Monday, July 12, 2021

Happy Birthday Malala! Metta Monday Is Here!

 



Good Afternoon Dear Ones!

Today we not only honor the land of the Chumash, we honor Malala on her birthday, and Nathan Soderblom.  Lots to celebrate. So today we begin by pondering quotes by Malala in her honor. So let us begin.

"We must believe in the power and strength of our words. Our words can change the world." ~ Malala Yousafzai

"One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world." ~ Malala Yousafzai

"When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful." ~ Malala Yousafzai

"I believe in the power of the voice of women." ~ Malala Yousafzai

"Why is it, that giving guns is so easy, but giving books is so hard?" ~ Malala Yousafzai

"There is no greater weapon than knowledge and no greater source of knowledge than the written word." ~ Malala Yousafzai

"I am proud to be a girl, and I know that girls can change the world." ~ Malala Yousafzai

"Extremists have shown what frightens them most. A girl with a book." ~ Malala Yousafzai

"Let us make our future now, and let us make our dreams tomorrow's reality." ~ Malala Yousafzai

"We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced" ~ Malala Yousafzai

"It gives a message to people of love... it does not matter what's the colour of your skin, what language do you speak, what religion do you believe in. It is that we should all consider each other as human beings and we should respect each other." ~ Malala Yousafzai

"I am stronger than fear." ~ Malala Yousafzai

"I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to live in peace. Their right to be treated with dignity. Their right to equality of opportunity. Their right to be educated." ~ Malala Yousafzai

"Do not wait for me to do something for your rights. It's your world and you can change it." ~ Malala Yousafzai

"Do not wait for me to do something for your rights. It's your world and you can change it." ~ Malala Yousafzai

"We are stronger than those who oppress us, who seek to silence us. We are stronger than the enemies of education. We are stronger than fear, hatred, violence and poverty." ~ Malala Yousafzai

"We are stronger than those who oppress us, who seek to silence us. We are stronger than the enemies of education. We are stronger than fear, hatred, violence and poverty." ~ Malala Yousafzai

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Lovingkindness (Metta) Prayer

May "all beings" be happy, healthy and whole.

May they have love, warmth and affection.

May they be protected from harm, and free from fear.

May they be alive, engaged and joyful.

May "all beings" enjoy inner peace and ease.

May that peace expand into their world and throughout the entire universe.

This prayer is traditionally done for successively wider circles of caring, with “all beings” replaced appropriately. The first round would be for yourself, then those closest to you, then those who you feel neutral toward, then those with whom you have difficulties, and continuing outward until it includes all beings.

Let us begin with our new mindfulness passages:



Let us breathe in peace.
Let us breathe out worry.


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

And this prayer from The Arusha Call To Discipleship

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

Now let us continue with the Daily Examen.


This is a version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced.

1. Become aware of God’s presence.

This is the time when we become aware of our breathing and grounding ourselves. Let us use the "Peace be stills".

Inhale

Hold

Exhale gently.

Pause and repeat!

Peace be still.

Peace be.

Peace.

Repeat two more times.

2. Review the day with gratitude.

3. Pay attention to your emotions.

4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.

5. Look toward tomorrow.

__

More help from Ignatian Spirituality

Consciousness Examen

Reflections on the Examen

Examen Prayer Card

Ecological Examen




 A Litany for Peace - Thich Nhat Hanh

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.




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.


Calls to Worship from A New Zealand Prayer Book

Always be joyful, pray continually;
give thanks, whatever happens.

There is nothing in death or life,
in the realm of spirits or superhuman powers,
in the world as it is or the world as it shall be,
in the forces of the universe, in heights or depths –
nothing in all creation
which can separate us from the love of God
which is in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Love never comes to an end.

Today's opening sentences are focused on Loving Kindness as found in the scriptures:


Psalm 17:7

Wondrously show Your lovingkindness,

O Savior of those who take refuge at Your right hand

From those who rise up against them.


Psalm 36:10

O continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You,

And Your righteousness to the upright in heart.


Psalm 63:3

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,

My lips will praise You.


Psalm 69:16

Answer me, O Lord, for Your lovingkindness is good;

According to the greatness of Your compassion, turn to me,


Psalm 107:43

Who is wise? Let him give heed to these things,

And consider the lovingkindnesses of the Lord.


Hosea 2:19

“I will betroth you to Me forever;

Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice,

In lovingkindness and in compassion,


Jeremiah 31:3

The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying,

“I have loved you with an everlasting love;

Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.


Psalm 40:11

You, O Lord, will not withhold Your compassion from me;

Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me.


Psalm 119:88

Revive me according to Your lovingkindness,

So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.


Psalm 119:76

O may Your lovingkindness comfort me,

According to Your word to Your servant.


Psalm 51:1

For the choir director. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;

According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.


Psalm 119:149

Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness;

Revive me, O Lord, according to Your ordinances.


Psalm 26:3

For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes,

And I have walked in Your truth.


Psalm 48:9

We have thought on Your lovingkindness, O God,

In the midst of Your temple.


Psalm 42:7-8

Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls;

All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me.

The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime;

And His song will be with me in the night,

A prayer to the God of my life.


Psalm 103:4

Who redeems your life from the pit,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;


Psalm 89:33

“But I will not break off My lovingkindness from him,

Nor deal falsely in My faithfulness.


Psalm 25:6

Remember, O Lord, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses,

For they have been from of old.


Psalm 89:49

Where are Your former lovingkindnesses, O Lord,

Which You swore to David in Your faithfulness?


Psalm 143:8

Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning;

For I trust in You;

Teach me the way in which I should walk;

For to You I lift up my soul.


Psalm 92:2

To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning

And Your faithfulness by night,


Psalm 138:2

I will bow down toward Your holy temple

And give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth;

For You have magnified Your word according to all Your name.


Psalm 40:10


I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;

I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation;

I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation.




Hear the Word of God to all who truly turn to him.

Come unto me, all ye that travail and are heavy laden, and
I will refresh you.    Matthew 11:28

God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son,
to the end that all that believe in him should not perish, but
have everlasting life.    John 3:16

This is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be received,
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
1 Timothy 1:15

If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous; and he is the perfect offering for our
sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole
world.    1 John 2:1-2

‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest,’ says the Lord. ‘Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart.’ Matthew 11:28–29


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.




God of compassion, you have reconciled us in Jesus Christ who is our peace: Enable us to live as Jesus lived, breaking down walls of hostility and healing enmity. Give us grace to make peace with those from whom we are divided, that, forgiven and forgiving, we may ever be one in Christ; who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns for ever, one holy and undivided Trinity. Amen.

Let us light our candles and be at prayer!

God we are privileged to come into your sanctuary each night to pray and give thanks and share community with one another. We are here to light candles to provide a pathway out of the darkness in our lives and those of others. We pray and give thanks for all the blessings you bestow upon us each and every day. We pray for our families who give us strength and emotional support. We pray this night that we may open our hearts with love to all the fragile ones and yes God we know that our enemies and those who hate us are fragile in a different way. We pray that they may turn away from violence and hate and that they may learn to love, listen, and seek to come together in unity. We know that fear triggers hate and violent action. We pray that everyone receives a good education where they live not only in school but in their faith communities so they may learn what is truly taught and not made up to incite violence, disunity, and hatred.  We pray that violence of any kind may cease and that the only radicalization that takes place is that of Compassion, Acceptance, Love, Mercy and Hospitality where unity is fostered and brought into being. We pray this night for the least of these and that we may continue to seek your face in all of our family members. We pray these our prayers as we lift up our candles in a mirror and say "The Light of Christ in Me, recognizes the Light of Christ in you!' Let us be the light to your fragile and broken world and in the warmth of the light may it represent love in all of its hues and actions. May we feel its love energy radiating in all, through all, and to all. Amen.



THE LIGHTING OF THE CANDLES
Lest we forget the great traditions of freedom and faith which are the heritage of humanity; lest we forget the pioneers, the statesmen, the bridge builders, the artists; and lest we forget You, the God of our fore bears who is our God also:
We light this candle of remembrance.




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







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




Let us pray and respond with these words: I see the face of Jesus in all our family members and I love them.

God we pray for our incarcerated family members.
 I see the face of Jesus in all our family members and I love them.

God we pray for our family members who are on death row.
 I see the face of Jesus in all our family member sand I love them.

God we pray for our family members who have been paroled and are seeking new lives.
 I see the face of Jesus in all our family members and I love them.

God we pray for all our family members whose relatives have been incarcerated and feel lost, lonely, alone, and isolated.
 I see the face of Jesus in all our family members and I love them.

God we pray for all our family members who have been victims of crime. Help us to be their soft places in which to fall and a gentle shoulder to lean on. We also extend this to our family members who have committed crimes as well.
 I see the face of Jesus in all our family members and I love them

God we pray for all our family members who serve in correctional facilities that they may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.
 I see the face of Jesus in all our family members and I love them.

God we pray for all our family members who have been victims of police violence and who have lost their lives. You may speak their names now______
 I see the face of Jesus in all our family members and I love them.

For Prisons and Correctional Institutions

Lord Jesus, for our sake you were condemned as a criminal:
Visit our jails and prisons with your pity and judgment.
Remember all prisoners, and bring the guilty to repentance
and amendment of life according to your will, and give them
hope for their future. When any are held unjustly, bring them
release; forgive us, and teach us to improve our justice.
Remember those who work in these institutions; keep them
humane and compassionate; and save them from becoming
brutal or callous. And since what we do for those in prison,
O Lord, we do for you, constrain us to improve their lot. All
this we ask for your mercy's sake. Amen.

For the Oppressed

Look with pity, O heavenly Father, upon the people in this
land who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death as
their constant companions. Have mercy upon us. Help us to
eliminate our cruelty to these our neighbors. Strengthen those
who spend their lives establishing equal protection of the law
and equal opportunities for all. And grant that every one of
us may enjoy a fair portion of the riches of this land; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayers of July 4, 2018

God we pray for all of our family members who are incarcerated and do not have family or friends to visit and advocate for them. Guide us with courage to be their family O God.

God we pray for safety in all correctional facilities that all people who are incarcerated may receive just and proper care and not become victims of violence.  Let us raise our voices for those who are afraid to speak out for themselves and others in correctional facilities.

God we pray for those who work in correctional facilities that they may remember that they must respect everyone's dignity without discrimination and hatred.

God we pray for all women in correctional facilities that they may receive proper health and hygiene care and safety. We pray that we may become their voices if they have been abused and silenced. 

God we pray for all youth who are in juvenal hall and correctional facilities that they may be educated and given a time when they may be able to lead new lives on the outside and become productive citizens.

God we pray for all who are being paroled that they may be given the necessary life skill set to live productive lives. We remember especially those who have mental health and drug related issues.

God we pray that we have courage to advocate for all who are homeless and have been in jail. 

God we pray for new and exciting programs that will mean better criminal justice reform that will not be one size fits all.

God help us to forgive those who have caused us harm and that we may be able to seek out mental health care after crimes that have been committed against us. 

God we pray these prayers in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth who was and is the first Criminal Justice Reformer. Amen.

Prayers of July 3, 2018

We pray for all prisoners who have been afforded the necessary legal council and protection. 

We pray that the prison systems may be places of rehabilitation and not places of monetary gain. Help us O God, to be advocates for those who are in need of our help who are incarcerated. 

We give thanks for Stephen Ministries, P.R.I.S.M. , Kairos Ministries, Restorative Justice Circles, and all groups who minister in jails and correctional facilities.

 We pray especially this night for all who are in detention by I.C.E.  We remember all families who are forced to live in cages and have not been afforded legal council, due process, and humane treatment.

We pray for all political prisoners who have have been afforded dignity and human rights.

We pray for all who work in the prison and correctional system that they may be fair, impartial, and be guided by civil, human, and Constitutional rights. We pray and remember the Miranda rights as a reminder:

You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you by the court. With these rights in mind, are you still willing to talk with me about the charges against you?

We pray for all who are on death row that they may live out their lives in confinement and that there may be an end to the death penalty.

We pray for an end to all forms of profiling that justice may be served fairly without bias and gun violence. 

God we pray these words of 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.



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

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



Let us pray the 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.





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



Prayers of Soren Kierkegaard
FOR INWARD PEACE- 
Calm the waves of this heart, O God; calm its tempests.
Calm yourself, O my soul, so that God is able to rest in you, so that God’s peace may cover you.
Yes, You give us peace, O God, peace that the whole world can never take away.
YOU HEAR OUR CRY
Great is Your kingdom, O You who bears the weight of the stars and governs the forces of the world.
Numberless are those who have life through You, yet You hear the cry of all creatures. You hear the cry of all without confusing their voices and without playing favorites. You hear not only the voice of one who is responsible for many others. You hear not only the voice of one who prays for dear ones. No, You also hear the most miserable, the most abandoned, the most solitary person—in the desert, in the multitude.
If the forgotten one has become unknown in the crowd, having ceased to be anything more than a number on a list, You remember the person and the name. If in the thick shadows of dread, in the prey of terrible thoughts, we are abandoned, abandoned almost by the language we speak, still You would not have forgotten us. You would understand our language, You who hears the cry of all. You find a way to us which is prompter than light and more constant than the stars.
WORKS OF LOVE
How could anything rightly be said about love if You were forgotten,
O God,
You from whom all love comes;
You who holds back nothing but gives Yourself in love;
You who are love, so the lovers are only what they are through being
in You?
How could anything rightly be said about love if You were forgotten,
You who manifests what love is,
You who reminds us to love as we are loved;
You who are everywhere present and never without the works of love,
the acts of love?
How could anything rightly be said about love if You were forgotten,
O Love Eternal?
WE BELONG TO YOU
O God, when at times our strength is taken from us, when sorrow overcomes us like a kind of fog in which our vision is plunged as into a dark night; when our hearts do tremble with our loss: then teach us and strengthen the conviction in our hearts that in death, no less than in life, we belong to You.
YOU ARE NEAR
We are grateful that You are present everywhere, O God. You are near should anyone call upon You from a bed of sickness, or cry out in great need upon the sea. All are drawn to seek You, the Friend of the thankful, the Consolation of the weak, the Refuge of the anxious, the Confidante of the suffering as You count their tears, the Comfort of the dying. We are grateful that You give Your gifts to everyone who needs them.
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 O God, forgive....
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.
– Marian Wright Edelman

Confession of Need

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


Minister
May the God of love visit 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.
John Baillie: The Heavy Laden

O God, we bring before You the burden of the world’s life:
All who are far from home and friends,
All who lie down hungry or cold,
All who suffer pain,
All who are kept awake by anxiety,
All who are facing danger,
All who toil, or keep watch while others sleep.
May they have a sense of Your presence that will turn their
loneliness into comfort and their trouble into peace.

American Book of Common Prayer: For the Poor and Neglected

Almighty God, we remember before You all poor and neglected persons,whom it would be easy to forget: the homeless and the destitute; the old and the sick who have none to care for them. May Your goodness rest upon them. Help us to heal those who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow to joy; to lift up the downhearted and cheer them with hope. When they are perplexed and troubled, may Your presence save them from despair.

From The Resistance Prays

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people groan. - ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭29:2

May we who are merely inconvenienced remember those whose lives are at stake.

May we who have no risk factors remember those most vulnerable.

May we who have the luxury of working from home remember those who must choose between preserving their health and making their rent.

May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when their schools close remember those who have no options.

May we who have to cancel our trips remember those who have no safe place to go.

May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market remember those who have no margin at all.

May we who settle in for a quarantine at home remember those who have no home.

As fear grips our country, let us choose love.

And during this time when we may not be able to physically wrap our arms around each other, let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbors. Amen.

- written by Rev. Dr. William J Barber II




133 Ecce, quam bonum!

1 Oh, how good and pleasant it is, *
when brethren live together in unity!

2 It is like fine oil upon the head *
that runs down upon the beard,

3 Upon the beard of Aaron, *
and runs down upon the collar of his robe.

4 It is like the dew of Hermon *
that falls upon the hills of Zion.

5 For there the Lord has ordained the blessing: *
life for evermore.


2 Kings 22:2-13

2He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.

Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law

3 In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, the secretary, to the house of the Lord, saying, 4‘Go up to the high priest Hilkiah, and have him count the entire sum of the money that has been brought into the house of the Lord, which the keepers of the threshold have collected from the people; 5let it be given into the hand of the workers who have the oversight of the house of the Lord; let them give it to the workers who are at the house of the Lord, repairing the house, 6that is, to the carpenters, to the builders, to the masons; and let them use it to buy timber and quarried stone to repair the house. 7But no account shall be asked from them for the money that is delivered into their hand, for they deal honestly.’


8 The high priest Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, ‘I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord.’ When Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, he read it. 9Then Shaphan the secretary came to the king, and reported to the king, ‘Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of the workers who have oversight of the house of the Lord.’ 10Shaphan the secretary informed the king, ‘The priest Hilkiah has given me a book.’ Shaphan then read it aloud to the king.


11 When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. 12Then the king commanded the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary, and the king’s servant Asaiah, saying, 13‘Go, inquire of the Lord for me, for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our ancestors did not obey the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.’

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.


1 Corinthians 1:10-18

Divisions in the Church

10 Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,* by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you should be in agreement and that there should be no divisions among you, but that you should be united in the same mind and the same purpose. 11For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters.* 12What I mean is that each of you says, ‘I belong to Paul’, or ‘I belong to Apollos’, or ‘I belong to Cephas’, or ‘I belong to Christ.’ 13Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14I thank God* that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16(I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.

Christ the Power and Wisdom of God

18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

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

John 13:31-35

31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32If God has been glorified in him,* God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” 34I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’


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.

Almighty God, we bless your Name for the life and work of Nathan Söderblom,
Archbishop of Uppsala, who helped to inspire the modern liturgical revival and worked tirelessly for cooperation among Christians. Inspire us by his example, that we may ever strive for the renewal of your Church in life and worship, for the glory of your Name; who with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

For Young Persons

God our Father, you see your children growing up in an
unsteady and confusing world: Show them that your ways
give more life than the ways of the world, and that following
you is better than chasing after selfish goals. Help them to
take failure, not as a measure of their worth, but as a chance
for a new start. Give them strength to hold their faith in you,
and to keep alive their joy in your creation; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.

For a Birthday

O God, our times are in your hand: Look with favor, we
pray, on your servant Malala as  she begins another year. Grant
that she may grow in wisdom and grace, and strengthen her
trust in G-d's  goodness all the days of her life. Amen. 


Holy and eternal God,
give us such trust in your sure purpose,
that we measure our lives
not by what we have done or failed to do,
but by our faithfulness to you.
Hear this prayer for your love’s sake.
Amen. (ANZPB)

Let us pray!

Let us continue with prayer: Please respond this way: 

Veni Sancte Spiritus: Come Holy Spirit! Breathe in us New Life and Love Energy in us to do your will and serve the least of these.

Beside the still waters we come  to seek you  God  in the quietness of our being

Veni Sancte Spiritus: Come Holy Spirit! Breathe in us New Life and Love Energy in us to do your will and serve the least of these

Beside the still waters we come to pray for peace in this fragile and broken world of  yours


Veni Sancte Spiritus: Come Holy Spirit! Breathe in us New Life and Love Energy in us to do your will and serve the least of these

Beside the still waters we pray for and end to all anxiety, fear, and worry that our minds and spirits may be still.

Veni Sancte Spiritus: Come Holy Spirit! Breathe in us New Life and Love Energy in us to do your will and serve the least of these

Beside the still waters we pray for our neighbors all over the world that we may find unity and learn to love one another as dearly loved family members of Yours.


Veni Sancte Spiritus: Come Holy Spirit! Breathe in us New Life and Love Energy in us to do your will and serve the least of these

Beside the still waters we come for respite, relaxation, rest, and renewal. We pray for calmness as we rest in your arms and never ending love and mercy.


Veni Sancte Spiritus: Come Holy Spirit! Breathe in us New Life and Love Energy in us to do your will and serve the least of these

Beside the still waters we come to ask prayers for all our family members who are in need of healing and strength remembering___________________


Veni Sancte Spiritus: Come Holy Spirit! Breathe in us New Life and Love Energy in us to do your will and serve the least of these


Beside the still waters we come seeking solace for those of us who are living through the long journey of mourning and grief.


Veni Sancte Spiritus: Come Holy Spirit! Breathe in us New Life and Love Energy in us to do your will and serve the least of these

Beside the still waters we come praying for all the least of these and all who are affected by violence, terror, abuse, and everyone who is struggling through the world's calamities.


Veni Sancte Spiritus: Come Holy Spirit! Breathe in us New Life and Love Energy in us to do your will and serve the least of these


Beside the still waters we give thanks for the lives who have entered eternal joy today and those who are in the midst of transitioning from this earthly life into a heavenly one.


Veni Sancte Spiritus: Come Holy Spirit!  Comfort the dying with your enfolding and loving spirit. 
Beside the still waters we pray for all who are lost, lonely, alone and seeking companionship. We pray that our hearts may be stilled as we wait. We pray that we may not lose heart and live boldly,yet gently alone.


Veni Sancte Spiritus: Come Holy Spirit! Breathe in us New Life and Love Energy in us to do your will and serve the least of these

Beside the still waters we pray for _____________________


Veni Sancte Spiritus: Come Holy Spirit! Breathe in us New Life and Love Energy in us to do your will and serve the least of these

Beside the still waters we give thanks for _______________


Veni Sancte Spiritus: Come Holy Spirit! Breathe in us New Life and Love Energy in us to do your will and serve the least of these

Beside the still waters may we journey over to the other side of the lake and offer our prayers in the quietness to Jesus . Amen.


Or these.

Jesus you called us out of many situations in life, give us the courage to follow you on the way wherever you lead us.  Lead us and guide us in the way of  Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy, Brother Jesus.

Jesus,give us courage to sit at table with criminals, tax collectors, prostitutes, the homeless, modern day Samaritans,  Modern day Lepers, the mentally ill, our enemies, and all our brothers and sisters.Lead us and guide us in the way of  Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy, Brother Jesus.


Jesus ,give us courage to acknowledge that you were once a criminal and was executed by an action of the state.Lead us and guide us in the way of  Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy, Brother Jesus.

Jesus, give us courage to speak out against crimes against humanity and racial and any kind of profiling.Lead us and guide us in the way of  Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy,Brother Jesus.

Jesus, give us courage to be radically loving, radically welcoming, and radically accepting of all who have been paroled and take a chance and open doorways to new lives.Lead us and guide us in the way of  Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy ,Brother Jesus.

Jesus, give us courage to help abolish laws that are unjust and do not respect the dignity of every human being.Lead us and guide us in the way of  Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy ,Brother Jesus.

Jesus, give us the courage to remove the blinders that are preventing us from seeing you in all of our family members.Lead us and guide us in the way of Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy ,Brother Jesus.

Jesus, give us courage to engage in restorative life practices where we may learn to heal and be both the forgiven and the forgiving. Lead us and guide us in the way of  Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy, Brother Jesus.

Jesus we pray for all who are lost in the prison system that they may find the legal help that they need and be restored to their communities in which they live.
Lead us and guide us in the way of  Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy ,Brother Jesus.

Jesus, bind up our wounds that we are experiencing this night and may we feel the chains being released and feel your freeing and loving arms around us.

Lead us and guide us in the way of  Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy, Brother Jesus.

Jesus, we pray these our prayers in your most mighty name. Amen.
Lead us and guide us in the way of  Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy, Brother Jesus.

or these

We offer our humble and tender hearts to you O, God  this night.

We pray and give thanks that you made forgiveness and love possible in this your fragile world.

We come to you with humility asking for forgiveness of all wrongs we have done this day. Help us to atone and be at one with you again.

We pray for all of our tender souled family members who are in need of our prayers and kind deeds.

We pray for peace in our hearts, minds, spirits, and in this world now more thank ever that we may become truly the Family and Children of  God.

We pray this night for all who are ill and who are in need of healing of body, mind, and spirit.

We pray this night that we remember that wherever we plant our feet, look to the skies, touch with our hands, is holy. May we remember this holiness always.

We  pray that we may always remember that every day is holy and that we must be aligned with you not just on Sundays.

We pray for all who are refugees,prisoners, captives, asylum seekers, and those who have been victimized by violence, terror, injustice, and abuse. We pray especially for all women and children who have been victims of human trafficking.

We pray that our hearts may be filled with love, joy, hope, and peace and hearts that are equipped for loving and forgiving all of our family members.

We pray for_______________________

We give thanks for__________________

We lift these our prayers heavenward and heartwards to you Jesus. Amen


God of peace,
let us your people know,
that at the heart of turbulence
there is an inner calm that comes
from faith in you.
Keep us from being content with things as they are,
that from this central peace
there may come a creative compassion,
a thirst for justice,
and a willingness to give of ourselves
in the spirit of Christ.
Amen. (ANZPB)


Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine: Glory to God from generation to
generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever.
Amen. Ephesians 3:20,21

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.

Almighty, everlasting God, let our prayer in your sight be as
incense, the lifting up of our hands as the evening sacrifice.
Give us grace to behold you, present in your Word and
Sacraments, and to recognize you in the lives of those around
us. Stir up in us the flame of that love which burned in the
heart of your Son as he bore his passion, and let it burn in us
to eternal life and to the ages of ages. Amen.


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

The Lord bless you and keep us. Amen.

The Lord make his face to shine upon us
and be gracious to us. Amen.

The Lord lift up his countenance upon us
and give us peace. Amen.

Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely
more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from
generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus
for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20, 21

.

+++


Good Night Beloved Family! Have a blessed and restful night. Remember this God is Love. Love is God. Your Neighbor is Love. Love is your Neighbor. You are love. Love is you! The hardest one is Loving your Enemy as you love yourself! I love you and give thanks to God for you this day and always.

Peace, love, prayers, and God's blessings!

Sara


Resources
Lectionary Page
Enriching Our Worship
Book of Common Prayer Online
Prayers for Today
Prayers of Power
Metis Aboriginal Ministries
In Lak 'Ech- Luis Valdez
Walk With Me On Our Journey
A New Zealand Prayer Book
Other Resources as Noted
Oremus Bible Browser


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