Happy All Hallow's Eve Family of Love,
We stand on the sacred land of our indigenous ancestors and animal and plant life. I live on the land of the Chumash tribe.
Tonight we begin our second triduum of the the year. The first was Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. This triduum (three day period) is dedicated to All Hallow's Eve, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day.This triduum gives us time to reflect on everyone who has lived and died, known and unknown. When I was attending Cal Poly I was a member of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church San Luis Obispo. During that time I was in the choir and we sung a piece called "Let us now praise famous men!" from Sirach a.k.a. Ecclesiasticus ! Let us take a brief pause from our vigil for our nation and the world by reading this as a way to mark this triduum.
Sirach 44:1-14
Hymn in Honour of Our Ancestors *
44Let us now sing the praises of famous men,
our ancestors in their generations.
2 The Lord apportioned to them* great glory,
his majesty from the beginning.
3 There were those who ruled in their kingdoms,
and made a name for themselves by their valour;
those who gave counsel because they were intelligent;
those who spoke in prophetic oracles;
4 those who led the people by their counsels
and by their knowledge of the people’s lore;
they were wise in their words of instruction;
5 those who composed musical tunes,
or put verses in writing;
6 rich men endowed with resources,
living peacefully in their homes—
7 all these were honoured in their generations,
and were the pride of their times.
8 Some of them have left behind a name,
so that others declare their praise.
9 But of others there is no memory;
they have perished as though they had never existed;
they have become as though they had never been born,
they and their children after them.
10 But these also were godly men,
whose righteous deeds have not been forgotten;
11 their wealth will remain with their descendants,
and their inheritance with their children’s children.*
12 Their descendants stand by the covenants;
their children also, for their sake.
13 Their offspring will continue for ever,
and their glory will never be blotted out.
14 Their bodies are buried in peace,
but their name lives on generation after generation.
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 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.
William Scarlett: For Democracy
Maker of the stars and Master of the nations of the earth, we pray for the future of all countries engaged in the audacious, ever changing, ever challenging experiment of democracy.. May we never grow weary of out task because of its difficulties. Grant us faith in humanity and confidence that truth will triumph in free and open encounter. We seek flexibility of mind and a willingness to try new experiments, so that we may create the conditions which make us free and equal, enhance human dignity and self-resect, and establish a fair measure of economic security for our people. Bind upon each of us a sense of our individual accountability to You, that we may do what is just, rising above prejudice to make the good of all our aim. So shall we take our place with those who labor that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth, but will express the living common faith of the human family.
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.
A Prayer For World Peace -Dr. Jane Goodall
We pray for suffering animals everywhere,
for an end to the pain caused by scientific experimentation,
intensive farming, fur farming, shooting, trapping,
training for entertainment, abusive pet owners,
and all other forms of exploitation
such as overloading and overworking pack animals,
bull fighting, badger baiting, dog and cock fighting and so many more.
We pray for an end to cruelty,
whether to humans or other animals,
for an end to bullying, and torture in all its forms.
We pray that we may learn the peace that comes with forgiving
and the strength we gain in loving;
that we may learn to take nothing for granted in this life;
that we may learn to see and understand with our hearts;
that we may learn to rejoice in our being.
We pray for these things with humility;
We pray because of the hope that is within us,
and because of a faith in the ultimate triumph of the human spirit;
We pray because of our love for Creation, and because of our trust in God.
We pray, above all, for peace throughout the world.
Respond if you like: God help us to bind up the brokenhearted and love and care for the least of these.
God we come to you in prayer with spirits that are hungry for a deeper relationship with you and all of our family members.
We pray for our family members who are hungry for nourishing and life giving food. May their bodies be filled. We pray for all soup kitchens feeding programs food banks, and pantries.
We pray for our family members who are in need of clothing. May we take time to give our old and usable clothing away for those that need it.
We pray for our family members who are in need of shelter this evening and if they need to be out in the cold that they may be safely protected.
We pray for our family members who are in need of affection we pray that our prayers may encircle them with a virtual prayer quilt of love and compassion. May they feel our prayers as a holy hug and embrace.
We pray for our family members who are seeking relationships and that they may come to know that the most important relationships are with God and themselves.
We pray for our family members who are hungering for knowledge that education may be made affordable and that everyone will have places in which to learn and grow.
We pray for our family members who are hungering and thirsting after righteousness.
We pray for our family members who are hungering for justice,equality human rights, dignity, and respect.
We pray for our family members who are hungering for CALM (Compassion Acceptance Love and Mercy)
We pray for our family members who are hungering for peace and Peace of Mind.
We pray for our family members who have come to us with their prayer requests remembering especially__________________.
Great God, who has told us
"Vengeance is mine,"
save us from ourselves,
save us from the vengeance in our hearts
and the acid in our souls.
to punish as we have been punished,
to terrorize as we have been terrorized.
to listen rather than to judge,
to trust rather than to fear,
to try again and again
to make peace even when peace eludes us.
to be our best selves.
We ask for the vision
to be builders of the human community
rather than its destroyers.
We ask for the humility as a people
to understand the fears and hopes of other peoples.
to bequeath to the children of the world to come
more than the failures of our own making.
We ask for the heart it takes
to care for all the peoples
of Afghanistan and Iraq, of Palestine and Israel
as well as for ourselves.
to constrain our might,
to resist the temptations of power
to refuse to attack the attackable,
to understand
that vengeance begets violence,
and to bring peace--not war--wherever we go.
For You, O God, have been patient with us.
For You, O God, have been gracious to us.
and patient
and gracious
and trusting
with these others whom you also love.
the one without vengeance in his heart.
This we ask forever and ever. Amen
In the silence, O God, You constantly surround our growing life.
We know You in the silence of the healing wound, the muteness of tenderness, the quiet growth within the sleeping child, the unspoken bonds uniting friend and friend, the still intensity of meditation, the soundless splendor of our changing seasons.
We know You in the sacred silence of our bodies: the secret movement of the hidden cells, the noiseless restoration of the tissues’ balance, the unheard ebb and flow within each artery and vein.
We know You in the magic silence of our minds: the mystery of memory, retaining after-images of childhood, youth, and later years; the miracle of imagination, whereby we behold our visions of the city unattained; the marvel of attention, when the mind is focused to absorption on some needful task.
We know You in the hidden silence of our hearts: the never uttered depths of love between a man and a woman, a teacher and a student, a parent and a child; the art of being altogether for another; the faith restoring faith that someone else is utterly for you.
We know You in the fateful silences of faith. We know You in the sacrament of silence.
BENEDICTION
May we forever hope in the possibilities of life;
May we forever share the adventures of ideas;
May we know peace through not expecting the impossible;
May we know joy through helping what is possible come true.
The Song of Simeon Nunc Dimittis
Luke 2:29-32
Lord, you now have set your servant free *
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations, *
and the glory of your people Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who
sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless
the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the
joyous; and all for your love's sake. Amen.
Resources
A New Zealand Prayer Book
A Season of Prayer for An Election
Bible Gateway For NRSV and The Voice Reading Selections
Book of Common Prayer
Book of Occasional Services
Enriching our Worship 1
Prayers of Power
Satucket Lectionary
Bonus Readings
Eve of All Saints:1 Samuel 28:3-25The Voice
3 Remember, Samuel had died some time previously and had been mourned by all of Israel. He was buried in his hometown of Ramah, and his wisdom died with him.
Another important thing to know: Saul had ordered all of the mediums and any others who claimed to speak to the dead thrown out of Israel.
4 The Philistines gathered for war, and they made their camp at Shunem. Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa. 5 When Saul looked out over the forces of the Philistines, he was filled with fear and lost his confidence. 6 Saul asked the Eternal for guidance, but He did not give him an answer, neither in dreams nor by consulting the Urim nor through prophecy.
This is simultaneously one of Saul’s greatest offenses against God and one of the times when he is a sympathetic character. As he comes to battle the Philistines, he has been cut off from any contact with God. It must seem as though everyone conspires against him, that he is all alone in the world; so, against his own decree forbidding such a thing, he consults a medium who can speak to the dead, a dark practice according to Hebrew law.
Saul (to his servants): 7 Find me a woman, a spiritual medium—someone I can ask for guidance.
Servants: A spiritual medium lives in En-dor.
8 So Saul disguised himself in different clothes, and taking two men with him, he went to see this woman in the dark of night.
Saul: I need you to call up someone from the grave—I’ll tell you who—so I can ask him questions.
Medium of En-dor: 9 Don’t you know what Saul has decreed? You should know that he has thrown all the mediums and all others who speak for the dead out of Israel. Why are you asking me to risk my life?
Saul (swearing by the Lord): 10 Nothing bad will happen to you. I promise.
Medium of En-dor: 11 Whom do you want me to bring up from the dead for you?
Saul: I need to speak with the prophet Samuel.
12 The medium began her rituals, but when she began to see Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice, realizing that her customer was Saul.
Medium of En-dor: Why have you lied to me? You’re really Saul!
Saul: 13 Don’t be frightened. Nothing will happen to you. Just tell me, what do you see?
Medium of En-dor: I see someone who looks like a divine being rising out of the ground!
Saul: 14 Describe him for me.
Medium of En-dor: An old man is coming, wrapped in a robe.
Saul knew this was Samuel, and he dropped to the ground, putting his face to the floor.
Samuel (to Saul): 15 Why have you disturbed me by calling me up from the land of the dead?
Saul: I don’t know what to do! The Philistines have gathered against us, and the True God has turned His back on me. He won’t answer me in dreams or by prophecy, so I’ve summoned you for advice.
Samuel: 16 Saul, why do you ask me what to do since you know the Eternal One has turned against you and is now your enemy? 17 He has done to you exactly as He told you through me, for He has wrestled the kingdom away from you in order to give it to your neighbor, David. 18 You did not obey the Eternal One’s orders to be an agent of His wrath on Amalek. That is why He has brought these circumstances upon you today. 19 And that is not all. He will hand you and your kingdom over to the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be where I am. The Eternal One will hand your entire army over to the Philistines.
20 When Saul heard Samuel’s words, he collapsed to the ground in terror and weakness, for he had not eaten all day and all night. 21 The woman came to him, and she saw that he was filled with fear.
Medium of En-dor: Your servant has done what you asked. I have risked my life to do it. 22 Now, please, listen to your servant. Have something to eat before you go. Eat what I offer you, so you can leave with some strength.
Saul: 23 No, I won’t eat anything.
His servants joined her in urging the king to eat, and at last he listened to them. He rose from the ground and sat on the bed. 24 The woman took a fatted calf, slaughtered it, and prepared it. She took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread. 25 When the food was ready, she served it to Saul and his servants, and they ate it before they departed that night.
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