Good Evening Dear Ones!

Happy Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, National Pancake Day, just to name a few! Tonight we bury our Alleluias and get ready for Lent. Tonight we honor and give thanks for John Roberts PRIEST, 1949 (Translator). Here is the definition of Shrove Tuesday from our friends at the Northumbria Community:

Shrove Tuesday

Shrove Tuesday is the last day before the start of Lent. Traditionally it was a day on which Christians sought to be absolved from their sins, or shriven, in preparation for the solemn fast of Lent. That meant not simply giving up cakes, chocolate or some other individual type of foodstuff, but fasting from meat, eggs and dairy products and sometimes fish, except on Sundays. Consequently on Shrove Tuesday all such items were cleared from the larder and eaten in a spirit of carnival. As dairy products were banned during Lent, it became the custom in Britain to make pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, and so the day also became known as Pancake Day. The custom continues today, often accompanied by competitions in pancake tossing, or by pancake races.

For Christians it is still a day on which to make an honest assessment of ourselves, including our failings, in order to submit ourselves to the cleansing and renewing power of the Saviour. It is also a day of celebration, as we prepare to enter the most solemn season of the Christian year.

Today’s prayer is found in the Lent pages of Celtic Daily Prayer and is originally 15th century Irish:
O Son of God, do a miracle for me and change my heart. Thy having taken flesh to redeem me was more difficult than to transform my wickedness. Amen.

Tonight we begin our time of decision making what we are going to personally put down and pick up. This Lent we as a family are going to take time and learn about caring for God's creation as part of the Episcopal Church's Creation Care Movement. This Winter season has reminded me that we must become environmental change makers and social justice advocates for the good of all living beings. So buckle up we are going on a journey like none other. Tomorrow we start in the dust. Tonight we pray and make our pledges between ourselves and God as we begin tomorrow with 40 days and 40 nights! So let us begin!

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.

Ponderings!

"O Lord, make this Lenten season different from the other ones.

Let me find you again. Amen." ~ Henri Nouwen

"During Lent, let us find concrete ways to overcome our indifference." ~ Pope Francis

"As Lent is the time for greater love, listen to Jesus' thirst...'Repen t and believe' Jesus tells us. What are we to repent? Our indifference, our hardness of heart. What are we to believe? Jesus thirsts even now, in your heart and in the poor -- He knows your weakness. He wants only your love, wants only the chance to love you." ~ Mother Teresa

"Lent comes providentially to reawaken us, to shake us from our lethargy." ~ Pope Francis

"Fasting cleanses the soul, raises the mind, subjects one’s flesh to the spirit, renders the heart contrite and humble, scatters the clouds of concupiscence, quenches the fire of lust, and kindles the true light of chastity." ~ Saint Augustine

"Even the darkest moments of the liturgy are filled with joy, and Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the lenten fast, is a day of happiness, a Christian feast." ~ Thomas Merton

So let us begin with these quotes on the words translation and Alleluia/Hallelujah as we move into our time of worship

"Prayer is translation. A man translates himself into a child asking for all there is in a language he has barely mastered." ~ Leonard Cohen

"The Christian "doctrines" are translations into our concepts and ideas of that which God has already expressed in language more adequate, namely the actual incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection" ~ C. S. Lewis

"...trust in Creation which is made fresh daily and doesn’t suffer in translation. This God does not work in especially mysterious ways. The sun here rises and sets at six exactly. A caterpillar becomes a butterfly. A bird raises its brood in the forest and a greenheart tree will only grow from a greenheart seed. He brings drought sometimes followed by torrential rains and if these things aren’t always what I had in mind, they aren’t my punishment either. They’re rewards, let’s say for the patience of a seed." ~ Barbara Kingsolver

"Alternate translation: Come brethren, if you have a mind to be ingrafted in the vine, It is a pity to see you lopped off in this manner From the stock. Reckon up the prelates in the very see of Peter; And in that order of fathers see which has succeeded which. This is the rock over which the proud gates of hell prevail not." ~ Saint Augustine

"I believe in God, but not as one thing, not as an old man in the sky. I believe that what people call God is something in all of us. I believe that what Jesus and Mohammed and Buddha and all the rest said was right. It's just that the translations have gone wrong." ~ John Lennon

"God's first language is Silence. Everything else is a translation." ~ Thomas Keating

"The sound of the rain needs no translation. In music one doesn't make the end of the composition the point of the composition... Same way in dancing, you don't aim at one particular spot in the room... The whole point of dancing is the dance." ~ Alan Watts

"If we are perplexed by an apparent contradiction in Scripture, it is not allowable to say, 'The author of this book is mistaken'; but either the manuscript is faulty, or the translation is wrong, or you have not understood." ~ Saint Augustine

"So what Jesus taught must be understood from the deepest level and that is one of the best sayings to show that he was talking in that way. In the book Revelations from Christ, I found out something that Yogananda said. That Jesus had said son of men and son of God, and people often misunderstand so sometimes the translations themselves are wrong for that reason. So when he said son of man he meant his human body and personality. When he said son of God, he meant the infinite Christ consciousness with which he'd obtained oneness." ~ Goswami Kriyananda

"I read the Bible to myself; I'll take any translation, any edition, and read it aloud, just to hear the language, hear the rhythm, and remind myself how beautiful English is." ~ Maya Angelou

"Silence is the language of God, all else is poor translation." ~ Rumi

Darkness deserves gratitude. It is the alleluia point at which we learn to understand that all growth does not take place in the sunlight.

"Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song." ~ Pope John Paul II

"In the bonds of Death He lay Who for our offence was slain; But the Lord is risen to-day, Christ hath brought us life again, Wherefore let us all rejoice, Singing loud, with cheerful voice, Hallelujah!" ~ Martin Luther

"The greatest adventure in life - knowing God - begins at the Cross of Christ and ends with a "Hallelujah!"" ~ David Jeremiah

"It's the notion that there is no perfection - that there is a broken world and we live with broken hearts and broken lives but still there is no alibi for anything. On the contrary, you have to stand up and say hallelujah under those circumstances." ~ Leonard Cohen

"It is a short walk from the hallelujah to the hoot." ~ Vladimir Nabokov

"If Christ lives in us, we will rejoice in everything, and we will thank and praise the Lord. We will say, 'Hallelujah! Praise the Lord' forever." ~ Watchman Nee

"But remember when I moved in you
And the holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah." ~ Leonard Cohen

"When the Holy Spirit comes into your life, He will show you things to come; you will no longer be in the dark. You will no longer walk in confusion but live each day in the light. You will face the future with faith and confidence. He is the Spirit of reality, Hallelujah!" ~ Chris Oyakhilome

"Life goes before we know what it is. / One fool is enough in any house. / Even God gets tired of too much hallelujah. / Take it easy and live long as brothers." ~ Carl Sandburg

"The boundless capacity of the African American spirit in this country to say Hallelujah anyhow, to use our joy as a weapon, to use our creativity as a weapon, to use our moral clarity and our deep experience as a weapon not just to save Black people but to save all of these people." ~ Van Jones

Come Let us worship

You Lord are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name. Leave us not. Jeremiah 14:9

You have not chosen me, I have chosen you, says the Lord. Go and bear fruit that will last. John 15:16

One of them must become with us a witness of the resurrection of Jesus. Acts 1:22

ove your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for thse who abuse you. Do good and lend, expecting nothing in return; for God is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. Be merciful as your father is merciful. Judge not and you will not be judged. Condemn not and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and it will be given to you; for the measure you give will be the measure you receive. From Luke 6:27-38

The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.
Mark 12:3

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.
1 Peter 3:8

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11

No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.
1 Corinthians 10:24

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2

For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Galatians 5:14

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
Hebrews 13:1-2

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 7:12

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.
Philippians 2:3

Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.
Romans 15:2

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Galatians 6:10

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.
Romans 14:13

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Colossians 3:13

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:8

Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.
Isaiah 1:17

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
Romans 2:1

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
John 13:34

Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Romans 13:10

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Romans 12:10

Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend
forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
Job 6:14

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.
1 Thessalonians 3:12 |

The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Romans 13:9

For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
1 John 3:11

One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind.
Romans 14:5

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 1:27

This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’
Zechariah 7:9-10

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
1 John 4:7

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.
2 Peter 1:5-7

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?”
Isaiah 58:6

If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?
1 John 3:17

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
Romans 15:7

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Luke 6:36

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”
Matthew 18:21-22

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
1 John 3:16

Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.
John 13:14

If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
Ecclesiastes 4:10

Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the helpless.
Psalm 10:12

Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family,
and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you—
better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.
Proverbs 27:10

Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.
1 Timothy 5:3

And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Matthew 22:39

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Romans 12:18

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
Acts 12:5

And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Ecclesiastes 4:4

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
Hebrews 3:12

Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave.
Matthew 20:26-27

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 be peacemakers and called the Children of God. Amen.

Or this vigil prayer

Holy God,as we pray and light more candles let us pray that we may truly and fully become the loving Family of God. God we know that it is time. We know that this journey into family hood won't be easy but we must take time to lay down our, rage, fear, anger, suspicion, hatred, bigotry, terror, and all that seeks to divide us. Give us we pray courage to learn to love one another as Jesus first loved us. Help us we pray to realize that we are one family and that whatever our race, color, creed, gender, and sexual orientation may be we are made in your image and likeness O, God. Tonight we pray for safety in our cities, towns, counties, states, and nations. We pray for all of our family members nearby and far away who have been affected by violence, abuse, bullying, and degradation this day. We pray for their safety and that you'll wrap your loving and holy arms of protection around them. We pray for the least of these who lack clean water, safe and permanent shelter, nourishing food, and warm clothing. Help us to walk the walk and talk the talk and spread your Gospel of Love to this fragile and broken world. Let us be CALM (Compassionate, Accepting, Loving, and Merciful) people this night and forever more. Amen.

Light of the World Phos hilaron

Light of the world, in grace and beauty,

Mirror of God’s eternal face,

Transparent flame of love’s free duty,

You bring salvation to our race.

Now, as we see the lights of evening,

We raise our voice in hymns of praise;

Worthy are you of endless blessing,

Sun of our night, lamp of our days.

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

How good and pleasant a thing it is when God’s people live together in unity. Psalm 133:1

"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

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.

Joan Goodwin: To The Four Directions

Spirit of the East, spirit of air, of morning and springtime: Be with us as the sun rises, in times of beginning, times of planting. Inspire us with the fresh breath of courage as we go forth into new adventures.

Spirit of the South, spirit of fire, of noontime and summer: Be with us through the heat of the day and help us to be ever growing. Warm us with strength and energy for the work that awaits.

Spirit of the West, spirit of water, of evening and autumn: Be with us as the sun sets, and help us to enjoy a rich harvest. Flow through us with a cooling, healing quietness and bring us peace.

Spirit of the North, spirit of earth, of nighttime and winter: Be with us in the darkness, in the time of gestation. Ground us in the wisdom of the changing seasons as we celebrate the spiraling journey of our lives.

THE GRACE TO LISTEN*

O God, as I grow in experience, I pray I may keep from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion. Release me from craving to try to straighten out everyone’s affairs. Give me the grace to listen to the tales of others’ pains, but seal my lips to my own increasing aches and pains since my love of rehearsing them grows stronger as the years go by. Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not want to become a sour old person. May I be thoughtful but not moody; helpful but not bossy. With my growing store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all—but You know, O God, that I don’t want to lose all my friends!

LIVING UNITY*

O God, in whom are calmness and peace, reconcile the dissensions which divide us from one another, and bring us into a unity of purpose which may bear some likeness to You, that we may be spiritually one, as well in ourselves as with each other, through that peace of Yours which makes all things peaceful, and through the grace and tenderness wherewith You are our Father and Mother forever.

LITANY OF LOVE*

O God, the source of all being and all joy, let Your blessings be upon us, and fill us with Your love. From all jealousy and envy, from all unkindness, from offense given or taken, from unrighteous anger and an impatient spirit, from a hard and unforgiving temper, and from evil speaking, O God, deliver us.

From all ambition and greed which bring want and distress to multitudes and debase the bodies and souls of many, shutting from them the fullness of life, O God, deliver us.

From an unquiet and discontented spirit, from despondency and gloom, from doubts of Your boundless love, and from forgetfulness of the manifold goods of life, O God, deliver us.

Inspire in us that spirit which suffers long and is kind; which envies not; boasts not itself, is not puffed up; which does not behave unseemly, and seeks not its own. Grant us to be filled with the fullness of Your spirit.

Quicken in us that charity which is not easily provoked, which thinks no evil, which rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; which bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things; the charity which never fails; That so by Your grace we may establish good will upon the earth.

O God, the Father and Mother of us all, who has breathed Your own spirit into Your children and made us to be one with each other as members of Your household: enable us to make Your house a refuge for every wounded spirit, a home for every aspiring soul. Amid diversities of knowledge and of faith, may we be one in spirit, in affection, and in devotion to You.

Psalm 90:13-17

13 Return, O Lord; how long will you tarry? *
be gracious to your servants.

14 Satisfy us by your loving-kindness in the morning; *
so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.

15 Make us glad by the measure of the days that you afflicted us *
and the years in which we suffered adversity.

16 Show your servants your works *
and your splendor to their children.

17 May the graciousness of the Lord our God be upon us; *
prosper the work of our hands;
prosper our handiwork.

Deuteronomy 31:30-32:4,32:6-12
The Song of Moses
30 Then Moses recited the words of this song, to the very end, in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel:

32Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak;
let the earth hear the words of my mouth.
2 May my teaching drop like the rain,
my speech condense like the dew;
like gentle rain on grass,
like showers on new growth.
3 For I will proclaim the name of the Lord;
ascribe greatness to our God!

4 The Rock, his work is perfect,
and all his ways are just.
A faithful God, without deceit,
just and upright is he;
6 Do you thus repay the Lord,
O foolish and senseless people?
Is not he your father, who created you,
who made you and established you?
7 Remember the days of old,
consider the years long past;
ask your father, and he will inform you;
your elders, and they will tell you.
8 When the Most High* apportioned the nations,
when he divided humankind,
he fixed the boundaries of the peoples
according to the number of the gods;*
9 the Lord’s own portion was his people,
Jacob his allotted share.

10 He sustained* him in a desert land,
in a howling wilderness waste;
he shielded him, cared for him,
guarded him as the apple of his eye.
11 As an eagle stirs up its nest,
and hovers over its young;
as it spreads its wings, takes them up,
and bears them aloft on its pinions,
12 the Lord alone guided him;
no foreign god was with him.

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.

Acts 3:18-25
18In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah* would suffer. 19Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, 20so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah* appointed for you, that is, Jesus, 21who must remain in heaven until the time of universal restoration that God announced long ago through his holy prophets. 22Moses said, “The Lord your God will raise up for you from your own people* a prophet like me. You must listen to whatever he tells you. 23And it will be that everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be utterly rooted out from the people.” 24And all the prophets, as many as have spoken, from Samuel and those after him, also predicted these days. 25You are the descendants of the prophets and of the covenant that God gave to your ancestors, saying to Abraham, “And in your descendants all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

A Song of the Spirit
Revelation 22:12-17

“Behold, I am coming soon,” says the Lord,
“and bringing my reward with me, *
to give to everyone according to their deeds.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, *
the beginning and the end.”
Blessed are those who do God’s commandments,
that they may have the right to the tree of life, *
and may enter the city through the gates.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to you, *
with this testimony for all the churches.
“I am the root and the offspring of David, *
I am the bright morning star.”
“Come!” say the Spirit and the Bride; *
“Come!” let each hearer reply!
Come forward, you who are thirsty, *
let those who desire take the water of life as a gift.

John 7:37-41
Rivers of Living Water
37 On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, 38and let the one who believes in me drink. As* the scripture has said, “Out of the believer’s heart* shall flow rivers of living water.” ’ 39Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit,* because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Division among the People
40 When they heard these words, some in the crowd said, ‘This is really the prophet.’ 41Others said, ‘This is the Messiah.’* But some asked, ‘Surely the Messiah* does not come from Galilee, does he?

The Song of Mary Magnificat

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in you, O God my Savior, *
for you have looked with favor on your lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: *
you, the Almighty, have done great things for me,
and holy is your name.
You have mercy on those who fear you *
from generation to generation.
You have shown strength with your arm *
and scattered the proud in their conceit,
Casting down the mighty from their thrones *
and lifting up the lowly.
You have filled the hungry with good things *
and sent the rich away empty.
You have come to the help of your servant Israel, *
for you have remembered your promise of mercy,
The promise made to our forebears, *
to Abraham and his children for ever.

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 the alternative form.

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.

Almighty God, who raised up your servant John Roberts to be a witness among the Shoshone and Arapahoe peoples: May we, inspired by his example and prayers, invite all people to the riches of your grace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. 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.
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Prayers to God who is the Heart Healer

God you who are the heart healer of us all, make our hearts if they are hurting in any way whole and healed from anxiety, fear, distress, and broken.

God you who are the heart healer of us all,heal the brokeness of your fragile world and that peace may prevail.

God you who are the heart healer of us all, heal our bodies, minds, and spirits and all of our family members who are ill. Give us courage and strength to meet each day with joy and hope.

God you who are the heart healer of us all, take from us every root of bitterness and division that we may all be one.

God you who are the heart healer of us all, may we have courage to live authentically into our truth as the beautiful children you have made us to be in your image and likeness.

God you who are the heart healer of us all, may we do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you as we become and are the voices for the voiceless and speak truth to power.

God you who are the heart healer of us all, make our bodies strong so that we may serve you and follow where you lead.

God you who are the heart healer of us all, we pray for _______________ and give thanks for____________ for ourselves and on behalf of others.

God you who are the heart healer of us all, we pray for those who are in mourning and pre-grieving may we lovingly respond with compassion.

God you who are the heart healer of us all, we pray for all who are dying and who have died today that they may have a gentle transition into the Thin Places.

Jesus, accept these our prayers in your most Holy Name. Amen.

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God who loves and protects us ,from harm we pray for all who are victims of domestic violence and abuse that they may be relieved of all suffering and trauma and that they may find safe shelters away form their abusers.

God who loves us, may we never seek to be judge and jury of others with whom we differ and let go and let you be God.

God who loves us, we pray for all who are ill in body, mind and spirit we pray that they may be healed.

God who loves us, we pray for peace in this world. May we with you shower all of our family members with love and blessings and yes, God we know that this means our enemies and those who hate us and wish us harm.

God who loves us, we pray for all faiths where extremism has hijacked the true tenets of their beliefs for their own gain and violent intentions. God help all of us take back our faiths and practice what you modeled for us in the loving name of Jesus .

God who loves us, we pray for all who have died remembering especially and we remember all who mourn their loss.

God who loves us, let us lay down our burdens tonight and prepare for You Matter Monday tomorrow. God help us to place our worries, anxieties, fears, and anything else that separates us from you in our Worry/ Sabbath box so that we may be completely focused on you!

God who loves us, we lift up our additional prayers and thanksgivings in the Name of your Son Jesus. Amen.

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God we pray that we never take time for granted and treat each minute of the day as sacred.

God we pray for our family members who are stressed out with worry may we step up and love and help them in any way that we can.

God we pray for peace in the world that we may take time to pray and give voice for the voiceless who are afraid to speak for themselves in these violent and war torn areas of the world.

God we pray for sound education that is fair and for those who teach and those who learn. May their course work be unbiased and truthful.

God we pray for sound government where division may cease and that every one may seek to serve all humanity for the good of all.

God we pray for all who are ill may they receive your healing balm and that we may rise to help them.

God we pray for all who have lost pets and loved ones that they may mourn with confidence and know that they are loved beyond all measure.

God we pray for all who are artists may we appreciate their God given talents and as we gaze at the painting or photo, listen to the sound of voice or orchestra. May we see your touch and inspiration O, God.

God we pray for all who are in need and especially for the least of these. May we rise to be their family members and their keepers.

God we pray that no one is to be ignored and be treated as invisible. May we love everyone with courage and strong hearts and open heart homes.

God we lift up these our prayers in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

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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.

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

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

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 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)

Holy eternal Majesty,
Holy incarnate Word,
Holy abiding Spirit,
Bless us for evermore. Amen

To God the Creator,
who loved us first and gave this world to be our home,
to God the Redeemer,
who loves us and by dying and rising
pioneered the way of freedom,
to God the Sanctifier,
who spreads the divine love in our hearts,
be praise and glory for time and for eternity.

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Today's Tidbits from the Northumbria Community:

Tuesday – The Cuthbert Compline

Cuthbert, a shepherd lad looking after his flock on the Lammermuir hills, had an angelic vision coinciding with the death of Aidan which convinced him that he was meant to follow Christ as surely as the beloved founder of Lindisfarne Abbey. He became a monk at Melrose Abbey, under the guidance of Boisil. Cuthbert later succeeded him as Prior. Later in his life Cuthbert became a dearly-loved bishop at Lindisfarne, from where, until his death in 687, he loved to retreat in solitude to pray and fast on the Farne Islands.

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)

* I will lie down and sleep in peace
for You alone, Lord,
make me dwell in safety.

O God, and Spirit, and Jesu, the Three,
from the crown of my head, O Trinity,
to the soles of my feet mine offering be.
Come I unto Thee, O Jesu, my King –
O Jesu, do Thou be my sheltering.

My dear ones, O God, bless Thou and keep,
in every place where they are.

* Whoever has chosen to make
the shelter of the Most High their dwelling place
will stay in His over-shadowing.

* He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
He is my God, and I am trusting Him.

* He will rescue you from the traps laid for your feet,
and save you from the destroying curse.

* His faithful promises are your armour.
You need no longer be afraid of any terror by night,
or the death-arrow that flies by day.

* The Lord Himself is your refuge;
you have made the Most High your stronghold.

* Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,
for You are my crag and my stronghold.

* How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake, I am still with You.

I will not lie down tonight with sin,
nor shall sin
nor sin’s shadow
lie down with me.

O God of life, this night,
O darken not to me Thy light.
O God of life, this night,
close not Thy gladness to my sight.
O God of life, this night,
Thy door to me, O shut not tight,
O God of life, this night.

* Be it on Thine own beloved arm,
O God of grace,
that I in peace shall waken.

* Jesu, Son of Mary!
my helper, my encircler.
Jesu, Son of David!
my strength everlasting.
Jesu, Son of Mary!
my helper, my encircler.

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

The songs of prayer

The songs of prayer lodge in our mouths.
Let us sing through the snow.
At the dinner table.
On the rooftop where we dance.
May these sounds heal our ears
and those distant ears that hear.

Hawksley Workman

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Good Night Dear Ones! I love you! You matter! Keep spreading that love energy wherever you go. Set your hearts and hands on fire by practicing random acts of kindness in service to God and all humankind and creation!

A bonus!
How do I/We embrace the holy?

I/We embrace the holy by acknowledging that everything that God created is holy.I/We embrace the holy by showing my love for all of my family members.I/We embrace the holy by speaking out for the voiceless and invisible.I/We embrace the holy by loving my enemies and those who hate.
I/We embrace the holy by practicing peaceful non-violence.I/We embrace the holy by accepting and including everyone into our family of love.I/We embrace the holy by being an ally for all those who are seeking universal human rights.I/We embrace the holy by being a good steward of God's Cathedral of Life.I/We embrace the holy by accepting God's call.I/We embrace the holy by following Jesus and being his sister, friend and walking the walk and talking the talk as He Does everyday in our lives.I/We embrace the holy by remembering to pray daily.
I/We embrace the holy by walking with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit on life's path and journey.

We embrace the holy this night in prayer and in the stillness , in the longing, and seeking to be in your loving presence O God.
Calm our hearts O God, and let us be at one with you .

Holy God we give thanks for your holy creation and the beauty of your Cathedral of Life.
Calm our hearts O God, and let us be at one with you .

Holy God we give thanks for your gift of peace. May peace prevail upon earth and within ourselves.
Calm our hearts O God, and let us be at one with you .

Holy God we give thanks for our family of love. Lovingly enfold your arms around them this night if they are having any worries, anxieties, or fears.
Calm our hearts O God, and let us be at one with you .

Holy God we give thanks for our voices that we may speak truth to power and be the voice of the voiceless.
Calm our hearts O God, and let us be at one with you .

Holy God we give thanks for your healing power that you are doing in the lives of those who are ill in body, mind, and spirit. We pray especially for ____________
Calm our hearts O God, and let us be at one with you .

Holy God we give thanks for everything you have given us so abundantly.
Calm our hearts O God, and let us be at one with you .

Holy God we give thanks for ears and hearts to hear your still small voice.
Calm our hearts O God, and let us be at one with you .

Holy God we give thanks for the least of these as a reminder that we may never become hard, cold, or complacent.
Calm our hearts O God, and let us be at one with you .

Holy God we give thanks for the lives of those who now reside in the Thin Places.
Calm our hearts O God, and let us be at one with you .

We pray for all who mourn and may we step up and lovingly respond with comfort and compassion.
Calm our hearts O God, and let us be at one with you .

Holy Jesus we lift up these our prayers in love, peace, joy , and hope in your most holy Name. Amen.

Love and blessings dear family members and neighbors!

Sara

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
Sacred Ground -Episcopal Church

Living Compass

Please consider using this resource for Lent. The PDF is available from Living Compass