Dear Family of Love,
Happy Take Care Tuesday! I hope everyone is doing just that and if you are living where the weather is rainy and cold. Most of you have probably seen President Obama's speech on gun violence and noticed that he shed tears when he mentioned Newtown and Sandy Hook and all of the other places affected by this kind of terrible terror. I have seen posts put him down because of those tears he shed. I'm here to tell you that that is inappropriate to put anyone down when they become emotional about certain things. Everyone deserves respect and kindness and that includes our national leaders and those who lead various faith communities. Certain situations trigger emotions both publicly and privately. We are not in the business of judging of people's emotions nor are we to put people down when they cry. These past few weeks being down at the church handing out our shelf stable lunches to our homeless and hungry family members has made me more and more aware of my emotions and the tears I shed both outwardly and inwardly. There are no set rules for our emotions, they are what they are and I rejoice and am glad in them. We should be giving thanks when we see emotions expressed by anyone in the public eye because it sets us all on a level playing field. Last evening I told you that I wouldn't give you any advice and I'm trying to live into that promise but today on social media too many people put the President of the United States down for his tears. Remember Jesus wept and I don't remember anyone putting Him down, unless that was in one of the pieces of scripture that didn't make it into the Bible. Remember everyone is a family member and precious to God and that includes people we do not like. So let us not be afraid to show our emotions and also let us have the courtesy of allowing our family members to show theirs.
Now let us be at the business of God!
Dear Ones Let us begin our nightly Virtual Candlelight Vigil and pray for all of our family members who are living with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and let us remember that God calls us to be CALM (Compassionate Accepting, Loving, and Merciful) and peacemaking children of God. Let us light our candles and be at prayer.
Take time to sit quietly and enter into prayer reverently and with your heart homes wide open to give and receive Love Energy from and to God.
God of Love we pray that we may never be afraid to feel and show our emotions to ourselves and others.
God of Love we pray that we may never be judgmental when we see our family members cry when we have never seen it before.
Let us pray for all of our family members who are coping with mental and emotional illnesses of any kind.
Let us pray for our family members who are forced during El Nino to live outside during the rain. We pray for safe shelters, warm clothing, and food that will make their bodies healthy.
Let us pray for an end to violence and terror of any kind and that the you and in the nations of the world may raise up among our family members peace makers who will teach everyone to love and beat swords into ploughshares and spears into pruning hooks.
Let us show our family members what it means to be CALM( Compassionate, accepting, loving, and merciful)
Let us pray for all who are ill and in need of healing remembering____________________________
God of love we come to you asking forgiveness of all our misdeeds and thoughts this day and remember them before you. Help us to return to you and be at one with you and each other.
God we pray for all who are transitioning into eternal life and those who have died today and have entered into the Thin Places remembering__________________________.
We pray for__________________________
We give thanks for______________________
We remember________________
We celebrate____________________
Prayers from the BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER:
Second Sunday after Christmas Day
O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully
restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may
share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share
our humanity, your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns
with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen.
The Epiphany January 6
O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son
to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by
faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to
face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
For the Human Family
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which
infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us
unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and races may serve you in
harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.
For our Enemies
O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love
our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth;
deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in
your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Social Justice
Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so
move every human heart [and especially the hearts of the
people of this land], that barriers which divide us may
crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our
divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer attributed to St. Francis
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is
hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where
there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where
there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where
there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to
be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is
in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we
are born to eternal life. Amen.
We offer these our prayers in Jesus Name who came to be a light to everyone, in every time, and in every place with the Gospel of Love. Amen.
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Good Night Dear Family of Love, have a blessed, peaceful, and renewing rest this night! I love you and Give thanks to God for you this night and always! May we all have many Epiphanies in the days and weeks to come!
With love, joy, hope, and peace!
Sara
From Episcopal Church Memes!
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