Good Evening Dear Family of Love!
Happy Second Day of Advent and You Matter Monday ! Today's new hashtag with meaning is #Love. Love should be the keyword for the season and beyond. Today I had the privilege of handing out 37 shelf stable lunches at the window today down at the church. Mondays after Thanksgiving is a sacred time where we get to connect with our family members who are homeless and food insecure and we get to spend time talking to them. Some of our family members are new and some are our regular and familiar loved ones. Today it has been very cold here in town and my heart broke every time I saw one of these precious souls come to the window. If you can imagine each of the faces representing God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit you might be having your heart home become widened and tenderized with love. I kept hearing the songs from Les Miserables and thinking of the faces in that production and also anything Dickensian. The flash and bling we associate with the season isn't always necessary when love is all the bling we need. Love is what centers us. Love Focuses us on what's important. Love is what tunes our hearts to the requisite frequency. Love sets the tone! Love reminds us every day that our life's purpose must be holy and dedicated to the least of these. Love speaks for justice, peace, mercy. Love speaks truth to power! Love makes us better than we can ever ask or deserve. As Lin-Manuel Miranda reminded us so poignantly following the tragedy in Orlando at the Tony Awards
“love is love is love is love is love”
― Lin Manuel-Miranda
Tonight let us make vigil and light our single blue Advent Candle in love and solidarity with one another.
Here is the introduction to tonight's prayer vigil as found on Facebook.
Let us pray and make vigil and light one single blue Advent candle remembering today's #AdventWord #Love and that we may find our selves united in love and purpose as we serve the least of these in the days and weeks to come. We light this candle also for all those in Standing Rock and Ohio State. We also come together to pray for a widening of our heart homes and that they may be tenderized during this holy season of joyful expectation. Even if times are tender and fear laden.
God of Love come among us as we pray this night.
God of Love come to our hearts and fill them more fully with hope, joy, love, and peace.
God of Love help us to bring to this fragile and broken world a climate of love, forgiveness, and the indwelling of the fruits of the Spirit to all people. Help us to call to mind these fruits: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
God of Love, We pray for the least of these this night at home and around the world.
God of Love, we pray for those who are ill and who are in need of proper medical care, and the patience to await the healing you are bringing them.
God of Love, Take away from us the need to speak when we need to listen with the ears of our hearts, and not to seek to reply but understand.
God of Love, help us to become the peacemakers and children you are calling us to be.
God of Love, give us the courage in the words of the Prophet Micah "To do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God"
God of Love, we pray for an end to all forms of hateful division and anger towards those who differ from us.
God of Love, we pray that we will live out the words of Teresa of Avila in her famous prayer
“Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.”
God of Love, we pray that we may become instruments of peace as in the words from St. Francis of Assisi :
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I 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.
God of Love, give us courage to live out and listen to your words you spoke through you son Jesus on the sermon on the Mount.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I 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.
God of Love, give us courage to live out and listen to your words you spoke through you son Jesus on the sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 5:1-12New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Beatitudes
5 When Jesus[a] saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely[b] on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
God of Love, help us to acknowledge our dependence upon you and each other. Help us to build bridges and tear down walls of division and hatred.
God of Love, give us strength to live each day without fear of those who differ from us and gather the strength to find common ground in Love for one another.
God of Love we pray for___________________
God of Love we pray and ask for the forgiveness of our sins this day as we call them to mind____________
God of Love, we pray and give thanks for___________________
God of Love we celebrate and remember this day Kamehameha and Emma
O Sovereign God, who raised up (King) Kamehameha (IV) and (Queen) Emma to be rulers in Hawaii, and inspired and enabled them to be diligent in good works for the welfare of their people and the good of your Church: Receive our thanks for their witness to the Gospel; and grant that we, with them, may attain to the crown of glory that never fades away; through Jesus Christ our Savior and Redeemer, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Proverbs 21:1–3
The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
he turns it wherever he will.
he turns it wherever he will.
All deeds are right in the sight of the doer,
but the Lord weighs the heart.
but the Lord weighs the heart.
To do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
Psalm 97:1–2,7–12
Dominus regnavit
1 The Lord is King;
let the earth rejoice; *
let the multitude of the isles be glad.
let the earth rejoice; *
let the multitude of the isles be glad.
2 Clouds and darkness are round about him, *
righteousness and justice are the foundations of his throne.
righteousness and justice are the foundations of his throne.
7 Confounded be all who worship carved images
and delight in false gods! *
Bow down before him, all you gods.
and delight in false gods! *
Bow down before him, all you gods.
8 Zion hears and is glad, and the cities of Judah rejoice, *
because of your judgments, O Lord.
because of your judgments, O Lord.
9 For you are the Lord,
most high over all the earth; *
you are exalted far above all gods.
most high over all the earth; *
you are exalted far above all gods.
10 The Lord loves those who hate evil;
he preserves the lives of his saints
and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
he preserves the lives of his saints
and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light has sprung up for the righteous, *
and joyful gladness for those who are truehearted.
and joyful gladness for those who are truehearted.
12 Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, *
and give thanks to his holy Name
and give thanks to his holy Name
Acts 17:22–31
Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, “Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said,
‘For we too are his offspring.’
Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
Matthew 25:31–40
Jesus said, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 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, 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.’ 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? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 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, you did it to me.’"
WHERE charity and love are, God is there.
Christ's love has gathered us into one.
Let us rejoice and be pleased in Him.
Let us fear, and let us love the living God.
And may we love each other with a sincere heart.
WHERE charity and love are, God is there.
As we are gathered into one body,
Beware, lest we be divided in mind.
Let evil impulses stop, let controversy cease,
And may Christ our God be in our midst.
WHERE charity and love are, God is there.
And may we with the saints also,
See Thy face in glory, O Christ our God:
The joy that is immense and good,
Unto the ages through infinite ages. Amen.
Latin
UBI caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor.
Exultemus, et in ipso iucundemur.
Timeamus, et amemus Deum vivum.
Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero.
UBI caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Simul ergo cum in unum congregamur:
Ne nos mente dividamur, caveamus.
Cessent iurgia maligna, cessent lites.
Et in medio nostri sit Christus Deu
UBI caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Simul quoque cum beatis videamus,
Glorianter vultum tuum, Christe Deus:
Gaudium quod est immensum, atque probum,
Saecula per infinita saeculorum. Amen.
This night we pray and close our time of meditation on the #AdventWord #Love with this song -
Additional prayers from the BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER
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 Families
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who settest the solitary
in families: We commend to thy continual care the homes in
which thy people dwell. Put far from them, we beseech thee,
every root of bitterness, the desire of vainglory, and the pride
of life. Fill them with faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance,
patience, godliness. Knit together in constant affection those
who, in holy wedlock, have been made one flesh. Turn the
hearts of the parents to the children, and the hearts of the
children to the parents; and so enkindle fervent charity among
us all, that we may evermore be kindly affectioned one to
another; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For the Care of Children
Almighty God, heavenly Father, you have blessed us with the
joy and care of children: Give us calm strength and patient
wisdom as we bring them up, that we may teach them to love
whatever is just and true and good, following the example of
our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
For Young Persons
God our Father, you see your children growing up in an
unsteady and confusing world: Show them that your ways
give more life than the ways of the world, and that following
you is better than chasing after selfish goals. Help them to
take failure, not as a measure of their worth, but as a chance
for a new start. Give them strength to hold their faith in you,
and to keep alive their joy in your creation; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Those Who Live Alone
Almighty God, whose Son had nowhere to lay his head:
Grant that those who live alone may not be lonely in their
solitude, but that, following in his steps, they may find
fulfillment in loving you and their neighbors; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
For the Aged
Look with mercy, O God our Father, on all whose increasing
years bring them weakness, distress, or isolation. Provide for
them homes of dignity and peace; give them understanding
helpers, and the willingness to accept help; and, as their
strength diminishes, increase their faith and their assurance
of your love. This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
For the Absent
O God, whose fatherly care reacheth to the uttermost parts
of the earth: We humbly beseech thee graciously to behold
and bless those whom we love, now absent from us. Defend
them from all dangers of soul and body; and grant that both
they and we, drawing nearer to thee, may be bound together
by thy love in the communion of thy Holy Spirit, and in the
fellowship of thy saints; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
For those we Love
Almighty God, we entrust all who are dear to us to thy
never-failing care and love, for this life and the life to come,
knowing that thou art doing for them better things than we
can desire or pray for; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
+++++++
Good Night Loved Ones! Here are the Advent Words we are meditating upon. Please check the list below for the words that await us tomorrow.
I love you and give God thanks for you this night and always! May peace be upon you all and give you a restful and refreshing sleep.
With hope, joy, love, and peace,
Sara
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