A Gospel of Reversals

Coptic Christians pray in the destroyed church of St. Moses ~ Egypt

At this Peter spoke. "We here," he said, "have left everything to become your followers." Jesus said, "I tell you this: there is no one who has given up home, brothers or sisters, mother, father or children, or land, for my sake and for the Gospel, who will not receive in this age a hundred times as much - houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and land - and persecutions besides; and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last and the last first." Mark 10:28-31

This Gospel passage follows the episode where the rich young man departed from Jesus, sad, because Jesus had said, "It's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  

Peter, who always speaks plainly, is doubtful here and wants to know what's in it for himself and the other apostles who have given up everything to be Jesus' followers. That seems to be a valid enough question.

If we give away everything for God's Kingdom, then we'll be among the poor, the insignificant and the powerless. So of course the rich man walked away from Jesus feeling sad: Jesus had effectively declared: "Everything you think is essential, I think is a distraction." 

The teachings of Jesus often contain reversals: Many who are first will be last and the last first." And St. Paul's letter to the Philippians (2:6-11) says:  

Who, being in the form of God, did not count equality with God something to be grasped. But he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming as human beings are; and being in every way like a human being, he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross. And for this God raised him high, and gave him the name which is above all other names; so that all beings in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld, should bend the knee at the name of Jesus, and that every tongue should acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The Gospels begin with this message of reversals when the first to hear the news of Jesus' birth are shepherd-outsiders.  What a challenge: Oh Jesus, show me how to make your teaching my own. Our country is a shoppers paradise. Imagine if once a month each Christian would forfeit buying even one thing that, quite honestly, isn't essential. Some might criticize us for not being patriotic, for not helping the economy. But that's not what's on Jesus' mind; he wants us completely un-distracted in pursuing God's rule.

The other side of it is, if we've given it all away, we'll find all we really require, plus encouragement and support, in Christian community. When we set out to be real Christians (and not just church-goers) we make that decision alone, but we don't stay alone, as we discover there are other searchers alongside us. But we have a lot of work to do in this regard.

An elderly Catholic man and his sickly wife were becoming shut-ins and increasingly unable to take care of their property and home, such that the front grass grew up knee high. A Baptist neighbor finally went over and mowed it all down and tidied up the place. Some days later the Baptist man was talking with a Catholic neighbor and said to him, "You Catholics don't even take care of your own." Perhaps hard to take, but Jesus sometimes puts the gospel in our faces, just like that.

Then Jesus adds a kind of P.S. - that if we follow him this closely, we can expect trouble. The Coptic Christian men seen praying together at the top of this post, they understand, praying in their bombed and burned out church.

First Friday ~ An Hour Before the Sacrament

Some Catholics keep the devout practice of Eucharistic Adoration the First Friday of each month. Today is First Friday, and I'd like to offer the following as a prayer for your Holy Hour. 

But maybe you can't get to a church today where the Sacrament is placed openly on the altar, in which case the photo here and the prayer below might help us to pray anywhere: at home, on the train, during a lunch break, in a waiting room... 

There are fifteen intercessions here. If we spent 4 minutes with each: 4 X 15 = 60 - sixty minutes to an hour. Or maybe you need to break the prayer up into ten minutes segments throughout a busy day, or quarter hour segments. If the prayer lasts an hour or not, that's not what matters - heaven is glad for our prayer wherever we offer it, and however long. What's essential to good prayer is that it spring from a felt place.

I might begin the prayer by imagining I am with Jesus in a kind of intimate silence. Perhaps I am with him in the cave at Bethlehem, or along with his family on the journey to Egypt. Perhaps I see myself with him in the desert-fast of forty days or sitting next to him as he delivers the Sermon on the Mount. I could place myself up front and in the crowd that was fed with the little bread and fish, or in the darkness of the Gethsemane Garden. Maybe I sit with him on the Easter Sunday beach as he offers the apostles breakfast. Give the imagining (meditation) a little time.

Then this prayer in 4 minute increments (if possible).

Jesus, I pray for the people who are peacemakers around the world. I pray for those who lead nations, to prioritize the making of peace by creating justice. Bless those who promote non-violent solutions to human problems. Fill hearts with the desire to end violence and wars on our planet.

Jesus of gentleness and friendship, 
hear my prayer.

Jesus, I've got Pope Francis with me in this prayer-time. He needs strength, endurance and the blessings of good health. Oh, that his conscience-streaming words would revitalize the Church which is weary and fragmented.

Jesus, who said, "Where two or three are gathered..."
hear my prayer.

Jesus, I ask that we would have strength of heart and mind to look beyond ourselves to awareness of the struggles and needs of persons everywhere. I pray for the poor who live without friendship or support. I pray for the rebuilding of communities where there is destruction and decay. Bless those who work to break the future-destroying cycles of violence.

Jesus, lover of humankind,
hear my prayer.

Jesus, I pray for every country on earth: the largest and most populated; even the smallest I have never heard of. Oh that we would live in peace and a felt unity. That we would learn  justice and the kind of freedom you envision for us, your much-loved creation.

Jesus of peace and compassion,
hear my prayer.

Jesus, send the Holy Spirit of God's embrace to the ones who are of no consequence, weak and ignored. Make us so much more brave than we are, to end the terrible and wide divisions of richest and poorest. We need help from heaven to envision and create this kind of fairness.

Jesus, creative and empowering,
hear my prayer.

Jesus, I pray for this country and all the world where the cold winds of prejudice and racism endure and every kind of divisive and hateful discrimination. Dispel our willful blindness; give us new hearts. Forgive the bitter judgements that make us ugly.

Jesus who knows my inner-most being,
hear my prayer.

Jesus, who spoke of animals and plants, the water and the seeds, give us a new reverence for the paradise-world God has given us. That we would use the earth's resources so carefully, without greed, violence or disregard and in the service of others. Make us the caretakers God hoped for when we were placed  in Eden.

Jesus, who lived here with us - cosmic Jesus,
hear my prayer.

Jesus, our world is convulsing with the pain of immigrants, refugees and pilgrims, fleeing wars and persecution. So many of them are children. Please, that we would treat them hospitably, with great courtesy, so aware of the dignity each human person possesses as God's child.

Jesus, who was welcomed into Egypt, fleeing Herod's menace,
hear my prayer.

Jesus, I pray for the sick, the elderly, the dying and all who bear injuries and disabilities. Wake us up to the basic human right to health care. Grant that in following and loving you, we would be the ones recognized everywhere as the religion that alleviates suffering. 

Jesus, who touched and lifted up the sick,
hear my prayer.

Jesus, I intercede for prisoners and those enslaved and trafficked. Bless anyone who looks to rehabilitate and rescue. Bless the world with people whose heart-specialty is the restoration of those who are destitute, lonely and abused.

Jesus of comfort and healing,
hear my prayer.

Jesus, I pray for all the world's children and for families. I hold in my heart the child waiting to be born, the orphaned, the neglected, the terrified, and the ones suffering violent homes, starvation, thirst and untreated disease.

Jesus, who welcomed every child,
hear my prayer.

Jesus, I pray for my country and this world so sorely divided. Defuse the arsenal of bombs stored up in human hearts. Empower the Church to be an effective movement of reconciliation and healing love.

Jesus, who heals and restores,
hear my prayer.

Jesus, I entrust the world to your demon-exorcising care: the demons of drug mania, power craving, gun fetish, military infatuation and the money quest.

Jesus, darkness-conqueror,
hear my prayer.

Jesus, the Truth, I pray for my country and the world where chaos is created by people-harming lies: corporate lies, politician lies, Church lies, media lies, parent-child lies.

Jesus, Who speaks the Divine Word,
hear my prayer.

Jesus, who forgets no one; loses no one, I pray for those who have died by wars and violence, diseases and addictions. How aware I am of the deaths caused by human blindness and the neglect of hardened hearts. And that among the dead are so many children; forgive us.

Jesus of the empty tomb,
hear my prayer.

Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy and Immortal One, 
Have mercy on us. (3X)


A little postscript: Sometimes I'm asked if I believe this kind of intercessory prayer "works", does it make anything happen? I trust it does, but that's not what matters. All that matters is the stretching of my heart - that like the ever expanding universe itself, of which I am a part, my heart continues to grow and expand. Like Christ's heart. 

Intercessions ~ Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Thangkas: Buddhist painting ~ Jesus, who welcomes all

Not since the end of the Second World War/ has the world experienced a refugee crisis of such magnitude as we are witnessing today./ We ask God to give the nation a new Christ-Heart;/ that we would be a refuge for the weary./ We pray to the Lord.

As February begins,/ we pray for those who celebrate birthdays,/ anniversaries and other days of remembrance,/ asking for good health,/ safety and well-being./ We pray to the Lord.

Winter is a time of particular suffering for many./ We pray for those who are without shelter,/ who are short of money/ or out of work./ And that we would have generous,/ helpful hearts./ We pray to the Lord.

We pray for stability in our own country and for every place where there is chaos or confusion,/ great stress or anxiety./ And for our own inner peace and those dear to us./ We pray to the Lord.

Grant that this week we might be a source of surprise for someone who has been dulled by loneliness,/ sadness,/ sickness or anxiety./ We pray to the Lord.

Bring to safety and consolation/ those who have found themselves to be lost or injured,/ who have been turned away,/ rejected or given bad news./ And that God would make us instruments of peace./ We pray to the Lord.

We offer prayers for the sick,/ the frail,/ those struggling with addictions,/ and those victimized by wars./ And for those who make tremendous profits off of war/ and the militarization of the planet./ We pray to the Lord.