Invitation to Meditation: Daily Devotions for the Church Year

INVITATION TO

MEDITATION

Daily Devotions for the Church Year

LEONA M. IRSCH

Copyright © 2019 Leona M. Irsch.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Scripture translated to English by the Author from

The Greek New Testament 4th Rev. Ed. and Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia.

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ISBN: 978-1-9736-5149-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-5151-2 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-5150-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019900697

WestBow Press rev. date: 02/26/2019

CONTENTS

ADVENT

Accountability

Litany of Accountability

Preparation

Litany of Preparation

The Names of Jesus

Litany on the Names of Jesus

Promise and Fulfillment

Litany on the O Antiphons

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

The Mystery of Love

Litany for The Twelve Days of Christmas

EPIPHANY

Wisdom and Worship

Litany for Wisdom

The Expected Messiah

Litany for the Disappointed

Follow Me

Litany for Followers

Antidote for Anomie

Litany for the Church

Happiness

Litany of Happiness

Anger

Litany on the Commandment against Murder

Sex

Litany on the Commandment against Adultery

Beams and Splinters

Litany on the Commandment against Bearing False Witness

Fasting and Discipline

Litany of Discipline

LAST EPIPHANY

Litany of Transfiguration

Litany of Suffering

LENT

Disillusionment and Promise

Lent 1: Litany for Suffering People

Faith

Lent 2: Litany of Repentance

The Law and Bondage

Lent 3: Litany on the Ten Commandments

The Passover Feast

Lent 4: Litany of the Holy Eucharist

Journey in the Desert

Lent 5: Litany of the Passion

Holy Week The Paradox of Kingship

Litany for Holy Week

EASTER

Certainty

Litany for Easter

Reality

Litany for Questioners

Victory

Litany of Victory

The Good Shepherd

A Litany for Sheep

Peace and Love

Litany for Peace

The Way to the Father

Litany for Pilgrims

Inheritance

Litany of Adoption

PENTECOST

The Spirit and the Church

Litany to the Holy Spirit

HOLY TRINITY

Trinity: Litany of the Holy Trinity

PROPERS (Revised Common Lectionary)

Faith and Works

Litany of Faith and Works

Resurrection and Life

Litany of Resurrection

Forgiveness

Litany of Forgiveness

Stilling Storms

Litany for the Overwhelmed

Strength and Weakness

Litany for Weaklings

The Cross and Suffering

Litany of the Cross

Who is My Neighbor?

Litany on the Commandment against Stealing

Salvation

Litany on the Commandment Regarding the Sabbath

The Lord’s Prayer

Litany on the Lord’s Prayer

Greed

Litany on the Commandment against Covetousness

Worry and Trust

Litany on the First Commandment

Those Far Off and Those Near

Litany for Those Far Off

The Cost of Discipleship

Litany for Sometime Disciples

The Heritage of Sin

Litany for Sinners

Responsibility

Litany of Responsibility

Reconciliation

Litany of Reconciliation

The Vineyard

Litany for Laborers

Ministry and Witness

Litany of Ministry

The Wedding Feast

Litany for Wedding Guests

Thanksgiving

Litany of Thanksgiving

God and Caesar

Litany on the Commandment about Authority

Prayer

Litany on the Commandment of the Name of God

The Will of God

Litany on the Will of God

Be Prepared

Litany for Sleepers

Judgment

Litany for Mercy

LAST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST: THE REIGN OF CHRIST

Christ the King

Litany for Subjects

The End (An extra week)

Litany on the End

SPECIAL OCCASIONS (Special days after Christmas

are included in the devotions for Christmas)

November 30: Saint Andrew

December 21 (July 3): St. Thomas, Apostle

January 15: The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Litany of Justice

January 18: Peter’s Confession

January 25: The Conversion of St. Paul

February 2: The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

February 24 (May 14): St Matthias, Apostle

March 19: St: Joseph

March 25: The Annunciation

April 25: St Mark the Evangelist

May 1: Saint Philip and Saint James (bar Alphaeus), Apostles

May 31: The Visitation

June 11: Saint Barnabus

June 24: The Nativity of Saint John the Baptizer

June 29: Saints Peter and Paul

July 4: Independence Day

July 22: Saint Mary Magdalene, Apostle

July 25: St. James the Elder (bar Zebedee)

August 6: The Transfiguration of our Lord

August 15: Saint Mary, Mother of Our Lord

August 24: Saint Bartholomew

September 14: Holy Cross Day

September 21: Saint Matthew

September 29: Saint Michael and All Angels

October 18: Saint Luke, the Evangelist

October 23: Saint James of Jerusalem

October 28: Saint Simon and Saint Jude, Apostles

October 31: The Festival of the Reformation

A Reformation Litany

November 1: All Saints

Thanksgiving

Litany of All Saints

Sources

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My journey to know the love of God and therefore, of this book, began at Valparaiso University, led by Rev. Dr. Robert Schultz and Rev. Dr. Kenneth Korby. My journey has been long and fed by many clergy of various denominations, and especially Rev. Richard Rieger, who, after reading material for Advent and Lent that I had written, suggested I write a book for every day of the church year.

Study at Colgate Rochester Divinity School/Crozer Theological Seminary/Bexley Hall opened me to worship in many traditions, especially the African American church, taught me beginning Greek and Hebrew and enriched my study of Scripture. Of special mention are The Rev. Dr. Richard Henshaw and Rev. Thomas Troeger. Now I was able to translate texts I preached on as a parish priest, which deepened my study of Scripture.

Doctoral study at Toronto School of Theology began with my assumption that if I could read the Scriptures in their original languages, I would be able to answer many questions I had. Wrong! Biblical scholarship only created more questions. After looking to the Scriptures for my private devotions and preaching, I now needed to see them in the light of modern scholarship. That changed the book I continued to use and gave me the tools to understand the texts in new ways.

Through the years, there has been another strand of experience that has influenced this book. Two counselors, The Rev. Dr. John C. Karl and Dr. Mary Dombeck and spiritual directors especially Mary Lynch, SSJ, The Rev. Art Lawson and The Rev. Glenn Pritchard helped me through difficult times and nurtured my relationship with God. My parishioners and students have taught me by their questions, and my beloved spouse, Dr. Theodora Jankowski, challenged me to write more clearly. To all of these people, and more, I thank you.

Soli Deo Gloria

INTRODUCTION

Here is a book intended to help users meditate on a Biblical passage and then pray for themselves and others. It contains devotions not just for Advent and Lent, but also Christmas and Easter, every day of the Church Year, and more. The book is organized into weeks and each week has a responsive litany which comes out of meditation on the Biblical texts.

Most Sunday passages, which provide a theme for the week, are one of the three Sunday Gospel lessons of The Revised Common Lectionary. I may choose a passage from a different Gospel than the lectionary when they appear in more than one Gospel, and some are not used on Sunday, but they are all used. Major parts of the Epistles and something from almost every book of the Bible is used at some point in the year (see the Index of Biblical Texts).

The RCL is used because Anglicans, Episcopalians, Lutherans and Roman Catholics all use it and some other denominations use it for suggested readings, too. The rest of the readings for each day of the week come from anywhere in the Bible. Each day also has a few sentences to pull something out of the text as a start for meditation without a period at the end. If users find the sentences not helpful to start meditation, they have the Scripture lesson to wrestle with. Because of the breadth of Scripture in the book, users should become familiar with a lot of the Bible

There are two exceptions to the rule of Gospel lessons setting a week’s theme. In Advent and Lent Sunday lessons focus on one of the people who are actors in the drama. Advent daily readings are from what Christians consider to be prophecies of Jesus in the Hebrew Scriptures. Lenten readings during the week trace salvation history through the Hebrew Scriptures

Although the book is based on the church year, devotions can be used in any order desired, except from Advent to Epiphany and Ash Wednesday to Easter. There are more weeks than can be used in any year and material for a few saints common to most liturgical traditions. There is also material for a few additional celebrations: The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., July 4, Reformation, and Thanksgiving.

ADVENT 1

ACCOUNTABILITY

Sunday: Luke 1:5-25

Zechariah was a righteous man, faithfully doing his job as a priest, when an angel met him. He was not ready for that! He was not ready to be confronted by the reality of the One he worshipped. Advent is to prepare us for the surprise of the One we worship coming to us in surprising ways

Monday: Isaiah 28:14-29

Isaiah hears from God about people who have taken refuge in lies. He says there is no protection: the bed is too short, the covering too narrow for us not to be exposed for what we are (v. 20). We shall be measured by the plumb line of righteousness to see whether we are straight or crooked (v. 17). (A plumb line is a string tacked at the top of a wall with a weight on the bottom to draw a straight line)

Tuesday: Ezekiel 34:1-24

The LORD¹, speaking as the Good Shepherd to Ezekiel, judges those with authority over other people. To allow God to be our shepherd and take care of us also makes God the judge of our behavior. All of us, but especially those in positions of authority, will be judged on the way we have treated others. Maybe we shall not want with the LORD as our shepherd, but we may well be found wanting

Wednesday: Zechariah 11:4-17

Zechariah is told by God to be a shepherd and not tend the sheep but let them do whatever they want. It is everyone for themselves, so the shepherds live off the sheep and the sheep devour each other. This sounds all too familiar. We have lost any concern for those who are victims of our economic system because we don’t see the poor, and they are the wrong color or nationality. To climb over others’ bodies is the way to get ahead, but living off other people annuls God’s covenant of favor and unity with us

Thursday: Malachi 2:17-3:4

Malachi’s words call us to face the divine Witness against our greed, lust, lies, oppression of the poor, and neglect of the lonely, and to open ourselves to purification and cleansing. If purification and cleansing are not painful, the unclean places have not yet been touched

Friday: Isaiah 1:10-20

Isaiah’s words are for people who are outwardly religious, but whose rituals God hates because of the way they treat the vulnerable people in their midst. Verses 18 and 19 can validly be translated, If your sins are like scarlet, shall they be as white as snow? If they are red like crimson shall they be like wool? If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land. The warning is that it takes more than religious observances to honor God

Saturday: Isaiah 64

In spite of a confession of sin, here is the longing, O that you would tear open the heavens and come down and the mountains quake at your presence! (v. 1), that you would come and save us in spite of our unfaithfulness. That is the theme of Advent

ADVENT 1: LITANY OF ACCOUNTABILITY

L: Creator and Sovereign, thank you for warning us that we are accountable to you for our lives.

R: Help us heed that warning and turn to you for cleansing, lest your judgment catch us off guard and unprepared.

L: Thank you for pronouncing us acquitted by Christ’s sacrifice for us.

R: Help us hold fast to the Rock of our Salvation, Jesus Christ, that your judgment not find us wanting.

L: Open up our greed and selfishness, our lust and pride to the cleansing action of your Spirit.

R: Show us your love that we may learn to love ourselves and each other.

L: When the time of crisis comes, give us strength to meet it.

R: Prepare us for your coming that when we hear your gracious message we may receive it readily.

L: We pray for those who are oppressed. Bring justice to:

R: Those sold into sexual slavery, raped in war, or forced into prostitution to survive;

L: Children who are forced to be soldiers,

R: Our sisters and brothers against whom we discriminate;

L: The poor, both those in our country and those in the rest of the world whose impoverishment we mercilessly ignore;

R: Our sisters and brothers who have been wrongly imprisoned;

L: The troubled, elderly, mentally ill, and imperfect ones we remove from our sight;

R: Women and children who are neglected or abused;

L: And all those who cry daily to you for justice, especially those oppressed by your church.

R: Forgive us for oppressing one another and ignoring the injustices in our world, and help us relieve any whom we have caused to suffer.

L: We pray for those in the refining fire of suffering:

R: Those who are sick or who bear the cross of chronic diseases, handicaps or deformities (especially …)

L: Those who are reaping the harvest of their mistakes and those whose lives are shattered ruins;

R: Those who are dying a slow painful death and go on living while wanting to die;

L: Those who are mourning, and all those whose agony is known to you alone:

R: Relieve them all, loving God, and help us be more aware of those around us who are suffering that we may share your love with them.

L: We pray for those who are being confronted by your righteousness that they may turn and be healed of their brokenness.

R: Give us prophets who have the courage to speak the truth to us that we not die bloated with hot air.

Mighty Liberator, give us grace to turn away from our destructive ways that, saved by your deliverance, we may walk in the light of your face, as you are one with the Creator and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.

ADVENT 2

PREPARATION

Sunday: Matthew 3:1-12

John the Baptist is preaching repentance in the desert, preparing the way for the One who was coming. The way to prepare to receive this divine Guest is John’s way: to repent, to change what we are doing instead of claiming favored status as chosen sons and daughters of Abraham. The question is not who one is, but what one is—wheat or chaff

Monday: John 1:6-8, 19-28

The Jews had many expectations of the One to come—that he would be a prophet like Moses, or Elijah returning, or a messiah-king like David. When asked, John the Baptist answers that he is not the One to come, nor any of these expected people. Now is a good time to ask yourself just what you are expecting of the One Who is coming, both this Christmas and when you see God’s face

Tuesday: Matthew 11:1-19

John the Baptist became disillusioned when he was put in prison, and Jesus did not act like he thought the One to Come should act. Presumably, John the Baptist expected an apocalyptic one who would bring the final triumph of the forces of good over the forces of evil because that was the general expectation of a messiah among Jews: a messiah-king like David. To prepare to receive Jesus is to struggle with the One who comes to triumph over evil from within it, which is a completely different story

Wednesday: Isaiah 40:1-11, 27-31

Here are beautiful words of Isaiah which say that the purpose of facing divine judgment is to eagerly grasp what is real and enduring instead of continuing to cling to human power and success, which are only grass. Only those who wait for the LORD rise up on eagles’ wings, run and are not weary, walk and do not wipe out

Thursday: Isaiah 35

More beautiful words from Isaiah. He tells exiles thinking of returning home from Babylon that God will make their way easy. It wasn’t. But without hope, they would not even have started the 800 mile, four month long journey home. Like their journey, our lives are long hard journeys. Like them, we need to hear that our Divine Companion goes with us to strengthen weak hands and make firm feeble knees to keep us going (v. 3) lest we despair

Friday: Isaiah 61

Isaiah speaks to exiles who have returned home, to ones who feel all alone with shattered expectations of a beautiful, easy life in the Promised Land. Instead, that land is a place of heaps of rubble, problems, and old, familiar enemies. The exiles have given up and cannot see what the prophet sees: our Liberator is here, now, in the midst of this rubble to give us victory. That is, after all, what Christmas is about.

Saturday: Isaiah 62

Isaiah assures dispirited exiles that God will make what is now desolate delightful and urges people, Do not be silent, give God no rest until God makes delightful what is desolate now (vv. 6, 7). We should not let God rest either until God keeps promises to do new things in our lives

ADVENT 2: LITANY OF PREPARATION

L: Loving One, we give thanks that you have come to all the desolate and lonely places in which we live.

R: We give thanks that you are the way out of our dead-ends.

L: We give thanks that you bring sight for our blindness and refreshment for our parched souls.

R: We give thanks for the manna that feeds us in the wilderness.

L: We give thanks for the Comforter, who strengthens us and keeps us going even when strong ones wipe out from weariness.

R: We give thanks for your enduring word which gives us hope and gladness.

L: Voice of the prophets, our hearts become dull with too many words and not enough hearing:

R: Open us to your presence that we might be healed.

L: We keep running around in circles, chasing the worthless things of this world:

R: Set us on the road which you have built out of the desert.

L: Our hearts have mountains of pride and valleys of self-abasement and are full of crookedness and obstacles to keep you from us:

R: Make a straight path in us that we may get ready to receive you.

L: We pray for the sick