Getting ready to be on the Way a time of pondering and Praying!

  

Good Evening Beloved Community and Pilgrims!

Happy Wisdom Wednesday! Here we are again! Using an iPad mini  to blog. This is what we call traveling light! If we haven't already done so, I would like us to spend time in mindful consideration as to what our hopes and focused intentions are for January, our first month of pilgrimage.  I would suggest all of us get a journal and do a year's worth of scribbles and mindfulness work. I would like to suggest that we get a copy of the DVD/ Blu-Ray film "The Way" with Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez. We will be using this quite frequently throughout the year. Today's questions for meditation and pondering are these: 

Where am I spiritually? Am I ready to embark upon an unknown journey? Is my heart home ready to be expanded? Have I been nourishing my heart roots? ,and How is my inner being being made CALM (Compassionate, Accepting, Loving, and Merciful) with dashes of justice and kindness thrown in? 

Yes a lot of work but worth every ounce of heart and love energy we will put into it. We will be doing daily ponderings along with our usual prayers, vigils, and time of scripture reading. And don't forget our mindfulness exercises!

Let us begin by engaging in the "Be Stills"

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am.

Be still and know.

Be still.

Be.

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am.

Be still and know.

Be still.

Be.

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am.

Be still and know.

Be still.

Be.

God himself is with us !

Come let us adore  Him.

Light and Peace.

Thanks be to God 

Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, the lifting
up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.    Psalm 141:2


Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the
Lord Jesus Christ.    Philippians 1:2

Worship the Lord in the beauty of his holiness; let the whole earth
tremble before him.    Psalm 96:9

Yours is the day, O God, yours also the night; you established
the moon and the sun. You fixed all the boundaries of the
earth; you made both summer and winter.    Psalm 74:15,16

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel; my heart teaches
me, night after night. I have set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not fall.    Psalm 16:7,8

Seek him who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep
darkness into the morning, and darkens the day into night;
who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon
the surface of the earth: The Lord is his name.    Amos 5:8

O Gracious Light Phos hilaron 

O gracious light,
pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!
Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light,
we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, O Giver of Life,
and to be glorified through all the worlds. 

IN LAK’ECH

Tú eres mi otro yo.

You are my other me.

Si te hago daño a ti,

If I do harm to you,

Me hago daño a mi mismo.

I do harm to myself.

Si te amo y respeto,

If I love and respect you,

Me amo y respeto yo.

I love and respect myself.

Luis Valdez

“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

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 Beatitudes

5 When Jesus[a] saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely[b] on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Psalm 72

Deus, judicium

1	Give the King your justice, O God, *
	and your righteousness to the King’s Son;
2	That he may rule your people righteously *
	and the poor with justice;
3	That the mountains may bring prosperity to the people, *
	and the little hills bring righteousness.
4	He shall defend the needy among the people; *
	he shall rescue the poor and crush the oppressor.
5	He shall live as long as the sun and moon endure, *
	from one generation to another.
6	He shall come down like rain upon the mown field, *
	like showers that water the earth.
7	In his time shall the righteous flourish; *
	there shall be abundance of peace till the moon shall be no more.
8	He shall rule from sea to sea, *
	and from the River to the ends of the earth.
9	His foes shall bow down before him, *
	and his enemies lick the dust.
10	The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall pay tribute, *
	and the kings of Arabia and Saba offer gifts.
11	All kings shall bow down before him, *
	and all the nations do him service.
12	For he shall deliver the poor who cries out in distress, *
	and the oppressed who has no helper.
13	He shall have pity on the lowly and poor; *
	he shall preserve the lives of the needy.
14	He shall redeem their lives from oppression and violence, *
	and dear shall their blood be in his sight.
15	Long may he live!
	and may there be given to him gold from Arabia; *
	may prayer be made for him always,
	and may they bless him all the day long.
16	May there be abundance of grain on the earth,
	growing thick even on the hilltops; *
	may its fruit flourish like Lebanon,
	and its grain like grass upon the earth.
17	May his Name remain for ever
	and be established as long as the sun endures; *
	may all the nations bless themselves in him and call him blessed.
18	Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, *
	who alone does wondrous deeds!
19	And blessed be his glorious Name for ever! *
	and may all the earth be filled with his glory.
	Amen. Amen. 1 Kings 19:9-18 (NRSV) Elijah came to a cave, and spent the night there. Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He answered, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.” He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He answered, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.” Then the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” Canticle D 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. Ephesians 4:17-32 (NRSV) This I affirm and insist on in the Lord: you must no longer live as the Gentiles live, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance and hardness of heart. They have lost all sensitivity and have abandoned themselves to licentiousness, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. That is not the way you learned Christ! For surely you have heard about him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus. You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. Canticle B 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 6:15-27 (NRSV) When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself. When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going. The next day the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there. They also saw that Jesus had not got into the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” Canticle A Song of the Love of Wisdom Wisdom 6:17-20 The beginning of wisdom * is the true desire to receive teaching, and a longing to be taught * comes from a love of her; the one who loves her * will keep her laws. Observing the laws of wisdom * assures immortality, and immortality brings one * nearer still to God; so the desire for wisdom * leads to the authority of one who rules. First Sunday after Christmas Day, Rite Two Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. The Song of Mary Magnificat Luke 1:46-55 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.  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 Prayer of Self-Dedication,  Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to thee, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly thine, utterly dedicated unto thee; and then use us, we pray thee, as thou wilt, and always to thy glory and the welfare of thy people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Intercessions  for the 12 Days of Christmas 1. Gracious and loving God be with us tonight as the 12 days of Christmas come to a close and await the Epiphany of our Lord tomorrow. Help us to bring to Jesus in the manger and our mangers in our heart homes love, mercy, peace, hope, and joy. 2. Gracious and loving God we pray that we may be your agents of love,hope, joy, and peace and carry the light that was in the star of  Bethlehem to all the four corners of the world so that all of our family members may come to know you as the God of Love not war. 3. Gracious and loving God We pray for all those who are in the dark places of mental illness.  Give them the light of proper help so that they may live manageable lives. 4. Gracious and loving God we pray for all refugees remembering the Holy Family, Abraham and Sarah, and Hagar who made journeys into other lands to escape violence, danger, and oppression.  5. Gracious and loving God we pray for all who are ill and those who have are in the hospital. We pray for your gracious gift of healing.  We remember___________ and all others who are on our hearts. 6. Gracious and loving God we pray for all of our family members who are without proper shelter, food, and clothing in the winter time. May we be mindful of the least of these and that warming centers may be made available for help. 7. Gracious and loving God may we become the voices for the voiceless,  speak truth to power. and let justice roll down.  8. Gracious and loving God we pray that we all may be one as you, Jesus, and and the Holy Spirit are one. 10. Gracious and loving God we pray and give thanks for all those who are fervent in prayer and steadfast in the service of your kingdom here on Earth. We pray that peace may prevail upon this your fragile and broken world. 11. Gracious and loving God we pray for all those who are grieving the loss of loved ones especially those who are grieving sudden losses. 12. Gracious and loving God we pray that we may walk with you on your journey and remember the wise men from the East who came to seek your son. May we always be seeking and finding Jesus abiding in our heart homes and that we may know Him as Love in human and divine form.  May we continue to make our heart homes a place of love, joy, hope,and peace. Accept these our prayers in the name of your Son Jesus the Christ. Amen. Canticle 17 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 Lord watch between me and thee while we are absent one from another! Mizpah! ++++++++ Good Night Beloved Community! I love you and am excited to take this journey with you this year! Let Us rest gentle in God's all loving and abiding arms! Love and peace, Sara Resources  Metis Aboriginal Ministries Electronic Book of Common Prayer In Lak' Ech -Luis Valdez  Quote sites for prayers!