Good Evening Dear Family of Love!
Happy Being Thoughtful and Thankful Thursday! I love being in a monastery and the rhythm of life and prayers. We begin with the divine office at 7:30 in the morning Lauds, and complete our prayers with Compline. We have prayers and Eucharist interspersed. No watches here only bells telling you when we eat and when we pray. For the past few weeks I have been giving you a taste of my version of the divine office. We have wonderful prayers in the monastery. The Psalms are plentiful and chanted. Yes the Daily Office is Divine and really is what everyone needs to partake of these days that are trying and emotional. Tonight let us be at prayer and lay down and take our rest.
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
The Lord Almighty grant us a peaceful night and a perfect
end. Amen.
I will lay down and take my rest, O God of justice.
Psalm 4 Cum invocarem
1 Answer me when I call, O God, defender of my cause; *
you set me free when I am hard-pressed;
have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
2 “You mortals, how long will you dishonor my glory? *
how long will you worship dumb idols
and run after false gods?”
3 Know that the Lord does wonders for the faithful; *
when I call upon the Lord, he will hear me.
4 Tremble, then, and do not sin; *
speak to your heart in silence upon your bed.
5 Offer the appointed sacrifices *
and put your trust in the Lord.
6 Many are saying,
“Oh, that we might see better times!” *
Lift up the light of your countenance upon us, O Lord.
7 You have put gladness in my heart, *
more than when grain and wine and oil increase.
8 I lie down in peace; at once I fall asleep; *
for only you, Lord, make me dwell in safety.
I will lay down and take my rest, O God of justice.
Psalm 91 Qui habitat
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High *
abides under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 He shall say to the Lord,
“You are my refuge and my stronghold, *
my God in whom I put my trust.”
3 He shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter *
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He shall cover you with his pinions,
and you shall find refuge under his wings; *
his faithfulness shall be a shield and buckler.
5 You shall not be afraid of any terror by night, *
nor of the arrow that flies by day;
6 Of the plague that stalks in the darkness, *
nor of the sickness that lays waste at mid-day.
7 A thousand shall fall at your side
and ten thousand at your right hand, *
but it shall not come near you.
8 Your eyes have only to behold *
to see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the Lord your refuge, *
and the Most High your habitation,
10 There shall no evil happen to you, *
neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.
11 For he shall give his angels charge over you, *
to keep you in all your ways.
12 They shall bear you in their hands, *
lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13 You shall tread upon the lion and adder; *
you shall trample the young lion and the serpent
under your feet.
14 Because he is bound to me in love,
therefore will I deliver him; *
I will protect him, because he knows my Name.
15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; *
I am with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and bring him to honor.
16 With long life will I satisfy him, *
and show him my salvation.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will
give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me;
for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for
your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30
People Thanks be to God.
V. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit;
R. For you have redeemed me, O Lord, O God of truth.
V. Keep us, O Lord, as the apple of your eye;
R. Hide us under the shadow of your wings.
St. Cyril of Alexandria's Litany of Praise of the Mother of God
Prayer:
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God, Virgin and Mother! Morning Star, perfect vessel. We salute thee, Mother of God.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God! holy temple in which God Himself was conceived. We salute thee, Mother of God.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God! chaste and pure dove.
We salute thee, Mother of God.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God! ever-effulgent light; from thee proceedeth the Sun of Justice.
We salute thee, Mother of God.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God ! Thou didst enclose in thy sacred womb the One Who cannot be encompassed.
We salute thee, Mother of God.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God! With the shepherds we sing the praise of God, and with the angels the song of thanksgiving: Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to men of good will.
We salute thee, Mother of God.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God! Through thee came to us the Conqueror and the triumphant Vanquisher of hell.
We salute thee, Mother of God.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God! Through thee blossoms the splendor of the resurrection.
We salute thee, Mother of God.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God! Thou hast saved every faithful Christian. Hail, O Mary, Mother of God! Who can praise thee worthily, O glorious Virgin Mary!
We salute thee, Mother of God.
Almighty God, by your Holy Spirit you have made us one with your saints in heaven and on earth: Grant that in our earthly pilgrimage we may always be supported by this fellowship of love and prayer, and know ourselves to be surrounded by their witness to your power and mercy. We ask this for the sake of Jesus Christ, in whom all our intercessions are acceptable through the Spirit, and who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
The Lessons
Wisdom 3:1–9
But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,
and no torment will ever touch them.
In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died,
and their departure was thought to be a disaster,
and their going from us to be their destruction;
but they are at peace.
For though in the sight of others they were punished,
their hope is full of immortality.
Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good,
because God tested them and found them worthy of himself;
like gold in the furnace he tried them,
and like a sacrificial burnt-offering he accepted them.
In the time of their visitation they will shine forth,
and will run like sparks through the stubble.
They will govern nations and rule over peoples,
and the Lord will reign over them for ever.
Those who trust in him will understand truth,
and the faithful will abide with him in love,
because grace and mercy are upon his holy ones,
and he watches over his elect
1 Corinthians 1:26–31
Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.'
Canticle 15
The Song of Mary Magnificat
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in you, O God my Savior, *
for you have looked with favor on your lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: *
you, the Almighty, have done great things for me,
and holy is your name.
You have mercy on those who fear you *
from generation to generation.
You have shown strength with your arm *
and scattered the proud in their conceit,
Casting down the mighty from their thrones *
and lifting up the lowly.
You have filled the hungry with good things *
and sent the rich away empty.
You have come to the help of your servant Israel, *
for you have remembered your promise of mercy,
The promise made to our forebears, *
to Abraham and his children for ever
Luke 6:17–23
Jesus came down with his disciples and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them.
Then he looked up at his disciples and said:
"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
"Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
"Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
"Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.
God we now pray for our family members by name______________________
God we pray for all who are expecting babies and safe delivery for mother and child.
God we pray fro all who are beginning chemotherapy and that they may receive strength and healing.
God we pray for peace in this fragile and broken world of ours especially in the nations of ____________
God we pray for all of our family members who are seeking to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with you.
God we pray for all of our family members who are in need and especially all those who are homeless, hungry, and ill-clad in the sever weather. We pray for warm shelters that will allow them to stay there 24 hours a day during these snowy and rainy times.
God we pray for all faith communities that they may never be hijacked and that their true tenets may be followed and extremism of any kind may never be practiced.
God we pray that we may be loving and merciful to all of our family members.
God we pray for all our LGBTQ family members that they may be accepted and live authentically who they are. We pray for all those who are in the process of coming out that they may feel loved.
God we pray that we may rise to the many challenges set before us.
God we pray for all caregivers and care receivers.
God we pray for all who are seeking loving relationships and especially those who are facing Valentine's day alone. We pray for your blessings upon all loving relationships of any kind.
God we pray for ourselves and those who have asked us to pray____________________
God we pray this night for all who are mourning the loss of human and animal family members.
God we pray for all who are dying and have entered the Thin Places this day.
God we pray for all those who are receiving home health, hospice, and palliative care.
God we pray for all who have been victims of abuse and violence that they may be kept from harm and given sanctuary.
We pray these prayers in the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Luke 6:27–36
Jesus said, “I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is 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, you now have set your servant free *
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations, *
and the glory of your people Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
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Today's Wish: May we stop being divided and begin to be united in love and strive to be positive examples of unity for each other.
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Good Night Dear Ones! I love you! I Will be home tomorrow. Start preparing for our next weekend retreat. Thank you for adapting so well to the new blog format when I am at the monastery.
Love and prayers,
Sara
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Resources:
Enriching our Worship.
Book Of Common Prayer
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