Offering

Advent: Put on the Armor of Light – Romans 13:11-14

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Romans 13:11-14

11 Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; 12 the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; 13 let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

  • Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
  • Spend 5 to 15 minutes in silent meditation using your deep breathing to guide you.
  • Imagine putting on the armor of light.
  • What does it look like?
  • What does it feel like?
  • What do you notice in your body as you wear the armor of light?
  • Is there something unexpected?
  • What is Christ’s message for you?
  • Imagine engraving Christ’s message in the armor.
  • What do you notice as you wear the message?
  • Do you hear a call to action?
  • Give thanks to God for the armor of light and this time in prayer.
  • Share as you feel led in the reply box below.

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, November 27, 2022 the First Sunday of Advent (Year A)

Isaiah 2:1-5
Psalm 122:1-9
Romans 13:11-14
Matthew 24:36-44

If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings.  (c) 2022 The Rev. Dr. Lil Smith, DASD

Rev. Dr. Lil Smith is a trained spiritual director, supervisor, and co-founder of Retreat House Spirituality Center in Richardson, TX.  Upon completion of her spiritual direction certification, Lil began Praying the Lectionary in 2011 as a spiritual practice for her morning prayer time.  Instead of reading about someone else’s experience of God, it was important for her to create a prayer practice that would encourage felt sense experience of the Holy emerging from within.  It dawned on her others might enjoy the practice, as well.  So she began to share them on this site.

As you experience the practice of Praying the Lectionary, adopt a loving, caring, and compassionate stance.  If the end of your prayer and meditation time is not pointing to love and hope, there is more work to do.  Keep wrestling.  God is faithful to your journey.  Love and hope will emerge.  Be gentle with yourself and befriend any judgment that arises in you.

Advent: Put on the Armor of Light – Romans 13:11-14

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Romans 13:11-14

11 Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; 12 the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; 13 let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

  • Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
  • Spend 5 to 15 minutes in silent meditation using your deep breathing to guide you.
  • Imagine putting on the armor of light.
  • What does it look like?
  • What does it feel like?
  • What do you notice in your body as you wear the armor of light?
  • Is there something unexpected?
  • What is Christ’s message for you?
  • Imagine engraving Christ’s message in the armor.
  • What do you notice as you wear the message?
  • Do you hear a call to action?
  • Give thanks to God for the armor of light and this time in prayer.
  • Share as you feel led in the reply box below.

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, December 1, 2019, the First Sunday of Advent (Year A)

Isaiah 2:1-5
Psalm 122:1-9
Romans 13:11-14
Matthew 24:36-44

If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings.  (c) 2019 The Rev. Dr. Lil Smith, DASD

Rev. Dr. Lil Smith is a trained spiritual director, supervisor, and co-founder of Retreat House Spirituality Center in Richardson, TX.  Upon completion of her spiritual direction certification, Lil began Praying the Lectionary in 2011 as a spiritual practice for her morning prayer time.  Instead of reading about someone else’s experience of God, it was important for her to create a prayer practice that would encourage felt sense experience of the Holy emerging from within.  It dawned on her others might enjoy the practice, as well.  So she began to share them on this site.

As you experience the practice of Praying the Lectionary, adopt a loving, caring, and compassionate stance.  If the end of your prayer and meditation time is not pointing to love and hope, there is more work to do.  Keep wrestling.  God is faithful to your journey.  Love and hope will emerge.  Be gentle with yourself and befriend any judgment that arises in you.

Matthew 22:15-22 Give to God the things that are God’s

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GOSPEL MATTHEW 22:15-22

15Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. 16So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. 17Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?“ 18But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? 19Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” 21They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

  • Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
  • Spend 5 to 15 minutes in silent meditation, paying attention to the breath.
  • What do you give to this world?
  • What do you give to God?
  • Write them down in two columns.
  • Where do you notice duplication?
  • Where do you notice polarization?
  • What item(s) need to be moved to the other column?
  • Is there something you need to let go?
  • Is there something needing your attention?
  • Invite God into this place.
  • Look for opportunities for reconciliation.
  • Is there a call to action?
  • Give thanks to  God for this time in prayer and for any new insights you have received.
  • Share as you feel led in the reply box below.
Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, October 16, 2011,  the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
Exodus 33:12-23
Psalm 99:1-9
I Thessalonians: 1:1-10
Matthew 22:15-22
If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author.
Permission to use in not-for-profit settings The Rev. Lil Smith, M.Div., DASD

Evangelism Sunday – Being witnesses for Christ

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Call to Confession

We are a pilgrim people on a journey, deeper into the heart of God, But we stumble. We fall. Still God calls us to arise! Taking all that weighs us down And hinders us from following him., Jesus says, “Come unto me, all you who are heavy laden And I will give you rest for your soul.” You will run and not be weary, walk and not faint. Trusting in the mercies of the Lord, let us confess our shortcomings before God and one another that we might be relieved of all that gets in the way of walking in the freedom of love.

 

Confession of Sin

God of compassion, you created the world through your communion of love, but we prefer to be gods, living for ourselves. Our sin has misshapen the life you intend for us and twisted our world into pain. We damage creation. We hurt one another. We ignore the ache of others. We despair at our own undoing, and sin holds us tight in its teeth. But you, O Lord, unhinged the jaws of death, that we might know your eternal life now. So we beg you: free us from sin’s grip with your prevailing love, that we might be your witnesses, testifying to your eternal love in all we do. We ask this through Christ our Lord and for his glorious dominion. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

Who is in a position to condemn?  Only Christ. And Christ was born for us, Christ died for us, Christ rose for us, Christ reigns in power for us, Christ prays for us. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, for anyone who is in Christ is of the New Creation. The old is finished, gone! Behold! New life has begun. Friends, believe the good news: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven!

  • Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
  • Spend 5 to 15 minutes in meditation paying attention to the breath.
  • Let go of all things you are trying to control.
  • Imagine that God has unhinged the jaws of control upon you.
  • How is God calling you to be a witness?
  • What is God’s message for you?
  • Consider your faith community.
  • Let go of all things the faith community controls.
  • Imagine that God has unhinged the jaws of control upon your faith community.
  • How is God calling your faith community to be a witness?
  • What is God’s message for you?
  • Give thanks to God for sending God’s son to overcome the jaws of death.  Give thanks to God for the gift of forgiveness.  Give thanks to God for any new insights you have received.
Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, September 25,  the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
Exodus 17:1-7
Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16
Philippians 2:1-13
Matthew 21:23-32
If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author.
Permission to use in not-for-profit settings Lil Smith, M.Div., DASD.

Romans 14:1-12 Why do you despise your brother or sister?

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Romans 14:1-12 (NRSV)

1 Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. 2 Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. 3 Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand. 5 Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. 6 Those who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honor of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honor of the Lord and give thanks to God. 7 We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.” 12 So then, each of us will be accountable to God.

  • Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
  • Spend 5 to 15 minutes in silent meditation using your deep breathing to guide you.
  • In the Chapter 13, Paul calls us to put on the armor of light.  Imagine putting on the armor of light and read the text again.
  • How might you share the armor of light with someone who is weak in faith?
  • Who might you identify today that needs to be in the light?
  • How might you share this light without judging?
  • As you consider sharing, do you feel heavy or light?
  • What moves you to be lighter?
  • Is there a call to action to share this light?
  • Give thanks to God for the armor of light, the chance to live to the Lord in the light, and this time in prayer.
  • Share as you feel led in the reply box below.
Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, September 11,  the Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
Exodus 14:19-31
Psalm 114
Exodus 15:1b-11, 20-21
Romans 14:1-12
Matthew 18:21-35
If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author.
Permission to use in not-for-profit settings Lil Smith, M.Div., DASD.

Romans 13:8-14 – Put on the armor of light

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Romans 12:9-21 (NRSV)

8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet”; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. 11 Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; 12 the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; 13 let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

  • Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
  • Spend 5 to 15 minutes in silent meditation using your deep breathing to guide you.
  • Imagine putting on the armor of light.
  • What does it look like?
  • What does it feel like?
  • What do you notice in your body as you wear the armor of light?
  • Is there something unexpected?
  • What is Christ’s message for you?
  • Imagine engraving Christ’s message in the armor.
  • What do you notice as you wear the message?
  • Do you hear a call to action?
  • Give thanks to God for the armor of light and this time in prayer.
  • Share as you feel led in the reply box below.
Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, September 4,  the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
Exodus 12:1-14
Psalm 149
Romans 13:8-14
Matthew 18:15-20
If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author.
Permission to use in not-for-profit settings Lil Smith, M.Div., DASD.