Dear Family of Love,
Happy Keeping the Faith Friday Fearlessly Without Fretting! Why am I writing this early? I decided we needed a change of pace and an encouragement to use this weekend as a retreat from all the hustle and bustle. Today's #AdventWord is #Prepare. Preparing our hearts, bodies, minds, and spirits for the upcoming holidays is as important than all the busy-ness. I #Invite us all to take this weekend as a time of reflection on what is really important. God is in the midst of everything this season and at all times and we all need to spend more time with God and each other. We also must not to forget to spend time by ourselves in contemplation and being CALM (Compassionate, Accepting, Loving, and Merciful) So tonight we light our candles, say our prayers, and enter into a time of Self-care and Sabbath Rest. We need to begin to prepare our hearts to become mangers of the heart and let God, Jesus,and the Holy Spirit in more fully. I think it is time to Stop, Look, and Listen and stop the glorification of busy. Don't just do, just be.
We light the first vesper candle in honor and love for our worldwide family nearby and far away.
God we pray this and during this final weekend of the Advent season we may be drawn ever closer to you and each other.
God we pray for all of our family members who are going to be without shelter, clothing, and food this weekend. We pray for the least of these our family members.
God we pray for all faith communities who are in prayer this evening that we may seek common ground on what is important and leave the small stuff behind. We pray and remember that God has called us family from the very beginning of Creation.
God we pray for all pilgrims who are walking the Camino, visiting the holy land and all special places of holy meaning. We pray for all families who will make pilgrimage back to their families and for traveling mercies. We remember Mary and Joseph at this time as our role models.
God we pray for all of our family members who work to keep us safe and who respond to medical and police emergencies. We pray for all those who work in emergency rooms and mortuaries.
God we pray for all who are still grieving the loss of loved ones at this time of the year and those who are preparing to say goodbye for now. We remember by name our family members who died during the holidays_______________.
God we pray for peace in the world and an end to bigotry, racism, hate, terror, and anything that draws us away from being truly united as your Family of Love. We pray that we all may be united in love, heart, and spirit.
God we pray for all refugees, captives, victims of human trafficking, the abused, the bullied, and victims of hate crimes.
God we pray this night that as we light our second candle we may pray that we may be forgiving and repent of anything we have done this day that caused you or anyone pain.
God we offer our additional prayers and thanksgivings _______________________________.
God we pray the words of the Ancient Hymn O Come, O Come Emmanuel! May Emmanuel come soon.
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, thou Wisdom from on high,
who orderest all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go. Refrain
O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free
thine own from Satan's tyranny;
from depths of hell thy people save,
and give them victory over the grave. Refrain
O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer
our spirits by thine advent here;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
and death's dark shadows put to flight. Refrain
O come, thou Key of David, come,
and open wide our heavenly home;
make safe the way that leads on high,
and close the path to misery. Refrain
O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to thy tribes on Sinai's height
in ancient times once gave the law
in cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain
O come, thou Root of Jesse's tree,
an ensign of thy people be;
before thee rulers silent fall;
all peoples on thy mercy call. Refrain
O come, Desire of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind;
bid thou our sad divisions cease,
and be thyself our King of Peace. Refrain
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear. Refrain
God we pray these our prayers in the Holy Name of Jesus. Amen.
We light this final candle for our peace, hope, love, and joy in the world and within ourselves:
Here are prayers from almost a year ago if you'd like to use those too.
Gracious God we come to you this night with our prayers for all neighborhoods, cities, counties, states, and nations that need to be renewed and restored to places of safe and peaceful living.
Gracious God we come to you this night in prayers for all children who are ill and hospitalized in Pediatric Intensive Care Units.
Gracious God we come to you this night in prayer for all refugees and those who have been displaced by war and calamity. We remember all our family members who are economic refugees who flee from the countries of their native origin to seek a better life.
Gracious God we come to you this night and pray for peace in your fragile and broken world.
Gracious God we pray for all of our family members who are traveling this holiday season by air, train, car, bus, that traveling mercies may surround them.
Gracious God we come to you this night praying for all of our family members who are homeless and are forced to spend the night in the cold and all of our family members who are the least of these.
Gracious God we pray for all our family members who are mourning the losses of family members.
Gracious God be with all clergy who are preparing to preach your Word to our family members who may only hear the Gospel message once a year. Inspire their words and speech so that they may empower and touch the hearts of those who listen.
Gracious God be with us who may not feel jolly this season. Comfort our hearts that we may feel the gift of your presence and our family members who can't be with us.
Gracious God we come to you this night with additional prayers, thanksgivings, celebrations, and remembrances
Gracious God we pray and offer these our prayers in the name of your only Son Jesus the Christ. Amen.
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Good Night Family of Love! I love you! May you rest gentle in God's arms this night and may you feel God's holy presence enfolding you! I give thanks to God for you this day and always. May you enjoy this period of retreat, reflection, and renewal for your bodies, minds, and spirits.
Love, joy, hope, peace, and blessings be always yours,
Sara
Veni Emmanuel
The Great O Antiphons - O Adonai
The Great O Antiphons - O Sapientia
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