Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Welcome to our Wednesday Pondering, Praying, and Making vigil for the betterment of the whole world.








Good Evening Dear Ones!

Happy Wednesday! I hope everyone is well. Last evening, I got home from a long day and needed to take the night off from blogging because I had to take a friend to the San Luis Obispo Airport at 4:00 a.m. and needed to be up a little bit after 3! She picked me up and I drove her car back to my house due to the price of parking (She will be gone for a month).  I am dog tired at the moment but felt that we needed time to ponder and pray and be together.  So let us begin!

Welcome to our Wednesday Pondering, Praying, and Making vigil for the betterment of the whole world.

Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.

Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.

Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.

"Breathing in, I am aware that I am breathing in.
Breathing out, I am aware that I am breathing out.
Breathing in, I am grateful for this moment.
Breathing out, I smile.
Breathing in, I am aware of the preciousness of this day.
Breathing out, I vow to live deeply in this day." ~ Nhat Hanh


Ponderings!

"You are like a candle. Imagine you are sending light out all around you. All your words, thoughts and actions are going in many directions. If you say something kind, your kind words go in many directions, and you yourself go with them. We are ...transforming and continuing in a different form at every moment." ~ Nhat Hanh

"It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

"No other sentiment draws people to Jerusalem than the desire to see and touch the places where Christ was physically present, and to be able to say from their very own experience: 'We have gone into his tabernacle, and have worshipped in the places where his feet have stood.'" ~ Paulinus of Nola

"Every word, every look, every action, and every smile can bring happiness to others." ~ Nhat Hanh

"O dreamers of peace, come.
 Let us walk together.
 O lovers of peace, come.
 Let us run together.
 O servers of peace, come.
 Let us grow together." ~ Sri Chinmoy
\
"Take my hand. We will walk. We will only walk. We will enjoy our walk without thinking of arriving anywhere." ~ Nhat Hanh

"The basis of world peace is the teaching which runs through almost all the great religions of the world. Love thy neighbor as thyself." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

"Let us listen to what all the faithful say, because in every one of them the Spirit of God breathes." ~ Paulinus of Nola

"If we call ourselves children of God, then others are also children of God." ~ Sri Chinmoy

"Love is the capacity to take care, to protect, to nourish. If you are not capable of generatng that kind of energy toward yourself - if you are not capable of taking care of yourself, of nourishing yourself, of protecting yourself - it is very difficult to take care of another person. In the Buddhist teaching, it's clear that to love oneself is the foundation of the love of other people. Love is a practice. Love is truly a practice." ~ Nhat Hanh

"I have arrived. I am home. My destination is in each step." ~ Nhat Hanh


Simple joys are holy

If you want your dream to be
Take your time, go slowly
Do few things but do them well
Heartfelt work grows purely
If you want to live life free
Take your, time go slowly
Do few things but do them well
Heartfelt work grows purely

Day by day, stone by stone
Build your secret slowly
Day by day, you’ll grow too
You’ll know heaven’s glory

If you want to live life free
Take your time go slowly
If you want your dream to be
Take your time, go slowly

‘Little Church’ (Donovan Leitch)

"What is most important is to find peace and to share it with others. To have peace, you can begin by walking peacefully. Everything depends on your steps." ~ Nhat Hanh

Community is a terrible place.A place where our limitations and egoisms are revealed to us.When we begin to live full time with others we discover our poverty and our weakness,our inability to get on with others,our mental and emotional blocks,our affective and sexual disturbances,our frustrations and jealousies...and our hatred and desire to destroy Jean Vanier

"Walk so that your footprints bear only the marks of peaceful joy and complete freedom. To do this you have to learn to let go. Let go of your sorrows, let go of your worries. That is the secret of walking meditation." ~ Nhat Hanh

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.



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 your 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.

Now let us begin our virtual transformation into the least of these and those affected by Hurricane Michael

Let us imagine that we are wearing raggedy clothing and cannot look at another person in the eye.

Let us imagine that we are having to find places where food is distributed.

Let us imagine having to live as a transient and be cited for illegal camping.

Let us imagine being denied help just because we have a visible drug addiction and mental illness and that the church you have selected to go to has a nervous volunteer who shoos you away.

Let us imagine that we are outcasts and that the government you rely on for help is distant and thinks that we are lazy.

Let us imagine that we are homeless LGBTQ  youth and persons who haven't a place to go because family members have disowned you.

Let us imagine that we have come to this country 
by any means necessary(illegally) in  order to find a better life and that all our money goes to pay off the coyote who brought you here is in reality a brutal human trafficker.

Let us imagine that we are invisible and cower in the dark corners of buildings who are afraid to seek help and dig in dumpsters for food and that because we have a mental illness cannot go to shelters.

Let us imagine that we haven't anywhere to lay our heads and we are experiencing severe weather.

Let us imagine being discriminated against because of our lack of knowing how to speak and read English.

Let us imagine that we do not have sufficient medical, dental, vision, and mental health care and have to resort to using ERs.

Let us imagine being urban refugees with families seeking food, clothing, and shelter.

Let us imagine if only .....

Let us pray our responses to the above.

God we pray for all who are seeking warm clothing and the courage to look family members in the eye.

God we pray that we may have courage to share from our abundance food and clothing. We give thanks for Food banks and clothing distribution centers.

God we pray for shelters to meet the needs of all people and that housing may be built for our homeless and housing insufficient family members. 

God we pray for all who are mentally ill and in need of assistance from our government and social service agencies.

God we pray that our churches may be responsive and educate our personnel how to treat and care for homeless and indigent people. May our churches be a place of sanctuary.

God we pray for safety for our LGBTQ youth and especially the many cultures where being LGBTQ isn't safe and we are shunned by living authentically.

God we pray for all who come to this country by any means necessary
(illegally)  and that we may welcome the strangers and help them out of dangerous situations. May we have courage to love our neighbors and the strangers in our midst.

God we pray this night for all the invisible ones who are living like true outcasts and on the the extreme margins of society. 

God we pray for all who are lacking sufficient shelter due to severe weather and natural disaster.

God we pray for our family members who are urban refugees who live in cars and on the streets we remember our poor families who do not have access to food, clothing, and shelter. 

God we pray that we may imagine, pray, and then act by showing each of us compassion, acceptance, love, and mercy. 

God we pray for good medical care for our family members who lack insurance and are financially unable to pay for good care. We give thanks for Medicaid and social programs designed to help them. 

God give us the courage to stand up and fight against injustice, bigotry, hatred, terror, racism, inequality and all things that seek to divide your family.

God we lift up our own prayers _____________________

God we give thanks and lift up these our prayers and petitions in the name of Jesus who taught us to love, wander like a homeless hippie, and care for the least of these. Amen.

Tonight we light our single candle in loving memory and in conscious knowledge of all the marginalized. We pray for the living and the departed ones whose names we do not know but you know O, God Amen.

Diversity is what makes unity possible, especially with love in our hearts! #RespectTheDignityOfEveryHumanBeing!




128 Beati omnes

1 Happy are they all who fear the Lord, *
and who follow in his ways!

2 You shall eat the fruit of your labor; *
happiness and prosperity shall be yours.

3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine within your house, *
your children like olive shoots round about your table.

4 The man who fears the Lord *
shall thus indeed be blessed.

5 The Lord bless you from Zion, *
and may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days
of your life.

6 May you live to see your children's children; *
may peace be upon Israel.

Micah 2:1-13

2Alas for those who devise wickedness
   and evil deeds* on their beds!
When the morning dawns, they perform it,
   because it is in their power. 
2 They covet fields, and seize them;
   houses, and take them away;
they oppress householder and house,
   people and their inheritance. 
3 Therefore, thus says the Lord:
Now, I am devising against this family an evil
   from which you cannot remove your necks;
and you shall not walk haughtily,
   for it will be an evil time. 
4 On that day they shall take up a taunt-song against you,
   and wail with bitter lamentation,
and say, ‘We are utterly ruined;
   the Lord * alters the inheritance of my people;
how he removes it from me!
   Among our captors* he parcels out our fields.’ 
5 Therefore you will have no one to cast the line by lot
   in the assembly of the Lord. 


6 ‘Do not preach’—thus they preach—
   ‘one should not preach of such things;
   disgrace will not overtake us.’ 
7 Should this be said, O house of Jacob?
   Is the Lord’s patience exhausted?
   Are these his doings?
Do not my words do good
   to one who walks uprightly? 
8 But you rise up against my people* as an enemy;
   you strip the robe from the peaceful,*
from those who pass by trustingly
   with no thought of war. 
9 The women of my people you drive out
   from their pleasant houses;
from their young children you take away
   my glory for ever. 
10 Arise and go;
   for this is no place to rest,
because of uncleanness that destroys
   with a grievous destruction.* 
11 If someone were to go about uttering empty falsehoods,
   saying, ‘I will preach to you of wine and strong drink’,
   such a one would be the preacher for this people! 


12 I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob,
   I will gather the survivors of Israel;
I will set them together
   like sheep in a fold,
like a flock in its pasture;
   it will resound with people. 
13 The one who breaks out will go up before them;
   they will break through and pass the gate,
   going out by it.
Their king will pass on before them,
   the Lord at their head. 

129 Sœpe expugnaverunt

1 "Greatly have they oppressed me since my youth," *
let Israel now say;

2 "Greatly have they oppressed me since my youth, *
but they have not prevailed against me."

3 The plowmen plowed upon my back *
and made their furrows long.

4 The Lord, the Righteous One, *
has cut the cords of the wicked.

5 Let them be put to shame and thrown back, *
all those who are enemies of Zion.

6 Let them be like grass upon the housetops, *
which withers before it can be plucked;

7 Which does not fill the hand of the reaper, *
nor the bosom of him who binds the sheaves;

8 So that those who go by say not so much as,
"The Lord prosper you. *
We wish you well in the Name of the Lord."


The Song of Hannah
1 Samuel 2:1-8

My heart exults in you, O God; *
my triumph song is lifted in you.
My mouth derides my enemies, *
for I rejoice in your salvation.
There is none holy like you, *
nor any rock to be compared to you, our God.
Do not heap up prideful words or speak in arrogance; *
Only God is knowing and weighs all actions.
The bows of the mighty are broken, *
but the weak are clothed in strength.
Those once full now labor for bread, *
those who hungered now are well fed.
The childless woman has borne sevenfold, *
while the mother of many is forlorn.
God destroys and brings to life, casts down and raises up; *
gives wealth or takes it away, humbles and dignifies.
God raises the poor from the dust; *
and lifts the needy from the ash heap
To make them sit with the rulers *
and inherit a place of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are God’s *
on which the whole earth is founded.

Acts 23:23-35

23 Then he summoned two of the centurions and said, ‘Get ready to leave by nine o’clock tonight for Caesarea with two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen. 24Also provide mounts for Paul to ride, and take him safely to Felix the governor.’ 25He wrote a letter to this effect:

26 ‘Claudius Lysias to his Excellency the governor Felix, greetings. 27This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them, but when I had learned that he was a Roman citizen, I came with the guard and rescued him. 28Since I wanted to know the charge for which they accused him, I had him brought to their council. 29I found that he was accused concerning questions of their law, but was charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment. 30When I was informed that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, ordering his accusers also to state before you what they have against him.*’

31 So the soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him during the night to Antipatris. 32The next day they let the horsemen go on with him, while they returned to the barracks. 33When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him. 34On reading the letter, he asked what province he belonged to, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia, 35he said, ‘I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive.’ Then he ordered that he be kept under guard in Herod’s headquarters.*


130 De profundis

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 Humility
Philippians 2:6-11

Though in the form of God, *
Christ Jesus did not cling to equality with God,
But emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, *
and was born in human likeness.
Being found in human form, he humbled himself *
and became obedient to death, even death on a cross.
Therefore, God has highly exalted him *
and given him the name above every name,
That at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, *
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, *
to the glory of God the Father.


 Luke 7:18-35

18 The disciples of John reported all these things to him. So John summoned two of his disciples 19and sent them to the Lord to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’ 20When the men had come to him, they said, ‘John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” ’ 21Jesus* had just then cured many people of diseases, plagues, and evil spirits, and had given sight to many who were blind. 22And he answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers* are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them. 23And blessed is anyone who takes no offence at me.’

24 When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus* began to speak to the crowds about John:* ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? 25What then did you go out to see? Someone* dressed in soft robes? Look, those who put on fine clothing and live in luxury are in royal palaces. 26What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27This is the one about whom it is written,
“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
   who will prepare your way before you.” 
28I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.’ 29(And all the people who heard this, including the tax-collectors, acknowledged the justice of God,* because they had been baptized with John’s baptism. 30But by refusing to be baptized by him, the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves.)

31 ‘To what then will I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? 32They are like children sitting in the market-place and calling to one another,
“We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
   we wailed, and you did not weep.” 
33For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, “He has a demon”; 34the Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” 35Nevertheless, wisdom is vindicated by all her children.’

A Song of Our True Nature
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.

The Collect for the Feast of St. Paulinus 

We who are baptised into the name of Father, Son and Spirit seek to be true to the promises made at that time, by Your help and grace dear Lord.  Teach us to walk day by day with Christ as he walks with us, to turn away from self and sin, and to be faithful in sharing the love of the Saviour with those around us. Amen.

Tonight we pray for peace in this upsetting world.
God hear our prayer.

We pray for love and peace to prevail in all areas where there is dis-ease.
God hear our prayer.

We pray for all our family members who are being persecuted and made to feel invisible.
God hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are in Sabbath mode and who are preparing for a time of renewal in faith.
God hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are ill in body, mind, and spirit may they be healed.
God hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are mourning and pre-grieving may they be lovingly comforted.
God hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are lonely and in need of companionship.
God hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are dying and who have died remembering this night.
God hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are in danger that they may be protected.
God hear our prayer.

We pray for____________________________
God hear our prayer.

We pray that we may find each nano-second of the day holiness and in the sacredness of all things living.
God hear our prayer.

We pray these our prayers in the Name of Jesus. Amen.


The Lord’s Prayer or the alternative is said. (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
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.

The  Beatitudes  Matthew 5:3–12 

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. (5:3)
Blessed are those who mourn: for they will be comforted. (5:4)
Blessed are the meek: for they will inherit the earth. (5:5)
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they will be filled. (5:6)
Blessed are the merciful: for they will be shown mercy. (5:7)
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they will see God. (5:8)
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they will be called children of God. (5:9)
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (5:10

 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.

For our Enemies  (From the BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER)
O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth; deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 



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

Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with 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 but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.


“Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
Whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.” 
― Teresa of Ávila


The Song of Simeon Nunc dimittis
Luke 2:29-32
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, *
according to thy word;
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, *
which thou hast prepared before the face of all people,
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, *
and to be the glory of thy 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 you
to be Christ’s hands and heart in this world,
in the name of the Holy Trinity. Amen.
(source: Celtic)

Live without fear: your Creator has made you holy, has always
protected you, and loves you as a mother. Go in peace to follow
the good road and may God’s blessing be with you always. Amen.

(source: from Saint Clare)

The Light of Christ in me Recognizes the Light of Christ in you!" 
I hold holy space for you during this time of prayer, vigil, and meditation. 


This additional rite may be added!

Wednesday – The Felgild Compline (Northumbria Community)

ff
Felgild lived in the late seventh century. After Cuthbert died, Ethilwald took his place as hermit on the Inner Farne. Twelve years later, having never left the island, he also died. Felgild was the next hermit to come there, but the rigours of his life in the cell aggravated a swelling on his face. The condition was suddenly healed, allowing him to continue the life of a solitary.
This Compline is dedicated to him because he represents so many whose names we never hear who faithfully follow the example of good men and women of old, continuing their battle against the powers of evil and in their devotion to prayer.
If this Compline is being used in a group setting the * notation indicates a change of reader; words in bold are said all together; words in bold italic are said by each person in turn; and + indicates where you might make the sign of the cross.
+ (silently)
Calm me, O Lord, as You stilled the storm.
Still me, O Lord, keep me from harm.
Let all the tumult within me cease.
Enfold me, Lord, in Your peace.
* Father, bless the work that is done,
and the work that is to be.
* Father, bless the servant that I am,
and the servant that I will be.
Thou Lord and God of power,
shield and sustain me this night.
I will lie down this night with God,
and God will lie down with me;
I will lie down this night with Christ,
and Christ will lie down with me;
I will lie down this night with the Spirit,
and the Spirit will lie down with me;
God and Christ and the Spirit,
be lying down with me.
* The peace of God
be over me to shelter me,
* under me to uphold me,
* about me to protect me,
* behind me to direct me,
* ever with me to save me.
The peace of all peace
be mine this night
+ in the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

++++

Good Night Blessed and Dear Ones. I am sending Light to heal you to hold you: I am sending you Light to hold you in Love.*  Have a blessed and restful night! I love you and give thanks to God for you this night and always. 

Peace, love, prayers, and God's blessings!

Sara


Resources:
Satucket for Lessons 
Northumbria Community
Book of Common Prayer
Enriching Our Worship
John Phillip Newell *
Quote sites for prayers
Metis Aboriginal Ministries.
Walk With Me On Our Journey
In Lak' Ech Luis Valdez
A New Zealand Prayer Book
A to Z quotes 


Paulinus (?-644) October 10th (Northumbria Community)

Paulinus may have come to Britain with Augustine in 597, as part of the Pope’s plan to bring the land back to Roman Christianity. He settled in Kent and became chaplain to Princess Ethelburga. When she was sent to marry the pagan King Edwin of Northumbria, Paulinus accompanied her and presented the gospel to Edwin. Although he was not immediately convinced, his pagan high priest, Coifi, was soundly converted and went off to burn down his own temple. The Pope appointed Paulinus Bishop of York, and later Edwin became a Christian along with all his household.

Paulinus is said to have baptised thousands of people in the River Swale near Catterick, in the Glen near the royal summer residence of Yeavering (near Wooler) and at the Holystone near Rothbury. In about 627 he certainly baptised Hild (see November 17th), who became the well-respected abbess of Whitby.

In 633, however, Edwin was defeated by Penda of Mercia and Cadwallon of Gwynedd, and his former kingdom returned to paganism, until his nephew, Oswald (see August 5th), reconquered the land and at his request Aidan (see August 31st) came from Iona to proclaim the gospel once again. Paulinus, along with Ethelburga and her children, fled back to Kent for safety, where he served as Bishop of Rochester until his death.


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