A vigil and prayer time for refugees and innocents.

Good Evening Dear Family of God!


Today has been very difficult to watch with the Ban on Muslim immigration and curbing refugees go into effect and then have a judicial stay. Our country is losing it! We are a country made up of immigrants and refugees. It makes no sense punishing a certain group just because fear is at the root of the problem. We all must stay together and not be afraid of one another.  Today I kept going back and forth thinking about the Feast of the Holy Innocents. Not the easiest feast day to remember but on that is pointedly directed towards refugees and threats of violence towards a select group. Yesterday was Holocaust Remembrance Day too. All sorts of emotions running wild within my soul and I suspect yours as well. So what do we do? We make vigil and pray! We make a commitment to stand for those who need our support and we remember. 


God as we make vigil and pray we take time to quiet ourselves and enter into your holy presence.

God we light our candles in solidarity with refugees, visitors, and all people who are coming to this country for varying reasons. Help us to be welcoming without being fearful and needing to be divisive and indifferent. Help us to practice radical hospitality with compassion, acceptance, love, and mercy.

As we must always do on these occasions we must remember the Holy Innocents who remind us of the Syrian Refugees.  Let us remember in prayer and scripture.

We remember today, O God, the slaughter of the holy innocents of Bethlehem by King Herod. Receive, we pray, into the arms of your mercy all innocent victims; and by your great might frustrate the designs of evil tyrants and establish your rule of justice, love, and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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

Psalm 124

Nisi quia Dominus

1 If the Lord had not been on our side, *
let Israel now say;

2 If the Lord had not been on our side, *
when enemies rose up against us;

3 Then would they have swallowed us up alive *
in their fierce anger toward us;

4 Then would the waters have overwhelmed us *
and the torrent gone over us;

5 Then would the raging waters *
have gone right over us.

6 Blessed be the Lord! *
he has not given us over to be a prey for their teeth.

7 We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler; *
the snare is broken, and we have escaped.

8 Our help is in the Name of the Lord, *
the maker of heaven and earth.

Jeremiah 31:15-17

Thus says the Lord:
A voice is heard in Ramah,
lamentation and bitter weeping.
Rachel is weeping for her children;
she refuses to be comforted for her children, 
because they are no more.
Thus says the Lord:
Keep your voice from weeping,
and your eyes from tears;
for there is a reward for your work,
says the Lord:
they shall come back from the land of the enemy;
there is hope for your future,
says the Lord: 
your children shall come back to their own country.



Canticle 15
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.

Revelation 21:1-7

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,“See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.”And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

Canticle B

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.

Micah 6:1-8

Hear what the Lord says:

Rise, plead your case before the mountains,

and let the hills hear your voice.

Hear, you mountains, the controversy of the Lord,

and you enduring foundations of the earth;

for the Lord has a controversy with his people,

and he will contend with Israel.

“O my people, what have I done to you?

In what have I wearied you? Answer me!

For I brought you up from the land of Egypt,

and redeemed you from the house of slavery;

and I sent before you Moses,

Aaron, and Miriam.

O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised,

what Balaam son of Beor answered him,

and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal,

that you may know the saving acts of the Lord.”

“With what shall I come before the Lord,

and bow myself before God on high?

Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings,

with calves a year old?

Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,

with tens of thousands of rivers of oil?

Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,

the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”

He has told you, O mortal, what is good;

and what does the Lord require of you

but to do justice, and to love kindness,

and to walk humbly with your God?

Matthew 2:13-18

When the wise men had departed, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called my son."

When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:

"A voice was heard in Ramah,

wailing and loud lamentation,

Rachel weeping for her children;

she refused to be consoled, because they are no more."

Canticle F

A Song of Lamentation

Lamentations 1:12,16; 3:19,22-24,26

Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? *

Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow,

Which was brought upon me, *

inflicted by God’s fierce anger.

For these things I weep; my eyes flow with tears, *

for a comforter is far from me, one to revive my courage.

Remember my affliction and my bitterness, *

wormwood and gall!

The steadfast love of God never ceases, *

God’s mercies never end.

They are new every morning; *

great is your faithfulness.

“God is my portion,” says my soul, *

“therefore will I hope in God.”

It is good that we should wait quietly *

for the coming of God’s salvation.

Matthew 5:1-12
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."

Canticle R

A Song of True Motherhood

Julian of Norwich

God chose to be our mother in all things *

and so made the foundation of his work,

most humbly and most pure, in the Virgin’s womb.

God, the perfect wisdom of all, *

arrayed himself in this humble place.

Christ came in our poor flesh *

to share a mother’s care.

Our mothers bear us for pain and for death; *

our true mother, Jesus, bears us for joy and endless life.

Christ carried us within him in love and travail, *

until the full time of his passion.

And when all was completed and he had carried us so for joy, *

still all this could not satisfy the power of his wonderful love.

All that we owe is redeemed in truly loving God, *

for the love of Christ works in us;

Christ is the one whom we love.

Let us now be at prayer.

Dear God in the silence we hear your voice calling us to love, serve,and give thanks.

In the silence  O God,we pray that peace will prevail upon this your fragile and broken world. 

In the silence O God, help us to realize that wherever we plant our feet, take a breath, and live that is holy ground for a holy people.

In the silence we pray for all of our family members who are in need of healing of body, mind, and spirits.

In the silence, help us to be still and know that You are God.

In the silence, we pray for the needs of the least of these that we may come into their lives without fear but quietly, gently, and with compassion.

In the silence O God, listen for you walking in your Cathedral of Life at the time of the evening breeze.

In the silence O God, give us loving and joyful hearts that are enlivened and on fire  for you!

In the silence  O God, we give thanks for all of your goodness and mercy and offer our thanks______

In the silence O God we pray for the troubled areas of the world  and for all refugees, captives, political prisoners, victims of human trafficking, and violence in its many forms.

In the silence O God, we pray for all who are mourning the losses of loved ones or any kind of loss. We pray that they may gradually accept silence as cleansing and healing and not something to run away from.

In the silence O God, help us to rely and put our trust in your love, grace, mercy, and inclusion.

In the silence O God, we add our additional prayers for ourselves and on behalf of others especially____________

In the silence O God, we lift up these our prayers to your Only Son Jesus the Christ our redeemer, healer, reconciler, brother, master, and friend, Amen.

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.

Now let us commit ourselves to stand in solidarity with our family members:

Let us with God's help:

Stand with the people of all places where violence is occurring on a daily basis.

Not be complacent but actively engaged in fighting injustice everywhere.

Stand up for what is right, just, and merciful.

Stand up against violence, terror, torture, and abuse of any kind.

Stand up and practice peace and be God's peace makers.

Stand with refugees, captives, victims of violence and abuse, victims of modern slavery and human trafficking, our undocumented immigrants, LGBTQ sisters and brothers. We all our family !

Love God, Family members, and ourselves.

Stand up and be light bearers to your fragile and broken world.

Stand up for universal human rights for all God's Children.

Stand with each other and not against each other.

Stand up against extremism in all its forms.

Stand with the least of these

Stand with the voiceless ones and those who are crying out and seeking to be heard.

Stand with the vulnerable.

Stand with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit as bringers of love, peace, joy, and hope.

The light of Christ in me recognizes the light of Christ in you!

The God in me Loves me Loves the God in you!

The Holy Spirit who comforts me Comforts you this day when things we can't explain and gives us heavy heart.

Will you Stand with me?  Will you love one another?  Will you love your enemies and do good to those who hate you?

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A reminder for all of us!

Walking in the footsteps of a refugee

                        A Guided Meditation and Virtual Prayer Walk

Let us imagine ourselves through the eyes of a refugee and pray along the way.

Imagine you have decided to leave the only home you and your family have ever known.

God I don't want to live in this country where my children and husband and I are having to dodge bullets and face daily fears.  God help us to have courage to leave this war torn city and country and find safety.

Imagine having to carry a loaded in a backpack without any of the usual comfort items.

God I'm not ready to become homeless but in order to find a better life for my family I must Give me courage to take what I really need for my husband, children and myself.

Imagine the first day on the road by foot. How do your feet feel and what does your body feel like going long distances?

God my feet feel like they have become calloused, blistered, and in a lot of pain. Give us courage to honor our bodies, minds, and spirits when we need to as we flee our country of origin.

Imagine not having enough warmth on these cold nights out in the open.

God help us to find a suitable place of shelter for the night and that we may find warmth.

Imagine meeting up with other refugees and telling your stories and developing a new kind of family.

God we thank you that we have met many of our fellow refugee families and that we finally realize that we are all in this as one big family. God help us to find and make lasting friendships and that we may find safety together.

Imagine being in danger and seeing lawless gangs.

God help us to remain safe and secure and we pray for our enemies and those who wish to do us harm.

Imagine us having to find shelter, clothing, and food everyday on the road and there aren't any refugee camps nearby.

God help us to find shelter, clothing,food everyday. Help us to keep our eyes and ears open to finding refugee camps that are run by compassionate, accepting, loving, and merciful people.

Imagine becoming ill on the road.

God help us to find ways to cope with illness each day that we are not in familiar territory.

Imagine having a loved one die on the road. 

God help us to mourn our loved ones loss on the road and that we may honor their bodies by burying them reverently in the ground. Help us to always to remember to carry white sheets for burial shrouds along the way.

Imagine you have finally reached the refugee camps and are awaiting resettlement. 

God we thank you for finally reaching the camp and we pray that we may have patience to wait our turn to go through the resettlement process.

Imagine the day when you meet your sponsoring family.

(Alternate imagining:

Imagine you get to this country and are told to turn back because of your religious status and  ethnic origin.

God help us to remain cool and seek help from loving people who really care)

God we thank you for our new family. Help us  when it is our turn to welcome the stranger that we may model our lives after you Jesus and remember that you, Mary, and Joseph were refugees too.

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Good Night Dear Family ! I love you! Let  us stand together as one and encircle all refugees, Muslims, and all our family members who are fighting discrimination and hatred with loving arms and kind words. I give thanks to God for you this night and always.

Love and peace,

Sara

Resources:

Book of Common Prayer

Lectionary Page

Enriching our Worship