Good Evening Dear Family of God and Love!
Have you ever gone on a journey and something totally unexpected happened? Met someone that turned your life upside down or right side up? I believe that God does this all the time. God did this as Jesus when he and the disciples met the Woman at the Well a.k.a. The Samaritan Woman. God's message to Jesus, the disciples, the Samaritan Woman, the Samaritans, and anyone else we and they came into contact with reminds us that we must widen our scope and definition of family. God kept telling us this for centuries but we keep messing up and not in a good way. The more God keeps expanding our scope the more we become afraid and shrink back. Maybe it is a time for us to have a refresher course on the Samaritan Woman. If you are new to this Gospel story, I hope your eyes will be opened and heart stirred and know why I believe that Jesus is Water Protector and the best form of hydration we can ever have spiritually and in our own lives. A cautionary tale, this Gospel lesson is long.
John 4:5-42
Jesus came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon.
A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.”
Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come back.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!” The woman said to him, “Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who is speaking to you.”
Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you want?” or, “Why are you speaking with her?” Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?” They left the city and were on their way to him.
Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Surely no one has brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Do you not say, ‘Four months more, then comes the harvest’? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”
Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I have ever done.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world.”
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This was an amazing story wasn't it? This was a time when Jesus needed to begin more of the big reveal of who He was and not just to the Jews and in his own community. I like to think of this as another Epiphany that is getting the disciples and us ready to know that Jesus didn't just come to the Jews, but to all and for all. I give thanks to God for these moments when we see Jesus in new and unexpected places and that we begin to see the weaving of many peoples into an ever expanding and and inclusive family. One final question: How would you react if you saw Jesus ?
So dear ones let's come to the waters and pray!
God we come to you this evening and at all times to make vigil and pray. We light our candles and pray that we may drink from the Well of Life and feel the Living Waters coursing through our veins. We pray that we may seek to know God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in new and exciting ways. We give thanks for the family members God puts on our paths daily. We pray for the courage to seek, to know, to continue to deepen our relationship with God and our family members. May we be like the Woman at the Well and have courage to seek out God in others and find solace, strength in our beliefs, and be empowered to be a witness of God's goodness and presence at all times. Amen.
Light of the world, in grace and beauty,
Mirror of God’s eternal face,
Transparent flame of love’s free duty,
You bring salvation to our race.
Now, as we see the lights of evening,
We raise our voice in hymns of praise;
Worthy are you of endless blessing,
Sun of our night, lamp of our days
Come unto me, all ye that travail and are heavy laden, and
I will refresh you. Matthew 11:28
Collect for the Third Sunday in Lent
For the Harvest of Lands and Waters
O gracious Father, who openest thine hand and fillest all
things living with plenteousness: Bless the lands and waters,
and multiply the harvests of the world; let thy Spirit go
forth, that it may renew the face of the earth; show thy
loving-kindness, that our land may give her increase; and
save us from selfish use of what thou givest, that men and
women everywhere may give thee thanks; through Christ
our Lord. Amen
A Smudging Prayer
Creator, our Father in heaven, we come to you as your children. We confess that we are weak and broken images of you. We pray for the forgiveness and healing you give in Jesus Christ. May his Spirit clean our spirits, minds, hearts, and bodies. We pray that your Holy Spirit will help us to worship in spirit and truth. We pray in the name of Jesus, so that his Spirit will carry our prayers to you. 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.
Psalm 95
Venite, exultemus
1 Come, let us sing to the Lord; *
let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *
and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.
3 For the Lord is a great God, *
and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the caverns of the earth, *
and the heights of the hills are his also.
5 The sea is his, for he made it, *
and his hands have molded the dry land.
6 Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
7 For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *
Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!
8 Harden not your hearts,
as your forebears did in the wilderness, *
at Meribah, and on that day at Massah,
when they tempted me.
9 They put me to the test, *
though they had seen my works.
10 Forty years long I detested that generation and said, *
"This people are wayward in their hearts;
they do not know my ways."
11 So I swore in my wrath, *
"They shall not enter into my rest."
Matthew 5:1-12
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Exodus 17:1-7
From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. The people quarreled with Moses, and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?” So Moses cried out to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” The Lord said to Moses, “Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.” Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
Jesus' GPS Prayers
Jesus we love your GPS (Gospel Proclaiming System, Gentle Priority Shifting System, God's Planning System, Gentle praying system)
Jesus we thank you for leading us where we need to go without fear. Jesus we love your GPS plan for our lives.
Jesus we thank you for helping us to expand our definition of family. Jesus we love your GPS plan for our lives.
Jesus we thank you for giving us the tools to become witness and spreading your Good News. Jesus we love your GPS plan for our lives.
Jesus we pray that we may help our family members in need. Jesus we pray that we may follow your GPS into the lives of others and for the good of all.
Jesus we pray for an end to the violence and dis-ease in the world. Help us to become peacemakers. Help us to use the GPS system you have already built in us to do this.
Jesus help us prioritize our lives with the GPS and Gentle Priority Shifting that is needed.
Jesus give us courage to follow you with your GPS system and not ours.
Jesus we pray for _________________
Jesus we thank you for________________
Jesus we lift up these our prayers to you and follow where you lead. Amen.
A Song of Our Adoption
Ephesians 1:3-10
Blessed are you, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, *
for you have blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
Before the world was made, you chose us to be yours in Christ, *
that we should be holy and blameless before you.
You destined us for adoption as your children through Jesus Christ, *
according to the good pleasure of your will,
To the praise of your glorious grace, *
that you have freely given us in the Beloved.
In you, we have redemption through the blood of Christ,
the forgiveness of our sins,
According to the riches of your grace *
which you have lavished upon us.
You have made known to us, in all wisdom and insight, *
the mystery of your will,
According to your good pleasure which you set forth in Christ, *
as a plan for the fullness of time,
To gather together all things in Christ, *
things in heaven and things on earth
Beside the still waters we come to seek you God in the quietness of our being.
Beside the still waters we come to pray for peace in this fragile and broken world of yours
Beside the still waters we pray for and end to all anxiety, fear, and worry that our minds and spirits may be still.
Beside the still waters we pray for our neighbors all over the world that we may find unity and learn to love one another as dearly loved family members of Yours.
Beside the still waters we come for respite, relaxation, rest, and renewal. We pray for calmness as we rest in your arms and never ending love and mercy.
Beside the still waters we come to ask prayers for all our family members who are in need of healing and strength remembering___________________
Beside the still waters we come seeking solace for those of us who are living through the long journey of mourning and grief.
Beside the still waters we come praying for all the least of these and all who are affected by violence, terror, abuse, and everyone who is struggling through the world's calamities.
Beside the still waters we give thanks for the lives who have entered eternal joy today and those who are in the midst of transitioning from this earthly life into a heavenly one.
Beside the still waters we pray for all who are lost, lonely, alone and seeking companionship. We pray that our hearts may be stilled as we wait. We pray that we may not lose heart and live boldly,yet gently alone.
Beside the still waters we pray for _____________________
Beside the still waters we give thanks for _______________
Beside the still waters may we journey over to the other side of the lake and offer our prayers in the quietness to Jesus . Amen.
Luke 1:46-55
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; *
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant
From this day all generations will call me blessed: *
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him *
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm, *
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel, *
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers, *
to Abraham and his children 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.
Romans 5:1-11
Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person-- though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
God you call us each day to lace up our shoes and care for your children.
Help us in new and inventive ways to do this. Give us the Love Energy to think outside the box and follow where you are leading us.
God you remind us each day to be loving, forgiving, merciful, and be fruitful with the Fruits of the Spirit to be engaged in the world and in the service of the least of these.
God help us to look into the eyes of all your children and see you and love in them.
God give us courage to be able to be hope bringers in the midst of all of the chaos that surrounds us.
God take we pray and give thanks for Jesus when he'd give his disciples ringers to wake them to attention. We pray that we may ever be awake and pay attention to what we are called to do and to just be.
God may we never be afraid to do the work you have given us to do when all seems bleak.
God replace all our anxieties, fears, and all thoughts that make our hearts uneasy with peace and an inner being alive with the Spirit.
God we pray that we may continue to walk with you as you walk with us on our journey.
God we pray that for our enemies and those who wish us harm to have a change of heart, mind, and spirit.
God we pray this night for all who are homeless, hungry, and ill clad that they may find shelter, nourishing food, and warm clothing. We pray for appropriate shelters to meet the needs for all of our homeless family members.
God we pray for all of our family members who are lost, lonely, and alone with no one to be their soft place to fall and be accepted.
God we pray this night for the coming week ahead that we may seek to serve you in the ways that you would have us do.
God we pray for___________________________
God we give thanks for______________________
God ,As this is our last prayer this evening and since you have told us" the first shall be last and the last" we pray for all the peoples of the earth and especially, the people and government of the United States, Africa and all places facing famine,Syria, refugees, victims of violence, terror, human trafficking that peace, love justice, and mercy may prevail upon Earth. We lay these our petitions and thanksgivings in the loving arms of your son Jesus ,our brother, friend, Savior, and Great Physician. 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.
The Wisdom of God
the Love of God
and the Grace of God
strengthen you
to be Christ’s hands and heart in this world,
in the name of the Holy Trinity. Amen.
(source: Celtic)
Live without fear: your Creator has made you holy, has always
protected you, and loves you as a mother. Go in peace to follow
the good road and may God’s blessing be with you always. Amen.
(source: from Saint Clare)
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Good Night Dear Ones! I love you! I give thanks to God for you this day and always.Tomorrow we will return to our 40 days of Psalmody and see what God has in store for us.
With love and prayers.
Sara
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