Monday Wisdom from Henri Nouwen and Giving Thanks for St. Matthew the Evangelist!

Good Evening Beloved Ones!

Happy Feast of St. Matthew and Henri Nouwen Day at Walk With Me On Our Journey.We return to Nehemiah tomorrow. Tonight we begin with a prayer by Henri Nouwen. 

A Prayer by Henri Nouwen!

Dear God,

I so much want to be in control.
I want to be the master of my own destiny.
Still I know that you are saying:
“Let me take you by the hand and lead you.
Accept my love
and trust that where I will bring you,
the deepest desires of your heart will be fulfilled.”
Lord, open my hands to receive your gift of love.


Amen.

Let us hear and listen to the words of wisdom of Henri Nouwen who wrote The Wounded Healer.


"The gospel word of the day can become like a painting on the walls. of your inner room, the inner room that is your heart." ~ Henri Nouwen

"All the great spiritual leaders in history were people of hope. Abraham, Moses, Ruth, Mary, Jesus, Rumi, Gandhi, and Dorothy Day all lived with a promise in their hearts that guided them toward the future without the need to know exactly what it would look like. Let's live with hope." ~ Henri Nouwen

"Learning to weep, learning to keep vigil, learning to wait for the dawn. Perhaps this is what it means to be human." ~ Henri Nouwen

"Our greatest fulfillment lies in giving ourselves to others." ~ Henri Nouwen

"I feel strongly that the God we meet in solitude is always the God who calls us to community." ~ Henri Nouwen

"Be sure that you make a difference in the world." ~ Henri Nouwen


"If you believe you are the beloved of God, you need to spend time listening to his voice - period! You can't say, "Yes God calls me the beloved, but I have to go out to do something now."" ~ Henri Nouwen

"It's good to have a prayer on your lips wherever you go." ~ Henri Nouwen

"Solitude is very different from a 'time-out' from our busy lives. Solitude is the very ground from which community grows. Whenever we pray alone, study, read, write, or simply spend quiet time away from the places where we interact with each other directly, we are potentially opened for a deeper intimacy with each other." ~ Henri Nouwen


"The more you are called to speak for God's love, the more you will need to deepen the knowledge of that love in your own heart. The farther the outward journey takes you, the deeper the inward journey must be. Only when your roots are deep can your fruits be abundant." ~ Henri Nouwen

"Prayer is not a pious decoration of life but the breath of human existence." ~ Henri Nouwen

"If you want to know anything about community, you have to realize that the contemplative side is essential. Community without retreating and quiet time never survives." ~ Henri Nouwen

"You are a Christian only so long as you constantly pose critical questions to the society you live in, so long as you stay unsatisfied with the status quo, and keep saying that a new world is yet to come." ~ Henri Nouwen


"Prayer and action...can never be seen as contradictory or mutually exclusive. Prayer without action grows into powerless pietism, and action without prayer degenerates into questionable manipulation." ~ Henri Nouwen

"As peacemakers, we must resist all the powers of war and destruction and proclaim that peace is the divine gift offered to all who affirm life. Resistance means saying 'No' to all the forces of death, wherever they may be." ~ Henri Nouwen

"Once you are in communion with God, you have the eyes to see and the ears to hear other people in whom God has also found a dwelling place." ~ Henri Nouwen


"Christian community is the place where we keep the flame of hope alive among us and take it seriously so that it can grow and become stronger in us." ~ Henri Nouwen

"Becoming the beloved is pulling the truth revealed to me from above down into the ordinariness of what I am, in fact, thinking of, talking about and doing from hour to hour." ~ Henri Nouwen

"Those who are marginal in the world are central in the Church, and that is how it is supposed to be! Thus we are called as members of the Church to keep going to the margins of our society. The homeless, the starving, parentless children, people with AIDS, our emotionally disturbed brothers and sisters - they require our first attention." ~ Henri Nouwen

"The Church will always be renewed when our attention shifts from ourselves to those who need our care. The blessing of Jesus always comes to us through the poor. The most remarkable experience of those who work with the poor is that, in the end, the poor give more than they receive. They give food to us." ~ Henri Nouwen

"The beatitudes say, "Blessed are the poor". They don't say, "Blessed are those who care for the poor."" ~ Henri Nouwen

"Peacemaking is a full-time vocation that includes each member of God's people." ~ Henri Nouwen

"But what I would like to say is that the spiritual life is a life in which you gradually learn to listen to a voice that says something else, that says, "You are the beloved and on you my favour rests."... I want you to hear that voice. It is not a very loud voice because it is an intimate voice. It comes from a very deep place. It is soft and gentle. I want you to gradually hear that voice. We both have to hear that voice and to claim for ourselves that that voice speaks the truth, our truth. It tells us who we are." ~ Henri Nouwen

"Listening is much more than allowing another to talk while waiting for a chance to respond. Listening is paying full attention to others and welcoming them into our very beings. The beauty of listening is that those who are listened to start feeling accepted, start taking our words more seriously and discovering their true selves." ~ Henri Nouwen


"In a world so torn apart by rivalry, anger, and hatred, we have the privileged vocation to be living signs of a love that can bridge all divisions and heal all wounds." ~ Henri Nouwen


"Do all you can to preach the gospel and if necessary use words!" ~ Francis of Assisi



Joseph Barth: A Grace
We give thanks for Being;
We give thanks for being here;

We give thanks for being here together.

Hear the Word of God to all who truly turn to him.

Come unto me, all ye that travail and are heavy laden, and 
I will refresh you.    Matthew 11:28

God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son,
to the end that all that believe in him should not perish, but
have everlasting life.    John 3:16

This is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be received,
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
1 Timothy 1:15

If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous; and he is the perfect offering for our
sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole

world.    1 John 2:1-2


Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them, and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.Matthew 28:19–20

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

For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.2 Corinthians 4:6

The righteous will be remembered for ever: the memory of the righteous is a blessing.Psalm 112:6; Proverbs 10:7

Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any of you would come after me you must deny yourself and take up your cross and follow me.’Matthew 16:24 (adapted)

Come to Christ, to that living stone, which people have rejected, but in God’s sight chosen and precious; and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.1 Peter 2:4


Anthem at the the Candle Lighting

All Saints’ Day and other Major Saints’ Days (BOS)

Let the righteous rejoice *  in the presence of God.
Let the righteous rejoice in the presence of God.
Let them be merry and joyful:
In the presence of God.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Let the righteous rejoice in the presence of God.
V.   Their sound has gone out into all lands:
R.   And their message to the ends of the world.




Light of the World Phos hilaron

Light of the world, in grace and beauty,
Mirror of God’s eternal face,
Transparent flame of love’s free duty,
You bring salvation to our race.
Now, as we see the lights of evening,
We raise our voice in hymns of praise;
Worthy are you of endless blessing,
Sun of our night, lamp of our days.


Psalm 134 Ecce nunc

Behold now, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, *
you that stand by night in the house of the LORD.
Lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the LORD; *
the LORD who made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion.

Psalm 141:1-3,8ab Domine, clamavi

O LORD, I call to you; come to me quickly; *
hear my voice when I cry to you.
Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, *
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Set a watch before my mouth, O LORD,
and guard the door of my lips; *
let not my heart incline to any evil thing.
My eyes are turned to you, Lord GOD; *
in you I take refuge.

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 always, 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.

"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.

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


Our suggested prayer for today is based on words of Henri Nouwen:

Lord Jesus, my Saviour, Your hands and feet are marked with the wounds of Your crucifixion. In Your risen body, Your wounds have not been taken away, but are part of Your glory. May they remind me that my own wounds are not roadblocks on the way to the Father, but are there to show me my own unique way to follow You, the suffering Christ. Assure me that my wounds, too, will be glorified in my own resurrected life. Amen.

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.


Psalm 119:65-72

New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised

65 You have dealt well with your servant,
    O Lord, according to your word.
66 Teach me good judgement and knowledge,
    for I believe in your commandments.
67 Before I was humbled I went astray,
    but now I keep your word.
68 You are good and do good;
    teach me your statutes.
69 The arrogant smear me with lies,
    but with my whole heart I keep your precepts.
70 Their hearts are fat and gross,
    but I delight in your law.
71 It is good for me that I was humbled,
    so that I might learn your statutes.
72 The law of your mouth is better to me
    than thousands of gold and silver pieces.


Proverbs 3:13-18
New Revised Standard Version
The True Wealth
13 Happy are those who find wisdom,
    and those who get understanding,
14 for her income is better than silver,
    and her revenue better than gold.
15 She is more precious than jewels,
    and nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand;
    in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
    and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;
    those who hold her fast are called happy.

A Song of Wisdom Sapientia liberavit
Wisdom 10:15-19,20b-21

Wisdom freed from a nation of oppressors *
a holy people and a blameless race.
She entered the soul of a servant of the Lord, *
withstood dread rulers with wonders and signs.

To the saints she gave the reward of their labors, *
and led them by a marvelous way;
She was their shelter by day *
and a blaze of stars by night.

She brought them across the Red Sea, *
she led them through mighty waters;
But their enemies she swallowed in the waves *
and spewed them out from the depths of the abyss.

And then, Lord, the righteous sang hymns to your Name, *
and praised with one voice your protecting hand;
For Wisdom opened the mouths of the mute, *
and gave speech to the tongues of a new-born people.



2 Corinthians 4:1-6
The Message
Trial and Torture
4 1-2 Since God has so generously let us in on what he is doing, we’re not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into occasional hard times. We refuse to wear masks and play games. We don’t maneuver and manipulate behind the scenes. And we don’t twist God’s Word to suit ourselves. Rather, we keep everything we do and say out in the open, the whole truth on display, so that those who want to can see and judge for themselves in the presence of God.

3-4 If our Message is obscure to anyone, it’s not because we’re holding back in any way. No, it’s because these other people are looking or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention. All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won’t have to bother believing a Truth they can’t see. They’re stone-blind to the dayspring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we’ll ever get.

5-6 Remember, our Message is not about ourselves; we’re proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus for you. It started when God said, “Light up the darkness!” and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful.

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.


2 Timothy 3:14-17
As for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

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.


Matthew 9:9-13
J.B. Phillips New Testament
Jesus calls a “sinner” to be his disciple
9 Jesus left there and as he passed on he saw a man called Matthew sitting at his desk in the tax-collector’s office. “Follow me!” he said to him—and the man got to his feet and followed him.

10-13 Later, as Jesus was in the house sitting at the dinner-table, a good many tax-collectors and other disreputable people came on the scene and joined him and his disciples. The Pharisees noticed this and said to the disciples, “Why does your master have his meals with tax-collectors and sinners?” But Jesus heard this and replied, “It is not the fit and flourishing who need the doctor, but those who are ill! Suppose you go away and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice’. In any case I did not come to invite the ‘righteous’ but the ‘sinners’.”

We Praise You, O God Te Deum laudamus

We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
all creation worships you,
the Father everlasting.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
the cherubim and seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you took our flesh to set us free
you humbly chose the Virgin’s womb.
You overcame the sting of death
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come to be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.



The Lord’s Prayer or the alternative is said.

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.

We thank you, heavenly Father, for the witness of your apostle and evangelist Matthew to the Gospel of your Son our Savior; and we pray that, after his example, we may with ready wills and hearts obey the calling of our Lord to follow him; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.


Gracious and eternal God,
through your Son Jesus Christ
you called Matthew from his place of business
to be an apostle and evangelist;
free us from all greed and selfish love of money
that we may follow in the steps of Jesus Christ our Redeemer.
Amen.

Jesus, Word of God, may we hear your call
to lay aside sharp practices and ruthlessness;
and still, like Matthew, to love
all those with whom we live and work;
for the glory of your holy name.
Amen.

God of power,
may the boldness of your Spirit transform us,
may the gentleness of your Spirit lead us,
may the gifts of your Spirit
be our goal and our strength
now and always.

Praise and glory to you creator Spirit of God;
you make our bread Christ’s body
to heal and reconcile
and to make us the body of Christ.
You make our wine Christ’s living sacrificial blood
to redeem the world.
You are truth.
You come like the wind of heaven, unseen, unbidden.
Like the dawn
you illuminate the world around us;
you grant us a new beginning every day.
You warm and comfort us.
You give us courage and fire
and strength beyond our everyday resources.
Be with us Holy Spirit in all we say or think,
in all we do this and every day.

Prayer for the Human Family, Book of Common Prayer

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.

We must start practicing every day the CALM principle; Be Compassionate, Accepting, Loving, and Merciful..

Let us now pray  to God who is Love.

God of Love we pray that in this year to come we may practice random acts of kindness and love radically and more fully than we ever have before.

God of  Love we pray that we may not hate, troll, bully, snipe, or be mean in social media and elsewhere.

God of Love we pray that we may practice being CALM (Compassionate, Accepting, Loving, and Merciful)

God of Love help us to use right behavior and manners with one another keeping kindness and love uppermost in our minds.

God of Love we pray that we may love one another not half-heartedly but fully and with out  fear.

God of Love we  pray for the healing of divisions throughout our land in war-torn nations. May love and peace prevail in this your fragile and broken world.

God of Love we pray for the healing of those who are ill in body, mind, and spirit. We remember ______________________ and all of our family members and those who have asked us to pray for.

God of Love we pray for all those who are homeless, hungry, and have nowhere to lay their heads in this cold weather. May they have courage to seek shelter and the many warming centers that are available. Protect them and keep them safe from harm.

God of Love we pray for all pets and all animals who aren't being protected from the all kinds of weather. May the owners of their pets show loving concern for their fluffy family members.

God of Love we pray for justice, universal human rights and the courage to lovingly respond to those who are voiceless and need us to speak truth to power.

God of Love be with our family members who grieve losses that are new and those that are ongoing.
Give us compassionate hearts to love them through dark times and show them the light of your love.

God of Love we pray for all of our family members who live in the Thin Places where eternal joy and light are to be found.

God of Love we pray for all our family members who have children returning to school this week and those who have a little while longer to wait.

God of Love we pray for the protection of our most vulnerable family members remembering children, elderly, differently-abled, those with memory disorders.

God of Love we pray for all our family members who are awaiting surgery and who are hospitalized.

God of Love we pray for ___________________________

God of Love we give thanks for______________________

God of Love we celebrate____________________________

God of Love we remember___________________________

We lay these our prayers at the feet of Jesus who is Love incarnate and in His Most Holy Name. Amen.

We pray the words of the Beatitudes 

The Beatitudes

5 When Jesus[a] saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely[b] on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

For Peace

Almighty God, kindle, we pray, in every heart the true love of

peace, and guide with your wisdom those who take counsel

for the nations of the earth, that in tranquillity your dominion

may increase until the earth is filled with the knowledge of your

love; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with

you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for

ever. Amen.

For those who Influence Public Opinion

Almighty God, you proclaim your truth in every age by many

voices: Direct, in our time, we pray, those who speak where

many listen and write what many read; that they may do their

part in making the heart of this people wise, its mind sound, and

its will righteous; to the honor of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer of Self-Dedication

Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to thee, so

guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our

wills, that we may be wholly thine, utterly dedicated unto

thee; and then use us, we pray thee, as thou wilt, and always

to thy glory and the welfare of thy people; through our Lord

and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

 A Prayer attributed to St. Francis

Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is

hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where

there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where

there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where

there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to

be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is

in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we

are born to eternal life. Amen.

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.

Wounded Healer quotes by Henri Nouwen:

"Nobody escapes being wounded. We are all wounded people, whether physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. The main question is not, 'How can we hide our wounds?' so we don't have to be embarrassed, but 'How can we put our woundedness in the service of others?' When our wounds cease to be a source of shame, and become a source of healing, we have become wounded healers." ~ Henri Nouwen

"Compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to enter into the places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear, confusion, and anguish. Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears. Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable, and powerless with the powerless. Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being human." ~ Henri Nouwen

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.

May God whom Jesus called Abba embrace you in love for ever;
may God the Servant bear your burdens with you;
may God the Paraclete grant you life in one another:
so may the blessing of God,
Abba, Servant, Paraclete,
be with you always.
Amen. (ANZPB)


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Good Night Family! I love you lots! I give thanks to God for you this day and always. May you find peace, love, and gratitude dwelling within you as you rest. 

With love and blessings,

Sara

Resources:

A to Z Quotes

A New Zealand Prayer Book

Enriching Our Worship

Book of Occasional Services

Book of Common Prayer

Satucket Lectionary for Lessons and the Saint of the Day: St. Matthew - Apostle and Evangelist

More about Henri Nouwen

Henri Nouwen Bibliography

Henri Nouwen Society on YouTube

Walk With Me On Our Journey