Good Evening!
I want to welcome everyone to our second online retreat weekend and that means times of prayers, meditation, and study.
The first assignment was on the meme that I posted on FB and I will post it again here and your first project:
Walk With Me On Our Journey will start this weekend's retreat with a personal reflection on this meme. Get out your journal and see what you can do to change the I messages to We and set a course of action. Ask yourselves how you'd feel if this were a group and not just one person. Reflect upon the I messages for a space and seek to go deeper towards heart home level and what you feel if someone or a group had to make decisions because you were and are on the margins.
The Gospel words that correspond with this are these:
Matthew 25:35-40New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40 And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,[a] you did it to me.’
To begin our time together in earnest lest us pray in the words of St. Francis of Assisi and light a single candle representing of how we are to be as a family. Let us strive to be CALM (Compassionate, Accepting, Love, and Merciful)
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.
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.
God of all love we come together tonight to accept your call to light our candles and pray. We pray this night to be loving towards one another. We pray this night for guidance in how we can best serve you in the world. We pray that we may be more giving of ourselves to others. We pray that we may be able to be hopeful and hope-filled to this fragile and broken world. We pray that we may shine your light and help people out of the dark places they find themselves in. We pray that we may be supportive in what ever decisions people make, We pray for the least of these who struggle with the day to day issues of living. We pray that everyone will be lovingly included and not excluded and invisible. We pray that we may be peacemakers and children of God. We pray that we may "Strive for justice, and respect the dignity of every human being"* We pray that we may build bridges and tear down walls. We pray for the courage to speak truth to power. We pray for an end to hatred, violence and terror. We pray that we may use our voices not to hurt but to heal. We pray this night that we all may be one and that we may continue to pray for Istanbul, Orlando, Nigeria, Mexico, and all places where terror and violence have occurred even when the media fails to report it. May we all be one with those who mourn and stand vigil for the peace of the world and in the places where there is danger. God we lift up these prayers to you with hurting hearts, open hands up lifted, with loving care and voices. Amen.
Tonight let us pray for the least of these and our family members who are feeling lost and alone.
Jesus, we come to you this night asking you to lift up the lonely, lost, and those who feel unloved and outcast. Help us to draw them into your circle of love and fellowship where they will find peace and a loving family waiting for them.
Jesus, we pray for peace in the holy places where you walked, preached, healed, were there for those who were outcast, blind, and not welcome in any town. We pray for peace in all of the Holy Land and a return to holiness and we pray for the leaders of Israel, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, and Iraq that they may remember that they are all family members under Abraham and the awesome responsibility that comes with that.
Jesus, help us to be there for our family members even when it seems difficult to do so.
Jesus, heal all of our family members who are ill and we name them now before you with love________________
Jesus, help us to grow in the Fruits of the Spirit and reap abundantly the harvest that you have planted.
Jesus, help us to sow seeds of faith, hope, and love and that we may may show these throughout our lives and in our daily living.
Jesus, help us to be good stewards of God's Cathedral of Life.
Jesus, we pray for all refugees, strangers, immigrants of any kind and especially the unaccompanied children who have been set on a dangerous road to freedom.
Jesus, help us to be lights to this broken world and to each other.
Jesus, be with those who mourn and we pray that we may follow your example of compassion, love, and yes even weep as you wept at the tomb of Lazarus.
Jesus, may we rest gentle in your arms this night and always .
We lift up these our prayers to in Jesus' Name . Amen.
+++++
Jesus, we come to you this night asking you to lift up the lonely, lost, and those who feel unloved and outcast. Help us to draw them into your circle of love and fellowship where they will find peace and a loving family waiting for them.
Jesus, we pray for peace in the holy places where you walked, preached, healed, were there for those who were outcast, blind, and not welcome in any town. We pray for peace in all of the Holy Land and a return to holiness and we pray for the leaders of Israel, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, and Iraq that they may remember that they are all family members under Abraham and the awesome responsibility that comes with that.
Jesus, help us to be there for our family members even when it seems difficult to do so.
Jesus, heal all of our family members who are ill and we name them now before you with love________________
Jesus, help us to grow in the Fruits of the Spirit and reap abundantly the harvest that you have planted.
Jesus, help us to sow seeds of faith, hope, and love and that we may may show these throughout our lives and in our daily living.
Jesus, help us to be good stewards of God's Cathedral of Life.
Jesus, we pray for all refugees, strangers, immigrants of any kind and especially the unaccompanied children who have been set on a dangerous road to freedom.
Jesus, help us to be lights to this broken world and to each other.
Jesus, be with those who mourn and we pray that we may follow your example of compassion, love, and yes even weep as you wept at the tomb of Lazarus.
Jesus, may we rest gentle in your arms this night and always .
We lift up these our prayers to in Jesus' Name . Amen.
+++++
Exercise 1 is to spend time thinking of us as a we and not a me. Think of ourselves together not apart. Think of sewing the loose strings back together and darning the holes so that we may be made whole. How do these visuals make us more centered in as practitioners of social justice .
Please use the following resources from previous blogs as for prayers and a starting off point for us.
Here is tomorrow's schedule:
Saturday if you are on FB we will have times of prayer with FB live and questions and answers. If you aren't on FB please email me your questions at walkwithmeonourjourney@gmail.com.
Throughout the day we will enter into silence and prayer. If your faith is one that prays multiple times a day please continue with this pattern
Here is our period of closing prayer:
Let us now be at prayer.
Dear God in the silence we hear your voice calling us to love, serve,and give thanks and pray.
In the silence O God,we pray that peace will prevail upon this your fragile and broken world.
In the silence O God, help us to realize that wherever we plant our feet, take a breath, and live that is holy ground for a holy people.
In the silence we pray for all of our family members who are in need of healing of body, mind, and spirits.
In the silence, help us to be still and know that You are God.
In the silence, we pray for the needs of the least of these that we may come into their lives without fear but quietly, gently, and with compassion.
In the silence O God, may we listen for you walking in your Cathedral of Life at the time of the evening breeze.
In the silence O God, give us loving and joyful hearts that are enlivened and on fire for you!
In the silence O God, we give thanks for all of your goodness and mercy and offer our thanks______
In the silence O God we pray for the troubled areas of the world and for all refugees, captives, political prisoners, victims of human trafficking, and violence in its many forms.
In the silence O God, we pray for all who are mourning the losses of loved ones or any kind of loss. We pray that they may gradually accept silence as cleansing and healing and not something to run away from.
Dear God in the silence we hear your voice calling us to love, serve,and give thanks and pray.
In the silence O God,we pray that peace will prevail upon this your fragile and broken world.
In the silence O God, help us to realize that wherever we plant our feet, take a breath, and live that is holy ground for a holy people.
In the silence we pray for all of our family members who are in need of healing of body, mind, and spirits.
In the silence, help us to be still and know that You are God.
In the silence, we pray for the needs of the least of these that we may come into their lives without fear but quietly, gently, and with compassion.
In the silence O God, may we listen for you walking in your Cathedral of Life at the time of the evening breeze.
In the silence O God, give us loving and joyful hearts that are enlivened and on fire for you!
In the silence O God, we give thanks for all of your goodness and mercy and offer our thanks______
In the silence O God we pray for the troubled areas of the world and for all refugees, captives, political prisoners, victims of human trafficking, and violence in its many forms.
In the silence O God, we pray for all who are mourning the losses of loved ones or any kind of loss. We pray that they may gradually accept silence as cleansing and healing and not something to run away from.
In the silence O God, help us to rely and put our trust in your love, grace, mercy, and inclusion.
In the silence O God, we add our additional prayers for ourselves and on behalf of others especially____________
In the silence O God, we lift up these our prayers to your Only Son Jesus the Christ our redeemer, healer,reconciler, brother, master, and friend, Amen.
In the silence O God, we lift up these our prayers to your Only Son Jesus the Christ our redeemer, healer,reconciler, brother, master, and friend, Amen.
Good Night dear family! Enjoy your time of silence. I hope that you will feel God's presence and my love for you across the miles. I love you and give God thanks for you always!
Love, prayers, and blessings!
Sara
Love, prayers, and blessings!
Sara
No comments:
Post a Comment