Day 5 of our Desert Wilderness Journey- Taking time out to breathe and find the sacred and not be scared.

Good Evening Dear Family of God and Love.

Happy Being Thoughtful and Thankful Thursday! We are reminded once again that every place we walk and breathe is sacred. The desert wilderness where we are on pilgrimage this week  is sacred. Jesus knew this because the Holy Spirit led him there. The Holy Spirit leads us here still. We find each day that we are in situations that feel barren, lonely, on the margins, hopeless, isolated, and yes even invisible. These are desert and wilderness places and times  that are sacred to us. These times bring us low, so that we may find God there and here when we need to know God, Feel and believe in God's love..seek God, feel God's presence, and work for God ,for all the world's creation and humankind. So let us take time to breathe  and find  the sacred and not be scared.

So we begin to take a time of being present with God in our chosen sacred place and space.

Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.


God you call us each and every day to spend time with you and light candles and make sacred vigil in the knowledge that every family member and living thing is sacred. We pray for each person who is in situations that feel barren, lonely, on the margins, hopeless, isolated, and yes invisible  We pray that each of us in our low times may find God there and here when we need to know God, Feel and believe in God's love,seek God, feel God's presence, work and serve  God in all the world's creation and humankind. Each of these actions we pray are things we do in the desert as we spend time in worship,reflection, and retreat.God is the creator of all. God made everything and hallowed it by calling it" Good". 

We pray for love and a spirit of understanding with all faith communities. We pray for all our  family members who lack food, clothing, and shelter. We pray that we may continue to be CALM (compassionate  accepting loving, and merciful). We pray that we may all be one and find new and enlivening ways to be God's family throughout the world. May we seek to become peacemakers and serve God by showing Love bearing Light, and promoting justice and equality. We pray that we all may be able to live authentically as the beautiful children of God God made us to be. We pray these prayers in the God of Many Names and Faiths. Amen.

Tonight we pause from 40 days of Psalmody and combine two sets of lessons and collects: 

Strengthen us, O Lord, by your grace, that in your might we may overcome all spiritual enemies, and with pure hearts serve you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Almighty God, you have revealed to your Church your eternal Being of glorious majesty and perfect love as one God in Trinity of Persons: Give us grace that, like your bishop Gregory of Nyssa, we may continue steadfast in the confession of this faith, and constant in our worship of you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; for you live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

Esther (Apocrypha) 14:1–6,12–14

Queen Esther, seized with deadly anxiety, fled to the Lord. She took off her splendid apparel and put on the garments of distress and mourning, and instead of costly perfumes she covered her head with ashes and dung, and she utterly humbled her body; every part that she loved to adorn she covered with her tangled hair. She prayed to the Lord God of Israel, and said: “O my Lord, you only are our king; help me, who am alone and have no helper but you, for my danger is in my hand. Ever since I was born I have heard in the tribe of my family that you, O Lord, took Israel out of all the nations, and our ancestors from among all their forebears, for an everlasting inheritance, and that you did for them all that you promised. And now we have sinned before you, and you have handed us over to our enemies.
“Remember, O Lord; make yourself known in this time of our affliction, and give me courage, O King of the gods and Master of all dominion! Put eloquent speech in my mouth before the lion, and turn his heart to hate the man who is fighting against us, so that there may be an end of him and those who agree with him. But save us by your hand, and help me, who am alone and have no helper but you, O Lord.”

Wisdom 7:24–28

For wisdom is more mobile than any motion;
because of her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things.
For she is a breath of the power of God,
and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty;
therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her.
For she is a reflection of eternal light,
a spotless mirror of the working of God,
and an image of his goodness.
Although she is but one, she can do all things,
and while remaining in herself, she renews all things;
in every generation she passes into holy souls
and makes them friends of God, and prophets;
for God loves nothing so much as the person who lives with wisdom.

Psalm 19:7–11(12–14)

Caeli enarrant

7 The law of the LORD is perfect
and revives the soul; *
the testimony of the LORD is sure
and gives wisdom to the innocent.
8 The statutes of the LORD are just
and rejoice the heart; *
the commandment of the LORD is clear
and gives light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is clean
and endures for ever; *
the judgments of the LORD are true
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
more than much fine gold, *
sweeter far than honey,
than honey in the comb.
11 By them also is your servant enlightened, *
and in keeping them there is great reward.
12 [Who can tell how often he offends? *
cleanse me from my secret faults.
13 Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins;
let them not get dominion over me; *
then shall I be whole and sound,
and innocent of a great offense.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my
heart be acceptable in your sight, *
O LORD, my strength and my redeemer

Ephesians 2:17–22

Christ came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.

Psalm 138

Confitebor tibi

1 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with my whole heart; *
before the gods I will sing your praise.

2 I will bow down toward your holy temple
and praise your Name, *
because of your love and faithfulness;

3 For you have glorified your Name *
and your word above all things.

4 When I called, you answered me; *
you increased my strength within me.

5 All the kings of the earth will praise you, O Lord, *
when they have heard the words of your mouth.

6 They will sing of the ways of the Lord, *
that great is the glory of the Lord.

7 Though the Lord be high, he cares for the lowly; *
he perceives the haughty from afar.

8 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you keep me safe; *
you stretch forth your hand against the fury of my enemies;
your right hand shall save me.

9 The Lord will make good his purpose for me; *
O Lord, your love endures for ever;
do not abandon the works of your hands

Matthew 7:7–12

Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.”

John 14:23–26
Jesus said to Judas (not Iscariot), "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.
"I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.”

Catch these lessons from A Season of prayer: 40 days in the desert!

Thursday,  March 9 Deuteronomy   24:14-15

You shall not withhold the wages of poor and needy laborers,whether other Israelites or aliens who reside in your land in one of your towns. You shall pay them their wages daily before sunset, because they are poor and their livelihood depends on them; otherwise they might cry to the Lord against you, and you would incur guilt.

Let us pray!

God help us to breathe in the sacred lands where we walk. Make us treat everyone and everything as sacred.

Give us courage to walk in strange neighborhoods without fear and that we may come to know that everyone in every house, park bench, underneath a tree, or alleyway is our family member and they are yours and are made in your image and likeness.

God help us to see illness not as a bad thing but as a way to help us be restored to health and come to realize that i-llness needs to be transformed into we-llness. We pray for all who are sick in body, mind, and spirit.

God we pray for the healing of the war torn, famine laden, and terrorized areas of the world. We pray for peace and healing of all sacred lands and peoples. 

God we pray for all your children who are immigrants, refugees, victims of human trafficking, and abuse that they may be healed and brought to safety.

God we pray that everyone who governs a city, county, state, nation, will come to know that the oaths of office are sacred and their duties they perform need to be in line with the Prophet Micah; "To do justly, love mercy, and Walk Humbly with God".

God we thank you for making each day sacred and each moment we live sacred and that whenever we are rattled and scared our anxieties may be relieved an brought back in to balance by being in your sacred and life giving presence. Give us the presence of mind to rearrange the word scared and find the word sacred. 

We  pray these prayers as we breathe in the sacred in the name of the God of Many Names and Faiths Our Creator who made us , and makes us one. Amen.

We pray this night for all of our family members who may find themselves lost without friends. May we learn to keep our eyes open to all who are alone and need this special kind of family.

We pray for all of our friends who we call family! May we love them and give them a soft place to fall.

We pray for all our enemies and those who wish us harm.  May we learn to give of ourselves and model healthy and uniting friendships within the bonds of peace.

We pray for friendships among all people and nations.and that bonds of trust and unity may grow and prosper.

We pray for all of our family members who are in need of love, homes, clothing, and food and that they may be protected from harm and severe weather.

We pray that we may be friends with all living things within God's Cathedral of Life.

We pray that we may be friends not only to our family members but ourselves.

We pray that we may teach our children how to make and keep friends.

We pray that we may be  lovingly accepting of all our friends and  our family members who differ from us. 

We now close with our classic prayers !

As we close our worship this night we remember these prayers.

The  Beatitudes  Matthew 5:3–12 

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. (5:3)

Blessed are those who mourn: for they will be comforted. (5:4)

Blessed are the meek: for they will inherit the earth. (5:5)

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they will be filled. (5:6)

Blessed are the merciful: for they will be shown mercy. (5:7)

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they will see God. (5:8)

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they will be called children of God. (5:9)

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (5:10

 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.

The Song of Mary    Magnificat
 Luke 1:46-55

My soul doth magnify the Lord, *
    and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
For he hath regarded *
    the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold from henceforth *
    all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me, *
    and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him *throughout all generations.

He hath showed strength with his arm; *
    he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, *
    and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things, *
    and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, *
    as he promised to our forefathers,
    Abraham and his seed for ever.

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.

The Song of Simeon    Nunc Dimittis

Luke 2:29-32

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. 

+++++++++

For more information on Gregory of Nyssa Click on his name.

Resources: The Lectionary Page

Satucket Lectionary 

Last Year's Day 5 in the Wilderness blog

++++++++++

Good Night Dear Ones ! I love you and give thanks to God for you each and every day. I especially give thanks for our sacred time together.

With love and familyhood,

Sara

If you are interested in our daily Psalmody, I placed it here!

Ninth Day: Evening Prayer

47 Omnes gentes, plaudite

1 Clap your hands, all you peoples; *

shout to God with a cry of joy.

2 For the Lord Most High is to be feared; *

he is the great King over all the earth.

3 He subdues the peoples under us, *

and the nations under our feet.

4 He chooses our inheritance for us, *

the pride of Jacob whom he loves.

5 God has gone up with a shout, *

the Lord with the sound of the ram’s-horn.

6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; *

sing praises to our King, sing praises.

7 For God is King of all the earth; *

sing praises with all your skill.

8 God reigns over the nations; *

God sits upon his holy throne.

9 The nobles of the peoples have gathered together *

with the people of the God of Abraham.

10 The rulers of the earth belong to God, *

and he is highly exalted.

48 Magnus Dominus

1 Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised; *

in the city of our God is his holy hill.

2 Beautiful and lofty, the joy of all the earth, is the

hill of Zion, *

the very center of the world and the city of the great King.

3 God is in her citadels; *

he is known to be her sure refuge.

4 Behold, the kings of the earth assembled *

and marched forward together.

5 They looked and were astounded; *

they retreated and fled in terror.

6 Trembling seized them there; *

they writhed like a woman in childbirth,

like ships of the sea when the east wind shatters them.

7 As we have heard, so have we seen,

in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God; *

God has established her for ever.

8 We have waited in silence on your loving-kindness, O God, *

in the midst of your temple.

9 Your praise, like your Name, O God, reaches to

the world’s end; *

your right hand is full of justice.

10 Let Mount Zion be glad

and the cities of Judah rejoice, *

because of your judgments.

11 Make the circuit of Zion;

walk round about her; *

count the number of her towers

12 Consider well her bulwarks;

examine her strongholds; *

that you may tell those who come after.

13 This God is our God for ever and ever; *

he shall be our guide for evermore.

49 Audite hæc, omnes

1 Hear this, all you peoples;

hearken, all you who dwell in the world, *

you of high degree and low, rich and poor together.

2 My mouth shall speak of wisdom, *

and my heart shall meditate on understanding.

3 I will incline my ear to a proverb *

and set forth my riddle upon the harp.

4 Why should I be afraid in evil days, *

when the wickedness of those at my heels surrounds me,

5 The wickedness of those who put their trust in their goods, *

and boast of their great riches?

6 We can never ransom ourselves, *

or deliver to God the price of our life;

7 For the ransom of our life is so great, *

that we should never have enough to pay it,

8 In order to live for ever and ever, *

and never see the grave.

9 For we see that the wise die also;

like the dull and stupid they perish *

and leave their wealth to those who come after them

10 Their graves shall be their homes for ever,

their dwelling places from generation to generation, *

though they call the lands after their own names.

11 Even though honored, they cannot live for ever; *

they are like the beasts that perish.

12 Such is the way of those who foolishly trust in themselves, *

and the end of those who delight in their own words.

13 Like a flock of sheep they are destined to die;

Death is their shepherd; *

they go down straightway to the grave.

14 Their form shall waste away, *

and the land of the dead shall be their home.

15 But God will ransom my life; *

he will snatch me from the grasp of death.

16 Do not be envious when some become rich, *

or when the grandeur of their house increases;

17 For they will carry nothing away at their death, *

nor will their grandeur follow them.

18 Though they thought highly of themselves while they lived, *

and were praised for their success,

19 They shall join the company of their forebears, *

who will never see the light again.

20 Those who are honored, but have no understanding, *

are like the beasts that perish.

Tenth Day: Morning Prayer

50 Deus deorum

1 The Lord, the God of gods, has spoken; *

he has called the earth from the rising of the sun to

its setting.

2 Out of Zion, perfect in its beauty, *

God reveals himself in glory.

3 Our God will come and will not keep silence; *

before him there is a consuming flame,

and round about him a raging storm.

4 He calls the heavens and the earth from above *

to witness the judgment of his people.

5 “Gather before me my loyal followers, *

those who have made a covenant with me

and sealed it with sacrifice.”

6 Let the heavens declare the rightness of his cause; *

for God himself is judge.

7 Hear, O my people, and I will speak:

“O Israel, I will bear witness against you; *

for I am God, your God.

8 I do not accuse you because of your sacrifices; *

your offerings are always before me.

9 I will take no bull-calf from your stalls, *

nor he-goats out of your pens;

10 For all the beasts of the forest are mine, *

the herds in their thousands upon the hills.

11 I know every bird in the sky, *

and the creatures of the fields are in my sight.

12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you, *

for the whole world is mine and all that is in it.

13 Do you think I eat the flesh of bulls, *

or drink the blood of goats?

14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving *

and make good your vows to the Most High.

15 Call upon me in the day of trouble; *

I will deliver you, and you shall honor me.”

16 But to the wicked God says: *

“Why do you recite my statutes,

and take my covenant upon your lips;

17 Since you refuse discipline, *

and toss my words behind your back?

18 When you see a thief, you make him your friend, *

and you cast in your lot with adulterers.

19 You have loosed your lips for evil, *

and harnessed your tongue to a lie.

20 You are always speaking evil of your brother *

and slandering your own mother’s son.

21 These things you have done, and I kept still, *

and you thought that I am like you.”

22 “I have made my accusation; *

I have put my case in order before your eyes.

23 Consider this well, you who forget God, *

lest I rend you and there be none to deliver you.

24 Whoever offers me the sacrifice of thanksgiving

honors me; *

but to those who keep in my way will I show

the salvation of God.”

51 Miserere mei, Deus

1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your

loving-kindness; *

in your great compassion blot out my offenses.

2 Wash me through and through from my wickedness *

and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions, *

and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against you only have I sinned *

and done what is evil in your sight.

5 And so you are justified when you speak *

and upright in your judgment.

6 Indeed, I have been wicked from my birth, *

a sinner from my mother’s womb.

7 For behold, you look for truth deep within me, *

and will make me understand wisdom secretly.

8 Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure; *

wash me, and I shall be clean indeed.

9 Make me hear of joy and gladness, *

that the body you have broken may rejoice.

10 Hide your face from my sins *

and blot out all my iniquities.

11 Create in me a clean heart, O God, *

and renew a right spirit within me.

12 Cast me not away from your presence *

and take not your holy Spirit from me.

13 Give me the joy of your saving help again *

and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.

14 I shall teach your ways to the wicked, *

and sinners shall return to you.

15 Deliver me from death, O God, *

and my tongue shall sing of your righteousness,

O God of my salvation.

16 Open my lips, O Lord, *

and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

17 Had you desired it, I would have offered sacrifice, *

but you take no delight in burnt-offerings.

18 The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit; *

a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

19 Be favorable and gracious to Zion, *

and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

20 Then you will be pleased with the appointed sacrifices,

with burnt-offerings and oblations; *

then shall they offer young bullocks upon your altar.

52 Quid gloriaris?

1 You tyrant, why do you boast of wickedness *

against the godly all day long?

2 You plot ruin;

your tongue is like a sharpened razor, *

O worker of deception.

3 You love evil more than good *

and lying more than speaking the truth.

4 You love all words that hurt, *

O you deceitful tongue.

5 Oh, that God would demolish you utterly, *

topple you, and snatch you from your dwelling,

and root you out of the land of the living!

6 The righteous shall see and tremble, *

and they shall laugh at him, saying,

7 “This is the one who did not take God for a refuge, *

but trusted in great wealth

and relied upon wickedness.”

8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; *

I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

9 I will give you thanks for what you have done *

and declare the goodness of your Name in the presence

of the godly.