Good Evening Beloved Ones!
Happy Being Thoughtful and Thankful Thursday! It is day 4 of Black History Month. How many of us are reconnecting ourselves with the true history of our country and the world? I suggest that we take time to do a deep dive into this time as a season of learning to love our neighbor more fully and unconditionally. Today we have on our rota is the birthday of Rosa Parks and the commemoration of Manche Masemola. Beginning today we will have a daily celebration of known and lesser known Persons of African descent and African-Americans. Our keywords to explore are Ubuntu and Sankofa! Let us begin with these quotes!
Today we ponder these Black History Month Inspirational Quotes.
"I had no idea that history was being made. I was just tired of giving up." ~ Rosa Parks
"Every great dream begins with a dreamer." ~ Harriet Tubman
"In order to see where we are going, we not only must remember where we have been, but we must understand where we have been." ~ Ella Baker
"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." ~ Barack Obama
"I have always thought that what is needed is the development of people who are interested not in being leaders as much as in developing leadership in others." ~ Ella Baker
"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
"We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes." ~ Ella Baker
"Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated." ~ Coretta Scott King
"In order for us as poor and oppressed people to become part of a society that is meaningful, the system under which we now exist has to be radically changed... It means facing a system that does not lend its self to your needs and devising means by which you change that system." ~ Ella Baker
"In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute." ~ Thurgood Marshall
"we are the ones we have been waiting for" ~ Alice Walker
"Give light, and people will find the way..." ~ Ella Baker
"Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly." ~ Langston Hughes
"What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world void of national bias, race hate, and religious prejudice." ~ Carter G. Woodson
"I have observed this in my experience of slavery, that whenever my condition was improved, instead of increasing my contentment; it only increased my desire to be free, and set me thinking of plans to gain my freedom." ~ Frederick Douglass
"Until the killing of black men, black mothers' sons, becomes as important to the rest of the country as the killing of a white mother's sons, we who believe in freedom cannot rest until this happens." ~ Ella Baker
"For I am my mother's daughter, and the drums of Africa still beat in my heart." ~ Mary McLeod Bethune
"To be a poor man is hard, but to be a poor race in a land of dollars is the very bottom of hardships." ~ W. E. B. Du Bois
"When I dare to be powerful - to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid." ~ Audre Lorde
"Black people have always been America's wilderness in search of a promised land." ~ Cornel West
"Racism is man's gravest threat to man - the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason." ~ Abraham Joshua Heschel
"Each person must live their life as a model for others." ~ Rosa Parks
"I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
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.
A PERSONAL INVOCATION - Augustine
O Love of God, descend into my heart;
Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling,
And scatter there Your cheerful beams.
Dwell in the soul that longs to be Your temple;
Water that barren soil overrun with weeds and briars
And lost for lack of cultivating.
Make it fruitful with Your dew.
Come, dear Refreshment of those who languish;
Come, Star and Guide of those who sail amidst tempests.
You are the Haven of the tossed and shipwrecked.
Come now, Glory and Crown of the living,
As well as the Safeguard of the dying.
Come, Sacred Spirit;
Come, and fit me to receive You.
W.E.B. Du Bois: Prayer
In these first beginnings of the new life of the world, renew in us the resolution to persist in the good work we have begun. Give us strength of body and strength of mind and the unfaltering determination to carry out that which we know to be good and right. Forgive all wavering in the past service of Thy cause and make us strong to go for ward in spite of the doubts of our friends and our enemies and in spite of our own distrust in ourselves. Out of the death of winter comes ever and again the resurrection of spring: so out of evil bring good, O God, and out of doubt determination. Amen.
Opening sentences
"In the twilight of life, God will not judge us on our earthly possessions and human success, but rather on how much we have loved." ~ John of the Cross
Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.Isaiah 60: 1
A voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.’Matthew 3:17
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and those who are afraid are not perfected in love. We love because God first loved us. If anyone says, I love God, and hates his brother or sister, that person is a liar; for those who do not love their brothers and sisters whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.1 John 4:18–20
O Lord my God you are great indeed, you are clothed in majesty and splendour. You cover yourself with light as it were with a garment.Psalm 104:1, 2
I have seen it myself, and bear witness, that this is the chosen one of God.John 1:34
Jesus said, ‘I am the light of the world; those who follow me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’John 8:12
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 + Anonymous
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.
Dear ones let us light our candles and be at prayer as we begin our Virtual Candlelight Prayer Vigil. Tonight let us pray for peace with in ourselves and in the world. Let us pray that we may learn to love our enemies again by boldly doing things we normally wouldn't do. We need to see God's face in all of our enemies. We need to see them as children of God. We need to see them as children of family members who love them very much. We need to see them as the least of these. We need to love ourselves and yes sometimes we may be our own worst enemies. We should be able to find ways to lovingly help them when needed. This is easier said than done but maybe if we know what they need in the ways of food, clothing, shelter, and a pair of listening ears that might be a way in which to start. We pray for all of our family members tonight as we remember that we indeed are all God's Children and the least of these!
The Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh: A Litany for Peace
As we are together praying for Peace, let us be truly with each other.
Silence
Let us pay attention to our breathing.
Silence
Let us be relaxed in our bodies and our minds.
Silence
Let us return to ourselves and become wholly ourselves.
Silence
Let us be aware of the Source of Being common to us all and to all that is.
Silence
Evoking the presence of the Great Companion, let us fill our hearts with our own compassion—towards ourselves and toward all living beings.
Silence
Let us pray that all living beings realize that they are all nourished from the same Source of Life.
Silence
Let us pray that we ourselves cease to be the cause of needless suffering.
Silence
Let us pray that we may live in a way which will not needlessly deprive other living beings of air, water, food, shelter, or the chance to live in health.
Silence
With reverence for Life and with awareness of the sufferings that are going on around us, let us pray for the establishment of peace in our hearts and on earth.
Egyptian Hymn: Praise Be To You
Praise be to You, O God, the oldest Existence, the Support of all that is, the Maker of herbs and animals and us; indeed, Maker of all happenings within and above and below us; Deliverer of the suffering and oppressed; Source of joy; You whose name is hidden:
Praise be to You, Sleepless One; praise from the creatures of every land ,as well as from the height of heaven to the depth of the sea.
We extol You; we worship You.
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.
Howard Thurman: Prayers
I LAY BARE BEFORE YOU
The concern which I lay bare before You today is:
Whatever disaffection there is between me and those who are or have been very close to me—I would seek the root or cause of such disaffection, and with the illumination of Your mind, O God, to understand it.
I give myself to Your scrutiny that, whatever there may be in me that is responsible for what has happened, I will acknowledge.
Where I have wronged or given offense deliberately or without intention, I seek a face-to-face forgiveness.
What I can undo I am willing to try; what I cannot undo, with that I seek to make my peace.
How to do these things, what techniques to use, with what spirit—for these I need and seek Your wisdom and strength, O God.
Whatever disaffection there is between me and those who are or have been very close to me, I lay bare before You.
Forgive our Nation-Marian Wright Edelman
O God, forgive our rich nation where small babies die of cold quite legally.
O God, forgive our rich nation where small children suffer from hunger quite legally.
O God, forgive our rich nation where toddlers and school children die from guns sold quite legally.
O God, forgive our rich nation that lets the rich continue to get more at the expense of the poor quite legally.
O God, help us never to confuse what is quite legal with what is just and right in Your sight.
Psalm 118:8–14
8 It is better to rely on the Lord *
than to put any trust in flesh.
9 It is better to rely on the Lord *
than to put any trust in rulers.
10 All the ungodly encompass me; *
in the name of the Lord I will repel them.
11 They hem me in, they hem me in on every side; *
in the name of the Lord I will repel them.
12 They swarm about me like bees;
they blaze like a fire of thorns; *
in the name of the Lord I will repel them.
13 I was pressed so hard that I almost fell, *
but the Lord came to my help.
14 The Lord is my strength and my song, *
and he has become my salvation.
Ruth 1:16�18
16But Ruth said,
‘Do not press me to leave you
or to turn back from following you!
Where you go, I will go;
where you lodge, I will lodge;
your people shall be my people,
and your God my God.
17 Where you die, I will die—
there will I be buried.
May the Lord do thus and so to me,
and more as well,
if even death parts me from you!’
18When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.
A Song of Judith
Judith 16:13-16
I will sing a new song to my God, *
for you are great and glorious, wonderful in strength, invincible.
Let the whole creation serve you, *
for you spoke and all things came into being.
You sent your breath and it formed them, *
no one is able to resist your voice.
Mountains and seas are stirred to their depths, *
rocks melt like wax at your presence.
But to those who fear you, *
you continue to show mercy.
No sacrifice, however fragrant, can please you, *
but whoever fears the Lord shall stand in your sight for ever.
Matthew 19:13�15
Jesus Blesses Little Children
13 Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; 14but Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.’ 15 And he laid his hands on them and went on his way.
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.
Good Book Reading of the Day.
Mark 13:1-13
The Destruction of the Temple Foretold
As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!’ Then Jesus asked him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.’
When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, ‘Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?’ Then Jesus began to say to them, ‘Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.
Persecution Foretold
‘As for yourselves, beware; for they will hand you over to councils; and you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them. And the good news must first be proclaimed to all nations. When they bring you to trial and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say; but say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
A Song of Our True Nature
Julian of Norwich
Christ revealed our frailty and our falling, *our trespasses and our humiliations.
Christ also revealed his blessed power, *
his blessed wisdom and love.
He protects us as tenderly and as sweetly when we are in greatest need; *
he raises us in spirit
and turns everything to glory and joy without ending.
God is the ground and the substance, the very essence of nature;
*
God is the true father and mother of natures.
We are all bound to God by nature, *
and we are all bound to God by grace.
And this grace is for all the world, *
because it is our precious mother, Christ.
For this fair nature was prepared by Christ
for the honor and nobility of all, *
and for the joy and bliss of salvation.
Almighty and everlasting God, who kindled the flame of your love in the heart of your faithful martyr Manche Masemola; Grant to us your servants, a like faith and power of love, that we who rejoice in her triumph may profit by her example; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
YOU ARE MY HEALTH -Augustine
Great are You, O God, and greatly to be praised; great is Your power, and Your wisdom infinite. We who are but a particle of Your creation, praise You. You awaken us to delight in Your praise; for You made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.
What are You then, my God? Most high, most good, most omnipo tent; most merciful, yet most just; most hidden, yet most present; most beautiful, yet most strong; stable, yet incomprehensible; unchangeable, yet all-changing; ever old, ever new; supporting, filling, and overspread ing; creating, flourishing, and maturing; seeking, yet having all things. You, O God, are my life, my joy, my health.
A LITANY OF THANKSGIVING - Howard Thurman
In Your presence, O God, we make our Sacrament of Thanksgiving.
We begin with the simple things of our days:
Fresh air to breathe,
Cool water to drink,
The taste of food,
The protection of houses and clothes,
The comforts of home.
For all these we make an act of Thanksgiving this day!
We bring to mind all the warmth of humankind that we have known:
Our mothers’ arms,
The strength of our fathers,
The playmates of our childhood,
The wonderful stories brought to us from the lives of many who
talked of days gone by when fairies and giants and diverse kinds
of magic held sway;
The tears we have shed, the tears we have seen;
The excitement of laughter and the twinkle in the eye with
its reminder that life is good.
For all these we make an act of Thanksgiving this day.
TODAY’S MEDITATION
all I see is love, love, love.
When I stop at the cross
I can see the love of God.
I can’t see hierarchy.
I can’t see pride or prejudice
or the abuse of authority.
I can’t see lust for power.
I can’t see manipulation.
I can’t see rage or anger
or selfish ambition.
I can’t see hate or envy.
I can’t see stupid fighting
or bitterness, or jealousy.
I can’t see empire building.
I can’t see self-importance.
I can’t see back-stabbing
or vanity or arrogance.
humility, righteousness, faithfulness, grace, forgiveness,
love! Love … love…
I can see the love of God.
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