Good Afternoon Dear Ones !
Happy Self -Care Saturday from the land of the Chumash.We welcome you to our weekly retreat and vigil time. This is necessary at a time such as this. Let us pray for our fragile and broken world and especially those who live in Afghanistan, Haiti, and other nations in danger from political unrest, disease, and wild fires and flood. We remember today our first responders and essential workers who are taking care of us at every level. Happy Feast of St. Augustine of Hippo and the 58th anniversary of the March on Washington. We celebrate also the feast of Moses the Black. Today's quotes are from Martin Luther King Jr. along with those of St. Augustine. So let us begin.
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
"There is no saint without a past, no sinner without a future." ~ Saint Augustine
"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
"To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement." ~ Saint Augustine
"The March on Washington affirmed our values as a people: equality and opportunity for all. Forty-one years ago, during a time of segregation, these were an ideal." ~ Leonard Boswell
"Look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
"The March on Washington affirmed our values as a people: equality and opportunity for all. Forty-one years ago, during a time of segregation, these were an ideal." ~ Leonard Boswell
"Look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Because God has made us for Himself, our hearts are restless until they rest in Him." ~ Saint Augustine
History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
"A Christian is: a mind through which Christ thinks, a heart through which Christ loves, a voice through which Christ speaks, and a hand through which Christ helps." ~ Saint Augustine
"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed; We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal" ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
"What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like." ~ Saint Augustine
"I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit together at the table of brotherhood." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
Saturday- Rejoicing in God’s love
Your steadfast love is wonderful:
therefore I treasure your wisdom.
When your word goes forth
it gives light and understanding to the simple.
I opened my mouth and drew in my breath,
for my delight was in your counsel.
Look upon me and show me kindness,
as is your joy for those who love your name.
Keep my steps steady in your word,
and so shall no wickedness get dominion over me.
Relieve me from the weight of oppression,
and so shall I keep your commandments.
Show the light of your face upon your servant,
and teach me your way.Psalm 119:129–135
For anyone who is in Christ, there is a new creation; the old creation has gone, and now the new one is here. It is all God’s work. It is God who through Christ has won us back and given us a share in this work of reconciliation.2 Corinthians 5:17–18
We give thanks for Being;
We give thanks for being here;
We give thanks for being here together.
A PERSONAL PRAYER - Augustine
O God, the Light of the heart that sees You,
The Life of the soul that loves You,
The Strength of the mind that seeks You:
May I ever continue to be steadfast in Your love.
Be the joy of my heart;
Take all of me to Yourself, and abide therein.
The house of my soul is, I confess, too narrow for You.
Enlarge it that You may enter.
It is ruinous, but do repair it.
It has within it what must offend Your eyes;
I confess and know it,
But whose help shall I seek in cleansing it but Yours alone?
To You, O God, I cry urgently.
Cleanse me from secret faults.
Keep me from false pride and sensuality
That they not get dominion over me.
A PERSONAL INVOCATION- 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 fit me to receive You.
We give you thanks, O God, we give you thanks, calling upon
your Name and declaring all your wonderful deeds. Psalm 75:1
You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but citizens together
with the saints and members of the household of God.
Ephesians 2:19
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 Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed;perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. 2 Corinthians 4:6-10
Jesus said: “If any of you would come after me, deny yourself
and take up your cross and follow me.” Mark 8:34
Christ Jesus, being found in human form, humbled himself and
became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:8
God is Spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and
in truth. John 4:24
Let us light this unity and Ubuntu candle as we celebrate "I Have a Dream" Day !
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.
I LAY BEFORE YOU- Howard Thurman
The concern which I lay bare before You today is:
Whatever disaffection there is between me and those who are or have been very close to me— I would seek the root or cause of such disaffection, and with the illumination of Your mind, O God, to understand it.
I give myself to Your scrutiny that, whatever there may be in me that is responsible for what has happened, I will acknowledge.
Where I have wronged or given offense deliberately or without intention, I seek a face-to-face forgiveness.
What I can undo I am willing to try; what I cannot undo, with that I seek to make my peace.
How to do these things, what techniques to use, with what spirit— for these I need and seek Your wisdom and strength, O God.
Whatever disaffection there is between me and those who are or have been very close to me, I lay bare before You.
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.
87 Fundamenta ejus
1 On the holy mountain stands the city he has founded; *
the Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
2 Glorious things are spoken of you, *
O city of our God.
3 I count Egypt and Babylon among those who know me; *
behold Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia:
in Zion were they born.
4 Of Zion it shall be said, "Everyone was born in her, *
and the Most High himself shall sustain her."
5 The Lord will record as he enrolls the peoples, *
"These also were born there."
6 The singers and the dancers will say, *
"All my fresh springs are in you."
Hebrews 12:22-29
22But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23and to the assembly* of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25 See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking; for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven! 26At that time his voice shook the earth; but now he has promised, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.’ 27This phrase ‘Yet once more’ indicates the removal of what is shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; 29for indeed our God is a consuming fire.
John 14:5-15
5Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ 6Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you know me, you will know* my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’
8 Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’ 9Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? 10Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. 12Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If in my name you ask me* for anything, I will do it.
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
15 ‘If you love me, you will keep* my commandments.
"I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit together at the table of brotherhood." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
"God provides the wind, Man must raise the sail." ~ Saint Augustine
"Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
"God of our life, there are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and weigh us down; when the road seems dreary and endless, the skies gray and threatening; when our lives have no music in them, and our hearts are lonely, and our souls have lost their courage. Flood the path with light, run our eyes to where the skies are full of promise; tune our hearts to brave music; give us the sense of comradeship with heroes and saints of every age; and so quicken our spirits that we may be able to encourage the souls of all who journey with us on the road of life, to your honor and glory." ~ Saint Augustine
"And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!" ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
"And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!" ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Do not be afraid to throw yourself on the Lord! He will not draw back and let you fall! Put your worries aside and throw yourself on him; He will welcome you and heal you." ~ Saint Augustine
Let us be those creative dissenters who will call our beloved nation to a higher destiny. To a new plateau of compassion, to a more noble expression of humanness.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
"God loves each of us as if there were only one of us." ~ Saint Augustine
Join with the Earth and each other, to bring new life to the land, to restore the waters, to refresh the air, to renew the forests, to care for the plants, to protect the creatures, to celebrate the seas, to rejoice in the sunlight, to sing the song of the stars, to recall our destiny, to renew our spirits, to reinvigorate our bodies, to recreate the human community, to promote justice and peace, to love our children and love one another, to join together as many and diverse expressions of one loving mystery, for the healing of the Earth and the renewal of all life.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
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"Truth is not private property." ~ Saint Augustine
Let us add our Metta Prayer!
Lovingkindness (Metta) Prayer
May "all beings" be happy, healthy and whole.
May they have love, warmth and affection.
May they be protected from harm, and free from fear.
May they be alive, engaged and joyful.
May "all beings" enjoy inner peace and ease.
May that peace expand into their world and throughout the entire universe.
This prayer is traditionally done for successively wider circles of caring, with “all beings”replaced appropriately. The first round would be for yourself, then those closest to you, then those who you feel neutral toward, then those with whom you have difficulties, and continuing outward until it includes all beings.
Let us begin with our new mindfulness passages:
Let us breathe in peace.
Let us breathe out worry.
Be still and hear the whisper of God in the Wind, in the waves, and in our hearts
Be still and hear the whisper of God in the Wind,in the waves.
Be still and hear the whisper of God in the Wind.
Be still and hear the whisper of God.
Be still and hear the whisper.
Be still and hear.
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.
Now let us continue with the Daily Examen.
And this prayer from The Arusha Call To Discipleship
Loving God, we thank you for the gift of life in all its diversity and beauty. Lord Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, we praise you that you came to find the lost, to free the oppressed, to heal the sick, and to convert the self-centred. Holy Spirit, we rejoice that you breathe in the life of the world and are poured out into our hearts. As we live in the Spirit, may we also walk in the Spirit. Grant us faith and courage to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus: becoming pilgrims of justice and peace in our time. For the blessing of your people, the sustaining of the earth, and the glory of your name. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.
Loving God, we thank you for the gift of life in all its diversity and beauty. Lord Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, we praise you that you came to find the lost, to free the oppressed, to heal the sick, and to convert the self-centred. Holy Spirit, we rejoice that you breathe in the life of the world and are poured out into our hearts. As we live in the Spirit, may we also walk in the Spirit. Grant us faith and courage to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus: becoming pilgrims of justice and peace in our time. For the blessing of your people, the sustaining of the earth, and the glory of your name. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.
This is a version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced.
1. Become aware of God’s presence.
This is the time when we become aware of our breathing and grounding ourselves. Let us use the "Peace be stills".
Inhale
Hold
Exhale gently.
Pause and repeat!
Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.
Repeat two more times.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
5. Look toward tomorrow.
__
More help from Ignatian Spirituality
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Come let us worship.
Saturday Calls to Worship from A New Zealand Prayer Book
The time has come for the judgment to begin;
it is beginning with God’s own household.
it is beginning with God’s own household.
So far you have faced no trial beyond what you can bear.
God keeps faith, and will not allow you
to be tempted beyond your power.
When the test comes,
God will at the same time provide a way out,
enabling us to endure it.
Saturday- Rejoicing in God’s love
Your steadfast love is wonderful:
therefore I treasure your wisdom.
When your word goes forth
it gives light and understanding to the simple.
I opened my mouth and drew in my breath,
for my delight was in your counsel.
Look upon me and show me kindness,
as is your joy for those who love your name.
Keep my steps steady in your word,
and so shall no wickedness get dominion over me.
Relieve me from the weight of oppression,
and so shall I keep your commandments.
Show the light of your face upon your servant,
and teach me your way.Psalm 119:129–135
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience, forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.Colossians 3:12–15
Finally, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.Philippians 4:8
For anyone who is in Christ, there is a new creation; the old creation has gone, and now the new one is here. It is all God’s work. It is God who through Christ has won us back and given us a share in this work of reconciliation.2 Corinthians 5:17–18
"O Lord my God,
tell me what you are to me.
Say to my soul,
I am your salvation.
Say it so that I can hear it.
My heart is listening, Lord;
open the ears of my heart
and say to my soul,
I am your salvation.
Let me run toward this voice
and seize hold of you.
Do not hide your face from me:
let me die so that I may see it,
for not to see it would be death to me indeed." ~ Saint Augustine
tell me what you are to me.
Say to my soul,
I am your salvation.
Say it so that I can hear it.
My heart is listening, Lord;
open the ears of my heart
and say to my soul,
I am your salvation.
Let me run toward this voice
and seize hold of you.
Do not hide your face from me:
let me die so that I may see it,
for not to see it would be death to me indeed." ~ Saint Augustine
Joseph Barth: A Grace
We give thanks for Being;
We give thanks for being here;
We give thanks for being here together.
A PERSONAL PRAYER - Augustine
O God, the Light of the heart that sees You,
The Life of the soul that loves You,
The Strength of the mind that seeks You:
May I ever continue to be steadfast in Your love.
Be the joy of my heart;
Take all of me to Yourself, and abide therein.
The house of my soul is, I confess, too narrow for You.
Enlarge it that You may enter.
It is ruinous, but do repair it.
It has within it what must offend Your eyes;
I confess and know it,
But whose help shall I seek in cleansing it but Yours alone?
To You, O God, I cry urgently.
Cleanse me from secret faults.
Keep me from false pride and sensuality
That they not get dominion over me.
A PERSONAL INVOCATION- 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 fit me to receive You.
We give you thanks, O God, we give you thanks, calling upon
your Name and declaring all your wonderful deeds. Psalm 75:1
You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but citizens together
with the saints and members of the household of God.
Ephesians 2:19
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 Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed;perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. 2 Corinthians 4:6-10
Jesus said: “If any of you would come after me, deny yourself
and take up your cross and follow me.” Mark 8:34
Christ Jesus, being found in human form, humbled himself and
became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:8
God is Spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and
in truth. John 4:24
Let us meditate upon Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream Speech August 28, 1963
In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen +
Let us light this unity and Ubuntu candle as we celebrate "I Have a Dream" Day !
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.
I LAY BEFORE YOU- Howard Thurman
The concern which I lay bare before You today is:
Whatever disaffection there is between me and those who are or have been very close to me— I would seek the root or cause of such disaffection, and with the illumination of Your mind, O God, to understand it.
I give myself to Your scrutiny that, whatever there may be in me that is responsible for what has happened, I will acknowledge.
Where I have wronged or given offense deliberately or without intention, I seek a face-to-face forgiveness.
What I can undo I am willing to try; what I cannot undo, with that I seek to make my peace.
How to do these things, what techniques to use, with what spirit— for these I need and seek Your wisdom and strength, O God.
Whatever disaffection there is between me and those who are or have been very close to me, I lay bare before You.
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.
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
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.
We must dissent from the indifference. We must dissent from the apathy. We must dissent from the fear, the hatred and the mistrust. We must dissent from a nation that has buried its head in the sand, waiting in vain for the needs of its poor, its elderly, and its sick to disappear and just blow away. We must dissent from a government that has left its young without jobs, education or hope. We must dissent from the poverty of vision and the absence of moral leadership. We must dissent because America can do better, because America has no choice but to do better." - Thurgood Marshall
O God our shield and armor of light, whom we adore with all the angelic host: defend us from evil; watch over any who are in danger this night and give your angels charge over them; and grant that we may always rejoice in your heavenly protection and serve you bravely in the world; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
87 Fundamenta ejus
1 On the holy mountain stands the city he has founded; *
the Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
2 Glorious things are spoken of you, *
O city of our God.
3 I count Egypt and Babylon among those who know me; *
behold Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia:
in Zion were they born.
4 Of Zion it shall be said, "Everyone was born in her, *
and the Most High himself shall sustain her."
5 The Lord will record as he enrolls the peoples, *
"These also were born there."
6 The singers and the dancers will say, *
"All my fresh springs are in you."
1 Thessalonians 4:9-12
9 Now concerning love of the brothers and sisters,* you do not need to have anyone write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another; 10and indeed you do love all the brothers and sisters* throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, beloved,* to do so more and more, 11to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we directed you, 12so that you may behave properly towards outsiders and be dependent on no one.
A Song of Pilgrimage Priusquam errarem
Ecclesiasticus 51:13-16,20b-22
Before I ventured forth,
even while I was very young, *
I sought wisdom openly in my prayer.
In the forecourts of the temple I asked for her, *
and I will seek her to the end.
From first blossom to early fruit, *
she has been the delight of my heart.
My foot has kept firmly to the true path, *
diligently from my youth have I pursued her.
I inclined my ear a little and received her; *
I found for myself much wisdom and became adept in her.
To the one who gives me wisdom will I give glory, *
for I have resolved to live according to her way.
From the beginning I gained courage from her, *
therefore I will not be forsaken.
In my inmost being I have been stirred to seek her, *
therefore have I gained a good possession.
As my reward the Almighty has given me the gift of language,*
and with it will I offer praise to God.
Hebrews 12:22-29
22But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23and to the assembly* of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25 See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking; for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven! 26At that time his voice shook the earth; but now he has promised, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.’ 27This phrase ‘Yet once more’ indicates the removal of what is shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; 29for indeed our God is a consuming fire.
A Song of True Motherhood
Julian of Norwich
God chose to be our mother in all things *
and so made the foundation of his work,
most humbly and most pure, in the Virgin’s womb.
God, the perfect wisdom of all, *
arrayed himself in this humble place.
Christ came in our poor flesh *
to share a mother’s care.
Our mothers bear us for pain and for death; *
our true mother, Jesus, bears us for joy and endless life.
Christ carried us within him in love and travail, *
until the full time of his passion.
And when all was completed and he had carried us so for joy, *
still all this could not satisfy the power of his wonderful love.
All that we owe is redeemed in truly loving God, *
for the love of Christ works in us;
Christ is the one whom we love.
John 14:5-15
5Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ 6Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you know me, you will know* my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’
8 Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’ 9Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? 10Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. 12Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If in my name you ask me* for anything, I will do it.
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
15 ‘If you love me, you will keep* my commandments.
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.
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.
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!
Lord God, the light of the minds that know you, the life of the souls that love you, and the strength of the hearts that serve you: Help us, following the example of your servant, Augustine of Hippo, so to know you that we may truly love you, and so to love you that we may fully serve you, whose service is perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Almighty God, whose blessed Son guides our footsteps in the way of peace: Deliver us from paths of hatred and violence, that we, following the example of your servant Moses, may serve you with singleness of heart and attain to the tranquility of the world to come; 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.
O God, by your Holy Spirit you give to some the word of wisdom, to others the word of knowledge, and to others the word of faith: We praise your Name for the gifts of grace manifested in your servant Augustine and we pray that your Church may never be destitute of such gifts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Almighty God, you have revealed to your Church your eternal Being of glorious majesty and perfect love as one God in Trinity of Persons: Give us grace to continue steadfast in the confession of this faith, and constant in our worship of you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; for you live and reign, one God, now and for ever. Amen
O God, you led your holy apostles to ordain ministers in every place: Grant that your Church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, may choose suitable persons for the ministry of Word and Sacrament, and may uphold them in their work for the extension of your kingdom; through him who is the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Prayer to St. Moses (From the Brotherhood of Moses the Black)
You forsook temporal riches, earthly fame, and fleshly pleasure and freely chose a life of poverty and deprivation to become rich in spirit. Having tasted the momentary sweetness of sin, you foresaw the bitter end that awaits a life of self-indulgence. Having stained your hands with the blood of your brother, you foretasted the anguish of hell. From this pit, you cried out to God Who raised you up as a testimony of His almighty power. In your ascent to near the Living God you did not spare yourself but willfully endured a life of hardship and struggle. By following the path of the Cross, your soul was empowered by the might of the Holy Spirit, your mind was illumined with the understanding of things divine, and your heart was filled with the burning love of God for thy fellow man. And though you lived in ancient times and in a distant land, today we find ourselves faced with the same struggle to overcome the evil that lies within us. In these perilous times, we call on your prayers—help us! For our brothers and sisters are dying daily and our children are born hopeless in a world barren of Christian love. Amidst these trials, we waver because our faith is weak and we know not how to endure suffering courageously. Pray that we be strengthened to live uprightly, walking in the light of the holy Gospel, ever seeking to do the will of God. And in the dreadful Day of Judgment, pray that we may be received with His Unoriginate Son, and His most holy and life creating Spirit, to whom belongs all glory, honour and worship, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Almighty God, whose blessed Son guides our footsteps in the way of peace: Deliver us from paths of hatred and violence, that we, following the example of your servant Moses, may serve you with singleness of heart and attain to the tranquility of the world to come; 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.
Lord God, the light of the minds that know you, the life of the souls that love you, and the strength of the hearts that serve you: Help us, following the example of your servant, Augustine of Hippo, so to know you that we may truly love you, and so to love you that we may fully serve you, whose service is perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
O God, you manifest in your servants the signs of your
presence: Send forth upon us the spirit of love, that in
companionship with one another your abounding grace may
increase among us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Social Justice
Almighty God, who created us in your image: Grant us
grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace
with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom,
help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our
communities and among the nations, to the glory of your holy
Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
For Social Service
Heavenly Father, whose blessed Son came not to be served
but to serve: Bless all who, following in his steps, give
themselves to the service of others; that with wisdom,
patience, and courage, they may minister in his Name to the
suffering, the friendless, and the needy; for the love of him
who laid down his life for us, your Son our Savior Jesus
Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A LITANY OF THANKSGIVING - Howard Thurman
In Your presence, O God, we make our Sacrament of Thanksgiving.
We begin with the simple things of our days:
Fresh air to breathe,
Cool water to drink,
The taste of food,
The protection of houses and clothes,
The comforts of home.
For all these we make an act of Thanksgiving this day!
We bring to mind all the warmth of humankind that we have known:
Our mothers’ arms,
The strength of our fathers,
The playmates of our childhood,
The wonderful stories brought to us from the lives of many who
talked of days gone by when fairies and giants and diverse kinds
of magic held sway;
The tears we have shed, the tears we have seen;
The excitement of laughter and the twinkle in the eye with
its reminder that life is good.
For all these we make an act of Thanksgiving this day.
A Prayer attributed to St. Francis
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is
hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where
there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where
there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where
there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to
be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is
in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we
are born to eternal life. Amen.
Teresa of Avila (1515–1582)
Christ Has No Body
Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
OUR HEARTS ARE RESTLESS -Augustine
Everlasting God, in whom we live and move and have our being: You have made us for Yourself, and hearts are restless until they rest in You.
The blessing of God, the eternal goodwill of God, the shalom of God, the wildness and the warmth of God, be among us and between us, now and always.
You forsook temporal riches, earthly fame, and fleshly pleasure and freely chose a life of poverty and deprivation to become rich in spirit. Having tasted the momentary sweetness of sin, you foresaw the bitter end that awaits a life of self-indulgence. Having stained your hands with the blood of your brother, you foretasted the anguish of hell. From this pit, you cried out to God Who raised you up as a testimony of His almighty power. In your ascent to near the Living God you did not spare yourself but willfully endured a life of hardship and struggle. By following the path of the Cross, your soul was empowered by the might of the Holy Spirit, your mind was illumined with the understanding of things divine, and your heart was filled with the burning love of God for thy fellow man. And though you lived in ancient times and in a distant land, today we find ourselves faced with the same struggle to overcome the evil that lies within us. In these perilous times, we call on your prayers—help us! For our brothers and sisters are dying daily and our children are born hopeless in a world barren of Christian love. Amidst these trials, we waver because our faith is weak and we know not how to endure suffering courageously. Pray that we be strengthened to live uprightly, walking in the light of the holy Gospel, ever seeking to do the will of God. And in the dreadful Day of Judgment, pray that we may be received with His Unoriginate Son, and His most holy and life creating Spirit, to whom belongs all glory, honour and worship, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Almighty God, whose blessed Son guides our footsteps in the way of peace: Deliver us from paths of hatred and violence, that we, following the example of your servant Moses, may serve you with singleness of heart and attain to the tranquility of the world to come; 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.
Lord God, the light of the minds that know you, the life of the souls that love you, and the strength of the hearts that serve you: Help us, following the example of your servant, Augustine of Hippo, so to know you that we may truly love you, and so to love you that we may fully serve you, whose service is perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
O God, you manifest in your servants the signs of your
presence: Send forth upon us the spirit of love, that in
companionship with one another your abounding grace may
increase among us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Social Justice
Almighty God, who created us in your image: Grant us
grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace
with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom,
help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our
communities and among the nations, to the glory of your holy
Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
For Social Service
Heavenly Father, whose blessed Son came not to be served
but to serve: Bless all who, following in his steps, give
themselves to the service of others; that with wisdom,
patience, and courage, they may minister in his Name to the
suffering, the friendless, and the needy; for the love of him
who laid down his life for us, your Son our Savior Jesus
Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A LITANY OF THANKSGIVING - Howard Thurman
In Your presence, O God, we make our Sacrament of Thanksgiving.
We begin with the simple things of our days:
Fresh air to breathe,
Cool water to drink,
The taste of food,
The protection of houses and clothes,
The comforts of home.
For all these we make an act of Thanksgiving this day!
We bring to mind all the warmth of humankind that we have known:
Our mothers’ arms,
The strength of our fathers,
The playmates of our childhood,
The wonderful stories brought to us from the lives of many who
talked of days gone by when fairies and giants and diverse kinds
of magic held sway;
The tears we have shed, the tears we have seen;
The excitement of laughter and the twinkle in the eye with
its reminder that life is good.
For all these we make an act of Thanksgiving this day.
A Prayer attributed to St. Francis
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is
hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where
there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where
there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where
there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to
be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is
in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we
are born to eternal life. Amen.
Teresa of Avila (1515–1582)
Christ Has No Body
Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
As it is the anniversary of the "I Have a Dream Speech" Let us pray this special Canon from the Brotherhood of Moses the Black
Canon for Racial Reconciliation
Glory to God for all the flowers in His garden
Tone 2
Ode I
Irmos: In the deep of old, the infinite power overwhelmed Pharaoh’s whole army, but the incarnate Word annihilated pernicious sin, exceedingly glorious is the Lord, for gloriously hath He been glorified.
Glory to God for all the flowers in His garden
Because “the Stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner”, the disparate races are conjoined again. (Ps 118:22)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Even as Christ commanded us to love the Lord thy God “with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength”, so He also called us to “love thy neighbor as thyself” (Mark 12:30), (Mark 12:31).
Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
The sum of humanity’s reconciliation to God is voiced in one acclamation. Theotokos. She who bears God.
Ode III
Irmos: By establishing me on the rock of faith, Thou hast enlarged my mouth over my enemies, and my spirit rejoices when I sing: There is none holy as our God, and none righteous beside Thee, O Lord.
Glory to God for all the flowers in His garden
Putting behind the Noahic curse (Gen 9:26), we press “toward the mark for the prize of high calling of God in Christ Jesus”, by seeing the mark of God upon each face. (Phil 4:14)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Splintered by callous condemnation, Noah’s sons split the races in three. But the blood of the Second person of the Trinity filled the divide, restoring a common humanity in Christ.
Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
The Theotokos not only joined man to God but also began the process of reconciling man to man and race to race.
Sedalion, tone 4
O Lord, when You close all the loftily divisive and distracting worldly windows, bring us to the doors of repentance.
By the left door of remorse, let us bring our hearts, broken and humbled. By the right door of resolve, let us bring our minds wholly redirected by your Holy Spirit to the throne of Christ.
Bring us to that table where all may find a place.
For all the races of humanity can be found in your garden, where each of us is one of your beloved flowers.
Ode IV
Irmos: From a Virgin didst Thou come, not as an ambassador nor as an angel, but the very Lord himself incarnate, and didst save me the whole man. Wherefore I cry to Thee: Glory to Thy power O Lord.
Glory to God for all the flowers in His garden
Putting behind the pain of his brother’s murder, St Dionysius applied the fruit of familial repentance. He applied the forgiving balm of Christ to the repentant soul of his brother’s murderer. He gave him the sacrament of absolution after the man sincerely confessed his sins.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The three Hypostases, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, regard the heart, not the might nor the melanin. Alas I will trust in Him Who has made all things, sees all things, hears all things and feels all things, great and small.
Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
O compassionately loving Mary, full of grace and mercy, teach us to love one another, even if love is not initially returned.
Ode V
Irmos: Thou who are the light of those lying in darkness, and the salvation of the despairing, O Christ my Savior, I rise early to pray to Thee, O King of Peace. Enlighten me with Thy radiance, for I know no other God beside Thee.
Glory to God for all the flowers in His garden
Putting behind the mark of Cain, we strive to see past our neighbor’s specks and concentrate on our own remarkably large beams of sin that need unceasing prayer.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The consubstantial Trinity in God glorified seeks the restoration by adoption of all mankind. Yet all must come to the throne of grace by free will. How wonderful is our God.
Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Sweet Mother of the Merciful God, your raiment has threads from the four corners of the earth. All generations bless you.
Ode VI
Irmos: Whirled about in the abyss of sin, I appeal to the unfathomable abyss of Thy compassion: from corruption raise me up, O God.
Glory to God for all the flowers in His garden
Putting behind the memories of being sold into slavery, Joseph acknowledged that it was God and not his apologetic brothers who “did send me before you to preserve life” (Gen 45:5). So also let us acknowledge the fulfillment of God’s ineffable will.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one in essence and undivided. Man, though created, has been granted everlasting salvation by partaking of the body and blood of Christ. Thus, is man reunited to God and to man.
Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Rejoice O Virgin, for He who made thy womb more spacious than the Heavens, has come to reconcile Man to God and Man to Man.
Kontakion, tone 4
For the weak, let us share strength. For the strong in Christ, let us forego condemnation. For the strong can bear the infirmities of weak in Christ; through Him all things can be done, for the Trinity alone is Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal.
Ode VII
Irmos: When the golden image was worshipped in the plain of Dura, thy three children despised the godless order, thrown into the fire, they were bedewed and sang: blessed art Thou, O God of our fathers.
Glory to God for all the flowers in His garden
As all races may build the bridge of reconciliation through a sharing of the fruits of repentance, so relationship is reformed. While the Prodigal Son can give the fruit of humility, the Big Brother can give the fruit of patience and forgiveness.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Putting behind the cries of betrayal, Christ carried forward his cross. By love and obedience, not by nails, did He remain on the cross, trampling death by death.
Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Putting behind the crucifying cries, the Holy Virgin endured pain worse than the travail of birth. By love, she gave birth to love. By faith, she went from strength to strength. By hope, she watched the Light of Light, slip into Hades and then soar back to the Heavens.
Ode VIII
Irmos: O ye works, praise the Lord God, who descended into the fiery furnace with the Hebrew children and changed the flame into dew, and supremely exalt Him unto all ages.
Glory to God for all the flowers in His garden
Putting behind the memories of Israel, Daniel kept his sight on God, though he was a stranger in a strange land.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Even as repentance is more than being sorry, so racial reconciliation is more than having the oppressor offer an apology. The fruit of repentance may vary in form and fashion. The Prophet David would offer a psalm. St Zaccheus would offer a four fold restoration. St John Maximovitch would offer his fasting and an orphanage. St Menas would offer his martyr’s blood. St Luke would offer his icons and healing counsel. St Herman would leave familiar surroundings and bring Orthodoxy to America. St Thais would offer her thankful, heartfelt and tearful prayers. St Moses would offer his humble bag of spilling sand.
Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
O Joy of All Who Sorrow, sanctify us by your intercession before your Son and our Saviour. For He, who sat upon your arm, is strong and mighty, True God of True God. Help us to reunite together in love, patient co-suffering and unspeakable joy.
Ode IX
Irmos: God the Word, who came forth from God, and who by ineffable wisdom came to renew Adam after his grievous fall to corruption through eating, and who ineffably took flesh from the Holy Virgin for our sake, Him do we the faithful with one accord magnify with hymns.
Glory to God for all the flowers in His garden
Putting behind the sorrow of racial division, let us see the good and commonality of one another in Christ. For the garment of gladness is the same.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Let God be glorified from above and from united voices below. Let those with much share so there would be none with little. Let the daily loaves that the Lord sends be split generously, so that the races will no longer be prone to splitting.
Both now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Yea, Holy Mother, Awesome Reconciler who cannot be put to shame, help us to heal our wounds of race, class, gender and nationality with the binding balm of the all-embracing Christ, who shall come again with glory, and whose manifold united kingdom will have no end.
Dismissal
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
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.
Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine: Glory to God from generation to
generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever.
Amen. Ephesians 3:20,21
St. Augustine's Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy. Amen.
OUR HEARTS ARE RESTLESS -Augustine
Everlasting God, in whom we live and move and have our being: You have made us for Yourself, and hearts are restless until they rest in You.
The blessing of God, the eternal goodwill of God, the shalom of God, the wildness and the warmth of God, be among us and between us, now and always.
Good Night Beloved Ones! Let us intently listen to God and what God is calling us to do and to be. I love you. May you all have a blessed and restful night.
Love and blessings!
Sara
Resources:
A New Zealand Prayer Book
Book of Common Prayer
Enriching Our Worship
Satucket for lessons and Biographies of our Saints of the Day Moses the Black and Augustine of Hippo
Walk With Me On Our Journey.
Metis Aboriginal Ministries
In Lak 'Ech- Luis Valdez
Other resources as noted.
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