Mary’s Affirmation–A Prayer about Cana

Jesus,

Today I wonder if you shared some insecurities with your mom,

If you told her you had to leave home,

and start to do all of the dangerous things

she sang about

when you were still in vitro–

and I wonder if you had imposter syndrome

Because your were–after all, fully human,

I wonder if you whispered that you didn’t want to leave home to her

in the middle of the night

or if you worried about leaving your brothers and sisters

when Joseph is so conspicuously absent from the picture now

You, the eldest, the man of the house,

would be leaving too, just to cause a revolution, that’s all

and here is your Mother’s blessing,

at a wedding,

I wonder if she wanted to give you a good memory to start your journey…

if these were good family friends

who had more friends than they could afford–and I can just imagine God

how you looked Jesus when you were like,

“Seriously Woman, this is not what God’s power is for!”

And Mary, Chosen of God, doesn’t even deign to answer her son.

Lord, I just imagine the Mom Look she gives Jesus.

God, I’d love to be able to see someone giving

Jesus, Christ our Lord and Savior, a Mom Look—

Because aren’t those Mom Looks affirming of all that we are, and can be–

they are the opposite of imposter syndrome, are they not?

Mary, gives the Mom Look and then commands everyone in the Room

“You will do as my son says” and gives a grand exit,

Beginning Jesus’s ministry with a flourish…of hospitality,

She blesses Jesus’s ministry with a Party–She starts the ministry as it must end–

with the outpouring of wine.

There is no formal communion narrative in John, but it fits in right here…

as we on the inter-webs argue about what can make communion..

telling us all we need to know about communion

God you turned water into wine,

you know the truth–

its all real,

every drop of Hospitality and Communion,

and identity Affirmation,

It

Is

All

Real

Ministry.

Don’t ever let us forget I pray.

In the name of your Partying Jesus Christ,

and his affirming Mother I pray.

Amen.

Feel free to use/adapt/Share with Credit to Pastor Katy Stenta

If you find my work useful, please consider giving to my Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing https://gofund.me/70a114f9. It is a “working theologian’s” doctorate where I preach, write and share my work with the world all at the same time. If your church uses my work extensively and could use a receipt email me at katyandtheword at gmail and let me know!

"Water To Wine" is a painting by Darcie Pike,
Image” https://www.journeywithjesus.net/Essays/Darcie_Pike_Water_To_Wine_sm.jpg

Epiphany Thoughts

Epiphany is being able to step back and see how all the puzzle pieces that have already been put into place form the picture–and realize what the picture makes. It doesn’t change the picture, it just allows you to understand the picture better!


That’s why, when big changes happen, a good thing to do is to go back to the things you know for sure: identity, facts, spiritual disciplines.


And of course, in the story of the Magi, the answer is Jesus! Same for John the Baptist and the Shepherds! And each of them figured it out by doing what they do best–studying the stars, baptizing and preaching, tending the sheep, etc. For the Magi, its a good news picture, for Herod, not so much. But when they look at the pieces of the puzzle and they go back and look at it, they realize, the answer is Jesus!


As we enter this year after 20 months of Monumental changes–people moving, changing jobs, retiring and dying. And all of these changes are happening on a huge global level, we can be pretty sure that humanity is ripe for an Epiphany, we are about to discover some things about ourselves.


So, now is a good time to hone in on the basics–who are we? what do we love? what are our spiritual practices?


So when we are finally able to step back and see how the puzzle pieces fit together, we are well grounded for that moment of epiphany.


All right, let’s go 2022. Let’s get ready for our Epiphany.

Betty White’s Timing

So…we are all going to mourn Betty White hard

Bc we need to mourn
And we all know why
And Betty White is something we can agree on
And so she is giving us that final gift.

The ability to laugh and cry and scream NO FAIR in one voice before this horrible year ends.

Thank you Betty White.
Binding us Together one last time in 2021.

And as someone noted—right before 2022 and her 100th birthday—her timing, as always, is flawless

We miss you already.
I hope you are making your husband laugh right this second.
Selah!

Thanks to @CrystalChetaham for her inspirational tweet about Betty White’s impeccable timing

A Blessing for (Surviving) Today

Another Blessing for Surviving Today! Keep Going!

katyandtheword's avatarkatyandtheword

Here’s a blessing for you.

Because you are still here,

And it’s been a year, of ::gestures inarticulately:: everything.

And we need all the blessings we can get.

So here’s a bless this mess.

A blessing on your head,

one that grants you good dreams,

and moments of respite,

and times to let go,

and moments to connect with your beloveds,

and reminders that your worth is not defined by your productivity

and that its ok not to be ok

and that this is not the new normal, nor should it be.

So all the blessings–

for being here,

and doing the things

and being you.

Keep at it! Take breaks,

Drink water, take care of yourself,

and be blessed,

For you are a beloved child of God.

No matter what.

God bless you, Child of God.

Today, Tomorrow, and Always.

Amen.

Feel free to use/adapt/share with credit to Pastor…

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10 book series to get to know me…

10 Book series to get to know me by I have funded $800 of my $2500 goal for my Doctorate in Creative Writing in Divinity at Pittsburgh Seminary. Thank you for everyone who has supported me this year. Whether it was through donation, likes, shares or (most importantly) praying with me. My Go Fund Me Page & Story is here: https://gofund.me/aaeb4910

Thank you again. I could do it without you.

Go Back to Start….A Yell-y Psalm

God

I’m tired of this Pandemic Game…

And it would be great,

if we could finally learn our lesson,

and stop pulling the Go Back to Start Card

Please, God Please

Also, God, I hate skipping Go and Collecting $200.

At least at the beginning of the game we were gathering some money

and accolades for our essential workers, to cushion the fall.

But now we continue on our merry way

Losing everything but the idea that we have to

pretend

things a

are

normal.

And I can’t even pretend anymore.

When news of omicron swept through.

I just couldn’t even process, that “Go Back to Start” feeling.

Because Sweet Jesus, you know, every time we go back to go–

we lose more people who are too weary from the journey

And I can’t blame them.

We should not blame them.

(even though we humans are so good at that blaming thing)

We are not meant to be in survival mode forever.

So here I am God. Praying we figure something better out.

Some solution to this mess.

Some greater support system, some way to advocate for

essential workers, caretakers, long covid survivors, disabled people on the margins, those impoverished by circumstances

God help us–because we are clearly too weary to figure it out on our own.

And frankly, I’ll take all the help I can get right now.

Holy Spirit, inspire and sustain us, we pray.

And please, God please, help us to get beyond Starting Over!

We pray in your most Compassionate and Understanding Name.

Amen.

Feel free to use/share/adapt with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta

Pandemic Prayers & Resources

Feel free to use/adapt/share with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta and Please consider supporting my Doctorate of Ministry at https://gofund.me/aaeb4910

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In the Shadow: A Prayer in Memory of Desmond Tutu and bell hooks

God,

I want to write a great prayer

in memory of the Black excellence of Desmond Tutu and bell hooks.

Something that shows their fierce dedication to freedom and compassion.

But all I can picture is Desmond laughing in heaven,

overjoyed by every person he meets

And bell hooks, finding new womanist, queer, feminist aspects we didn’t know yet!

The Rosa Parks and Toni Morrisons who didn’t make the history books

making notes and translating it to us in a language we can feel in our souls!

God, I keep reflecting on how much of Tutu and hooks’ theology

is part and parcel of my everyday theology

“find why the babies are in the river”

“Love is an action never silly a feeling”

“if you are neutral in situations of injustice you have chosen the side of the oppressor”

“queer is the self which is constantly at odds with everything else”

I am fluent in the love of bell hooks and Desmond Tutu, without ever having met either one of them, or even having heard them speak.

It was mostly informal–through osmosis, their love broke through!

Here I am– standing in the shadow of Black beauty and knowledge

Thanks to them.

Thank you for the gift of their lives God. Thank you for their work, their bravery,

their love,

their imperfections, their power

and most of all their willingness to teach us all.

Thank you God.

Amen.

Feel free to use/adapt/share with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta

Images From: https://assets.vogue.com/photos/61ba2fdf8dfa948c34e8914c/4:3/w_4159,h_3119,c_limit/GettyImages-1178375349.jpg

and

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/imageserver/image/%2Fmethode%2Ftimes%2Fprod%2Fweb%2Fbin%2Fbb16d142-6666-11ec-98df-0bb0132add1b.jpg?crop=4324%2C2883%2C30%2C20

Countdown to the End of the Year, A Prayer

Ok God,

I don’t know when you have ever,

ever

Asked for our resume,

or our qualifications

(In fact you call us no matter what)

Nor do you ask us to make an accounting

of our year’s end accomplishments and goals

**

Instead I picture you.

Sitting down with us, at the end of the year–

Like a good friend does at the end of the day.

Allowing us to reflect

on the good and the bad and the ugly.

***

And you don’t mind if the language is crass , or the tears start to flow,

**

…Or sometimes we feel like we have nothing at all worth saying.

***

We humans like to mark time, because that’s how we are made.

And you like to sit and mark it with us, because you God, understand.

Our obsessions with days and weeks and hours and cups of coffee.

***

So God, when I start counting,

You remind me that I can’t count the stars,

and our blessings outnumber those–

and you remind us that every single person,

is beloved and no one is forgotten.

**

Neither is our small joys and accomplishments.

**

Everything Counts,

And we don’t need to.

Only you God, can make both true.

Thank you God,

for keeping track of the important stuff,

and letting the other stuff Go

And sitting with me, as I take stock.

Amen.

Please feel free to use/adapt/share with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta

If you like my prayers, consider adding your email to the list and/or contributing to my 2nd year in Doctoral work in Creative Writing for Ministry https://gofund.me/70a114f9 I am funding 1/3rd of it through fund-raising. Every contribution from $5-$200 helps. I successfully funded my first year this way, and truly appreciate your support!

Blessings for a Gentle Holiday (full text)

https://revgalblogpals.org/2021/12/22/wednesday-prayer-blessings-for-a-gentle-holiday/

Blessings for a Gentle Holiday

May you have a gentle Holiday

Full of kindness, and understanding

and moments of warmth and coziness.

May you have a holiday with enough space and time

to be alone or together

to weep or sigh

to remember…

***

May your holiday give you the kind of rest you need

with reading or physical activity or doing nothing

or to do the crafting or peopling or not peopling

or sleeping or creating or not knowing

or caring…

whatever it is that you need to do,

or not!

***

May you have a gentle holiday

with the permission you need to not have to be “Merry”

but to be your full authentic self,

and to be kind to yourself, your boundaries, and those you love.

This is both my blessing and my prayer for you this season.

Amen.