In Jonah 3, a group of people turn from idolatrous and evil ways, repenting (turning away from) their old, exploitative ways.

Psalm 62 exhorts us to look to God - not to any earthly thing. Not to riches or wealth. Not to powerful people. To the Divine Within.

In Mark 1, John the Baptist is arrested and imprisoned. Jesus is assembling a group of followers - disciples, they’re called. His unifying message is: the Kingdom of God is near! Repent!... In other words: Turn away from your old ways of thinking about success, about victory, about what is really happening, and what is really important in the world; and believe instead in the good news of God - that all divine resources are yours for the taking, that the commonwealth of heaven is a place where you and every other person belongs. Re-wire your brain with the understanding that all are one, all are Beloved, all are welcome, and all are forgiven for whatever they did before they understood that.

I write this litany immediately following the inauguration of the new president and vice-president of the US. We in the US are tentatively hopeful, anxiously expectant. It is a moment in which we have the opportunity to listen to this week’s scriptures in an open-minded way - to hear of the Ninevites repentance, the Psalmic call to trust in God and not in economies or rulers, and the invitation of Christ to turn our attention to the Kingdom of God, which is near at hand and available to us as we move forward, working for change. I hope this prayer inspires and offers some hope. 

God, may we hear the exhortation of the scriptures,
To trust in you,
To pour our hearts out before you (1),
To repent of our idolatry of money and power (2)…

And turn our attention
And our hope,
Toward the Kin-dom of God
Near at hand, among us (3),
Awaiting our joining-in,
And welcoming us weary travellers.

We turn now, away from evil (4),
Away from the worship of power and money,
Away from war- and fear-mongering,
And toward the Kin-dom of Heaven...

Here the most powerful force is Love
There is no fighting to be witnessed
No scrapping for power or influence.
Here people are valued for themselves
And their imago dei,
Not for achievement, fame, or reputation.

Here the KIN-DOM, the family, of God is on full display
Love, pouring out into all the empty spaces,
Healing covering all the wounded places.
In silence, we wait for the power of God (5)

We are ordinary people, going about our lives,
Realizing that we are Beloved through and through,
Realizing that Heaven is available to us now,
Realizing that what we do here on earth matters,
Realizing that Christ’s invitation is for us, too;
And jumping in - gratefully, joyfully - to this Kin-dom work (6)

The present form of this world is passing away (7)
The time is fulfilled, and a New Day emerges (3).

Amen

1. Psalm 62:8
2. Psalm 62:9
3. Mark 1:15
4. Jonah 3;10
5. Psalm 62:5
6. Mark 1:18
7. 1 Corinthians 7:31

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For those of you wanting to keep up to speed with the weekly bible reading plan we follow, please click on the link: http://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/lections.php?year=A&season=Season%20after%20Pentecost