Monday, June 5, 2017

Finding and Having Hope When all Seems Dark






Good Evening Dear Family !

It's Monday and I sense a lot of sorrow and fear in the air today. I know it isn't easy but that's why we are here together as a family. These days we are faced by daily acts of terror, uncertainty as citizens not only in this country but around the world. We must come together and find hope in the midst of all of this darkness. Today it starts here together. Remember it is we not me. Our focal point needs to be a return or to or continuation of the CALM  Principle. We must be Compassionate, Accepting, Loving and Merciful and look to God and each other for comfort and care. We must remember that we are the least of these and that means no barriers or borders. We all must learn to be courageous with heart homes ready to care, serve, and do what it takes to be one with each other without violence. We must use our voices, feet, arms, hands, and listening hearts and ears. We must pray, meditate, and make daily vigil to come together as one humanity for the benefit of all God's creation. We must be the change we want to see in the world. Tonight let us come together and pray. All is not lost God is with us. 

Let us begin with our new mindfulness passage:

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.


God is Spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and
in truth. John 4:24



With you, O Lord, is the well of life, *
and in your light we see light.
With you, O Lord, is the well of life,
and in your light we see light.
Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens,
and your faithfulness to the clouds:
And in your light we see light.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
With you, O Lord, is the well of life,
and in your light we see light.
V. Abide with us, O Lord:
R. For it is toward evening.




God of all love we come together tonight to accept your call to light our candles and pray. We pray this night to be loving towards one another. We pray this night for guidance in how we can best serve you in the world. We pray that we may be more giving of ourselves to others. We pray that we may be able to be hopeful and hope-filled to this fragile and broken world. We pray that we may shine your light and help people out of the dark places they find themselves in. We pray that we may be supportive in what ever decisions people make,  We pray for the least of these who struggle with the day to day issues of living. We pray that everyone will be lovingly included and not excluded and invisible. We pray that we may be peacemakers and children of God. We pray that we may "Strive for justice, and respect the dignity of every human being"* We pray that we may build bridges and tear down walls. We pray for the courage to speak truth to power. We pray for an end to hatred, violence and terror. We pray that we may use our voices not to hurt but to heal. We pray this night that we all may be one and that we may continue to pray for London,Manchester, Pakistan, Kabul, Mosul, Baghdad,Egypt, Philippines, Orlando, and all places where terror and violence have occurred even when the media fails to report it. May we all be one with those who mourn and stand vigil for the peace of the world and in the places where there is danger. God we lift up these prayers to you with hurting hearts, open hands up lifted, with loving care and voices. Amen.




115 Non nobis, Domine

1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us,
but to your Name give glory; *
because of your love and because of your faithfulness.

2 Why should the heathen say, *
"Where then is their God?"

3 Our God is in heaven; *
whatever he wills to do he does.

4 Their idols are silver and gold, *
the work of human hands.

5 They have mouths, but they cannot speak; *
eyes have they, but they cannot see;

6 They have ears but they cannot hear; *
noses, but they cannot smell;

7 They have hands, but they cannot feel;
feet, but they cannot walk; *
they make no sound with their throat.

8 Those who make them are like them, *
and so are all who put their trust in them.

9 O Israel, trust in the Lord; *
he is their help and their shield.

10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord; *
he is their help and their shield.

11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; *
he is their help and their shield.

12 The Lord has been mindful of us, and he will bless us; *
he will bless the house of Israel;
he will bless the house of Aaron;

13 He will bless those who fear the Lord, *
both small and great together.

14 May the Lord increase you more and more, *
you and your children after you.

15 May you be blessed by the Lord, *
the maker of heaven and earth.

16 The heaven of heavens is the Lord's, *
but he entrusted the earth to its peoples.

17 The dead do not praise the Lord, *
nor all those who go down into silence;

18 But we will bless the Lord, *
from this time forth for evermore.
Hallelujah!


Micah 4:1-2

4In days to come
   the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
   and shall be raised up above the hills.
Peoples shall stream to it, 
2   and many nations shall come and say:
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
   to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
   and that we may walk in his paths.’
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
   and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

8 The Song of Moses Cantemus Domino
Exodus 15:1-6, 11-13, 17-18
Especially suitable for use in Easter Season
I will sing to the Lord, for he is lofty and uplifted; *
the horse and its rider has he hurled into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and my refuge; *
the Lord has become my Savior.
This is my God and I will praise him, *
the God of my people and I will exalt him.
The Lord is a mighty warrior; *
Yahweh is his Name.
The chariots of Pharaoh and his army has he hurled into the sea; *
the finest of those who bear armor have been
drowned in the Red Sea.
The fathomless deep has overwhelmed them; *
they sank into the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in might; *
your right hand, O Lord, has overthrown the enemy.
Who can be compared with you, O Lord, among the gods? *
who is like you, glorious in holiness,
awesome in renown, and worker of wonders?
You stretched forth your right hand; *
the earth swallowed them up.
With your constant love you led the people you redeemed; *
with your might you brought them in safety to
your holy dwelling.
You will bring them in and plant them *
on the mount of your possession,
The resting-place you have made for yourself, O Lord, *
the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hand has established.
The Lord shall reign *
for ever and 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.


 Psalm 23 Dominus regit me

1 The Lord is my shepherd; *
I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures *
and leads me beside still waters.
3 He revives my soul *
and guides me along right pathways for his Name’s sake.
4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil; *
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You spread a table before me in the presence of those
who trouble me; *
you have anointed my head with oil,
and my cup is running over.
6 Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days
of my life, *
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Acts 20:17-28

17 From Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus, asking the elders of the church to meet him. 18When they came to him, he said to them:

‘You yourselves know how I lived among you the entire time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 1 9serving the Lord with all humility and with tears, enduring the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews. 20I did not shrink from doing anything helpful, proclaiming the message to you and teaching you publicly and from house to house, 21 as I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus. 22 And now, as a captive to the Spirit,* I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and persecutions are waiting for me. 24 But I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace.

25 ‘And now I know that none of you, among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom, will ever see my face again. 26 Therefore I declare to you this day that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God* that he obtained with the blood of his own Son.*


27 Dominus illuminatio
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom then shall I fear? *
the Lord is the strength of my life;
of whom then shall I be afraid?
2 When evildoers came upon me to eat up my flesh, *
it was they, my foes and my adversaries, who
stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army should encamp against me, *
yet my heart shall not be afraid;
4 And though war should rise up against me, *
yet will I put my trust in him.
5 One thing have I asked of the Lord;
one thing I seek; *
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days
of my life;
6 To behold the fair beauty of the Lord *
and to seek him in his temple.
7 For in the day of trouble he shall keep me safe
in his shelter; *
he shall hide me in the secrecy of his dwelling
and set me high upon a rock.
8 Even now he lifts up my head *
above my enemies round about me.
9 Therefore I will offer in his dwelling an oblation
with sounds of great gladness; *
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
10 Hearken to my voice, O Lord, when I call; *
have mercy on me and answer me.
11 You speak in my heart and say, “Seek my face.” *
Your face, Lord, will I seek.
12 Hide not your face from me, *
nor turn away your servant in displeasure.
13 You have been my helper;
cast me not away; *
do not forsake me, O God of my salvation.
14 Though my father and my mother forsake me, *
the Lord will sustain me.
15 Show me your way, O Lord; *
lead me on a level path, because of my enemies.
16 Deliver me not into the hand of my adversaries, *
for false witnesses have risen up against me,
and also those who speak malice.
17 What if I had not believed
that I should see the goodness of the Lord *
in the land of the living!
18 O tarry and await the Lord’s pleasure;
be strong, and he shall comfort your heart; *
wait patiently for the Lord.


Luke 24:44-53

44 Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ 45Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah* is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses* of these things. 49And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’
50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven.* 52And they worshipped him, and* returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 53and they were continually in the temple blessing God.*

42 Quemadmodum
1 As the deer longs for the water-brooks, *
so longs my soul for you, O God.
2 My soul is athirst for God, athirst for the living God; *
when shall I come to appear before the presence of God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night, *
while all day long they say to me,
“Where now is your God?”
4 I pour out my soul when I think on these things: *
how I went with the multitude and led them into the
house of God,
5 With the voice of praise and thanksgiving, *
among those who keep holy-day.
6 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? *
and why are you so disquieted within me?
7 Put your trust in God; *
for I will yet give thanks to him,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.
8 My soul is heavy within me; *
therefore I will remember you from the land of Jordan,
and from the peak of Mizar among the heights of Hermon.
9 One deep calls to another in the noise of your cataracts; *
all your rapids and floods have gone over me.
10 The Lord grants his loving-kindness in the daytime; *
in the night season his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
11 I will say to the God of my strength,
“Why have you forgotten me? *
and why do I go so heavily while the enemy
oppresses me?”
12 While my bones are being broken, *
my enemies mock me to my face;
13 All day long they mock me *
and say to me, “Where now is your God?”
14 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? *
and why are you so disquieted within me?
15 Put your trust in God; *
for I will yet give thanks to him,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

Almighty God, you called your faithful servant Boniface to be a witness and martyr in Germany, and by his labor and suffering you raised up a people for your own possession: Pour out your Holy Spirit upon your Church in every land, that by the service and sacrifice of many your holy Name may be glorified and your kingdom enlarged; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


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 Is Our Hope

God is our hope and strength, 
a very present help in trouble. 

Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be moved, 
and though the hills be carried into the midst of the sea; 

Though the waters thereof rage and swell, 
and though the mountains shake at the tempest of the same. 

There is a river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God, 
the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
-- Book of Common Prayer 1979


Ecclesiastes 3:1–11

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

What gain have the workers from their toil? I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with. He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover, he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.



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."


58. For Guidance
O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and
light riseth up in darkness for the godly: Grant us, in all
our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what thou
wouldest have us to do, that the Spirit of wisdom may save
us from all false choices, and that in thy light we may see
light, and in thy straight path may not stumble; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

59. For Quiet Confidence
O God of peace, who hast taught us that in returning and
rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be
our strength: By the might of thy Spirit lift us, we pray thee,
to thy presence, where we may be still and know that thou
art God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

60. For Protection
Assist us mercifully, O Lord, in these our supplications and
prayers, and dispose the way of thy servants towards the
attainment of everlasting salvation; that, among all the
changes and chances of this mortal life, they may ever be
defended by thy gracious and ready help; 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.

God of Hope may our hearts give hope to the hopeless and let us be mindful of the least of these.

God of Peace we pray for ____________that there won't be one more act of violence and terror committed by extremists and those who suffer from mental illness. 

God  of Love may we lovingly respond to each other's needs and that we may love all of our family members who feel unlovable.


God  of Hope may be be hope and light bearers to your fragile and broken world.

God  of Peace we pray for peace in your world among all people who are your beloved children.

God of Love we pray for all who are mourning the loss of loved ones especially in Manchester, Kabul, London, The Philippines, Pakistan, Baghdad, Egypt, Orlando,Syria,and all who mourn losses of any kind.

God  of Joy we pray for all who are dying or have died today that they may find with you in the Thin Places a source of eternal joy and where the perpetual light will always shine upon them.

God of Peace we pray for peace in our own lives, hearts, and accept your healing of  our bodies, minds, and spirits.  We pray for all who are ill that they may receive your gift of healing.

God of Love, Help us to love ourselves more fully so that we may love others to the brim and overflowing.

God of Joy we pray for ourselves and the many requests made on behalf of our family members remembering especially________ May they feel your loving and joyful presence and in the stillness 
come hear your  voice.

God of Hope may we awaken refreshed, relaxed, rested, and renewed to serve you tomorrow and in the days to come.


We pray these our prayers in the Name of Jesus your Son. 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.

May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in
believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Romans 15:13


+++++

Good Night Dear Ones! I love you! Have a blessed and restful night. I give thanks to God for you this day and always. 

With Love and Blessings!

Sara

Resources:
Book of Of Occasional Services
Book of Common Prayer
Lectionarypage.net
Satucket Lectionary Page for St. Boniface
Walk With me On Our Journey Prayers and Vigil


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