Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Wisdom Wednesday! Words from Gregory of Nazianzus!



Good Evening Dear Ones! 

A little bit of wisdom on Wisdom Wednesday from Gregory of Nazianzus as we move directlty toward our time of prayer and meditating upon God's God News. Nothing fancy, just keeping it simple.








Peace be still.
Peace be. 
Peace.

Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.

Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.

Let us engage in a time of silence. Please get out your timers and set them for 20 minutes.
After the period of 20 minutes of mindfulness and our eyes being closed let us use this format for our time of prayer and breathing:

First breathe in the Holy Spirit and let your lungs expand with love and energy.
Exhale love and feel empowered with compassion and mercy.

God let our spirits be renewed this night and that we may rest and awaken to serve and worship God on the morrow.

Inhale the Holy Spirit, exhale love!

God we pray for all those who are ill that they may be healed that they may feel God's healing and life giving spirit.

Inhale the Holy Spirit , exhale love!

God we pray for peace in our hearts and in the world that all of our family members may be empowered to be peace makers and your children.

Inhale the Holy Spirit , exhale love!

God we pray for all those who have lost loved ones in the latest acts of terror. May we rise with the Holy Spirit's power and do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with you O God and give voice to the voiceless!

Inhale the Holy Spirit, exhale love!
God we pray for an end to hatred, violence, division and terror from all who use these things against all your beloved children and the least of these. May their hearts be turned to love and live the true words of the Gospel and not the Gospel of Hate.

Inhale the Holy Spirit , exhale love!

Inhale the Holy Spirit , exhale love!

God we pray for all who died and those who mourn. Let those who mourn and those who have entered and are entering the Thin Places feel your gentle Spirit's love, compassion, and grace enfolding them.

Inhale the Holy Spirit , exhale love!

We add our prayers, thanksgivings, celebrations, and remembrances this night especially for________________
Inhale the Holy Spirit , exhale love!

Come Jesus! Come empower us! Receive these our prayers in your Name ! Amen.


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.

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

God is Love and where true love is,God himself is there!
God is Love and where true love is God himself is.
God is Love and where true love is God
God is Love and where true love is.
God is Love

Be still and know that God is Love.
Be still and know that God is.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be

Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.

Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be

 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.







Christ our Passover     Pascha nostrum
1 Corinthians 5:7-8; Romans 6:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22

Alleluia.
Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us; *
    therefore let us keep the feast,
Not with old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, *
    but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia.
Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; *
    death no longer has dominion over him.
The death that he died, he died to sin, once for all; *
    but the life he lives, he lives to God.
So also consider yourselves dead to sin, *
    and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia.
Christ has been raised from the dead, *
    the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since by a man came death, *
    by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, *
    so in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia.

Psalm 37:3–6,32–33

Noli aemulari
Put your trust in the Lord and do good; *
dwell in the land and feed on its riches.
4 Take delight in the Lord, *
and he shall give you your heart's desire.
5 Commit your way to the Lord and put your trust in him, *
and he will bring it to pass.
6 He will make your righteousness as clear as the light *
and your just dealing as the noonday.
32 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, *
and their tongue speaks what is right.
33 The law of their God is in their heart, *
and their footsteps shall not falter.


Wisdom 7:7-14


7 Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me;
I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. 
8 I preferred her to sceptres and thrones,
and I accounted wealth as nothing in comparison with her. 
9 Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem,
because all gold is but a little sand in her sight,
and silver will be accounted as clay before her. 
10 I loved her more than health and beauty,
and I chose to have her rather than light,
because her radiance never ceases. 
11 All good things came to me along with her,
and in her hands uncounted wealth. 
12 I rejoiced in them all, because wisdom leads them;
but I did not know that she was their mother. 
13 I learned without guile and I impart without grudging;
I do not hide her wealth, 
14 for it is an unfailing treasure for mortals;
those who get it obtain friendship with God,
commended for the gifts that come from instruction. 



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.
39
“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.

Ephesians 3:14-21

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,* 15from whom every family* in heaven and on earth takes its name. 16I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, 17and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. 18I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen. 



“Grace is given not to them who speak [their faith] but to
 those who live their faith.” 
― Gregory of Nazianzus

Now at this evening hour- Gregory of Nazianzus

Now at this evening hour,
O Thou, my Christ, to Thee,
Thou Word of God, Eternal Light,
All grateful praises be.

From Thee the Spirit comes,
Third beam of peerless light,
And in Thyself one glorious orb
The triple rays unite.

Thy word and wisdom Thou
To lighten man hast given,
That he the splendour might reflect
That shines superb in heaven;

And having light within,
Might see Thine image bright,
And daily rise, till he himself
Is altogether light.

Hymns of the Greek Church, 1900



John 8:25–32
The Pharisees said to Jesus, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them, "Why do I speak to you at all? I have much to say about you and much to condemn; but the one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him." They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me. And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him." As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."



A Hymn by St. Gregory Nazianzus

O all-transcendent God what other name describes Thee?

What words can sing Thy praises?

No word at all denotes Thee. What mind can probe Thy secret?

No mind at all can grasp Thee. Alone beyond the power of speech, all men can speak of springs from Thee. Alone beyond the power of thought, all men can think of stems from Thee.

All things proclaim Thee - things that can speak, things that cannot. All things revere Thee - things that have reason, things that have none. The whole world's longing and pain mingle about Thee.

All things breathe Thee a prayer, a silent hymn of Thy own composing. All that exists Thee uphold, all things in concert move to Thy orders.

Thou art the end of all that is, Thou art one, Thou art all; Thou art none of the things that are, Thou art not a part and not the whole.

All names are at Thy disposal; how shall I name Thee, the only unnamable? What mind's affinities with heaven can pierce the veils above the clouds?

Mercy, all-transcendent God, what other name describes Thee?


Acts 18:1-28

Paul in Corinth

After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them, and they worked together—by trade they were tentmakers.Every sabbath he would argue in the synagogue and would try to convince Jews and Greeks.
 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with proclaiming the word, testifying to the Jews that the Messiah was Jesus.When they opposed and reviled him, in protest he shook the dust from his clothes and said to them, ‘Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.’ Then he left the synagogue and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshipper of God; his house was next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the official of the synagogue, became a believer in the Lord, together with all his household; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul became believers and were baptized. One night the Lord said to Paul in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to harm you, for there are many in this city who are my people.’ He stayed there for a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal. They said, ‘This man is persuading people to worship God in ways that are contrary to the law.’Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, ‘If it were a matter of crime or serious villainy, I would be justified in accepting the complaint of you Jews; but since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves; I do not wish to be a judge of these matters.’ And he dismissed them from the tribunal. Then all of them seized Sosthenes, the official of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of these things.

Paul’s Return to Antioch

 After staying there for a considerable time, Paul said farewell to the believers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had his hair cut, for he was under a vow. When they reached Ephesus, he left them there, but first he himself went into the synagogue and had a discussion with the Jews. When they asked him to stay longer, he declined; but on taking leave of them, he said, ‘I will return to you, if God wills.’ Then he set sail from Ephesus.
 When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. After spending some time there he departed and went from place to place through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

Ministry of Apollos

 Now there came to Ephesus a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria. He was an eloquent man, well-versed in the scriptures. He had been instructed in the Way of the Lord; and he spoke with burning enthusiasm and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the Way of God to him more accurately. And when he wished to cross over to Achaia, the believers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. On his arrival he greatly helped those who through grace had become believers, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the scriptures that the Messiah is Jesus.


Collects:

Almighty God, you have revealed to your Church your eternal Being of glorious majesty and perfect love as one God in Trinity of Persons: Give us grace that, like your bishop Gregory of Nazianzus, we may continue steadfast in the confession of this faith, and constant in our worship of you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; for you live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

O LORD, from whom all good things do come; Grant to us thy humble servants, that by thy holy inspiration we may think those things that are good, and by thy merciful guiding may perform the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.


I. For fruitful seasons

Almighty God, Lord of heaven and earth: We humbly praythat your gracious providence may give and preserve to our use the harvests of the land and of the seas, and may prosper all who labor to gather them, that we, who are constantly receiving good things from your hand, may always give youthanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


II. For Commerce and Industry

Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ in his earthly life
shared our toil and hallowed our labor: Be present with your
people where they work; make those who carry on the industries
and commerce of this land responsive to your will; and give
to us all a pride in what we do, and a just return for our labor;
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.



Sixth Sunday of Easter

O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good
things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such
love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above
all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we
can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


Let us pray,




God we pray for peace on the earth and in our hearts this day. 
Hear us when we pray O God.

God we pray for an end to hatred, bigotry and abuse and all forms of violence.
Hear us when we pray O God.

God we pray for all who are ill and in need of healing especially those whose names we speak now_____________
Hear us when we pray O God.

God we pray for all of our family members who are in grief.Let them feel your calming and abiding presence and your gentle arms embracing them.

Hear us when we pray O God.

God we pray for______________________
Hear us when we pray O God.

God we give thanks for_________________
Hear us when we give thanks to you O God.

God we pray for the least of these may we serve each one of our family members as if we are serving and loving you and each other.
Hear us when we pray O God.

God we pray that we may be CALM (Compassionate, Accepting, Loving, and Merciful)
Hear us when we pray O God.

God we pray that all nations will be at peace and all their peoples may find justice, peace, equality, safety, and universal human rights.

Hear us when we pray O God.

God we remember those precious ones who have died and entered the Thin Places remembering especially ____________________. Let Light Perpetual Shine upon them.
Hear us when we pray O God.

Prayer of Gregory of Nazianzus

O All-Transcendent God
…..(and what other name could describe you?),
what words can hymn Your praises?
…..No word does You justice.
What mind can probe Your secret?
…..No mind can encompass You.

You are alone beyond the power of speech,
yet all that we speak stems from You.
You are alone beyond the power of thought,
yet all that we can conceive springs from You.

All things proclaim You,
those endowed with reason and those bereft of it.
All the expectation and pain of the world coalesces in You.
All things utter a prayer to You, a silent hymn composed by You.

You sustain everything that exists,
and all things move together to Your orders.
You are the goal of all that exists.
You are one and You are all,
yet You are none of the things that exist,
neither a part nor the whole.

You can avail Yourself of any name;
how shall I call You, the only unnameable?
All-transcendent God!

The settings of the Lord's Prayer from A New Zealand Prayer Book.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever.    Amen.
or the alternative form.
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.

Teresa of Avila (1515–1582)
Christ Has No Body

“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 Avila

 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. 


God’s Blessing be with you,
Christ’s peace be with you,
the Spirit’s outpouring be with you,
now and always. Amen.
(source: Celtic)

The Wisdom of God
the Love of God
and the Grace of God
strengthen you
to be Christ’s hands and heart in this world,
in the name of the Holy Trinity. Amen.
(source: Celtic)

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 St. Chrysostom
Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one
accord to make our common supplication unto thee, and
hast promised through thy well-beloved Son that when two
or three are gathered together in his Name thou wilt be in the
midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, the desires and petitions
of thy servants as may be best for us; granting us in this
world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life
everlasting. Amen.


Good Night Dear Ones! Take time to tell everyone who matters to you this night that you love them. I love you and give thanks to God for you this night and always!

Our Fitness routine  for a Month From our Camino Fitness guide is this: 

MONTH 1

Walk 5 km 2 TIMES PER WEEK - 5 k = 5 kilometers =

3.107 miles

Month One is all about getting started. Walking 5km on flat terrain should take less than an hour. You should be aiming for 45 minutes by the end of the month. 


The prayer walking framework is designed for all fitness levels or no fitness level at all when you can pray in place.  We will begin with the toolkit a.k.a. the things you need for your prayer walk:

Water
Clothing appropriate for the weather
Hat
Sun Screen
Well cushioned and supportive shoes.
Music if you so desire.
Do not carry a bag unless you are going to an event or to the store, church, appointment.  Jesus was right about traveling light.

We begin our time remembering to secure our homes and make sure we have our house key with us. Take time to secure your shoe laces.

Pause.
This week's tip!
This week change up your route!
Try to avoid using music and unplug as much as possible.

Give thanks to God for being able to walk in God's Cathedral of life.
Pray for your neighbors.
When you see uneven pavement pray for those who repair our infrastructure.
When you approach a Stop sign. Pause, reflect, and decide your route and length of walk.
Use the signage along the way to help you design your prayer intentions. 
If you are walking to the store - pray for the hungry, farmworkers, grocery clerks, food banks etc.
If you are walking to the doctor's office as I did today, I prayed by name for the sick, the ill, for the medical personnel and for calm nerves for myself.
I prayed the prayer requests that were given me. 
Adjust your prayer walk to fit in with your schedule instead of walking at a set time that may or may not work for you.
Take time for quiet and appreciate nature. Introspection should be the last half of the walk.
Remember this is a sprint not a marathon as we place our feet upon holy ground. 
Give thanks to God when you return home.
Hydrate as much as you can and give thanks to God for the gift of water and feel it coursing through your veins as you are empowered with love energy to serve God in the world. 
Remember to honor our family members who are sharing the side walk with us and greet them. Our smiles and courtesy reflect Jesus to others. 

Those are the basics. You don't even need a prayer book.

I love you all!

Love, blessings, peace, and may we always keep on, keeping on walking with God,



Sara

Resources.

Enriching Our Worship 1 - 1997
Book of Common Prayer
The Good Book Club
Satucket Lectionary
http://satucket.com/lectionary/Gregory_Nazianzus.htm
Oremus Bible Browser
Walk With Me On Our Journey
A New Zealand Prayer Book
In Lak 'Ech -Luis Valdez
Metis Aboriginal Ministries.
Other Sources as Noted





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