Lighting our Candles in honor of St. Lucy!

 

Good Evening Dear Family!

Happy Monday from the land of the Chumash people. Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Lucy  who was a virgin and martyr. We light our candles and turn on our porch lights in honor of her. Today we also celebrate the birthday of Phillips Brooks who wrote many books and "O Little Town Of Bethlehem". Here is his biography.  Today's #AdventWord is #share. Let us meditate on this word.

Let us ponder these quotes by Phillips Brooks.

"For the Christ-child who comes is the Master of all; No palace too great, no cottage too small." ~ Phillips Brooks

"How silently, how silently The wonderous gift is given! So God imparts to human hearts The blessings of his heaven. No ear may hear his coming, But in this world of sin, Where meek souls will receive him still, The dear Christ enters in." ~ Phillips Brooks

"Feed on Christ, and then go and live your life, and it is Christ in you that lives your life, that helps the poor, that tells the truth, that fights the battle, and that wins the crown." ~ Phillips Brooks

"Where charity stands watching and faith holds wide the door the dark night wakes - the glory breaks, Christmas comes once more." ~ Phillips Brooks

"O, do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men! Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks! Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle. But you shall be a miracle. Every day you shall wonder at yourself, at the richness of life which has come to you by the grace of God." ~ Phillips Brooks

"O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie! Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by." ~ Phillips Brooks

"Pray the largest prayers. You cannot think a prayer so large that God, in answering it, will not wish you had made it larger. Pray not for crutches but for wings." ~ Phillips Brooks

"The place where two friends first met is sacred to them all through their friendship, all the more sacred as their friendship deepens and grows old." ~ Phillips Brooks

"Life is too short to nurse one's misery. Hurry across the lowlands so that you may spend more time on the mountain tops." ~ Phillips Brooks

"Everywhere the flower of obedience is intelligence. Obey a man with cordial loyalty and you will understand him." ~ Phillips Brooks

"Be patient and understanding. Life is too short to be vengeful or malicious." ~ Phillips Brooks

"Nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer except that which lies outside the will of God." ~ Phillips Brooks

"The trouble is that I'm in a hurry, but God isn't." ~ Phillips Brooks

"Christmas day is a day of joy and charity. May God make you very rich in both." ~ Phillips Brooks

"Christ is the Word of God. It is not in certain texts written in the New Testament, valuable as they are; it is not in certain words which Jesus spoke, vast as is their preciousness; it is in the Word, which Jesus is, that the great manifestation of God is made." ~ Phillips Brooks

From The Contemplative Cottage - Celtic Advent Calendar 2021.

Calendar Work for today! 

December 13 Invite a person to lunch who is new to town.

How we spend our days is how we spend our lives. Annie Dillard

Come let us worship:

Do not fear. The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love.Zephaniah 3:16–17

Praise the Lord all you nations, acclaim the Most High all you peoples; for great is God’s love for us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever.Psalm 117:1, 2

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.

Because in every age you have called brave souls to proclaim righteousness for the transformation of the world, that all may welcome the coming of your holy reign.

 Come let us light this 29h candle of Celtic Advent in Unity and come together in a sacred circle of love.

Come let us hold sacred and loving space for one another.
Come let us be together in Hope, Joy, Peace, and Love during this holy season of Advent.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and those who are afraid are not perfected in love. We love because God first loved us. If anyone says, I love God, and hates his brother or sister, that person is a liar; for those who do not love their brothers and sisters whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 1 John 4:18-20

Let us confess our need for God’s healing grace.

Silence

Compassionate God,

we confess our weaknesses and our need for your

strengthening touch.

We confess that some illnesses stem from our own fault,

while others are beyond our control.

We turn to you, source of life,

and ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ

for the gifts of true healing and life in you. Amen.

May the God of love visit us in our times of trial and weakness,

and raise us to newness of life, through Jesus Christ, in the

power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Now let us Light Our Candles and be at prayer.A Prayer When Lighting A Candle

O Blessed Lord, accept this burning candle as a sign of my faith and love for you.
Like this candle, I am ready to be used in your service, without asking why and to what purpose.
Even as this candle, I wish to stand in your presence to be consumed in the light and warmth of
your love.
Please hear my prayer and, if it be your will, grant my petition.
Above all, make me loyal and faithful to you in all circumstances of my life.
Amen.

(www.stanthonysparish.com)

The Light of Christ in me Recognizes the Light of Christ in you!" 

I hold holy space for you during this time of prayer, vigil, and meditation.

Light of the World Phos hilaron

Light of the world, in grace and beauty,

Mirror of God’s eternal face,

Transparent flame of love’s free duty,

You bring salvation to our race.

Now, as we see the lights of evening,

We raise our voice in hymns of praise;

Worthy are you of endless blessing,

Sun of our night, lamp of our days.

Psalm 134 Ecce nunc

Behold now, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, *

you that stand by night in the house of the LORD.

Lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the LORD; *

the LORD who made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion.

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

O LORD, I call to you; come to me quickly; *

hear my voice when I cry to you.

Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, *

the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

Set a watch before my mouth, O LORD,

and guard the door of my lips; *

let not my heart incline to any evil thing.

My eyes are turned to you, Lord GOD; *

in you I take refuge.

+++

Prayer Over The Advent Candle

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)

 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.

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.

131 Domine, non est

1 O Lord, I am not proud; *
I have no haughty looks.

2 I do not occupy myself with great matters, *
or with things that are too hard for me.

3 But I still my soul and make it quiet,
like a child upon its mother's breast; *
my soul is quieted within me.

4 O Israel, wait upon the Lord, *
from this time forth for evermore.

Revelation 19:5-8

5 And from the throne came a voice saying,

‘Praise our God,

   all you his servants,*

and all who fear him,

   small and great.’

6Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunder-peals, crying out,

‘Hallelujah!

For the Lord our God

   the Almighty reigns.

7 Let us rejoice and exult

   and give him the glory,

for the marriage of the Lamb has come,

   and his bride has made herself ready;

8 to her it has been granted to be clothed

   with fine linen, bright and pure’—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

A Song of Wisdom Sapientia liberavit

Wisdom 10:15-19,20b-21

Wisdom freed from a nation of oppressors *

a holy people and a blameless race.

She entered the soul of a servant of the Lord, *

withstood dread rulers with wonders and signs.

To the saints she gave the reward of their labors, *

and led them by a marvelous way;

She was their shelter by day *

and a blaze of stars by night.

She brought them across the Red Sea, *

she led them through mighty waters;

But their enemies she swallowed in the waves *

and spewed them out from the depths of the abyss.

And then, Lord, the righteous sang hymns to your Name, *

and praised with one voice your protecting hand;

For Wisdom opened the mouths of the mute, *

and gave speech to the tongues of a new-born people.

John 1:9-14

9The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.*

10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11He came to what was his own,* and his own people did not accept him. 12But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son,* full of grace and truth.

A Song of God’s Love

1 John 4:7-11

Beloved, let us love one another, *

for love is of God.

Whoever does not love does not know God, *

for God is Love.

In this the love of God was revealed among us, *

that God sent his only Son into the world,

so that we might live through Jesus Christ.

In this is love, not that we loved God but that God loved us *

and sent his Son that sins might be forgiven.

Beloved, since God loved us so much, *

we ought also to love one another.

For if we love one another, God abides in us, *

and God’s love will be perfected in us.

The Lord’s Prayer or the alternative is said. From A New Zealand Prayer Book

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours

now and for ever. Amen.

Or

Eternal Spirit,

Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,

Source of all that is and that shall be,

Father and Mother of us all,

Loving God, in whom is heaven:

The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!

The way of your justice be followed by the peoples

of the world!

Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!

Your commonwealth of peace and freedom

sustain our hope and come on earth.

With the bread we need for today, feed us.

In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.

In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.

From trials too great to endure, spare us.

From the grip of all that is evil, free us.

For you reign in the glory of the power that is love,

now and for ever. Amen.

Third Sunday of Advent

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come
among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins,
let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver
us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and
the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

God our strength and our hope,
grant us the courage of John the Baptist,
constantly to speak the truth,
boldly to rebuke vice
and patiently to suffer for the truth’s sake;
in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. (ANZPB)

Loving God, for the salvation of all you gave Jesus Christ as light to a world in darkness: Illumine us, with your daughter Lucy, with the light of Christ, that by the merits of his passion we may be led to eternal life; through the same Jesus Christ, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer of St. Teresa of Avila

Lord,
Thou knowest better than I myself
that I am growing older and will someday be old.
Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking
I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.

Release me from craving to
straighten out everybody’s affairs.

Make me thoughtful but not moody;
helpful but not bossy.

With my vast store of wisdom,
it seems a pity not to use it all;
but Thou knowest, Lord,
that I want a few friends at the end.
Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details;
give me wings to get to the point.

Seal my lips on my aches and pains;
they are increasing, and love of rehearsing them
is becoming sweeter as the years go by.

I dare not ask for improved memory,
but for a growing humility and a lessening cock-sureness
when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others.
Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.

Keep me reasonably sweet, for a sour old person
is one of the crowning works of the devil.
Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places
and talents in unexpected people;
and give, O Lord, the grace to tell them so.
Amen.

– – – prayer by St. Teresa of Avila

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.


 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.

For the Poor and the Neglected

Almighty and most merciful God, we remember before you

all poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us

to forget: the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick,

and all who have none to care for them. Help us to heal those

who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow

into joy. Grant this, Father, for the love of your Son, who for

our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Oppressed

Look with pity, O heavenly Father, upon the people in this

land who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death as

their constant companions. Have mercy upon us. Help us to

eliminate our cruelty to these our neighbors. Strengthen those

who spend their lives establishing equal protection of the law

and equal opportunities for all. And grant that every one of

us may enjoy a fair portion of the riches of this land; through

Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For those who Influence Public Opinion

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

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

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

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

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

For the Care of Children

Almighty God, heavenly Father, you have blessed us with the

joy and care of children: Give us calm strength and patient

wisdom as we bring them up, that we may teach them to love

whatever is just and true and good, following the example of

our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

 For Young Persons

God our Father, you see your children growing up in an

unsteady and confusing world: Show them that your ways

give more life than the ways of the world, and that following

you is better than chasing after selfish goals. Help them to

take failure, not as a measure of their worth, but as a chance

for a new start. Give them strength to hold their faith in you,

and to keep alive their joy in your creation; through Jesus

Christ our Lord. Amen.

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

― Teresa of Ávila

 Optional Prayers

Let us Sow Seeds of:

C= Compassion
A= Acceptance
L= Love
M = Mercy

Let us speak in words that are:

C= Comforting
A= Appreciative
L= Living and Loving
M= Mindful and Matter

Let our deeds be:
C= Caring and Compassionate
A= Admirable
L=  Life giving
M= Mannerly

Let us choose to live a life of Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy. Let choose to speak in words that are courageous, amiable, enLightening, Mannered, and Make sense and don't harm or divide. Let our deeds be all these things.

God of love we pray this night that we may be united in prayer with you and each other.


We pray this night that peace may prevail upon earth and that swords may be beaten into ploughshares and spears into pruning hooks and that wars may cease and love and charity may take its place.

We pray for all the refugees that are in need of homes and understanding. Enfold them all with your loving presence and that they may be patient as they await resettlement. 

We pray for all aid agencies who are helping our family members who do not have places to call home especially the homeless, hungry and ill clad in our midst.

We pray for all of our family members who know only hate and disunity that they may have their hearts tenderized and come to know that love is truly answer to being one with each other on life's journey.

We pray for all who are ill especially _________________may they find solace as they await your healing power O, God.

We pray and give thanks for this day _______________________

We lift up our tender hearts, hands, and feet to you O God that you may use us and respond to your call with a humble but resounding "Yes".

We pray this night for all the least of these that they may be protected and that no one will ever be seen as invisible.

We pray that we may be the voice of the voiceless, speak truth to power, and let justice roll down like an overflowing stream and that we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you O. God.

Stay here for awhile and pray for all our family members who have unspoken prayers and remember to pray for all the families of those who seek to do evil that they may find solace and help in time of need. Remember that everyone is not excluded from our prayers even our enemies and those who wish us harm. 

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.

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom

Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one
accord to make our common supplication to you; and you
have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two
or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the
midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions
as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of
your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.

May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in
believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Romans 15:13

Christ be within us to keep us, 
beside us to guard, 
before us to lead, 
behind us to protect, 
beneath us to support, 
above us to bless.

+++

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

Good Night Dear Ones! I love you! I give thanks to God for you this day and always.

Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love,

Sara

Resources
Satucket Lectionary
Episcopal Church Liturgical Calendar
Bible Gateway
A New Zealand Prayer Book
The Northumbria Community
Enriching Our Worship 1
A to Z Quotes
Book of Common Prayer