A Vigil for our World and God's Cathedral of Life!

Good Early Evening Dear Family of Love!

Happy Self-Care Saturday! It was wonderful to be on retreat and become refreshed in community with the sisters in our parish. We had our retreat at Jalama Beach Campground and stayed in wonderful cabins. We got to walk on the beach, pray at the beat at sunset, smell the clean fresh air, and have God speak to us in the rushes of winds and waves. Being there reminded me of reading the many stories in the Bible about Jesus and the seashore, the lake, the mountain top experiences and wilderness times. Jesus lived in the environment as did his cousin John the Baptist.  Our world and God's Cathedral of life is in peril and needs prayer time now more than ever. I invite us this night to join together in a vigil for the world and God's Cathedral of Life and spend time in prayer asking God what we can do to be of service and good stewards to help reclaim and heal the earth where we live, move, and have our being. 

Be still and hear the whisper of God in the Wind, in the waves, and in our hearts

Be still and hear the whisper of God in the Wind,in  the waves.

Be still and hear the whisper of God in the Wind.

Be still and hear the whisper of God.

Be still and hear the whisper.

Be still and hear.

Be still.

Be.

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.

The Day of Pentecost

The Spirit of the Lord now fills the whole world, *

alleluia, alleluia.

The Spirit of the Lord now fills the whole world,

alleluia, alleluia.

The Spirit who searches even the depths of God:

Alleluia, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit of the Lord now fills the whole world,

alleluia, alleluia.

V. The apostles spoke in other tongues, alleluia:

R. The wonderful works of God, alleluia.

God we come to you this day being at one with you, each other, the world, and your Cathedral of Life. We light our candles and make vigil for this world and your Cathedral of Life.

Let us pray.

God we pray for peace in this fragile and broken world that you have made. 

God we pray for the courage to be good conservationists and stewards of your creation and not take anything you have made for granted.

God we pray for courage and strength to speak out against our family members who wish to do our planet and the peoples of the earth harm by acts of violence.

God we pray for the presence of mind to reduce our carbon foot print and reduce, reuse, and recycle.

God we pray that we may conserve the land where food is grown and harvested.

God we pray for clean air, clean water, sustainable agriculture, so that we may live healthily and preserve our temple's of the Holy Spirit.

God we pray that we may speak truth to power and give courage to protest non-violently so that everyone may be given equal rights, equal protection, and universal human rights, so that we all may be one.

God we pray for all of our family members who live on the margins of society may we find them and help them to be brought into the family circle where they may be loved and protected and receive much needed help and encouragement.

God we pray for all living creatures who are facing extinction and becoming endangered species. We pray that we may use our heads and hearts to be your loving conservationists in the world.

God we pray this night as we make vigil for the world we may remember the people who have faced terrorist attacks this week and today remembering: Baghdad, Manchester, Manila, London, Kabul, Egypt, Portland and anywhere else where the media has failed to call these acts to our minds and hearts. 

God give us courage to help you spread the news that we only live on one planet and that you need our help to love, conserve, and not be wasteful so that the next generations may live in harmony with nature and have enough resources to live and enjoy your Cathedral of Life and Love. 

God we pray on behalf of ourselves and all our family members remembering____________

We lift up these our prayers to God our Creator, Christ our Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit our Advocate and Guide. Amen.

God we pray for every family member who is represented by each stone here that they know that they are loved and that we are ready willing and able to server the least of these. God give us the courage to be Compassionate, Accepting, Loving, and Merciful. 

God whenever we find ourselves at a loss may we look to the hills as in Psalm 121 

121 Levavi oculos

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills; *

from where is my help to come?

2 My help comes from the Lord, *

the maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot be moved *

and he who watches over you will not fall asleep.

4 Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel *

shall neither slumber nor sleep;

5 The Lord himself watches over you; *

the Lord is your shade at your right hand,

6 So that the sun shall not strike you by day, *

nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; *

it is he who shall keep you safe.

8 The Lord shall watch over your going out and

your coming in, *

from this time forth for evermore

God set us on the right pathway to serve our family members and and have courage to follow where you are leading us even when the road is curvy and bumpy.

God may we find beauty in all things and in all places. May we learn that dandelions are food for the bees who are in need of nutrients to help them live, so we will live, and our planet may thrive.

Let us spend time together in prayer and silence as we listen to this: Missa Gaia - Paul Winter or this 

Sound Over All Waters- Paul Winter Consort

Exodus 19:3-8,16-20

³Then Moses went up to God; the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the Israelites:⁴You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. ⁵Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine, ⁶but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites.’

7 So Moses came, summoned the elders of the people, and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. ⁸The people all answered as one: ‘Everything that the Lord has spoken we will do.’ Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord.

16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, as well as a thick cloud on the mountain, and a blast of a trumpet so loud that all the people who were in the camp trembled. ¹⁷Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God. They took their stand at the foot of the mountain. ¹⁸Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, because the Lord had descended upon it in fire; the smoke went up like the smoke of a kiln, while the whole mountain shook violently. ¹⁹As the blast of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses would speak and God would answer him in thunder. ²⁰When the Lord descended upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain, the Lord summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

A Song of Wisdom Sapientia liberavit

Wisdom 10:15-19,20b-21

Wisdom freed from a nation of oppressors *

a holy people and a blameless race.

She entered the soul of a servant of the Lord, *

withstood dread rulers with wonders and signs.

To the saints she gave the reward of their labors, *

and led them by a marvelous way;

She was their shelter by day *

and a blaze of stars by night.

She brought them across the Red Sea, *

she led them through mighty waters;

But their enemies she swallowed in the waves *

and spewed them out from the depths of the abyss.

And then, Lord, the righteous sang hymns to your Name, *

and praised with one voice your protecting hand;

For Wisdom opened the mouths of the mute, *

and gave speech to the tongues of a new-born people.

33 Exultate, justi

1 Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous; *
it is good for the just to sing praises.

2 Praise the Lord with the harp; *
play to him upon the psaltery and lyre.

3 Sing for him a new song; *
sound a fanfare with all your skill upon the trumpet.

4 For the word of the Lord is right, *
and all his works are sure.

5 He loves righteousness and justice; *
the loving-kindness of the Lord fills the whole earth.

6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, *
by the breath of his mouth all the heavenly hosts.

7 He gathers up the waters of the ocean as in a water-skin *
and stores up the depths of the sea.

8 Let all the earth fear the Lord; *
let all who dwell in the world stand in awe of him.

9 For he spoke, and it came to pass; *
he commanded, and it stood fast.

10 The Lord brings the will of the nations to naught; *
he thwarts the designs of the peoples.

11 But the Lord's will stands fast for ever, *
and the designs of his heart from age to age.

12 Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord! *
happy the people he has chosen to be his own!
13 The Lord looks down from heaven, *
and beholds all the people in the world.
14 From where he sits enthroned he turns his gaze *
on all who dwell on the earth.

15 He fashions all the hearts of them *
and understands all their works.

16 There is no king that can be saved by a mighty army; *
a strong man is not delivered by his great strength.

17 The horse is a vain hope for deliverance; *
for all its strength it cannot save.

18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him, *
on those who wait upon his love,

19 To pluck their lives from death, *
and to feed them in time of famine.

20 Our soul waits for the Lord; *
he is our help and our shield.

21 Indeed, our heart rejoices in him, *
for in his holy Name we put our trust.

22 Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us, *
as we have put our trust in you.

1 Peter 2:4-10

4 Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and 5like living stones, let yourselves be built* into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6For it stands in scripture:

‘See, I am laying in Zion a stone,

   a cornerstone chosen and precious;

and whoever believes in him* will not be put to shame.’ 

7To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe,

‘The stone that the builders rejected

   has become the very head of the corner’, 

8and

‘A stone that makes them stumble,

   and a rock that makes them fall.’

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people,* in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. 

10 Once you were not a people,

   but now you are God’s people;

once you had not received mercy,

   but now you have received mercy.

A Song of Pilgrimage Priusquam errarem

Ecclesiasticus 51:13-16,20b-22

Before I ventured forth,

even while I was very young, *

I sought wisdom openly in my prayer.

In the forecourts of the temple I asked for her, *

and I will seek her to the end.

From first blossom to early fruit, *

she has been the delight of my heart.

My foot has kept firmly to the true path, *

diligently from my youth have I pursued her.

I inclined my ear a little and received her; *

I found for myself much wisdom and became adept in her.

To the one who gives me wisdom will I give glory, *

for I have resolved to live according to her way.

From the beginning I gained courage from her, *

therefore I will not be forsaken.

In my inmost being I have been stirred to seek her, *

therefore have I gained a good possession.

As my reward the Almighty has given me the gift of language,*

and with it will I offer praise to God.

John 14:21-29

²¹They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.’ ²²Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, ‘Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?’ ²³Jesus answered him, ‘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.²⁴Whoever 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.

25 ‘I have said these things to you while I am still with you. ²⁶But 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.²⁷Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. ²⁸You heard me say to you, “I am going away, and I am coming to you.” If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. ²⁹And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.

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.

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.

Prayers from the Book of Common Prayer

For Joy in God’s Creation

O heavenly Father, who hast filled the world with beauty:

Open our eyes to behold thy gracious hand in all thy works;

that, rejoicing in thy whole creation, we may learn to serve

thee with gladness; for the sake of him through whom all

things were made, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Human Family

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us

through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole

human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which

infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us

unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and

confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in

your good time, all nations and races may serve you in

harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ

our Lord. Amen.

For Peace Among the Nations

Almighty God our heavenly Father, guide the nations of the

world into the way of justice and truth, and establish among

them that peace which is the fruit of righteousness, that they

may become the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Amen.

For the Good Use of Leisure

O God, in the course of this busy life, give us times of

refreshment and peace; and grant that we may so use our

leisure to rebuild our bodies and renew our minds, that our

spirits may be opened to the goodness of your creation;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Right Use of God’s Gifts

Almighty God, whose loving hand hath given us all that we

possess: Grant us grace that we may honor thee with our

substance, and, remembering the account which we must one

day give, may be faithful stewards of thy bounty, through

Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For Knowledge of God’s Creation

Almighty and everlasting God, you made the universe with

all its marvelous order, its atoms, worlds, and galaxies, and

the infinite complexity of living creatures: Grant that, as we

probe the mysteries of your creation, we may come to know

you more truly, and more surely fulfill our role in your

eternal purpose; in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

. For the Conservation of Natural Resources

Almighty God, in giving us dominion over things on earth,

you made us fellow workers in your creation: Give us wisdom

and reverence so to use the resources of nature, that no one

may suffer from our abuse of them, and that generations yet

to come may continue to praise you for your bounty; through

Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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.

 For Rain

O God, heavenly Father, who by thy Son Jesus Christ

hast promised to all those who seek thy kingdom and its

righteousness all things necessary to sustain their life: Send

us, we entreat thee, in this time of need, such moderate rain

and showers, that we may receive the fruits of the earth, to

our comfort and to thy honor; through Jesus Christ our

Lord. Amen.

For the Future of the Human Race

O God our heavenly Father, you have blessed us and given us

dominion over all the earth: Increase our reverence before

the mystery of life; and give us new insight into your purposes

for the human race, and new wisdom and determination in

making provision for its future in accordance with your will;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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 Song of Our True Nature

Julian of Norwich

Christ revealed our frailty and our falling, *

our trespasses and our humiliations.

Christ also revealed his blessed power, *

his blessed wisdom and love.

He protects us as tenderly and as sweetly when we are in greatest need; *

he raises us in spirit

and turns everything to glory and joy without ending.

God is the ground and the substance, the very essence of nature; *

God is the true father and mother of natures.

We are all bound to God by nature, *

and we are all bound to God by grace.

And this grace is for all the world, *

because it is our precious mother, Christ.

For this fair nature was prepared by Christ

for the honor and nobility of all, *

and for the joy and bliss of salvation.

Matthew 5-7J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS)

Jesus proclaims the new values of the kingdom

5 When Jesus saw the vast crowds he went up the hill-side and after he had sat down his disciples came to him.

2-12 Then he began his teaching by saying to them, “How happy are the humble-minded, for the kingdom of Heaven is theirs! “How happy are those who know what sorrow means for they will be given courage and comfort! “Happy are those who claim nothing, for the whole earth will belong to them! “Happy are those who are hungry and thirsty for goodness, for they will be fully satisfied! “Happy are the merciful, for they will have mercy shown to them! “Happy are the utterly sincere, for they will see God! “Happy are those who make peace, for they will be sons of God! “Happy are those who have suffered persecution for the cause of goodness, for the kingdom of Heaven is theirs! “And what happiness will be yours when people blame you and ill-treat you and say all kinds of slanderous things against you for my sake! Be glad then, yes, be tremendously glad—for your reward in Heaven is magnificent. They persecuted the prophets before your time in exactly the same way.

All Things Bright and Beautiful

Psalm 23 Bobby McFerrin

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)

Good Night Dear Ones! I love you and have missed you terribly! Have a blessed and restful night. Take time to go outdoors and be in God's Cathedral of Life.

With love and blessings,

Sara

Resources: 

YouTube

Bible Gateway: For the Sermon on the Mount using J.B. Phillip's New Testament

Satucket Lectionary

Enriching our Worship 

Book of Occasional Services

Book of Common Prayer.

Metis Ministries: Smudging Prayer.