We are called to be witnesses!

Good Evening and maybe early morning Dear Family!

I'm sorry that this is late. I attended a school board meeting this evening where we attended to lend our support to a new ethnic and gender studies curriculum. Everyone was supportive at this meeting and quite a few got up and spoke in favor of it. I was one of the many who sat in support and bore witness to our community. We are called to be witnesses daily for many things in our lives. Yes in all aspects of our lives, not just our faith. Today we commemorate the Martyrs of Sudan. The word martyr means witness in Greek. You don't have to die to be a martyr for your faith. Sometimes it means standing up for what is right even if you might find yourselves going against the grain and current trends. The resistance movement is such a thing. We find ourselves moving in all different directions each and every day. Sometimes speaking out, some times writing letters, emails, Tweets, marching, and even bearing silent witness. So dear ones let us bear silent witness by being CALM (Compassionate, accepting, loving and merciful) in the days and weeks ahead. We must stand together and not be divided and love one another as God loves us. 


Tonight let us pray and make vigil and bear silent witness.


If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has
passed away; see, everything has become new! 2 Corinthians 5:17,
NRSV



Psalm 141:1-3,8ab Domine, clamavi

O LORD, I call to you; come to me quickly; *
hear my voice when I cry to you.
Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, *
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Set a watch before my mouth, O LORD,
and guard the door of my lips; *
let not my heart incline to any evil thing.
My eyes are turned to you, Lord GOD; *
in you I take refuge.

A Song of the Wilderness
Isaiah 35:1-7,10

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, *
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
It shall blossom abundantly, *
and rejoice with joy and singing.
They shall see the glory of the Lord, *
the majesty of our God.
Strengthen the weary hands, *
and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to the anxious, “Be strong, do not fear! *
Here is your God, coming with judgment to save you.”
Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, *
and the ears of the deaf be unstopped.
Then shall the lame leap like a deer, *
and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness *
and streams in the desert;
The burning sand shall become a pool *
and the thirsty ground, springs of water.
The ransomed of God shall return with singing, *
with everlasting joy upon their heads.
Joy and gladness shall be theirs, *
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.



Psalm 116:10–17

Dilexi, quoniam

10 How shall I repay the Lord *
for all the good things he has done for me?
11 I will lift up the cup of salvation *
and call upon the Name of the Lord.
12 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord * 
in the presence of all his people.
13 Precious in the sight of the Lord * 
is the death of his servants.
14 O Lord, I am your servant; *
I am your servant and the child of your handmaid; 
you have freed me from my bonds.
15 I will offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving * 
and call upon the Name of the Lord.
16 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord * 
in the presence of all his people,
17 In the courts of the Lord’s house, * 
in the midst of you, O Jerusalem. 
Hallelujah!


Wisdom 3:1–9

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.

A Song of the Spirit
Revelation 22:12-17
“Behold, I am coming soon,” says the Lord,
“and bringing my reward with me, *
to give to everyone according to their deeds.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, *
the beginning and the end.”
Blessed are those who do God’s commandments,
that they may have the right to the tree of life, *
and may enter the city through the gates.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to you, *
with this testimony for all the churches.
“I am the root and the offspring of David, *
I am the bright morning star.”
“Come!” say the Spirit and the Bride; *
“Come!” let each hearer reply!
Come forward, you who are thirsty, *
let those who desire take the water of life as a gift

Hebrews 10:32–39

Recall those earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and persecution, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion for those who were in prison, and you cheerfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you yourselves possessed something better and more lasting. Do not, therefore, abandon that confidence of yours; it brings a great reward. For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

For yet “in a very little while,
the one who is coming will come and will not delay;
but my righteous one will live by faith.
My soul takes no pleasure in anyone who shrinks back.”
But we are not among those who shrink back and so are lost, but among those who have faith and so are saved.

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.

Matthew 24:9–14

Jesus said, “They will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come."



Collect of the day.

O God, steadfast in the midst of persecution, by your providence the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church: As the martyrs of the Sudan refused to abandon Christ even in the face of torture and death, and so by their sacrifice brought forth a plentiful harvest, may we, too, be steadfast in our faith in Jesus Christ; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


Matthew 5 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The Sermon on the Mount; The Beatitudes

5 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the [a]mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2 He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,
3 “[b]Blessed are the [c]poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the [d]gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you

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.

“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.”


― Teresa of Ávila

May we be at prayer and find our lives this night being transfixed, transformed, and transfigured into new bodies, minds, and spirits, and that we are new wine skins.

Jesus, we thank you that on the day of Your Transfiguration that your chosen apostles became witnesses this event in your life. May we all witness to Your goodness, love, and mercy. 

Jesus, transform our lives that we may serve you in both words and in deeds. May our words and deeds transform the lives of all the least of these our family members.

Jesus, may we always have our minds, hearts, and spirits transfixed and focused on You. 

Jesus, plant in our hearts seeds of love, joy, hope, peace, mercy, and grace that we may live our lives ever fixed on you and the work you are calling us to do.

Jesus, may peace prevail upon earth and that the world may be transfigured into one united family of love, mercy, justice, and service.

Jesus, heal  and calm all those who are awaiting surgery, have major illnesses, and all those who have any illness of  the body, mind, and spirit.

Jesus, We give thanks for all caregivers and  pray that they may receive the self-care they need/

Jesus, we pray for anything or anyone who is on our heart and in our mind remembering especially____________

Jesus. give us the courage every day to be transfixed, transformed, and transfigured  when we need to make changes in our lives.

Jesus, we pray for all who mourn losses of any kind. May we show love and compassion.

Jesus, we offer these our prayers to you in Your. Name. Amen.

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Good Night Dear Family! I love you and Give thanks to God for you Always!

With love and blessings,

Sara

Resources:

Enriching our Worship

Book of Common Prayer

Lectionary Page