Good Evening Dear Ones!
Happy Being Thoughtful and Thankful Thursday! Today was my BFJD (Blanket Fort Jammie Day)! Much needed. Today we give thanks to God for first responders. This is the perfect time of year to do this, especially after our annual commemoration of 9/11. Today's keyword is rescue. Here is rescue's etymology:
Middle English: from Old French rescoure from Latin re- (expressing intensive force) + excutere ‘shake out, discard’.
Are you surprised ? I know that I am! So let us continue with its definition and then ponder with quotes!
res·cue
/ˈreskyo͞o/
verb
verb: rescue; 3rd person present: rescues; past tense: rescued; past participle: rescued; gerund or present participle: rescuing
save (someone) from a dangerous or distressing situation.
"firemen were called out to rescue a man trapped in the river"
synonyms: save, save from danger, save the life of, come to the aid of; set free, free, release, liberate, extricate, get someone out; deliver, redeem, ransom, emancipate, relieve; bail someone out; bring someone off; informalsave someone's bacon, save someone's neck, save someone's skin
"an attempt was made to rescue the hostages"
antonyms: endanger, jeopardize, imprison, abandon
INFORMAL
keep from being lost or abandoned; retrieve.
"he got out of his chair to rescue his cup of coffee"
synonyms: retrieve, recover, salvage, get back;
get back; pick up, gather up, scoop up
"Boyd bent hastily to rescue his papers"
noun
noun: rescue; plural noun: rescues
an act of saving or being saved from danger or distress.
"he came to our rescue with a loan of $100"
synonyms: saving, rescuing; More
denoting or relating to a domestic animal that has been removed from a situation of abuse or neglect by a welfare organization.
"adopting a rescue cat may be one of the most rewarding things you will ever do"
denoting the emergency excavation of archaeological sites threatened by imminent building or road development.
modifier noun: rescue
"they have not always been keen to organize rescue excavations to investigate these sites"
Let us read, pause, reflect, and pray as we read these quotes:
Our key quote comes from Fred Rogers:
"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." To this day, especially in times of "disaster," I remember my mother's words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world." ~ Fred Rogers
Fred Rogers (2006). “Wisdom from the World According to Mister Rogers: Important Things to Remember”, p.93, Peter Pauper Press, Inc.
"God uses rescued people to rescue people." ~ Christine Caine
"Reaching out to rescue one another under ANY condition is an eternal measure of love." ~ Ronald A. Rasband
"We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It's easy to say "It's not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem." Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes." ~ Fred Rogers
"Rescue the drowning and tie your shoestrings." ~ Henry David Thoreau
"Real strength has to do with helping others." ~ Fred Rogers
"Our call is to be God's agents, to rescue not only the human race but the whole of creation." ~ Tony Campolo
"The Bible is one long story of God meeting our rebellion with His rescue, our sin with His salvation, our guilt with His grace, our badness with His goodness. The overwhelming focus of the Bible is not the work of the redeemed but the work of the Redeemer. Which means that the Bible is not first a recipe for Christian living but a revelation book of Jesus who is the answer to our un-Christian living." ~ Tullian Tchividjian
"Love is the only way to rescue humanity from all ills." ~ Leo Tolstoy
"The Cross is not simply a lovely example of sacrificial love. Throwing your life away needlessly is not admirable — it is wrong. Jesus’ death was only a good example if it was more than an example, if it was something absolutely necessary to rescue us. And it was. Why did Jesus have to die in order to forgive us? There was a debt to be paid — God himself paid it. There was a penalty to be born — God himself bore it. Forgiveness is always a form of costly suffering." ~ Timothy Keller
"God did not rescue me out of the pain, He rescued me through the pain!" ~ Tullian Tchividjian
"God does not stop at rescuing us; the purpose of that rescue is to enjoy fellowship with us." ~ Aiden Wilson Tozer
"The word "salvation" denotes rescue. Rescue? What from? Well, of course, ultimately death. And since it is sin that colludes with the forces of evil and decay, sin leads to death. So we are rescued from sin and death." ~ N. T. Wright
"When the Son of God comes to rescue us and bring us back to God, He does not find in us the ability to believe." ~ Richard Baxter
"Only an ethical movement can rescue us from barbarism, and the ethical comes into existence only in individuals." ~ Albert Schweitzer
"Stop trying to protect, to rescue, to judge, to manage the lives around you... Remember that the lives of others are not your business. They are their business. They are God's busineess... Even your own life is not your business. It also is God's Business. Leave it to God." ~ Frederick Buechner
"If your goal is to produce firefighters and rescue workers, you have to produce people willing to enter burning buildings." ~ Brian D. McLaren
"We all long for heaven where God is, but we have it our power to be in heaven with him right now-to be happy with him at this very moment. But this means being: Loving as he loves, helping as he helps, giving as he gives, serving as he serves, rescuing as he rescues, being with him all 24 hours of the day, touching him in his distressing disguise." ~ Mother Teresa
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Let us light a candle or turn on our porch lights in honor of all first responders , emergency servant leaders and aid organizations.
Lord, take me where you want me to go, let me meet who you want me to meet, tell me what you want me to say, and keep me out of your way.
- Prayer of Father Mychal Judge
You do what God has called you to do. You show up. You put one foot in front of another. You get on the rig and you go out and you do the job—which is a mystery. And a surprise. You have no idea when you get on that rig. No matter how big the call. No matter how small. You have no idea what God is calling you to. But he needs you. He needs me. He needs all of us.”—Fr. Mychal Judge,
addressing NY Fire Department Engine 73, Ladder 42, Bronx, NY, homily of September 10, 2001, one day before he died administering last rites at the World Trade Center bombing.
The King will reply, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." - Matthew 25:40
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 thay have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 1 John 4:18-20
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1
Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6
You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but citizens together
with the saints and members of the household of God.
Ephesians 2:19
Now let us form a virtual sacred circle of love in our hearts with love and say "The Light of Christ in Me, Recognizes the Light of Christ in you!" and the God of love who made me in God's image made you in God's image and love!
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
Confession of Need
Let us confess our need for God’s healing grace.
Silence
Together
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.
Together
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.
A Smudging Prayer From - (Smudging as a Christian Aboriginal Ceremony)
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
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
Light of the World Phos hilaronCreator,
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
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
O God our shield and armor of light, whom we adore with all the angelic host: defend us from evil; watch over any who are in danger this night and give your angels charge over them; and grant that we may always rejoice in your heavenly protection and serve you bravely in the world; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
From the Arusha Call to Discipleship!
Loving God, we thank you for the gift of life in all its diversity and beauty. Lord Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, we praise you that you came to find the lost, to free the oppressed, to heal the sick, and to convert the self-centred. Holy Spirit, we rejoice that you breathe in the life of the world and are poured out into our hearts. As we live in the Spirit, may we also walk in the Spirit. Grant us faith and courage to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus: becoming pilgrims of justice and peace in our time. For the blessing of your people, the sustaining of the earth, and the glory of your name. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.
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
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.
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.
Gracious and loving God as we meet in community this evening to pray and light candles let us remember all of our family members who do not have community, family, where loving shoulders and soft places in which to fall are available. We pray for the lost, lonely, and afraid that they may be found and brought into the family of God and wrapped in a quilt of comfort. We pray for our family members who are refugees, asylum seekers, children in foster care, children who are seeking to be adopted and all who are waiting for their forever homes wherever that may be. We pray that we may practice radical hospitality and welcome all of our family members and especially the strangers who are in our midst. We pray that we may keep our eyes on all of our loved ones and pray that no one, not one will fall through the cracks. We pray that a community of CALM (Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy) may spring up around the world and especially where there is hatred, violence, terror, and division. We pray that peace, justice, and mercy may prevail upon Earth, that we may be peacemakers and called the Children of God. Amen.
From the Resistance Prays 9/11 issue:
Service begins with humility. Christ instructs us to love one another as He has loved us (John 13:34); that’s a sacrificial and humble love (Philippians 2:8). Over and over again, the Word instructs us to approach our disposition toward others with humility (Philippians 2:3-11, James 4:10, Micah 6:8).
Service requires sincerity. The Lord loves a cheerful giver, but also a sincere one! (2 Corinthians 1:12). Take joy in caring for others – in doing so it is as though we are caring for the King of Kings himself (Matthew 25:34-40).
Service is an expression of Godly love. We are called to love one another (1 John 3:11, 1 Peter 4:8). When we serve and love others, when we give our lives (even metaphorically) to the needs of our fellow men and women, we demonstrate our heart’s desire to know and follow Jesus’ example (Mark 10:45).
God of peace, protector of "the least of these," inspire in us a holy hunger for justice. Give us the wisdom and discernment to see your calling for our life. We know that if any of us lacks wisdom, we need only ask for your guidance. We know you’ve called us to serve the poor and the powerless, to use the grace you’ve given us to protect and provide for the needs of others, and that in doing so, we may mirror your great love for us. Forgive us for the times when we’ve failed to do everything in our power to serve those in need, and grant us opportunities to serve those who need us most. We ask all these things in the name of Jesus, whose grace and peace has showed us how truly to love one another. Amen.
Today's issue:
Woe to those who make unjust laws,
to those who issue oppressive decrees,
to deprive the poor of their rights
and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people…
- Isaiah 10:1-2a
to those who issue oppressive decrees,
to deprive the poor of their rights
and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people…
- Isaiah 10:1-2a
God of love and justice, free us from the distorted moral narratives that prop up policy violence, and give us grace to build up a culture where grace is normalized, love is actualized, and justice is realized, in our lives and in our world. Amen.
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We will use psalms instead of canticles today.
59 Eripe me de inimicis
1 Rescue me from my enemies, O God; *
protect me from those who rise up against me.
2 Rescue me from evildoers *
and save me from those who thirst for my blood.
3 See how they lie in wait for my life,
how the mighty gather together against me; *
not for any offense or fault of mine, O Lord.
4 Not because of any guilt of mine *
they run and prepare themselves for battle.
5 Rouse yourself, come to my side, and see; *
for you, Lord God of hosts, are Israel's God.
6 Awake, and punish all the ungodly; *
show no mercy to those who are faithless and evil.
7 They go to and fro in the evening; *
they snarl like dogs and run about the city.
8 Behold, they boast with their mouths,
and taunts are on their lips; *
"For who," they say, "will hear us?"
9 But you, O Lord, you laugh at them; *
you laugh all the ungodly to scorn.
10 My eyes are fixed on you, O my Strength; *
for you, O God, are my stronghold.
11 My merciful God comes to meet me; *
God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.
12 Slay them, O God, lest my people forget; *
send them reeling by your might and put them down, O Lord our shield.
13 For the sins of their mouths, for the words of their lips,
for the cursing and lies that they utter, *
let them be caught in their pride.
14 Make an end of them in your wrath; *
make an end of them, and they shall be no more.
15 Let everyone know that God rules in Jacob, *
and to the ends of the earth.
16 They go to and fro in the evening; *
they snarl like dogs and run about the city.
17 They forage for food, *
and if they are not filled, they howl.
18 For my part, I will sing of your strength; *
I will celebrate your love in the morning;
19 For you have become my stronghold, *
a refuge in the day of my trouble.
20 To you, O my Strength, will I sing; *
for you, O God, are my stronghold and my merciful God.
1 Kings 18:1-19
Elijah’s Message to Ahab
18After many days the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year of the drought,* saying, ‘Go, present yourself to Ahab; I will send rain on the earth.’ 2So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria. 3Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Now Obadiah revered the Lord greatly; 4when Jezebel was killing off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets, hid them fifty to a cave, and provided them with bread and water.) 5Then Ahab said to Obadiah, ‘Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the wadis; perhaps we may find grass to keep the horses and mules alive, and not lose some of the animals.’ 6So they divided the land between them to pass through it; Ahab went in one direction by himself, and Obadiah went in another direction by himself.
7 As Obadiah was on the way, Elijah met him; Obadiah recognized him, fell on his face, and said, ‘Is it you, my lord Elijah?’ 8He answered him, ‘It is I. Go, tell your lord that Elijah is here.’ 9And he said, ‘How have I sinned, that you would hand your servant over to Ahab, to kill me? 10As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom to which my lord has not sent to seek you; and when they would say, “He is not here”, he would require an oath of the kingdom or nation, that they had not found you. 11But now you say, “Go, tell your lord that Elijah is here.” 12As soon as I have gone from you, the spirit of the Lord will carry you I know not where; so, when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me, although I your servant have revered the Lord from my youth. 13Has it not been told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, how I hid a hundred of the Lord’s prophets fifty to a cave, and provided them with bread and water? 14Yet now you say, “Go, tell your lord that Elijah is here”; he will surely kill me.’ 15Elijah said, ‘As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.’ 16So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, ‘Is it you, you troubler of Israel?’ 18He answered, ‘I have not troubled Israel; but you have, and your father’s house, because you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals. 19Now therefore have all Israel assemble for me at Mount Carmel, with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.’
60 Deus, repulisti nos
1 O God, you have cast us off and broken us; *
you have been angry;
oh, take us back to you again.
2 You have shaken the earth and split it open; *
repair the cracks in it, for it totters.
3 You have made your people know hardship; *
you have given us wine that makes us stagger.
4 You have set up a banner for those who fear you, *
to be a refuge from the power of the bow.
5 Save us by your right hand and answer us, *
that those who are dear to you may be delivered.
6 God spoke from his holy place and said: *
"I will exult and parcel out Shechem;
I will divide the valley of Succoth.
7 Gilead is mine and Manasseh is mine; *
Ephraim is my helmet and Judah my scepter.
8 Moab is my wash-basin,
on Edom I throw down my sandal to claim it, *
and over Philistia will I shout in triumph."
9 Who will lead me into the strong city? *
who will bring me into Edom?
10 Have you not cast us off, O God? *
you no longer go out, O God, with our armies.
11 Grant us your help against the enemy, *
for vain is the help of man.
12 With God we will do valiant deeds, *
and he shall tread our enemies under foot.
Philippians 2:12-30
Shining as Lights in the World
12 Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
14 Do all things without murmuring and arguing, 15so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world. 16It is by your holding fast to the word of life that I can boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain or labour in vain. 17But even if I am being poured out as a libation over the sacrifice and the offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you— 18and in the same way you also must be glad and rejoice with me.
Timothy and Epaphroditus
19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I may be cheered by news of you. 20I have no one like him who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 21All of them are seeking their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22But Timothy’s* worth you know, how like a son with a father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23I hope therefore to send him as soon as I see how things go with me; 24and I trust in the Lord that I will also come soon.
25 Still, I think it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus—my brother and co-worker and fellow-soldier, your messenger* and minister to my need; 26for he has been longing for* all of you, and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27He was indeed so ill that he nearly died. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, so that I would not have one sorrow after another. 28I am the more eager to send him, therefore, in order that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29Welcome him then in the Lord with all joy, and honour such people, 30because he came close to death for the work of Christ,* risking his life to make up for those services that you could not give me.
8 Domine, Dominus noster
1 O Lord our Governor, *
how exalted is your Name in all the world!
2 Out of the mouths of infants and children *
your majesty is praised above the heavens.
3 You have set up a stronghold against your adversaries, *
to quell the enemy and the avenger.
4 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, *
the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,
5 What is man that you should be mindful of him? *
the son of man that you should seek him out?
6 You have made him but little lower than the angels; *
you adorn him with glory and honor;
7 You give him mastery over the works of your hands; *
you put all things under his feet:
8 All sheep and oxen, *
even the wild beasts of the field,
9 The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, *
and whatsoever walks in the paths of the sea.
10 O Lord our Governor, *
how exalted is your Name in all the world!
Matthew 2:13-23
The Escape to Egypt
13 Now after they had left, 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.’ 14Then Joseph* got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, 15and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I have called my son.’
The Massacre of the Infants
16 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.* 17Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:
18 ‘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.’
The Return from Egypt
19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 20‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.’ 21Then Joseph* got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. 23There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, ‘He will be called a Nazorean.’
84 Quam dilecta!
1 How dear to me is your dwelling, O Lord of hosts! *
My soul has a desire and longing for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.
2 The sparrow has found her a house
and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young; *
by the side of your altars, O Lord of hosts,
my King and my God.
3 Happy are they who dwell in your house! *
they will always be praising you.
4 Happy are the people whose strength is in you! *
whose hearts are set on the pilgrims' way.
5 Those who go through the desolate valley will find it a place of springs, *
for the early rains have covered it with pools of water.
6 They will climb from height to height, *
and the God of gods will reveal himself in Zion.
7 Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; *
hearken, O God of Jacob.
8 Behold our defender, O God; *
and look upon the face of your Anointed.
9 For one day in your courts is better than a thousand in my own room, *
and to stand at the threshold of the house of my God
than to dwell in the tents of the wicked.
10 For the Lord God is both sun and shield; *
he will give grace and glory;
11 No good thing will the Lord withhold *
from those who walk with integrity.
12 O Lord of hosts, *
happy are they who put their trust in you!
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
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.
Prayers from Enriching Our Worship Volume 2 and the Book of Common Prayer
For Protection
Christ, light of light, brightness indescribable, the Wisdom, power
and glory of God, the Word made flesh: you overcame the forces
of Satan, redeemed the world, then ascended again to the Father.
Grant N., we pray, in this tarnished world, the shining of your
splendor. Send your Archangel Michael to defend her/him, to
guard her/his going out and coming in, and to bring her/him safely
to your presence, where you reign in the one holy and undivided
Trinity, to ages of ages. Amen.
For One Suffering from Mental Distress
Blessed Jesus, in the comfort of your love, we lay before you the
memories that haunt N., the anxieties that perplex her/him, the
despair that frightens her/him, and her/his frustration at her/his
inability to think clearly. Help her/him to discover your forgiveness
in her/his memories and know your peace in her/his distress.
Touch her/him, O Lord, and fill her/him with your light and your
hope. Amen.
For Survivors of Abuse and Violence
Holy One, you do not distance yourself from the pain of your
people, but in Jesus bear that pain with us and bless all who suffer
at others’ hands. Hallow our flesh and all creation; with your
cleansing love bring healing and strength to N.; and by your
justice, lift her/him up, that in the body you have given her/him,
she/he may again rejoice. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
For Survivors of Abuse and Violence
Holy One, you do not distance yourself from the pain of your
people, but in Jesus bear that pain with us and bless all who
suffer at others’ hands. Hallow my flesh and all creation; with
your cleansing love bring me healing and strength; and by your
justice, lift me up, that in the body you have given me, I may
again rejoice. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
A Prayer of Thanksgiving for Caregivers
Merciful God, I thank you that since I have no strength to care
for myself, you serve me through the hands and hearts of others.
Bless these people that they may continue to serve you and please
you all their days. Amen.
A Prayer of Comfort in God
God, you are my help and comfort; you shelter and surround me
in love so tender that I may know your presence with me, now
and always. Amen.
For Caregivers and Others in Support of the Sick
Lover of souls, we bless your Holy Name for all who are called to
mediate your grace to those who are sick or infirm. Sustain them
by your Holy Spirit, that they may bring your loving-kindness to
those in pain, fear, and confusion; that in bearing one another’s
burdens they may follow the example of our Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen.
or this
Compassionate God, support and strengthen all those who reach
out in love, concern, and prayer for the sick and distressed. In
their acts of compassion, may they know that they are your
instruments. In their concerns and fears may they know your
peace. In their prayer may they know your steadfast love. May
they not grow weary or faint-hearted, for your mercy’s sake.
Amen.
For Companions to Those Who Are Chronically Ill
O God, surround N. [and N.] with your compassion as
she/he/they live[s] with N. in sickness. Help N. [and N.] to accept
the limits of what she/he/they can do, that feelings of helplessness
and frustration [and anger] may be transformed into serene
acceptance and joyful hope in you. Let her/him/them remember
the grief and love of Jesus over the afflictions of his friends,
knowing that God too weeps. Bring her/him/them gladness and
strengthened love in her/his/their service; through Christ our
companion. Amen.
For Health Care Providers
Give your blessing, gracious God, to those whom you have called
to the study and practice of the arts of healing, and the prevention
of disease and pain. Give them the wisdom of your Holy Spirit,
that through their work the health of our community may be
advanced and your creation glorified; through your Son Jesus
Christ. Amen.
For Emergency Workers
God our strong deliverer: when those charged with the urgent
mediation of your healing power feel overwhelmed by the numbers
of the suffering, uphold them in their fatigue and banish their
despair. Let them see with your eyes, so they may know all their
patients as precious. Give comfort, and renew their energy and
compassion, for the sake of Jesus in whom is our life and our
hope. Amen.
or this
Divine Physician, hear our prayers for those in emergency medicine.
By your healing power, grant them quick minds and skillful
hands. Strengthen them in times of trauma. In quiet times, give
them rest and assurance of the value of their work. Keep them
ever prepared for the work you have called them to do, for your
mercy’s sake. Amen.
For Doctors and Nurses
Sanctify, O Lord, those whom you have called to the study
and practice of the arts of healing, and to the prevention of
disease and pain. Strengthen them by your life-giving Spirit,
that by their ministries the health of the community may be
promoted and your creation glorified; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.
For the Human Family
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which
infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us;
unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and races may serve you in
harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.
Prayers from Prayers of Power:
John Baillie: The Heavy Laden
O God, we bring before You the burden of the world’s life:
All who are far from home and friends,
All who lie down hungry or cold,
All who suffer pain,
All who are kept awake by anxiety,
All who are facing danger,
All who toil, or keep watch while others sleep.
May they have a sense of Your presence that will turn their
loneliness into comfort and their trouble into peace.
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.
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.
James Martineau: Prayer
A PRAYER OF CONSECRATION- James Martineau
Eternal God, who commits to us the swift and solemn trust of life: since we know not what a day may bring forth, but only that the hour for serving You is always present, may we wake to Your instant claims, not waiting for tomorrow, but yielding today. Lay to rest the resistance of our passion, indolence, or fear. Consecrate the way our feet may go, and the humblest work will shine, and the roughest faces be made plain. Lift us above unrighteous anger and mistrust into faith and hope and charity, through steady reliance on You. So may we be modest in our time of wealth, patient under disappointment, ready for danger, serene in death. In all things, draw us to Yourself that Your lost image may be traced again, and we may be at one with You.
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.
Walter Rauschenbusch: Prayers
FOR OUR WORLD, OUR EARTH
O God, we thank You for this universe, our great home; for the vastness and richness of our cosmic environment; for the manifoldness of life on the planet of which we are a part.
We are thankful for the morning sun and the clouds and the constellations of stars.
We rejoice in the salt sea and the deep waters and green leaves of grass.
We thank You for our sense by which we experience earth’s splendor.
We would have souls open to all this joy, souls saved from being so weighted with care that we pass unseeing when the thornbush by the wayside is aflame with beauty.
Enlarge within us a sense of fellowship with all that lives and moves and has being in space and time, especially with all who share this earth as their common home with us.
Remembering with shame that in the past, we human beings have all too often exercised high dominion with ruthless cruelty, we admit that the voice of the earth, which should have gone up to You in song, has been a groan of travail.
May we so live that our world may not be ravished by our greed nor spoiled by our ignorance.
May we hand on earth’s common heritage of life, undiminished in joy when our bodies return in peace to You, our Great Mother who has nourished them.
EVENING PRAYER
O God, we praise You for the night and for sleep. Release our limbs of toil. Smooth our brow of care. Grant us a refreshing draught of forgetfulness. Comfort those who toss on a bed of pain, or whose nerves crave sleep and find it not. Save them from despondent thoughts in the darkness. May they learn to lean on Your all-pervading life and love so, their souls may grow tranquil and their bodies may rest.
We close this night's vigil with the following classic prayers:
Holy God, G_D, Allah, Creator of the world and God of Many names who made us in you image and likeness we pray this night and light our candles in memory and witness to all who have died in any genocide and terrorist act our world has ever known. We light our candles and remember 9/11 ( the Women's holocaust in the Middle Ages, The Native Americans who walked the Trail of Tears and were killed by viruses brought to the New World, We pray for the Armenians who perished and The Great Holocaust that took the lives of 6,000,000 million Jews and others). We pray for the victims of modern day genocides in this era of terrorism and ethnic cleansing. We pray that we may look upon these our brothers and sisters who perished as a reminder of how easy it is to go down the slippery slope of hate, terror, fear, vengeance, and bigotry. We pray for peace in this fragile and broken world that we may be peace makers and truth tellers to our family members who do not know the history of these atrocities. We pray this night that we may stop the hate and new apartheid systems that infect the world. We pray that we may be compassionate, accepting, loving, and merciful. Let us always remember and never forget. Amen.
A Song of Jonah
Jonah 2:2-7,9
I called to you, O God, out of my distress, and you answered me; *
out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.
You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, *
and the flood surrounded me;
all your waves and billows passed over me.
Then I said, “I am driven away from your sight; *
how shall I ever look again upon your holy temple?”
The waters closed in over me, the deep was round about me; *
weeds were wrapped around my head at the roots of the mountains.
I went down to the land beneath the earth, *
yet you brought up my life from the depths, O God.
As my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, O God, *
and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.
With the voice of thanksgiving, I will sacrifice to you; *
what I have vowed I will pay, for deliverance belongs to the Lord!
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.
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.
Everything Has Its Time
3 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
The Beatitudes Matthew 5:3–12
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. (5:3)
Blessed are those who mourn: for they will be comforted. (5:4)
Blessed are the meek: for they will inherit the earth. (5:5)
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they will be filled. (5:6)
Blessed are the merciful: for they will be shown mercy. (5:7)
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they will see God. (5:8)
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they will be called children of God. (5:9)
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (5:10
"My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever."
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever."
Psalm 23- Bobby McFerrin
The Light and Love of Christ I hold out to you is my promise that we are family one to another this day and always. The Light of Christ in Me , Recognizes the Light of Christ in you. We lift up these our prayers in Jesus most holy name. Amen.
The Light and Love of Christ I hold out to you is my promise that we are family one to another this day and always. The Light of Christ in Me , Recognizes the Light of Christ in you. We lift up these our prayers in Jesus most holy name. Amen.
The Song of Simeon Nunc dimittis
Luke 2:29-32
Lord, you now have set your servant free *
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: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The Wisdom of God
the Love of God
and the Grace of God
strengthen you
to be Christ’s hands and heart in this world,
in the name of the Holy Trinity. Amen.
(source: Celtic)
Live without fear: your Creator has made you holy, has always
protected you, and loves you as a mother. Go in peace to follow
the good road and may God’s blessing be with you always. Amen.
(source: from Saint Clare)
Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine: Glory to God from generation to
generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever.
Amen. Ephesians 3:20,21
Here is a bonus on how to take action;
This is the day that God has called us to stop the hate and all the negativity and reunite with each other as family members and yes that includes our enemies. Everyone is a beloved child of God.
How do we do this and what are the rules of the road?
As Maria says in "The Sound of Music" "Let's start from the very beginning!"
We must seek common ground and question our words, deeds, and thoughts towards each other . This is called self-examination!
We must recognize the holy in all people, places, places of worship, and in God's Cathedral of life.
We must walk like Jesus walked, Talk like Jesus talked, Love like Jesus loved. Forgive like Jesus Forgave.
We need to get a mirror and look at ourselves and see who God sees and who God made.
We need to look at ourselves and tell ourselves this "I love you!'
We need to begin to reacquaint ourselves with our family members and seek to not be estranged.
We need to show love for one another with generosity and care.
We need to begin to stop the hate and violence towards all our family members who differ from us.
We need to be practitioners of social justice, civil disobedience, and peaceful non-violent protest without fear and whenever necessary.
We need to model ourselves after God and Jesus and engage in radical love and hospitality towards everyone.
We need to choose our words and actions rightly.
We need to stop politicizing events such as 9/11 and come together as one.
We must sow seeds of Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy.
We must strive to respect the dignity of every human being.
We must strive to make peace and show those who do not know how to make peace the right way with love, justice, mercy, and humility.
We must learn to be one with one another without spite and without malice.
We must love!
+++
A Bonus Vigil
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.
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.
“*Breathing in, I know this is my in-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
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
Peace prayer by Maya Angelou
Father, Mother, God,
Thank you for your presence
during the hard and mean days.
For then we have you to lean upon.
Thank you for your presence
during the bright and sunny days,
for then we can share that which we have
with those who have less.
And thank you for your presence
during the Holy Days, for then we are able
to celebrate you and our families
and our friends.
For those who have no voice,
we ask you to speak.
For those who feel unworthy,
we ask you to pour your love out
in waterfalls of tenderness.
For those who live in pain,
we ask you to bathe them
in the river of your healing.
For those who are lonely, we ask
you to keep them company.
For those who are depressed,
we ask you to shower upon them
the light of hope.
Dear Creator, You, the borderless
sea of substance, we ask you to give to all the
world that which we need most—Peace.
We Join together in prayer
Father, Mother, God,
Thank you for your presence
during the hard and mean days.
For then we have you to lean upon.
Thank you for your presence
during the bright and sunny days,
for then we can share that which we have
with those who have less.
And thank you for your presence
during the Holy Days, for then we are able
to celebrate you and our families
and our friends.
For those who have no voice,
we ask you to speak.
For those who feel unworthy,
we ask you to pour your love out
in waterfalls of tenderness.
For those who live in pain,
we ask you to bathe them
in the river of your healing.
For those who are lonely, we ask
you to keep them company.
For those who are depressed,
we ask you to shower upon them
the light of hope.
Dear Creator, You, the borderless
sea of substance, we ask you to give to all the
world that which we need most—Peace.
We Join together in 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.
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.
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
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.
+++++
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.
Tonight for our meditation we will use this pattern to meditate and pray with: Tonight we will focus our prayers on being connected one to another and with God's Cathedral of life. Use your mouse and enter at the bottom. Take your time and breathe. Take your time to think about how you may speak up for the voiceless ones!
As you pray and take this night's journey with this labyrinth take your time to find your way into the center and on your way out. Don't forget to take time for holy pause in the center.
Here is tonight's meditation music: Enya-The Celts or Anuna Mix
Playing For Change Mix
God you have reminded us that we are precious, help us to convey this to all the voiceless ones.
May we lift up our voices with strength and loving compassion for those who cannot speak.
God you have reminded us that we are to be a forever and eternal family and as we are this we need to lovingly respond to the need of our family members.
May we lift up our voices with strength and loving compassion for those who cannot speak.
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.
Good Night Dear Family! Have a blessed and restful night! I love you! 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
Resources:
Enriching Our Worship 1 and 2
A to Z Quotes
Prayers of Power
Walk With Me On Our Journey
Metis Aboriginal Ministries
The Resistance Prays
Other sources as noted
Book of Common Prayer
Quote sites for Prayers
Keep scrolling down for a bonus!
Tonight for our meditation we will use this pattern to meditate and pray with: Tonight we will focus our prayers on being connected one to another and with God's Cathedral of life. Use your mouse and enter at the bottom. Take your time and breathe. Take your time to think about how you may speak up for the voiceless ones!
As you pray and take this night's journey with this labyrinth take your time to find your way into the center and on your way out. Don't forget to take time for holy pause in the center.
Here is tonight's meditation music: Enya-The Celts or Anuna Mix
Playing For Change Mix
God you have reminded us that we are precious, help us to convey this to all the voiceless ones.
May we lift up our voices with strength and loving compassion for those who cannot speak.
God you have reminded us that we are to be a forever and eternal family and as we are this we need to lovingly respond to the need of our family members.
May we lift up our voices with strength and loving compassion for those who cannot speak.
God you teach us many things day by day. May we remember that we are each other's keeper.
May we lift up our voices with strength and loving compassion for those who cannot speak.
God you love us unconditionally through and through. May we find the way to do this and model your example. May we have courage to speak the words I love you with warm hearts and light in our eyes.
May we lift up our voices with strength and loving compassion for those who cannot speak.
God we pray for all who are ill and seeking healing. We pray and give thanks for healing that has already taken place. May we speak up for our family members who may not know how to advocate for themselves.
May we lift up our voices with strength and loving compassion for those who cannot speak.
God we pray for ourselves and on behalf of others remembering especially_____________
May we lift up our voices with strength and loving compassion for those who cannot speak.
Jesus we come to you with our voices united in prayer for peace and lift up these our petitions and prayers in your Name. Amen.
God we pray for ourselves and on behalf of others remembering especially_____________
May we lift up our voices with strength and loving compassion for those who cannot speak.
Jesus we come to you with our voices united in prayer for peace and lift up these our petitions and prayers in your Name. Amen.
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