Good Evening!

Well we made it to Sunday evening! Tonight we begin to pray and meditate for peace in the world and becoming God's holy change makers. Tomorrow we remember Hiroshima and The Feast of the Transfiguration. Tonight I ask us to add another vigil time where we light a candle or turn on our porch lights to remember those who perished in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and an end to nuclear proliferation.

A reminder of this weekend's framework:

Tonight let us sit quietly in quiet contemplation for as long as you'd like and then.
Take time to feel:
God's presence.
God enfolding you!
God loving you!
God consoling us if we are grieving,
God taking away all the worry,
God saying "Come to me and rest!",
God speaking in that wonderful "Still small voice of Calm" and reassurance,
God giving us guidance as to our future paths. Sit back relax and be at one with God!

Let us begin with 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.

Tonight our vigil time will be made up of opening sentences, psalms, canticles, and lessons interspersed. Our final prayers will be at the end.

Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.Philippians 4:6

When anyone is united to Christ, there is a new world; the old order has gone, and a new order has already begun.2 Corinthians 5:17

You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but citizens together
with the saints and members of the household of God.
Ephesians 2:19

Love one another,

for love is of God,

and whoever loves is born of God and knows God.

Spirit of God, search our hearts.

Let us go to the central candle and light ours from it.

As we light our candles let us begin with the prayers for candlelighting.

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

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.

Vigil I
God we pray that we may live lives that will transform us into the children you'd have us be.

God we pray that we may become your peacemakers so that we may help transform this broken, fragile, and divided world.

God we pray that many of our family members may be raised up to be positive transforming leaders in the nations of the world.

God we pray that every day we live, move, and just be may be moments of self-transformation.

God we pray that we may seek ways to help transform our cities into places of sanctuary and safety.

God we pray that with your help we may seek to do justice, love, mercy and walk humbly with you and transform the lives of our family members who are voiceless and live on the margins.

God we pray that society may be transformed into a place where all human needs are met, human rights may be afforded to all, and our family members who have hardness of heart may be transformed into loving and kind human beings willing to extend a gracious hand to help in times of need.

God we pray that as we awaken from tonight's slumber we may be transformed into new beings willing to give lovingly of ourselves.

God we thank you that by the gift of your son Jesus we were transformed and as new beings we lift up these our prayers in His most Holy Name. Amen.

God we make vigil tonight for the healing of ourselves, our families, and the planet. Give us the courage to accept your healing and pray for the healing of others. Help us to pray with kind words, healing words, and loving words. Let us enter in holy silence as we make this vigil for healing.

Heal our bodies O God.

Heal our minds O God.

Heal our spirits O God.

Heal our hearts O God.

Heal our emotions O God.

Heal our fears O God.

Heal our lives O God.

Heal everyone and everything that lives on this planet O God.

Heal the Nations O God.

Heal divisions wherever we are O God.

Heal the world of hatred, racism, bigotry, abuse, white supremacy, terror, and all isms and obias O God.

Heal what ever is on our hearts during this vigil time and help us to pray and set it free and make us whole O God.

Heal_____________________ O God.

Hear our Prayers, and Heal us O God.

Healer of My Soul - John Michael Talbot

“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

Matthew 5:1-12New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

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.

Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I 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.

Taize - Lord Hear My Prayer

51 Miserere mei, Deus

1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your loving-kindness; *
in your great compassion blot out my offenses.

2 Wash me through and through from my wickedness *
and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions, *
and my sin is ever before me.
.
4 Against you only have I sinned *
and done what is evil in your sight.

5 And so you are justified when you speak *
and upright in your judgment.

6 Indeed, I have been wicked from my birth, *
a sinner from my mother's womb.

7 For behold, you look for truth deep within me, *
and will make me understand wisdom secretly.

8 Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure; *
wash me, and I shall be clean indeed.

9 Make me hear of joy and gladness, *
that the body you have broken may rejoice.

10 Hide your face from my sins *
and blot out all my iniquities.
11 Create in me a clean heart, O God, *
and renew a right spirit within me.

12 Cast me not away from your presence *
and take not your holy Spirit from me.

13 Give me the joy of your saving help again *
and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.

Ephesians 4:1-16

4I 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.

7 But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸Therefore it is said,
‘When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive;
he gave gifts to his people.’
⁹(When it says, ‘He ascended’, what does it mean but that he had also descended^* into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) ¹¹The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, ¹²to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, ¹³until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. ¹⁴We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming.¹⁵But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, ¹⁶from whom the whole body, joined and knitted together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.

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.

John 6:24-35

24So 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.

25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ 26Jesus 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. 27Do 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.’ 28Then they said to him, ‘What must we do to perform the works of God?’ 29Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’ 30So they said to him, ‘What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? 31Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” ’ 32Then Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is that which* comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ 34They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’

35 Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

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.

God we come to you this night seeking the healing of wounds!

We light another candle and place it in the sand bowl as an acknowledgement of our misusing of words and deeds towards our family members. We acknowledge our sins and ask for forgiveness.

We ask for forgiveness.

We pray for a change of mind, heart, and mien.

We seek re-union with you and our family members.

We accept our responsibility for our actions.

We atone for our actions.

We begin again.

We strive for justice and respect the dignity of every person you have made in your image and likeness.

We light another candle in the same manner as an acknowledgment of our corporate and communal failures that have divided us.

We pray for forgiveness and reconciliation.

We pray for the building of bridges and tearing down the walls of division.

We pray for a coming together as one human family seeking to do what is best for all of us and not some of us.

We pray for an end to premeditated discrimination, hatred, and inequality and violence.

We pray for an end to the gimme,gimme, gimme society in which we live so that we may learn how to share and help us to be one in fellowship, the breaking of bread, and in our prayer and worship time.

We pray for an end to what is dividing us personally remembering___________

Pray for the whole 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. (p. 815) BCP

We light our third and final candle in prayer and healing of wounds too deep for words.

We pray for an end to centuries old divisions that are man made and not of God.

We pray for an end to the hatreds that keep us from knowing God and each other more fully with Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and mercy.

We pray for an end to all forms of abuse that harm all of God's Children.

We pray for an end to inequality in all of its divisive forms.

We pray for all things that divide us from God and each other.

An optional prayer time with the Litany of Healing and other prayers.

From the BOOK OF OCCASIONAL SERVICES - A Public Service of Healing

O God of peace, you have taught us that in returning and

rest we shall be saved, in quietness and confidence shall be

our strength: By the might of your Spirit lift us, we pray, to

your presence, where we may be still and know that you are

God; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the

Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Litany of Healing

Let us name before God those for whom we offer our

prayers.

The People audibly name those for whom they are interceding.

A Person appointed then leads the Litany

God the Father, your will for all people is health and

salvation;

We praise you and thank you, O Lord

God the Son, you came that we might have life, and might

have it more abundantly;

We praise you and thank you, O Lord.

God the Holy Spirit, you make our bodies the temple of your

presence;

We praise you and thank you, O Lord.

Holy Trinity, one God, in you we live and move and have

our being;

We praise you and thank you, O Lord.

Lord, grant your healing grace to all who are sick, injured,

or disabled, that they may be made whole;

Hear us, O Lord of life.

Grant to all who seek your guidance, and to all who are

lonely, anxious, or despondent, a knowledge of your will

and an awareness of your presence;

Hear us, O Lord of life.

Mend broken relationships, and restore those in emotional

distress to soundness of mind and serenity of spirit;

Hear us, O Lord of life.

Bless physicians, nurses, and all others who minister to the

suffering, granting them wisdom and skill, sympathy and

patience;

Hear us, O Lord of life.

Grant to the dying peace and a holy death, and uphold by

the grace and consolation of your Holy Spirit those who are

bereaved;

Hear us, O Lord of life.

Restore to wholeness whatever is broken by human sin, in

our lives, in our nation, and in the world;

Hear us, O Lord of life.

You are the Lord who does wonders:

You have declared your power among the peoples.

With you, O Lord, is the well of life:

And in your light we see light.

Hear us, O Lord of life:

Heal us, and make us whole.

Let us pray.

+++++++

Let us now pray to God who is Love.

God of Love we pray that in this year to come we may practice random acts of kindness and love radically and more fully than we ever have before.

God of Love we pray that we may not hate, troll, bully, snipe, or be mean in social media and elsewhere.

God of Love we pray that we may practice being CALM (Compassionate, Accepting, Loving, and Merciful)

God of Love help us to use right behavior and manners with one another keeping kindness and love uppermost in our minds.

God of Love we pray that we may love one another not half-heartedly but fully and with out fear.

God of Love we pray for the healing of divisions throughout our land in war-torn nations. May love and peace prevail in this your fragile and broken world.

God of Love we pray for the healing of those who are ill in body, mind, and spirit. We remember ______________________ and all of our family members and those who have asked us to pray for.

God of Love we pray for all those who are homeless, hungry, and have nowhere to lay their heads in this cold weather. May they have courage to seek shelter and the many warming centers that are available. Protect them and keep them safe from harm.

God of Love we pray for all pets and all animals who aren't being protected from the cold weather. May the owners of their pets show loving concern for their fluffy family members.

God of Love we pray for justice, universal human rights and the courage to lovingly respond to those who are voiceless and need us to speak truth to power.

God of Love be with our family members who grieve losses that are new and those that are ongoing.
Give us compassionate hearts to love them through dark times and show them the light of your love.

God of Love we pray for all of our family members who live in the Thin Places where eternal joy and light are to be found.

God of Love we pray for all our family members who have children in school who are struggling to fit in and be accepted. We pray for those who have learning disabilities and have trouble learning and concentrating. We pray for patient teachers and parents.

God of Love we pray for the protection of our most vulnerable family members remembering children, elderly, differently-abled, those with memory disorders.

God of Love we pray for all our family members who are awaiting surgery and who are hospitalized.

God of Love we pray for ___________________________

God of Love we give thanks for______________________

God of Love we celebrate____________________________

God of Love we remember___________________________

We lay these our prayers at the feet of Jesus who is Love incarnate and in His Most Holy Name. Amen.

++++

I wish you all a blessed and peaceful night dear ones. I love you all and give thanks to God for you each and every day.

With love, hope, peace, joy, kindness, Love Energy abounding from my heart home to yours,

Sara

Resources:

Enriching Our Worship

Satucket Lectionary

Book of Common Prayer

Bible Gateway

Quote sites for other prayers

YouTube

Walk With Me On Our Journey.

Metis Aboriginal Ministries

Bonus Prayers

The Woke Prayers of St. Francis

Help us O God to be woke!

Woke as your peacemakers, change makers, heart changers, and love energy bringers!

Woke to the hatred so that we may sow seeds of love.

Woke to the injury so that we may heal the hurt and cease the harm.

Woke to the divisiveness that we may be eager to heal and unite as one neighborhood and family.

Woke to uncertainty that will lead us to be renewed in faith.

Woke to the despair of all our neighbors so that we may sow seeds of radical hope, love, hospitality, and inclusion.

Woke to the knowledge that we are God's beloved children. Help us to be woke enough to know that God has made us in God's image and we are all in God's hands

Let us be woke and sing He's Got the Whole World In His Hands!

He's got the whole world in His hands,