Good Evening Beloved Ones!
Last evening, I had all the intention of blogging but, I hit the wall and gave myself Sabbath rest. Resting is very important for our bodies, minds, and spirits. This is especially true after one monumental holiday betwixt another. So I got cozy and rested. I hope you did too. The lessons for the past few days have begun to center around the Naming/Circumcision/Dedication of Jesus. The words in the previous sentence are our thesaurus work for this week. As a baptized Christian of the Episcopal branch of the Jesus movement, I received my naming and membership in this family 59 + years ago with the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. If you haven't seen or read one I would suggest that you do. It will remind you of Downton Abbey, the Crown, etc. The words are old but, they do pack a punch. Today's question is this "How did you get your name?"This is a good way of doing family history. Baby name books fascinate me.
I will tell you my story in brief:
Name: Sara Lee Macdonald
First Name History: Named for a co-worker my parents worked with at Western Airlines in Portland Oregon.
Middle Name History: Named after My God Mother Lora Lee LaRue, Leroy F. Macdonald Sr. and Leroy F. Macdonald Jr.
Last Name History: Paternal surname.
Here are the origins of my three names:
Sara Origin and Meaning
The name Sara is a girl's name of Hebrew origin meaning "princess".
Sara, the streamlined form of Sarah, makes this ancient name feel more modern, but perhaps a bit lighter weight. Some Old Testament sources give Sara as a variation of Sarai, the Biblical personage's original name, and some give it as the authentic form of the new name of Isaac's 90-year-old mother. But most sources authenticate Sarah as the Biblical classic and Sara as the variation.
Nameberry visitors have debated whether Sara is pronounced differently from Sarah. In the US, the answer is, usually not, but in some countries, Sara is sah-rah while Sarah's first syllable rhymes with hair.
Lee Origin and Meaning
The name Lee is a girl's name of English origin meaning "pasture, meadow".
The original brief, breezy name is somewhat out of favor now even as a middle name. The Leigh spelling has more substance and is more identifiable as female.
Macdonald - World Ruler
- From Wikipedia
The surname is an Anglicised form of the Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic MacDhòmhnaill or Dòmhnallach. The name is a patronym meaning "son of Dòmhnall". The personal name Dòmhnall is composed of the elements domno "world" and val "might", "rule".
This is your fun task for the week.
Let us ponder these quotes on Naming Things from A to Z Quotes:
"The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper name." ~ Confucius
"It is a sad truth, but we have lost the faculty of giving lovely names to things." ~ Oscar Wilde
"Names, once they are in common use, quickly become mere sounds, their etymology being buried, like so many of the earth's marvels, beneath the dust of habit." ~ Salman Rushdie
"Naming things, breaking through taboos and denial is the most dangerous, terrifying, and crucial work. This has to happen in spite of political climates or coercions, in spite of careers being won or lost, in spite of the fear of being criticized, outcast, or disliked. I believe freedom begins with naming things. Humanity is preserved by it." ~ Eve Ensler
"By virtue of this science the poet is the Namer, or Language-maker, naming things sometimes after their appearance, sometimes after their essence, and giving to every one its own name and not another's, thereby rejoicing the intellect, which delights in detachment or boundary." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
"You call a star a star, and say it is just a ball of matter moving on a mathematical course. But that is merely how you see it. By so naming things and describing them you are only inventing your own terms about them. And just as speech is invention about objects and ideas, so myth is invention about truth." ~ Humphrey Carpenter
"For me, Christianity is not a genre. It's faith. The Gospel is not a genre either. It's faith. I definitely understand the semantics of naming things to give them some kind of distinction but I think my faith is pretty distinct. If you want to call it hip hop, essentially it is. That's the art form." ~ LeCrae
"The naming of cats is a difficult matter. It isn't just one of your holiday games. You may think at first I'm mad as a hatter. When I tell you a cat must have three different names." ~ T. S. Eliot
The Naming of Cats
Compare the above quotes with these on baptism
"Baptism is an outward expression of an inward faith." ~ Watchman Nee
"We are called to live our baptism every day, as new creatures, clothed in Christ." ~ Pope Francis
"Christian living means dying with Christ and rising again. That, as we saw, is part of the meaning of baptism, the starting point of the Christian pilgrimage." ~ N. T. Wright
"It is this one Spirit who makes it possible for an infant to be regenerated . . . when that infant is brought to baptism; and it is through this one Spirit that the infant so presented is reborn. For it is not written, 'Unless a man be born again by the will of his parents' or 'by the faith of those presenting him or ministering to him,' but, 'Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Spirit.' The water, therefore, manifesting exteriorly the sacrament of grace, and the Spirit effecting interiorly the benefit of grace, both regenerate in one Christ that man who was generated in Adam." ~ Saint Augustine
"Baptism is rich in meaning. It suggests cleansing. When you are a disciple, you understand that you are cleansed by Christ. You understand that Christ died in your place on the cross, paying for your sins, fully forgiving you for all your wrongs. You are cleansed from guilt, and you are becoming a cleaner, healthier, more whole person." ~ Brian D. McLaren
"Most of us like thinking we are God's only children...At least one of the purposes of church is to remind us that God has other children, easily as precious as we. Baptism and narcissism cancel each other out." ~ Barbara Brown Taylor
"The earthly form of Christ is the form that died on the cross. The image of God is the image of Christ crucified. It is to this image that the life of the disciples must be conformed; in other words, they must be conformed to his death (Phil 3.10, Rom 6.4) The Christian life is a life of crucifixion (Gal 2.19) In baptism the form of Christ's death is impressed upon his own. They are dead to the flesh and to sin, they are dead to the world, and the world is dead to them (Gal 6.14). Anybody living in the strength of Christ's baptism lives in the strength of Christ's death." ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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Let us use Dietrich Bonhoeffer's book title God is in the Manger as part of our mindfulness exercise tonight before we worship.
God is in the Manger.
God is in.
God is.
Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.
God is love.
Love is God.
God is.
Love is.
God is in the Manger.
God is in.
God is.
Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.
God is love.
Love is God.
God is.
Love is.
God is in the Manger.
God is in.
God is.
Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.
God is love.
Love is God.
God is.
Love is.
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and
truth. John 1:14
You Lord are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name. Leave us not. Jeremiah 14:9
To us a child is born: O come, let us adore him. Alleluia. Isaiah 9:6 (adapted)
Behold I bring you good news of a great joy; for to you is born in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10,11
In this, O God, your love was made manifest among us, that you sent your only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 1 John 4:9 (adapted)
Because Jesus himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested. Hebrews 2:18
My eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel. Luke 2:30–32
Clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, and be thankful. Colossians 3:14–15
Joseph Barth: A Grace
We give thanks for Being;
We give thanks for being here;
We give thanks for being here together.
Let us light our candles, turn on our porch lights, and widen our heart homes and make vigil and hold sacred space for one another in unity and love.
We give thanks for Being;
We give thanks for being here;
We give thanks for being here together.
Let us light our candles, turn on our porch lights, and widen our heart homes and make vigil and hold sacred space for one another in unity and love.
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.
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.
"I will light candles this Christmas, Candles of joy, despite all sadness, Candles of hope where despair keeps watch. Candles of courage where fear is ever present, Candles of peace for tempest-tossed days, Candles of grace to ease heavy burdens. Candles of love to inspire all my living, Candles that will burn all the year long." ~ Howard Thurman
We continue to hold sacred space for all who mourn and remember in this healing circle of love: We continue to remember and as in the African Proverb:
"IF YOU SPEAK MY NAME, I WILL LIVE FOREVER." We name our precious ones aloud and ring a virtual bell in their memory and honor.
Tonight Let us also Light our Candles and make vigil for our nation and all of us and our family members who feel invisible and are being made invisible by our government and the leadership of this country.
"IF YOU SPEAK MY NAME, I WILL LIVE FOREVER."
We speak the names of all of our family members remembering these groups and honoring everyone in them as dearly loved Children Of God who are COGs in the Wheel of life and love.
Our Muslim, Christian, and Jewish Brothers and Sisters
Our Brothers and Sisters of many faiths where there is misunderstanding.
Our Indigenous Brothers and Sisters
Our Brothers and Sisters who protect our environment and who are water protectors
Our Brothers and Sisters who resist and speak out agains oppression and for universal human rights.
Our Latino, Latina, and Latinx Brothers and Sisters
Our Littlest Brothers and Sisters the children
Our LGBTQIA Brothers and Sisters
Our immigrant Brothers and Sister No matter what classification.
Our Disabled Brothers and Sisters
Our Elderly Brothers and Sisters
Our Poor and Oppressed Brothers and Sisters.
Our Homeless, Hungry, and Ill-Clad Brothers and Sisters
Our Brothers and Sisters of Many Faiths and Ethnicities
Our Sisters who are in need of equal rights to health care, pay, family leave,
Our Mentally Ill and Memory Challenged Brothers and Sisters
Our Brothers and Sisters who are Veterans and who suffer many things.
Our Abused, Neglected, and Bullied Brothers and Sisters.
Our Brothers and Sisters who have been victims of hate crimes.
Our Brothers and Sisters who are artists and who work in the humanities.
Our Brothers and Sisters who have healthcare issues and have chronic illnesses.
Our Brothers and Sisters who suffer from all forms of addiction.
Our Brothers and Sisters who are in prison.
Our Brothers and Sisters who are victims of Human Trafficking.
Our Brothers and Sisters who are our enemies and who hate us.
All our Brothers and Sisters!
What names of our Brothers and Sisters do you want to speak?_____________
God we come to you to acknowledge that no one is invisible and that we as your children each have a special role to play in this fragile and broken world of ours. Help us to know that as COG (Children of God) we may help serve you by serving others by making the right changes we want to see in world. Help us ourselves to be the change we want to see in the world. May we always seek to be CALM (Compassionate, Accepting, Loving, and Merciful) even when the day's news cycles rattle our nerves. May our spirits be enlivened, our steps, quickened, and that we may feel your Living Water Coursing through our veins this night and forevermore. Amen.
Psalm 134 Ecce nunc
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.
Psalm 141:1-3,8ab Domine, clamavi
O LORD, I call to you; come to me quickly; *
hear my voice when I cry to you.
Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, *
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Set a watch before my mouth, O LORD,
and guard the door of my lips; *
let not my heart incline to any evil thing.
My eyes are turned to you, Lord GOD; *
in you I take refuge.
Help us to remember this as we pray and make vigil tonight:
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
Let us prepare to let go and let God as we put away this year and look towards the next, by praying this prayer:
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 who first called Israel to be your people, give your light especially to our American Jewish brothers and sisters as the Hanukkah celebrations draw to a close. Comfort the community of Congregation Netzach Yisroel. Teach those of us who follow your Jewish son, Jesus of Nazareth in Galilee, to hold our siblings in faith ever closer to our hearts and know how best to serve them. In the name of Jesus we pray - Amen.
Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?
What is your response? I hope it is this:
| I will, with God's help. |
THE RENEWAL OF BAPTISMAL VOWS
| Celebrant | Do you reaffirm your renunciation of evil and renew your commitment to Jesus Christ? |
| People | I do. |
| Celebrant | Do you believe in God the Father? |
| People | I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. |
| Celebrant | Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God? |
| People | I believe inJesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. |
| Celebrant | Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit? |
| People | I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. |
| Celebrant | Will you continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers? |
| People | I will, with God's help. |
| Celebrant | Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord? |
| People | I will, with God's help. |
| Celebrant | Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ? |
| People | I will, with God's help. |
| Celebrant | Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself? |
| People | I will, with God's help. |
| Celebrant | Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being? |
| People | I will, with God's help. |
The Celebrant concludes the Renewal of Vows as follows
May Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, whohas given us a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, and
bestowed upon us the forgiveness of sins, keep us in eternal
life by his grace, in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Confession of Need
Let us confess our need for God’s healing grace.
Silence
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.
May the God of love visit us in our times of trial and weakness,
and raise us to newness of life, through Jesus Christ, in the
power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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.
Psalm 96:7-10
7 Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples; *
ascribe to the Lord honor and power.
8 Ascribe to the Lord the honor due his Name; *
bring offerings and come into his courts.
9 Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; *
let the whole earth tremble before him.
10 Tell it out among the nations: "The Lord is King! *
he has made the world so firm that it cannot be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity."
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.
1 John 2:12-17
12 I am writing to you, little children,
because your sins are forgiven on account of his name.
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young people,
because you have conquered the evil one.
14 I write to you, children,
because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young people,
because you are strong
and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world; 16for all that is in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17And the world and its desire* are passing away, but those who do the will of God live for ever.
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.
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Yesterday's Gospel reading From Luke that will add more context for today's reading below.
Luke 2:22-40 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Jesus Is Presented in the Temple
22 When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), 24 and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon;[a] this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.[b] 27 Guided by the Spirit, Simeon[c] came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, 28 Simeon[d] took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
29 “Master, now you are dismissing your servant[e] in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.”
33 And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon[f] blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
36 There was also a prophet, Anna[g] the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child[h] to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
The Return to Nazareth
39 When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
The Song of Zechariah Benedictus Dominus Deus
Blessed are you, Lord, the God of Israel, *
you have come to your people and set them free.
You have raised up for us a mighty Savior, *
born of the house of your servant David.
Through your holy prophets you promised of old
to save us from our enemies, *
from the hands of all who hate us,
To show mercy to our forebears, *
and to remember your holy covenant.
This was the oath you swore to our father Abraham, *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Free to worship you without fear, *
holy and righteous before you,
all the days of our life.
And you, child, shall be called the prophet
of the Most High, *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way,
To give God’s people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
To shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Luke 2:36-40
36 There was also a prophet, Anna* the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, 37then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day. 38At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child* to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
The Return to Nazareth
39 When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.
A Song of Our Adoption
Ephesians 1:3-10
Blessed are you, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, *
for you have blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
Before the world was made, you chose us to be yours in Christ, *
that we should be holy and blameless before you.
You destined us for adoption as your children through Jesus Christ,
*
according to the good pleasure of your will,
To the praise of your glorious grace, *
that you have freely given us in the Beloved.
In you, we have redemption through the blood of Christ,
the forgiveness of our sins,
According to the riches of your grace *
which you have lavished upon us.
You have made known to us, in all wisdom and insight, *
the mystery of your will,
According to your good pleasure which you set forth in Christ, *
as a plan for the fullness of time,
To gather together all things in Christ, *
things in heaven and things on earth.
Collects for the First Sunday After Christmas
Jesus, you saw the world through the eyes of a child.
Save us from the pride
that would refuse your command to live like you
in simplicity and joy.
Hear this prayer for your love’s sake.
Amen. (ANZPB)
Holy and eternal God,
your Son Jesus Christ has taught us
to learn from the simple trust of children;
give us pure hearts and steadfast faith
to worship you in spirit and in truth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. (ANZPB)
Jesus, your ways are not our ways.
You are the Jewish boy,
you are the questioning child the parents lost.
Make us willing to listen
and humble in what we believe is right.
Hear this prayer for your love’s sake.
Amen.(ANZPB)
Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP)
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.
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.
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.
Holy God we pray for the forgiveness of our misdeeds and sins as we forgive those who have hurt us . Help us to learn to ask for forgiveness and be forgiving so that there may be peace and healing in our heart homes.
Holy God we pray that we may let go of the many things that may linger in our heart homes from the past year so that we my find peace.
Holy God we pray that all warring factions may lay down their weaponry and practice peace and learn to love.
Holy God we pray for all God's children who are in harms way this night.
Holy God we pray for all homeless, hungry, and those who do not have good clothing who will not find shelter from the cold tonight.
Holy God we pray for all who are ill and in need of healing. We pray for peace in their hearts while they await your healing.
For all cities in our country and around the world, who are experiencing unrest. We pray for an end to all gun violence and hate of any kind.
For those who are traveling this holiday season.
For families where there is division.
For our additional prayers and thanksgivings______________________________________
For those suffering from Mental illness and depression this time of year.
For all caregivers.
Holy God we lay these our prayers at the feet and in the Name of your only son Jesus who came to show us how to forgive, love, and care for all God's children. Amen
Or these:
God of Love come among us as we pray this night.
God of Love come to our hearts and fill them more fully with hope, joy, love, and peace.
God of Love help us to bring to this fragile and broken world a climate of love, forgiveness, and the indwelling of the fruits of the Spirit to all people. Help us to call to mind these fruits: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
God of Love, We pray for the least of these this night at home and around the world.
God of Love, we pray for those who are ill and who are in need of proper medical care, and the patience to await the healing you are bringing them.
God of Love, Take away from us the need to speak when we need to listen with the ears of our hearts, and not to seek to reply but understand.
God of Love, help us to become the peacemakers and children you are calling us to be.
God of Love, give us the courage in the words of the Prophet Micah "To do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God"
God of Love, we pray for an end to all forms of hateful division and anger towards those who differ from us.
God of Love, we pray that we will live out the words of Teresa of Avila in her famous 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.”
God of Love, give us courage to live out and listen to your words you spoke through you son Jesus on the sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 5:1-12New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Beatitudes
5 When Jesus[a] saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely[b] on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
God of Love, help us to acknowledge our dependence upon you and each other. Help us to build bridges and tear down walls of division and hatred.
God of Love, give us strength to live each day without fear of those who differ from us and gather the strength to find common ground in Love for one another.
God of Love we pray for___________________
God of Love we pray and ask for the forgiveness of our sins this day as we call them to mind____________
God of Love, we pray and give thanks for___________________
God of Love, we lay these prayers in the arms of your beloved son Jesus Christ. Amen.
May the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our
Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of
the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you
may do his will, working in you that which is pleasing in his
sight; through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and
ever. Hebrews 13:20-21
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.
To make a creative contribution to this world
O God, we thank you for the lives of great saints and prophets in the past, who have revealed to us that we can stand up amid the problems and difficulties and trials of life and not give in. We thank you for our foreparents, who've given us something in the midst of the darkness of exploitation and oppression to keep going. Grant that we will go on with the proper faith and the proper determination of will, so that we will be able to make a creative contribution to this world. In the name and spirit of Jesus we pray. - Martin Luther King Jr.
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.
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)
O God of love and mercy,
grant us, with all your people, rest and peace.
Our Celtic Rite of Compline from the Northumbria Community is here:
ff
Aidan came to Lindisfarne from Iona in the year 635 at the request of King Oswald. He was a man of deep prayer who meditated on the words of Scripture, equipping himself in quiet for an active and highly effective apostolate. He remained at Lindisfarne for 16 years. In 651, Aidan was taken ill at Bamburgh and died. Cuthbert, who was a that moment looking after his flock of sheep on the Lammermuir hills, saw a vision of angels taking Aidan’s soul to heaven.
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)
* O Christ, Son of the living God,
may Your holy angels guard our sleep,
may they watch over us as we rest
and hover around our beds.
may Your holy angels guard our sleep,
may they watch over us as we rest
and hover around our beds.
* Let them reveal to us in our dreams
visions of Your glorious truth,
O High Prince of the universe,
O High Priest of the mysteries.
visions of Your glorious truth,
O High Prince of the universe,
O High Priest of the mysteries.
* May no dreams disturb our rest
and no nightmares darken our dreams.
May no fears or worries delay
our willing, prompt repose.
and no nightmares darken our dreams.
May no fears or worries delay
our willing, prompt repose.
* May the virtue of our daily work
hallow our nightly prayers.
May our sleep be deep and soft
so our work be fresh and hard.
hallow our nightly prayers.
May our sleep be deep and soft
so our work be fresh and hard.
I will lie down and sleep in peace
for You alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.
for You alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.
My dear ones, O God, bless Thou and keep,
in every place where they are.
in every place where they are.
* Into Your hands I commit my spirit;
I give it to You with all the love of my heart.
I give it to You with all the love of my heart.
* How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake, I am still with You.
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake, I am still with You.
I make the cross of Christ upon my breast,
+ over the tablet of my hard heart,
and I beseech the Living God of the universe –
may the Light of Lights come
to my dark heart from Thy place;
may the Spirit’s wisdom come to my heart’s tablet
from my Saviour.
+ over the tablet of my hard heart,
and I beseech the Living God of the universe –
may the Light of Lights come
to my dark heart from Thy place;
may the Spirit’s wisdom come to my heart’s tablet
from my Saviour.
* Christ without sin, Christ of wounds,
I am placing my soul and my body
under Thy guarding this night,
Christ of the poor, Christ of tears.
Thy cross be my shielding this night,
O Thou Son of tears, of the wounds, of the piercing.
I am placing my soul and my body
under Thy guarding this night,
Christ of the poor, Christ of tears.
Thy cross be my shielding this night,
O Thou Son of tears, of the wounds, of the piercing.
I am going now into the sleep:
O be it in Thy dear arm’s keep,
O God of grace, that I shall awake.
O be it in Thy dear arm’s keep,
O God of grace, that I shall awake.
* My Christ! my Christ!
my shield, my encircler,
each day, each night,
each light, each dark.
my shield, my encircler,
each day, each night,
each light, each dark.
* My Christ! my Christ!
my shield, my encircler,
each day, each night,
each light, each dark.
Be near me, uphold me,
my treasure, my triumph.
my shield, my encircler,
each day, each night,
each light, each dark.
Be near me, uphold me,
my treasure, my triumph.
Circle me, Lord,
keep protection near
and danger afar.
keep protection near
and danger afar.
* Circle me, Lord,
keep light near
and darkness afar.
keep light near
and darkness afar.
* Circle me, Lord,
keep peace within;
keep evil out.
keep peace within;
keep evil out.
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.
be mine this night
+ in the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Today’s Meditation
In the present moment
Hurry is an unpleasant thing in itself, but also very unpleasant for whoever is around it. Some people came into my room and rushed in and rushed out and even when they were there they were not there – they were in the moment ahead or the moment behind. Some people who came in just for a moment were all there, completely in that moment.
Live from day to day, just from day to day. If you do so, you worry less and live more richly. If you let yourself be absorbed completely, if you surrender completely to the moments as they pass, you live more richly those moments.
Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Extra prayers and quotes from Howard Thurman and Dietrich Bonhoeffer
"When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
...To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart." ~ Howard Thurman
"In the stillness of the quiet, if we listen, we can hear the whisper of the heart giving strength to weakness, courage to fear, hope to despair." ~ Howard Thurman
"The movement of the Spirit of God in the hearts of men and women often calls them to act against the spirit of their times or causes them to anticipate a spirit which is yet in the making. In a moment of dedication they are given wisdom and courage to dare a deed that challenges and to kindle a hope that inspires." ~ Howard Thurman
"Jesus rejected hatred because he saw that hatred meant death to the mind, death to the spirit, and death to communion with his Father. He affirmed life; and hatred was the great denial." ~ Howard Thurman
"Where refugees seek deliverance that never comesAnd the heart consumes itself as if it would live,Where children age before their timeAnd life wears down the edges of the mind,Where the old man sits with mind grown cold,While bones and sinew, blood and cell, go slowly down to death,Where fear companions each day's life,And Perfect Love seems long delayed.CHRISTMAS IS WAITING TO BE BORN:In you, in me, in all mankind." ~ Howard Thurman
"There must be always remaining in every life, some place for the singing of angels, some place for that which in itself is breathless and beautiful." ~ Howard Thurman
"Twilight - a time of pause when nature changes her guard. All living things would fade and die from too much light or too much dark, if twilight were not." ~ Howard Thurman
"Listen to the long stillness:
New life is stirring
New dreams are on the wing
New hopes are being readied:
Humankind is fashioning a new heart
Humankind is forging a new mind
God is at work.
This is the season of Promise" ~ Howard Thurman
"Do not be silent; there is no limit to the power that may be released through you." ~ Howard Thurman
“Jesus stands at the door knocking (Rev. 3:20). In total reality, he comes in the form of the beggar, of the dissolute human child in ragged clothes, asking for help. He confronts you in every person that you meet. As long as there are people, Christ will walk the earth as your neighbor, as the one through whom God calls you, speaks to you, makes demands on you. That is the great seriousness and great blessedness of the Advent message. Christ is standing at the door; he lives in the form of a human being among us.”
― God Is In the Manger
Bonhoeffer really brings it home to us especially when we read the Gospel According to St. John that was read today. We will see them later in our time of worship. This is a season as with all seasons to remember that Christ is in everyone and that we are called to care for the least of these. Today the least of these in our congregation were three children of God who were homeless, loud, and praising God in an unconventional way. I was hoping we were loving and welcoming to them. I was hoping that we were welcoming to our unsheltered guests who camped out in our parking lot last evening. So let us be radically loving and welcoming to all God's Children. They are to be seen as Christ and God.
Let us ponder these quotes from Dietrich Bonhoeffer today:
“With the birth of Jesus, the great kingdom of peace has begun.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is In the Manger
“To those who recognize in Jesus the wonder of the Son of God, every one of his words and deeds becomes a wonder; they find in him the last, most profound, most helpful counsel for all needs and questions. Yes, before the child can open his lips, he is full of wonder and full of counsel. Go to the child in the manger. Believe him to be the Son of God, and you will find in him wonder upon wonder, counsel upon counsel.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is In the Manger
“The joy of God has gone through the poverty of the manger and the distress of the cross; therefore it is invincible and irrefutable.”
― God Is In the Manger
“No priest, no theologian stood at the manger of Bethlehem. And yet all Christian theology has its origin in the wonder of all wonders: that God became human. Holy theology arises from knees bent before the mystery of the divine child in the stable. Without the holy night, there is no theology. “God is revealed in flesh,” the God-human Jesus Christ — that is the holy mystery that theology came into being to protect and preserve. How we fail to understand when we think that the task of theology is to solve the mystery of God, to drag it down to the flat, ordinary wisdom of human experience and reason! Its sole office is to preserve the miracle as miracle, to comprehend, defend, and glorify God’s mystery precisely as mystery. This and nothing else, therefore, is what the early church meant when, with never flagging zeal, it dealt with the mystery of the Trinity and the person of Jesus Christ…. If Christmas time cannot ignite within us again something like a love for holy theology, so that we—captured and compelled by the wonder of the manger of the son of God—must reverently reflect on the mysteries of God, then it must be that the glow of the divine mysteries has also been extinguished in our heart and has died out.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is In the Manger
“And that is the wonder of all wonders, that God loves the lowly…. God is not ashamed of the lowliness of human beings. God marches right in. He chooses people as his instruments and performs his wonders where one would least expect them. God is near to lowliness; he loves the lost, the neglected, the unseemly, the excluded, the weak and broken.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is In the Manger
“Who among us will celebrate Christmas correctly? Whoever finally lays down all power, all honor, all reputation, all vanity, all arrogance, all individualism beside the manger; whoever remains lowly and lets God alone be high; whoever looks at the child in the manger and sees the glory of God precisely in his lowliness.5 Dietrich Bonhoeffer”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is In the Manger
“We cannot approach the manger of the Christ child in the same way we approach the cradle of another child. Rather, when we go to his manger, something happens, and we cannot leave it again unless we have been judged or redeemed. Here we must either collapse or know the mercy of God directed toward us.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is In the Manger
― God Is In the Manger
Bonhoeffer really brings it home to us especially when we read the Gospel According to St. John that was read today. We will see them later in our time of worship. This is a season as with all seasons to remember that Christ is in everyone and that we are called to care for the least of these. Today the least of these in our congregation were three children of God who were homeless, loud, and praising God in an unconventional way. I was hoping we were loving and welcoming to them. I was hoping that we were welcoming to our unsheltered guests who camped out in our parking lot last evening. So let us be radically loving and welcoming to all God's Children. They are to be seen as Christ and God.
Let us ponder these quotes from Dietrich Bonhoeffer today:
“With the birth of Jesus, the great kingdom of peace has begun.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is In the Manger
“To those who recognize in Jesus the wonder of the Son of God, every one of his words and deeds becomes a wonder; they find in him the last, most profound, most helpful counsel for all needs and questions. Yes, before the child can open his lips, he is full of wonder and full of counsel. Go to the child in the manger. Believe him to be the Son of God, and you will find in him wonder upon wonder, counsel upon counsel.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is In the Manger
“The joy of God has gone through the poverty of the manger and the distress of the cross; therefore it is invincible and irrefutable.”
― God Is In the Manger
“No priest, no theologian stood at the manger of Bethlehem. And yet all Christian theology has its origin in the wonder of all wonders: that God became human. Holy theology arises from knees bent before the mystery of the divine child in the stable. Without the holy night, there is no theology. “God is revealed in flesh,” the God-human Jesus Christ — that is the holy mystery that theology came into being to protect and preserve. How we fail to understand when we think that the task of theology is to solve the mystery of God, to drag it down to the flat, ordinary wisdom of human experience and reason! Its sole office is to preserve the miracle as miracle, to comprehend, defend, and glorify God’s mystery precisely as mystery. This and nothing else, therefore, is what the early church meant when, with never flagging zeal, it dealt with the mystery of the Trinity and the person of Jesus Christ…. If Christmas time cannot ignite within us again something like a love for holy theology, so that we—captured and compelled by the wonder of the manger of the son of God—must reverently reflect on the mysteries of God, then it must be that the glow of the divine mysteries has also been extinguished in our heart and has died out.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is In the Manger
“And that is the wonder of all wonders, that God loves the lowly…. God is not ashamed of the lowliness of human beings. God marches right in. He chooses people as his instruments and performs his wonders where one would least expect them. God is near to lowliness; he loves the lost, the neglected, the unseemly, the excluded, the weak and broken.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is In the Manger
“Who among us will celebrate Christmas correctly? Whoever finally lays down all power, all honor, all reputation, all vanity, all arrogance, all individualism beside the manger; whoever remains lowly and lets God alone be high; whoever looks at the child in the manger and sees the glory of God precisely in his lowliness.5 Dietrich Bonhoeffer”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is In the Manger
“We cannot approach the manger of the Christ child in the same way we approach the cradle of another child. Rather, when we go to his manger, something happens, and we cannot leave it again unless we have been judged or redeemed. Here we must either collapse or know the mercy of God directed toward us.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is In the Manger
++++
Good Night Beloved Ones! Tomorrow we will have our annual New Year's Eve Vigil and meditate upon this past year.It is time to light a candle, fire, that we can place all the negative thoughts and things that troubled us throughout the year. Time to burn our Worry Free Sabbath Journal items for 2019. We all need to make a fresh start. I love you.
Resources:
A to Z Quotes
Satucket Lectionary Page
Book of Common Prayer
Enriching our Worship 1
Quote sites for prayers
Northumbria Community
Metis Aboriginal Ministries
A New Zealand Prayer Book
Walk With Me On Our Journey
Contemplative Cottage
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