The Word became flesh and lived among us.” John 1:14
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1
“And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
Psalm 134 Ecce nunc
Behold now, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, * you that stand by night in the house of the LORD.
Lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the LORD; *
the LORD who made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion
The Song of Hannah
1 Samuel 2:1-8
My heart exults in you, O God; * my triumph song is lifted in you.
My mouth derides my enemies, * for I rejoice in your salvation.
There is none holy like you, *
nor any rock to be compared to you, our God.
Do not heap up prideful words or speak in arrogance; * Only God is knowing and weighs all actions.
The bows of the mighty are broken, * but the weak are clothed in strength.
Those once full now labor for bread, * those who hungered now are well fed.
The childless woman has borne sevenfold, * while the mother of many is forlorn.
God destroys and brings to life, casts down and raises up; * gives wealth or takes it away, humbles and dignifies.
God raises the poor from the dust; * and lifts the needy from the ash heap
To make them sit with the rulers * and inherit a place of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are God’s * on which the whole earth is founded.
Luke 6:1-26
One sabbath while Jesus was going through the cornfields, his disciples plucked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them.But some of the Pharisees said, ‘Why are you doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?’ Jesus answered, ‘Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and gave some to his companions?’ Then he said to them, ‘The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.’
On another sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him to see whether he would cure on the sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him. Even though he knew what they were thinking, he said to the man who had the withered hand, ‘Come and stand here.’ He got up and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, ‘I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?’ After looking around at all of them, he said to him, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He did so, and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
Now during those days he went out to the mountain to pray; and he spent the night in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles:Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, and James, and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Simon, who was called the Zealot, and Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them.
Then he looked up at his disciples and said:
‘Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
‘Blessed are you who are hungry now,
for you will be filled.
‘Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
‘Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.
‘But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
‘Woe to you who are full now,
for you will be hungry.
‘Woe to you who are laughing now,
for you will mourn and weep.
Matthew 5 New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)
The Beatitudes
5 When Jesus[a] saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely[b] on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
A Song of Christ’s Humility
Philippians 2:6-11
Though in the form of God, *Christ Jesus did not cling to equality with God,
But emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, * and was born in human likeness.
Being found in human form, he humbled himself *and became obedient to death, even death on a cross.
Therefore, God has highly exalted him *and given him the name above every name,
That at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, * in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, * to the glory of God the Father.
1 John 4:13-21
13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Saviour of the world. 15God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. 16So we have known and believe the love that God has for us.
God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. 17Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgement, because as he is, so are we in this world. 18There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. 19We love* because he first loved us. 20Those who say, ‘I love God’, and hate their brothers or sisters,* are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister* whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 21The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters* also.
A Song of God’s Love
1 John 4:7-11
Beloved, let us love one another, * for love is of God.
Whoever does not love does not know God, * for God is Love.
In this the love of God was revealed among us, * that God sent his only Son into the world,so that we might live through Jesus Christ.
In this is love, not that we loved God but that God loved us * and sent his Son that sins might be forgiven.
Beloved, since God loved us so much, * we ought also to love one another.
For if we love one another, God abides in us, * and God’s love will be perfected in us.
John 8:12-19
12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’ 13Then the Pharisees said to him, ‘You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not valid.’ 14Jesus answered, ‘Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid because I know where I have come from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15You judge by human standards;* I judge no one.16Yet even if I do judge, my judgement is valid; for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father* who sent me. 17In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is valid. 18I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf.’ 19Then they said to him, ‘Where is your Father?’ Jesus answered, ‘You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.’
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.
Teresa of Avila (1515–1582)
Christ Has No Body
Christ has no body but yours,No hands, no feet on earth but yours, Yours are the eyes with which he looks Compassion on this world,Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good, Yours are the hands, with 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 but yours,No hands, no feet on earth but yours, Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world.Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
I remembered a song that Gary Walters' had the choir of St. Peter's Episcopal Church sing. It is called "There is a Church With In us" Here it is for you to listen:
The Church is With In Us O Lord click the back button when you are done.
Words & Music: Kent E. Schneider, 1967
THERE’S A CHURCH WITHIN US, O LORD
There’s a church within us, O Lord,
There’s a church within us, O Lord.
Not a building, but a soul,
Not a portion but a whole—
There’s a church within us, O Lord.
There’s potential within us, O Lord;
Something’s stirring within us, O Lord.
Something’s straining to have birth,
To be visible on earth—
There’s potential within us, O Lord.
There’s a fire within us, O Lord;
A new life’s a-burnin’, O Lord.
A fire for new life,
Combating present strife—
There’s a fire within us, O Lord.
There’s some building to be done, O Lord,
There’s some building to be done, O Lord.
Not with steel, not with stone,
But with lives which are our own—
There’s the church to be built, O Lord.
There’s the church within us, O Lord,
There’s the church within us, O Lord.
Not a building, but one soul,
Not a portion, but one whole—
We are your church in the world.
Let us pray for our family, the world, and those who are in need.
God we pray for our family members tonight and place each one of them in your tender and loving care.
God we pray for those who are having complex health issues and surgeries. Calm their fears and their loved ones anxieties.
God we pray for all political and social hot spots in the world remembering the Ukraine, Syria, South Sudan and all places where there is a deprivation of human rights.
God help us to be hope bringers, peace makers, joy bringers, and loving family members to your world in which you have made us to be stewards of.
God watch over all of our family members who are struggling to live authentically and the courage to be whom you have made.
We pray for those who are in pain and for better pain management strategies.
We pray for the Pine Ridge Reservation and the People of Red Shirt Table especially the Two Bulls Family who are in conflict with groups and agencies who want to take away lands and put up a park.We pray that the land may be preserved and lives protected.
We pray for compassionate immigration reform.
We pray for an end of violence against all people and especially women and girls.
God we pray for on behalf of ourselves and others remembering____________________
God we give thanks for all our many blessings which you have showered upon us this day remembering especially_______________
God we celebrate____________________
God we pray in remembrance especially____________________
God we continue to pray for those affected by severe weather and for rain in our region.
God we pray for those who are grieving and are preparing to grieve.
Lord God help us to Carry You , Your Love, And each other in our hearts wherever we go and help us remember that a building does not a church make but, a loving family doing your will and walking in your path wherever that takes us.
All this we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
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
Luke 2:29-32
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: *
Good Night Dear Ones, I I love you, and I carry God and You in my hearts this day and always.
Love and blessings!
Sara
Resources
Book of Common Prayer
Enriching our Worship
Satucket Lectionary
The Good Book Club
Meeting Jesus in the Gospel of John
Walk With Me On Our Journey
Quote sites for prayers.
YouTube
No comments:
Post a Comment