Good Evening Beloved Community!
Happy First Sunday of Advent and our first #Advent #HashTagWithMeaning2017 #Awaken! We need to #Awaken ourselves! As is our custom let us find out what the definition of #Awaken is
a·wak·en
[əˈwākən]
VERB
awakens (third person present) · awakened (past tense) · awakened (past participle) · awakening (present participle)
rouse from sleep; cause to stop sleeping:
"Anna was awakened by the telephone"
stop sleeping:
"he sighed but did not awaken"
rouse (a feeling):
"different images can awaken new emotions within us"
synonyms: arouse · rouse · bring out · engender · evoke · incite · trigger · provoke · stir up · stimulate · animate · quicken · kindle · awake · revive · enkindle
(awaken someone to)
make someone aware of (something) for the first time:
"the movie helped to awaken the public to the horrors of apartheid"
+++
This word packs a punch for the times in which we live, move, an just be! Today I ask us to do the following things as we #Awaken ourselves using some of the synonyms!
Let us rouse ourselves out of our complacency.
Let us bring out the best in each of us
Let us incite positive resistance practices.
Let us be stirred up to be engaged in acts of peace, love, mercy, and justice. Also practice being Compassionate, Accepting, Loving, and Merciful.
Let our steps become quickened to action
Let us kindle love of God, Love of Neighbor, Love of enemy, Love of stranger, and love of self.
Let us revive in our nation acts centering around the fruits of the Spirit.
Let us #Awaken hope for the least of these
Let us #Awaken ourselves to the Baptismal vows we have taken.
Let us continually #Awaken ourselves to the ills of society do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.
What can you do with our first #AdventWord #Awaken?
Take time and meditate upon this word.
Here are our new #AdventWords and #Advent #HashTagsWithMeaning2017
Arise, O Jerusalem, stand upon the height and look toward the
east, and see your children gathered from west and east at the
word of the Holy One. Baruch 5:5
Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down
righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation may spring up,
and let it cause righteousness to sprout up also. Isaiah 45:8, NRSV
Let us now light our first candle on our virtual Advent wreathe and pray and meditate upon the Word of God.
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
Advent
Come and save us, * O Lord God of hosts.
Come and save us, O Lord God of hosts.
Show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved:
O Lord God of hosts.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Come and save us, O Lord God of hosts.
V. Show us your mercy, O Lord:
R. And grant us your salvation.
Light One Candle - Peter, Paul, and Mary
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18
Qui regis Israel
1 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; *
shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.
shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.
2 In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, *
stir up your strength and come to help us.
stir up your strength and come to help us.
3 Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
4 O Lord God of hosts, *
how long will you be angered
despite the prayers of your people?
how long will you be angered
despite the prayers of your people?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears; *
you have given them bowls of tears to drink.
you have given them bowls of tears to drink.
6 You have made us the derision of our neighbors, *
and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
16 Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, *
the son of man you have made so strong for yourself.
the son of man you have made so strong for yourself.
17 And so will we never turn away from you; *
give us life, that we may call upon your Name.
give us life, that we may call upon your Name.
18 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
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.
Isaiah 64:1-9
O that you would tear open the heavens and come down,
so that the mountains would quake at your presence--
so that the mountains would quake at your presence--
as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil--
and the fire causes water to boil--
to make your name known to your adversaries,
so that the nations might tremble at your presence!
so that the nations might tremble at your presence!
When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
From ages past no one has heard,
no ear has perceived,
no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who works for those who wait for him.
who works for those who wait for him.
You meet those who gladly do right,
those who remember you in your ways.
those who remember you in your ways.
But you were angry, and we sinned;
because you hid yourself we transgressed.
because you hid yourself we transgressed.
We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth.
and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
There is no one who calls on your name,
or attempts to take hold of you;
or attempts to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.
and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.
Yet, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
Do not be exceedingly angry, O Lord,
and do not remember iniquity forever.
Now consider, we are all your people.
and do not remember iniquity forever.
Now consider, we are all your people.
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.
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind-- just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you-- so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
A Song of Faith
1 Peter 1:3-4,18-21
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, *
by divine mercy we have a new birth into a living hope;
Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, *
we have an inheritance that is imperishable in heaven.
The ransom that was paid to free us *
was not paid in silver or gold,
But in the precious blood of Christ, *
the Lamb without spot or stain.
God raised Jesus from the dead and gave him glory *
so that we might have faith and hope in God.
Mark 13:24-37
Jesus said, “In those days, after that suffering,
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from heaven,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”
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.
Here is one of my favorite pieces by J.S. Bach to get us started.
Sleepers Wake
Take your time to do this and be prepared to sit quietly in silence after this piece.
Let us pray,
God wake us up out of the silences that make us complicit viewers as violence and hatred surrounds.
Awaken our Hearts and voices O, God.
God wake us up from out sleep that we may seek to know and serve you more fully.
Awaken our Hearts and voices O, God.
God wake us up to be able to speak truth to power and be the voice for the voiceless.
Awaken our Hearts and voices O, God.
God wake us up to work for justice and universal human rights.
Awaken our Hearts and voices O, God.
God wake us op from the need to be engaged in one upmanship and the pointing of fingers.
Awaken our Hearts and voices O, God.
God wake up our spirits so that we may connect with you.
Awaken our Hearts and voices O, God.
God wake up our minds so that we may seek what is true and what is right.
Awaken our Hearts and voices O, God.
God wake up our hearts so that we may love with Love Energy that will shine your Light to a fragile and broken world.
Awaken our Hearts and voices O, God.
God wake up our souls so that we may be empowered to answer your call to new life paths and vocations.
Awaken our Hearts and voices O, God.
God wake up our bodies so that we may find ourselves stronger and able to care for the least of these our family members.
Awaken our Hearts and voices O, God.
God wake up our lives from times of just casually watching the media on T.V. without being empowered to take action when we see injustice, racism, and hatred.
Awaken our Hearts and voices O, God.
God wake up and open our hearts to add our prayers and thanksgivings__________________
Awaken our Hearts and voices O, God.
God wake us up so that we may be in relationship with you and your Son Jesus whom we lift up our daily prayers in his name.
Awaken our Hearts and voices O, God.. 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.
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.
Advent Blessing
May Almighty God, by whose providence our Savior Christ
came among us in great humility, sanctify you with the light
of his blessing and set you free from all sin. Amen.
May he whose second Coming in power and great glory we
await, make you steadfast in faith, joyful in hope, and
constant in love. Amen.
May you, who rejoice in the first Advent of our Redeemer, at
his second Advent be rewarded with unending life. Amen.
And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you for ever.
Amen.
May the Sun of Righteousness shine upon you and scatter
the darkness from before your path; and the blessing of God
Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among
you, and remain with you always. Amen
Here is this Week's Prayer Cycle for the First Week of Advent! I love you all!
Help us to wait patiently again on you God and the plans you are setting before us.
Come thou long expected Jesus
Help us to give all our worries, anxieties, and all our live's baggage to you God, so that we may be free to worship you without fear but with a clean heart and on fire to serve you.
Come thou long expected Jesus
Help us to see are homeless, hungry, lonely, outcast and the least of these this season as we see Jesus,Joseph, and the Blessed Virgin Mary every year in the manger. When ever we see some one living out doors help us to remember and pray for them.
Come thou Long Expected Jesus
God our protector, watch over those who are traveling and are on any kind of journey, keep them safe where ever they may be.
Make ours and their pathways straight as we journey on towards you and throughout this season and always.
We pray for ______________________________________
Give them comfort Lord.
We give thanks this day______________________________
Shine in our hearts with gladness.
We remember all those who reside in the Thin Places______________________
We pray especially for women, children, and all those who are vulnerable.
Comfort ye my people.
We pray for the aging, sick, and those in any health care facility. We also pray for medical professionals and caregivers.
Comfort ye my people
We pray for our family members near and far. Help us to love them more and more.
Shine in our hearts with overflowing streams of living water and love.
All this we ask in the name of God the Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. Amen.
Comfort, Comfort ye my People
Don't forget we are still having our virtual candlelight vigils every day beginning at 5:00 p.m. each and every day through the remainder of the the year. Light a Candle and be at prayer. Also don't forget we are still prayer walking and taking your prayer requests.
Good Night Dear Ones. I love you! May you have a restful and peaceful sleep. I give God thanks for you this night and always. Remember tomorrow is You Matter Monday! Remember you matter and everyone else does too.
Hope, joy, love, and peace,
Sara
Resources:
Book of Occasional Services
Lectionary Page
Enriching our Worhip
Walk With Me On Our Journey
Quote Sites for Prayers and word definitions.
A gentle contemplative prayer walk to #Awaken our senses as we change seasons.
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