence./ Give new hearts to those in leadership who do nothing to remedy this illness./ We ask for a prolife vision that extends far and wide./ We pray to the Lord.

As Election Day is close,/ grant that we would be kept safe from leaders who want only to perform and secure power./ May we elect people who are qualified for the positions for which they are running;/ who want to help and serve./ We pray to the Lord.

Safeguard our families,/ friends and colleagues with good health and safety./ Heal the ones who are feeling afraid or sad./ Bless the parish family as we worship together:/ the pastor/ and those who assume liturgical roles and ministries of teaching and service./ Take us beyond good intention and talk,/ to action/ born of Christ's Gospel./ We pray to the Lord.

Every week at Mass/ we hear the scriptures./ May we be saved from those who use the bible as a hammer to control people/ and instead open it as the living Word of God,/ revealing God's presence among us/ in love,/ encouragement and promise./ We pray to the Lord.

This week,/ the insanity of war was made apparent in the death of a Ukrainian man and his wife,/ six months pregnant/ and even the family cat./ Nothing is spared./ May God heal us of the evil we do./ We pray to the Lord.

Christ of the Fiery Eye and Some Prayer Starters

 

I stumbled upon this 18th-19th century icon recently and felt drawn to it immediately because Jesus is a little tilted. Has he stopped along the way, seeing me in the crowd? His eyes are bright; he seems to be smiling. He understands. His head is large because it's filled with us and with heavenly ideas. His hair reminds me of nature's lines and folds — a palm frond, tree rings, the underside of a mushroom, a tilled field, a striated rock, the ripples of water. The icon is called, Christ of the Fiery Eye. 

Here are some possible Prayer-Starters as we sit or stand before this icon which seems to invite contemplation (seeing beyond or beneath the outer thing.)

Jesus,

you have revealed yourself as

light of the world.

Would you shine brightly

into the life of 

_____________

who seems to be 

bumping around in darkness these days.

Jesus,

you welcomed,

gathered and blessed the little children.

Bless ___________________

the youngest member of my family.

Bless all the children of 

______________.

Jesus,

 you didn't give  material gifts to people —

money or possessions,

but the gift of your presence.

_________________

needs to feel your presence today.

Jesus,

your fiery eye is not a scary eye,

not a suspicious

nor evil eye,

but an all-seeing eye.

Look deeply within

 where I've got a lot on my mind.

Look into my heart where I am feeling

_____________so deeply. 

Jesus,

you provided an abundance of wine

for the wedding guests at Cana,

and bread and fish for the

crowds in the wilderness.

Thank you for the abundance of my life,

especially the abundance which fills my heart.

________________________

Jesus,

joy was restored to the family

 in the room where you 

raised up the little girl to life.

Thank you for the joy I feel

in my own life,

especially the joy of

________________.

 

Prayer After Mass

 Monastic Chapel ~ Weston Priory, Vermont

Prayer After Mass

Strengthen, O Lord, the hands which have been stretched out to receive your holy things, that they may daily bring forth fruit to your glory.

Grant that the ears which have heard your songs may be closed to the voices of clamor and dispute;

That the eyes which have seen your bright love may also behold your blessed hope;

That the tongues which have uttered your praise may speak the truth;

That the feet which have trodden your courts may walk in the regions of light;

That the souls and bodies which have fed upon your living Body and Blood may be restored to newness of life. Amen. 

 

Intercessions ~ Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

The United States grows about 200 unique varieties of apples in 32 states./ As we appreciate this tremendous variety during October,/ National Apple Month,/ may we also be the nation which all the more appreciates people/ in their tremendous variety and need./ We pray for the conversion of hearts filled with fear and the hatred of others who look,/ sound or think another way./ We pray to the Lord.

Catholicism is the largest Christian denomination in the United States./ The second largest denomination is fallen-away Catholics./ Many claim to have abandoned the Church because they do not feel genuine community,/ welcome or joy./ May we grow as Jesus would have us grow/ into a global community/ affording humanity an experience of the enfolding love of God./ We pray to the Lord. 

A Florida woman was interviewed who had lost everything to Hurricane Ian./ She lay on the ground with her dog where her house had been and said to the interviewer,/ "Tell me what to do and where to go."/ Many people exist this way/ due to famine,/ war or disaster — having no where to go,/ not knowing what to do./ St. Francis said, "I can't do everything, but I can do something."/ We pray to the Lord.

The brutal bombardment of Ukraine continues/ and the world feels more vulnerable by the day./ Grant peace to our  world,/ save us from failed leaders — soul-surrendered and shameless in their own obsession with power./ And may we pray this prayer not only for places faraway,/ but for our own country as Election Day approaches./ We pray to the Lord.

We pray for Pope Francis/ and for the Church where it is fractured or marked by distracting tensions./ For the Church where it has not recovered from covid,/ where it is  exhausted or tormented by enemies./ For Christian communities which have become complacent or have lost their sense of the Gospel./ We pray to the Lord.

October is the Month of the Rosary — a prayer of going around and around in mystery and contemplation./ May we discover God's Christ-closeness in our own lives/ as we go around and through our day-to-day lives/ where there is joy,/ but also fear,/ loneliness,/ pain,/ doubt,/ trouble and challenge./ We pray to the Lord.

October is the Month of Mary's Rosary

This tender painting is titled, Old Lady with a Rosary. It was created by the Scottish portrait painter, George Fiddes Watt (1873-1960).  

There is so much to notice here. This elderly woman lives in extreme poverty. Her dress is faded and worn. Her threadbare, tattered curtains are useless. There is what's left of a broom leaning against the wall under the window. Her spinning wheel is there as well, but I sense she is now too frail to use it. The wooden table with the damaged edge has been around a long time.

There is a small pitcher on the table and a cup of tea perhaps. She has just placed it there — see the steam rising from it. The walls and the floor are the color of the earth. They remind us that death is near, as does the clock on the wall.

What thoughts fill her rosary prayer? What does she bring to her prayer? Maybe just an uncomplicated love of God. Is she lonely, having outlived everyone? Is she mourning the loss of dear ones? Has her poverty reduced her, such that she is asking for death? Maybe she is praying for strength to accept the challenge of dimmed sight, arthritic hands and spine? The beads she holds delicately have gone round and round for a very long time — what stories they could tell. I think she is an image of a faithful soul, accepting what comes each day. She is taking her time — a contemplative soul, full of inner awareness, and I expect gratitude for all that has upheld her over the years.

Even to hold the rosary is a prayer. But if we learn nothing else from her, perhaps this, that finishing the whole thing in record time isn't what matters, but that we pray even the littlest bit of it with attentive love.

Feast of the Archangels ~ Thoughts a little late

 

There are two angel feast days on the liturgical calendar: October 2, the Feast of the Guardian Angels, and September 29, the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.  The flowers in the picture above are called Michaelmas Asters as they are guaranteed to be in full bloom for the archangel's celebration, even into October's first frost The flower's name is surely a survivor of the Protestant Reformation  which changed the names of all the flowers that had spiritual significance.

Anyway, Father Rahner writes that angels are the Entourage of Jesus. Lovely. Entourage (19th c. French for surround) means a group of people who attend or surround an important person. Synonyms would be retinue, escorts, company.  We encounter these surrounding angels in the gospels.

The Archangel Gabriel announces the conception of Jesus to the Virgin Mary. Luke 1:26-38

Angels fill the sky with song on Christmas night. Luke 2: 8-20

While angels are not mentioned in the account of Christ's Baptism, they are often present in iconology.

An angel ministers to Jesus at the end of his wilderness fasting. Matthew 4:11

Another angel ministers to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Luke 22:43

There is an angel at the empty Easter tomb. Mark 16:5

And there are angels of instruction in the Ascension sky. Acts 1:10-11

Are they real? Why not? Though statues and icons are only attempts at depicting invisible realities. More importantly (and don't you feel this too?) I want to be counted among Christ's retinue, known to be one of his company, found among those who surround Jesus in love and learning. Happy Feast Day!

Intercessions ~ Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

We pray for our world,/ so full of variety and beauty,/ so self-renewing,/ but also so lacking in joy,/ light,/ certitude,/ peace or help for the many who are pained./ May we not hide/ or run away in fear from the struggle,/  where ignorance and brutishness seem to win,/ but may we learn God's true love./ We pray to the Lord.

Columbus Day is Monday./ Like every story,/ this one is tainted./ We pray for our country which bears the stubborn stain of hatred for persons of color./ We pray for those who deny ugly truths./ We pray for the indigenous peoples of this land whose story is rife with exploitation,/ theft,/ disease,/ lies,/ cultural destruction and murder./ We pray to the Lord.

More than one hundred people were left dead after Hurricane Ian./ We pray for them and for those who mourn them./ We pray for the injured and those who have lost everything./ For those who so carefully continue recovery efforts./ We pray to the Lord.

Ours is an often violent country./ But today,/ violence has been given a new permission or empowerment./  There are politicians who everyday receive violent threats in numbers beyond counting./ People in high places spew violent, hater-rhetoric and speak of others in degrading and menacing ways./ We ask God for the much needed healing of the national heart./ We pray to the Lord.

October is the month when the leaves change their colors./ May we experience the change or transformation that comes with knowing Christ deeply./ October is also the month of leaf drop and behind each fallen leaf is next spring's leaf-bud./ May we drop resentment/ and know Christ's promise of new life./ We pray to the Lord.

Gun manufacturing and gun sales are big business in our country./ More than 1400 people have been shot in Philadelphia alone this year./ In that same city there have been more than 400 gun deaths./ Some of the injured and dead are children./ This gun defense and gun adulation is simply not the way of Jesus./ May we learn what he has to teach us./ We pray to the Lord.

We pray for ourselves and those around us at Mass today./ For the many who stay away./ For those who have lost faith or who are discouraged./ We ask the Lord to bless us with gifts of renewed hope and joy./ We pray to the Lord.

Turning the Pope's Sunday Reflection Into an October Rosary Decade

There is the long-standing tradition of the Pope greeting the many thousands of people in St. Peter's Square each Sunday to offer a reflection on some spiritual theme and to pray the Angelus. This past Sunday Pope Francis used the occasion to plead for an end to the terrible and costly invasion of Ukraine. I have broken up the address into ten sentences, suggesting we might use them as brief reflections between the Hail Mary's of a rosary decade, at the start of October — the month of Mary's Rosary.

Our Father...

"The course of the war in Ukraine has become so serious, devastating and threatening, as to cause great concern. Indeed, this terrible and inconceivable wound to humanity, instead of healing, continues to shed even more blood, risking to spread further."

Hail Mary...

"I am saddened by the rivers of blood and tears spilled in these months. I am saddened by the thousands of victims, especially children, and the destruction which has left many people and families homeless and threatened vast territories with cold and hunger."

Hail Mary...

"Certain actions can never be justified, never! It is disturbing that the world is learning the geography of Ukraine through names such as Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol, Izium, Zaparizhzhia and other areas, which have become places of indescribable suffering and fear. And what about the fact that humanity is once again faced with the atomic threat? It is absurd."

Hail Mary...

"What is to happen next?  How much blood must still flow for us to realize that war is never a solution, only destruction? In the name of God and in the name of the sense of humanity that dwells in every heart, I renew my call for an immediate cease fire."

Hail Mary...

"Let there be a halt to arms, and let us seek the conditions for negotiations that will lead to solutions that are not imposed by force, but consensual, just and stable. And they will be so if they are based on respect for the sacrosanct value of human life, as well as the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each country, and the rights of minorities and legitimate concerns."

Hail Mary...

"I deeply deplore the grave situation that has arisen in recent days, with further actions contrary to the principles of international law. It increases the risk of nuclear escalation, giving rise to fears of uncontrollable and catastrophic consequences worldwide."

Hail Mary...

"My appeal is addressed first and foremost to the President of the Russian Federation, imploring him to stop this spiral of violence and death, also for the sake of his own people. On the other hand, saddened by the immense sufferings of the Ukrainian people as a result of the aggression they have suffered, I address an equally confident appeal to the President of Ukraine to be open to serious proposals of peace."

Hail Mary...

"I urge all the protagonists of international life and the political leaders of nations to do everything possible to bring an end to the war, without allowing themselves to be drawn into dangerous escalations, and to promote and support initiatives for dialogue. Please let the younger generations breathe the salutary air of peace, not the polluted air of war, which is madness."

Hail Mary...

"After seven months of hostilities, let us use all diplomatic means, even those that may not have been used so far, to bring an end to this terrible tragedy. War in itself is an error and a horror!"

Hail Mary...

"Let us trust in the mercy of God, who can change hearts, and in the maternal intercession of the Queen of Peace, as we raise our supplication to Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompei, spiritually united with the faithful gathered at her shrine and in so many parts of the world."

Hail Mary...

Glory be to the Father...

Blessed Assurances

Rembrandt ~ The Head of Christ ~ 1640's

There is a wonderful hymn sung in African American churches called, "Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine." Here I have tried to expand on that — celebrating and invoking Christ who hopes for each of us to become awakened and true human persons. That's what authentic religion should do. Might I suggest a slow read with pauses and deep breaths.

The birth of Christ blesses me.

The beauty of Christ cheers me.

The call of Christ my re-creation.

The word of Christ my absolution.

The spirit of Christ brings me to life again.

The arms of Christ enfold me.

The gaze of Christ protects me.

The presence of Christ watches over me.

The light of Christ by which I see.

The uniqueness of Christ evolves my own.

The heart of Christ awakens mine.

The face of Christ restores my smile.

The tears of Christ compassionate me.

The prayer of Christ removes the weapons from my heart.

The breath of Christ to make my speech loving.

The ears of Christ heighten my listening.

The eyes of Christ recognize me.

The side wound of Christ, my entre.

The Kingdom of Christ, I belong.

The Mother of Christ — may I say, merriment?

The miracles of Christ surround me by thousands.

The hands of Christ the touch of peace.

The Cross of Christ dilates my mind.

The Rising of Christ — I am alive!