Into Peace

Makeesha's teaching: March 30

Notes
The best choice:
Into peace, following Jesus in exile

Opening prayer

PRAYER OF APPROACH (United Church of Canada)

We have come together, O God, to be clothed with power from on
high. Meet us here with truth we can wear with confidence and with
joy we can share with sincerity. Awaken us, by the power of your
Holy Spirit, to life in all its fullness here and now and grant us
courage and strength and love as we praise you for all your
goodness. Be with us as we lift up our hands, our hearts, and our
voices, and prepare us for everlasting life with Christ Jesus --
in whose name we worship. Amen.


Psalm 16
Protect me, LORD God!
I run to you for safety, and I have said, "Only you are my Lord! Every good thing I have is a gift from you."
Your people are wonderful, and they make me happy, but worshipers of other gods will have much sorrow. I refuse to offer sacrifices of blood to those gods or worship in their name.
You, LORD, are all I want! You are my choice, and you keep me safe.
You make my life pleasant, and my future is bright.
I praise you, LORD,for being my guide. Even in the darkest night, your teachings fill my mind. I will always look to you, as you stand beside me and protect me from fear.
With all my heart, I will celebrate, and I can safely rest. I am your chosen one. You won't leave me in the grave or let my body decay. You have shown me the path to life, and you make me glad by being near to me. Sitting at your right side, I will always be joyful.

John 20:19-31
1 Pe 1:3-9

Closing
be still and let Jesus speak these words to your heart:

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you,
not as the world gives do I give to you,
Do not let your heart be troubled, neither be afraid.
Believe in God, believe also in me.
(silent moment)
Father water these seeds in our heart, the words of Jesus, by Your Spirit,
Amen.

Communion Prayer

Communion Prayer:

Jesus help us to remember
that your blood was shed for the least of these
Remind us today as we drink this wine that
you desire wholeness of all of your creation
and that you charge us with its care

Search our hearts Holy Spirit, reveal to us areas of blindness
illuminate the dark corners where we see your blood in only one shade
for only one purpose
and for only the few who make it to your table
your blood flowed for humanity and where one is deprived of its healing, so do we all

God reveal yourself as King of kings
and show us what it means to represent you on this earth
empower us to be the vehicle through which your will is done
on earth as it is in heaven
soften our hearts to be vessels of your love

Jesus, through this bread, let us see your body
your muddy, calloused hands
your dusty, blistered feet
your face, touched with the lines of 30 years of the emotions of the ages
may this bread remind us of your body that was ravaged for all of your creation

Search our hearts Holy Spirit, reveal to us areas of blindness
illuminate the dark corners where we see your body as small enough to fit in our pockets
for only our own individual purposes
and for only those who are clean enough to touch it
your body was broken for humanity and where one is deprived of its healing, so do we all

God reveal yourself as King of kings
and show us what it means to represent you on this earth
empower us to be the vehicle through which your will is done
on earth as it is in heaven
soften our hearts to be vessels of your love

~Mak

Lost in my head

by Mak

I'm lost inside my own head…and I can't find my way out.

I started off -a thinking one day

ruminating, pondering

meditating and pontificating

I neglected to remember the thinking map

to guide me on my way

a few thoughts in, I looked around

and nothing seemed just right

it was indeed quite different than how it looked last night

and where ARE those damn breadcrumbs I brought

and scattered on the ground?

and then appeared a little troll, picking up the pace

short and green and covered in dirt

wearing pants but clearly no shirt

that beast! his mouth was full of crumbs

and a guilty look upon his face

So here I am, inside my head

I walk in circles, doubling back

my thoughts upon me like a heavy pack

I might emerge tomorrow, with something smart to say

but if I don't, it is because the thoughts indeed are dead.

Do you know me?

Do you see me?
My skin is dark and rough with dirt
Do you see me?
My clothes are torn
Do you see me?
My skirt's too short, my neckline too low

Do you smell me?
I reek of body odor
Do you smell me?
I tried to cover it up with cheap perfume
Do you smell me?
I tried to find lunch in the dumpster

Do you hear me?
My voice is coarse
Do you hear me?
My language is foul
Do you hear me?
I lure my customers with perverted words

I'm trying to hide from you
I don't want to get you dirty
You intimidate me
You sound pious
You look pure
You scare me

Are you judging me?
Are you ignoring me?
Could you love me?
Could you help me?
Will you forget me?
Will you scorn me?

Why am I here?
Why are you here?
Is your bubble comfortable?
Are your white linens white enough?
Is your world pure enough?
Why are you here?

When my computer looks like this...

...I look like this

Beyond These Shores

it was a room
banners of peace and welcome hung on the white-washed walls
the clock was two and a half hours behind
plastic tables and chairs cluttered the floor and stored against the wall
eclectic bulletin boards
soda, coffee, a rose
blue stained carpet
eight of us
two of them children
eight of us desiring to change the world
a ship of eight

a ship of fools

May the Holy Spirit blow our sails
May He determine our course
Though the water be rough
Though storms arise
May we not falter
May we not turn back
For what has been explored and dissected and understood is behind us

But like Saint Brendan
You beckon us to the open sea
Dangers and dragons await
But you have been before
And you are present
You always will be
So we sail into the great expanse
Into the great unknown

A Missional Poem

So I woke up one morning in the usual way
Meaning I was really not ready for the day.

I stumbled to the kitchen to grab a beer
When the droning of the Television rambled in my ear.

They had said something strange; that the rapture had come
And of all the people around, the human race was done.

Well I couldn’t believe what I was to here
So I went to my neighbor who happened to be queer

He said, “Oh don’t worry my hung over dear
You really have nothing, well, not much to fear.”

Then he invited me in and said with a sneer,
“Those Christians will always just look at me and jeer.”

“Now they are gone, in a faraway place,
And maybe I’ll never again have to see their face.”

“But.” I said with a wondering eye,
“What’s gonna happen when the rest of us die?”

“That’s a good question.” My neighbor replied,
Then he let out a long worried sigh.

We sat there in silence for what seemed like an age,
Then I heard the reporter come back with a rage,

He said, “Apparently it was all some elaborate hoax,
The Christians are hiding, those odd masses of folks!”

Later we found out, it was a scheme by LeHay
To pretend all the Christians had suddenly gone away.

He wanted the world to fear the tribulation,
Where masses would repent and join the jubilation.

At that time I decided I’d really believe
That it was love that people wanted to receive

So I decided to make my neighbor my friend,
And I would be there for him to the very end.

It's sad that my recent creative post is this...

Like in the Matrix, this is my "Residual Self Image"