Good Evening Beloved Ones!
Happy Monday! I hope all is well. I can't believe that in a week and a few days we will be entering the season of Lent. While we are still in Epiphanytide let us continue to seek out epiphanies out in the world and in our own inner beings a.k.a. Heart homes. Today is the feast day of Josephine Margaret Bakhita and an early remembrance of the Martyrs of the Sudans. We take time to make pilgrimage across the Atlantic Ocean to Africa and the countries of Sudan and South Sudan to meet today's honorees as part of our celebration of our siblings of African descent. Black History Month includes our siblings on African and American Soil. Tonight we begin with random quotes to ponder. Our Good Book Club Reading is after our time of prayer and scripture readings. So let us begin.
Random Quotes to Ponder!
"Let us pray for peace in Africa, especially in the Central African Republic and in South Sudan." ~ Pope Francis
"By my monastic life and vows I am saying no to all the concentration camps, the aerial bombardments, the staged political trials, the judicial murders, the racial injustices, the economic tyrannies, and the whole socioeconomic apparatus which seems geared for nothing but global destruction in spite of all its fair words in favor of peace." ~ Thomas Merton
"I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation." ~ Elie Wiesel
"Monastic life thus became a living protest against the secularization of Christianity, against the cheapening of grace." ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer
"For in order that man may do well, whether in the works of the active life, or in those of the contemplative life, he needs the fellowship of friends." ~ Thomas Aquinas
"The Christian life, and especially the contemplative life, is a continual discovery of Christ in new and unexpected places." ~ Thomas Merton
"Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim." ~ Elie Wiesel
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
"What connects two thousand years of genocide? Too much power in too few hands." ~ Simon Wiesenthal
"Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." ~ Elie Wiesel
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.
You Lord are all that I have; I have promised to keep your Word. I have sought your favour with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promises.Psalm 119:57, 58
Jesus said, ‘Anyone who has left brothers or sisters, father, mother, or children, land or houses for the sake of my name will be repaid many times over, and given eternal life.’Matthew 19:29
You Lord are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name. Leave us not.Jeremiah 14:9
You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but citizens together with the saints and members of the household of God. Ephesians 2:19
God is Spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and in truth. John 4:24
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.
134 Ecce nunc
1 Behold now, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, *
you that stand by night in the house of the Lord.
2 Lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the Lord; *
the Lord who made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion.
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 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.
91 Qui habitat
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, *
abides under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 He shall say to the Lord,
"You are my refuge and my stronghold, *
my God in whom I put my trust."
3 He shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter *
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He shall cover you with his pinions,
and you shall find refuge under his wings; *
his faithfulness shall be a shield and buckler.
5 You shall not be afraid of any terror by night, *
nor of the arrow that flies by day;
6 Of the plague that stalks in the darkness, *
nor of the sickness that lays waste at mid-day.
7 A thousand shall fall at your side
and ten thousand at your right hand, *
but it shall not come near you.
8 Your eyes have only to behold *
to see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the Lord your refuge, *
and the Most High your habitation,
10 There shall no evil happen to you, *
neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.
11 For he shall give his angels charge over you, *
to keep you in all your ways.
12 They shall bear you in their hands, *
lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13 You shall tread upon the lion and adder; *
you shall trample the young lion and the serpent under your feet.
14 Because he is bound to me in love,
therefore will I deliver him; *
I will protect him, because he knows my Name.
15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; *
I am with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and bring him to honor.
16 With long life will I satisfy him, *
and show him my salvation.
Colossians 1:24-29
Paul’s Interest in the Colossians
24 I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. 25I became its servant according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. 27To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29For this I toil and struggle with all the energy that he powerfully inspires within me.
A Song of Wisdom Sapientia liberavit
Wisdom 10:15-19,20b-21
Wisdom freed from a nation of oppressors *a holy people and a blameless race.
She entered the soul of a servant of the Lord, *
withstood dread rulers with wonders and signs.
To the saints she gave the reward of their labors, *
and led them by a marvelous way;
She was their shelter by day *
and a blaze of stars by night.
She brought them across the Red Sea, *
she led them through mighty waters;
But their enemies she swallowed in the waves *
and spewed them out from the depths of the abyss.
And then, Lord, the righteous sang hymns to your Name, *
and praised with one voice your protecting hand;
For Wisdom opened the mouths of the mute, *
and gave speech to the tongues of a new-born people.
Luke 18:1-8
The Parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge
18 Then Jesus* told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. 2He said, ‘In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. 3 In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, “Grant me justice against my opponent.” 4 For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, “Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.” ’* 6 And the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? 8I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?’
A Song of God’s Love
1 John 4:7-11
Beloved, let us love one another, *for love is of God.
Whoever does not love does not know God, *
for God is Love.
In this the love of God was revealed among us, *
that God sent his only Son into the world,
so that we might live through Jesus Christ.
In this is love, not that we loved God but that God loved us *
and sent his Son that sins might be forgiven.
Beloved, since God loved us so much, *
we ought also to love one another.
For if we love one another, God abides in us, *
and God’s love will be perfected in us.
From A New Zealand Prayer BookOur 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.
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.
now and for ever. Amen.
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 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.
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.
now and for ever. Amen.
O God of Love, who delivered your servant Josephine Margaret Bakhita from the bondage of slavery to the true freedom of your service; Grant to the wounded your healing grace in mind, body, and spirit and to your church the zeal to combat exploitation and slavery in all its forms; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
We remember also the Martyrs of the Sudans
O God, steadfast in the midst of persecution, by your providence the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church: As the martyrs of the Sudan refused to abandon Christ even in the face of torture and death, and so by their sacrifice brought forth a plentiful harvest, may we, too, be steadfast in our faith in Jesus Christ; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Reconciliation and Forgiveness
*Those may be replaced with names, or by using Family Members.
Quiet our minds O God so that we can listen and hear your voice and what you are calling us to do and to be.
Help us to be still and listen to that quiet place in our heart and spirit. Help us to unwind our minds O God.
Quiet our bodies that we may turn our bodies from human doings to human beings.
Take the keys away that drive our bodies to do and not be.
Help us to feel our spirits and the indwelling of You and the Holy Spirit in this time of being quiet and still.
May our spirits be enlivened even in the quietness.
Lord we pray for all who are traveling may they take time to rest and be alert.
Lord help us to lay down our burdens each day at your feet so that we may find rest and spend time with You.
Give us the peace of mind that we are always seeking.
While we spend time with you Lord please take care of all of our loved ones and those whom we have been praying for. If we should fall asleep and rest be with them as we rest in the quietness.
In the stillness O Lord may we drink of the Living Water of Life and be refreshed and feel it coursing through our veins and give us the energy to do your will to your glory and in service to others.
In the stillness we remember and pray for all those who have requested our prayers for themselves and on behalf of others________________________________.
In the stillness we give thanks for the gifts of quiet, contemplation, rest, and times for our bodies, minds, and spirits to be renewed. We give thanks for__________________________
In the stillness we celebrate those times of joy and those who have made a difference in our lives remembering_____________________
In the stillness we remember those who have entered in to life eternal especially________________
And we remember those continue to grieve.
We pray for those awaiting surgery tomorrow. Calm their fears and anxieties Lord.
We pray for those who are being beset by bad weather O Lord. Ease these weather patterns Lord.
We pray for those who live in earthquake prone areas. Quiet their minds and give them the peace and knowledge that You O God are there.
Lord God watch over this your troubled and divided world. Set us on fire to help heal and unite it with our prayers, love, service, and actions. Give us grace, courage and love energy to do this in Your Name. Amen.
Reflect and Respond to the Gospel of the Day
1. What word(s), idea(s), or sentence(s) stand out for
you in the Gospel of the Day?
(Reread the Gospel.)
2. What is Jesus (the Gospel) saying to you?
(Reread the Gospel.)
3. What is Jesus (the Gospel) calling you to do?
Mark 14:12-25
The Passover with the Disciples
On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, his disciples said to him, ‘Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?’ So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, “The Teacher asks, Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.’ So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.
When it was evening, he came with the twelve. And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.’ They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another, ‘Surely, not I?’ He said to them, ‘It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the bowl with me. For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.’
The Institution of the Lord’s Supper
While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, ‘Take; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. He said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.’
Good Night Dear Ones ! Have a happy week. I love you and give thanks to God for you always. Here is this week's Rule reflection from the Northumbria Community:
We are called to be available to others through participation in His care and concern for them by praying and INTERCEDING for their situations in the power of the Holy Spirit
Peace, love, prayers, and God's blessings!
Sara
Tomorrow's Celtic Saint of the Day from The Northumbria Community :
Teilo (6th Century) February 9th
Teilo was a pupil of Dyfrig and Paul Aurelian (see March 12th), and a cousin of St David (see March 1st), whom he succeeded as Bishop of St David’s. During the plague he spent seven years away from Wales with Samson at Dol in Brittany. His main foundation was at Llandeilo Fawr. One of the sayings attributed to him is: ‘Do not do injury, if you can possibly avoid it’ – a challenging admonition.
Teach me, Lord, to do all the good that I can and not to do evil, to cherish people and not to harm them, to do Your will and not my own. Grant me Your grace, for without it I can do nothing. Amen.
Resources:
A Disciple's Prayer Book
A to Z quotes
A New Zealand Prayer Book
Book of Common Prayer
Good Book Club
Metis Aboriginal Ministries
Prayers of Power
Satucket Lectionary Page
Walk With Me On Our Journey
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