Shrek, The Glass Menagerie, and thoughts about seeing ourselves reflected in God's image and Hamlet's mirror.

Good late evening and Early Morning Dear Ones!


Happy Being Thoughtful and Thankful Thursday! I know this is late but I wanted to share with you a few thoughts on the two plays I had the privilege in seeing this week. On Sunday I saw "The Glass Menagerie' and this evening "Shrek the Musical". You wouldn't think that these two productions would have anything in common but they do. We get to see how each of us find ourselves not feeling comfortable in our skin because of being different, disabled, and any other myriad of factors.  The one theme that I picked up on and it is this, we must celebrate our diversity and not let it hold us back, and that we must learn to be united in our diversity and not be afraid of it.  We all must begin to see ourselves as God sees us and even see what we look like in Hamlet's mirror and be true to ourselves. It's ok if you have \green skin! It's ok if you walk with a limp as Laura does in "The Glass Menagerie" It's okay to be yourself and that means that we all get to live authentically and not be afraid out in the world. We are made in the image of God and when God made us God broke the mold! I can't explain identical twins. Tonight let us pray and celebrate diversity and know that is it ok to not be alike! 

Listen to this song from tonight's production:

Freak Flag - Shrek The Musical with lyrics


We remember this night as we light our candles and pray " The light of Christ in me, Recognizes the light of Christ in you"


God we give your thanks for the gift of diversity in all living things! We pray and give thanks and light our candles in joyful celebration for being made in your image and likeness. We give thanks that none of us are alike and that you have given us many gifts to share with the world that you created. We give thanks for the things we share in common. Help us we pray when ever times are uncertain we may look to what we have in common and learn to see the beauty of diversity and the gifts that we offer one to another. We pray that we may share our gifts given in love to all of our family members and even those with whom we differ and hate us. Give us courage to be able to stand up and stand out for peace, justice, and unity Help us we pray never to lose sight of those who lost their lives in Orlando and all acts of violence and tell their stories of their gifts and the wonderful diversity they brought into this world only for a little while. Let us be models of their love, their diversity, and their joy in living. Give us we pray the courage to speak against gun violence and all kinds of phobias and that we may one day look to this world and see a place where everyone is welcome, everyone is loved, everyone can be who they are meant to be, and that there may be peace within ourselves, the world. and each other. We pray this in the name of our Creator who made us in God's image and likeness. Amen. 

As we travel on this journey into the long green season in Pentecost let us find within ourselves the courage to speak truth to power and not be silent.  We remember all of the prophetic voices down the ages who have lit a pathway and modeled behavior for us to follow  Let us us this time tonight to be at prayer and pray for courage to be the Light, be a Voice, be a Peacemaker, Be a Child of God, Be the one who speaks up when someone won't. 

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 Live.

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.

God we come to you this night still with heavy hearts and we pray as we have been doing for the past week remembering our brothers and sisters who perished at Pulse in Orlando. We pray and remember  them each by name and this night and respond with "Let light perpetual shine upon them"

Amanda Alvear, 25 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon her"

Oscar A Aracena-Montero, 26 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Antonio Davon Brown, 29 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Darryl Roman Burt II, 29 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Angel L. Candelario-Padro, 28 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Juan Chevez-Martinez, 25 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Luis Daniel Conde, 39 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Cory James Connell, 21 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Tevin Eugene Crosby, 25 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon her"

Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez, 31 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon her"

Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Paul Terrell Henry, 41 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Frank Hernandez, 27 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Miguel Angel Honorato, 30 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, 30 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Anthony Luis Laureanodisla, 25 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Christopher Andrew Leinonen, 32 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, 49 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon her"

Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Kimberly Morris, 37 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon her"

Akyra Monet Murray, 18 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon her"

Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez, 25 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Enrique L. Rios, Jr., 25 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Jean C. Nives Rodriguez, 27 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz, 24 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan, 24 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon her"

Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Martin Benitez Torres, 33 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Jonathan Antonio Camuy Vega, 24 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Juan P. Rivera Velazquez, 37 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Luis S. Vielma, 22 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Franky Jimmy Dejesus Velazquez, 50 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

Jerald Arthur Wright, 31 years old
"Let light perpetual shine upon him"

God we lift up these precious ones to you as a reminder that life is precious and that we know that you know us all by name and love us. We pray that we may come together in memory and in honor of all your children to affect positive change in this fragile and broken world that you have made. 

Help us we pray to build bridges and tear down walls. Give us strength to truly to become peacemakers and your children.

Today's selections from the BCP (BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER)

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.

For the Diversity of Races and Cultures

O God, who created all peoples in your image, we thank you
for the wonderful diversity of races and cultures in this world.
Enrich our lives by ever-widening circles of fellowship, and
show us your presence in those who differ most from us, until
our knowledge of your love is made perfect in our love for all
your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For Social Justice

Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so
move every human heart [and especially the hearts of the
people of this land], that barriers which divide us may
crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our
divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

For those who suffer for the sake of Conscience

O God our Father, whose Son forgave his enemies while he
was suffering shame and death: Strengthen those who suffer
for the sake of conscience; when they are accuused, save them

from speaking in hate; when they are rejected, save them
from bitterness; when they are imprisoned, save them from
despair; and to us your servants, give grace to respect their
witness and to discern the truth, that our society may be
cleansed and strengthened. This we ask for the sake of Jesus
Christ, our merciful and righteous Judge. Amen.

For our Enemies
O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love
our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth;
deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in
your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

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Good Night Dear Ones! I love you ! May you rest gentle and feel God's loving presence while you sleep and when you awaken. I give God thanks for you this night and always.

With love,hope, joy, and peace,

Sara