Behold now, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, *
you that stand by night in the house of the LORD.
Lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the LORD; *
the LORD who made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion.
God we come before you this night to light our candles, pray, give thanks, and be still and know that you are God and that you are Good. We pray this night that we may seek to be refreshed, renewed, and reacquainted with you, each other, and ourselves. We pray that we may be freed from the need to be drawn into the snares of fear, hatred, bigotry, and all things that divide us from you and each other.
We pray this night for all the gifts of the Holy Spirit that draw us near to you and carry us out into the world to serve and love all of our family members. We pray this night and give thanks for the gift of pain and struggle that remind us of our sisters and brothers who are enduring many things beyond all of our knowledge. We pray that love, joy, hope, and peace may spread across this nation and the world like the rush of that famous mighty wind on Pentecost and we may find ourselves wrapped in the Spirit's Comforting and Healing quilt. Draw us near to one another through Jesus' love and mercy. Let us light our candles as we take them out into the world and vanquish all darkness, hate, and division. We add our prayers and thanksgivings and offer this moment of silence in memory of all who have died in any act of violence this day and those who are suffering at the hands of verbal and violent acts of terror and abuse. God hear our prayers and petitions and the cries of our hearts and spirits this night and always. Amen.
121 Levavi oculos Isaiah 35:1-1035The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,
10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, 122 Lætatus sum 1 I was glad when they said to me, * "Let us go to the house of the Lord." 2 Now our feet are standing * within your gates, O Jerusalem. 3 Jerusalem is built as a city * that is at unity with itself; 4 To which the tribes go up, Ephesians 4:1-64I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. 123 Ad te levavi oculos meos 1 To you I lift up my eyes, * to you enthroned in the heavens. 2 As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, * and the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, 3 So our eyes look to the Lord our God, * until he show us his mercy. 4 Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy, * for we have had more than enough of contempt, 5 Too much of the scorn of the indolent rich, * and of the derision of the proud. John 17:6,15-236 ‘I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 15I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one.* 16They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 17Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth. 20 ‘I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, 21that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us,* so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 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. II Almighty Father, whose blessed Son before his passion prayed for his disciples that they might be one, as you and he are one: Grant that your Church, being bound together in love and obedience to you, may be united in one body by the one Spirit, that the world may believe in him whom you have sent, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Almighty God, whose Son, the risen Christ, sent forth your apostles Andronicus and Junia to proclaim the Gospel and extend your reign: send us forth in your Holy Spirit, that women and men may minister as one in faithful witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit in perfect unity, one God, now and for ever. Amen. We thank you, Lord Jesus, for the day you have given us, and for all the pleasure we have had. Guard us while we sleep, and bless all those we love, this night and for ever. Amen. Julian of Norwich Christ revealed our frailty and our falling, * our trespasses and our humiliations. Christ also revealed his blessed power, * his blessed wisdom and love. He protects us as tenderly and as sweetly when we are in greatest need; * he raises us in spirit and turns everything to glory and joy without ending. God is the ground and the substance, the very essence of nature; * God is the true father and mother of natures. We are all bound to God by nature, * and we are all bound to God by grace. And this grace is for all the world, * because it is our precious mother, Christ. For this fair nature was prepared by Christ for the honor and nobility of all, * and for the joy and bliss of salvation. Now let us take time for a bit of personal meditation that is of your very own making. Remember to create your meditation environment, breathe, and go deep into the center. Decide on your time, your pace, and how you'd like to do it. If you need the "Be Stills" here they are: Be still and know that I am God. Be still and know that I am. Be still and know. Be still. Be. Don't forget to breathe! God we pray this night for all who are in fragile and tender situations. We remember all of your children who are refugees, captives, victims of any kind of violence and abuse, the mentally ill and memory challenged. We remember all of our family members who see to harm that they may be led out of the need to do so. Gather us in O God ,as your beloved children. God we pray this night for all who travel that they may be protected. Help us to be mindful as we drive and bike. Make us mindful of all who walk and carry heavy loads. Gather us in O God, as your beloved children. God we pray for peace, justice, mercy, equality, and inclusion in our cities, states, country, and nations of the world. Gather us in O God, as your beloved children. God we pray for all who are grieving losses of any kind and that we may lovingly respond to their needs. Gather us in O God, as your beloved children. God we pray for all who are transitioning into life eternal and those who have made the journey today. Give us courage to lovingly honor their passing and celebrate their lives in the way we live, move and just be. Gather us in O God, as your beloved children. God we pray for ourselves and on behalf of others remembering especially__________________ Gather us in O God, as your beloved children. God we lift up with thanksgiving our many blessings that you have lovingly bestowed upon us remembering______________ Gather us in O God, as your beloved children. God we lift up our prayers in the name of Jesus . Amen. (Alternative form of the Lord's Prayer as found in the New Zealand Prayer Book.) 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. Matthew 5:1–10 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.” 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. 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. The Wisdom of God the Love of God and the Grace of God strengthen us to be Christ’s hands and heart in this world, in the name of the Holy Trinity. Amen. (source: Celtic) 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! May you be blessed and have your hearts warmed by God's holy and life giving presence this day and always. With peace, love, and prayers, Sara
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