Wednesday, March 4, 2020

The Wisdom of Prophets and the Meaning of Symbols! Quotes to ponder, lessons to meditate upon, vigils to make, and prayers to pray!






Good Evening Beloved Ones!


Happy Wisdom Wednesday! How many of you got into looking up the meaning of your name(s) when you were younger and still? Today we have two key figures who happen to have books of the Bible attributed to them, Jonah and Luke! Jonah means dove and Luke means light, luminous! So when we look at our names we find out a little bit about who we are.  In our readings tonight let us seek out the good news that is interspersed with quite a bit of gritty language. I'm encouraging everyone to read the portions of scripture contextually this week because what has been written before and after,will help us to seek out more meaning and touch the depths of our spirit.Tonight we ponder on the words prophet and symbol. Lots of wisdom in those words!


So let us get to it! I hope you are packing light this week!


"The task of the prophet is not to smooth things over but to make things right." ~ Eugene H. Peterson

"Symbols are powerful because they are the visible signs of invisible realities." ~ Saint Augustine

"Great eagles fly alone; great lions hunt alone; great souls walk alone-alone with God. Such loneliness is hard to endure, and impossible to enjoy unless God accompanied. Prophets are lone men; they walk alone, pray alone and God makes them alone." ~ Leonard Ravenhill


"It is a symbol evoking a reality that touches the depths of the person ... the light of goodness that vanquishes evil, of love that overcomes hatred, of life that defeats death." ~ Pope Benedict XVI

"Prophets are those who take life as it is and expand it. They refuse to shrink a vision of tomorrow to the boundaries of yesterday." ~ Joan D. Chittister

"Read myths. They teach you that you can turn inward, and you begin to get the message of the symbols. Read other people's myths, not those of your own religion, because you tend to interpret your own religion in terms of facts -- but if you read the other ones, you begin to get the message." ~ Joseph Campbell

"All things and all acts and this whole wonderful universe proclaim to us the Lord our Father, Christ our love, Christ our hope, our portion, and our joy. Oh, brethren, if you would know the meaning of the world, read Christ in it. If you would see the beauty of earth, take it for a prophet of something higher than itself." ~ Alexander MacLaren

"The degradation of the sense of symbol in modern society is one of its many signs of spiritual decay." ~ Thomas Merton

"Pagans exalt sacred things, the Prophets extol sacred deeds." ~ Abraham Joshua Heschel

"The soul ... may have many symbols with which it reaches toward God." ~ Anya Seton

"Love was meant to be also a sign, a symbol, a messenger, a telltale of the Divine. Love is a messenger from God saying that every human affection and every ecstasy of love are sparks from the great flame of love that is God." ~ Fulton J. Sheen

"When God grabs you by the scruff of the neck then although theoretically you have a freedom to say 'no', in another sense, actually, you can't say no because it's like Jeremiah. 'God, you have cheated me. You called me to be a prophet against the people that I love, and all that I proclaim is words of doom and judgement.' And yet if I say "I will shut up", I can't." ~ Desmond Tutu

"While doing centering prayer, the practice is to let go of any thought or perception. The priority is to be as silent as possible and when that is not possible to let the noise of the thoughts be the sacred symbol for a while, without analyzing them." ~ Thomas Keating

"I cannot recall, in any of my reading, a single instance of a prophet who applied for the job." ~ Aiden Wilson Tozer

"The spinning wheel is a symbol of nonviolence for me." ~ Mahatma Gandhi

"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"I am a deeply religious person, but I belong to no denomination. I follow the spirit of God's law, not the letter of the law. One can become so attached to the outward symbols and structure of religion that one forgets its original intent - to bring one closer to God. We can only gain access to the Kingdom of God by realizing it dwells within us as well as in all humanity. Know that we are all cells in the ocean of infinity, each contributing to the others' welfare." ~ Peace Pilgrim

"The well-adjusted make poor prophets." ~ Eric Hoffer

"The poor tell us who we are, the prophets tell us who we could be, so we hide the poor, and kill the prophets." ~ Philip Berrigan

"God is not a symbol of goodness; 
 goodness is a symbol of God" ~ Gilbert K. Chesterton

"[ To break the law] would still be an imperative. I guess we do it for both reasons. You try to be a Christian, you try to come from that tradition of the Jewish prophets and then Christ and everything since. That becomes your handbook. "Witness" is the key word. You witness against the injustice, against the atrocity, against the heavy-handedness, and all the rest. We try to make a statement to other people, and we try to say it's your responsibility, too." ~ Philip Berrigan


Come let us worship:

Joseph Barth: A Grace

We give thanks for Being;
We give thanks for being here;
We give thanks for being here together.



Jesus said: “If any of you would come after me, deny yourself and take up your cross and follow me.” Mark 8:34



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.


We pray for all who serve you Lord Jesus, study you as the Word and in scripture and listen to the sage wisdom in your parables. We pray that we may find in our hearts to be the Beloved Community in your Kindom and know that we are loved. Help us not to fear when the storms of life create times of dis-ease and that we may lean on you and fear not and in the words of the "Be Stills"

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

We offer our loving prayers and thanksgivings to you O God of mercy, peace, and justice.


We light our candles for the least of these who will not have any food, clothing, or shelter tonight. Help us to take action and seek and serve all who are in need. We light our candles to help us as the Beloved Community to find solutions and soulutions to our world's needs and the unity of all.


Let us light our candles, meditate, and be at prayer!

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




Psalm 51:11–18
Miserere mei, Deus
11 Create in me a clean heart, O God, *
and renew a right spirit within me.

12 Cast me not away from your presence *
and take not your holy Spirit from me.

13 Give me the joy of your saving help again *
and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.

14 I shall teach your ways to the wicked, *
and sinners shall return to you.

15 Deliver me from death, O God, *
and my tongue shall sing of your righteousness,
O God of my salvation.

16 Open my lips, O Lord, *
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

17 Had you desired it, I would have offered sacrifice, *
but you take no delight in burnt-offerings.

18 The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit; *
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.


A Song of the Wilderness
Isaiah 35:1-7,10
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, *
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
It shall blossom abundantly, *
and rejoice with joy and singing.
They shall see the glory of the Lord, *
the majesty of our God.
Strengthen the weary hands, *
and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to the anxious, “Be strong, do not fear! *
Here is your God, coming with judgment to save you.”
Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, *
and the ears of the deaf be unstopped.
Then shall the lame leap like a deer, *
and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness *
and streams in the desert;
The burning sand shall become a pool *
and the thirsty ground, springs of water.
The ransomed of God shall return with singing, *
with everlasting joy upon their heads.
Joy and gladness shall be theirs, *
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away


Jonah 3:1–10
The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, "Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you." So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, "Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.

When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. Then he had a proclamation made in Nineveh: "By the decree of the king and his nobles: No human being or animal, no herd or flock, shall taste anything. They shall not feed, nor shall they drink water. Human beings and animals shall be covered with sackcloth, and they shall cry mightily to God. All shall turn from their evil ways and from the violence that is in their hands. Who knows? God may relent and change his mind; he may turn from his fierce anger, so that we do not perish."

When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.


A Song of Jonah
Jonah 2:2-7,9
I called to you, O God, out of my distress, and you answered me; *
out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.
You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, *
and the flood surrounded me;
all your waves and billows passed over me.
Then I said, “I am driven away from your sight; *
how shall I ever look again upon your holy temple?”
The waters closed in over me, the deep was round about me; *
weeds were wrapped around my head at the roots of the mountains.
I went down to the land beneath the earth, *
yet you brought up my life from the depths, O God.
As my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, O God, *
and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.
With the voice of thanksgiving, I will sacrifice to you; *
what I have vowed I will pay, for deliverance belongs to the
Lord!


Luke 11:29–32
When the crowds were increasing, Jesus began to say, “This generation is an evil generation; it asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be to this generation. The queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and see, something greater than Solomon is here! The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and see, something greater than Jonah is here!”

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.

The Lord’s Prayer or the alternative is said. From A New Zealand Prayer Book

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

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever.    Amen.

Or

Eternal Spirit, 
Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, 
Source of all that is and that shall be, 
Father and Mother of us all, 
Loving God, in whom is heaven:

The hallowing of your name echo through the universe! 
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples
of the world! 
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings! 
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom 
sustain our hope and come on earth.

With the bread we need for today, feed us. 
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us. 
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us. 
From trials too great to endure, spare us. 
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.

For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, 
now and for ever. Amen.


Bless us, O God, in this holy season, in which our hearts seek your help and healing; and so purify us
by your discipline that we may grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ;who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, 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.


Prayers to God who is the Heart Healer


God you who are the heart healer of us all, make our hearts if they are hurting in any way whole and healed from anxiety, fear, distress, and broken.

God you who are the heart healer of us all,heal the brokeness of  your fragile world and that peace may prevail.

God you who are the heart healer of us all, heal our bodies, minds, and spirits and all of our family members who are ill. Give us courage and strength to meet each day with joy and hope.

God you who are the heart healer of us all, take from us every root of bitterness and division that we may all be one.

God you who are the heart healer of us all, may we have courage to live authentically into our truth as the beautiful children you have made us to be in your image and likeness. 

God you who are the heart healer of us all, may we do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you as we become and are the voices for the voiceless and speak truth to power.

God you who are the heart healer of us all, make our bodies strong so that we may serve you and follow where you lead.

God you who are the heart healer of us all, we  pray for _______________ and give thanks for____________ for ourselves and on behalf of others.

God you who are the heart healer of us all, we pray for those who are in mourning and pre-grieving  may we lovingly respond with compassion.

God you who are the heart healer of us all, we pray for all who are dying and who have died today that they may have a gentle transition into the Thin Places.

Jesus, accept these our prayers in your most Holy Name. Amen.



Our service of Night Prayer this evening is based on Night Prayer from the New Zealand Prayer Book!


Approach
The angels of God guard us through the night,
and quieten the powers of darkness.

The Spirit of God be our guide
to lead us to peace and to glory.

It is but lost labour that we haste to rise up early, 
and so late take rest, and eat the bread of anxiety. 
For those beloved of God are given gifts even while they sleep.

Silence

My brothers and sisters, 
our help is in the name of the eternal God,
who is making the heavens and the earth.


Dear God, 
thank you for all that is good, 
for our creation and for our humanity, 
for the stewardship you have given us of this planet earth, 
for the gifts of life and of one another, 
for your love which is unbounded and eternal.

O thou, most holy and beloved, 
my Companion, my Guide upon the way,  my bright evening star.

We repent the wrongs we have done:

Silence

We have wounded your love. 
O God, heal us.

We stumble in the darkness. 
Light of the world transfigure us.

We forget that we are your home. 
Spirit of God, dwell in us.

Eternal Spirit, living God, 
in whom we live and move and have our being, 
all that we are, have been, and shall be is known to you, 
to the very secret of our hearts 
and all that rises to trouble us. 
Living flame burn into us, 
cleansing wind, blow through us, 
fountain of water, well up within us, 
that we may love and praise in deed and in truth.

Invocation
Eternal Spirit, flow through our being and open our lips, 
that our mouths may proclaim your praise.

Let us worship the God of love. 



Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for thse who abuse you. Do good and lend, expecting nothing in return; for God is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. Be merciful as your father is merciful. Judge not and you will not be judged. Condemn not and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and it will be given to you; for the measure you give will be the measure you receive.
From Luke 6:27-38


Psalm 121
I will lift up my eyes to the mountains, 
but where shall I find help?

From you alone, O God, does my help come, 
creator of the ever changing hills.

You will not let me stumble on the rough pathways, 
you care for me and watch over me without ceasing

I am sure that the Guardian of my people 
neither slumbers nor sleeps. 

The God of all nations keeps watch, 
like a shadow spread over me.

So the sun will not strike me by day, 
nor the moon by night.

You will defend me in the presence of evil, 
you will guard my life.

You will defend my going out and my coming in, 
this night and always.


Hymn 6
Be still and know that I am God. 
Be still and know that I am God. 
Be still and know that I am God.

I am the God that healeth thee. 
I am the God that healeth thee.
I am the God that healeth thee.

In thee, O God, I put my trust. 
In thee, O God, I put my trust. 
In thee, O God, I put my trust.

Hymn 9
God be in my head, and in my understanding;
God be in my eyes, and in my looking;
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;
God be in my heart, and in my thinking;
God be at my end, and at my departing.

Song of Simeon Nunc Dimittis

Praise be to God, I have lived to see this day.
God’s promise is fulfilled, and my duty done.
At last you have given me peace,
for I have seen with my own eyes
the salvation you have prepared for all nations -
a light to the world in its darkness,
and the glory of your people Israel.
Glory be God, sustaining, redeeming, sanctifying,
as in the beginning, so now, and for ever.
Amen.



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 4:14-21
14 Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. 15He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 
18 ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
   because he has anointed me
     to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
   and recovery of sight to the blind,
     to let the oppressed go free, 
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’ 
20And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’

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.


Prayers to God who is the Heart Healer


God you who are the heart healer of us all, make our hearts if they are hurting in any way whole and healed from anxiety, fear, distress, and broken.

God you who are the heart healer of us all,heal the brokeness of  your fragile world and that peace may prevail.

God you who are the heart healer of us all, heal our bodies, minds, and spirits and all of our family members who are ill. Give us courage and strength to meet each day with joy and hope.

God you who are the heart healer of us all, take from us every root of bitterness and division that we may all be one.

God you who are the heart healer of us all, may we have courage to live authentically into our truth as the beautiful children you have made us to be in your image and likeness. 

God you who are the heart healer of us all, may we do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you as we become and are the voices for the voiceless and speak truth to power.

God you who are the heart healer of us all, make our bodies strong so that we may serve you and follow where you lead.

God you who are the heart healer of us all, we  pray for _______________ and give thanks for____________ for ourselves and on behalf of others.

God you who are the heart healer of us all, we pray for those who are in mourning and pre-grieving  may we lovingly respond with compassion.

God you who are the heart healer of us all, we pray for all who are dying and who have died today that they may have a gentle transition into the Thin Places.

Jesus, accept these our prayers in your most Holy Name. Amen.



Our service of Night Prayer this evening is based on Night Prayer from the New Zealand Prayer Book!


Approach
The angels of God guard us through the night,
and quieten the powers of darkness.

The Spirit of God be our guide
to lead us to peace and to glory.

It is but lost labour that we haste to rise up early, 
and so late take rest, and eat the bread of anxiety. 
For those beloved of God are given gifts even while they sleep.

Silence

My brothers and sisters, 
our help is in the name of the eternal God,
who is making the heavens and the earth.


Dear God, 
thank you for all that is good, 
for our creation and for our humanity, 
for the stewardship you have given us of this planet earth, 
for the gifts of life and of one another, 
for your love which is unbounded and eternal.

O thou, most holy and beloved, 
my Companion, my Guide upon the way, 
tāku whetū mārama i te pō / my bright evening star.

We repent the wrongs we have done:

Silence

We have wounded your love. 
O God, heal us.

We stumble in the darkness. 
Light of the world transfigure us.

We forget that we are your home. 
Spirit of God, dwell in us.

Eternal Spirit, living God, 
in whom we live and move and have our being, 
all that we are, have been, and shall be is known to you, 
to the very secret of our hearts 
and all that rises to trouble us. 
Living flame burn into us, 
cleansing wind, blow through us, 
fountain of water, well up within us, 
that we may love and praise in deed and in truth.

Invocation
Eternal Spirit, flow through our being and open our lips, 
that our mouths may proclaim your praise.

Let us worship the God of love. 



Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for thse who abuse you. Do good and lend, expecting nothing in return; for God is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. Be merciful as your father is merciful. Judge not and you will not be judged. Condemn not and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and it will be given to you; for the measure you give will be the measure you receive.
From Luke 6:27-38


Psalm 121
I will lift up my eyes to the mountains, 
but where shall I find help?

From you alone, O God, does my help come, 
creator of the ever changing hills.

You will not let me stumble on the rough pathways, 
you care for me and watch over me without ceasing

I am sure that the Guardian of my people 
neither slumbers nor sleeps. 

The God of all nations keeps watch, 
like a shadow spread over me.

So the sun will not strike me by day, 
nor the moon by night.

You will defend me in the presence of evil, 
you will guard my life.

You will defend my going out and my coming in, 
this night and always.


Hymn 6
Be still and know that I am God. 
Be still and know that I am God. 
Be still and know that I am God.

I am the God that healeth thee. 
I am the God that healeth thee.
I am the God that healeth thee.

In thee, O God, I put my trust. 
In thee, O God, I put my trust. 
In thee, O God, I put my trust.

Hymn 9
God be in my head, and in my understanding;
God be in my eyes, and in my looking;
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;
God be in my heart, and in my thinking;
God be at my end, and at my departing.

Song of Simeon Nunc Dimittis

Praise be to God, I have lived to see this day.
God’s promise is fulfilled, and my duty done.
At last you have given me peace,
for I have seen with my own eyes
the salvation you have prepared for all nations -
a light to the world in its darkness,
and the glory of your people Israel.
Glory be God, sustaining, redeeming, sanctifying,
as in the beginning, so now, and for ever.
Amen.


O God, 
strengthen your servants with your heavenly grace, 
that we may continue yours for ever, 
and daily increase in your Holy Spirit more and more, 
until we come to your everlasting kingdom.

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)

Good Night Beloved Community. I love you and am grateful to God for your presence in my life this day and always.

With Love,blessings,and grateful Thanksgivings!

Sara




Resources 
A to Z Quotes
Enriching Our Worship
The Good Book Club
Walk With Me On Our Journey
In Lak' Ech - Luis Valdez
A New Zealand Prayer Book
Lectionary Page
E Common Prayer
Prayers of Power



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