Good Evening Family,
I dedicate this blog to the Orlando 49 and all who have been touched by violence and terror. This night the time for talk has ended and we must start to act as a family in solidarity with each other. We start tonight in prayer before we put our feet to pavement, hand to the pen, and voice to the voiceless without fear. It has been a month since Orlando and we all have been changed in a not so blink of an eye. Our heart still stings with the pain of loss of all innocence. I have found my true self and voice and am speaking to you now that we cannot and must take steps backwards by people who do not understand the meaning of the Gospel message. Before we set to our time of vigil and prayer I would like to share with you the words I penned in a Facebook Post last evening.
Dear ones ! I keep seeing attempts to try to take all of us back in time a dangerous time where violence, injustice, inequality, hatred, and discrimination are the order of the day. The party of Lincoln used to be my political party it stopped being so many years ago when God was and is calling me into an unusual ministry with you folks in cyberspace and other places. We cannot sit idly by and watch our country take a back slide into a place where God's children are being threatened and abused by people who don't see Jesus and God in every face. It just isn't right. I sometimes go back and read the blogs I have written for almost 3 years and we haven't made any progress. In some places but not all. Brothers and sisters we don't have a choice in these matters. God is calling us to love and serve the least of these, love our enemies, do good to those who hate you (Guess what in yesterday's Gospel Lesson, the Good Samaritan did just that to the person who was on the side of the road) We need to step up and do the same if we don't we will be the ones losing our grip. I remember how my dearly departed sister Margaret reacted to the events at Kent State and every subsequent act of violence. Violence needs to stop! Racism needs to be confronted on a daily and hour by hour, nano-second by nano-second at all levels. Fear has got to be replaced by love and understanding. In 2000 years since Jesus ascended to God we haven't learned anything! We haven't learned to love God, our neighbors, ourselves, violence is not the answer, caring for and loving the least of these are our priority, that God
made us to be one with each other and not divided. That diversity is good and it is from God too. God and Jesus keep reminding us to stop the hate and fear! God and Jesus want us to see them in each of our faces and yes dear family that includes everyone ! No need to list unless you need me to spell it out? Okay, I will spell it out : LGBTQ, Muslims, African Americans, Latinos, immigrants, refugees, the poor, the lonely, the homeless, any member of any faith and ethnic group you do not belong to. Everyone deserves universal human rights, dignity, respect, love, justice, mercy, equity, and equality. When you hurt and harm, take rights away from anyone you take them away from you. As the former and recently departed Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church Edmund Lee Browning taught and said "This church of ours is open to all, there will be No Outcasts!" Maybe we should say the same about our brothers and sisters everywhere in our neighborhoods, cities, towns, states, nations, the world, and in our own lives. This world that God has made for us to live in let us be one and on the same footing and never have to see anyone as an outcast, other, or inferior. After all we were made in the image and likeness of God. Weren't we?
A Return to last month's prayer vigil and prayers! Remember this always
"As long as you speak my name I shall live forever" - African Proverb - "
Be Still and Know That I am God.
Be Still and Know That I am.
Be Still and Know.
Be Still.
Be.
Inhale deeply with your eyes closed.
Exhale slowly with your eyes closed.
Pause.
Repeat until you feel less anxious and rattled. This may not be easy!
God we come to you in silence to pray and light candles and set a time of prayer and vigil for those who lost their lives in Orlando.We pray for all our brothers and sisters in the LGBTQ community, their friends and allies who are grieving.We pray for the wounded, the families and friends who grieve their loss. We pray and give thanks for the law enforcement, emergency rescue personnel, the medical teams, those who are providing pastoral care and support services. We pray this night for all who work in the mortuary ministries that they practice necessary self-care. Help us we pray to begin to take action to stop these acts of senseless violence. Help us we pray to become sources of comfort and willingly and lovingly respond to the needs of those who feel upset and confused. Help us we pray to continue to love our neighbors, enemies, and those who hate us. This night we pray and remember especially those who died during the Stonewall Riots. We pray and remember the loss of the lives of Matthew Shepherd, Harvey Milk, and all those whom we remember now before you_______________ We remember and name before you the names of the places where gun violence and terror have occurred________________. Give us we pray the courage to speak truth to power and help us to stand together as the family of God who are God's precious children.
We offer this prayer from the BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER before we take our rest.
Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or
weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who
sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless
Be Still and Know That I am.
Be Still and Know.
Be Still.
Be.
Inhale deeply with your eyes closed.
Exhale slowly with your eyes closed.
Pause.
Repeat until you feel less anxious and rattled. This may not be easy!
God we come to you in silence to pray and light candles and set a time of prayer and vigil for those who lost their lives in Orlando.We pray for all our brothers and sisters in the LGBTQ community, their friends and allies who are grieving.We pray for the wounded, the families and friends who grieve their loss. We pray and give thanks for the law enforcement, emergency rescue personnel, the medical teams, those who are providing pastoral care and support services. We pray this night for all who work in the mortuary ministries that they practice necessary self-care. Help us we pray to begin to take action to stop these acts of senseless violence. Help us we pray to become sources of comfort and willingly and lovingly respond to the needs of those who feel upset and confused. Help us we pray to continue to love our neighbors, enemies, and those who hate us. This night we pray and remember especially those who died during the Stonewall Riots. We pray and remember the loss of the lives of Matthew Shepherd, Harvey Milk, and all those whom we remember now before you_______________ We remember and name before you the names of the places where gun violence and terror have occurred________________. Give us we pray the courage to speak truth to power and help us to stand together as the family of God who are God's precious children.
We offer this prayer from the BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER before we take our rest.
Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or
weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who
sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless
the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the
joyous; and all for your love's sake. Amen
joyous; and all for your love's sake. Amen
We pray and speak the names of all of these precious and lost souls and all souls known only to God.
We pray and remember the 4000+ persons who have died by acts of lynching in our country as we speak the name of Moses York who was lynched . We remember and pray for those who have been victims of violence at the hands of law enforcement officers as we speak the names of Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, and all others. We pray and speak the names of the the Dallas 5 BRENT THOMPSON, PATRICK ZAMARRIPA,MICHAEL KROL,MICHAEL SMITH,LORNE AHRENS We pray and remember the Orlando 49 and speak their names
Stanley Almodovar III,Amanda Alvear,Oscar A Aracena-Montero, Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, Antonio Davon Brown, Darryl Roman Burt II, Angel L. Candelario-Padro,Juan Chevez-Martinez, Luis Daniel Conde, Cory James Connell, Tevin Eugene Crosby, Deonka Deidra Drayton, Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez, Leroy Valentin Fernandez, Mercedez Marisol Flores,Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, Juan Ramon Guerrero, Paul Terrell Henry,Frank Hernandez, Miguel Angel Honorato, Javier Jorge-Reyes, Luis Daniel Conde, Cory James Connell, Tevin Eugene Crosby, Deonka Deidra Drayton, Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez, Leroy Valentin Fernandez, Mercedez Marisol Flores,Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, Juan Ramon Guerrero,Paul Terrell Henry, Frank Hernandez, Miguel Angel Honorato,Javier Jorge-Reyes, Jason Benjamin Josaphat, Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, Anthony Luis Laureanodisla, Christopher Andrew Leinonen, Alejandro Barrios Martinez, Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, Kimberly Morris, Akyra Monet Murray, Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez, Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, Joel Rayon Paniagua, Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, Enrique L. Rios, Jr., Jean C. Nives Rodriguez,Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado,Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz, Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan, Edward Sotomayor Jr., Shane Evan Tomlinson,Martin Benitez Torres, Jonathan Antonio Camuy Vega, Juan P. Rivera Velazquez, Luis S. Vielma,Franky Jimmy Dejesus Velazquez, Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, Jerald Arthur Wright. We pray and speak the name of Ulises Garcia and all those who have died at the hands of gang violence.
Tonight I Ask special prayers for Orlando, Istanbul, Dhaka, Baghdad, Saudi Arabia, Dallas, Baton Rouge, St. Paul, and Missouri and a time for us to become the truly loving family of God we are meant to be.
Prayers and a rant in heartache. From the blog A voice was heard,,,,,,,,
How long must we be faced with the deaths of our innocents? How long must our family members endure torture at the hands of governments, tyrants, and extremists ? How long must we see and hear these stories of murder, abuse, terror, hate and injustice on a daily basis? How long will it take for so-called Christian people to wake up and see what they are saying and preaching is against the Lord and Savior they are supposedly following? How long O, God ? How Long? How long O, Jesus? How long O, Holy Spirit? How Long?
Let us with God's help:
Stand with the people of Orlando, San Bernardino, Paris, Lebanon, Beirut, Baghdad Ferguson, Staten Island, Sandy Hook, Sydney, Peshwar Dallas, Dhaka, Istanbul, Saudi Arabia, Baton Rouge, St. Paul, Missouri, and all places where violence is occurring on a daily basis.
Not be complacent but actively engaged in fighting injustice everywhere.
Stand up for what is right, just, and merciful.
Stand up against violence, terror, torture, and abuse of any kind.
Stand up and practice peace and be God's peace makers.
Stand with refugees, captives, victims of violence and abuse, victims of modern slavery and human trafficking, our undocumented immigrants, LGBTQ sisters and brothers. We all our family !
Love God, Family members, and ourselves.
Stand up and be light bearers to your fragile and broken world.
Stand up for universal human rights for all God's Children.
Stand with each other and not against each other.
Stand up against extremism in all its forms.
Stand with the least of these
Stand with the voiceless ones and those who are crying out and seeking to be heard.
Stand with the vulnerable.
Stand with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit as bringers of love, peace, joy, and hope.
The light of Christ in me recognizes the light of Christ in you!
The God in me Loves me Loves the God in you!
The Holy Spirit who comforts me Comforts you this day when things we can't explain and gives us heavy heart.
Will you Stand with me? Will you love one another? Will you love your enemies and do good to those who hate you? Will you continue to walk with me on our journey?
+++++
Here are additional prayers based on the above.
Let us with God's help stand together in prayer responding Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
God may we, Not be complacent but actively engaged in fighting injustice everywhere.
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
God may we,Stand up against violence, terror, torture, and abuse of any kind.
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
We all our family !
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
God may we, Love God, our Family members, and ourselves.
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
God may we,Stand up and be light bearers to your fragile and broken world.
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
God may we, Stand up for universal human rights for all God's Children.
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
God may we,Stand with each other and not against each other.
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
God may we,Stand with each other and not against each other.
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
God may we, Stand up against extremism in all its forms
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
Stand with the least of these
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
Stand with the least of these
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
God may we, Stand with the voiceless ones and those who are crying out and seeking to be heard.
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
God may we, Stand with the vulnerable.
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
God may we,Stand with you, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit as bringers of love, peace, joy, and hope.
The light of Christ in me recognizes the light of Christ in you!
The God in me Loves me Loves the God in you!
The Holy Spirit who comforts me Comforts you this day when things we can't explain and gives us heavy heart.
God we add our own prayers and those of our family members who have requested our prayers especially_____________
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!
To You, O Lord, our God.
Will we Stand together ? Will we continue to love one another? Will we continue to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us? Will we continue to serve and support all of us who are brothers and sisters in the Family of Love who are friends, allies, of those who are in the LGBTQ community and those who practice Islam?
Will we stand together as children of God and as peace makers and those who speak truth to power? Ponder these things.
Good Night dearly loved ones! We will continue to pray and work and do justice, love, mercy and walk humbly with God on the Journey God has set our holy feet upon. I love you and give thanks to God for you always.
Love and peace of mind and heart,
Sara
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