Good Evening Beloved Community!
Happy First Sunday in Lent and Daylight Savings Time! This weekend we have been seeing and seeking God in one another. I hope this exercise has been helpful. Today we celebrate the Feast Day of Harriet Ross Tubman and here is our question to ponder, Can we see ourselves in________(Fill in the blank with a list of people that in the words of St. Paul have "ill repute and good repute?" Does the following scripture passage look familiar?
2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10
20So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
6As we work together with him,* we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. 2For he says,
‘At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
and on a day of salvation I have helped you.’
See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! 3We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5beatings, imprisonments, riots, labours, sleepless nights, hunger; 6by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, 7truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8in honour and dishonour, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; 10as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
I'm not going to provide a list because that would be cheating. This is tonight's opening journal work and meditation prior to our mindfulness work and worship.
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.
Joseph Barth: A Grace
We give thanks for Being;
We give thanks for being here;
We give thanks for being here together.
We give thanks for Being;
We give thanks for being here;
We give thanks for being here together.
++++
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that God is Love.
Be still and know that You are Love.
Be sill and know that I Am Love.
Be still and know that God is Love.
Be still and know that You are Love.
Be sill and know that I Am Love.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Slowly inhale.
Hold.
Slowly exhale
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Slowly inhale.
Hold.
Slowly exhale
Pause. Count to 10.
Breathing Exercises with Thich Nhat Hanh
It's very simple, but very effective. When we bring our attention to our in-breath and our out-breath, we stop thinking of the past; we stop thinking of the future; and we begin to come home to ourselves...Don't think this practice doesn't apply to you. If we don't go home to ourselves, we can't be at our best and serve the world in the best way... Our quality of being is the foundation for the quality of our actions.
*Breathing in, I'm aware of my whole body.
Breathing out, I'm aware of my whole body.*
Breathing mindfully brings us back to our bodies. We have to acknowledge our bodies first because tension and suffering accumulate in the body. Breathing in this way, we create a kind of family reunion between mind and body. The mind becomes an embodied mind.
...We can't do our best if we don't know to release the tension and pain in ourselves.
*Breathing in, I'm aware of the tension in my body.
Breathing out, I'm aware of the tension in my body.*
When we look at the suffering around us, at poverty, violence, or climate change, we may want to solve these things immediately. We want to do something. But to do something effectively and ethically, we need to be our best selves in order to be able to handle the suffering...
*Breathing in, I am aware of a painful feeling arising.
Breathing out, I release the painful feeling.*
This is a nonviolent and gentle way to help our bodies release tension and pain. It is possible to practice mindful breathing in order to produce a feeling of joy, a feeling of happiness. When we are well-nourished and know how to create joy, then we are strong enough to handle the deep pain within ourselves and the world.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Good Citizens: Creating Enlightened Society
“*Breathing in, I know this is my in-breath.
Breathing out, I know this is my out-breath.*
Breathing out, I know this is my out-breath.*
It's very simple, but very effective. When we bring our attention to our in-breath and our out-breath, we stop thinking of the past; we stop thinking of the future; and we begin to come home to ourselves...Don't think this practice doesn't apply to you. If we don't go home to ourselves, we can't be at our best and serve the world in the best way... Our quality of being is the foundation for the quality of our actions.
*Breathing in, I'm aware of my whole body.
Breathing out, I'm aware of my whole body.*
Breathing mindfully brings us back to our bodies. We have to acknowledge our bodies first because tension and suffering accumulate in the body. Breathing in this way, we create a kind of family reunion between mind and body. The mind becomes an embodied mind.
...We can't do our best if we don't know to release the tension and pain in ourselves.
*Breathing in, I'm aware of the tension in my body.
Breathing out, I'm aware of the tension in my body.*
When we look at the suffering around us, at poverty, violence, or climate change, we may want to solve these things immediately. We want to do something. But to do something effectively and ethically, we need to be our best selves in order to be able to handle the suffering...
*Breathing in, I am aware of a painful feeling arising.
Breathing out, I release the painful feeling.*
This is a nonviolent and gentle way to help our bodies release tension and pain. It is possible to practice mindful breathing in order to produce a feeling of joy, a feeling of happiness. When we are well-nourished and know how to create joy, then we are strong enough to handle the deep pain within ourselves and the world.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Good Citizens: Creating Enlightened Society
The Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh: A Litany for Peace
As we are together praying for Peace, let us be truly with each other.
Silence
Let us pay attention to our breathing.
Silence
Let us be relaxed in our bodies and our minds.
Silence
Let us return to ourselves and become wholly ourselves.
Silence
Let us be aware of the Source of Being common to us all and to all that is.
Silence
Evoking the presence of the Great Companion, let us fill our hearts with our own compassion—towards ourselves and toward all living beings.
Silence
Let us pray that all living beings realize that they are all nourished from the same Source of Life.
Silence
Let us pray that we ourselves cease to be the cause of needless suffering.
Silence
Let us pray that we may live in a way which will not needlessly deprive other living beings of air, water, food, shelter, or the chance to live in health.
Silence
With reverence for Life and with awareness of the sufferings that are going on around us, let us pray for the establishment of peace in our hearts and on earth.
Come let us worship:
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth
is not in us; but if we confess our sins, God who is faithful
and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all
unrighteousness. I John 1:8, 9
Rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord
your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and
abounding in steadfast love, and repents of evil.
Joel 2:13
I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him,
"Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you; I am
no longer worthy to be called your son." Luke 15:18, 19
To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, because
we have rebelled against him and have not obeyed the voice
of the Lord our God by following his laws which he set
before us. Daniel 9:9, 10
Jesus said, "If anyone will come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Mark 8:34
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:17
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and those who are afraid are not perfected in love. We love because God first loved us. If anyone says, I love God, and hates his brother or sister, that person is a liar; for those who do not love their brothers and sisters whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 1 John 4:18-20
++++
In peace we come to you this night with our prayers and make vigil for those who are hungry, homeless, ill clad. We especially remember the people of Somalia who are dying from famine and disease.
THE LIGHTING OF THE CANDLES (Anonymous)
Lest we forget the great traditions of freedom and faith which are the heritage of humanity; lest we forget the pioneers, the statesmen, the bridge builders, the artists; and lest we forget You, the God of our fore bears who is our God also:
We light this candle of remembrance.
For the hope of a better world, in which righteousness and peace shall prevail among the people of the earth, and to create which is the task of the generations in which we stand, as well as for the courage and faith we shall need if we are to carry on this unfinished work:
We light this candle of consecration.
May the flame upon the altar of free faith shine in our hearts al ways, reminding us of the dark places to which we may carry light and strengthening us in every moment of doubt and discouragement with unwavering faith in You whom we serve and whose we are.
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.
IN LAK’ECH
Tú eres mi otro yo.
You are my other me.
Si te hago daño a ti,
If I do harm to you,
Me hago daño a mi mismo.
I do harm to myself.
Si te amo y respeto,
If I love and respect you,
Me amo y respeto yo.
I love and respect myself.
Luis Valdez
"We must dissent from the indifference. We must dissent from the apathy. We must dissent from the fear, the hatred and the mistrust. We must dissent from a nation that has buried its head in the sand, waiting in vain for the needs of its poor, its elderly, and its sick to disappear and just blow away. We must dissent from a government that has left its young without jobs, education or hope. We must dissent from the poverty of vision and the absence of moral leadership. We must dissent because America can do better, because America has no choice but to do better." ~ Thurgood Marshall
"Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone's face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love?' These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will be many fruits, here in this world and the life to come." - Henri Nouwen
"Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone's face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love?' These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will be many fruits, here in this world and the life to come." - Henri Nouwen
A Smudging Prayer
Creator,
our Father in heaven,
we come to you as your children.
We confess that we are weak and broken images of you.
We pray for the forgiveness and healing you give in Jesus Christ.
May his Spirit clean our spirits, minds, hearts, and bodies.
We pray that your Holy Spirit
will help us to worship in spirit and truth.
We pray in the name of Jesus,
so that his Spirit will carry our prayers to you.
Amen.
Confession of Need
Let us confess our need for God’s healing grace.
Silence
Compassionate God,
we confess our weaknesses and our need for your
strengthening touch.
We confess that some illnesses stem from our own fault,
while others are beyond our control.
We turn to you, source of life,
and ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ
for the gifts of true healing and life in you. Amen.
May the God of love visit us in our times of trial and weakness,
and raise us to newness of life, through Jesus Christ, in the
power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lord be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning; our salvation in time of distress.Isaiah 33:2
A Song of the Wilderness
Isaiah 35:1-7,10
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, *
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
It shall blossom abundantly, *
and rejoice with joy and singing.
They shall see the glory of the Lord, *
the majesty of our God.
Strengthen the weary hands, *
and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to the anxious, “Be strong, do not fear! *
Here is your God, coming with judgment to save you.”
Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, *
and the ears of the deaf be unstopped.
Then shall the lame leap like a deer, *
and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness *
and streams in the desert;
The burning sand shall become a pool *
and the thirsty ground, springs of water.
The ransomed of God shall return with singing, *
with everlasting joy upon their heads.
Joy and gladness shall be theirs, *
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Isaiah 35:1-7,10
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, *
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
It shall blossom abundantly, *
and rejoice with joy and singing.
They shall see the glory of the Lord, *
the majesty of our God.
Strengthen the weary hands, *
and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to the anxious, “Be strong, do not fear! *
Here is your God, coming with judgment to save you.”
Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, *
and the ears of the deaf be unstopped.
Then shall the lame leap like a deer, *
and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness *
and streams in the desert;
The burning sand shall become a pool *
and the thirsty ground, springs of water.
The ransomed of God shall return with singing, *
with everlasting joy upon their heads.
Joy and gladness shall be theirs, *
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
102 Domine, exaudi
1 Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come before you; *
hide not your face from me in the day of my trouble.
2 Incline your ear to me; *
when I call, make haste to answer me,
3 For my days drift away like smoke, *
and my bones are hot as burning coals.
4 My heart is smitten like grass and withered, *
so that I forget to eat my bread.
5 Because of the voice of my groaning *
I am but skin and bones.
6 I have become like a vulture in the wilderness, *
like an owl among the ruins.
7 I lie awake and groan; *
I am like a sparrow, lonely on a house-top.
8 My enemies revile me all day long, *
and those who scoff at me have taken an oath against me.
9 For I have eaten ashes for bread *
and mingled my drink with weeping.
10 Because of your indignation and wrath *
you have lifted me up and thrown me away.
11 My days pass away like a shadow, *
and I wither like the grass.
12 But you, O Lord, endure for ever, *
and your Name from age to age.
1 Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come before you; *
hide not your face from me in the day of my trouble.
2 Incline your ear to me; *
when I call, make haste to answer me,
3 For my days drift away like smoke, *
and my bones are hot as burning coals.
4 My heart is smitten like grass and withered, *
so that I forget to eat my bread.
5 Because of the voice of my groaning *
I am but skin and bones.
6 I have become like a vulture in the wilderness, *
like an owl among the ruins.
7 I lie awake and groan; *
I am like a sparrow, lonely on a house-top.
8 My enemies revile me all day long, *
and those who scoff at me have taken an oath against me.
9 For I have eaten ashes for bread *
and mingled my drink with weeping.
10 Because of your indignation and wrath *
you have lifted me up and thrown me away.
11 My days pass away like a shadow, *
and I wither like the grass.
12 But you, O Lord, endure for ever, *
and your Name from age to age.
13 You will arise and have compassion on Zion,
for it is time to have mercy upon her; *
indeed, the appointed time has come.
14 For your servants love her very rubble, *
and are moved to pity even for her dust.
15 The nations shall fear your Name, O Lord, *
and all the kings of the earth your glory.
16 For the Lord will build up Zion, *
and his glory will appear.
17 He will look with favor on the prayer of the homeless; *
he will not despise their plea.
18 Let this be written for a future generation, *
so that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord.
19 For the Lord looked down from his holy place on high; *
from the heavens he beheld the earth;
20 That he might hear the groan of the captive *
and set free those condemned to die;
21 That they may declare in Zion the Name of the Lord, *
and his praise in Jerusalem;
22 When the peoples are gathered together, *
and the kingdoms also, to serve the Lord.
23 He has brought down my strength before my time; *
he has shortened the number of my days;
24 And I said, "O my God,
do not take me away in the midst of my days; *
your years endure throughout all generations.
25 In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, *
and the heavens are the work of your hands;
for it is time to have mercy upon her; *
indeed, the appointed time has come.
14 For your servants love her very rubble, *
and are moved to pity even for her dust.
15 The nations shall fear your Name, O Lord, *
and all the kings of the earth your glory.
16 For the Lord will build up Zion, *
and his glory will appear.
17 He will look with favor on the prayer of the homeless; *
he will not despise their plea.
18 Let this be written for a future generation, *
so that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord.
19 For the Lord looked down from his holy place on high; *
from the heavens he beheld the earth;
20 That he might hear the groan of the captive *
and set free those condemned to die;
21 That they may declare in Zion the Name of the Lord, *
and his praise in Jerusalem;
22 When the peoples are gathered together, *
and the kingdoms also, to serve the Lord.
23 He has brought down my strength before my time; *
he has shortened the number of my days;
24 And I said, "O my God,
do not take me away in the midst of my days; *
your years endure throughout all generations.
25 In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, *
and the heavens are the work of your hands;
26 They shall perish, but you will endure;
they all shall wear out like a garment; *
as clothing you will change them,
and they shall be changed;
27 But you are always the same, *
and your years will never end.
28 The children of your servants shall continue, *
and their offspring shall stand fast in your sight."
they all shall wear out like a garment; *
as clothing you will change them,
and they shall be changed;
27 But you are always the same, *
and your years will never end.
28 The children of your servants shall continue, *
and their offspring shall stand fast in your sight."
James 2:14-17
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters,* if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? 15If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, 16and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill’, and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? 17So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
A Song of Faith
1 Peter 1:3-4,18-21
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, *
by divine mercy we have a new birth into a living hope;
Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, *
we have an inheritance that is imperishable in heaven.
The ransom that was paid to free us *
was not paid in silver or gold,
But in the precious blood of Christ, *
the Lamb without spot or stain.
God raised Jesus from the dead and gave him glory *
so that we might have faith and hope in God.
Luke 11:5-10
Perseverance in Prayer
5 And he said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread;6for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.”7And he answers from within, “Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.” 8I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.
9 ‘So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
The Song of Mary Magnificat
Luke 1:46-55
Luke 1:46-55
My soul doth magnify the Lord, *
and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
For he hath regarded *
the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold from henceforth *
all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me, *
and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him *throughout all generations.
and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
For he hath regarded *
the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold from henceforth *
all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me, *
and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him *throughout all generations.
He hath showed strength with his arm; *
he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, *
and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, *
as he promised to our forefathers,
Abraham and his seed for ever.
he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, *
and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, *
as he promised to our forefathers,
Abraham and his seed for ever.
O God, whose Spirit guides us into all truth and makes us free: Strengthen and sustain us as you did your daughter Harriet. Give us vision and courage to stand against oppression and injustice and all that works against the glorious liberty to which you call all your children; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Collects for the First Sunday in Lent Hear us, Jesus Christ, when we ask
for help to recognise temptation,
for honesty to face it,
for strength to resist it and the humility to give God the glory. (ANZPB)
Almighty God,
your Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness;
give us grace to direct our lives in obedience to your Spirit;
and as you know our weakness
so may we know your power to save;
through Jesus Christ our Redeemer.
(ANZPB)
God, you know better than we
the temptations that will bring us down.
Grant that our love for you may protect us
from all foolish and corrupting desire.
(ANZPB)
First Sunday in Lent
Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be
tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted
by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of
each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through
Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP)
God you call us every year to make a journey back into the wilderness. We know that these times are seldom easy but they are necessary to make our Lenten experience more full and and meaningful. Give us courage to set our feet upon the journey you have created for us without fear but with faith. Before we do this let us pray.
We pray for all of us who need times of reflection and deep spiritual guidance away from the hustle and bustle of the world that is clanging outside our walls.
We pray that as we take this time of our yearly wilderness journey that our families may be taken care of and that we may have faith to leave them in your loving arms.
We pray for peace in our hearts even when we hear the cries of human and animal life or sirens outside our walls.
We pray for peace in the world and an end to violence, rough speech, bigotry, and hatred. Give us kind words as we speak to our family members each day and all living things that you have made.
We pray for all of our loved ones who are ill that they may be entrusted to your care and the care of others as we spend time in prayer and contemplation.
We pray this night especially for the least of these and our enemies who are continually on our hearts and minds and that we may never forget that they are our family members. Help us to learn to love them as we listen and learn from you on this our pilgrim journey into the wilderness.
We pray in the words that Jesus taught us that are perfect for a beginning of a journey into the wilderness. Let us hear, pray, and read this prayer in the words from the Message:
We pray for all of us who need times of reflection and deep spiritual guidance away from the hustle and bustle of the world that is clanging outside our walls.
We pray that as we take this time of our yearly wilderness journey that our families may be taken care of and that we may have faith to leave them in your loving arms.
We pray for peace in our hearts even when we hear the cries of human and animal life or sirens outside our walls.
We pray for peace in the world and an end to violence, rough speech, bigotry, and hatred. Give us kind words as we speak to our family members each day and all living things that you have made.
We pray for all of our loved ones who are ill that they may be entrusted to your care and the care of others as we spend time in prayer and contemplation.
We pray this night especially for the least of these and our enemies who are continually on our hearts and minds and that we may never forget that they are our family members. Help us to learn to love them as we listen and learn from you on this our pilgrim journey into the wilderness.
We pray in the words that Jesus taught us that are perfect for a beginning of a journey into the wilderness. Let us hear, pray, and read this prayer in the words from the Message:
Matthew 6:5-15The Message (MSG)
Pray with Simplicity
5 “And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?
6 “Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.
7-13 “The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:
Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what’s best—
as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You’re in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You’re ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what’s best—
as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You’re in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You’re ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.
14-15 “In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part.
+++++
Now let us pray in the traditional form
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses,as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,for ever and ever. Amen.
God we pray for all who are in any kind of wilderness situation of either body, mind, spirit, and personal circumstances. Give them courage and faith to confront these times without fear and in the assurance of your presence.
We lift up these our prayers in the name of Jesus who spent time in the wilderness 40 days and 40 nights. Amen.
Extra prayers !
From A Season Of Prayer: 40 Days in The Desert
March 10 Pray for agriculture
Almighty God, we thank you for making the earth fruitful, so that it
might produce what is needed for life: Bless those who work in the
fields; give us seasonable weather; and grant that we may all share
the fruits of the earth, rejoicing in your goodness; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
March 10 Pray for agriculture
Almighty God, we thank you for making the earth fruitful, so that it
might produce what is needed for life: Bless those who work in the
fields; give us seasonable weather; and grant that we may all share
the fruits of the earth, rejoicing in your goodness; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
ForTravelers
O God, our heavenly Father, whose glory fills the whole creation, and whose presence we find wherever we go: Preserve those who travel in particular all of us who are traveling and making our yearly pilgrimage into the wilderness; surround them with your loving care; protect them from every danger; and bring them in safety to their journey’s end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Protection
Assist us mercifully, O Lord, in these our supplications and prayers, and dispose the way of thy servants towards the attainment of everlasting salvation; that, among all the changes and chances of this mortal life, they may ever be defended by thy gracious and ready help; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer of Self-Dedication
Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to thee, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly thine, utterly dedicated unto thee; and then use us, we pray thee, as thou wilt, and always to thy glory and the welfare of thy people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 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.
God of all goodness help us we pray as we enter this time of going into our own wilderness experience with You, Jesus, and each other.
God we pray that when temptations befall us we may find ourselves leaning on you for help and that we may know that with you "All things are possible"
God we pray for the least of these who remind us of what it must have been like for the Disciples when they began their early ministry. Help us to gently and humbly,love, care, serve, and protect them wherever they may be.
God we pray for all of us who are experiencing spiritual dry spells that we may find this a time of rest and listening to you with the ears of our hearts and heart homes.
God we pray for all of our families who may not practice our faith and that they may learn to understand why we do the things we do. We pray that they may find You when they are ready.
God we pray for an end to violence and terror. We pray that peace may prevail upon earth and that we may do in the words of Micah 'Do Justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God".
God we pray for all who are battling illness and who are hospitalized. We pray for our family members who are waiting and sitting vigil beside their loved ones waiting for healing and those who are in wait for their loved ones to transition into the Thin Places.
God we pray for _______________________________
God we give thanks for__________________________
God we pray for sound government in this our nation and in the nations of the world and that a spirit of respect may grow and prosper. Help the politicians to lay down their verbal weaponry and seek only to do good for the people they have been elected to serve.
God we pray for our youth and that they may not be led into gangs and violence ant they may find positive ways to live their lives. We pray for all those who are parents and who mentor our youth.
God we pray for our cities and towns that they may be protected from violence and hatred.
God we pray that we may have love energy to be enlivened to do your will and show your love and light to your fragile and broken world.
All these prayers we offer and lay them at your feet Lord Jesus. Amen.
We pray these anonymous prayers as well:
SLOW US DOWN…YET ALSO
Slow us down, O God. Ease the pounding of our hearts by the quieting of our minds;
Yet also, wake us up. Shake the complacency out of our souls by opening our minds to the cry of the wounded, the refugees wandering without homes, the homeless at home, and the children who starve.
Steady our hurried pace with a vision of the eternal reach of time;
Yet also, quicken our steps with a vision of the urgent action now required to cure the causes of stunted growth, premature death, battered women, and abused children.
Give us, amid the confusion of the day, the calmness of the everlast ing hills;
Yet also, alert our eyes not to the comforting illusion of constancy divorced from change, but rather to such sharp reality as deep poverty surrounding us at home and abroad.
Break the tensions of our nerves and muscles with the soothing mu sic of the singing streams;
Yet also, give us, amid the calm days of our years, souls which are prepared to cope with the confusion necessarily occurring amidst new creation in the cities, towns, and the countries of the earth.
Help us to know the magical, restoring power of sleep;
Yet also, break the chains of euphoria deluding us to think that we are acting responsibly when we do no more than listen to music which protects our feet from marching.
Remind us of the fable of the hare and the tortoise, that we may know that there is more to life than increasing its speed;
Yet also, remind us of the fable of the astrologer who fell plumb to the bottom of a well, not seeing his feet while reading the sky.
Slow us down, O God, and inspire us to send our roots deep into the soil of life’s enduring values, that we may grow more surely toward the stars;
Yet also, wake us up, so our eyes may see the people around us and our arms may be open to embrace the suffering who cry.
+++++
Diann Neu: Blessed Be Our Hands
Blessed be the work of our hands.
Blessed be these hands that touch life.
Blessed be these hands that nurture creativity.
Blessed be these hands that hold pain.
Blessed be these hands that embrace with passion.
Blessed be these hands that tend gardens.
Blessed bed these hands that close in anger.
Blessed be these hands that plant new seeds.
Blessed be these hands that harvest ripe fields.
Blessed be these hands that clean, wash, mop, scrub.
Blessed be these hands that become knotty with age.
Blessed be these hands that wrinkle and scar from doing justice.
Blessed are these hands that reach out and are received.
Blessed are these hands that hold the promise of the future.
Blessed be the works of our hands and hearts.
++++++
The Lord’s Prayer or the alternative is said. From A New Zealand Prayer Book
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
or and this:
Eternal Spirit,
Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be,
Father and Mother of us all,
Loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples
of the world!
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom
sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love,
now and for ever. Amen.
Lord,
it is night.
The night is for stillness.
Let us be still in the presence of God.
It is night after a long day.
What has been done has been done;
what has not been done has not been done;
let it be.
The night is dark.
Let our fears of the darkness of the world and of our own lives
rest in you.
The night is quiet.
Let the quietness of your peace enfold us,
all dear to us,
and all who have no peace.
The night heralds the dawn.
Let us look expectantly to a new day,
new joys,
new possibilities.
In your name we pray.
Amen.
The blessing of God, the eternal goodwill of God, the shalom of God, the wildness and the warmth of God, be among us and between us, now and always.
God we pray to you in closing the Be Stills !
Be Still and know that I am God.
Be Still and know that I am.
Be Still and know.
Be Still.
Be.
Be Still and know that I am God.
Be Still and know that I am.
Be Still and know.
Be Still.
Be.
Blessing, light, and glory surround us
and scatter the darkness of the long and lonely night.
and scatter the darkness of the long and lonely night.
++++++
Tidbits from the Northumbria Community:
This week’s Rule reflection
This week’s Rule reflection
We embrace the responsibility of taking the HERETICAL IMPERATIVE by SPEAKING OUT when necessary or ASKING AWKWARD QUESTIONS that will often upset the status quo
Sunday – The Ita Compline
ff
Ita, who died in about 570, was abbess of a women’s community in Killeedy, County Limerick in Ireland. She ran a school for boys where she taught:
ff
Faith in God with purity of heart; simplicity of life with religion; generosity with love.
Among those schooled by Ita was Brendan, who honoured her as his foster-mother and adviser. The Compline that follows is named after her because of its emphasis on examination of the heart, and the prayers of care and protection for each soul who crosses our path.
If this Compline is being used in a group setting the * notation indicates a change of reader; words in bold are said all together; words in bold italic are said by each person in turn; and + indicates where you might make the sign of the cross.
+ (silently)
The Sacred Three
to save
to shield
to surround
the hearth
the home
this night
and every night.
to save
to shield
to surround
the hearth
the home
this night
and every night.
* Search me, O God, and know my heart.
Test me and know my thoughts.
Test me and know my thoughts.
* See if there is any wicked way in me
and lead me in the way everlasting.
and lead me in the way everlasting.
O Father, O Son, O Holy Spirit,
forgive me my sins.
O only-begotten Son of the heavenly Father,
forgive.
O God who is one,
O God who is true,
O God who is first,
O God who is one substance,
O God only mighty,
in three Persons, truly merciful,
forgive.
forgive me my sins.
O only-begotten Son of the heavenly Father,
forgive.
O God who is one,
O God who is true,
O God who is first,
O God who is one substance,
O God only mighty,
in three Persons, truly merciful,
forgive.
* O God of life, this night,
O darken not to me Thy light.
O darken not to me Thy light.
* O God of life, this night,
close not Thy gladness to my sight.
close not Thy gladness to my sight.
* Keep Your people, Lord,
in the arms of Your embrace.
Shelter them under Your wings.
in the arms of Your embrace.
Shelter them under Your wings.
* Be their light in darkness.
Be their hope in distress.
Be their calm in anxiety.
Be their hope in distress.
Be their calm in anxiety.
* Be strength in their weakness.
* Be their comfort in pain.
* Be their song in the night.
In peace will I lie down, for it is You, O Lord,
You alone who makes me to rest secure.
You alone who makes me to rest secure.
* Be it on Your own beloved arm,
O God of grace, that I in peace shall awake.
O God of grace, that I in peace shall awake.
Be the peace of the Spirit
mine this night.
Be the peace of the Son
mine this night.
Be the peace of the Father
mine this night.
The peace of all peace
be mine this night
+ in the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
mine this night.
Be the peace of the Son
mine this night.
Be the peace of the Father
mine this night.
The peace of all peace
be mine this night
+ in the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Today’s Meditation
Have patience with everything unresolved in your heart,
and try to love the questions themselves
as if they were locked rooms
or books written in a very foreign language.
and try to love the questions themselves
as if they were locked rooms
or books written in a very foreign language.
Do not search for the answers, which could not be given to you now,
because you would not be able to live them.
And the point is to live everything.
Live the questions now.
Perhaps then, someday far in the future,
you will gradually,
without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.
because you would not be able to live them.
And the point is to live everything.
Live the questions now.
Perhaps then, someday far in the future,
you will gradually,
without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.
Rainer Maria Rilke
++++++
Good Night Family and Fellow Pilgrims into the Wilderness. I love you and give thanks that we will be making this journey together. We offer these prayers again.
From Industrial Christian Fellowship
This week's prayer Focus
Those who work with the vulnerable in our society
Our tender and compassionate God, in Jesus you give us a picture of your own vulnerability. You come to us as a refugee escaping violence, as a stranger with no place to call home, as a common criminal condemned to die. You discard power and authority to be alongside those who experience brokenness and need. So we pray for all those who today live out that same commitment to being with, and offering help to, those in our communities who are most vulnerable. Give perseverance, encouragement and wisdom to the many voluntary and paid workers who seek to assist those who are caught up in addictive habits, whose minds are deeply disturbed, who feel they have reached the limits of their own endurance, whose lives are blighted by frailty, loneliness and fear. And may our whole society learn that the measure of its worth is in the care it shows for those who are the weakest members. Amen.
FOR WORLD NEIGHBORLINESS (Peter Marshall)
O God, we pray for a broader vision of the needs of humanity, and a deeper compassion to fill those needs; for a planting of the seeds of concern for all humanity in our hearts; for a tapping of the wells of generosity.
May we live together as people who have been forgiven a great debt.
May we be gentle, walking softly with one another.
May we be understanding, lest we shall add to the world’s sorrow or cause to flow needless tears.
May we be as anxious for the rights of others as we are for our own.
May we be as eager to forgive as we are to seek forgiveness.
May we know no barriers of creed or race or sex, that our love may be like Yours—a love that sees all people as Your children and our kin.
May we be ministers of humanity.
With love and a light load,
Sara
Resources and Homework
Today's homework as we begin to work towards being good stewards of God's Cathedral of Life:
Do you know how to be an effective recycler?
Did you go without a plastic straw today?
Consider how you can save money by going car free and reducing your carbon footprint.
Consider how you can reduce your dependence upon single use plastic.
Today's Arbor Day Links (When I was growing up today was Arbor Day)
Learn about: Industrial Christian Fellowship
During the season of Lent we will be returning to our meditation and mindfulness exercises so that we may calm our hearts and spirits and practice self-emptying. The quotes to ponder will be placed in the resources section with homework questions throughout the week. This is a time to journal our journey.
We continue to use our toolkit during Lent :
Journal
Worry Free Sabbath (Jar, Journal, Box) Work
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Bible of your choice or explore the different versions or translations with BibleGateway.com
Community resource directory
Church or social justice newsletter
Episcopal Church -Lenten Resources 2019
Sacred Ground -Episcopal Church
Sojourners
ReclaimingJesus.org
Matthew25Pledge.com
Watch this space as we join the Good Book Club and read Romans for the season of Epiphany!
This week’s Rule reflection
We embrace the vulnerability of being TEACHABLE expressed in a willingness to be ACOUNTABLE TO OTHERS in ordering our ways and our heart in order to effect change
Deut. 8:1-10; 1 Cor. 1:17-31; Mark 2:18-22
A to Z Quotes
Book of Occasional Services
Northumbria Community Tidbits
This week’s Rule reflection
We embrace the vulnerability of being TEACHABLE expressed in a willingness to be ACOUNTABLE TO OTHERS in ordering our ways and our heart in order to effect change
Enjoy perusing these sites.
Today's Readings
Daily:
AM Psalm 63:1-8(9-11), 98; PM Psalm 103Deut. 8:1-10; 1 Cor. 1:17-31; Mark 2:18-22
Eucharistic:
Saint of the Day Omitted this year: Harriet Ross Tubman
O God, whose Spirit guides us into all truth and makes us free: Strengthen and sustain us as you did your daughter Harriet. Give us vision and courage to stand against oppression and injustice and all that works against the glorious liberty to which you call all your children; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Quotes from Harriet Tubman:
"If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If there's shouting after you, keep going. Don't ever stop. Keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going." ~ Harriet Tubman
"Every great dream begins with a dreamer." ~ Harriet Tubman
"I had reasoned this out in my mind, there was one of two things I had a right to, liberty or death; if I could not have one, I would have the other." ~ Harriet Tubman
"The Lord who told me to take care of my people meant me to do it just as long as I live, and so I did what he told me." ~ Harriet Tubman
"Lord, I'm going to hold steady on to You and You've got to see me through." ~ Harriet Tubman
"I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such a glory over everything. The sun came up like gold through the trees, and over the fields, and I felt like I was in heaven." ~ Harriet Tubman
"Twant me, 'twas the Lord. I always told him, 'I trust to you. I don't know where to go or what to do, but I expect you to lead me,' and He always did." ~ Harriet Tubman
"Slavery is the next thing to hell." ~ Harriet Tubman
"I am at peace with God and all mankind." ~ Harriet Tubman
Tomorrow's Readings:
Daily:
Eucharistic:
Book of Common Prayer
Enriching our Worship 1 and 2
A New Zealand Prayer Book
Walk With Me On Our Journey
Metis Aboriginal Ministries
About:
From the Northumbria Community:
Today marks the beginning of Lent, the period of forty days (excluding Sundays) when Christians remember the forty day fast of our Lord Jesus in the desert, before starting His earthly ministry. We also seek to participate in that fast by some degree of self-denial. As a token of this, some churches hold the custom of making ashes from the palm crosses of the previous year and, in the Ash Wednesday service, marking the foreheads of participants with ash. As a sign that this is also a period of penitence, many churches also remove items that are colourful or ornate, or they cover them over with cloths of a drab or purple colour, both of which signify penitence.
Lent is also the period of preparation for Holy Week and Easter, when we will remember the arrest, trial and death of Jesus, and His resurrection. In the days when new Christians were baptised on Easter Day, Lent was a period of preparation for baptism, of learning what the faith is all about. For many it is still a time of study, learning and sharing insights with fellow Christians.
Some of the Sundays during Lent have a particular significance. The Fourth Sunday in Lent is kept in Britain as Mothering Sunday (commercially referred to as ‘Mothers’ Day’). This derives from the time when people would return to the original church which had planted their own (the ‘mother church’) for a great celebration, and is linked with servants in great houses being given this Sunday off to visit their families and show their appreciation to their mothers.The Fifth Sunday is Passion Sunday and the Sixth Palm Sunday (see separate entries), the Sunday which begins Holy Week (again see separate entry).
The suggested prayer is based on a hymn by John Samuel Bewley Monsell, who lived in the 19th century:
I am hungering and thirsting for You, my Lord – feed me with Yourself, the living bread that came down from heaven. I travel over rough paths in my life – guide me, help me and refresh me with Your love. The desert still opens out ahead of me – living water, rise up within me for ever and ever. Amen.
I am hungering and thirsting for You, my Lord – feed me with Yourself, the living bread that came down from heaven. I travel over rough paths in my life – guide me, help me and refresh me with Your love. The desert still opens out ahead of me – living water, rise up within me for ever and ever. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment