Good Evening Beloved Community!

Happy Being Mindful Monday. It's still You Matter Monday but we all need to change things up a bit this year. Mondays seem to be getting a bad rap and reputation. We never see them as they are. They are in reality the second day of the week. This makes Sunday our Sabbath day to start the week of right. On Mondays of this calendar year might I suggest we become more mindful not of ourselves but of others? I believe Mondays are hard days for all of us and we all need to find ways in which to serve God and God's family members ( That would be us). Taking a more CALM (compassionate, accepting, loving, and merciful) approach to live and living will help us in the long run. Folks, it's all about how we project our attitudes to ourselves and others. Please remember that we are looking in to the image and likeness of God when we do this. This is true mindfulness. Today we celebrate the Feast Day of Harriet Bedell who was a deacon and missionary. You can read more about her in the resources below. We are all called to be servants of God and also to in the words of Bishop John H. Taylor, Bishop Diocesan in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles "Feed Hungry Hearts!" That is what we members in the Beloved Community must do daily in some way or other. Even if it is a wonderful and warm embrace and smile. So dear ones let us serve one another as God serves us, not out of our scarcity but out of our abundance. The best way I know how to do this is to make vigil, be at prayer, and read what God is saying through our daily scripture readings. So let us begin.

Let us come together and hold sacred and holy space as we make this a healing circle of love, mindfulness and know that we are encircled in a prayer quilt of safety and peace.

Peace be still.

Peace be.

Peace.

Peace be still.

Peace be.

Peace.

Peace be still.

Peace be.

Peace.

God’s love has been poured into our hearts

through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

You are in the midst of us, O Lord;

and we are called by your name.

Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense, and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice.

Psalm 141:2

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

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; let the whole
earth stand in awe of him. Psalm 96:9

Thine is the day, O God, thine also the night; thou hast
established the moon and the sun. Thou hast fixed all the
boundaries of the earth; thou hast made 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 that made the Pleiades and Orion, that turns deep
darkness into the morning, and darkens the day into night;
that calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out
upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his Name. Amos 5:8

If I say, “Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light
around me turn to night,” darkness is not dark to thee, O Lord;

the night is as bright as the day; darkness and light to thee
are both alike. Psalm 139:10, 11

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world; he that follows me
shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

Harriet Bedell, Deaconess and Missionary

Holy God, you chose your faithful servant Harriett Bedell to exercise the ministry of deaconess and to be a missionary among indigenous peoples: Fill us with compassion and respect for all people, and empower us for the work of ministry throughout the world; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Let us light our candles and make vigil this night!

God let us light our candles to pray that we may love radically with open hearts, open souls, open spirits, and open minds. Let our love be seen not only in words but deeds. Let our lives show the love that you have given us daily without fear. God let our love be the measuring stick from which we may guide ourselves to do better when we fall short in loving all of our family members. God help us to love with words that have deep and abiding meaning that will build up and not tear down. Give us the courage to support our family members who desire to love and live openly as beloved children of God. God help us to know that Love truly is Love without condition and needs to be celebrated daily in many and exciting ways. God help us to love radically in the service of others and with enough Love Energy to set the world ablaze with enlivened and joyful hearts. We pray these our prayers in the name of God and in the name of Love who is God. Amen.

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.

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 Jesusso that his Spirit will carry our prayers to you. Amen.

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

Psalm 96:1-7

Cantate Domino

Sing to the Lord a new song; *

sing to the Lord, all the whole earth.

Sing to the Lord and bless his Name; *

proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day.

Declare his glory among the nations *

and his wonders among all peoples.

For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; *

he is more to be feared than all gods.

As for all the gods of the nations, they are but idols; *

but it is the Lord who made the heavens.

Oh, the majesty and magnificence of his presence! *

Oh, the power and the splendor of his sanctuary!

Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples; *

ascribe to the Lord honor and power.

Canticle Q

A Song of Christ’s Goodness

Anselm of Canterbury

Jesus, as a mother you gather your people to you; *

you are gentle with us as a mother with her children.

Often you weep over our sins and our pride, *

tenderly you draw us from hatred and judgment.

You comfort us in sorrow and bind up our wounds, *

in sickness you nurse us and with pure milk you feed us.

Jesus, by your dying, we are born to new life; *

by your anguish and labor we come forth in joy.

Despair turns to hope through your sweet goodness; *

through your gentleness, we find comfort in fear.

Your warmth gives life to the dead, *

your touch makes sinners righteous.

Lord Jesus, in your mercy, heal us; *

in your love and tenderness, remake us.

In your compassion, bring grace and forgiveness, *

for the beauty of heaven, may your love prepare us.

Romans 16:1-2 (NRSV)

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church at Cenchreae, so that you may welcome her in the Lord as is fitting for the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you, for she has been a benefactor of many and of myself as well.

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.

Matthew 5:1-12 (NRSV)

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.”

Canticle 15

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.

“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

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.

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.

First Sunday after the Epiphany: The Baptism of Our Lord

Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Prayers for Commitment

God help us to commit to each other every day to be mindful that everyone matters.

God help us we pray to commit our lives to the care of all of our family members nearby and far away.

God help us we pray to commit to the equality and well being of all and that we will speak truth to power in solidarity with the marginalized as we remember especially_________.

God help us we pray to commit our Love Energy and Heart Homes to making peace on our streets and through out the world.

God help us we pray to commit our care muscles in the care of all our family members and especially the least of these and our many family members who are ill in body, mind, and spirit.

God help us we pray to commit our compassion muscles in lovingly supporting our family members who are grieving and having life struggles.

God help us we pray to commit our energy to be good conservationists of your Cathedral of Life.

God help us we pray to commit ourselves to the fight of injustice, being a voice for the voiceless, and speaking truth to power and letting justice roll down.

God help us we pray to commit ourselves to the inclusion of all human beings into our lives and be fully accepting of them as our brothers and sisters.

God help us we pray to commit our energies in the service of all our family members who are in trouble, danger, escaping tyranny and unsafe nations.

God help us we pray to commit ourselves to protecting all who labor in factory, farm, and everywhere.

God we commit ourselves to you,

God we commit to being Loving towards you, our family members, and ourselves.

God we commit to walk the walk and talk the talk without fear and reservation,

God we commit to speak lovingly towards each other with dignity and respect.

God we commit to get to know our family members from other faith communities as our brothers and sisters.

God we commit to the affirmation that All Lives Matter and All means All and not Some.
God we commit to enter into daily silence and go deeper to the center to be in communion, conversation, and listening with you and hear with our heart homes and with the necessary Love Energy you Give us.

God we add our additional prayers and thanksgivings now remembering especially__________

Accept these our prayers in name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.

And these

Tonight let us celebrate with God and pray these our prayers that we offer in the name of God who is love;

God we celebrate our lives and our family members because each day that we live is worth celebrating.

God we celebrate our diversity may we lovingly accept and include everyone into this your Family of love. May we be united as one and have the privilege of having universal human rights that respect our dignity as your children.

God we celebrate your Cathedral of Life and the rich abundance that your provide for us each day.

God we celebrate and give thanks for homeless shelters, rescue missions, food pantries, food banks, domestic violence shelters, 211, 911, half-way houses, group homes, social service agencies, community organizers, thrift shops, and all those who serve the needs of our most vulnerable family members who are the least of these. We pay for all those who will not have shelter tonight that they may find havens away from the cold.

God we celebrate and give thanks for caregivers, doctors, nurses, home health aids, hospice volunteers, mortuary personnel, EMTs, In Home supportive service workers, Visiting nurses who care for all those who are ill and differently-abled. We pray this night for the healing of our youngest to the oldest family member who are ill.

God we celebrate the lives of those who have entered the Thin Places this day and in the recent past, especially those who are near and dear to us. We pray this night for all who mourn and are grieving.

God we celebrate those whom you have called to be peacemakers. We pray for peace in this fragile and broken world of yours. We pray for an end to any kind of violence and better laws involving guns.

God we may we celebrate each day with you in prayer, meditation, and walking with you.

Jesus as we continue to celebrate this season of Epiphany may we be led to many amazing things that you are going to show us . We pray these our prayers in your most Holy Name. Amen.

Eternal Spirit,

Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,

Source of all that is and that shall be,

Father and Mother of us all,

Loving God, in whom is heaven:

The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!

The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world!

Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!

Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.

With the bread we need for today, feed us.

In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.

In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.

From trials too great to endure, spare us.

From the grip of all that is evil, free us.

For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and for ever. Amen

Camille Saint -Saens Oratorio De Noel

THE GUIDING LIGHT OF ETERNITY

O God, who broughtst me from the rest of last night

Unto the joyous light of this day,

Be Thou bringing me from the new light of this day

Unto the guiding light of eternity.

Oh! from the new light of this day

Unto the guiding light of eternity.

SOLUS-IUIL NA SIORRUIDHEACHD

Dhe, thug mis a fois na h-oidhch an raoir

Chon solus aoibh an la an diugh,

Bi da mo thoir bho sholus ur an la an diugh,

Chon solus iul na siorruidheachd,

O! bho sholus ur an la an diugh,

Gu solus iul na siorruidheachd.

From the Carmina Gadelica

God the source of eternal light,

shed forth your unending day on us who watch for you;

that our lips may praise you,

our hearts bless you and our lives glorify you;

through our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Preserve us, O God, while waking,
and guard us while sleeping,
that awake we may watch with Christ,
and asleep may rest in your peace.
Song of Simeon
Nunc Dimittis
Praise be to God, I have lived to see this day.
God’s promise is fulfilled, and my duty done.
At last you have given me peace,
for I have seen with my own eyes
the salvation you have prepared for all nations -
a light to the world in its darkness,
and the glory of your people Israel.
Glory be God, sustaining, redeeming, sanctifying,
as in the beginning, so now, and for ever.
Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

May the God of peace sanctify us wholly,

and may our spirit, soul and body

be kept sound and blameless

at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.

++++++++

Good Night Beloved Community. May we all be mindful and love one another as God love us. Take time to rest in The Lord and welcome the refreshment of your spirits. I love you and give thanks to God our Creator, Jesus our Brother, and the Holy Spirit our Advocate and Guide for you this day and always.

Peace, love, prayers, and God's Blessings,

Sara

P.S.

Hi all! If you read my blog, we are still adjusting to the lack of flexibility with the Blogger app. It does most things well but formatting is not one of them. I'm sorry if parts look like they are screaming at you! Walk With Me On Our Journey, only does that when a prophetic voice and speaking truth to power is necessary! I

love you and give thanks for you and your patience!

Resources

Book of Common Prayer

A New Zealand Prayer Book

In Lak 'Ech - Luis Valdez

The Satucket Lectionary
Harriet Bedell

Indian Metis Christian Fellowship
Smudging Prayer

Walk With Me On Our Journey

Walk With me on Our Journey

Monday, January 8, 2018

Happy Being Mindful Monday!