Good Evening Dear Family of Love and Pilgrims On Our Journey,
Happy Being Thoughtful and Thankful Thursday! I hope everyone has had a good day. Tonight I would like us to dial our emotions down if we can. I know it isn't going to be easy but we must try so that we can have energy for what is to come. This is sage advice no matter where you fall on the political or spiritual spectrum. As Children of God we all are connected to the holy just by being made in the image and likeness of God. For the next few days and longer we are to be #PrayingMarchingUnitingForSocialJustice even if you don't feel like it. God has told us many times over that we are to love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, serve and care for the least of these, do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God and love one another. That's a big bite of what we are to do but we are not let off the hook by any means. If you see on struggling person that means everyone struggles. If one suffers we all suffer. In God's kindom all means all and not some. So let us this night make vigil and be in holy preparation to lace up our boots, gird up our loins, broaden our shoulders, and breathe.
Let us begin with the lessons and collect for Social Justice
Almighty God, who created us in your own image: Grant us grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom, help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our communities and among the nations, to the glory of your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Isaiah 42:1-7
42Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.
2 He will not cry or lift up his voice,
or make it heard in the street;
3 a bruised reed he will not break,
and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.
4 He will not grow faint or be crushed
until he has established justice in the earth;
and the coastlands wait for his teaching.
5 Thus says God, the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
6 I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness,
I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people,*
a light to the nations,
7 to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
72 Deus, judicium
1 Give the King your justice, O God, *
and your righteousness to the King's Son;
2 That he may rule your people righteously *
and the poor with justice.
3 That the mountains may bring prosperity to the people, *
and the little hills bring righteousness.
4 He shall defend the needy among the people; *
he shall rescue the poor and crush the oppressor.
5 He shall live as long as the sun and moon endure, *
from one generation to another.
6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown field, *
like showers that water the earth.
7 In his time shall the righteous flourish; *
there shall be abundance of peace till the moon shall be no more.
8 He shall rule from sea to sea, *
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
9 His foes shall bow down before him, *
and his enemies lick the dust.
10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall pay tribute, *
and the kings of Arabia and Saba offer gifts.
11 All kings shall bow down before him, *
and all the nations do him service.
12 For he shall deliver the poor who cries out in distress, *
and the oppressed who has no helper.
13 He shall have pity on the lowly and poor; *
he shall preserve the lives of the needy.
14 He shall redeem their lives from oppression and violence, *
and dear shall their blood be in his sight.
15 Long may he live!
and may there be given to him gold from Arabia; *
may prayer be made for him always,
and may they bless him all the day long.
16 May there be abundance of grain on the earth,
growing thick even on the hilltops; *
may its fruit flourish like Lebanon,
and its grain like grass upon the earth.
17 May his Name remain for ever
and be established as long as the sun endures; *
may all the nations bless themselves in him and call him blessed.
18 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, *
who alone does wondrous deeds!
19 And blessed be his glorious Name for ever! *
and may all the earth be filled with his glory.
Amen. Amen.
James 2:5-9,12-17
5 Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters.* Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonoured the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? 7 Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?
8 You do well if you really fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ 9 But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgement will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgement.
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters,* if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, 16and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill’, and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? 17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
Matthew 10:32-42
32 ‘Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; 33 but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.
34 ‘Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
35 For I have come to set a man against his father,
and a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36 and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.
37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.
40 ‘Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; 42 and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.’
Let us light our candles and make vigil and pray to be prophetic witnesses in society.
Almighty God, whose prophets taught us righteousness in the care of your poor: By the guidance of your Holy Spirit, grant that we may do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly in your sight; through Jesus Christ, our Judge and Redeemer, who lives and reigns with you and the same Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
Because in every age you have called brave souls to proclaim righteousness for the transformation of the world, that all may welcome the coming of your holy reign.
Prayers for today In preparation for protest and march.
God you have called us to march for our family members who have no voice.
Let our pounding footsteps sound speak the words of justice and liberty for all your children.
God you have called us to picket in front of places where our family members are being denied proper wages, healthcare, educational opportunity and any other cause that divides us.
Let our pickets speak the words along with our feet to ensure justice, liberty, and human rights for all of your children.
God you have called us to sit down and sit in so that our bodies may show others that we have the courage and resolve to stay put and do the necessary work that needs to be done for the good and protection of us all.
Let our bodies while we sit down and sit in be made strong so that when we protest we may show the world what true civil disobedience looks like.
God you have called us to write and circulate petitions to affect change. Help our words to be made clear and that change may come through our words and actions.
Let our words ring clear and that our petition(s) may reach the right places where our voices need to be heard and change may happen.
God you have called us to love radically with our actions not just for today but for tomorrow.
Let our love energy be the empowering force for good and to affect great change in this world and with each other.
God you have called us to go hungry and strike when we want to make a visible sign of how the least of these are going with out and that the pangs of hunger aren't just food related but liberty related.
Let us in the words of the Beatitudes to "Hunger and thirst after righteousness".
God you have called us to afflict the comfortable so that the afflicted may receive comfort.
Let us be the agents of CALM (Compassion, acceptance, love, and mercy)
God you have called us to use our gifts of prophesy, peacemaking, writing the wrongs of injustice, and giving of ourselves to be agents of change and your beloved children.
Let us be the lights, voices, hands, and feet in this world and may we never be afraid to practice civil disobedience and be non-violent protesters.
God help us to remember these things. Amen.
God we pray these classic words:
The Beatitudes
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The Magnificat
My soul glorifies the Lord, *
my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.
He looks on his servant in her lowliness; *
henceforth all ages will call me blessed.
The Almighty works marvels for me. *
Holy his name!
His mercy is from age to age, *
on those who fear him.
He puts forth his arm in strength *
and scatters the proud-hearted.
He casts the mighty from their thrones *
and raises the lowly.
He fills the starving with good things, *
sends the rich away empty.
He protects Israel, his servant, *
remembering his mercy,
the mercy promised to our fathers, *
to Abraham and his sons for ever.
my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.
He looks on his servant in her lowliness; *
henceforth all ages will call me blessed.
The Almighty works marvels for me. *
Holy his name!
His mercy is from age to age, *
on those who fear him.
He puts forth his arm in strength *
and scatters the proud-hearted.
He casts the mighty from their thrones *
and raises the lowly.
He fills the starving with good things, *
sends the rich away empty.
He protects Israel, his servant, *
remembering his mercy,
the mercy promised to our fathers, *
to Abraham and his sons for ever.
Isaiah 2:1-4
The Future House of God
The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In days to come
the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be raised above the hills;
all the nations shall stream to it.
Many peoples shall come and say,
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.’
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and shall arbitrate for many peoples;
they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,
and their spears into pruning-hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.
the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be raised above the hills;
all the nations shall stream to it.
Many peoples shall come and say,
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.’
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and shall arbitrate for many peoples;
they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,
and their spears into pruning-hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.
Micah 6:8 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
8 He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
Now let us pray for peace and unity among all people and nations!
God who made us and makes us one we pray for unity among all people and nations
May we be one and love one another.
God who made us and makes us one lead us to put away all hindrances that divide us
May we be one and love one another
God who made us and makes us one give us the courage to see you in the eyes of all who are our enemies and wish us harm.
May we be one and love one another.
God who made us and makes us one we pray for all who are ill in body, mind, and spirit. Heal them and make them whole and may we lovingly respond to their needs.
May we be one and love one another.
God who made us and makes us one we pray for the protection of those who are protesting using peaceful non-violence.
May we be one and love one another.
God who made us and makes us one we pray for the protection of all our most vulnerable family members. Help us to ourselves and you in their eyes and love them as you have taught us and to serve them as you have taught us to serve.
May we be one and love one another.
God who made us and makes us one. we give thanks for all those celebrating birthdays and anniversaries this day.
God who made us and makes us one may we be with those who are pre-grieving and mourning any loss.
God who made us and makes us one we pray for all who are dying and have died may they find loving, joy, and oneness with you in the Thin Places.
God who made us and makes us one we offer these our prayers and thanksgivings in the most Holy Name of your Son Jesus. May we be one and love one another. 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.
A pledge to practice civil disobedience and peaceful non-violent protest when we are called to do so.
God we sit here in the silence listening and waiting to know what you are calling us to do when this world has gone awry and that we no longer know how to be united. We come to you O God and offer our bodies, minds, and spirits in loving and courageous service to be your hands and feet in this world and that when we are called to do so to engage in acts that do not require violence but in prayerful and peaceful non-violent protest. May we courageously petition, sit in and sit down, hunger, march, speak truth to power, picket, and stay the course to affect change in the world without fear and if it should happen to freely give up our lives to the justice system and risk our own lives to spread your God News and Good News to all so that peace may prevail upon earth and that we may finally be united as one people, one family, and one world. We lift up this our pledge to you O God with a conscience and vision clear.
Today's wish: Connect with all that is good and holy in every person you meet. Love boldly and fearlessly! I love you!
Good Night Dear Family of Love I love you! Have aw blessed and restful night. Rest gentle in God's arms . Let us take care of ourselves so that we may take care of others and strive for justice and peace and respect the dignity and humanity of all God's Children. We pray that we may honor the animal kingdom, the vegetable kingdom, and the mineral kingdom so that we may live and be well and conserve God's Cathedral of Life.
Love,
Sara
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