Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Wisdom Wednesday! Let us commemorate Edith Cavell - Nurse, Martyr, Heroine !

 





Good Evening Dear Ones!

We call to remembrance the lives of the Chumash and all indigenous persons who were and are good stewards of God's Cathedral of Life. We call to remembrance the life of Edith Cavell whose feast day we commemorate. Today we begin our time together with our traditional grounding exercise.

Let us engage in our mindfulness time with these:

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.

Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.


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




"Martyrdom does not consist only in dying for one's faith. Martyrdom also consists in serving God with love and purity of heart every day of one's life" ~ St. Jerome

"A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself." ~ Joseph Campbell

"Standing, as I do, in view of God and eternity, I realise that patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone (On the eve of her execution)" ~ Edith Cavell

"The hero draws inspiration from the virtue of his ancestors." ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"I can't stop while there are lives to be saved." ~ Edith Cavell

"Martyrdom does not end something, it only a beginning." ~ Indira Gandhi

"Nothing but physical impossibility, lack of space and money would make me close my doors to Allied refugees." ~ Edith Cavell

"Wherever it pleases God to put man in this world, the Christian must be ready for martyrdom and death. It is only in this way that man learns faith." ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"We don't have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in the process of change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world." ~ Howard Zinn

"When the will defies fear, when duty throws the gauntlet down to fate, when honor scorns to compromise with death - that is heroism." ~ Robert Green Ingersoll

"Courage is more exhilarating than fear, and in the long run, it is easier." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

"Love is my religion - I could die for it." ~ John Keats

"One must think like a hero to behave like a merely decent human being." ~ May Sarton

"Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point." ~ C. S. Lewis

"I am of certain convinced that the greatest heroes are those who do their duty in the daily grind of domestic affairs whilst the world whirls as a maddening dreidel." ~ Florence Nightingale

"Peace demands the most heroic labor and the most difficult sacrifice. It demands greater heroism than war. It demands greater fidelity to the truth and a much more perfect purity of conscience." ~ Thomas Merton

"Jesus says that every Christian has his own cross waiting for him, a cross destined and appointed by God. Each must endure his allotted share of suffering and rejection. But each has a different share: some God deems worthy of the highest form of suffering, and gives them the grace of martyrdom, while others he does not allow to be tempted above that which they are able to bear. But it is the one and the same cross in every case." ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"The future of modern society depends much more on the quiet heroism of the very few who are inspired by God. These few will greatly enjoy the divine inspiration and will be prepared to stand for the dignity of Man and true freedom and to keep the Law of God, even of it means martyrdom or death." ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"Love makes the whole difference between an execution and a martyrdom." ~ Evelyn Underhill

"God honors some with great suffering and grants them the grace of martyrdom, while other are not tempted beyond their strength. But in every case it is one cross." ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer



Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, the lifting
up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.    Psalm 141:2

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the
Lord Jesus Christ.    Philippians 1:2

Worship the Lord in the beauty of his holiness; let the whole earth
tremble before him.    Psalm 96:9

Yours is the day, O God, yours also the night; you established
the moon and the sun. You fixed all the boundaries of the
earth; you made both summer and winter.    Psalm 74:15,16

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel; my heart teaches
me, night after night. I have set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not fall.    Psalm 16:7,8

Seek him who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep
darkness into the morning, and darkens the day into night;
who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon
the surface of the earth: The Lord is his name.    Amos 5:8

If I say, "Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light
around me turn to night," darkness is not dark to you, O
Lord; the night is as bright as the day; darkness and light to
you are both alike.    Psalm 139:10,11

Jesus said, "I am the light of the world; whoever follows me
will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

John 8:12


You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” - John 12:8

“But he would withdraw to deserted places and pray.” - Luke 5:16


“A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion.” - Mark 4:37-38



Light of the World Phos hilaron

Light of the world, in grace and beauty,
Mirror of God’s eternal face,
Transparent flame of love’s free duty,
You bring salvation to our race.
Now, as we see the lights of evening,
We raise our voice in hymns of praise;
Worthy are you of endless blessing,
Sun of our night, lamp of our days.


THE LIGHTING OF THE CANDLES

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 light our candles and pray the words of the Beatitudes! as our vigil prayer today






MATTHEW 5:1-11

THE BEATITUDES
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.


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


A Prayer of Awareness
Hildegard of Bingen

God is the foundation for everything 
This God undertakes, God gives. 
Such that nothing that is necessary for life is lacking. 
Now humankind needs a body that at all times honors and praises God. 
This body is supported in every way through the earth. 
Thus the earth glorifies the power of God.

 Call to Prayer
Hildegard of Bingen

The earth is at the same time mother, 
She is mother of all that is natural, mother of all that is human. 
She is the mother of all, for contained in her are the seeds of all. 
The earth of humankind contains all moistness, all verdancy, all germinating power. 
It is in so many ways fruitful. 
All creation comes from it. Yet it forms not only the basic raw material for humankind, but also the substance of the incarnation of God's son.


Book of Common Prayer: Forgive Us, O God

Forgive, O God, those national sins which so easily beset us: our wanton waste of soil and air and water; our desecration of natural beauty; our heedlessness of those who come after us, if only we be served; our lust for money; our contempt for what is small and worship of what is big. For wrongs done to our land, our people, our heritage, and our future, as well as for things left undone, forgive us, O God.

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


Because in every age you have called brave souls to proclaim righteousness for the transformation of the world, that all may welcome the coming of your holy reign.



Confession of Need (Enriching Our Worship 2)

Let us confess our need for God’s healing grace.

Silence

Minister and People

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 you/us in y/our times of trial and weakness,
and raise you/us to newness of life, through Jesus Christ, in the
power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.


A 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.


"Compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to enter into the places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear, confusion, and anguish. Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears. Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable, and powerless with the powerless. Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being human." ~ 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



A 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.



Grandfather Great Spirit
All over the world the faces of living ones are alike.
With tenderness they have come up out of the ground
Look upon your children that they may face the winds
And walk the good road to the Day of Quiet.
Grandfather Great Spriit
Fill us with the Light.
Give us the strength to understand, and the eyes to see.
Teach us to walk the soft Earth as relatives to all that live.
 - Sioux Prayer

Lancelot Andrewes: Be All To All

We bring before You, O God:
the cries of the weary,
the pains of the distressed,
the tears of the tragedies of life,
the anxious hours of the insecure,
the restlessness of the refugees,
the hunger of the oppressed.
Dear God, be near to each.
Helper of the helpless,
Hope of the homeless,
The Strength of those tossed with tempests,
The Haven of those who sail:
Be all to all.
Be within us, to strengthen us;
without us, to keep us;
above us, to inspire us;
beneath us, to uphold us;
before us, to direct us;
behind us , to propel us;
around us, to sustain us.
Be all to all in present need.


Everything Has Its Time
3 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

Jesus, you are the way through the wilderness: show us your
truth in which we journey, and by the grace of the Holy Spirit be
in us the life that draws us to God. Amen.
(source: F.B. McNutt, The Prayer Manual [London: Mowbray, 1961], p. 29,
adapted)

From the Resistance Prays


God of the sabbath, God of goodness and rest, God who made the universe, stepped into it, and dwells in it still, we give you thanks for your example and your perpetual call for justice and restoration. Strengthen us in these days ahead through the power of your Spirit dwelling within us and remind us always that restoration isn’t external to us, but lives within us, through the power of rest and connection with you. Prepare us for the work ahead. In your name we pray, amen.




73 Quam bonus Israel!

23 Yet I am always with you; *
you hold me by my right hand.

24 You will guide me by your counsel, *
and afterwards receive me with glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but you? *
and having you I desire nothing upon earth.

26 Though my flesh and my heart should waste away, *
God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.

27 Truly, those who forsake you will perish; *
you destroy all who are unfaithful.

28 But it is good for me to be near God; *
I have made the Lord God my refuge.

29 I will speak of all your works *
in the gates of the city of Zion.

Joshua 2:8-21
8 Before they went to sleep, she came up to them on the roof 9and said to the men: ‘I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that dread of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt in fear before you. 10For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea* before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites that were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11As soon as we heard it, our hearts failed, and there was no courage left in any of us because of you. The Lord your God is indeed God in heaven above and on earth below. 12Now then, since I have dealt kindly with you, swear to me by the Lord that you in turn will deal kindly with my family. Give me a sign of good faith 13that you will spare my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.’ 14The men said to her, ‘Our life for yours! If you do not tell this business of ours, then we will deal kindly and faithfully with you when the Lord gives us the land.’

15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the outer side of the city wall and she resided within the wall itself. 16She said to them, ‘Go towards the hill country, so that the pursuers may not come upon you. Hide yourselves there for three days, until the pursuers have returned; then afterwards you may go on your way.’ 17The men said to her, ‘We will be released from this oath that you have made us swear to you 18if we invade the land and you do not tie this crimson cord in the window through which you let us down, and you do not gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your family. 19If any of you go out of the doors of your house into the street, they shall be responsible for their own death, and we shall be innocent; but if a hand is laid upon any who are with you in the house, we shall bear the responsibility for their death. 20But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be released from this oath that you made us swear to you.’ 21She said, ‘According to your words, so be it.’ She sent them away and they departed. Then she tied the crimson cord in the window.

A Song of Pilgrimage Priusquam errarem
Ecclesiasticus 51:13-16,20b-22

Before I ventured forth,
even while I was very young, *
I sought wisdom openly in my prayer.
In the forecourts of the temple I asked for her, *
and I will seek her to the end.
From first blossom to early fruit, *
she has been the delight of my heart.
My foot has kept firmly to the true path, *
diligently from my youth have I pursued her.
I inclined my ear a little and received her; *
I found for myself much wisdom and became adept in her.
To the one who gives me wisdom will I give glory, *
for I have resolved to live according to her way.
From the beginning I gained courage from her, *
therefore I will not be forsaken.
In my inmost being I have been stirred to seek her, *
therefore have I gained a good possession.
As my reward the Almighty has given me the gift of language,*
and with it will I offer praise to God.

John 16:25-33
Peace for the Disciples
25 ‘I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but will tell you plainly of the Father. 26On that day you will ask in my name. I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.* 28I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and am going to the Father.’

29 His disciples said, ‘Yes, now you are speaking plainly, not in any figure of speech! 30Now we know that you know all things, and do not need to have anyone question you; by this we believe that you came from God.’ 31Jesus answered them, ‘Do you now believe? 32The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. 33I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!’

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.


Let us light another candle and be at prayer!







Settings of the Lord's Prayer as found in 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 the alternative form.

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.

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.



Living God, the source of all healing and wholeness: we bless you for the compassionate witness of your servant Edith Cavell. Inspire us to be agents of peace and reconciliation in a world beset by injustice, poverty, and war. We ask this through Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, to the ages of ages. Amen.


Prayers From Simon Kershaw

God of compassion, as we recall the fearless courage of your servant Edith Cavell, give us a heart to serve and to care even for those who abuse and despise us. Remove from us all fear, hatred, and bitterness, and give us that life-giving love that loves to the uttermost and seeks the good of all, through Jesus Christ who came to seek and to save the lost. Amen.

God our Father, we thank you that you call women and men to share the passion of your Son, and to witness to your truth in adversity. As we recall the courage and single-mindedness of Edith Cavell, may we show forth your costly reconciling love, and be strengthened to serve you in one another, through the one through whom we are made one with you and one another, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Come Lord Jesus and abide with us. Be with us in the evening hour and protect us through the dark hours of the night. Comfort all who are in danger and those who watch and wait. Help us to be still, and to hold to your promise that in the end your purposes will be fulfilled, our anxieties dispelled, and our fears calmed, in the name of him whose love casts out fear, Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord. Amen.

Heavenly Father, your Son said that whatever we do for the least of our brothers and sisters we do for him. May we, like your servant Edith Cavell, bring relief to those who are in need, comfort to those who are afraid, and healing to all who are in pain. This we ask in the name of him who came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many, Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.

For the Human Family
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which
infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us
unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and races may serve you in
harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.(BCP)


A Collect for Peace 

Most holy God, the source of all good desires, all right
judgements, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that
peace which the world cannot give, so that our minds may be
fixed on the doing of your will, and that we, being delivered
from the fear of all enemies, may live in peace and quietness;
through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen. 


A Collect for Aid against Perils 

Be our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in your great mercy
defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love
of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. 


A Collect for Protection 

O God, the life of all who live, the light of the faithful, the
strength of those who labor, and the repose of the dead: We
thank you for the blessings of the day that is past, and
humbly ask for your protection through the coming night.
Bring us in safety to the morning hours; through him who
died and rose again for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen. 


A Collect for the Presence of Christ 

Lord Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day
is past; be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts, and
awaken hope, that we may know you as you are revealed in
Scripture and the breaking of bread. Grant this for the sake
of your love. Amen. 

Collects for Mission

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or
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. 


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. 




Now as we turn our hearts towards our time of prayer  we ask that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit be in our midst.  We give thanks for their loving and sustaining presence in our hearts, bodies, minds, and spirits and most especially in our lives.

Silence and reflection for a space.

We pray especially this night for all those who have been affected by gun violence of any kind. We pray for the families, victims, and the communities. We also lift up the victims of domestic violence and all who mourn their losses. 
Silence and reflection for a space.


We pray this night for peace in God's fragile and broken world. May we as Children of God become blessed peacemakers and help soothe and care for the tenderhearted who are living in fear, terror, and adversity.


Silence and reflection for a space.



We pray this night for all those who are in need of healing of body, mind, and spirit. We pray for the healing of those who are living with chronic and mental illnesses. May we as their caregivers and friends offer them solace and a soft place in which to fall. We remember them now by name____________.


Silence and reflection for a space.


We pray this night for all those who are the least of these that  they may find shelter, food, and clothing. Give us courage to step up and help . 



Silence and reflection for a space.


We pray for all agencies and organizations that help minister to the needs of children, women, those who have been abused, chronic disease research and patient care.  We remember especially this month: All Breast Cancer foundations, A.I.D.S. foundations, and Alzheimer's foundations.

Silence and reflection for a space.


We pray for all faith communities and the clergy who minister to them . We pray for a climate of love, dignity, and respect for all our family members who differ from us and that we may grow in love and unity towards and with them.

Silence and reflection for a space.


We pray and give thanks for all Caregivers: Remembering : Family members, Clergy, home health, hospice workers, mortuary ministries, EMTs., Police, Firefighters, Troops, day care workers, teachers and anyone else who provides care and protection for us. 

Silence and reflection for a space.


We pray this night for all refugees,immigrants, captives, political prisoners, prisoners, those who are victims of human trafficking and slavery. and all who are in danger and have been victims and survivors of domestic violence and abuse.

Silence and reflection for a space.


We especially pray for all the leaders of  the nations of the world and especially our President that they may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with their God and that they may have the courage to lead in times of trouble and in times of plenty.

Silence and reflection for a space.


We add our additional prayers, thanksgivings, remembrances, and celebrations to you  Lord Jesus as we pray lovingly in their names  and ours ________________ We pray these our prayers in Jesus most holy and life giving name. Amen.

Or these

Open our eyes, ears, hearts, and souls O God to help us promote healthy bodies, minds, and spirits not only in our lives but as as good citizens.

Open our eyes, ears, hearts, and souls O God  to seek peace in everything we do.


Open our eyes, ears, hearts, and souls O God, to love and care for the least of these.


Open our eyes, ears, hearts and souls O  God, to strive for justice, peace, and equality throughout all nations of the world and in our own country.


Open our eyes, ears, hearts and souls O God, that we may learn to love and care for the refugee, victim of violence, and human trafficking.


Open our eyes, ears, hearts and souls O God that we may care for all who  are in mourning and those who have died.


Open our eyes, ears hearts and souls O God to help us fight injustice and oppression.


Open our eyes, ears, hearts,and souls O God to come to you when we are in need of help and comfort.


Open our eyes, ears,hearts and souls O God to Pray for all those who are ill and in need of your healing. remembering_________________________


Open our eyes, ears, hearts, and souls that we may lift up our prayers and thanksgivings to you O Lord . Amen.


Or these

Let us spend time in silence and prepare ourselves to be God's voice in a broken world. 

God of justice we pray that we may have courage to speak truth to power.

God of compassion we pray that we may love others not just in our words but in our deeds.

God of kindness we pray that we may use our voices to heal, comfort, and lovingly support.

God of peace we pray that we may use our voices as your beloved children to make peace and not wage war in this world.

God of all people, we pray that we may be the voices who seek to protect and serve the most vulnerable of our family members.

God of justice we pray that we may we have the courage to Stand Up, Step up, and Speak Up for all of your children who need us to act and not be silent. 

God of Love we pray that we may use the Love Energy that is within our Heart Homes to be your Light to the world. May we shine your light in dark places so that our family members may see and be guided away from the darkness that infects our world.

God of healing we pray that we may seek to use our voices to heal and not harm.

God of creation we pray that we may use our voices to speak for good conservation practices to heal and renew the face of the earth and respect all living things in your Cathedral of Life.

God of diversity, we pray that we may be voices of unity and that we may seek to come to know one another and respect the dignity of all beings.

God and creator of us all may we seek to follow the examples of Jesus and John the Baptist and speak, love, act, and pray and be mindful of the needs and concerns of others this day and always! 

God we offer our own voices in prayer and thanksgiving remembering____________________.

We lift up these our prayers in the name of Jesus the Good Shepherd whose voice we hear and who calls us all by our names. Amen. 


A Prayer for Healing

We join with the earth and with each other
To bring new life to the land
To restore the waters
To refresh the air
We join with the earth and with each other
To renew the forests
To care for the plants
To protect the creatures
We join with the earth and with each other
To celebrate the seas
To rejoice the sunlight
To sing the song of the stars
We join with the earth and with each other
To recreate the human community
To promote justice and peace
To remember our children
We join with the earth and with each other
We join together as many and diverse expressions
Of one loving mystery, for the healing of earth and the renewal of all life
- National Institute of Open Schooling, India 4


Celtic Peace Prayer from Antiquity

Deep Peace of the running wave to you
Deep Peace of the flowing air to you
Deep Peace of the quiet earth to you
Deep Peace of the shining stars to you
Deep peace of the shades of night to you
Moon and stars always giving Light to you.
- Celtic Peace Prayer


“Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.”


― Teresa of Ávila


May I Be At Peace

May I be at peace.
May my heart remain open.
May I be aware of my true nature.
May I be healed.
May I be a source of healing to others.
May I dwell in the Breath of God.
- Saint Teresa of Avila




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.


The Wisdom of God
the Love of God
and the Grace of God
strengthen you
to be Christ’s hands and heart in this world,
in the name of the Holy Trinity. Amen.
(source: Celtic)

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)

Bonus:

Follow the three R's: - Respect for self. - Respect for others. - Responsibility for all your actions.
Dalai Lama

Today is the right day to love, believe, do, and mostly, live.
Dalai Lama

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.
Dalai Lama

My message is always the same: to cultivate and practice love, kindness, compassion and tolerance.
Dalai Lama


Water Flows

Water flows over these hands.
May I use them skillfully
to preserve our precious planet.
 - Thich Nhat Hahn


Being Peace

If we are peaceful.
If we are happy.
We can smile and blossom
Like a flower.
And everyone
In our family,
Our entire society
Will benefit
From our peace.
- Thich Nhat Hanh

Good Night Dear Ones! May we all find rest for our souls and feel God's gentle presence enfolding us  in God's gentle arms this night and always. I love you and give thanks to God for you this day and always.

Rest gentle in God's Love Dear Ones,

Sara

Resources
Edith Cavell - Nurse and Martyr
Oremus  Bible Browser
Satucket Lectionary
In Lak 'Ech - Luis Valdez
Quote Sites for prayers
Walk With Me On Our Journey.
Enriching Our Worship
Book of Common Prayer

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