Friday, October 8, 2021

Follow Friday: Meditating on 4 R's Repairer, Restoration, Repentance, and Reconciliation as our new word study!

  


Good Evening Dear Ones!

Happy Follow Friday! Today as we approach Indigenous Peoples Day, I'm struck by the following words: Repairer, Restoration, Repentance, and Reconciliation. They are so important to think about during these times. What do these words mean to you? Please take time to meditate upon these 4 words this weekend. Here is our word study format:

Write the word.

What is the part of speech?

What is the etymology?

What are the synonyms?

Write word in a sentence?

Look up the words from two secondary sources.

If you want look them up in a biblical concordance or topical bible please do so.

Let us meditate on the word restoration tonight!

"Where do we even start on the daily walk of restoration and awakening? We start where we are." ~ Anne Lamott

"When we learn from experience, the scars of sin can lead us to restoration and a renewed intimacy with God." ~ Charles Stanley

"Christ is building His kingdom with earth's broken things. Men want only the strong, the successful, the victorious, the unbroken, in building their kingdoms; but God is the God of the unsuccessful, of those who have failed. Heaven is filling with earth's broken lives, and there is no bruised reed that Christ cannot take and restore to glorious blessedness and beauty. He can take the life crushed by pain or sorrow and make it into a harp whose music shall be all praise. He can lift earth's saddest failure up to heaven's glory." ~ J.R. Miller

"The work of community, love, reconciliation, restoration is the work we cannot leave up to politicians. This is the work we are all called to do." ~ Shane Claiborne

"Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort me and restore me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger." ~ Saint Patrick

"The main theme of the Bible is the restoration of humanity and, through humanity, of the whole of creation to its original harmony." ~ Bede Griffiths

"Hate brings me to my knees, love gets me on my feet." ~ Andre Agassi

"Love is an undulating energy that moves through you, within you, and radiates out of you, and changes everything." ~ Bartholomaus

"When you're feeling unwell, remember that the same power that actually made your body knows how to restore it to its original state of well-being. All you have to do is remove the obstacles erected by you and your toxic world, and allow this healing power to flow through you." ~ Wayne Dyer

"Something is profoundly wrong and we are desperate for justice, for restoration and for somebody somewhere to do something about this." ~ Rob Bell

"The restoration of the church must surely depend on a new kind of monasticism, which has nothing in common with the old but a life of uncompromising discipleship, following Christ according to the sermon on the mount.  I believe the time has come to gather people together to do this." ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"The restoration of spinning to its central place in India's peaceful campaign for deliverance from the imperial yoke gives her women a special status." ~ Mahatma Gandhi

"The restoration of free speech, free association and free press is almost the whole Swaraj." ~ Mahatma Gandhi

"For me, Art is the restoration of order. It may discuss all sort of terrible things, but there must be satisfaction at the end. A little bit of hunger, but also satisfaction." ~ Toni Morrison

"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite." ~ Nelson Mandela

++++

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.

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.

Now let us continue with the Daily Examen.


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

Consciousness Examen

Reflections on the Examen

Examen Prayer Card

Ecological Examen




 A Litany for Peace - Thich Nhat Hanh

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.
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

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


Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down
righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation may spring up,
and let it cause righteousness to sprout up also. Isaiah 45:8, NRSV

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


If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has
passed away; see, everything has become new! 2 Corinthians 5:17,
NRSV



Because in thy loving kindness, thou hast brought the whole creation into being and blessed its goodness.

++++

Let us remember these scripture verses about restoration: When there is a boldface scripture reference ti means there is more to read. Please look the verses up for more information. 

Luke 4:38-39

Then He got up and left the synagogue, and entered Simon’s home. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Him to help her. And standing over her, He rebuked the fever, and it left her; and she immediately got up and waited on them.

Luke 8:43-44

And a woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped.

Luke 14:2-4

And there in front of Him was a man suffering from dropsy. And Jesus answered and spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” But they kept silent. And He took hold of him and healed him, and sent him away.


Luke 7:11-15

Soon afterwards He went to a city called Nain; and His disciples were going along with Him, accompanied by a large crowd. Now as He approached the gate of the city, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a sizeable crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, “Do not weep.”And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise!” The dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother.


John 11:1-44

Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”read more.

Mark 8:22-25

And they *came to Bethsaida. And they *brought a blind man to Jesus and *implored Him to touch him. Taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting on his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?” And he looked up and said, “I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around.”read more.

John 9:1-7

As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.read more.

Mark 7:32-35

They *brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they *implored Him to lay His hand on him. Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He *said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”read more.

Acts 3:21

whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.


Isaiah 11:6-9

And the wolf will dwell with the lamb,

And the leopard will lie down with the young goat,

And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together;

And a little boy will lead them.

Also the cow and the bear will graze,

Their young will lie down together,

And the lion will eat straw like the ox.

The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra,

And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.

read more.


Isaiah 41:17-20

“The afflicted and needy are seeking water, but there is none,

And their tongue is parched with thirst;

I, the Lord, will answer them Myself,

As the God of Israel I will not forsake them.

“I will open rivers on the bare heights

And springs in the midst of the valleys;

I will make the wilderness a pool of water

And the dry land fountains of water.

“I will put the cedar in the wilderness,

The acacia and the myrtle and the olive tree;

I will place the juniper in the desert

Together with the box tree and the cypress,

read more.


Isaiah 55:10-13

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,

And do not return there without watering the earth

And making it bear and sprout,

And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;

It will not return to Me empty,

Without accomplishing what I desire,

And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

“For you will go out with joy

And be led forth with peace;

The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you,

And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

read more.

Revelation 21:1-4

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,read more.

Revelation 22:1-5

Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him;read more.

Psalm 14:7

Verse Concepts

Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!

When the Lord restores His captive people,

Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad.


Psalm 69:35-36

For God will save Zion and build the cities of Judah,

That they may dwell there and possess it.

The descendants of His servants will inherit it,

And those who love His name will dwell in it.


Isaiah 41:13

“For I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand,

Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’


Isaiah 51:1-6

“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,

Who seek the Lord:

Look to the rock from which you were hewn

And to the quarry from which you were dug.

“Look to Abraham your father

And to Sarah who gave birth to you in pain;

When he was but one I called him,

Then I blessed him and multiplied him.”

Indeed, the Lord will comfort Zion;

He will comfort all her waste places.

And her wilderness He will make like Eden,

And her desert like the garden of the Lord;

Joy and gladness will be found in her,

Thanksgiving and sound of a melody.

read more.


Jeremiah 30:18-22

“Thus says the Lord,

‘Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob

And have compassion on his dwelling places;

And the city will be rebuilt on its ruin,

And the palace will stand on its rightful place.

‘From them will proceed thanksgiving

And the voice of those who celebrate;

And I will multiply them and they will not be diminished;

I will also honor them and they will not be insignificant.

‘Their children also will be as formerly,

And their congregation shall be established before Me;

And I will punish all their oppressors.

read more.


Ezekiel 36:8-12

But you, O mountains of Israel, you will put forth your branches and bear your fruit for My people Israel; for they will soon come. For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you will be cultivated and sown. I will multiply men on you, all the house of Israel, all of it; and the cities will be inhabited and the waste places will be rebuilt.read more.

Amos 9:13-15

“Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord,

“When the plowman will overtake the reaper

And the treader of grapes him who sows seed;

When the mountains will drip sweet wine

And all the hills will be dissolved.

“Also I will restore the captivity of My people Israel,

And they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them;

They will also plant vineyards and drink their wine,

And make gardens and eat their fruit.

“I will also plant them on their land,

And they will not again be rooted out from their land

Which I have given them,”

Says the Lord your God.


Romans 11:25-27

For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written,

“The Deliverer will come from Zion,

He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.”

“This is My covenant with them,

When I take away their sins.”

Genesis 40:13

within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office; and you will put Pharaoh’s cup into his hand according to your former custom when you were his cupbearer.


Job 8:6

If you are pure and upright,

Surely now He would rouse Himself for you

And restore your righteous estate.


Deuteronomy 30:3

then the Lord your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you.


Ezekiel 16:53

“Nevertheless, I will restore their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, and along with them your own captivity,


2 Chronicles 24:4

Now it came about after this that Joash decided to restore the house of the Lord.


Ezra 5:9

Then we asked those elders and said to them thus, ‘Who issued you a decree to rebuild this temple and to finish this structure?’


2 Samuel 8:3

Then David defeated Hadadezer, the son of Rehob king of Zobah, as he went to restore his rule at the River.



Jeremiah 49:6

“But afterward I will restore

The fortunes of the sons of Ammon,”

Declares the Lord.


Jeremiah 3:22

“Return, O faithless sons,

I will heal your faithlessness.”

“Behold, we come to You;

For You are the Lord our God.


Hosea 14:4

I will heal their apostasy,

I will love them freely,

For My anger has turned away from them.


Micah 7:19

He will again have compassion on us;

He will tread our iniquities under foot.

Yes, You will cast all their sins

Into the depths of the sea.


Isaiah 57:18

“I have seen his ways, but I will heal him;

I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners,


Jeremiah 30:17

‘For I will restore you to health

And I will heal you of your wounds,’ declares the Lord,

‘Because they have called you an outcast, saying:

“It is Zion; no one cares for her.”’


More verses: Psalm 51:12

Restoration » Of all things

Revelation 21:1-5

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, read more.

Acts 3:21

whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.


Restoration After Backsliding

Joel 2:12-13

“Yet even now,” declares the Lord,

“Return to Me with all your heart,

And with fasting, weeping and mourning;


Restoration Of All Things

Acts 3:21

whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.


Time Of Restoration

Acts 3:21

whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.


Because by the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ you have reconciled all things to yourself, not counting our sins against us and renewing our hearts to forgive as we have been forgiven.


Somebody’s Hurting My Brother                                             by Yara Allen

Somebody’s hurting my brother
and it’s gone on far too long
Yes, it’s gone on far too long
It’s gone on far too long
I said, somebody’s hurting my brother
and it’s gone on far too long
And we won’t be silent anymore

Somebody’s hurting my sister…

Somebody wants to build that wall…

Somebody’s hurting poor people…

Somebody’s hurting our children…

Somebody’s poisoning the water

Somebody’s ignoring the homeless…

Somebody’s closing our borders…

Somebody’s hurting our families…

A Prayer for Our Time and for the Earth
Dear God, Creator of the earth, this sacred home we share;
Give us new eyes to see the beauty all around and to protect the wonders of creation.
Give us new arms to embrace the strangers among us and to know them as family.
Give us new ears to hear and understand those who live off the land
and to hear and understand those who extract its resources.
Give us new hearts to recognize the brokenness in our communities
and to heal the wounds we have inflicted.
Give us new hands to serve the earth and its people
and to shape beloved community.
For you are the One who seeks the lost,
binds our wounds and sets us free,
and it is in the name of Jesus the Christ we pray.
Amen.

- The Rt. Reverend Carol Gallagher, Cherokee




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.


Let us light our candles and lift up our prayers and let our hearts be filled with and enlivened with Holy Wisdom.




THE LIGHTING OF THE CANDLES -Anonymous

Lest we forget the great traditions of freedom and faith which are the heritage of humanity; lest we forget the pioneers, the statesmen, the bridge builders, the artists; and lest we forget You, the God of our fore bears who is our God also:

We light this candle of remembrance.




For the hope of a better world, in which righteousness and peace shall prevail among the people of the earth, and to create which is the task of the generations in which we stand, as well as for the courage and faith we shall need if we are to carry on this unfinished work:

We light this candle of consecration.




May the flame upon the altar of free faith shine in our hearts al ways, reminding us of the dark places to which we may carry light and strengthening us in every moment of doubt and discouragement with unwavering faith in You whom we serve and whose we are.
+++


God, we light our candles tonight and pray that we may become the loving and welcoming family of Love/God. We pray for our family members who haven't received warm welcomes in their lives, families, places of work, and worship. We pray that we may become kind to all of your children at any time of the day or night. We pray that we may encircle all of humanity with a warm prayer quilt of welcome and Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy. We pray for peace in this fragile and broken world. We pray that we may listen with kind and non judgmental ears as we welcome our new family members who have been strangers to us and now becoming friends. God lead and show us how to be kind, loving, and welcoming in all that we do each and everyday. Help us always to remember that The Light of Christ in Me Recognizes the Light of Christ in you. Amen.

Or

God of All Kindness, we light our candles for all of our family members around the world who do not have access to food, clothing,shelter, clean water, and medical care. We pray for all of our family members who do not have a home to return to either by natural disaster or war and terrorist acts. We pray for all the many aid agencies that are struggling to meet the needs of our family members where resources are scarce. We pray that we may rise up and help them to seek and find solutions to the scarcity of programs and unmet needs. We pray for peace in this fragile and broken world and an end to terror, hatred, bullying and abuse. We pray for each other tonight and as God to heal, help, and console us as we struggle with aspects of daily living. We pray for justice and universal human rights for all. We pray that we may follow Jesus by being CALM(Compassionate, accepting, Loving, and Merciful). May we love one another and shine the light of Christ one to another "The Light of Christ in me Recognizes the Light of Christ in you!" May we all have a restful and blessed rest this night and always.


Book of Common Prayer: Forgive Us, O God

Forgive, O God, those national sins which so easily beset us: our wanton waste of soil and air and water; our desecration of natural beauty; our heedlessness of those who come after us, if only we be served; our lust for money; our contempt for what is small and worship of what is big. For wrongs done to our land, our people, our heritage, and our future, as well as for things left undone, forgive us, O God.

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



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



Dionysius of Alexandria: Peace

Great God, the sacred One-in-All,
Good beyond all that is good,
Fair beyond all that is fair,
In whom are calmness and peace.
Make up the dissensions which divide us from each other.
Bring us back to a unity of love
Which bears some likeness to Your sublime nature.
As You are one amidst and above all events,
Make us one through the unanimity of a sound mind,
That through the embrace of love,
We may be spiritually one,
As well in ourselves as in each other,
By that peace of Yours which makes all things peaceful.

Lancelot Andrewes: Be All To All (Tomorrow's feast day in the Episcopal Church)

We bring before You, O God:
the cries of the weary,
the pains of the distressed,
the tears of the tragedies of life,
the anxious hours of the insecure,
the restlessness of the refugees,
the hunger of the oppressed.
Dear God, be near to each.
Helper of the helpless,
Hope of the homeless,
The Strength of those tossed with tempests,
The Haven of those who sail:
Be all to all.
Be within us, to strengthen us;
without us, to keep us;
above us, to inspire us;
beneath us, to uphold us;
before us, to direct us;
behind us , to propel us;
around us, to sustain us.
Be all to all in present need.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11
3For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
9 What gain have the workers from their toil? 10I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with. 11He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover, he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.


Tonight let us all hold each other up in love and prayer. Fear not! We are with you! Remember the words of the new protest song by Luke Nephew:

Unsettling Force

We’re a new unsettling force

And we are powerful a new unsettling force

And we’re here, we’re a new unsettling force

For liberation and we’ve got nothing to lose but our chains

And we’ve got nothing to lose but our chains.

And we’ve got nothing to lose but our chains.

Psalm 18: Part II Et retribuet mihi

21 The Lord rewarded me because of my righteous dealing; *
because my hands were clean he rewarded me;

22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord *
and have not offended against my God;

23 For all his judgments are before my eyes, *
and his decrees I have not put away from me;

24 For I have been blameless with him *
and have kept myself from iniquity;

25 Therefore the Lord rewarded me according to my
righteous dealing, *
because of the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

26 With the faithful you show yourself faithful, O God; *
with the forthright you show yourself forthright.

27 With the pure you show yourself pure, *
but with the crooked you are wily.

28 You will save a lowly people, *
but you will humble the haughty eyes.

29 You, O Lord, are my lamp; *
my God, you make my darkness bright.

30 With you I will break down an enclosure; *
with the help of my God I will scale any wall.

31 As for God, his ways are perfect;
the words of the Lord are tried in the fire; *
he is a shield to all who trust in him.



Isaiah 61:1-4

61The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and release to the prisoners;
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a garland instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.
4 They shall build up the ancient ruins,
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations.

A Song of Ezekiel
Ezekiel 36:24-28
I will take you from among all nations; *
and gather you from all lands to bring you home.
I will sprinkle clean water upon you; *
and purify you from false gods and uncleanness.
A new heart I will give you *
and a new spirit put within you.
I will take the stone heart from your chest *
and give you a heart of flesh.
I will help you walk in my laws *
and cherish my commandments and do them.
You shall be my people, *
and I will be your God.

Acts 2:41-47

41So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. 42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Life among the Believers

43 Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds* to all, as any had need. 46Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home* and ate their food with glad and generous* hearts, 47praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

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.


Luke 16:19-31

The Rich Man and Lazarus

19 ‘There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham.* The rich man also died and was buried. 23In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side.* 24He called out, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.” 25But Abraham said, “Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. 26Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.” 27He said, “Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house— 28for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.” 29Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.” 30He said, “No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.” 31He said to him, “If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” ’



A Song of Christ’s Goodness

Anselm of Canterbury

Jesus, as a mother you gather your people to you; *
you are gentle with us as a mother with her children.

Often you weep over our sins and our pride, *
tenderly you draw us from hatred and judgment.

You comfort us in sorrow and bind up our wounds, *
in sickness you nurse us and with pure milk you feed us.

Jesus, by your dying, we are born to new life; *
by your anguish and labor we come forth in joy.

Despair turns to hope through your sweet goodness; *
through your gentleness, we find comfort in fear.

Your warmth gives life to the dead, *
your touch makes sinners righteous.

Lord Jesus, in your mercy, heal us; *
in your love and tenderness, remake us.

In your compassion, bring grace and forgiveness, *
for the beauty of heaven, may your love prepare 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.

 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.

Collect for our featured honorees: William Dwight Porter Bliss and Richard Theodore Ely

Blessed God, whose Son Jesus came as servant to all: We thank you for William Bliss and Richard Ely, whose dedication to the commonweal through economic justice led them to be bold reformers of the world and the Church; and we pray that we, with them, may find our true happiness through self-sacrifice in service of your reign, where all the hungry are fed and the downtrodden are raised up through Jesus Christ our Liberator; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Of a Prophetic Witness in the Church

Gracious Father, we pray for your holy Catholic Church. Fill it with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in anything it is amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of Jesus Christ your Son our Savior, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Of a Prophetic Witness in Society

 Almighty God, whose prophets taught us righteousness in the care of your poor: By the guidance of your Holy Spirit, grant that we may do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly in your sight; through Jesus Christ, our Judge and Redeemer, who lives and reigns with you and the same Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

For Labor Day (The lessons for Labor Day May be used instead of today's readings for Bliss and Ely.)

Almighty God, you have so linked our lives one with another that all we do affects, for good or ill, all other lives: So guide us in the work we do, that we may do it not for self alone, but for the common good; and, as we seek a proper return for our own labor, make us mindful of the rightful aspirations of other workers, and arouse our concern for those who are out of work; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Rogation Days II: For Commerce and Industry

Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ in his earthly life shared our toil and hallowed our labor: Be present with your people where they work; make those who carry on the industries and commerce of this land responsive to your will; and give to us all a pride in what we do, and a just return for our labor; 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.

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 the Human Family
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which
infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us
unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and races may serve you in
harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.(BCP)

A time to take note and pray.

God we pray that as we approach the up coming holidays may we ever be mindful of the least of these and those who are struggling emotionally.

God we pray that this season may be a time of we not me. May we place ourselves in the role  of being servants  where we may be of service to others.

God we pray that we may take our time and slow down and watch and pray with you.

God we offer our prayers for our family members who are in need of healing and comfort remembering especially______________

God we  pray for  peace int your fragile and broken world.

God give us the gentle tap on the shoulder and show us where we are called to go and be.  Fix our steps on firm ground.

God we pray for all of our family members wherever they may be that they may be protected and kept out of harms way.

God give us courage and the absence of fear  to speak truth to power and let justice roll down.

God we pray for All Saints and All Souls that  we may live by their example and be courageous people of faith.

God we pray for________________

God accept our prayers and those on behalf of others in the name of your only son, Jesus. Amen

The Song of Simeon Nunc dimittis
Luke 2:29-32
Lord, you now have set your servant free *
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations, *
and the glory of your people Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

The Wisdom of God
the Love of God
and the Grace of God
strengthen you
to be Christ’s hands and heart in this world,
in the name of the Holy Trinity. Amen.
(source: Celtic)

Live without fear: your Creator has made you holy, has always
protected you, and loves you as a mother. Go in peace to follow
the good road and may God’s blessing be with you always. Amen.

(source: from Saint Clare)


May the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our
Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of
the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you
may do his will, working in you that which is pleasing in his
sight; through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and
ever.    Hebrews 13:20-21


Good Night Dear Ones! Enjoy your work this weekend. Sending you love and blessings from the ancestral land of the Chumash. 

Peace and all Good.
Sara

Resources:
Satucket for Lessons 
Book of Common Prayer
Enriching Our Worship
Quote sites for prayers
Metis Aboriginal Ministries.
Walk With Me On Our Journey
In Lak' Ech Luis Valdez
A New Zealand Prayer Book
A to Z quotes 


No comments:

Post a Comment