Sunday, February 7, 2021

Keeping it simple on the Sabbath!

 



Good Evening Dear Ones!

Tonight we keep it simple in order to get rest for the week ahead. Let us begin with the "Peace be stills", "The Be Stills",  and a Litany for Peace by Thich Nhat Hanh.



Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.

Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.

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.

Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.

Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.

The Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh: A Litany for Peace

As we are together praying for Peace, let us be truly with each other.

Silence

Let us pay attention to our breathing.

Silence

Let us be relaxed in our bodies and our minds.

Silence

Let us return to ourselves and become wholly ourselves.

Silence

Let us be aware of the Source of Being common to us all and to all that is.

Silence

Evoking the presence of the Great Companion, let us fill our hearts with our own compassion—towards ourselves and toward all living beings.

Silence

Let us pray that all living beings realize that they are all nourished from the same Source of Life.

Silence

Let us pray that we ourselves cease to be the cause of needless suffering.

Silence

Let us pray that we may live in a way which will not needlessly deprive other living beings of air, water, food, shelter, or the chance to live in health.

Silence

With reverence for Life and with awareness of the sufferings that are going on around us, let us pray for the establishment of peace in our hearts and on earth.

Come let us worship.

Joseph Barth: A Grace

We give thanks for Being;
We give thanks for being here;
We give thanks for being here together.

O God, be not far from us. Come quickly to help us, O God.

Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles.Isaiah 40:31

God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.2 Timothy 1:7

You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but citizens together with the saints and members of the household of God. Ephesians 2:19

God is Spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and in truth. John 4:24




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.

Let us light our candles and enter into God's loving  presence as we meditate, make vigil, and  be at prayer!

INVOCATION -St. Augustine

O Love of God, descend into my heart;
Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling,
And scatter there Your cheerful beams.
Dwell in the soul that longs to be Your temple;
Water that barren soil overrun with weeds and briars
And lost for lack of cultivating.
Make it fruitful with Your dew.

Come, dear Refreshment of those who languish;
Come, Star and Guide of those who sail amidst tempests.
You are the Haven of the tossed and shipwrecked.
Come now, Glory and Crown of the living,
As well as the Safeguard of the dying.
Come, Sacred Spirit;
Come, and make me fit to receive You.

LIGHTING OF THE CANDLES (Anonymous Prayers)

Lest I forget the great traditions of freedom and faith which are the heritage of humanity; lest I forget the pioneers, the statesmen, the bridge builders, the artists; and lest I forget You, the God of our forebears who is our God also: I 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: I light this candle of consecration.

May each flame upon the altar of freedom’s faith shine in our hearts always, reminding us of the fearful places to which we may carry light and strengthening us in moments of doubt and discouragement with unwavering faith in You whom we serve and whose we are.



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

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.




You Lord will surely comfort your people. You will make their deserts like Eden, their wastelands like a garden. Joy and gladness will be found among them, thanksgiving and the sound of singing. Isaiah 51:3 (adapted)





WEEK PAST AND WEEK BEGINNING - Vivian T. Pomeroy

O God, we bring before You at this hour the life we have lived in the week that is past.

We thank You for everything we were able to do and found good in the doing.

We thank You for duties which were not so welcome when they ap peared, but left us glad that we had done them.

We thank You for the friends we knew we could trust; for persons who made us glad to have met them; and for all the workers who main tained the fabric of the world.

We thank You for little victories won over ourselves; for all the words well spoken, and for things wisely left unsaid.

O God, we bring before You at this hour the week now beginning, and our hopes for it.

If there are things left undone which reproach us, may we have a steadfast mind to do them.

If there are things we ought to finish, may we turn to them again.

But may we not be downcast because there are some things we shall never finish, inasmuch as they are so great.

May we not become slothful because time is long; may we not become feverish because time is short.

May the past be our benediction, and the future be our challenge.

May we lift up our strength to greet each day, and may Your song be with us in the night.


147 Laudate Dominum

1 Hallelujah!
How good it is to sing praises to our God! *
how pleasant it is to honor him with praise!

2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem; *
he gathers the exiles of Israel.

3 He heals the brokenhearted *
and binds up their wounds.

4 He counts the number of the stars *
and calls them all by their names.

5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; *
there is no limit to his wisdom.

6 The Lord lifts up the lowly, *
but casts the wicked to the ground.

7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; *
make music to our God upon the harp.

8 He covers the heavens with clouds *
and prepares rain for the earth;

9 He makes grass to grow upon the mountains *
and green plants to serve mankind.

10 He provides food for flocks and herds *
and for the young ravens when they cry.

11 He is not impressed by the might of a horse; *
he has no pleasure in the strength of a man;

12 But the Lord has pleasure in those who fear him, *
in those who await his gracious favor.

21 He has not done so to any other nation; *
to them he has not revealed his judgments.
Hallelujah!


God be in my head, and in my understanding;
God be in my eyes, and in my looking;
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;
God be in my heart, and in my thinking;
God be at my end, and at my departing.



Isaiah 40:21-31

21 Have you not known? Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?

22 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,
and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;
who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
and spreads them like a tent to live in;

23 who brings princes to naught,
and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing.

24 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,
scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,
when he blows upon them, and they wither,
and the tempest carries them off like stubble.

25 To whom then will you compare me,
or who is my equal? says the Holy One.

26 Lift up your eyes on high and see:
Who created these?
He who brings out their host and numbers them,
calling them all by name;
because he is great in strength,
mighty in power,
not one is missing.

27 Why do you say, O Jacob,
and speak, O Israel,
‘My way is hidden from the Lord,
and my right is disregarded by my God’?

28 Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.

29 He gives power to the faint,
and strengthens the powerless.

30 Even youths will faint and be weary,
and the young will fall exhausted;

31 but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary
they shall walk and not faint.


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.

1 Corinthians 9:16-23

16 If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe betide me if I do not proclaim the gospel! 17For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. 18What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel.

19 For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. 20To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. 21To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) so that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I might by any means save some. 23I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.

A Song of Faith

1 Peter 1:3-4,18-21

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, *
by divine mercy we have a new birth into a living hope;

Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, *
we have an inheritance that is imperishable in heaven.

The ransom that was paid to free us *
was not paid in silver or gold,

But in the precious blood of Christ, *
the Lamb without spot or stain.

God raised Jesus from the dead and gave him glory *
so that we might have faith and hope in God.

Mark 1:29-39

Jesus Heals Many at Simon’s House

29 As soon as they* left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. 31He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.


32 That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. 33And the whole city was gathered around the door. 34And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

A Preaching Tour in Galilee

35 In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. 36And Simon and his companions hunted for him. 37When they found him, they said to him, ‘Everyone is searching for you.’ 38He answered, ‘Let us go on to the neighbouring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.’ 39And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

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.

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.

Collects of the Day from The Book of Common Prayer and A New Zealand Prayer Book.

Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Almighty God,
you have called us to serve you,
yet without your grace
we are not able to please you;
mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit
may in all things direct and rule our hearts;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

W.E.B. Du Bois: Prayer
In these first beginnings of the new life of the world, renew in us the resolution to persist in the good work we have begun. Give us strength of body and strength of mind and the unfaltering determination to carry out that which we know to be good and right. Forgive all wavering in the past service of Thy cause and make us strong to go for ward in spite of the doubts of our friends and our enemies and in spite of our own distrust in ourselves. Out of the death of winter comes ever and again the resurrection of spring: so out of evil bring good, O God, and out of doubt determination. Amen.


Reconciliation and Forgiveness

 God of compassion, you have reconciled us in Jesus Christ who is our peace: Enable us to live as Jesus lived, breaking down walls of hostility and healing enmity. Give us grace to make peace with those from whom we are divided, that, forgiven and forgiving, we may ever be one in Christ; who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns for ever, one holy and undivided Trinity. Amen.


A Collect for Peace

O God, who art the author of peace and lover of concord, in
knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life, whose service
is perfect freedom: Defend us, thy humble servants, in all
assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in thy
defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through
the might of Jesus Christ our Lord.     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.




Matthew 5 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The Sermon on the Mount; The Beatitudes

5 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the [a]mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2 He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,
3 “[b]Blessed are the [c]poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the [d]gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.


“Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through 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 on earth but yours.”


― Teresa of Ávila

God we pray that as we take time to go deeper into the silence may we find ourselves one with you.

God we pray that in the silence we may be still and know.

God we pray for peace in the world and that we may be peacemakers in our acts of silent prayers and quiet deeds.

God we pray for all who are ill that they may be healed according to your will.

God we pray for all our loved ones who are dying and especially those who have entered the Thin Places.

God we pray for all those who are living on the margins may we by your guidance O God serve them and see you reflected in their eyes.

God we add our own prayers and thanksgivings especially ___________________________

God we pray this day for an end to violence of any kind. 

God we pray for all those who were single, widowed, divorced on Valentine's day that they may find peace in their hearts and in your time find love and meaningful relationships again.

We lift up these our prayers in the name of Jesus your Son, Amen. 

Five Prayers, by Thich Nhat Hanh

IN GRATITUDE, I BOW TO ALL GENERATIONS OF ANCESTORS IN MY BLOOD FAMILY.

I see my mother and father, whose blood, flesh, and vitality are circulating in my own veins and nourishing every cell in me. Through them I see my four grandparents. I carry in me the life, blood, experience, wisdom, happiness, and sorrow of all generations. I open my heart, flesh, and bones to receive the energy of insight, love, and experience transmitted to me by my ancestors. I know that parents always love and support their children and grandchildren, although they are not always able to express it skillfully because of difficulties they encounter. As a continuation of my ancestors, I allow their energy to flow through me, and ask for their support, protection, and strength.

IN GRATITUDE, I BOW TO ALL GENERATIONS OF ANCESTORS IN MY SPIRITUAL FAMILY.

I see in myself my teachers, the ones who show me the way of love and understanding, the way to breathe, smile, forgive, and live deeply in the present moment. I see the Buddha or Christ or the patriarchs and matriarchs as my teachers, and also as my spiritual ancestors. [...] I open my heart and my body to receive the energy of understanding, loving kindness, and protection from the Awakend Ones, their teachings, and the community of practice of many generations. I vow to practice to transform the suffering in myself and the world, and to transmit their energy to future generations of practitioners. My spiritual ancestors may have had their own difficulties and not always been able to transmit the teachings, but I accept them as they are.

IN GRATITUDE, I BOW TO THIS LAND AND ALL OF THE ANCESTORS WHO MADE IT AVAILABLE.

I see that I am whole, protected, and nourished by this land and all the living beings that have been here and made life worthwhile and possible for me through all of their efforts. I see Chief Seattle, Thomas Jefferson, Dorothy Day, Cesar Chavez, Martin Luther King, Jr., and all the others known and unknown. I see those who have worked hard to build schools, hospitals, bridges, and roads, to protect human rights, to develop science and technology, and to fight for freedom and social justice. I see myself touching my ancestors of Native American origin who have lived on this land for such a long time and know the ways to live in peace and harmony with nature, protecting the mountains, forests, animals, vegetation, and minerals of this land. I feel the energy of this land penetrating my body and soul, supporting and accepting me. I vow to cultivate and maintain this energy and transmit it to future generations. I vow to contribute my part in transforming the violence, hatred, and delusion that still lie deep in the consciousness of this society so that future generations will have more safety, joy, and peace. I ask this land for its protection and support.

IN GRATITUDE AND COMPASSION, I BOW DOWN AND TRANSMIT MY ENERGY TO THOSE I LOVE.

All the energy I have received I now want to transmit to my father, my mother, everyone I love, and all who have suffered and worried because of me and for my sake. I know I have not been mindful enough in my daily life. I also know that those who love me have had their own difficulties. They have suffered because they were not lucky enough to have an environment that encouraged their full development. [...] I want all of them to be healthy and joyful. I pray that all ancestors in my blood and spiritual families will focus their energies toward each of them, to protect and support them. I am one with those I love.

IN UNDERSTANDING AND COMPASSION, I BOW DOWN TO RECONCILE MYSELF WITH ALL THOSE WHO HAVE MADE ME SUFFER.

I open my heart and send forth my energy of love and understanding to everyone who has made me suffer, to those who have destroyed much of my life and the lives of those I love. I know now that these people have themselves undergone a lot of suffering and that their hearts are overloaded with pain, anger, and hatred. [...] I pray that they can be transformed to experience the joy of living, so that they will not continue to make themselves and others suffer. I see their suffering and do not want to hold any feelings of hatred or anger in myself toward them. I do not want them to suffer. I channel my energy of love and understanding to them and ask all my ancestors to help them.


"All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well." ~ Julian of Norwich


"Go forth in peace, for you have followed the good road. Go forth without fear, for he who created you has made you holy, has always protected you, and loves you as a mother. Blessed be you, my God, for having created me." ~ Clare of Assisi


O God of love and mercy, 
grant us, with all your people, rest and peace.

Let us bless The Lord, each other, and all living things that God has created.

Thanks be to God. 



++++

Good Night Family of Love! I love you!

With Love and Blessings,

Sara


Resources Commonly Used



A to Z Quotes
Book of Occasional Services 

Enjoy perusing this site. 

Book of Common Prayer
Enriching our Worship 1 and 2
A New Zealand Prayer Book
Walk With Me On Our Journey
Metis Aboriginal Ministries

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