Good Evening Dear Family,
Happy Take Care Tuesday! I hope everyone has been taking care of each other and yourselves! This is very important for all of us to do. Part of the season of prayer for social justice is going to include hearing stories from the least of these and so tonight we begin to hear these stories and offer prayers and begin our own personal action plan. These stories are called Stories from the Window based on visits with our family members who come to the window to receive our shelf stable lunches at St. Peter's on the days I do them. Here is the first Story from the window written earlier today!
Stories from the Window.
In the coming weeks I will be writing an online piece called Stories from the window.
These stories will be about our homeless population here in Santa Maria who come for lunches in the afternoon.
Today's questions were this;
What are your housing needs here down town?
If I speak to some of those who are running for office what would you like me to tell them?
The main thing our family members are in need of are shelters and housing where they don't have to be turned away because they are on medication for mental illness and not be subjected to constant drug testing to use shelter facilities. 3 of our family members cannot use shelters and are forced to live outdoors because they take medication and when they try to go to shelters the drug tests come back Dirty. Our family members are seeking compassion from law enforcement officers because of illegal camping. There is a short supply of places where they can go and that are affordable. They would like instead of a ticket for illegal camping safe zones near restroom facilities where they can camp out or vouchers for motels that are safe and homeless friendly. Those are today's stories from the window.
Today's reflection:
For the past few months I have been handing out these lunches maybe multiple times a week and now the people no, correction family members are truly family. When I started to do this I never asked their names but now I do because a name is the one thing that they have that is holy and belongs to them. Learning to treat our family members this way gives me cause for pause when I turn on the TV and the fact that everyone and I mean everyone have forgotten who they are, whose they are, and who they are to serve. God didn't make junk and just because they live on the streets, carry their worldly good on their shoulders, and may or may not look like you or I do that doesn't make them or us any less precious in God's sight. We are equal ! We are loved! We must care for each other! We must see God and Jesus in each other's eyes! We must not be afraid! We Must welcome and love radically with warm and embracing hospitality. We must ask questions, listen, and respond with CALM (Compassion, acceptance, love and mercy)! We must do this starting now by going deeper in to the center as we pray.
God we light our candles this night and virtually place them in the window to light the pathway for our family members who seek family, shelter, clothing, and nourishment.
Let us light our candles now and light a lantern of holy welcome and radical hospitality!
God, we pray for all of our family members who are seeking to see a light in the window. A light of welcome and warmth. A light of love and protection. We light our lanterns so that we may carry the light that you have given us as a way of seeking out the lost and bringing them back home to a united and loving family. God we light our candles in memory, honor, and in loving support of all who are homeless, hungry, ill-clad, mentally ill, and all your children who are going through great difficulty. We pray this night for all refugees and all who come to this country by unsafe ways may we welcome them as you have commanded us to do. We pray this night for loving hearts, heart homes, and that will shine your light to world and even in the darkest of places. Enliven our spirits God so that we may serve the least of these with the love energy you give to us each and every day that you have made holy. We lift up our prayers and our lanterns of hope, joy, peace, and love to you ! Amen.
We add these prayers as well!
God you who are the heart healer of us all, make our hearts if they are hurting in any way whole and healed from anxiety, fear, distress, and broken.
God you who are the heart healer of us all,heal the brokeness of your fragile world and that peace may prevail.
God you who are the heart healer of us all, heal our bodies, minds, and spirits and all of our family members who are ill. Give us courage and strength to meet each day with joy and hope.
God you who are the heart healer of us all, take from us every root of bitterness and division that we may all be one.
God you who are the heart healer of us all, may we have courage to live authentically into our truth as the beautiful children you have made us to be in your image and likeness.
God you who are the heart healer of us all, may we do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you as we become and are the voices for the voiceless and speak truth to power.
God you who are the heart healer of us all, make our bodies strong so that we may serve you and follow where you lead.
God you who are the heart healer of us all, we pray for _______________ and give thanks for____________ for ourselves and on behalf of others.
God you who are the heart healer of us all, we pray for those who are in mourning and pre-grieving may we lovingly respond with compassion.
God you who are the heart healer of us all, we pray for all who are dying and who have died today that they may have a gentle transition into the Thin Places.
Jesus, accept these our prayers in your most Holy Name. Amen.
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Good Night Dear Family! Have a blessed and restful night! I love you! I hope that you have a Wonderful and Wonder-filled Wednesday tomorrow! I give God thanks for you this night and always.May your heart homes be filled with love, joy, hope, and peace and radiate God's love and light to the world.
Love, blessings, prayers, and hearts that are healed from worry,
Sara
For optional listening and meditation here is tonight's musical selection:
Hildegard von Bingen - The Voice of the Living Light
God you who are the heart healer of us all,heal the brokeness of your fragile world and that peace may prevail.
God you who are the heart healer of us all, heal our bodies, minds, and spirits and all of our family members who are ill. Give us courage and strength to meet each day with joy and hope.
God you who are the heart healer of us all, take from us every root of bitterness and division that we may all be one.
God you who are the heart healer of us all, may we have courage to live authentically into our truth as the beautiful children you have made us to be in your image and likeness.
God you who are the heart healer of us all, may we do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you as we become and are the voices for the voiceless and speak truth to power.
God you who are the heart healer of us all, make our bodies strong so that we may serve you and follow where you lead.
God you who are the heart healer of us all, we pray for _______________ and give thanks for____________ for ourselves and on behalf of others.
God you who are the heart healer of us all, we pray for those who are in mourning and pre-grieving may we lovingly respond with compassion.
God you who are the heart healer of us all, we pray for all who are dying and who have died today that they may have a gentle transition into the Thin Places.
Jesus, accept these our prayers in your most Holy Name. Amen.
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Good Night Dear Family! Have a blessed and restful night! I love you! I hope that you have a Wonderful and Wonder-filled Wednesday tomorrow! I give God thanks for you this night and always.May your heart homes be filled with love, joy, hope, and peace and radiate God's love and light to the world.
Love, blessings, prayers, and hearts that are healed from worry,
Sara
For optional listening and meditation here is tonight's musical selection:
Hildegard von Bingen - The Voice of the Living Light
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