Good Evening Beloved Community!
God and Creator of us all we pray and light our candles this night at a time where we are finding ourselves sorely divided one from another by a myriad of circumstances. We pray that we may start to learn from each other and place our egos and the need to be right at the door. We pray that we may use gentle speech and kind actions when we meet someone who differs from us. We pray that we may lovingly enfold them in our arms and extend to them radical hospitality and welcome. We pray that we may continually beat the weaponry of hate into ploughshares and turn the spears of division into pruning hooks and that we may grow into a peace-filled and loving world. We pray this night for all who are enduring any kind of pain that they may be comforted and that we may lovingly respond to their needs. We pray and ask this night for forgiveness of any action or word we have done or spoken this day and that we may turn away and repent of the wrongs we have done. We pray that we may spread God's light of love, peace, and learning to this world and that we may be beacons of hope, joy, love, and peace. We pray that we may follow Jesus and imitate him by being CALM (Compassionate, Accepting, Loving, and Merciful) and show the world that we are carried aloft by the Holy Spirit's Love Energy and that our Hearts and heart homes may be enlarged and that truly we may become one family of God and Love and brothers and sisters one to another. Amen.
Let us ponder these quotes on Lament and Lamentation:
"We Are All the Same
Listen to the reeds as they sway apart;
Hear them speak of lost friends.
At birth, you were cut from your bed,
Crying and grasping in separation.
Everyone listens, knowing your song.
You yearn for others who know your name,
And the words to your lament.
We are all the same, all the same,
Longing to find our way back;
Back to the one, back to the only one." ~ Rumi
"Joy, sorrow, tears, lamentation, laughter -- to all these music gives voice, but in such a way that we are transported from the world of unrest to a world of peace, and see reality in a new way, as if we were sitting by a mountain lake and contemplating hills and woods and clouds in the tranquil and fathomless water." ~ Albert Schweitzer
"The life of an Indian is like the wings of the air. That is why you notice the hawk knows how to get his prey. The Indian is like that. The hawk swoops down on its prey, so does the Indian. In his lament he is like an animal. For instance, the coyote is sly, so is the Indian. The eagle is the same. That is why the Indian is always feathered up, he is a relative to the wings of the air." ~ Black Elk
"The songs of the dead are the lamentations of the living." ~ Christopher Paolini
"The often heard lament, 'I have so little time,' gives the lie to the
delusion that the daily is of little significance." ~ Kathleen Norris
"The Bible is not primarily a written or printed text to be scrutinized in private, in a scholar's study or a contemplative cell. It is a body of oral messages, announcements, prophecies, promulgations, recitals, histories, songs of praise, lamentations, etc., which are meant either to be uttered or at least read aloud, or chanted, or sung, or recited in a community convoked for the purpose of a living celebration." ~ Thomas Merton
"This day I ceased to plead. I was no longer capable of lamentation. On the contrary, I felt very strong. I was the accuser, God the accused." ~ Elie Wiesel
"I once picked up a woman from a garbage dump and she was burning with fever; she was in her last days and her only lament was: My son did this to me. I begged her: You must forgive your son. In a moment of madness, when he was not himself, he did a thing he regrets. Be a mother to him, forgive him. It took me a long time to make her say: I forgive my son. Just before she died in my arms, she was able to say that with a real forgiveness. She was not concerned that she was dying. The breaking of the heart was that her son did not want her. This is something you and I can understand." ~ Mother Teresa
"Humanity looks upon Jesus the Nazarene as a poor-born Who suffered misery and humiliation with all of the weak. And He is pitied, for Humanity believes He was crucified painfully. . . . And all that Humanity offers to Him is crying and wailing and lamentation. For centuries Humanity has been worshiping weakness in the person of the Savior. The Nazarene was not weak! He was strong and is strong! But the people refuse to heed the true meaning of strength." ~ Khalil Gibran
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Our service format comes from Enriching Our Worship 1 and 3.
Blessed is our God, always, now and for ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins;His mercy endures forever.
The Trisagion
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Blessed are they who mourn; for they shall be comforted.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the
everlasting arms.
According to the riches of God’s glory, may you be strengthened with the might through the Holy Spirit in your inner being, and may Christ dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge; that you may be filled with the fullness of God.Ephesians 3:16–19
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you;
not as the world gives, give I to you.
Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies; it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.John 12:24
‘Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights,’ says the Lord; ‘I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.’Isaiah 42:1
My soul is thirsting for you O God, thirsting for the living God; when shall I come to appear in your presence?Psalm 42:2
Listen to me, my people, and give ear to me, my nation; for a law shall go forth from me; and my justice for a light to the peoples.Isaiah 51:4
Collect for Light
We pray this night for an end to division, hatred, racism, bigotry, and terror. We pray for our family members throughout the world especially Syria and all nations affected by dis-ease, violence, terror, and injustice. We pray for our family members who are the least of these who are homeless, hungry, ill -clad and who feel invisible. We pray for the acutely and chronically ill and that they may find a release from pain and suffering. We pray together as one. We pray that we may be CALM (compassionate, accepting loving, and merciful ) even when the week's stresses are just beginning. We pray that we may be everyone's soft places in which to fall when they are needed. We pray together as one and light our candles as the united family of God and Love this night and always.
I make my prayer to you, O God; * be merciful to me.
I make my prayer to you, O God; be merciful to me.
Heal my soul, for I have sinned against you:
Be merciful to me.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
I make my prayer to you, O God, be merciful to me.
R. And renew a right spirit within me.
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.
May God be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Merciful God, our only help in time of need,
be with your people in their trouble.
Give them hope,
and nourish them with your loving-kindness;
receive all who have died in their deaths
and take them into your holy keeping,
for your mercy’s sake. Amen.
For all present
God’s eternal Word, the Father’s only-begotten,
for love of us was born from Mary’s womb.
A child of flesh and blood, he grew with us,
labored beside us, feeling our joy and pain,
and preached the kingdom of God come near.
All living things must return to earth, so Jesus died.
The Holy One of God gave himself up to death.
Yet the grave could not hold him.
Christ broke death’s bonds and rose on the third day:
“Why do you look for the living among the dead?
Christ is not in the tomb. Christ is risen as he told us.”
So we shall be raised in Christ, incorruptible.
Do not look for the risen among graves.
Their stones are a reminder
that those who followed Christ on earth now worship God for ever.
Others will learn the same of us
when we who stand here now will join with those
who entered glory before us, and sing
praise to the holy Trinity, one God,
alive through all the ages. Amen.
We come together this night to vigil and pray for the family of God and the world. We make vigil at such a time as this because God's family is in pain need, and need of healing and unity. We pray this night on behalf of all those who are afraid and haven't any voice. We pray this night for peace in our bodies, minds, spirits, and hearts. We pray that peace may prevail upon earth and that wars and all forms of violence may cease. We pray that as we light our candles we light them in unity and love for all of our family members including our enemies.
Let us light our first vigil candle in love and unity and pray for all of God's Family.
We spend time in the stillness and reflect upon what being a member of the family of God means to us.
Be still and know that I am God.
We light our second vigil candle as we pray for an end to all forms of bullying, hatred, abuse, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, division, and name calling.
We pray and reflect and ask God for the forgiveness of all our actions that have divided and are dividing us one from another. We pray that we may use loving words, deeds, and live in CALM (compassion, acceptance, love, and mercy) togetherness as one family.
May we all be one.
Peace be still.
We light our fourth vigil candle in the spirit of spreading the good news to a fragile and broken world. We pray that we may spread this light of love to all and especially those who live in darkness and places of violence.
Let us reflect on how we can individually and as a family carry the light of God's Gospel Message of love to all not only by words but by deeds.
Let us love one another.
We light our 5th candle for the nations of the whole world. Let pray that we may work to forge bonds of love, unity, liberty, religious freedom, equality, justice, and universal human rights for all God's Children. We pray for an end to regimes that seek to hurt their citizenry and nations where terror occurs on an all too regular basis.
We reflect and pray for the nations of the world and this country and seek ways to work together as one people and family of God.
We pray in the words of St. Francis of Assisi:
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.
We light our 6th vigil candle in loving care and as a promise to care for the least of these our family members. We pray that we may never forget that each person we see is to be treated as God and Christ Jesus.
We reflect and pray on what it means to be a family member of God and how we are to treat the least of these, for we are the least of these/
"The light of Christ in me recognizes the Light of Christ in You!"
We light one final candle and pray for all those things that are on our hearts and minds this night! We hold all dear ones who have asked us for prayer in our hearts. We name these dear ones and concerns be for you now_______________ We also add our prayers of thanksgiving _________________
Jesus help us to remember who our neighbor is by praying for our family members below.
Women
Men
Children
Enemies
Refugees, immigrants of any kind
Caregivers
Those who don't share your political or religious beliefs
LGBTQ family members
Elderly
Family members with whom we are estranged
Everyone
The sick and the suffering
The mentally ill and memory challenged
Those living with H.I. V./ A.I.D.S
Everyone
Those who have caused you harm or abused you
Those who hate you or you hate ( Not acceptable)
Those who have forgiven you and those whom you have forgiven
Everyone
Those who do not share the same ethnicity or race as you
Political prisoners
Prisoners of war
Those who cause terror, violence, bullying, and do unspeakable things.
Everyone
Jews
Christians
Muslims
Buddhists
Hindus
All faith communities
Everyone
Indigenous peoples
Victims of Human Trafficking
Everyone
Cancer patients,
Chronically ill
The disabled
The poor
The homeless
The hungry
The lonely,
The unemployed
The farm worker
Everyone
The misunderstood
The learning disabled
The marginalized
The invisible ones
The least of these
Everyone
The family of nations and all the peoples God's world
Eternal God, shed your light on us who watch for you,
that our lips may praise you,
our hearts bless you,
and our lives glorify you,
through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Amen.
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.
Confession of Need
Let us confess our need for God’s healing grace.
Silence
Compassionate God,
we confess our weaknesses and our need for your
strengthening touch.
We confess that some illnesses stem from our own fault,
while others are beyond our control.
We turn to you, source of life,
and ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ
for the gifts of true healing and life in you. Amen.
May the God of love visit us in our times of trial and weakness,
and raise us to newness of life, through Jesus Christ, in the
power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Let us meditate on this powerful document.
Psalm 71:1-14
In te, Domine, speravi
1 In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge; *
let me never be ashamed.
2 In your righteousness, deliver me and set me free; *
incline your ear to me and save me.
3 Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe; *
you are my crag and my stronghold.
4 Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, *
from the clutches of the evildoer and the oppressor.
5 For you are my hope, O Lord God, *
my confidence since I was young.
6 I have been sustained by you ever since I was born;
from my mother's womb you have been my strength; *
my praise shall be always of you.
7 I have become a portent to many; *
but you are my refuge and my strength.
8 Let my mouth be full of your praise *
and your glory all the day long.
9 Do not cast me off in my old age; *
forsake me not when my strength fails.
10 For my enemies are talking against me, *
and those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together.
11 They say, "God has forsaken him;
go after him and seize him; *
because there is none who will save."
12 O God, be not far from me; *
come quickly to help me, O my God.
13 Let those who set themselves against me be put to shame and be disgraced; *
let those who seek to do me evil be covered with scorn and reproach.
14 But I shall always wait in patience, *
and shall praise you more and more.
17 Zion stretches out her hands,
but there is no one to comfort her;
the Lord has commanded against Jacob
that his neighbours should become his foes;
Jerusalem has become
a filthy thing among them.
18 The Lord is in the right,
for I have rebelled against his word;
but hear, all you peoples,
and behold my suffering;
my young women and young men
have gone into captivity.
19 I called to my lovers
but they deceived me;
my priests and elders
perished in the city
while seeking food
to revive their strength.
20 See, O Lord, how distressed I am;
my stomach churns,
my heart is wrung within me,
because I have been very rebellious.
In the street the sword bereaves;
in the house it is like death.
21 They heard how I was groaning,
with no one to comfort me.
All my enemies heard of my trouble;
they are glad that you have done it.
Bring on the day you have announced,
and let them be as I am.
22 Let all their evildoing come before you;
and deal with them
as you have dealt with me
because of all my transgressions;
for my groans are many
and my heart is faint.
Listen to me, O coastlands,
pay attention, you peoples from far away!
The Lord called me before I was born,
while I was in my mother's womb he named me.
He made my mouth like a sharp sword,
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow,
in his quiver he hid me away.
And he said to me, "You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will be glorified."
But I said, "I have labored in vain,
I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my cause is with the Lord,
and my reward with my God."
And now the Lord says,
who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him,
and that Israel might be gathered to him,
for I am honored in the sight of the Lord,
and my God has become my strength--
he says,
"It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."
Thus says the Lord,
the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations,
the slave of rulers,
"Kings shall see and stand up,
princes, and they shall prostrate themselves,
because of the Lord, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."
Prayer of Manasseh 1-2, 4, 6-7, 11-15
Especially suitable in Lent, and on other penitential occasions
O Lord and Ruler of the hosts of heaven, *
God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
and of all their righteous offspring:
You made the heavens and the earth, *
with all their vast array.
All things quake with fear at your presence; *
they tremble because of your power.
But your merciful promise is beyond all measure; *
it surpasses all that our minds can fathom.
O Lord, you are full of compassion, *
long-suffering, and abounding in mercy.
You hold back your hand; *
you do not punish as we deserve.
In your great goodness, Lord,
you have promised forgiveness to sinners, *
that they may repent of their sin and be saved.
And now, O Lord, I bend the knee of my heart, *
and make my appeal, sure of your gracious goodness.
I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, *
and I know my wickedness only too well.
Therefore I make this prayer to you: *
Forgive me, Lord, forgive me.
Do not let me perish in my sin, *
nor condemn me to the depths of the earth.
For you, O Lord, are the God of those who repent, *
and in me you will show forth your goodness.
Unworthy as I am, you will save me,
in accordance with your great mercy, *
and I will praise you without ceasing all the days of my life.
For all the powers of heaven sing your praises, *
and yours is the glory to ages of ages. Amen
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.
When all we are and everything we do
are called into question,
grant us dignity and direction,
grant us patience;
Jesus, be there then;
For your name’s sake we pray.
Amen.
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)
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Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.
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Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that God is Love.
Be still and know that You are Love.
Be sill and know that I Am Love.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Slowly inhale.
Hold.
Slowly exhale
Pause. Count to 10.
Breathing Exercises with Thich Nhat Hanh
“*Breathing in, I know this is my in-breath.
Breathing out, I know this is my out-breath.*
It's very simple, but very effective. When we bring our attention to our in-breath and our out-breath, we stop thinking of the past; we stop thinking of the future; and we begin to come home to ourselves...Don't think this practice doesn't apply to you. If we don't go home to ourselves, we can't be at our best and serve the world in the best way... Our quality of being is the foundation for the quality of our actions.
*Breathing in, I'm aware of my whole body.
Breathing out, I'm aware of my whole body.*
Breathing mindfully brings us back to our bodies. We have to acknowledge our bodies first because tension and suffering accumulate in the body. Breathing in this way, we create a kind of family reunion between mind and body. The mind becomes an embodied mind.
...We can't do our best if we don't know to release the tension and pain in ourselves.
*Breathing in, I'm aware of the tension in my body.
Breathing out, I'm aware of the tension in my body.*
When we look at the suffering around us, at poverty, violence, or climate change, we may want to solve these things immediately. We want to do something. But to do something effectively and ethically, we need to be our best selves in order to be able to handle the suffering...
*Breathing in, I am aware of a painful feeling arising.
Breathing out, I release the painful feeling.*
This is a nonviolent and gentle way to help our bodies release tension and pain. It is possible to practice mindful breathing in order to produce a feeling of joy, a feeling of happiness. When we are well-nourished and know how to create joy, then we are strong enough to handle the deep pain within ourselves and the world.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Good Citizens: Creating Enlightened Society
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.
This is the day that God has called us to stop the hate and all the negativity and reunite with each other as family members and yes that includes our enemies. Everyone is a beloved child of God.
How do we do this and what are the rules of the road?
As Maria says in "The Sound of Music" "Let's start from the very beginning!"
We must seek common ground and question our words, deeds, and thoughts towards each other . This is called self-examination!
We must recognize the holy in all people, places, places of worship, and in God's Cathedral of life.
We must walk like Jesus walked, Talk like Jesus talked, Love like Jesus loved. Forgive like Jesus Forgave.
We need to get a mirror and look at ourselves and see who God sees and who God made.
We need to look at ourselves and tell ourselves this "I love you!'
We need to begin to reacquaint ourselves with our family members and seek to not be estranged.
We need to show love for one another with generosity and care.
We need to begin to stop the hate and violence towards all our family members who differ from us.
We need to be practitioners of social justice, civil disobedience, and peaceful non-violent protest without fear and whenever necessary.
We need to model ourselves after God and Jesus and engage in radical love and hospitality towards everyone.
We need to choose our words and actions rightly.
We need to stop politicizing events such as 9/11 and come together as one.
We must sow seeds of Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy.
We must strive to respect the dignity of every human being.
We must strive to make peace and show those who do not know how to make peace the right way with love, justice, mercy, and humility.
We must learn to be one with one another without spite and without malice.
We must love!
#WordsDeedsandThoughtsMatter
#WeMustStriveToBeEmpathetic
#WalkTheWalkThatJesusWalked
#CallEachOthersBadBehaviorOut
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