Dear Family of Love!
This weekend has been an odyssey into art, faith and history. To be able to see Bishop Steven Charleston and hear him preach and speak was and is a treasure. All of us we family members were privileged to here Bishop Charleston as he spoke of kinship: I think these 4 areas of kinship will speak to you: The Kinship between us and God, The kinship with the Earth, The kinship with all living things, and the Kinship with each other no matter who we are and where we come from. He preached on Nicodemus coming to See Jesus at night for advice and wisdom, In his sermon Bishop Charleston talked about that we all are facing a time of coming to Jesus at night and those times of night that are a time of deep reflection and decision making. He reflected back up his talk yesterday with the combining of the Gospel lesson about Nicodemus and Jesus. I will take up this recount tomorrow. The service at St. John's Cathedral was a wonderful experience and made me realize more than ever that liturgy is art and a feast for the senses. I had a wonderful visit with the Daughters of the King for a little while after church and then I headed up to the Getty Center. I saw more religious art and will see more in a few weeks. I needed to head for home! I did make it home around 7:00 p.m. tonight. Tonight I would like us to reflect upon what family, kinship, means to us. I think now more than ever we need to do this. Remember we are family to each other, the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms, the Earth with it's air, water, soil and all that makes up our environment. We are especially have kinship with God and I would like to add we have kinship with ourselves.
Here is tonight's music for reflection For the Beauty of the Earth -Rutter mix it may have the music in a different order.
God of all people may we ever remember that everyone and everything is precious in your sight and you love and protect all with equality and with impartiality. May we remember that we are all chosen people of God because he made us.
God of all Creation may we hold everything that you made with reverence and that everything is holy.
God who made all animals, minerals, and vegetables. May we protect and stop misusing and abusing all that you have made. Help us to realize that when one thing is taken away or made extinct that we ourselves are on step closer to being and endangered species.
God who made us a family may we seek to be families and be united in love and in one heart and spirit.
God we pray this night for an end to all violence, terror, abuse, bullying, inequality, and all things that separate us one from another.
God we remember this day:
The least of these our family members.
Our family members in need of healing and comfort.
Our family members who are in mourning and in need of comfort and compassion.
Our family members who are transitioning from this life into the Thin Places and those who are already residing there.
Our family members who live in times of uncertainty. May we offer them help with gentle hands and hearts.
Our family members who protect and serve us daily.
Our family members who feel lonely and isolated. May we see them and love them and speak lovingly toward them.
Our family members who are facing struggles this week.
Our family members who are in danger and especially those who live in Syria, Iraq, the Ukraine, West Africa. We remember all refugees, captives, those who are victims of human trafficking.
All our family members wherever they may be. We pray that they may be loved and given courage and shown mercy.
All this we ask in Jesus the Christ, The Anointed One who heals, saves, loves, and sees everyone as a friend and includes all. Amen.
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Good Night Dear Family of Love. I love you and send you blessings, prayers and give thank to God For your presence in my and in our family's life. Take time to rest, relax, refresh,and renew your bodies, minds, and spirits,before tomorrow. Remember tomorrow is YOU MATTER MONDAY, AND YOU DO!
With love, joy, and peace this night and always.
Sara
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