Last Night at BSM

June 13, 2016

Last night, Danny preached from Luke 7:36-50, where we read about a woman who cleans Jesus’ feet with her tears and her hair before perfuming them with oil from an alabaster jar. While it’s easy for us to accept that we shouldn’t be like Simon, who judged the woman, and that we should respond to the woman as Jesus did, it’s harder for us to accept that our gratitude-infused love for Jesus should make us as moved as the woman was. It’s difficult to picture ourselves as effusive or affected as this woman is. But if we can’t see ourselves in the woman’s place, we may be missing how God sees us: with a destabilizingly profound love that is the most stable thing in the universe.

Tony and a full, resounding choir helped us make the sanctuary rock with the sounds of both Aretha Franklin’s “Freedom” and Beyoncé’s “Freedom,” as well as Arcade Fire’s “Here Comes the Night Time,” the hymns “Just as I am” and “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms,” and the spiritual “I Want Jesus to Walk With Me.”

Our community also offered the following prayers:

Pray that I may be more generous, open-handed and compassionate. Pray for my mother who is moving out of her condo of 7 years.

Please pray for D****: 1) Job interview on Tuesday. May she be her best self.

Please pray for me: As I learn myself in God’s eyes in this new phase of my life…who am I in God’s eyes.

Jobs: Dad is 1^st in the running for his dream job of his career. Next interview this week! I am still searching for better job.

I have known about God’s love for me since I was a very young boy. However, I do not feel God’s love. I can’t accept that He loves me even as much as I love my own son, let alone incomprehensibly more than that. Danny’s sermon speaks to my needs but where’s the solution?

I pray that the Holy Spirit would heal our hearts as individuals & as a society & as a holy catholic church. How much destruction can the world endure without healing?

Dear God thank you for being with my family this week. Please stay with my son this week especially. Amen.

That I may have the peace of Christ, His patience, and enduring strength to be a good and healthy support to my community this week.

Prayers for all the people and families and tragedies mourned on TV and in the news. Praying also for all those whose suffering the media doesn’t deem worthy of attention. I know You see them, hear them, hold them, love them all. Thank you.

Please pray for favor as I seek out and pursue new opportunities. Thank you!

I don’t know what to pray. My heart hurts.

God, the world is broken. Heal it. Reconcile us to You. Help us not to live in fear or hatred, but to move in faith & love. For Orlando…For all in solitary or on death row. For all who are hungry, sick, or scared. Help us to be Your helpers…to Love in ways that create change for the better, ways that grow & nourish. In Your mercy, Amen.

Please preserve my rage. God

Get me in the temple

to turn the tables

Like You did with

the anger that

comes from

and holds

Love.

Lord, be present in my heart & mind as  I think about the events of the past week. I thank you for new beginnings. Bring your peace, healing for my family, esp. my sisters. Thanks be to God.

Orlando and continued acceptance and love for all.

For L**** undergoing more rounds of chemo at such a young age. And for her family going with her in whole…

Loving God, Startle me with the absurdity of your love. Startle the youth this week to feel your love and to work to bring it into this world. Amen.

Pray for:

-the people of Orlando and all who face terrorism

-D******’s family & friends on the loss of his brother

-my grandfather suffering from 2 failing kidneys

 

Prayers that I may continue to walk the path.

Dear God, Please be with all those behind bars, whether guilty or innocent, by Your Grace alone, hold hem and keep them so they do not feel alone, mentally, emotionally, physically. God please bless every single youth coming to BSM this summer. God help me to love you as you love me so perfectly. <3