Dear Beloved Ones!
Happy 4th Sunday of Advent from the land of the Chumash.I'm sending you Peace, Love, Hope, and Joy (Remember these words don't have to be in liturgical order like the Advent Candles)! I hope all is well and that you are ready to ponder today's #AdventWord #blessed and enter into today's #OAntiphon #ORadixJesse.Let us meditate for the next 24 hours on the #AdventWord #Blessed. Let us reflect on its meaning both personally and corporately. Let us begin our time together with our mindfulness work.
So let us begin.
Inhale.
Hold.
Exhale.
Pause.
Peace be still
Peace be.
Peace.
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Inhale.
Hold.
Exhale.
Pause.
Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Inhale.
Hold.
Exhale.
Pause.
Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Inhale.
Hold.
Exhale.
Pause.
Today's #AdventWord is #blessed Let us meditate on this word.
Celtic Advent Calendar from Contemplative Cottage
December 19 The “O” Antiphons: Root of Jesse (Isa 11:10) Write memories of God’s faithfulness in your life on paper ornaments & hang them on the tree
Come let us worship with these opening sentences of the Great O Antiphons!
December 19
O Root of Jesse’s stem,
sign of God’s love for all his people:
come to save us without delay!
We will pray and add one each day.
O Root of Jesse, which standest for an ensign of the people, at whom kings shall stop their mouths, whom the Gentiles shall seek: Come and deliver us, and tarry not.
O Radix Jesse
Veni, Veni Emmanuel
We will be singing and praying with Veni Emannuel each of the days of the Great O Antiphons!
I invite you to light a virtual candle and pray for the gift of having spiritual roots and as we await the coming of Jesus into our mind, hearts, and lives once again.
Let us confess our need for God’s healing grace.
Tree of Jesse
Latin:
O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum,
super quem continebunt reges os suum,
quem Gentes deprecabuntur:
veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare.
English:
O Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the peoples;
before you kings will shut their mouths,
to you the nations will make their prayer:
Come and deliver us, and delay no longer.
O Radix Jesse
Veni, veni, Emmanuel -Taize
Come and save us, * O Lord God of hosts.
Come and save us, O Lord God of hosts.
Show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved:
O Lord God of hosts.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Come and save us, O Lord God of hosts.
V. Show us your mercy, O Lord:
R. And grant us your salvation.
Light of the World Phos hilaron
O God, as light comes from this candle,
May the blessing of Jesus Christ come to us,
Warming our hearts and brightening our way.
May Christ our Savior
Bring life into the darkness of this world,
And to us, as we wait for his coming.
Amen.
(www.catholicnewsagency.com)
IN LAK’ECH
God and Creator of us all we pray and light our candles this night at a time where we are finding ourselves sorely divided one from another by a myriad of circumstances. We pray that we may start to learn from each other and place our egos and the need to be right at the door. We pray that we may use gentle speech and kind actions when we meet someone who differs from us. We pray that we may lovingly enfold them in our arms and extend to them radical hospitality and welcome. We pray that we may continually beat the weaponry of hate into ploughshares and turn the spears of division into pruning hooks and that we may grow into a peace-filled and loving world. We pray this night for all who are enduring any kind of pain that they may be comforted and that we may lovingly respond to their needs. We pray and ask this night for forgiveness of any action or word we have done or spoken this day and that we may turn away and repent of the wrongs we have done. We pray that we may spread God's light of love, peace, and learning to this world and that we may be beacons of hope, joy, love, and peace. We pray that we may follow Jesus and imitate him by being CALM (Compassionate, Accepting, Loving, and Merciful) and show the world that we are carried aloft by the Holy Spirit's Love Energy and that our Hearts and heart homes may be enlarged and that truly we may become one family of God and Love and brothers and sisters one to another. Amen.
From Ecclesiastes 33 For 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.
WE LIGHT OUR FIRST CANDLE AND PRAY FOR THE HOMELESS WHO FIND THEMSELVES OUT IN UNPROTECTED PLACES DURING COLD AND STORMY WEATHER. WE PRAY FOR ROUND THE CLOCK SHELTERS DURING TIMES OF COLD WEATHER AND THE WINTER MONTHS.
LORD HEAR OUR PRAYERS FOR OUR HOMELESS FAMILY MEMBERS.
LET OUR CRIES FOR THEM COME UNTO YOU!
WE LIGHT OUR SECOND CANDLE AND PRAY FOR THE HUNGRY WHO ARE FOOD INSECURE AND MAY NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT NUTRITION FOR HEALTHY BODIES, MINDS, AND SPIRITS. WE PRAY FOR THE FOOD BANKS AND DISTRIBUTION CENTERS THAT THEY MAY BE ABLE TO HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES TO FEE THE HUNGRY AND THE FOOD INSECURE.
LORD HEAR OUR PRAYERS FOR OUR HUNGRY. FAMILY MEMBERS.
LET OUR CRIES FOR THEM COME UNTO YOU.
WE LIGHT OUR THIRD CANDLE FOR THOSE WHO LACK WARM CLOTHING. WE PRAY FOR GENEROUS PEOPLE TO SHARE WHAT THEY HAVE WITH OTHERS AND ESPECIALLY DURING THE COLD AND DAMP WEATHER.
LORD HEAR THE PRAYERS FOR OUR ILL CLAD FAMILY MEMBERS.
LET OUR CRIES FOR THEM COME UNTO YOU.
WE LIGHT OUR FOURTH CANDLE FOR THE MENTALLY ILL THAT THEY MAY FIND ADEQUATE INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT TREATMENT. WE PRAY THAT THEY MAY HAVE SUPPORTIVE CAREGIVERS AND FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WILL NOT BE AFRAID TO ADVOCATE AND MINISTER TO THEIR NEEDS.
LORD HEAR THE PRAYERS OF THE MENTALLY ILL.
LET OUR CRIES FOR THEM COME COME UNTO YOU.
WE LIGHT OUR FIFTH CANDLE FOR ALL LGBTQIA PEOPLE WHO LONG TO HAVE EQUAL RIGHTS AND THE COURAGE TO LIVE AUTHENTICALLY OUTSIDE OF THE CLOSETS AND THAT THEY MAY LIVE WITH EQUAL PROTECTION WITHOUT FEAR.
LORD HEAR THE PRAYERS FOR ALL OF OUR LGBTQIA FAMILY MEMBERS.
LET OUR CRIES FOR THEM COME UNTO YOU .
WE LIGHT OUR SIXTH CANDLE FOR ALL PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE MARGINS OF SOCIETY AND ARE HATED JUST BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, LANGUAGE, RELIGION, AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS. HELP US TO BUILD BRIDGES AND LEARN FROM THEM.
LORD HEAR THE PRAYERS FOR ALL OF OUR DIVERSE FAMILY MEMBERS OF COLOR.
LET OUR CRIES FOR THEM COME UNTO YOU.
WE LIGHT OUR SEVENTH CANDLE FOR ALL RELIGIONS WHO MISUNDERSTOOD AND BEING USED AS A MEANS FOR TERROR. HELP US TO SUPPORT AND FOSTER UNDERSTANDING WITH LOVE AND TAKE TIME TO STAND UP AGAINST EXTREMISM.
LORD HEAR THE PRAYER FOR ALL RELIGIONS THAT ARE BEING MISUNDERSTOOD AND HATED.
LET OUR CRIES FOR THEM COME UNTO YOU.
FOR WORLD NEIGHBORLINESS - PETER MARSHALL
O God, we pray for a broader vision of the needs of humanity, and a deeper compassion to fill those needs; for a planting of the seeds of concern for all humanity in our hearts; for a tapping of the wells of generosity.
May we live together as people who have been forgiven a great debt.
May we be gentle, walking softly with one another.
May we be understanding, lest we shall add to the world’s sorrow or cause to flow needless tears.
May we be as anxious for the rights of others as we are for our own.
May we be as eager to forgive as we are to seek forgiveness.
May we know no barriers of creed or race or sex, that our love may be like Yours—a love that sees all people as Your children and our kin.
May we be ministers of humanity.
LET OUR CRIES FOR THEM COME UNTO YOU!
WE LIGHT OUR SECOND CANDLE AND PRAY FOR THE HUNGRY WHO ARE FOOD INSECURE AND MAY NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT NUTRITION FOR HEALTHY BODIES, MINDS, AND SPIRITS. WE PRAY FOR THE FOOD BANKS AND DISTRIBUTION CENTERS THAT THEY MAY BE ABLE TO HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES TO FEE THE HUNGRY AND THE FOOD INSECURE.
LET OUR CRIES FOR THEM COME UNTO YOU.
WE LIGHT OUR THIRD CANDLE FOR THOSE WHO LACK WARM CLOTHING. WE PRAY FOR GENEROUS PEOPLE TO SHARE WHAT THEY HAVE WITH OTHERS AND ESPECIALLY DURING THE COLD AND DAMP WEATHER.
LORD HEAR THE PRAYERS FOR OUR ILL CLAD FAMILY MEMBERS.
LET OUR CRIES FOR THEM COME UNTO YOU.
WE LIGHT OUR FOURTH CANDLE FOR THE MENTALLY ILL THAT THEY MAY FIND ADEQUATE INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT TREATMENT. WE PRAY THAT THEY MAY HAVE SUPPORTIVE CAREGIVERS AND FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WILL NOT BE AFRAID TO ADVOCATE AND MINISTER TO THEIR NEEDS.
LET OUR CRIES FOR THEM COME COME UNTO YOU.
WE LIGHT OUR FIFTH CANDLE FOR ALL LGBTQIA PEOPLE WHO LONG TO HAVE EQUAL RIGHTS AND THE COURAGE TO LIVE AUTHENTICALLY OUTSIDE OF THE CLOSETS AND THAT THEY MAY LIVE WITH EQUAL PROTECTION WITHOUT FEAR.
LET OUR CRIES FOR THEM COME UNTO YOU .
WE LIGHT OUR SIXTH CANDLE FOR ALL PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE MARGINS OF SOCIETY AND ARE HATED JUST BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, LANGUAGE, RELIGION, AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS. HELP US TO BUILD BRIDGES AND LEARN FROM THEM.
LET OUR CRIES FOR THEM COME UNTO YOU.
WE LIGHT OUR SEVENTH CANDLE FOR ALL RELIGIONS WHO MISUNDERSTOOD AND BEING USED AS A MEANS FOR TERROR. HELP US TO SUPPORT AND FOSTER UNDERSTANDING WITH LOVE AND TAKE TIME TO STAND UP AGAINST EXTREMISM.
LORD HEAR THE PRAYER FOR ALL RELIGIONS THAT ARE BEING MISUNDERSTOOD AND HATED.
LET OUR CRIES FOR THEM COME UNTO YOU.
O God, we pray for a broader vision of the needs of humanity, and a deeper compassion to fill those needs; for a planting of the seeds of concern for all humanity in our hearts; for a tapping of the wells of generosity.
May we live together as people who have been forgiven a great debt.
May we be gentle, walking softly with one another.
May we be understanding, lest we shall add to the world’s sorrow or cause to flow needless tears.
May we be as anxious for the rights of others as we are for our own.
May we be as eager to forgive as we are to seek forgiveness.
May we know no barriers of creed or race or sex, that our love may be like Yours—a love that sees all people as Your children and our kin.
May we be ministers of humanity.
Psalm 80:1-7
Qui regis Israel
1 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; *
shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.
2 In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, *
stir up your strength and come to help us.
3 Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
4 O Lord God of hosts, *
how long will you be angered
despite the prayers of your people?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears; *
you have given them bowls of tears to drink.
6 You have made us the derision of our neighbors, *
and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
You, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,
who are one of the little clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to rule in Israel,
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient days.
Therefore he shall give them up until the time
when she who is in labor has brought forth;
then the rest of his kindred shall return
to the people of Israel.
And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great
to the ends of the earth;
and he shall be the one of peace.
Canticle 15 Page 91, BCP
The Song of Mary Magnificat
Luke 1:46-55
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; *
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: *
the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him *
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm, *
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel, *
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers, *
to Abraham and his children for ever.
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.
Hebrews 10:5-10
When Christ came into the world, he said,
"Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body you have prepared for me;
in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
Then I said, 'See, God, I have come to do your will, O God'
(in the scroll of the book it is written of me)."
When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law), then he added, "See, I have come to do your will." He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And it is by God's will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
A Song of the Spirit
Revelation 22:12-17
“Behold, I am coming soon,” says the Lord,“and bringing my reward with me, *
to give to everyone according to their deeds.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, *
the beginning and the end.”
Blessed are those who do God’s commandments,
that they may have the right to the tree of life, *
and may enter the city through the gates.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to you, *
with this testimony for all the churches.
“I am the root and the offspring of David, *
I am the bright morning star.”
“Come!” say the Spirit and the Bride; *
“Come!” let each hearer reply!
Come forward, you who are thirsty, *
let those who desire take the water of life as a gift.
Luke 1:39-45(46-55)
In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."
[And Mary said,
"My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever."]
Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
open our hearts in welcome,
that your Son Jesus Christ at his coming
may find in us a dwelling prepared for himself;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. (ANZPB)
God we pray the words of the Ancient Hymn O Come, O Come Emmanuel! May Emmanuel come soon.
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, thou Wisdom from on high,
who orderest all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go. Refrain
O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free
thine own from Satan's tyranny;
from depths of hell thy people save,
and give them victory over the grave. Refrain
O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer
our spirits by thine advent here;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
and death's dark shadows put to flight. Refrain
O come, thou Key of David, come,
and open wide our heavenly home;
make safe the way that leads on high,
and close the path to misery. Refrain
O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to thy tribes on Sinai's height
in ancient times once gave the law
in cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain
O come, thou Root of Jesse's tree,
an ensign of thy people be;
before thee rulers silent fall;
all peoples on thy mercy call. Refrain
O come, Desire of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind;
bid thou our sad divisions cease,
and be thyself our King of Peace. Refrain
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear. Refrain
God we pray these our prayers in the Holy Name of Jesus. Amen.
We light this final candle for our peace, hope, love, and joy in the world and within ourselves:
Lord,
it is night.
The night is for stillness.
Let us be still in the presence of God.
It is night after a long day.
What has been done has been done;
what has not been done has not been done;
let it be.
The night is dark.
Let our fears of the darkness of the world and of our own lives
rest in you.
The night is quiet.
Let the quietness of your peace enfold us,
all dear to us,
and all who have no peace.
The night heralds the dawn.
Let us look expectantly to a new day,
new joys,
new possibilities.
In your name we pray.
Amen.
beside us to guard,
before us to lead,
behind us to protect,
beneath us to support,
above us to bless.
My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think that I am following Your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please You
does in fact please You.
And I hope that I have that desire
in all that I am doing.
And I know that if I do this,
You will lead me by the right road
although I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust You always,
though I may seem to be lost
and in the shadow of death,
I will not fear, for You are ever with me,
and will never leave me
to face my perils alone.
Thomas Merton
++++
Bonus Readings
Psalm 10:12-18
12 Rise up, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand;
do not forget the oppressed.
13 Why do the wicked renounce God,
and say in their hearts, ‘You will not call us to account’?
14 But you do see! Indeed you note trouble and grief,
that you may take it into your hands;
the helpless commit themselves to you;
you have been the helper of the orphan.
15 Break the arm of the wicked and evildoers;
seek out their wickedness until you find none.
16 The Lord is king for ever and ever;
the nations shall perish from his land.
17 O Lord, you will hear the desire of the meek;
you will strengthen their heart, you will incline your ear
18 to do justice for the orphan and the oppressed,
so that those from earth may strike terror no more.*
2 Corinthians 1:3-7
Paul’s Thanksgiving after Affliction
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, 4who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ. 6If we are being afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation; if we are being consoled, it is for your consolation, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we are also suffering. 7Our hope for you is unshaken; for we know that as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our consolation.
God, whose everlasting arms support the universe: We thank you for moving the heart of Lillian Trasher to heroic hospitality on behalf of orphaned children in great need, and we pray that we also may find our hearts awakened and our compassion stirred to care for your little ones, through the example of our Savior Jesus Christ and by the energy of your Holy Spirit, who broods over the world like a mother over her children; for they live and reign with you, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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