Prayers

[John Cedarleaf]

Friends and colleagues,

I've been a bit "out of the loop" this past month or so, as we've been
dealing with some health issues. My wife Jean had some surgery last fall
and we thought that all was well, but it wasn't quite. Now she begins a
round of chemo followed by radiation. The good news is that we are told
that this is curable and for that we hope and pray. I know that many of
you have been through this and so understand. We will keep on keeping on
as usual with a positive attitude(sometimes I wish I were of Southern
European ancestry rather than Northern European ancestry!!) and the good
wishes and prayers of so many.

Blessings,
John

[Reverend Clemens]

dear John,
We will pray for healing,
Deborah

[John Cedarleaf]

Dear Deborah,
Thanks I appreciate it and I wish I could part of your book group.

John

[Rev. Linda Gruber]

Our prayers ascend.......

Rev. Linda S. Gruber, OCC
St. John's United Church of Christ
315 Gay Street
Phoenixville, PA 19460
610 933-5311
www.stjohnsucc.com

[Rev Richard Price, OCC, Abbot, Order of Corpus Christi]

Friend John:

I will ask the Sister of the Order of Corpus Christi who prays daily for the sick to lift up prayers for Jean (and for your family) as she goes through the difficulties of chemo and radiation therapy.

Heavenly Father, giver of life and health: Comfort and relieve your servant, Jean, and give your power of healing to those who minister to her needs, that she may be strengthened in her weakness and have confidence in your loving care; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

May God's healing hand be upon Jean and strengthen you in this time of trial.

Deo Gratia.

+ Abbot Richard

--
THE ORDER OF CORPUS CHRISTI
orderofcorpuschristi.org
+The Right Rev'd Richard H Price, OCC, Abbot
rhp...@gmail.com
215.943.7110
215.208.2886 (Mobile)
Skype: sacerdote35

[Thomas Dean]

John,

Thanks for sharing the prayer concern.

Jean has our prayers for healing on my daily intercessory prayer list.  Keep us posted on how she is doing down the road.

Blessings,

Tom Dean

[Jean Easland]

Brother John: Prayers go up from the Dakota prairies! We will us Richards
rich prayer-----my wife's name is Jean----Blessings-------- Roger

[Cecil Prescod]

You and Jean are in my prayers.

Cecil Charles Prescod, OCC

 

A Prayer for Pentecost

Come, thou Holy Spirit come:
and from thy celestial home
send thy light and brilliancy.
Come, thou father of the poor,
come who givest all our store.
What is filthy make thou pure,
what is wounded work its cure,
water what is parched and dry.
Gently bend the stubborn will,
warm to life the heart that's chill,
guide who goeth erringly.
Fill thy faithful who adore,
and confess thee evermore,
with thy sevenfold mystery.
Here thy grace and virtue send,
grant salvation in the end, and in heaven felicity. Amen

- From a 13th century Latin Hymn 

> Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:54:08 -0400
> From: jn...@choiceonemail.com
> To: confessi...@googlegroups.com
> Subject: Prayers

---

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[Gabe]

John,

Having been through this more than once, our hearts go out to you
along with the intercessions.

Gabe with Dot

[Willis E. Elliott]

Dear John & Jean

 

 Loree & I are in prayer for you, & would appreciate your prayers for us:

in my non-blind eye, my little sight has rather suddenly become littler.  And macular degeneration was discovered three days ago.  But God is good, & I can still compute as well as (as you can see) use that ever-more-blessed-to-me tool, the computer.

 

Grace and peace--

Willis &  Loree

 

----- Original Message -----

From: "John Cedarleaf" <jn...@choiceonemail.com>

To: <confessi...@googlegroups.com>

Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 12:54 PM

Subject: Prayers

[John Cedarleaf]

Dear Gabe, Dot and all CC colleagues:
Thank you! Thank you! for your prayers and good wishes for us.All in all
we are doing well but feel up-lifted by so many good folks keeping us in
prayer. Some of you I know in the flesh, and many, over the internet,
but all of you are special as we share our life in Christ together. We
leave Saturday for a family get together in Door County Wisconsin and
are looking forward to it. Thanks again for all your prayers and good
wishes.

Blessings,
John

--
Rev. Dr.John N. Cedarleaf
Pastor
First Congregational United Chruch of Christ
26 E. Church St.
Fairport, NY 14450
585-223-0224; 585-223-8172

[Herb Davis]

Sermon Note: Aug 1, Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, Luke 12:13-21

In light of the suggestion last week that we change the sermon note format
in order to get the rich input that is in our community I would like to
suggest the following questions. The questions we ask will define the
answers we give. I do not presume these are the right questions. They seem
too simple and the answers to easy. The text ask some questions which lead
to the wrong answer. Here are some question that might generate some
responses.

1. Why does Jesus refuse to do justice to the petitioner in v.13-14?

2. What is the problem in the parable?

3. Who does the rich man ask for advise?

4. What is the solution?

5. What are your questions?

peace, Herb

[link...@aol.com]

Dear Herb,

I am not preaching this week, but I have noticed a couple of new
things as I pondered this week's readings, so here goes.

I noticed that a dispute involving an inheritance is followed by "a
joke" (my definition of the parable) that contains the question,
"Whose will these things that you have prepared be!?"

I also noticed that "they demand from you" " in vs. 20 is in the
plural, and although the NRSV says this could apply to the possession
of the rich man, it could also apply to those want the soul of the
rich man so that they can have those possessions he wants to store up
for his soul for many years. He who seems so self-assured of a plan
involving many years is in imminent danger "this very night." He is
more or less building barns for those who already wanting him to kick
off, but soon.

Thus, the joke is the poor rich man, the one who stores up treasures
for himself but is in fact always poor with respect to God, who is
rich enough in kindness to trouble him out of his foolishness with a
dose of wisdom.

And this gets to Jesus' response to the request that he try the case:
"O man, who established me as a judge or arbitrator over you all?"
This is not a rhetorical question. O man, God! Consider the Father who
sent the Son. Is the request a seeking of the wise judgment of the
Father, a casting of our cares on the God who cares, who is rich in
care, or is it a quest for security in possessions, a security that is
an illusion, a security that in fact creates supreme insecurity,
dividing brother from brother, even!

Just some thoughts.

Jim

[Gabe]

Colleagues,

On prayer, following up earlier mention of our own Confessing Christ
resource, here below is current offering from Coleen Darling/Fred
Trost. If you do not get this and want to receive it, sign on.

--Gabe

.............................................................................................................................

CONFESSING CHRIST – DAILY LECTIONARY AND PRAYERS

Pentecost/Trinity Season (2) 2010

Frederick R. Trost and Colleen Darling, Editors


“Turn, O Lord, save my life; deliver me for the sake of your steadfast
love.”

(Psalm 6:4 NRSV)

+++


Sunday, 8/01 Luke 12:13-21 Marion Ellis
10 Pentecost/9 Trinity Newmarket, NH


Monday, 8/02 Colossians 3:1-11 John Esbenshade
Lancaster, PA

Tuesday, 8/03 Psalm 25:14-15 Gabriel & Dorothy Fackre
West Hyannisport, MA

Wednesday, 8/04 Psalm 30:11-12 Ralph Faisst
+64, Martyrs of Nero’s Persecution West Bend, WI

Thursday, 8/05 Psalm 135:3 William Falla
Whitehall, PA

Friday, 8/06 1 John 5:20 J.W. & Patricia Fiegenbaum
(Hiroshima, Day of Remembrance) 1945, Atomic Bomb Amherst, MA
1965, Voting Rights Act

Saturday, 8/07 John 4:24 David Fisher
Brooklyn, NY

Sunday, 8/08 Luke 12:32-40 Richard & Martha Floyd
11 Pentecost/10 Trinity 1945, U.S. Ratification of the UN Charter
Pittsfield, MA

Monday, 8/09 1 John 1:5 Jerry Folk
1945, Atomic Bomb, Nagasaki Madison, WI

Tuesday, 8/10 1 John 4:7-8 Ron K. Freyer-Nicholas
Wildwood, FL

Wednesday, 8/11 Mark 10:46-52 Hans-Wilhelm Fricke-Hein
Neukirchen-Vluyn, Germany

Thursday, 8/12 Psalm 90:1-2 Theodore Fritsch
1949, Geneva Convention of North Chatham, MA
Protection of War Victims

Friday, 8/13 Revelation 1:8 Michael Frost
+1910, Florence Nightingale Kresgeville, PA

Saturday, 8/14 Isaiah 26:4 P.V. George
+1941, Maximilian Kolbe Syracuse, NY
1846, Henry David Thoreau jailed
(War tax resistance)
Sunday, 8/15 Psalm 82:1-5 Richard Glatfelter
12 Pentecost/11 Trinity *1917, Oscar Romero Monroe, OH

Monday, 8/16 Isaiah 41:10 Milton E. Gockley, Jr.
Lancaster, PA

Tuesday, 8/17 Psalm 23:4 Peter Goguts
Wernersville, PA

Wednesday, 8/18 Acts 17:27-28 Gerald Goldsworthy
+2008, George Knight Mt. Prospect, IL

Thursday, 8/19 Jeremiah 23:23-24 Charlotte P. Gosselink
+1622, Blaise Pascal Kennett Square, PA

Friday, 8/20 Psalm 119:89-90 Nancy Light Gottshall
+1153, Bernard of Clairvaux Collegeville, PA

Saturday, 8/21 Deuteronomy 32:1-4 Stephen Gould
Sheboygan, WI

Sunday, 8/22 Luke 13:10-17 Kathryn Greene-McCreight
13 Pentecost/12 Trinity New Haven, CT

Monday, 8/23 Psalm 139:1-6 Christa Grengel
1535, Calvin’s Institutes Berlin, Germany
*1948, World Council of Churches

Tuesday, 8/24 1 Samuel 16:7 Reinhard Groscurth
Bremen, Germany

Wednesday, 8/25 Matthew 6:8

Thursday, 8/26 Isaiah 55:8-9 Ruben Grosshuesch
1920, U.S. Voting Rights for Women Sheboygan, WI

Friday, 8/27 Psalm 104:24-25, 27 Linda Gruber
*1910, Mother Teresa Phoenixville, PA

Saturday, 8/28 Leviticus 19:2 Robert C. Hamilton
+430, Augustine Davenport, IA
1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. Address
“I Have A Dream”

Sunday, 8/29 Luke 14:1, 7-14 Joanne Hartunian
14 Pentecost/13 Trinity +1943, Simone Weil Belmont, MA

Monday, 8/30 Revelation 15:3-4 Esther Haskell
+1688, John Bunyan Claremont, MA

Tuesday, 8/31 1 Peter 1:15-16 Philip Haslanger
Madison, WI

Wednesday, 9/01 Psalm 33:8-9 Steven Hecky
1939, World War II begins Southgate, KY

Thursday, 9/02 Job 33:4 Kim & Fay Henning
1945, World War II ends (Tokyo) Two Rivers, WI

Friday, 9/03 Luke 1:37 Kristin Herzog
Durham, NC


Saturday, 9/04 Psalm 111:1-2, 7-8 Hans Holznagel
1948, First World Council of Cleveland, OH
Churches Peace Message
+1965, Albert Schweitzer

Sunday 9/05 Psalm 1 Ralph E. Houseman
15 Pentecost/14 Trinity Grafton, WI

Monday, 9/06 Psalm 145:17 Robert E. Howell
*1860, Jane Addams Walnut Creek, CA

Tuesday, 9/07 Psalm 103:6 Robert G. Hunsicker
Lancaster, PA

Wednesday, 9/08 Psalm 103:8-11 Joan Hunt
1675, Spener’s “Pia desideria” Weston, MA

Thursday, 9/09 Psalm 103:13 Dorothy Hutch
Branford, CT

Friday, 9/10 Psalm 103:17-18 Steven Jaberg
*1828, Leo Tolstoy West Bend, WI

Saturday, 9/11 1 Peter 1:3-4 Clifford J. Janssen
(Day of Remembrance and Prayer) St. Louis, MO

Sunday, 9/12 1 Timothy 2:1-7 Laverne R. Joseph
16 Pentecost/15 Trinity +1977, Stephen Biko Long Beach, CA

Monday, 9/13 Psalm 107:1-3 Harvey Kandler
Kaukauna, WI

Tuesday, 9/14, Psalm 36:5-6 Robert E. Kasper
Elgin, IL

Wednesday, 9/15 Psalm 145:8-9 Christoph Keienburg
*1907, Alfred Delp Paderborn, Germany

Thursday, 9/16 Ephesians 2:1-13 William Kesting
*1916, Alexander Schmorell Cleveland, WI
+1963, Martyred Children of Birmingham, Alabama

Friday, 9/17 John 14:15-16 Ray F. Kibler
+1179, Hildegard of Bingen Claremont, CA

Saturday, 9/18 Matthew 28:18-20 Russell Kimmerly
+1961, Dag Hammarskjöld Harrison, OH

Sunday, 9/19 1 Timothy 2:12-17 Stoddon G. N. King
17 Pentecost/16 Trinity Orange, CT

Monday, 9/20 Luke 16:1-13 Paul Kittlaus
*1848, Universal Peace Conference Claremont, CA
(Brussels)

Tuesday, 9/21 Psalm 33:6-7 Armin F. Klemme
Union, MO

Wednesday, 9/22 Hebrews 11:3 Russell Knoth
*1981, Hans Scholl Germantown, WI
*1961, U.S. Peace Corps

Thursday, 9/23 Psalm 150:1-2, 6 Robert Koenig
Wernersville, PA

Friday, 9/24 Isaiah 45:12 Paul Koepke
Goshen, IN

Saturday, 9/25 Psalm 33:4-5 Gerhard & Ruth Koslowsky
Bruehl, Germany

Sunday, 9/26 Psalm 146 David Kratz
18 Pentecost/17 Trinity *1924, Declaration of the Rights Seattle,
WA
Of the Child

Monday, 9/27 Psalm 40:11 Howard & Martha Kriebel
1937, Finkewalde Seminary closed Collegeville, PA

Tuesday, 9/28 Genesis 1:27 Dale Kuck
Merrill, WI

Wednesday, 9/29 Isaiah 55:8-9 Karl Kuhn
1795, Kant’s “Perpetual Peace” Kiel, WI

Thursday, 9/30 Proverbs 3:6 Juergen Kunellis
Moers, Germany

Friday, 10/01 Isaiah 35:10 Fred Kurkowski
+1968, Romano Guardinia Clemmons, NC

Saturday, 10/02 Isaiah 40:28-31 Thomas B. Lane
*1869, Mohandas Gandhi Brandon, FL

+++

PRAYERS AND OTHER RESOURCES FOR PENTECOST/TRINITY (2) 2010

+++

Prayers of the Church:

O God of peace, unite our hearts by Your bond of peace, that we may
live with one another continually in gentleness and humility, in peace
and unity. O God of patience, give us patience in the time of trial,
and steadfastness to endure to the end. O Spirit of prayer, awaken
our hearts, that we may lift up (our) hands to God, and cry to our
Good Shepherd in all our distresses. O gentle Wind, cool and refresh
our hearts in all heat and anguish. Be our Defense and Shade in the
time of need, our Help in trial, our Consolation when all things are
against us. Come, O eternal Light, Salvation, and Comfort, be our
Light in darkness, our Salvation in life, our Comfort in death; and
lead us in the… way to everlasting life, that we may praise You
forever.

(Bernhard Albrecht, 1569-1636)

O Lord, long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth, fill us, I
beseech You, with graces. Make us long-suffering and patient, cordial
and sympathizing, kind and good; teach us to hold and speak the truth
in love, and to show mercy that we also obtain mercy.

(Christina Rossetti, 1830-1894)

Lord God Almighty, true Peace and Love eternal; enlighten our souls
with the brightness of Your peace, and purify our consciences with the
sweetness of Your love, that we may with peaceful hearts wait for the
Author of peace, and in the adversities of this world… ever have You
for our Guardian and Protector; and so being fenced about by Your
care, may heartily give ourselves to the love of Your peace.

(Mozarabic, before 700 A.D.)

O Lord, give us all grace, by constant obedience to offer up our wills
and hearts an acceptable sacrifice to You.

(Christina Rossetti)
Gracious God, subdue in me whatever is contrary to Your holy will.
Grant that I may ever study to know Your will, that I may know how to
please You. Grant, O God, that I may never run into those temptations
which in my prayers I desire to avoid… Never permit my trials to be
above my strength. (Thomas Wilson, 1663-1753)

O Lord, our protection, who are also our redemption; direct our minds
by Your gracious presence, and watch over our paths with guiding love,
that, among the snares which lie hidden in this path wherein we walk,
we may so pass onward with hearts fixed on You, that by… faith we may
come to be where You would have us.

(Mozarabic, before 700 A.D.)

O Lord, who delights in mercy, preserve us… from the sin of harboring
in our hearts hard thoughts of You. Conform us wholly to Your
merciful will, that whether we live we may live to You, or whether we
die we may die to You. While we live, give us grace to show mercy.
When we die, of Your grace show us mercy.

(Christina Rossetti)

O God, You who are the unsearchable abyss of peace, the ineffable sea
of love, the fountain of blessings and the bestower of affection; You
who send peace to those that receive it; open to us this day the sea
of Your love, and water us with plenteous streams from the riches of
Your grace. Make us children of (grace) and heirs of peace. Kindle
in us the fire of Your love; strengthen our weakness by Your power.
Bind us closely to You and to one another in one firm and indissoluble
bond of unity.

(Syrian Clementine Liturgy)

Holy and unspeakable One, mighty and wonderful God, whose power and
wisdom have no end, before whom all powers tremble, at whose glance
the heavens and the earth flee away: You are Love, You are my Father,
and I will love and worship You for ever and ever! You have deigned
to show pity on me, and a ray from Your light has shone upon my inward
eye. Guide me on into the perfect light, that it may illumine me
wholly, and that all darkness may flee away. Let the holy flame of
Your love so burn in my heart that it be made pure and I may see You,
O God; for it is the pure in heart who see You. You have set me
free. You have drawn me to You. Therefore, forsake me not, but keep
me always in Your grace. Guide me and rule me and perfect me for Your
kingdom.

(St. Augustine, 354-430)

Almighty God, to You all hearts are open, all desires known, and from
you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the
inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love You, and
worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord.

(The Book of Common Prayer)

+++

Other Resources:

The Two Brothers:

One was a shepherd, one would till the ground;
one occupied the high land, one the low;
one practices circumcision, one abhorred it;
one was contemplative, the other bold.
The one was one, the other was the other.

One was dark and one was light;
one was brown and one was white
one was west and one was east
one was layman one was priest
one was soldier one was sailor
one a blacksmith one a tailor…

One was one and one the other
Each to each a bloody brother
one liked desert one liked rain…
one is Abel… one is Cain.

(B. D. Napier in “Come, Sweet Death”)

+++

Bethlehem, After the Second Intifada (September 2000):

We never anticipated the situation to be as bad as it is. The
closure, the curfews, the wall surrounding your city, and the economic
situation are much worse than we expected. When you hear about the
conditions in the news, they don’t seem real. However, once we got
here, we saw what a devastating impact they have on the spirits,
souls, and bodies of your people. You have to see it to understand
it. But we assure you that “what we have heard, what we have seen
with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands” (1
John 1:1) we will be sharing with our friends and other people back
home.

But having said that, please allow us to add another thought. We came
here aiming to give you hope and to strengthen you in your struggle,
but we leave this place having received more than we brought with us.
It is you who give us hope, and it is you, through your many
ministries, who strengthen us.

(Letter in Mitri Raheb’s “Bethlehem Besieged: Stories of Hope in Times
of Trouble,”
Minneapolis, Fortress Press, 2004)

+++

Israelis, Palestinians and Hope:

Hope is of utmost importance to both Israelis and Palestinians. Hope
gives all of us the ability to rethink our own story and history and
at the same time to challenge that of the “enemy.” It is the art of
seeing things from a different angle, from a different perspective and
not just from one’s own narrow perspective. Unless we can put
ourselves in the shoes of the other, we will never understand how the
chain reaction is set off. Israelis and Palestinians have proved that
they can make their own lives and that of their enemies very bitter.
They have made the point that they can destroy each other.

What Israelis and Palestinians need is a vision of how to live
together. The vision for Israel and Palestine is to realize the
paradox that it does not benefit a country if it wins the support of
the whole world and loses its neighbor. What is the benefit if Israel
wins the moral and financial support of the American Jewish community
and the Christian right yet loses its Palestinian neighbors? What is
the benefit if the Palestinians win the sympathy and support of most
of the Arab and Islamic countries and lose their Israeli neighbors?
Those supporters pay dollars but make us pay with blood… My hope for
all of us is very simple. I’m not asking for the moon or the stars.
I’m asking that we be involved together—Palestinians, Israelis,
Americans, and Europeans—to stop being spectators and to become
actors. Together we can make a difference…

As Christians we should no longer be spectators in this world. We are
actors on Christ’s behalf. Sometimes we feel that the world in which
we live has become a hell, depressing, with no progress, but our faith
is in Christ, who is life. Hell is already overcome. Our call is not
to transform this hell into a paradise but to transfer this hell into
a world in which life is possible again… (Mitri Raheb, ibid)

+++

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They
are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one
another in a spirit of brotherhood. (Article 1)

Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this
Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color,
sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or
social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no
distinction shall be made on the basis of the political,
jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to
which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-
governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty. (Article 2)
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
(Article 3) No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman
or degrading treatment or punishment. (Article 5) No one shall be
subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile. (Article 9)
Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by
an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his
rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.
(Article 10) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other
countries asylum from persecution. (Article 14)

+++

The Issue:

The issue is simply whether or not (we) stand under a claim, that is,
whether or not (we) must obey a reality that is not of (our) own
making, a reality greater than (ourselves) that does not sanction
(our) every whim… What is at stake is a reality greater than
(ourselves,) a Valuer who judges (our) values or lack of values…

(Frederick Herzog in Joerg Rieger, ed.,
“Theology in the Belly of the Whale: A Frederick Herzog Reader,”
Harrisburg, Pa., Trinity Press International, 1999)

+++

"The Subversiveness of Scripture"

I'm quite aware that very soon the Bible and the gospel won't be
allowed to cross our borders. We'll get only the bindings, because
all the pages are subversive. And I think that if Jesus himself came
across the border at Chalatenango, they wouldn't let him in. They
would accuse (him)... of being a rabble-rouser, a foreign Jew, one who
confused the people with exotic and foreign ideas, ideas against
democracy--that is, against the wealthy minority, the clan of Cains!
Brothers (and Sisters,) without any doubt, they would crucify him
again. And God forbid that I be one of the crucifiers!

(Rutilio Grande, Martyr of El Salvador,
1928-1977, in a
sermon preached February 13, 1977.
Less than one
month later, on March 12, 1977, while
driving on the
road to El Paisnal, Fr. Grande attacked
and sprayed
with gunfire and he was killed, along
with an old
campasino and a young boy who were
riding in the
van with him.) [See William J.
O'Malley, S.J., "The
Voice of Blood: Five Christian Martyrs
of Our Time,"
Maryknoll, NY, Orbis, 1980]

+++

[link...@aol.com]

P.S. The punch line could also be read something like this: "Fool!
This very night they are demanding your soul from you! These things
you have prepared, for whom will they be?!" ( God is the judge helping
the man make his will: "Possessions have demanded your soul from you,
who gets the barns you are planning?!")
Jim

> > peace, Herb- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[Bct...@aol.com]

Dear Herb, Jim, and others.

 

Here are some of my thoughts, in response to Herb's questions.  I've added some levity here, because I do believe Jesus had a sense of humor, even if he, unlike "Chris(t)," did not write any joke books.  In fact, I am just engaging with Herb here, so take all of this with a grain of salt (and maybe it may have a grain of truth hidden somewhere in it too). 

 

1.  Why does Jesus refuse to do justice to the petitioner in v.13-14?

Jesus is inconsistent here. Two weeks ago we saw that he did indeed take sides, when Martha offered a "whiny sibling" petition, and asked him to "tell" her sister Mary to help her.  This time, a man asks Jesus to "tell" his brother to divide the inheritance, and Jesus replies with a question: "who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?"   Maybe we should ask why Jesus was willing to serve that role between Martha and Mary, and not here. 

2.  What is the problem in the parable?

Simply stated:  "It's all about me." 

I opened up my study Bible tonight, to read the passage Herb asked us to read, and I found all these circled "I" and "my" words.  The sight of them brought back warm memories of one of my seminary courses, where our professor asked us to circle the 11 occurrences of "I" and "my" in just verses 17-19 alone.  Herb, you said Jesus didn't write a joke book.  Can't you hear this in a sing-song tone:  I, I, I, and my, my, my.  That's a lot of "first person" in three verses.   Jesus may well have employed a bit of mimicry here.  And his listeners may have laughed at the rich man's self-centeredness.

3.  Who does the rich man ask for advise?

I did not see where the rich man asked for advice.   All I see is that he was talking to himself.  According to verse 17, he posed the questions to himself, and then in verses 18 and 19, he provided his own answers.  This is just "more of the same" with the I, I, I, and my, my, my theme. 

 

4.  What is the solution?

Well, he could have consulted a specialist in philanthropic giving.  He could have bought into an annuity, where some money goes to the church or charity, and some to him for an income.  He could have consulted a financial planner.  He clearly made a mistake in not diversifying his assets.  He put all his eggs into one basket, or all his grain into some very large barns.  He should have sat down with a financial planner and worked out a safe plan. These are the answers of the world, and of the church too. These are the kinds of things that serious folks are told to do, and people who belong to a church or a denomination are often asked to buy into these kinds of things. There is nothing wrong with retirement planning or planning your philanthropy.  Or is there? 

Can we plan for our own retirements? 

 

Is it enough to set aside a fixed portion of our assets or income for the church and charity? 

 

What the man could have done is to turn to God and say something like: 

 

Gracious and abundant God, somehow I seem to have received blessing upon blessing.  My land has produced far more than I could ever have imagined.  Thank you so very much.  All that we have, and all that "I" have, comes from your hand, and "I" am exceeding grateful.  Now what would "you" like "me" to do with what "you" have given "me"?  "I" could increase the wages and health benefits of "my" hired hands.  Give them a share in the profits.  Great idea, maybe "I' will start a profit-sharing plan.  And "I" did hear that the family down the road just lost their eldest son, and the father is already ill. "I" guess "I" could get "my" wife or "my" servant to take them some food (hints of Abraham from two weeks ago, on the same Sunday as Martha and Mary). Hmmm, maybe "I" could do that "myself."   Maybe "I" will set up a food bank.  But enough about "me" and what "I" am thinking of.  What would "you" like me to do?  "Thy" will be done.  And thank "you" again. And if "I" die tonight, it will all be enough, not because of "my" harvest, but because of "you."  

 

5.  What are your questions?

See my response to 1. above. 

And please forgive me, Herb, if I did not engage appropriately here. I just got back from my Greek seminar on Maximus the Confessor, and I was in the mood to do something a little different. 

 

And I actually miss your regular way of doing Sermon Notes, because I love to read your thoughts. You have a gift, and I love it when you share it with us.  

 

Jane

 

[Reverend Clemens]

good stuff Jane

[Gabe]

Willis,

Just saw your note. So sad to hear about your sight diminishing. Yes,
God is good with thanksgiving for the computer strengths. Is there any
way we can enlarge the letters here as in e-mail, so you can read
these posts better?

--Gabe

On Jul 26, 10:16 pm, "Willis E. Elliott" <elliot...@charter.net>
wrote:

> Dear John & Jean
>
>  Loree & I are in prayer for you, & would appreciate your prayers for us:

> in my non-blind eye, my little sight has rather suddenly become littler.  And macular degeneration was discovered three days ago.  But God is good, & I can still compute as well as (as you can see) use that ever-more-blessed-to-metool, the computer.

[Lee Barrett]

Dear John:
You and your wife are in my prayers.
Peace,
Lee Barrett

On Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 1:54 PM, John Cedarleaf <jn...@choiceonemail.com> wrote:

[Herb Davis]

Dear Jim and Jean and others,  Thanks for the wonderful  comments on the text.  It is interesting that both Jim and Jean saw the parable as a joke (even if Jesus never used jokes) or a humorous note.  I think the only way to approach sermons on riches in a rich congregation is by humor.  We are so identified with the cultural norms that the preacher needs to sneak a different possibility into the congregation and hope for the Holy Spirit.  Jim and Jean both picked up on the I, ME, Mine character of the rich man and in that we all agree, which is dangerous.  Jane's comment about Jesus taking sides in the Martha-Mary cry for justice and refusing to take side in the "brother inheritance cry for justice" made me stop on wonder what was the difference.  I couldn't find any.  Can anyone help me here.  In the Mary-Martha cry Jesus seems to be a divider, a side taker but in the inheritance issue Jesus refused to take sides because he claims not to be a side taker. Need help!

 

Here is my note on the text:  The problem in the text is success, riches, which is a gift of the land more than earned by the man.  This is a problem the west faces with the very wealth that is produced by capitalism.  In such a system wealth, unbelievable high salaries seems to define one's humanity.  For most of us, even middle class, the problem may not be poverty but excess, yet we are always anxious, never have enough,   In wealthy cultures there may never be enough.  There is nothing wrong with riches and spirituality is not the opposite of riches.  There will always be rich people but do riches define us, satisfy us or make us hoard?

 

The rich mad is really an odd duck.  He doesn't have any friends. He doesn't have any family. He doesn't have any community.   He doesn't go down to the square to talk about his problem. (The elders loved to gather in the square and discuss difficult ethical problems.  Often the loved the discussion more than the solution.)  He doesn't have any great loves. All he has is riches. He has no one  to talk with so he talks to himself.  He mulls over the problem with himself.  He comes up with a solution with himself.  Jane suggested he should had hired a financial planner, which we do, but financial planners are hired normally to conserved wealth, to teach one how to build wealth for a future that will threaten you.  I don't remember a time in my ministry when someone can to discuss what to do with excess riches. Yet talking to oneself about riches may be dangerous to your health.  Yet often we believe our riches are our own, we earned it, they are not a gift or a loan to be returned.  Riches are mine.

 

The rich man comes up with a solution.  A long range plan that does have much to do with reality.  He will conserve his riches.  He doesn't consider anyone else nor does he consider death. Jim focus on God's question.  god did not ask, "What have you done for others?" or "What have you done to help the needy?"  The rich man have good answers for those question.  The question God ask is, "the things you have prepared, who will they be?"  No family, no friends, no community, no great causes to receive the riches.  Oh rich man what have you done?  You only talk to yourself.  You plan alone.  You build along. You die alone.  Dying alone may have been an awful event in Jesus' day but in our autonomous culture dying alone does not seem so bad. 

 

Peace, Herb

 

Bill Herzog was the Bible teacher at the Colloquy and did a wonderful job.  He introduced us to Kenneth Bailey, a fine New Testament scholar of my generation..  Some of the above is gleamed from his book, "Through Peasant Eyes" p.63

 

 

 -----Original Message-----
From: confessi...@googlegroups.com [mailto:confessi...@googlegroups.com]On Behalf Of Bct...@aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2010 9:39 PM
To: confessi...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: Sermon Note: Aug 1, Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, Luke 12:13-21

[Jean Easland]

Master talk maker: I love your follow up. I disagree with your last conclusion about dying alone. I think one of the main activities of our culture is covering one's self with everything that denies death and the fear of dying alone. "Autonomous Culture" is an American myth that preachers are called to expose. The more fear of death we have the more elaborate and expensive schemes and things we devise and possess to try to buy back our youth. The young pick this up from the older ones and accelerate the disease. Does the high suicide rate coincide with this mania or not? The church buys into this insanity and looks more like a country club or a mortuary take you pick! Preach against winning and extreme sports mania and they will try to run you out of town! Preach it anyway and save your own soul if not anyone else's. Have fun putting Jesus first and tell the youth they are worth more than a box full of medals and pills of money. I like making money and my competitive nature sometimes shows too much. I like to make money on my side ventures and repenting of it is really hard!!! Surrender is the opposite of most of our cultural values. I pray for it all the time. Then I go out and work like hell to make my side ventures a success, praying that I will give the profit away or do some crazy good thing. The world wreaks with illusions but Jesus calls us to go ahead and live in the middle of them. Just to seize the opportunity to glorify God in these things and find some way to bear witness to Jesus is a challenge beyond challenges. If you stay in your office and hid behind books and never think you have enough for your own security you may miss the intense glory of God behind all things. I fear pastors do this allot. I fall in and out of the pastoral role regularly but being an effective witness includes so much--------can we give Him all without going nuts and acting like a freak or a fake? If being a Christian is not a wild adventure none of our creative youth will see anything worth risking to follow the Master.God's economy is wildly extravagant, we have to show this in our own life for it to communicate. If the church becomes a collection of anal retentives no wonder the younger ones run for the hills, confirmation becomes a polite way to say goodby. Rock on pastors----------Blessings  Roger

[Janet Keyes]

Herb-  You ask what is the difference.  I see it this way-  Martha was asking Jesus to have Mary help her to be a more GIVING and gracious hostess, for the most honored guest possible .   The rich man was asking Jesus to help him RECEIVE.  Jesus goes on to caution against greed.  Maybe the difference is in the motive for asking Jesus to intervene.  Just a thought.

Janet

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Herb Davis

To: confessi...@googlegroups.com

---

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[fcba%40comcast.net]

Again I have  not been following the discussion (What's new?) but I will give my two cents anyway. It seems to me that in the Gospels Jesus hardly ever really answers the questions that are raised. He does this because all too often we raise ridiculous questions and he wants us to deal with bigger issues.

 

Chris

God Is Still Laughing
http://home.comcast.net/~fcba

[Herb Davis]

Dear Roger,  I loved your wild comment but especially, "God's economy is wildly extravagant, we have to show this in our own life for it to communicate. If the church becomes a collection of anal retentives no wonder the younger ones run for the hills, confirmation becomes a polite way to say goodby."  Where did you get "collection of anal retentives"?  I think we agree on most.  I always had a couple of on the side businesses.  I don't think God wants us to be poor, but not to make riches God.

 

I do believe in a culture where autonym is the chief virtue, according to Belluah, I think many really die alone.  There is a tendency to be our own person.  When I go to memorial services, seldom a funeral service, the service is not one of leaning on Jesus but leaning on a dead life.  It is not a celebration where the death brother or sister is carried into the arms of Jesus by community of faith but a celebration of the past that is gone, dead.  

 

I still love that collection of anal retentives, even if I am not sure what it means.  Herb 

[Jean Easland]

Dearest Brother in Christ: We probably really agree on those memorial services or eulogistic funerals that just want to talk about what a wonderful person S well O ld B ob was usually because they had money,status and kissed up to the right political and sanctimonious cabal----about as nauseating as most weddings where the pastor is part of the decorum.

     The "collection of anal retentives" are usually gate keepers that think the past and the C.D.s      are their personal property, that God appointed them to make sure nothing new or exciting ever happens, or that God forbid, you might spend some of that $$$. They can be trustee's or heads of the women's fellowship. They can make the Pharisees look like choir boys especially if they can't control the pastor and get him/her to join their favorite community service clubs. What they retain is allot of rotting trivia that has nothing to do with the driving energy of Jesus to bless the daylights out of those who really deserve it.

    We are experts on manure out here and always remember that it is nothing more than feed and water and needs to be spread regularly or else you get allot of flies. We need to think more about divine ENERGIES and remember that we are merely a small piece of hydrocarbon infused with the LIKENESS. Our purpose is to USE these energies up in life IN a life that surrenders to their beauty and spiritual power. 

     The largest hail stone in the history of the world fell just 30 miles south of our place. We have strange distinctions out here but we try to live a Gospel that is straight forward and good for all bodily functions as well as good food for the brain. Bless you really good Herb you would make a great prairie Preacher-------------------love roger

[Willis Elliott]

Gabe & Dot,
Thank you for your prayers. Yesterday we took Willis to the hospital.
He has pneumonia in his right lung--is quite weak. Doc says he will stay
until Monday or maybe longer. It is hard for him to relax and let others
take charge, but as he says God is good!
Blessings to all--do pray that Dot continues to heal.

Willis,

--Gabe

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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12:38:00

[Gabe]

Loree,

Fervent prayers ascend. God is good.

--Gabe with a healing Dot

[Herb Davis]

Dear Loree, Sorry to hear about Willis. We will keep you folks in our
prayers and heart. I always felt you were in charge. Willis know he in
your hands and God's arms. He needs both. Grace and Peace, Herb

[Herb Davis]

Dear Janet and Chris and Jane, ,  thanks for the help on Jesus response in Luke 10 & 12 to questions. .  The young man knows the answer he wants.  He just wants Jesus' support.  But that also seems to be true of Martha.  She knows the answer she wants. She wants Jesus' support.  Jesus refuses his support to the young man but gives his support to Mary.  He refuses to be a divider in Luke 12 but is a divider in Luke 10.  I am not sure that any of these answers work for me yet. Just wondering.  Herb

 

[Herb Davis]  -----Original Message-----
From: confessi...@googlegroups.com [mailto:confessi...@googlegroups.com]On Behalf Of fcba%40comcast.net
Sent: Friday, July 30, 2010 8:49 PM

[Gabe]

Colleagues,

Talked to Loree today. Willis, weak but feisty, is headed home.

--Gabe

[Christensen, Richard]

I'm glad to hear this news. We keep up our prayers.

Rich Christensen

________________________________________
From: confessi...@googlegroups.com [confessi...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Gabe [gfa...@comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, August 02, 2010 4:27 PM

[Bct...@aol.com]

This is great news about Willis! Even a feisty Willis!

 

Jane

[fcba%40comcast.net]

Is this an escatological statement?

;-)

 

Chris

God Is Still Laughing
http://home.comcast.net/~fcba

[Gabe]

Home...like M. Robinson's.

"es...scatalogical"?

G

On Aug 2, 9:38 pm, "fcba%40comcast.net" <f...@comcast.net> wrote:
> Is this an escatological statement?
>
> ;-)
>
> Chris
>

> God Is Still Laughinghttp://home.comcast.net/~fcba

>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Bctj...@aol.com
> To: confessi...@googlegroups.com
> Sent: Monday, August 2, 2010 9:06:04 PM
> Subject: Re: Prayers
>

> God Is Still Laughinghttp://home.comcast.net/~fcba

>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Bctj...@aol.com
> To: confessi...@googlegroups.com
> Sent: Monday, August 2, 2010 9:06:04 PM
> Subject: Re: Prayers
>
> This is great news about Willis! Even a feisty Willis!
>
> Jane
>

[fcba%40comcast.net]

Gabe,

 

You should know that I am a poor SCRABBLE player (though I love the game) and spelling jokes are above my head.

[Herb Davis]

 Sermon Note, Aug 8,  Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, Luke12:32-40
  

How about some help on this text?  Here are some questions running through my head?

 

Why are we anxious, worried?  Do we doubt that the Lord will give us the kingdom or are we tried of waiting?

 

What images of the bridegroom coming pop into our minds?

 

When we are waiting for the bus, waiting a long time what are the temptations to take any bus just so we get someplace?

 

After waiting a long time what bus might you get on?

 

Is our modern world organized or planned so the thieve won't get in? 

 

Must the church always live with the uncertainty that we know neither the time nor the place, never settle in, never be comfortable with the time and place?

 

When we plan today what are we planning for?  Who or what are we expecting? 

 

What are your questions?  Peace, Herb

 

 

 

[Bct...@aol.com]

Dear Herb,

 

I am at a lost to respond to most of your questions.  So below are a few very inadequate thoughts.  Sorry not to be able to engage with you and this passage better.

 

Jane

 

 

 

In a message dated 8/3/2010 9:59:22 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, herb....@mindspring.com writes:

 Sermon Note, Aug 8,  Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, Luke12:32-40
  

How about some help on this text?  Here are some questions running through my head?

 

Why are we anxious, worried?  Do we doubt that the Lord will give us the kingdom or are we tried of waiting?

Well, it has been 2,000 years.  What is it that we are waiting for?

 

 

What images of the bridegroom coming pop into our minds?

In this passage only, it appears that the bridegroom was off celebrating his wedding, and feasting at his own banquet, and the servants were not included. They were to wait.  In thinking about various ideas about "the church," however, we are reminded that we are invited to the banquet.  We celebrate with and because of the bridegroom.  And the church is thought, by some people, to be the bridegroom's bride.  So again we are not left at home, waiting for the bridegroom to return from his banquet.  We are invited to the table, and we participate with him. 

 

When we are waiting for the bus, waiting a long time what are the temptations to take any bus just so we get someplace?

I have never had this response to waiting for a bus.  My response is not to try to take another bus to get someplace, but rather to turn inward and try to curl up into a ball, to shelter myself against the waiting. 

 

After waiting a long time what bus might you get on?

Maybe I would not even get on a bus at all.  Maybe I would stay where I was, either turned inward, as I just mentioned, or stagnating. 

 

Is our modern world organized or planned so the thieve won't get in?

I am not sure what to say here.

 

Must the church always live with the uncertainty that we know neither the time nor the place, never settle in, never be comfortable with the time and place?

I am not sure about this. 

 

When we plan today what are we planning for?  Who or what are we expecting?

Most often, we think we can plan, for our own lives and for the lives of our children, because we think things will remain the same, or be normal. We imagine we will have a normal life span, with a normal career or normal life choices.  We are expecting normalcy, even though nothing and no one is really normal.  We may not be expecting the return of Jesus Christ.

 

What are your questions?  Peace, Herb

I don't seem to have questions or answers today, but I thought I'd at least respond to you, to keep the dialogue going. Jane

 

 

 

[Herb Davis]

Dear Jane,  Thanks for your comments are very helpful.  I think texts always arouse a response from us.  I sense that you did not like this text.  If you are in a congregation which understands themselves as the bride of Christ, at guest at the wedding feast, where joy abounds and hope overflows, then this waiting doesn't make much sense.  I was reminded of the old prayer for "the voice of joy and gladness."  On the other hand if you are waiting, as you said for 2000 years, then one might grow weary of waiting and might give up, take another bus or as you said "curl up into a ball."  At least we are no longer expecting, we no longer play waiting into our lives. 

 

The note of fear in v. 32 indicates that waiting can be associated with fear.  I sense American are always waiting and sometimes with fear.  We wait for global warming, to the new and dangerous virus, the latest heath threat, the never ending home land security attack.  What we are waiting for can control how we live.  If as a nation spend 600 billion $ on national security I think some folks are living in fear.  

 

We might want to explore the image of servant rather than bridegroom, servant left waiting for the master to return from the wedding.  We might relate it to the ascension, Jesus leaving and promise to return, and we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit which allows us to know that when the master returns, there will be a wild party and the master will put on an apron, and bring up the best wine and their will be the sound of "joy and gladness."  What a gift to be waiting to party rather than waiting for destruction, death, darkness.

 

The other little parable about surprise, the thief breaking in seems to fit with the little quote from CC Lectionary resource, by Herzog, "The issue is simply whether or not we stand under a claim, that is, weather or not we must obey a reality that is not of our own making, a reality greater than ourselves that dos not sanction our every whim."    I agree with you we count on life be normal.We long for control and the promise of modernity, the Bible know we are not in control we will be surprised, but for us the surprise of surprise is the return of the Lord of Life and Love.   You can really get me excited Jane.  Thanks for your help.  I will be away next week can you or Jim or someone reflect on the Gospel.  Herb-----
[Herb Davis] 

 

 

 

 Original Message-----
From: confessi...@googlegroups.com [mailto:confessi...@googlegroups.com]On Behalf Of Bct...@aol.com
Sent: Thursday, August 05, 2010 8:07 AM
To: confessi...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: Sermon Note, Aug 8, Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, Luke12:32-40

[Wanda Lester]

Hi Herb,

 

Been away a bit and sorry to hear that Willis and others have been ill.  Praying for all of them.

 

I have a delightful young woman exploring parish ministry with me this week and she is preaching Sunday but here's some preliminary thoughts on your questions. 

 

 Why are we anxious, worried?  Do we doubt that the Lord will give us the kingdom or are we tried of waiting?

Good question....although...as Jane said, it's been over 2000 years....a long time to wait for something that many voices out there say will never come.

 

What images of the bridegroom coming pop into our minds?

We often read this as if we are members of the wedding party...but here it seems as if the Bridegroom is the much beloved Lord of the manor..and we are his servants....the ones who keep the home fires burning so to speak and all in readiness and order until he returns with his Bride.

 

When we are waiting for the bus, waiting a long time what are the temptations to take any bus just so we get someplace?

This is a big temptation, especially for folks in this country...where being productive is a virtue highly honored. Add to this the cultural embrace of entitlement and a desire for instant gratification and folks are likely to hop on any bus that comes along rather than wait patiently for the right one. Could this be true too of churches who define themselves more by what they do..what they accomplish than what they believe. 

  

After waiting a long time what bus might you get on?

 I would probably feel like just curling up and take a nap after asking a fellow traveler to give me a poke when the bus finally got there...even thought I know I should be dusting, and sweeping and readying the place for the Bridegroom's return.

 

Is our modern world organized or planned so the thieve won't get in?

It tries to be...it thinks it is...all the while fearful that such is not the case. 

 

Must the church always live with the uncertainty that we know neither the time nor the place, never settle in, never be comfortable with the time and place?

I think yes....maybe not that they must but that they can trusting that God who is faithful is with them and will deliver on his promises.

 

When we plan today what are we planning for?  Who or what are we expecting?

Truthfully....probably what we want.  Don't we all hold images of what the kingdom will be like...and isn't that what we are planning for, working towards, expecting?

 

What are your questions?

My question is how do we reconcile this image of the Bridegroom as someone out there somewhere who we must wait to return...and the image of Jesus present with us through the Spirit...inviting us as Jane notes to dine at his table. 

Is the kingdom truly at hand or yet to come or both?

 

Thanks for the questions...and thanks to all who have replied. 

Wanda

[Herb Davis]

Hi Wanda,  Hope you had a good leave.  I think worry is a concern for this text.  hope your young woman is excited about the pastoral office.  Herb

-----Original Message-----
From: confessi...@googlegroups.com [mailto:confessi...@googlegroups.com]On Behalf Of Wanda Lester
Sent: Thursday, August 05, 2010 6:15 PM
To: confessi...@googlegroups.com

[John Cedarleaf]

Loree and Willis,
Just got back from a family reunion in Door County Wisconsin last night
and catching up on these.Hope things are going better and that Willis is
on the mend. You will stay in our prayers.

John

--
Rev. Dr.John N. Cedarleaf
Pastor
First Congregational United Chruch of Christ
26 E. Church St.
Fairport, NY 14450
585-223-0224; 585-223-8172

[Willis E. Elliott]

Thanks, Gabe.

OK on reading: I usually wear a large magnifying glass.

 

Grace and peace--

Willis

 

----- Original Message -----

From: "Gabe" <gfa...@comcast.net>

To: "Confessing Christ Open Forum" <confessi...@googlegroups.com>

Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2010 8:12 AM

Subject: Re: Prayers