lent – Page 12 – katyandtheword

As the Rain Falls

The rain is falling today.

It’s indiscriminate. The rain doesn’t care who it falls on.

If you go out in the rain you will get wet.

It falls on the powerful and the meek.

It falls on the just and unjust

Yesterday the sun was shining

It didn’t care; the sun doesn’t care who it touches

If you went into the sun, you received it’s rays filled with vitamin D

It shone on those who were happy and those who mourned

It shone on those with COVID19 and those without alike.

Sometimes I feel caught up in my shoulds….

What should I be doing? How should I be feeling? Who should I be, now in the middle of this world crises.

God reminds me, God is my God, and the God of those who are angry, and the God of those who are terrified, or alone.

God is still my God when I feel those things. The sun still shines on me and the rain still makes me wet.

And if I’m just scraping to make ends meet: physically, monetarily, intellectually or emotionally. God is still my God then too.

You can’t be too anything for God: too good or too bad, too straight or too queer, too rich or too poor, too sad or too happy.

God promises, no matter what, God will be our God.

And I’m glad, in this time when I can’t touch many people–I can feel the drops of rain on my tongue and the warmth of the sun between my shoulders.

Remind me whoever I feel too much, or too little God that these are not your limits. Allow me to take comfort in the sun and the rain I pray. Amen.

Other Prayers and Resources for the Pandemic

Nothing will ever be the same again: Temples & Resurrection

Jesus promises that nothing will ever be the same again.

But no one understands: Neither rabbis nor the government, neither his family nor the disciples.

But that is the word of Jesus: nothings will ever be the same again.

And then he tears down the temple: time shatters as a side effect.

The sky goes dark, the minutes become slippery and the future melts into the past.

Jesus promises that nothing will ever be the same again

And Lazarus knows it when he is resurrected from the dead, so does Jairus’ daughter.

Because after Resurrection, not one stone will remain upon another.

After Resurrection, everything changes in the world and the entire world is changed.

They are not the same people, and their relationships will change.

What is an apocalypse? It is the uncovering of what is real, and what is rote.

Why is it an apocalypse? Because it’s about time we wake up and pay attention.

As things crumble away, money becomes meaningless and hugs become everything.

Power desinigrates, but conversations become lifesaving.

Jesus promises that nothing will ever be the same again.

And we pray for that, when we pray thy kingdom come, thy will be done.

(As things change, as every single thing we do changes from work, to family, too finances. As this moment becomes a part of the social conscious memory, let us acknowledge that maybe it’s good that nothing will ever be the same again.

Maybe priorities will change, maybe relationships will strengthen, maybe the things that are breaking were already on the brink and it’s time to change the way we do those things: elder care, disabled care, work/life balance, the value of essential work, the need for healing, the way my health is wrapped up in your health, the way my money is economy up in your economy, the way my shalom is wrapped up in your shalom.)

We can taste the kingdom on our tongues, not because Jesus is coming tomorrow, but because has already been here.

And we, living in the grace of 2,000 plus years post Jesus, are just now realizing that nothing truly will ever be the same again. But the temple is being rebuilt, this too Jesus promises.

It won’t be the same temple, but the temple will be rebuilt.

Thanks be to God, for the good news.

More Prayer Resources

My God is the God of Emptiness

You emptied your very Godself, and made room for creation and humanity. Like a mother making space in her womb, you found a space for us.

You then told Noah to build an empty ark, and filled an empty sky with rain, and when the world was empty you filled that emptiness with your promise; a rainbow.

You put Samuel in Hannah’s empty womb and Eli’s empty Temple.

You worked with Moses’ empty mouth–giving him a staff and Aaron to assist him upon the way, then you emptied the Red Sea for the Hebrews to cross, and finally put a song on Miriam’s lips to fill the moment.

You emptied Rahab’s house so she could hide the spies, and knocked down the walls of Jericho so that they no longer filled the space.

You told Elijah to build an empty pit, and to splash the pit with water, and then you filled that pit with light.

You sent Elisha to an empty widow, with a practically empty lamp and pantry–and somehow filled that space with hope.

Then you saw that humanity still felt empty, so you emptied yourself into a human baby, and named him Jesus.

Then you entered an humble–emptied–servant Mary, and you promised to empty the thrones, to empty out power, and to empty out pride, and to empty out the rich.

Jesus preached to the emptiness–starting in the desert, then to empty fields, houses and lakes.

Eventually he prayed in the empty garden of Gethsemane.

And then this, my God of emptiness, emptied himself on the cross.

And to prove the power of emptiness, God came to an empty tomb, to his empty disciples.

First to the women in the empty garden, who’s mouths hung empty of words in astonishment and fright,

(Then to two more on the empty road to Emmaus.

And then he showed them who he was by the breaking of bread and emptying the cup.)

I am not afraid of emptiness, for my God is the God of emptiness.

And as he empties out the churches and the organizations and the streets. As God empties out time itself, I trust that God is big enough to work with it.

My God is the God of emptiness.

Image

Short meditation from years ago https://katyandtheword.wordpress.com/tag/empty-churches/

More Resources and Prayers during this time of Crises

Apocalypse Meditation

Psalm 102

¹⁸ Let this be recorded for a generation to come,
so that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord:
¹⁹ that he looked down from his holy height,
from heaven the Lord looked at the earth,
²⁰ to hear the groans of the prisoners,
to set free those who were doomed to die;
²¹ so that the name of the Lord may be declared in Zion,
and his praise in Jerusalem,
²² when peoples gather together,
and kingdoms, to worship the Lord.

Two weeks ago my son asked if this is the apocalypse.

To be fair he is an 8 year old who is keenly interested in natural disasters, and three weeks ago the interest tipped into apocalypse. I had just previously defined a natural disaster as something that happens in one area whereas an apocalypse is something that happens to everyone.

Mark 13:24-37

When the sky goes dark and the stars fall from heaven it will be apocalyptic, not because the star is falling, but because when Jesus comes, Jesus will come for everyone.

Just when we think it’s “every man for himself” just when we think we are saved or die by individual faith, Jesus reminds us that we are all connected. On the heels of Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your strength and all your mind Jesus gives this prediction.

The sky will be falling, the powers in heaven will shake and Jesus will come. Jesus will come for the whole and entire earth. The elect will be gathered, but remember these last 2,000 years are our grace time for the elect to be fostered and grown. We thought world was ending with the death of Jesus Christ, but instead we are given more time to learn, and to be ready and to catch our breath.

This apocalypse is a hopeful one, because it will be like the fig tree budding into bloom. The apocalypse is hopeful because even when heaven and earth pass away the word of the Lord, Jesus Christ, will stand.

Image result for fig tree budding

And this passage is hopeful because we are each, every one of us, told to stay awake. This means that it is not just one or two of us who are told to be ready, we are all told to be ready.

Jesus talks about great suffering—this part is scary. Because of this, every time the world suffers greatly, we wonder if it’s the end times. Even though Jesus says right in this passage that nobody knows when the time will come. We are to be alert, because it will sneak up on us.

Keep awake Jesus says, before he prays at Gethsemane asking his disciples to stay awake with him. Be ready for the apocalypse: the revelation.

The question isn’t really is this an apocalypse, the question is are we awake? Are we watching for the budding of the fig tree, are we cultivating the kingdom of heaven or are we cultivating the seeds of faith.

Are we taking care of each other? Are we loving God? Are we living life like it is short and precious, are we treating each other like we are beautiful and beloved? Are we grounding ourselves in the stable Word of God?

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night & give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; all for your love’s sake. –Book of Common Prayer

Not planned to give up this much for Lent

Image may contain: ‎possible text that says '‎る Honestly hadn't 00 planned on giving up quite this much for Lent. ת‎'‎

God, I saw someone say they weren’t ready to give quite so much up for Lent, and it’s true. I’m not ready to give up friends and seeing grandparents, I’m not ready to give up babysitting and going out to eat, and I’m definitely not ready to give up school for my kiddos, and we will surely miss church on Sunday. More than giving up is what I’m taking on. I’m taking on the health of my entire community, I’m learning to appreciate how teachers work, teach, grade and keep everyone (including themselves) for day on end, I’m relearning the art of boredom. I’m figuring out how a new structures and rhythms of schedule and living together. I’m finding ways to be connectional in new (and old) ways. I’m finding time: time to walk and prioritize, time to wonder at morality, time to care. It’s not the Lent I had planned, but it’s the one I have been given. Lord help me to not give up for Lent I pray, give me the resources, relationships and reality checks I need to carry on, and continue to walk with me I pray.

Amen.

Thanks for the statement Andy Crouch

“Señor, (escuché) a alguien decir que no estaba listo para renunciar a tanto esta cuaresma. Pero así es. No estoy lista para dejar a mis amistades o dejar de ver a los abuelos. No estoy lista para dejar la niñera o el salir a cenar. Y definitivamente no estoy lista para dejar la escuela de mis nenes, y definitivamente me hará falta la iglesia los domingos.

“Más de lo que dejo, es lo que tomo. Estoy tomando la responsabilidad por la salud de mi comunidad entera. Estoy aprendiendo a apreciar como las maestras y los maestros trabajan, enseñan, corrigen y mantienen a todos (incluyéndose) día a día. Estoy aprendiendo de nuevo el arte del aburrimiento. Estoy descifrando nuevas estructuras y ritmos de calendario y vida juntos. Estoy aprendiendo las nuevas (y viejas) maneras de ser conexional. Estoy encontrando tiempo: tiempo para caminar y priorizar, tiempo para cuestionar la moral, tiempo para cuidar (y preocupar).

“Esta no es la cuaresma que tenía planificada, pero es la que se me ha dado. Señor, te ruego me ayudes a no darme por vencida en esta cuaresma. Dame los recursos, las relaciones, los baldazos de realidad que necesite para continuar adelante. Camina conmigo, te ruego. Amen”.

– por la Rvda. Katy Stenta

Thank you my colleague Rev. Amaury Tañón-Santos for the translation

More Prayers & Resources for the Pandemic

Parable of the Tenants Lent Seeds of Prayer, Narrative Lectionary

Mark 12:1-12 [13-17]

Psalm 86: 8-13

Image result for God is always on time

Call to Worship

Lord you call to all people to serve

From the tiny babies, to the last minute workers

You welcome all into the kingdom

Let us praise God!

Prayer of Confession: Lord we confess that we do not understand your upsidedown world of grace. How can you let everyone in? How can we let everyone in? Help us to give you the power and the glory forever we pray.

Prayer of Confession: Lord please stoop down and whisper in my ear, for I confess I am needy, be gracious to me. I am crying for you all the day long, listen to my prayer. Comfort me I pray.

Prayer of Confession: Lord, my heart is divided. Reverence of you is out of reach. I have forgotten your ways. Teach me so I might walk in your truth I pray.

Assurance of Pardon: The Lord is good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call out to God. We can know the good news In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Prayer of Dedication/Prayer of the Day: Lord please gladden the soul of your servant. I lift up my soul. In the day of trouble I call on you, for you will answer. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth. Give me an undivided heart to revere your name.

Communion Prayer: Lord, you stooped kneeling into the fully human Jesus, as Christ himself, speaking our language, eating our food, teaching our children. And when the world seemed to be ending and Jesus was betrayed and again when he ascended into heaven he promised to send his Holy Spirit to be present among us, blessing us, inspiring us and encouraging us. Send that Holy Spirit here today so we can taste and see your way we pray. Amen

With Children: Play Mother May I (Let everyone win), Have a Feast/Party: Let everyone take part in waves, Do a puzzle note how it doesn’t matter what order the pieces come as long as they are all there; or create a puzzle or color different pieces of the same picture and put them together

Hymns: Jesus the Very Thought of Thee, Come Down O Love Divine, Open My Eyes that I May See, Blessed Assurance Jesus is Mine, Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart, Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing, If I Had a Thousand Tongues to Sing

For more Lent Resources on Mark

Bartimaeus Healed Lent Seeds of Prayer Narrative Lectionary

Mark 10:32-52

Psalm 34:11-14

A Full Bulletin by Rev. Dr. Barbara Hedges-Goettl

Call to Worship:

I will bless the Lord at all times

I will praise God’s Holy Name

Let the humble hear and be glad

O magnify the Lord with me, let us exalt God’s name together!

Call to Worship:

The Lord is near the brokenhearted

God saves those who feel crushed in spirit!

Remember God will save every last person who calls out, and the Last shall be First.

Let us Praise God, full of grace.

Prayer of Dedication/Prayer of the Day: Let us all depart from evil! Remember do good, seek peace and pursue it.

Prayer of Confession: In a world of buried Praises, we confess that we still hesitate to cry out Hosanna: save us! Why do we hesitate to call on you. Only you know oh God. Open our mouths up with prayers whether they are full of praise or full of anguish. Help us to confess our full selves to you we pray. Hosanna Lord!

Communion Prayer: God thank you so much for this meal and this communion with one another and you. You feed us with your good and your love, indeed with your very essence so we are able to carry on in this world. Feed us with the strength of your Holy Spirit, bless us in whatever order you wish, teach us to serve now and always we pray.

Prayer of Confession: Lord we confess that we argue about who gets to sit next to you, not able to hear that whenever you come to earth you will be found on your knees serving. Teach us to serve, so we might find our place beside you we pray.

Assurance of Pardon: The Lord redeems the life of all who serve God, none who take refuge will be condemned. Hear the Great News: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven

Hymns: He is King of Kings, Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God, Jesus Jesu Fill Us With Your Love, Lift High the Cross, Called to Partners in Christ’s Service, Amazing Grace

With Children: Build with Blocks (talk about the construction and what will happen is the bottom block is taken out), Create a Serving Calendar of one thing to do every week of Lent, draw invisible hearts with white crayons: Have the children watercolor to reveal God’s Love.

For more Lent Resources on Mark

Lent Seeds of Prayer for Narrative Lectionary Mark

Lent: Deconstructing Our Temples

March 1st First Last & Last First: Mark 10:17-31& Psalm 19:7-10 Deconstructing Order

March 8th Bartimaeus Healed: Mark 10:32-52 &Psalm 34:11-14 Deconstructing Power

March 15th Parable of the Tenants/Taxes and Caesar: Mark 12:1-12 [13-17] & Psalm 86:8-13 Deconstructing Time/Value/Work

March 22 Great Commandment: Mark 12:28-44 & Psalm 89:1-4 Deconstructing Rules

March 29 End of the Age: Mark 13:1-8, 24-37 & Psalm 102:12-17 Deconstructing Time

Holy Week: Rebuilding the Temple

April 5 Triumphal Entry/Anointing at Bethany/Palm Sunday: Mark 11:1-11; 14:3-9 & Psalm 118:25-29

April 9 Maundy Thursday/Lord’s Supper/Prayer in Gethsemane: Mark 14:22-42 & Psalm 116:12-19

April 10 Good Friday/Crucifixion: Mark 15:16-39 & Psalm 22:1-2, 14-21

April 12 Easter Sunday/Resurrection: Mark 16:1-8 & Psalm 118:21-27

Lent Seeds: Narrative Lectionary

Exegetical Links compiled by Rev. Dr. Barb Hedges-Goettl

No photo description available.

Mark 10:17-31

Psalm 19:7-10

Call to Worship

The heavens tell of the glory of God, the very firmament proclaims God’s handiwork

The Lord is my rock and my redeemer

The sun in all of its courses is radiant, set in the heavens, touching upon the whole earth

Come let us praise God’s Holy Name

Call to Worship

God celebrate us, always running towards us!

Tracking us like the sun moves across the heaven!

Creating heaven and earth as reflections of God’s glory.

Come let us run to praise the Lord

Prayer of Confession; As I contemplate the makings of the universe, pulling apart each piece of how things are made. I continue to be flummoxed and confused by their intricacies. I confess that when you take things apart it scares me. When you die, all of my sins weigh heavily upon me. Forgive me I pray.

Prayer of Confession: Clear me from my hidden faults Lord, do not let them have dominion over me. Who else can detect my errors? Find them and clear them so I may be blameless and innocent of great transgression I pray.

Assurance of Pardon: The Lord is our Redeemer, we do not need to fear! In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Prayer of Dedication/Day: Let the words of my mouth and meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

Communion Prayer; Lord you are the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last word. The first word you gave to us was creation, and the last word you give us has been and will always be grace. Send your Holy Spirit here, now. Remind us of your sweet ordinances, dripping with golden grace, sweeter than honey, help us to taste them on our tongue with the blood and body of Jesus Christ, we pray.

Hymns: Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord I Want to Be a Christian in My Heart, Somebody’s Knocking at Your Door, O Love How Deep, How Broad, How High, Jesu, Jesu Fill Us With Your Love, Seek Ye First, He is King of Kings

He is First and Last

With Children: Taste Honey, discuss why the laws are sweet & freeing. Make an Almsgiving/Prayer/Fasting Commitment (emphasize the life affirming aspects of living Lent like it’s the end of your life). Play duck, duck Goose, Play Musical Chairs, Play Mother May I, after whichever game discuss the importance of Ordering. Have Last-Shall-Be-First Nominations: everyone nominates the person next to them to be first (and goes to the back of the line after) for a positive reason. Read the Goblin’s Chair: discuss the importance of leaving room for the unseen,

Ash Wednesday Narrative Lectionary based on Mark 9:30-37 Psalm 32:1-5

Jesus went with the disciples teaching them, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.”

And the Disciples Kept silent.

Prayer of Confession: Lord we confess that we do not understand, fully, why it is you had to die. We do not understand why you were betrayed by human hands, and we do not understand how it is you rose again. But we do know while we kept silent our bodies wasted away and we groaned all day long.

Taize Option: Lord here my Prayer, Hymn Option: What Wondrous Love is This v. 1

Help us to live with our lacks and to lean into why you came: to teach, to heal, to die and to forgive our sins. Help us live fully with who we are.
(Write down what Jesus has taught you, who you are, what you want to hang onto)

Taize Option: Bless the Lord My Soul Hymn Option: What Wondrous Love is This v 2.

And let us once again confess our full selves to you so they may once again be forgiven.

Writing down Confession of sin on another piece of paper

Taize Option: Jesus Remember Me Hymn Option: What Wondrous Love is This v. 3
(Collect to trash, burn, rip up)

Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven,  whose sin is covered.  Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity,  and in whose spirit there is no deceit.   Selah
While I kept silence, my body wasted away  through my groaning all day long.  For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;  my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.

Selah  
Then I acknowledged my sin to you,  and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’,  and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Selah

Let us know the truth, as short and imperfect as life is. Remember that you are always and forgiven. Thanks be to God.
Holy Communion

The Lord’s Prayer

Imposition of Ashes

Blessing