Saturday, October 12, 2019

Our weekly vigil Praying the Beatitudes as our Vigil Prayer as a reminder of what service and servanthood is all about!











Good Evening Dear Ones!

I hope all is well! I hope you have had a wonderful Self-Care Saturday! Today we are continuing our meditation on the theme of service and servanthood. What do these words mean to you? We begin our weekly vigil by engaging in an old favorite "The Be Stills" and then open our time of worship.

Let us engage in our mindfulness time with these:

Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.

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

Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.

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

Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.

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


Breathing Exercises with Thich Nhat Hanh
“*Breathing in, I know this is my in-breath.
Breathing out, I know this is my out-breath.*

It's very simple, but very effective. When we bring our attention to our in-breath and our out-breath, we stop thinking of the past; we stop thinking of the future; and we begin to come home to ourselves...Don't think this practice doesn't apply to you. If we don't go home to ourselves, we can't be at our best and serve the world in the best way... Our quality of being is the foundation for the quality of our actions.

*Breathing in, I'm aware of my whole body.
Breathing out, I'm aware of my whole body.*

Breathing mindfully brings us back to our bodies. We have to acknowledge our bodies first because tension and suffering accumulate in the body. Breathing in this way, we create a kind of family reunion between mind and body. The mind becomes an embodied mind.
...We can't do our best if we don't know to release the tension and pain in ourselves. 

*Breathing in, I'm aware of the tension in my body.
Breathing out, I'm aware of the tension in my body.*

When we look at the suffering around us, at poverty, violence, or climate change, we may want to solve these things immediately. We want to do something. But to do something effectively and ethically, we need to be our best selves in order to be able to handle the suffering...
*Breathing in, I am aware of a painful feeling arising.
Breathing out, I release the painful feeling.*

This is a nonviolent and gentle way to help our bodies release tension and pain. It is possible to practice mindful breathing in order to produce a feeling of joy, a feeling of happiness. When we are well-nourished and know how to create joy, then we are strong enough to handle the deep pain within ourselves and the world.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Good Citizens: Creating Enlightened Society



Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, the lifting
up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.    Psalm 141:2

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the
Lord Jesus Christ.    Philippians 1:2

Worship the Lord in the beauty of his holiness; let the whole earth
tremble before him.    Psalm 96:9

Yours is the day, O God, yours also the night; you established
the moon and the sun. You fixed all the boundaries of the
earth; you made both summer and winter.    Psalm 74:15,16

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel; my heart teaches
me, night after night. I have set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not fall.    Psalm 16:7,8

Seek him who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep
darkness into the morning, and darkens the day into night;
who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon
the surface of the earth: The Lord is his name.    Amos 5:8

If I say, "Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light
around me turn to night," darkness is not dark to you, O
Lord; the night is as bright as the day; darkness and light to
you are both alike.    Psalm 139:10,11

Jesus said, "I am the light of the world; whoever follows me
will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

John 8:12


You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” - John 12:8

“But he would withdraw to deserted places and pray.” - Luke 5:16


“A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion.” - Mark 4:37-38


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.


THE LIGHTING OF THE CANDLES

Lest we forget the great traditions of freedom and faith which are the heritage of humanity; lest we forget the pioneers, the statesmen, the bridge builders, the artists; and lest we forget You, the God of our fore bears who is our God also:

We light this candle of remembrance.

For the hope of a better world, in which righteousness and peace shall prevail among the people of the earth, and to create which is the task of the generations in which we stand, as well as for the courage and faith we shall need if we are to carry on this unfinished work:

We light this candle of consecration.

May the flame upon the altar of free faith shine in our hearts al ways, reminding us of the dark places to which we may carry light and strengthening us in every moment of doubt and discouragement with unwavering faith in You whom we serve and whose we are.


Let us light our candles and pray the words of the Beatitudes! as our vigil prayer today





MATTHEW 5:1-11


THE BEATITUDES

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
 ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
 ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
 ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
 ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
 ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
 ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
 ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
 ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
 ‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.



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 Prayer of Awareness
Hildegard of Bingen

God is the foundation for everything 
This God undertakes, God gives. 
Such that nothing that is necessary for life is lacking. 
Now humankind needs a body that at all times honors and praises God. 
This body is supported in every way through the earth. 
Thus the earth glorifies the power of God.

 Call to Prayer
Hildegard of Bingen

The earth is at the same time mother, 
She is mother of all that is natural, mother of all that is human. 
She is the mother of all, for contained in her are the seeds of all. 
The earth of humankind contains all moistness, all verdancy, all germinating power. 
It is in so many ways fruitful. 
All creation comes from it. Yet it forms not only the basic raw material for humankind, but also the substance of the incarnation of God's son.


Book of Common Prayer: Forgive Us, O God

Forgive, O God, those national sins which so easily beset us: our wanton waste of soil and air and water; our desecration of natural beauty; our heedlessness of those who come after us, if only we be served; our lust for money; our contempt for what is small and worship of what is big. For wrongs done to our land, our people, our heritage, and our future, as well as for things left undone, forgive us, O God.

Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone's face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love?' These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will be many fruits, here in this world and the life to come.
Henri Nouwen


Because in every age you have called brave souls to proclaim righteousness for the transformation of the world, that all may welcome the coming of your holy reign.



Confession of Need (Enriching Our Worship 2)

Let us confess our need for God’s healing grace.

Silence

Minister and People

Compassionate God,
we confess our weaknesses and our need for your
strengthening touch.
We confess that some illnesses stem from our own fault,
while others are beyond our control.
We turn to you, source of life,
and ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ
for the gifts of true healing and life in you. Amen.


Minister
May the God of love visit you/us in y/our times of trial and weakness,
and raise you/us to newness of life, through Jesus Christ, in the
power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.


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.


"Compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to enter into the places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear, confusion, and anguish. Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears. Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable, and powerless with the powerless. Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being human." ~ Henri Nouwen



We must dissent from the indifference. We must dissent from the apathy. We must dissent from the fear, the hatred and the mistrust. We must dissent from a nation that has buried its head in the sand, waiting in vain for the needs of its poor, its elderly, and its sick to disappear and just blow away. We must dissent from a government that has left its young without jobs, education or hope. We must dissent from the poverty of vision and the absence of moral leadership. We must dissent because America can do better, because America has no choice but to do better.
Thurgood Marshall




A prayer from The Arusha Call to Discipleship


Loving God, we thank you for the gift of life in all its diversity and beauty. Lord Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, we praise you that you came to find the lost, to free the oppressed, to heal the sick, and to convert the self-centred. Holy Spirit, we rejoice that you breathe in the life of the world and are poured out into our hearts. As we live in the Spirit, may we also walk in the Spirit. Grant us faith and courage to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus: becoming pilgrims of justice and peace in our time. For the blessing of your people, the sustaining of the earth, and the glory of your name. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.



Grandfather Great Spirit
All over the world the faces of living ones are alike.
With tenderness they have come up out of the ground
Look upon your children that they may face the winds
And walk the good road to the Day of Quiet.
Grandfather Great Spriit
Fill us with the Light.
Give us the strength to understand, and the eyes to see.
Teach us to walk the soft Earth as relatives to all that live.
 - Sioux Prayer

Lancelot Andrewes: Be All To All

We bring before You, O God:
the cries of the weary,
the pains of the distressed,
the tears of the tragedies of life,
the anxious hours of the insecure,
the restlessness of the refugees,
the hunger of the oppressed.
Dear God, be near to each.
Helper of the helpless,
Hope of the homeless,
The Strength of those tossed with tempests,
The Haven of those who sail:
Be all to all.
Be within us, to strengthen us;
without us, to keep us;
above us, to inspire us;
beneath us, to uphold us;
before us, to direct us;
behind us , to propel us;
around us, to sustain us.
Be all to all in present need.




Everything Has Its Time
3 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

Jesus, you are the way through the wilderness: show us your
truth in which we journey, and by the grace of the Holy Spirit be
in us the life that draws us to God. Amen.
(source: F.B. McNutt, The Prayer Manual [London: Mowbray, 1961], p. 29,
adapted)

From the Resistance Prays


God of the sabbath, God of goodness and rest, God who made the universe, stepped into it, and dwells in it still, we give you thanks for your example and your perpetual call for justice and restoration. Strengthen us in these days ahead through the power of your Spirit dwelling within us and remind us always that restoration isn’t external to us, but lives within us, through the power of rest and connection with you. Prepare us for the work ahead. In your name we pray, amen.




137 Super flumina

1 By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, *
when we remembered you, O Zion.

2 As for our harps, we hung them up *
on the trees in the midst of that land.

3 For those who led us away captive asked us for a song,
and our oppressors called for mirth: *
"Sing us one of the songs of Zion."

4 How shall we sing the Lord's song *
upon an alien soil?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, *
let my right hand forget its skill.

6 Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth
if I do not remember you, *
if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy.

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.



1 Corinthians 12:27-13:3

27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.
The Gift of Love

13If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast,* but do not have love, I gain nothing.


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 9:35-10:4

The Harvest Is Great, the Labourers Few

35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; 38therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.’
The Twelve Apostles

10Then Jesus* summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. 2These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax-collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;* 4Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.

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.


Let us light another candle and be at prayer!







Settings of the Lord's Prayer as found in A New Zealand Prayer Book

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

or the alternative form.

Eternal Spirit, 
Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, 
Source of all that is and that shall be, 
Father and Mother of us all, 
Loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe! 
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples
of the world! 
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings! 
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom 
sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us. 
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us. 
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us. 
From trials too great to endure, spare us. 
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, 
now and for ever. Amen.

Be still and hear the whisper of God in the Wind, in the waves, and in our hearts
Be still and hear the whisper of God in the Wind,in  the waves.
Be still and hear the whisper of God in the Wind.
Be still and hear the whisper of God.
Be still and hear the whisper.
Be still and hear.
Be still.
Be.

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.(BCP)


A Collect for Saturdays 

O God, the source of eternal light: Shed forth your unending
day upon us who watch for you, that our lips may praise you,
our lives may bless you, and our worship on the morrow give 
you glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 


A Collect for Peace 

Most holy God, the source of all good desires, all right
judgements, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that
peace which the world cannot give, so that our minds may be
fixed on the doing of your will, and that we, being delivered
from the fear of all enemies, may live in peace and quietness;
through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen. 


A Collect for Aid against Perils 

Be our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in your great mercy
defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love
of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. 


A Collect for Protection 

O God, the life of all who live, the light of the faithful, the
strength of those who labor, and the repose of the dead: We
thank you for the blessings of the day that is past, and
humbly ask for your protection through the coming night.
Bring us in safety to the morning hours; through him who
died and rose again for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen. 


A Collect for the Presence of Christ 

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. 

Collects for Mission

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or
weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who
sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless
the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the

joyous; and all for your love's sake. Amen. 


O God, you manifest in your servants the signs of your
presence: Send forth upon us the spirit of love, that in
companionship with one another your abounding grace may
increase among us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 




Now as we turn our hearts towards our time of prayer  we ask that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit be in our midst.  We give thanks for their loving and sustaining presence in our hearts, bodies, minds, and spirits and most especially in our lives.

Silence and reflection for a space.

We pray especially this night for all those who have been affected by gun violence of any kind. We pray for the families, victims, and the communities. We also lift up the victims of domestic violence and all who mourn their losses. 
Silence and reflection for a space.


We pray this night for peace in God's fragile and broken world. May we as Children of God become blessed peacemakers and help soothe and care for the tenderhearted who are living in fear, terror, and adversity.


Silence and reflection for a space.



We pray this night for all those who are in need of healing of body, mind, and spirit. We pray for the healing of those who are living with chronic and mental illnesses. May we as their caregivers and friends offer them solace and a soft place in which to fall. We remember them now by name____________.


Silence and reflection for a space.


We pray this night for all those who are the least of these that  they may find shelter, food, and clothing. Give us courage to step up and help . 



Silence and reflection for a space.


We pray for all agencies and organizations that help minister to the needs of children, women, those who have been abused, chronic disease research and patient care.  We remember especially this month: All Breast Cancer foundations, A.I.D.S. foundations, and Alzheimer's foundations.

Silence and reflection for a space.


We pray for all faith communities and the clergy who minister to them . We pray for a climate of love, dignity, and respect for all our family members who differ from us and that we may grow in love and unity towards and with them.

Silence and reflection for a space.


We pray and give thanks for all Caregivers: Remembering : Family members, Clergy, home health, hospice workers, mortuary ministries, EMTs., Police, Firefighters, Troops, day care workers, teachers and anyone else who provides care and protection for us. 

Silence and reflection for a space.


We pray this night for all refugees,immigrants, captives, political prisoners, prisoners, those who are victims of human trafficking and slavery. and all who are in danger and have been victims and survivors of domestic violence and abuse.

Silence and reflection for a space.


We especially pray for all the leaders of  the nations of the world and especially our President that they may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with their God and that they may have the courage to lead in times of trouble and in times of plenty.

Silence and reflection for a space.


We add our additional prayers, thanksgivings, remembrances, and celebrations to you  Lord Jesus as we pray lovingly in their names  and ours ________________ We pray these our prayers in Jesus most holy and life giving name. Amen.

Or these

Open our eyes, ears, hearts, and souls O God to help us promote healthy bodies, minds, and spirits not only in our lives but as as good citizens.

Open our eyes, ears, hearts, and souls O God  to seek peace in everything we do.


Open our eyes, ears, hearts, and souls O God, to love and care for the least of these.


Open our eyes, ears, hearts and souls O  God, to strive for justice, peace, and equality throughout all nations of the world and in our own country.


Open our eyes, ears, hearts and souls O God, that we may learn to love and care for the refugee, victim of violence, and human trafficking.


Open our eyes, ears, hearts and souls O God that we may care for all who  are in mourning and those who have died.


Open our eyes, ears hearts and souls O God to help us fight injustice and oppression.


Open our eyes, ears, hearts,and souls O God to come to you when we are in need of help and comfort.


Open our eyes, ears,hearts and souls O God to Pray for all those who are ill and in need of your healing. remembering_________________________


Open our eyes, ears, hearts, and souls that we may lift up our prayers and thanksgivings to you O Lord . Amen.


Or these

Let us spend time in silence and prepare ourselves to be God's voice in a broken world. 

God of justice we pray that we may have courage to speak truth to power.

God of compassion we pray that we may love others not just in our words but in our deeds.

God of kindness we pray that we may use our voices to heal, comfort, and lovingly support.

God of peace we pray that we may use our voices as your beloved children to make peace and not wage war in this world.

God of all people, we pray that we may be the voices who seek to protect and serve the most vulnerable of our family members.

God of justice we pray that we may we have the courage to Stand Up, Step up, and Speak Up for all of your children who need us to act and not be silent. 

God of Love we pray that we may use the Love Energy that is within our Heart Homes to be your Light to the world. May we shine your light in dark places so that our family members may see and be guided away from the darkness that infects our world.

God of healing we pray that we may seek to use our voices to heal and not harm.

God of creation we pray that we may use our voices to speak for good conservation practices to heal and renew the face of the earth and respect all living things in your Cathedral of Life.

God of diversity, we pray that we may be voices of unity and that we may seek to come to know one another and respect the dignity of all beings.

God and creator of us all may we seek to follow the examples of Jesus and John the Baptist and speak, love, act, and pray and be mindful of the needs and concerns of others this day and always! 

God we offer our own voices in prayer and thanksgiving remembering____________________.

We lift up these our prayers in the name of Jesus the Good Shepherd whose voice we hear and who calls us all by our names. Amen. 


A Prayer for Healing

We join with the earth and with each other
To bring new life to the land
To restore the waters
To refresh the air
We join with the earth and with each other
To renew the forests
To care for the plants
To protect the creatures
We join with the earth and with each other
To celebrate the seas
To rejoice the sunlight
To sing the song of the stars
We join with the earth and with each other
To recreate the human community
To promote justice and peace
To remember our children
We join with the earth and with each other
We join together as many and diverse expressions
Of one loving mystery, for the healing of earth and the renewal of all life
- National Institute of Open Schooling, India 4



Celtic Peace Prayer from Antiquity

Deep Peace of the running wave to you
Deep Peace of the flowing air to you
Deep Peace of the quiet earth to you
Deep Peace of the shining stars to you
Deep peace of the shades of night to you
Moon and stars always giving Light to you.
- Celtic Peace Prayer



“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


May I Be At Peace

May I be at peace.
May my heart remain open.
May I be aware of my true nature.
May I be healed.
May I be a source of healing to others.
May I dwell in the Breath of God.
- Saint Teresa of Avila




The Song of Simeon Nunc dimittis

Luke 2:29-32

Lord, you now have set your servant free *
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations, *
and the glory of your people Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.


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)

Bonus:

Follow the three R's: - Respect for self. - Respect for others. - Responsibility for all your actions.
Dalai Lama

Today is the right day to love, believe, do, and mostly, live.
Dalai Lama

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.
Dalai Lama

My message is always the same: to cultivate and practice love, kindness, compassion and tolerance.
Dalai Lama


Water Flows

Water flows over these hands.
May I use them skillfully
to preserve our precious planet.
 - Thich Nhat Hahn


Being Peace

If we are peaceful.
If we are happy.
We can smile and blossom
Like a flower.
And everyone
In our family,
Our entire society
Will benefit
From our peace.
- Thich Nhat Hanh


Our Bonus Compline:
Saturday – The Patrick Compline (Northumbria Community)


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.












Good Night Dear Ones! May we all find rest for our souls and feel God's gentle presence enfolding us  in God's gentle arms this night and always. I love you and give thanks to God for you this day and always.

Rest gentle in God's Love Dear Ones,

Sara

Resources

Oremus  Bible Browser
Satucket Lectionary
In Lak 'Ech - Luis Valdez
Quote Sites for prayers
Walk With Me On Our Journey.
Enriching Our Worship
Book of Common Prayer


Bonus prayers


Diann Neu: Blessed Be Our Hands

Blessed be the work of our hands.

Blessed be these hands that touch life.

Blessed be these hands that nurture creativity.

Blessed be these hands that hold pain.

Blessed be these hands that embrace with passion.

Blessed be these hands that tend gardens.

Blessed bed these hands that close in anger.

Blessed be these hands that plant new seeds.

Blessed be these hands that harvest ripe fields.

Blessed be these hands that clean, wash, mop, scrub.

Blessed be these hands that become knotty with age.

Blessed be these hands that wrinkle and scar from doing justice.

Blessed are these hands that reach out and are received.

Blessed are these hands that hold the promise of the future.

Blessed be the works of our hands and hearts.


FOR WORLD NEIGHBORLINESS - Peter Marshall

O God, we pray for a broader vision of the needs of humanity, and a deeper compassion to fill those needs; for a planting of the seeds of concern for all humanity in our hearts; for a tapping of the wells of generosity.

May we live together as people who have been forgiven a great debt.

May we be gentle, walking softly with one another.

May we be understanding, lest we shall add to the world’s sorrow or cause to flow needless tears.

May we be as anxious for the rights of others as we are for our own.

May we be as eager to forgive as we are to seek forgiveness.

May we know no barriers of creed or race or sex, that our love may be like Yours—a love that sees all people as Your children and our kin.

May we be ministers of humanity.


Walter Rauschenbusch: Prayers

FOR OUR WORLD, OUR EARTH

O God, we thank You for this universe, our great home; for the vastness and richness of our cosmic environment; for the manifoldness of life on the planet of which we are a part.

We are thankful for the morning sun and the clouds and the constellations of stars.

We rejoice in the salt sea and the deep waters and green leaves of grass.

We thank You for our sense by which we experience earth’s splendor.

We would have souls open to all this joy, souls saved from being so weighted with care that we pass unseeing when the thornbush by the wayside is aflame with beauty.

Enlarge within us a sense of fellowship with all that lives and moves and has being in space and time, especially with all who share this earth as their common home with us.

Remembering with shame that in the past, we human beings have all too often exercised high dominion with ruthless cruelty, we admit that the voice of the earth, which should have gone up to You in song, has been a groan of travail.

May we so live that our world may not be ravished by our greed nor spoiled by our ignorance.

May we hand on earth’s common heritage of life, undiminished in joy when our bodies return in peace to You, our Great Mother who has nourished them.

EVENING PRAYER

O God, we praise You for the night and for sleep. Release our limbs of toil. Smooth our brow of care. Grant us a refreshing draught of forgetfulness. Comfort those who toss on a bed of pain, or whose nerves crave sleep and find it not. Save them from despondent thoughts in the darkness. May they learn to lean on Your all-pervading life and love so, their souls may grow tranquil and their bodies may rest.

Somebody’s Hurting My Brother                                             by Yara Allen

Somebody’s hurting my brother
and it’s gone on far too long
Yes, it’s gone on far too long
It’s gone on far too long
I said, somebody’s hurting my brother
and it’s gone on far too long
And we won’t be silent anymore

Somebody’s hurting my sister…

Somebody wants to build that wall…

Somebody’s hurting poor people…

Somebody’s hurting our children…

Somebody’s poisoning the water

Somebody’s ignoring the homeless…

Somebody’s closing our borders…

Somebody’s hurting our families…

A Prayer for Our Time and for the Earth
Dear God, Creator of the earth, this sacred home we share;
Give us new eyes to see the beauty all around and to protect the wonders of creation.
Give us new arms to embrace the strangers among us and to know them as family.
Give us new ears to hear and understand those who live off the land
and to hear and understand those who extract its resources.
Give us new hearts to recognize the brokenness in our communities
and to heal the wounds we have inflicted.
Give us new hands to serve the earth and its people
and to shape beloved community.
For you are the One who seeks the lost,
binds our wounds and sets us free,
and it is in the name of Jesus the Christ we pray.
Amen.

- The Rt. Reverend Carol Gallagher, Cherokee

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