Good Evening Beloved Family!
Today has been a long but good day in God's vineyard. I attended a seminar called Meeting in the Middle and workshop series on the Complexities of Immigration and a wonderful time with the Rev. Dr. Alexia Salvatierra a Lutheran Pastor. She brought with her a wealth of knowledge using faith as our base and if you can go on YouTube and find her. Today, I learned that there is much to learn and much to absorb in to our heart homes. The stories alone brought tenderness to my heart home. My friends Esperanza Salazar and Pedro Reyes gave their stories as well. Esperanza spoke about the indigenous populations in Oaxaca and the varied language groups. We also learned about the many indigenous people who reside in the Santa Maria Area who have come from Mexico to work in the fields. Our brothers and sisters from Oaxaca's primary language is not Spanish but indigenous. Did you know that the Mixtecan language has been spoken for 8,000 years? We learned of the challenges that face them. Why am I telling you all of this? The reason is this! We must continue to see Jesus in all people no matter who they are and where they come from! So dear ones let us make vigil and pray that we may see Jesus in ourselves and others.
Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.
Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.
Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.
Ponderings from the words of Leo I -The Great and Soren Kierkegaard
"Above all, do not lose your desire to walk. Everyday, I walk myself into a state of well-being & walk away from every illness. I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it. But by sitting still, & the more one sits still, the closer one comes to feeling ill. Thus if one just keeps on walking, everything will be all right." ~ Soren Kierkegaard
"The faith of those who live their faith is a serene faith. What you long for will be given you; what you love will be yours for ever." ~ Pope Leo I
"The most common form of despair is not being who you are." ~ Soren Kierkegaard
"Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace is the mother of unity. Peace is the rest of the blessed souls. Peace is the dwelling place of eternity." ~ Pope Leo I
"The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays." ~ Soren Kierkegaard
"Those who are not good to others are bad to themselves." ~ Pope Leo I
"I found I had less and less to say, until finally, I became silent, and began to listen. I discovered in the silence, the voice of God" ~ Soren Kierkegaard
"The cross of Christ is the true ground and chief cause of Christian hope." ~ Pope Leo I
"It is not where we breathe, but where we Love, that we live." ~ Soren Kierkegaard
"The birthday of the Lord is the birthday of peace." ~ Pope Leo I
"Hope is a passion for the possible." ~ Soren Kierkegaard
"God ordained for every man one and the same means of salvation." ~ Pope Leo I
"Why I so much prefer autumn to spring is that in the autumn one looks at heaven--in the spring at the earth." ~ Soren Kierkegaard
Let us light our candles and turn on our porch lights and hold sacred space in this season of prayer and vigiling.
Let us light our candles and come together as God's beloved family.
Let us imagine each one of us holding hands and with the candle light reflecting in our faces: The Light of Christ in me, recognizes the Light of Christ in you!
Light and peace, in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Grant us, Lord, the lamp of charity which never fails, that it
may burn in us and shed its light on those around us, and
that by its brightness we may have a vision of that holy City,
where dwells the true and never-failing Light, Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.
Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy
great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this
night; for the love of thy only Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Phos hilaron
O gracious light,
pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!
Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light,
we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, O Giver of Life,
and to be glorified through all the worlds.
Psalm 134
Behold now, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, *
you that stand by night in the house of the LORD.
Lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the LORD; *
the LORD who made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion.
Today we pray in the words of the fruits of the spirit and light our candles as we vigil:
Galatians 5:22-23 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Fruit of the Spirit
22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.
God we light our candles and pray to be lights to the world sowing the seeds of the Fruits of the Spirit to all. We light the world with your love and share it with all of our family members and even our enemies. We light the world with joy as we empower each of us with the love energy of joy. We light the dark places as we become peacemakers and pray for the peace of the world. We pray for the resolve to be patient and take time to breathe when we are anxious and tense. We pray that we may be kind in our words and deeds and see You Abba God face to face in all of our family members' faces. We pray that we may convey and practice a spirit of generosity and that we may become cheerful givers. We pray that we may engage in faithfulness that we may never lose heart when we are afraid and unsure. We pray that all our actions may be guided by self-control. We light our candles and pray that we may use the gifts of the fruits of the spirit wisely in God's service and in the service of all of our family members. We add our prayers for Paradise,
Thousand Oaks, Butte County, Malibu, and all other places where there was great violence and natural disasters this day. We lift up these our prayers to you O God, this night and always. Amen.
Psalm 77:11-15
11 I will remember the works of the Lord, *
and call to mind your wonders of old time.
12 I will meditate on all your acts *
and ponder your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy; *
who is so great a god as our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders *
and have declared your power among the peoples.
15 By your strength you have redeemed your people, *
the children of Jacob and Joseph.
Lamentations 3:22-33
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,*
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul,
‘therefore I will hope in him.’
25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul that seeks him.
26 It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.
27 It is good for one to bear
the yoke in youth,
28 to sit alone in silence
when the Lord has imposed it,
29 to put one’s mouth to the dust
(there may yet be hope),
30 to give one’s cheek to the smiter,
and be filled with insults.
31 For the Lord will not
reject for ever.
32 Although he causes grief, he will have compassion
according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
33 for he does not willingly afflict
or grieve anyone.
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.
2 Timothy 1:6-14
6For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; 7for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.
8 Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, 9who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher,* 12and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him.* 13Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.
A Song of Pilgrimage Priusquam errarem
Ecclesiasticus 51:13-16,20b-22
Before I ventured forth,
even while I was very young, *
I sought wisdom openly in my prayer.
In the forecourts of the temple I asked for her, *
and I will seek her to the end.
From first blossom to early fruit, *
she has been the delight of my heart.
My foot has kept firmly to the true path, *
diligently from my youth have I pursued her.
I inclined my ear a little and received her; *
I found for myself much wisdom and became adept in her.
To the one who gives me wisdom will I give glory, *
for I have resolved to live according to her way.
From the beginning I gained courage from her, *
therefore I will not be forsaken.
In my inmost being I have been stirred to seek her, *
therefore have I gained a good possession.
As my reward the Almighty has given me the gift of language,*
and with it will I offer praise to God.
Matthew 5:13-19
13 ‘You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.
14 ‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden.15No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
17 ‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfil. 18For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter,* not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19Therefore, whoever breaks* one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
A Song of True Motherhood
Julian of Norwich
God chose to be our mother in all things *
and so made the foundation of his work,
most humbly and most pure, in the Virgin’s womb.
God, the perfect wisdom of all, *
arrayed himself in this humble place.
Christ came in our poor flesh *
to share a mother’s care.
Our mothers bear us for pain and for death; *
our true mother, Jesus, bears us for joy and endless life.
Christ carried us within him in love and travail, *
until the full time of his passion.
And when all was completed and he had carried us so for joy, *
still all this could not satisfy the power of his wonderful love.
All that we owe is redeemed in truly loving God, *
for the love of Christ works in us;
Christ is the one whom we love.
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
The Collects
O Lord our God, grant that your Church, following the teaching of your servant Leo of Rome, may hold fast the great mystery of our redemption, and adore the one Christ, true God and true Man, neither divided from our human nature nor separate from your divine Being; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and or ever.
Lord Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day is
past; be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts, and
awaken hope, that we may know you as you are revealed in
Scripture and the breaking of bread. Grant this for the sake
of your love. 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.
Let us now be at prayer.
Dear God in the silence we hear your voice calling us to love, serve,and give thanks.
In the silence O God,we pray that peace will prevail upon this your fragile and broken world.
In the silence O God, help us to realize that wherever we plant our feet, take a breath, and live that is holy ground for a holy people.
In the silence we pray for all of our family members who are in need of healing of body, mind, and spirits.
In the silence, help us to be still and know that You are God.
In the silence, we pray for the needs of the least of these that we may come into their lives without fear but quietly, gently, and with compassion.
In the silence O God, we listen for you walking in your Cathedral of Life at the time of the evening breeze.
In the silence O God, give us loving and joyful hearts that are enlivened and on fire for you!
In the silence O God, we give thanks for all of your goodness and mercy and offer our thanks______
In the silence O God we pray for the troubled areas of the world and for all refugees, captives, political prisoners, victims of human trafficking, and violence in its many forms.
In the silence O God, we pray for all who are mourning the losses of loved ones or any kind of loss. We pray that they may gradually accept silence as cleansing and healing and not something to run away from.
In the silence O God, help us to rely and put our trust in your love, grace, mercy, and inclusion.
In the silence O God, help us at this time of year to tune out all the unnecessary hype and consumerism this holiday season brings. May we celebrate these holidays well and give us courage to put the true meanings of these holy and special days back into practice.
In the silence O God, we add our additional prayers for ourselves and on behalf of others especially____________
In the silence O God, we lift up these our prayers to your Only Son Jesus the Christ our redeemer, healer, reconciler, brother, master, and friend, Amen.
Prayers by Soren Kierkegaard.
Move in Infinite Love
You who are unchangeable, whom nothing changes! You who are unchangeable in love, precisely for our welfare, not submitting to any change: may we too will our welfare, submitting ourselves to the discipline of Your unchangeableness, so that we may in unconditional obedience find our rest and remain at rest in Your unchangeableness. You are not like us; if we are to preserve only some degree of constancy, we must not permit ourselves too much to be moved, nor by too many things. You on the contrary are moved, and moved in infinite love, by all things. Even that which we humans beings call an insignificant trifle, and pass by unmoved, the need of a sparrow, even this moved You; and what we so often scarcely notice, a human sigh, this moves You, You who are unchangeable! You who in infinite love do submit to be moved, may this our prayer also move You to add Your blessing, in order that there may be brought about such a change in us who pray as to bring us into conformity with Your unchangeable will, You who are unchangeable!
You Have Loved Us First
Father in Heaven! You have loved us first, help us never to forget that You are love so that this sure conviction might triumph in our hearts over the seduction of the world, over the inquietude of the soul, over the anxiety for the future, over the fright of the past, over the distress of the moment. But grant also that this conviction might discipline our soul so that our heart might remain faithful and sincere in the love which we bear to all those whom You have commanded us to love as we love ourselves
You have loved us first, O God, alas! We speak of it in terms of history as if You have only loved us first but a single time, rather than that without ceasing You have loved us first many things and every day and our whole life through. When we wake up in the morning and turn our soul toward You - You are the first - You have loved us first; if I rise at dawn and at the same second turn my soul toward You in prayer, You are there ahead of me, You have loved me first. When I withdraw from the distractions of the day and turn my soul toward You, You are the first and thus forever. And yet we always speak ungratefully as if You have loved us first only once.
Christ Has No Body. by Teresa of Avila.
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.
Out of love, God becomes man. He says: "See, here is what it is to be a human being.
Soren Kierkegaard
Let us pray the Beatitudes
Matthew 5:1-12The Message (MSG)
You’re Blessed
5 1-2 When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:
3 “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
4 “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
5 “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.
6 “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.
7 “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.
8 “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
9 “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.
10 “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.
11-12 “Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.
Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping; that awake
we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.
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.
Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping; that awake
we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.
The Lord bless you and keep you. Amen.
The Lord make his face to shine upon you
and be gracious to you. Amen.
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you
and give you peace. Amen.
To love another person is to help them love God. Soren Kierkegaard
Have patience with everything unresolved in your heart,
and try to love the questions themselves
as if they were locked rooms
or books written in a very foreign language.
Do not search for the answers, which could not be given to you now,
because you would not be able to live them.
And the point is to live everything.
Live the questions now.
Perhaps then, someday far in the future,
you will gradually,
without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.
Rainer Maria Rilke
Today's Rite of Compline from the Northumbria Community!
Saturday – The Patrick Compline
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Patrick (389-461) was a Briton and a former slave in Ireland. He became the ‘Apostle to Ireland’, travelling widely, evangelizing tirelessly and organizing churches and monasteries. He established his episcopal seat in Armagh, which became the centre of Christianity in the whole of Ireland. Patrick was fearless in the pursuit of his aim: to destroy paganism and to exalt the name of the Triune God.
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)
In the name of the King of life;
in the name of the Christ of love;
in the name of the Holy Spirit:
the Triune of my strength.
* I love you, O Lord my strength.
The Lord is my rock,
my fortress and my deliverer.
My God is my rock
in whom I take refuge.
* I will praise the Lord who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
* I have set the Lord always before me.
Because He is at my right hand,
I shall not be shaken.
I am placing my soul and my body
under Thy guarding this night, O Christ.
May Thy cross this night be shielding me.
* Into Your hands I commit my spirit;
redeem me, O Lord, the God of Truth.
* The God of life with guarding hold you;
the loving Christ with guarding fold you;
the Holy Spirit, guarding, mould you;
each night of life to aid, enfold you;
each day and night of life uphold you.
May God shield me;
may God fill me;
may God keep me;
may God watch me;
may God bring me this night
to the nearness of His love.
* The peace of the Father of joy,
the peace of the Christ of hope,
the peace of the Spirit of grace,
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.
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Good Night Dear ones! I love you and Give thanks to God for you this day and always! Have a blessed rest and wake up joyful in the morning.
Peace, love, prayers, and God's Blessings,
Sara
Resources:
Quote Sites for Prayers and Quotes for Soren Kierkegaard and Leo The Great
Book of Common Prayer
Walk With Me On Our Journey
Enriching Our Worship
The Northumbria Community
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