Good Evening All !
Today I took another De-Cluttering Sabbath to bank my energy and to give back to our community by donating plasma and attending a resistance meeting of the North County Coalition. All blood donors get to have a time when we get rest, relax, and renew and refrain from strenuous activity. So that is what I did. Tonight we are still in Sabbath Mode as we begin to prepare for the 4th of July in our hearts and minds. Tonight I would like us to spend time resting and going into our inner beings and seek out ways in the presence of God how we can give back to our communities. We need to reflect upon what we can do at home, church, locally, nationally, and more broadly, worldwide . How can we de-clutter our mind and spirit sets to affect necessary change non-violently and in love for all our family members? Think on these things.We are going to use the morning lessons for Independence Day as a Vigil.
Now let us be at prayer.
Light of the World Phos hilaron
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
Let us light our candles and be at prayer. Let us come yet again and follow the steps of our Lord Jesus on his Journey to the Cross and tomb. Let us take up our own crosses and follow Him daily and know that we are called to carry love, mercy, light, and justice to our family members throughout this fragile and broken world. We pray that we may have courage to carry our crosses wherever they take us on the journey Jesus and God have set before us. We pray for peace this night and an end to hate, bigotry, and violence. We pray that we may open wide our heart homes even to the place of feeling the ache of our brothers' and sisters' pain as they live in danger, division, and are subject to persecution by their own faith and the faiths of others. We pray that there may be an end to extremism in all forms who hijack faiths that have been founded upon peace, love, and mercy. , Friday prayers in mosques and Islamic centers, and those who attended their local synagogue and have entered into a time of Shabbat. We pray for all children of Abraham that they may find peace and harmony together as a united family seeking to love one another.
Heavenly Father, whose blessed Son came not to be served but to serve: Bless all who, following in his steps, give themselves to the service of others; that with wisdom, patience, and courage, they may minister in his Name to the suffering, the friendless, and the needy for the love of him who laid down his life for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Almighty God, whose beloved Son willingly endured the agony and shame of the cross for our redemption: Give us courage to take up our cross and follow him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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.
Ecclesiasticus 10:1-8,12-18
10 A wise magistrate educates his people,
and the rule of an intelligent person is well ordered.
2 As the people’s judge is, so are his officials;
as the ruler of the city is, so are all its inhabitants.
3 An undisciplined king ruins his people,
but a city becomes fit to live in through the understanding of its rulers.
4 The government of the earth is in the hand of the Lord,
and over it he will raise up the right leader for the time.
5 Human success is in the hand of the Lord,
and it is he who confers honour upon the lawgiver.*
6 Do not get angry with your neighbour for every injury,
and do not resort to acts of insolence.
7 Arrogance is hateful to the Lord and to mortals,
and injustice is outrageous to both.
8 Sovereignty passes from nation to nation
on account of injustice and insolence and wealth.*
12 The beginning of human pride is to forsake the Lord;
the heart has withdrawn from its Maker.
13 For the beginning of pride is sin,
and the one who clings to it pours out abominations.
Therefore the Lord brings upon them unheard-of calamities,
and destroys them completely.
14 The Lord overthrows the thrones of rulers,
and enthrones the lowly in their place.
15 The Lord plucks up the roots of the nations,*
and plants the humble in their place.
16 The Lord lays waste the lands of the nations,
and destroys them to the foundations of the earth.
17 He removes some of them and destroys them,
and erases the memory of them from the earth.
18 Pride was not created for human beings,
or violent anger for those born of women.
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.
James 5:7-10
7 Be patient, therefore, beloved,* until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.* 9 Beloved,* do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! 10 As an example of suffering and patience, beloved,* take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
A Song of God’s Love
1 John 4:7-11
Beloved, let us love one another, *
for love is of God.
Whoever does not love does not know God, *
for God is Love.
In this the love of God was revealed among us, *
that God sent his only Son into the world,
so that we might live through Jesus Christ.
In this is love, not that we loved God but that God loved us *
and sent his Son that sins might be forgiven.
Beloved, since God loved us so much, *
we ought also to love one another.
For if we love one another, God abides in us, *
and God’s love will be perfected in us.
Matthew 5:43-48
43 ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters,* what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Canticle 15
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.
God we pray for our country and its leaders that they in the words of the prophet Micah "Do Justly, Love Mercy, and Walk Humbly with God"
God we pray for our ancestors who brought forth liberty to a fledgling nation.
God we pray for our future leaders that they may educate themselves wisely in the history of this country and its governance.
God we pray for peace in our land that we may learn that all means all and not some and that all of us are equal in the sight of God and in the laws of this land/
God we pray for peace in this fragile and broken world of ours that all our family members may come to know and enjoy the freedoms we have been given.
God we pray for all those concerns that are on our hearts tonight remembering_________________
God we thank you for giving us the gift of free will and all other gifts that you shower upon us every day.
God we pray that we may come to know each other as brothers and sisters better and see you in them.
or this set of prayers
Lord God we lift up all war torn nations that are deprived of civil and human rights:
Let Freedom Ring!
Let Freedom Ring!
Lord We lift up all who labor in the courts of justice in this country that every one will be granted due process and equal protection under the law.
Let Freedom Ring
Let Freedom Ring
Lord we pray that every family member will respect everyone's dignity and personhood.
Let us sow seeds of compassion.
Let us sow seeds of compassion.
Lord we pray that we may continue to give thanks for all that unites us and pray for those differences that separate us and that we may all come to know that we are one family in Christ and humankind.
May we live united as the family of God.
May we live united as the family of God.
We pray for justice, love and mercy as we walk with God on our journey.
We pray for all those who are deprived of liberty, justice, education, and human rights in all parts of the world.
We pray for safe working conditions.
We pray for all laborers in the fields and in all places.
We pray for an end of violence, injustice, indifference, and hate
We pray for equality and acceptance of all God's Children.
We pray for rain to heal the areas affect by drought.
We pray for those in prison and captivity.
We pray for all those who have mental illness.
We pray for peace and to be peacemakers.
We pray especially for the causes and social justice issues that are on our hearts____________________
We give our thoughtful thanks for_______________
We celebrate________________ and especially all those who are new citizens of our country.
We remember Martin Luther King Junior, Fabian, Rosa Parks, the Little Rock Nine, Nelson Mandela, Steven Biko, and all valiant seekers after justice and the rights of the oppressed.
All this we ask in Jesus' name who is the example for us to be beacons of Justice, Hope, Equality, and Peace. Amen.
God we pray this prayer for our Country from THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER
Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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 we pray these classic words:
The Beatitudes
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine: Glory to God from generation to
generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever.
Amen. Ephesians 3:20,21
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Good Night Dear Ones! I love you have a blessed night and rest. I give thanks to God for you this day and always! Tomorrow we go back to de-cluttering! How about cleaning off table tops, etc. Don't forget to make sure you have enough defensible space to prevent unnecessary fires due to fireworks and barbeques.
With love and blessings,
Sara
Resources:
Enriching our Worship
Book of Common Prayer
Satucket Lectionary Page
Walk With Me On Our Journey
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