Good Evening Beloved Community,
We are once again grieving the loss of 11 souls and those who were injured in today's act of violence at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Tonight we simply light our candles, turn on our porch lights and make vigil. If you have 11 candles light them in memory, if you don't a single candle will do. Let us be at prayer.
Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.
Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.
Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.
Let peace begin with me so that I may be the change God wants to see in this world.
A Song of Lamentation
Lamentations 1:12,16; 3:19,22-24,26
Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? *
Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow,
Which was brought upon me, *
inflicted by God’s fierce anger.
For these things I weep; my eyes flow with tears, *
for a comforter is far from me, one to revive my courage.
Remember my affliction and my bitterness, *
wormwood and gall!
The steadfast love of God never ceases, *
God’s mercies never end.
They are new every morning; *
great is your faithfulness.
“God is my portion,” says my soul, *
“therefore will I hope in God.”
It is good that we should wait quietly *
for the coming of God’s salvation.
Let us light our candles and turn on our porch lights!
For Survivors of Abuse and Violence
Holy One, you do not distance yourself from the pain of your
people, but in Jesus bear that pain with us and bless all who suffer
at others’ hands. Hallow our flesh and all creation; with your
cleansing love bring healing and strength to all who were affected by violence at the Tree of Life Synagogue today; and by your
justice, lift them up, that in the body you have given them,
she/he may again rejoice. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
In Times of Personal Distress
Lord Christ, you came into the world as one of us, and suffered
as we do. As we go through the trials of life, help us to realize
that you are with us at all times and in all things; that we have
no secrets from you; and that your loving grace enfolds us for
eternity. In the security of your embrace we pray. Amen.
A Prayer of Comfort in God
God, you are my help and comfort; you shelter and surround me
in love so tender that I may know your presence with me, now
and always. Amen.
Psalm 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills; *
from where is my help to come?
2 My help comes from the LORD, *
the maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved *
and he who watches over you will not fall asleep.
4 Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel *
shall neither slumber nor sleep;
5 The LORD himself watches over you; *
the LORD is your shade at your right hand,
6 So that the sun shall not strike you by day, *
nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; *
it is he who shall keep you safe.
8 The LORD shall watch over your going out and
your coming in, *
from this time forth for evermore.
A Song of Jonah
Jonah 2:2-7, 9
I called to you, O God, out of my distress, and you answered me; *
out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.
You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, *
and the flood surrounded me;
all your waves and billows passed over me.
Then I said, “I am driven away from your sight; *
how shall I ever look again upon your holy temple?”
The waters closed in over me, the deep was round about me; *
weeds were wrapped around my head at the roots
of the mountains.
I went down to the land beneath the earth, *
yet you brought up my life from the depths, O God.
As my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, O God, *
and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.
With the voice of thanksgiving, I will sacrifice to you; *
what I have vowed I will pay, for deliverance belongs to the Lord!
Psalm 130
1 Out of the depths have I called to you, O LORD;
LORD, hear my voice; *
let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication.
2 If you, LORD, were to note what is done amiss, *
O Lord, who could stand?
3 For there is forgiveness with you; *
therefore you shall be feared.
4 I wait for the LORD; my soul waits for him; *
in his word is my hope.
5 My soul waits for the LORD,
more than watchmen for the morning, *
more than watchmen for the morning.
6 O Israel, wait for the LORD, *
for with the LORD there is mercy;
7 With him there is plenteous redemption, *
and he shall redeem Israel from all their sins.
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.
Enriching Our Worship2 12/14/00 1:50 PM Page 91
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.
For Emergency Workers
God our strong deliverer: when those charged with the urgent
mediation of your healing power feel overwhelmed by the numbers
of the suffering, uphold them in their fatigue and banish their
despair. Let them see with your eyes, so they may know all their
patients as precious. Give comfort, and renew their energy and
compassion, for the sake of Jesus in whom is our life and our
hope. Amen.
or this
Divine Physician, hear our prayers for those in emergency medicine.
By your healing power, grant them quick minds and skillful
hands. Strengthen them in times of trauma. In quiet times, give
them rest and assurance of the value of their work. Keep them
ever prepared for the work you have called them to do, for your
mercy’s sake. Amen.
For a death by violence ( EOW2 )
O God our Vindicator, come speedily to our help. Receive the
souls of your children, into the arms of your mercy, and deliver
their assailant to justice, that your holy Law may be served,
and your peace renewed; through Jesus our Savior. Amen.
Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd;*
I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures*
and leads me beside still waters.
3 He revives my soul*
and guides me along right pathways for his Name’s sake.
4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil;*
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You spread a table before me in the presence of those who
trouble me;*
you have anointed my head with oil,
and my cup is running over.
6 Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days
of my life,*
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
A Litany Anticipating Heaven
Let us pray with confidence, anticipating heaven, and let the
people respond, “Lead your child home.”
To the gates of Paradise
Lead your child home.
To your mercy-seat
Lead your child home.
To the kingdom of heaven
Lead your child home.
To your true sanctuary
Lead your child home.
To the multitude of the blessed
Lead your child home.
To the welcome-table
Lead your child home.
To the nuptial chamber
Lead your child home.
To the New Jerusalem
Lead your child home.
To eternal bliss
Lead your child home.
To the company of the saints
Lead your child home.
To the Supper of the Lamb
Lead your child home.
To the garden of delight
Lead your child home.
To the throne of majesty
Lead your child home.
To the lights of glory
Lead your child home.
To the Canaan-ground
Lead your child home.
To the highest heights
Lead your child home.
To the crown of glory
Lead your child home.
To the land of rest
Lead your child home.
To Jordan’s other shore
Lead your child home.
To the Holy City, the Bride
Lead your child home.
To the safe harbor
Lead your child home.
To the fount of life
Lead your child home.
To the gates of pearl
Lead your child home.
To the ladder of angels
Lead your child home.
To the land of milk and honey
Lead your child home.
To the clouds of glory
Lead your child home.
To the refreshing stream
Lead your child home.
To the reward of the righteous
Lead your child home.
To the dwelling-place of God
Lead your child home.
Psalm 71
1 In you, O LORD, have I taken refuge;*
let me never be ashamed.
2 In your righteousness, deliver me and set me free;*
incline your ear to me and save me.
3 Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe;*
you are my crag and my stronghold.
4 Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,*
from the clutches of the evildoer and the oppressor.
5 For you are my hope, O Lord GOD,*
my confidence since I was young.
6 I have been sustained by you ever since I was born;
from my mother’s womb you have been my strength;*
my praise shall be always of you.
7 I have become a portent to many;*
but you are my refuge and my strength.
8 Let my mouth be full of your praise*
and your glory all the day long.
9 Do not cast me off in my old age;*
forsake me not when my strength fails.
10 For my enemies are talking against me,*
and those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together.
11 They say, “God has forsaken him;
go after him and seize him;*
because there is none who will save."
12 O God, be not far from me;*
come quickly to help me, O My God.
13 Let those who set themselves against me be put to shame
and be disgraced;*
let those who seek to do me evil be covered with scorn
and reproach.
14 But I shall always wait in patience,*
and shall praise you more and more.
15 My mouth shall recount your mighty acts and saving deeds
all day long;*
though I cannot know the number of them.
16 I will begin with the mighty works of the Lord GOD;*
I will recall your righteousness, yours alone.
17 O God, you have taught me since I was young,*
and to this day I tell of your wonderful works.
18 And now that I am old and gray-headed, O God, do not
forsake me,*
till I make known your strength to this generation
and your power to all who are to come.
19 Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens;*
you have done great things; who is like you, O God?
20 You have showed me great troubles and adversities,*
but you will restore my life
and bring me up again from the deep places of the earth.
21 You strengthen me more and more;*
you enfold and comfort me,
22 Therefore I will praise you upon the lyre for your
faithfulness, O my God;*
I will sing to you with the harp; O Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will sing with joy when I play to you,*
and so will my soul, which you have redeemed.
24 My tongue will proclaim your righteousness all day long,*
for they are ashamed and disgraced who sought
to do me harm
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
now and for ever. Amen.
Let us pray the words of the Morning Prayer by Dietrich Bonhoeffer:
MORNING PRAYER
O God, early in the morning I cry to you.
Help me to pray
And to concentrate my thoughts on you:
I cannot do this alone.
Help me to pray
And to concentrate my thoughts on you:
I cannot do this alone.
In me there is darkness,
But with you there is light;
I am lonely, but you do not leave me;
I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help;
I am restless, but with you there is peace.
In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience;
But with you there is light;
I am lonely, but you do not leave me;
I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help;
I am restless, but with you there is peace.
In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience;
I do not understand your ways,
But you know the way for me…
Restore me to liberty,
And enable me to live now
That I may answer before you and before me.
But you know the way for me…
Restore me to liberty,
And enable me to live now
That I may answer before you and before me.
Lord, whatever this day may bring,
Your name be praised.
Your name be praised.
and ponder this:
"I can no longer condemn or hate a brother for whom I pray, no matter how much trouble he causes me.”
Believe
I believe in the sun
though it is late in rising.
I believe in love,
though it is absent
I believe in God
though he is silent...
(Translated from the French by Hilda Schiff. Text from an unsigned inscription found on the wall
of a cave in Cologne where Jews had been hiding, p.184)
I believe in the sun
though it is late in rising.
I believe in love,
though it is absent
I believe in God
though he is silent...
(Translated from the French by Hilda Schiff. Text from an unsigned inscription found on the wall
of a cave in Cologne where Jews had been hiding, p.184)
Kaddish
(The Kaddish is the Jewish prayer which is recited during the period of mourning and on every anniversary of a deceased member of a Jewish family or community. It prays that God may establish His kingdom of peace in the world.)
Yitgadal veyitkadash shemay rabba (Amen), b’alma div’ra chirutay veyamlich malchutay bechayechon uv’yomechon uv’chayay di chol bet Yisrael, ba’agala uviz’man kariv- v’imru Amen. Yehay shemay rabba mevorach l’alam ul’almay almaya.
Yitbarach veyishtabach veyitpa’ar veyitromam veyitnasay veyit’hadar veyitalay veyit’halal shemay di kudsha - Berich Hu- l’ayla min kol birchaata veshiratat tushbechata venechemata di amiran b’alma-v’imru Amen. Yehay shelama rabba min shemaya vechayim alaynu v’al kol Yisrael-v’imru Amen.
Osay shalom bimromav hu ya’aseh shalom v’al kol Yisrael-v’imru Amen.
Glorified and sanctified be God’s great name throughout the world which he has created according to his will. May he establish his kingdom in your lifetime and during your days, and within the life of the entire house of Israel, speedily and soon: and say Amen. May his great name be blessed forever and to all eternity.
Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honoured, adored and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed be he beyond all the blessings and hymns, praised and consolation that are ever spoken in the world; and say, Amen.
May there be abundant peace from heaven, and life, for us and for all Israel: and say, Amen. He who creates peace in his celestial heights, may he create peace for us and for all Israel: and say, Amen. Choral Items
Leader:
Let us pray that we will be people of compassion who will make a space for the other.
All:
We share the world"s horror at the tragic loss of life resulting from terrorism in Pittsburgh and other parts of the world. Together we mourn for the victims and grieve with those whose loss is so great. As people of faith we pray for peace and call on world leaders to respond by seeking justice, not revenge. May the God of peace protect us all.
Shofar: The shofar is sounded
Let everything that has life,
let everything that has breath
give all the glory and honour
and praise to the One who
overcame death.
Let every living thing
sing of the mercies of our God.
Let us exalt Him wherever we live
with thanksgiving and joy
in our hearts.
If we don’t praise Him,
the mountains will.
If we don’t exalt Him,
the rocks will cry out
in our stead,
‘God is not dead!’
Let every living thing
sing of the mercies of our God.
Let us exalt Him wherever we live
with thanksgiving and joy
in our hearts.
Lawrence Chewning
Prayer to end Genocide
By: Education for Justice
O Lord, we cry to you, with deep pain in our hearts and souls.
Our hearts ache, because of genocide caused by
the lust for power,
cruel hatred for others,
because of their race, religion or physical differences.
God of all, the heavens weep, the winds whisper
through this great world you have created.
We hear and feel the weeping in our own souls.
Open our eyes and cleanse our souls
that we may always remember the awful injustices.
How long, O God, will we look with empty souls and eyes, how long?
The answer, "Until you feel my pain for all my children."
We cry in shame. Forgive us Lord.
Amen.
(The Kaddish is the Jewish prayer which is recited during the period of mourning and on every anniversary of a deceased member of a Jewish family or community. It prays that God may establish His kingdom of peace in the world.)
Yitgadal veyitkadash shemay rabba (Amen), b’alma div’ra chirutay veyamlich malchutay bechayechon uv’yomechon uv’chayay di chol bet Yisrael, ba’agala uviz’man kariv- v’imru Amen. Yehay shemay rabba mevorach l’alam ul’almay almaya.
Yitbarach veyishtabach veyitpa’ar veyitromam veyitnasay veyit’hadar veyitalay veyit’halal shemay di kudsha - Berich Hu- l’ayla min kol birchaata veshiratat tushbechata venechemata di amiran b’alma-v’imru Amen. Yehay shelama rabba min shemaya vechayim alaynu v’al kol Yisrael-v’imru Amen.
Osay shalom bimromav hu ya’aseh shalom v’al kol Yisrael-v’imru Amen.
Glorified and sanctified be God’s great name throughout the world which he has created according to his will. May he establish his kingdom in your lifetime and during your days, and within the life of the entire house of Israel, speedily and soon: and say Amen. May his great name be blessed forever and to all eternity.
Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honoured, adored and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed be he beyond all the blessings and hymns, praised and consolation that are ever spoken in the world; and say, Amen.
May there be abundant peace from heaven, and life, for us and for all Israel: and say, Amen. He who creates peace in his celestial heights, may he create peace for us and for all Israel: and say, Amen. Choral Items
Leader:
Let us pray that we will be people of compassion who will make a space for the other.
All:
We share the world"s horror at the tragic loss of life resulting from terrorism in Pittsburgh and other parts of the world. Together we mourn for the victims and grieve with those whose loss is so great. As people of faith we pray for peace and call on world leaders to respond by seeking justice, not revenge. May the God of peace protect us all.
Shofar: The shofar is sounded
Let everything that has life,
let everything that has breath
give all the glory and honour
and praise to the One who
overcame death.
Let every living thing
sing of the mercies of our God.
Let us exalt Him wherever we live
with thanksgiving and joy
in our hearts.
If we don’t praise Him,
the mountains will.
If we don’t exalt Him,
the rocks will cry out
in our stead,
‘God is not dead!’
Let every living thing
sing of the mercies of our God.
Let us exalt Him wherever we live
with thanksgiving and joy
in our hearts.
Lawrence Chewning
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.
By: Education for Justice
O Lord, we cry to you, with deep pain in our hearts and souls.
Our hearts ache, because of genocide caused by
the lust for power,
cruel hatred for others,
because of their race, religion or physical differences.
God of all, the heavens weep, the winds whisper
through this great world you have created.
We hear and feel the weeping in our own souls.
Open our eyes and cleanse our souls
that we may always remember the awful injustices.
How long, O God, will we look with empty souls and eyes, how long?
The answer, "Until you feel my pain for all my children."
We cry in shame. Forgive us Lord.
Amen.
Holy God, G_D, Allah, Creator of the world and God of Many names who made us in you image and likeness we pray this night and light our candles in memory and witness to all who have died in any genocide our world has ever known. We light our candles and remember the Women's holocaust in the Middle Ages, The Native Americans who walked the Trail of Tears and were killed by viruses brought to the New World, We pray for the Armenians who perished and The Great Holocaust that took the lives of 6,000,000 million Jews and others. We pray for the victims of modern day genocides in this era of terrorism and ethnic cleansing. We pray that we may look upon these our brothers and sisters who perished as a reminder of how easy it is to go down the slippery slope of hate, terror, fear, vengeance, and bigotry. We pray for peace in this fragile and broken world that we may be peace makers and truth tellers to our family members who do not know the history of these atrocities. We pray this night that we may stop the hate and new apartheid systems that infect the world. We pray that we may be compassionate, accepting, loving, and merciful. Let us always remember and never forget.
Jesus (God, G_d)help us to remember who our neighbor is by praying for our family members below.
Those who died in any genocide.
Women
Men
Children
Enemies
Refugees, immigrants of any kind
Caregivers
Those who don't share your political or religious beliefs
LGBTQ family members
Elderly
Family members with whom we are estranged
Everyone
The sick and the suffering
The mentally ill and memory challenged
Those living with H.I. V./ A.I.D.S
Everyone
Those who have caused you harm or abused you
Those who hate you or you hate ( Not acceptable)
Those who have forgiven you and those whom you have forgiven
Everyone
Those who do not share the same ethnicity or race as you
Political prisoners
Prisoners of war
Those who cause terror, violence, bullying, and do unspeakable things.
Everyone
Jews
Christians
Muslims
Buddhists
Hindus
All faith communities
Everyone
Indigenous peoples
Victims of Human Trafficking
Everyone
Cancer patients,
Chronically ill
The disabled
The poor
The homeless
The hungry
The lonely,
The lost,
The unemployed
The farm worker
Everyone
The misunderstood
The learning disabled
The marginalized
The invisible ones
The least of these
Everyone
The family of nations and all the peoples God's world
Jesus (God, G_d) we pray for all of our family members nearby,stranger, and enemy and in particular those mentioned about that we may love one another as you have loved us . May we strive to be better at loving, accepting, and including everyone. We know that in Your world all means all and not some. May we continue to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you to the end of our days and beyond. Amen.
We pray for peace within ourselves, our nation, the troubled places of the world especially in Bangladesh, Turkey, Nigeria, the Middle East (Israel, The Palestinian Authority-Gaza, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Jordan), African countries (Uganda, Nigeria, Rwanda, Darfur, South Sudan, The Sudan), Burundi, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, The United States, Chechnya, Afghanistan, Pakistan, The Ukraine, Central America, South America, and all other places in the world where there is violence, inequality, injustice, tribal discord, and sectarian violence.
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 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.
For the Diversity of Races and Cultures
O God, who created all peoples in your image, we thank you
for the wonderful diversity of races and cultures in this world.
Enrich our lives by ever-widening circles of fellowship, and
show us your presence in those who differ most from us, until
our knowledge of your love is made perfect in our love for all
your children; 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.
Psalm 23- Bobby McFerrin
The Light and Love of Christ I hold out to you is my promise that we are family one to another this day and always. The Light of Christ in Me , Recognizes the Light of Christ in you. We lift up these our prayers in Jesus most holy name. Amen.
The Light and Love of Christ I hold out to you is my promise that we are family one to another this day and always. The Light of Christ in Me , Recognizes the Light of Christ in you. We lift up these our prayers in Jesus most holy name. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore. Amen.
++++++
Good night all! I love you ! Have a blessed night. Let us always remember and love each other and never forget.
With love,
Sara
Resources:
Lectionary Page
Bible Gateway
Metis Ministries
Enriching Our Worship
Book of Common Prayer
YouTube
All other portions are cited above.
As Maria says in "The Sound of Music" "Let's start from the very beginning!"
We must seek common ground and question our words, deeds, and thoughts towards each other . This is called self-examination!
We must recognize the holy in all people, places, places of worship, and in God's Cathedral of life.
We must walk like Jesus walked, Talk like Jesus talked, Love like Jesus loved. Forgive like Jesus Forgave.
We need to get a mirror and look at ourselves and see who God sees and who God made.
We need to look at ourselves and tell ourselves this "I love you!'
We need to begin to reacquaint ourselves with our family members and seek to not be estranged.
We need to show love for one another with generosity and care.
We need to begin to stop the hate and violence towards all our family members who differ from us.
We need to be practitioners of social justice, civil disobedience, and peaceful non-violent protest without fear and whenever necessary.
We need to model ourselves after God and Jesus and engage in radical love and hospitality towards everyone.
We need to choose our words and actions rightly.
We need to stop politicizing events such as 9/11 and come together as one.
We must sow seeds of Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy.
We must strive to respect the dignity of every human being.
We must strive to make peace and show those who do not know how to make peace the right way with love, justice, mercy, and humility.
We must learn to be one with one another without spite and without malice.
We must love!
Let us light our candles this night and remember our nation and an end to hatred, bigotry,injustice and inequality. Let us bring to mind the following prayers.
OCT 26 Pray for guidance
O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light riseth up
in darkness for the godly: Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties,
the grace to ask what thou wouldest have us to do, that the Spirit of
wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in thy light we may
see light, and in thy straight path may not stumble; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.
OCT 27 Pray for the unity of the Church in this time of division
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.
OCT 28 Pray for direction from God
Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings with thy most gracious favor,
and further us with thy continual help; that in all our works begun,
continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy Name, and
finally, by thy mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
The New Colossus
Emma Lazarus, 1849 - 1887
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
Let us pray the Preamble:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
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.
For Peace Among the Nations
Almighty God our heavenly Father, guide the nations of the
world into the way of justice and truth, and establish among
them that peace which is the fruit of righteousness, that they
may become the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen.
For the Diversity of Races and Cultures
O God, who created all peoples in your image, we thank you
for the wonderful diversity of races and cultures in this world.
Enrich our lives by ever-widening circles of fellowship, and
show us your presence in those who differ most from us, until
our knowledge of your love is made perfect in our love for all
your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Help us as we remember and pray that these are necessary concepts as we go forward every year from this commemoration.
#WordsMatter
#WeMustStriveToBeEmpathetic
#WalkTheWalkThatJesusWalked
#CallEachOthersBadBehaviorOut
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