Long ago a Judean rabbi went with his disciples to a place which then had acquired a new name: Caesarea Philippi, named after the Jewish puppet king who ruled over northern Judea. We are here because of the life and teachings of that man, and especially because of his death and resurrection, which followed shortly after this episode in two of the Gospels. We have been by him led into a life-changing relationship with the God who sent Jesus Christ into the world. Therefore let us, with Lenten confidence, worship God.
Pastoral Prayer
Loving God and Father of us all, ultimately Thou hast made all of us, and all of us are Thine. We vary enormously in our commitment and dedication to Thee. Some of us try daily to serve Thee and to do Thy will, some people occasionally think of Thee and our obligations to Thee, and some of us never allow an awareness of Thee into our consciousness because it is impossible for some of us to believe in Thee or in Thine existence. Nonetheless Thou dost continue to love and care for all of us, despite the wavering nature of our personal commitment, whatever it might be. We thank Thee for the love that wilt not let us go.
On this Sabbath day we pray for people we know would gather to worship Thee, but who are unable to do so because of poor health. Be with those in our own community of faith who face increasing pain or debilitation through the passing of the months and years. Uphold them in their growing limitations, and grant them increased faith for their journey, however long it may take and whatever route it may follow. We pray for those for whom loneliness is an ever-present burden, and who experience a void every day which never seems to leave them. We remember people whose primary concerns are for people they love who are not succeeding in life, and they feel anguish and helplessness because of that painful awareness. Give strength to those who feel greatly weakened by life, renewed trust to those who have been abused by others, and hope to all who suppose themselves to have been abandoned by Thee and everyone else.
We thank Thee this day for the life of Fran Reed, and for her commitment to our particular community of faith. We praise Thee for the extraordinary intelligence she possessed, and acknowledge the challenges she felt in trying to use it to overcome the injustices and inequities which she so deeply felt all around her. We also thank Thee for the devotion she exhibited toward members of our Latino community, and for the countless hours she spent teaching Hispanic immigrants to learn English. Bless her two daughters in their sense of loss, and enable them to find the comfort which comes only from Thee for those who mourn. All of our prayers we make in the name of Christ Jesus. Now we join together in the prayer he taught us, saying, Our Father….