Meditations 2016
♥ We pray for understanding & compassion at this time ♥
Understanding and Compassion (prayer experience)
"other-mindness"
'The technique whereby you can accept another's idea as yours is the same whereby you may
“let the mind which was in Christ be also in you.”'
Reference Page:
"other-mindness"
'The technique whereby you can accept another's idea as yours is the same whereby you may
“let the mind which was in Christ be also in you.”'
Reference Page:
9-4
Then he said to them, ‘The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath.'
- Mark 2:27
How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.
- Anne Frank
How merciful are you, O Lord, when you receive us even with our doubts and suspicions. We pray to keep tiptoeing toward you without fear of rejection. We pray to keep up our feeble attempts at serving you even when we question the worth of our efforts. Amen.
- From Common Prayer Book
Then he said to them, ‘The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath.'
- Mark 2:27
How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.
- Anne Frank
How merciful are you, O Lord, when you receive us even with our doubts and suspicions. We pray to keep tiptoeing toward you without fear of rejection. We pray to keep up our feeble attempts at serving you even when we question the worth of our efforts. Amen.
- From Common Prayer Book
Anne Frank
9-5
You shall have one law for the alien and for the citizen: for I am the Lord your God.
- Leviticus 24:22
All that is sweet, delightful, and amiable in this world, in the serenity of the air, the fineness of seasons, the joy of light, the melody of sounds, the beauty of colors, the fragrancy of smells, the splendor of precious stones, is nothing else but Heaven breaking through the veil of this world.
- William Law
Lord, may we remember to rest. Allow us to sleep peacefully so our energy may be restored. Rejuvenate our spirit so we may love you and each other to our fullest. Amen.
You shall have one law for the alien and for the citizen: for I am the Lord your God.
- Leviticus 24:22
All that is sweet, delightful, and amiable in this world, in the serenity of the air, the fineness of seasons, the joy of light, the melody of sounds, the beauty of colors, the fragrancy of smells, the splendor of precious stones, is nothing else but Heaven breaking through the veil of this world.
- William Law
Lord, may we remember to rest. Allow us to sleep peacefully so our energy may be restored. Rejuvenate our spirit so we may love you and each other to our fullest. Amen.
William Law
9-6
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.
- Hebrews 13:2
Jesus died the victim of executioners with imperial power. There is an inescapable opposition between the life and death of Jesus, and imperial power. To embrace and love the executed God is to be in resistance to empire. To be a follower of the executed Jesus of Nazareth is to venture down a road without having a place in the system of imperial control.
-Mark L. Taylor
God of healing, we pray for all who are sick and suffering from disease, affliction, and addiction — especially during this intense flu season. Bring comfort and healing into their lives, and may their health be restored. Amen.
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.
- Hebrews 13:2
Jesus died the victim of executioners with imperial power. There is an inescapable opposition between the life and death of Jesus, and imperial power. To embrace and love the executed God is to be in resistance to empire. To be a follower of the executed Jesus of Nazareth is to venture down a road without having a place in the system of imperial control.
-Mark L. Taylor
God of healing, we pray for all who are sick and suffering from disease, affliction, and addiction — especially during this intense flu season. Bring comfort and healing into their lives, and may their health be restored. Amen.
Mark L. Taylor
9-7
Do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the alien, or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.
- Zechariah 7:10
Grace defies reason and logic. Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I've done a lot of stupid stuff.
- Bono
Lord, when one of us hungers, make it our instinct to feed. When one of us is displaced, make it our instinct to share our home. When one of us is called illegal, make it our instinct to advocate for our sister's rights. May we find our peace in the peace of the places to which you have called us. Amen.
Do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the alien, or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.
- Zechariah 7:10
Grace defies reason and logic. Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I've done a lot of stupid stuff.
- Bono
Lord, when one of us hungers, make it our instinct to feed. When one of us is displaced, make it our instinct to share our home. When one of us is called illegal, make it our instinct to advocate for our sister's rights. May we find our peace in the peace of the places to which you have called us. Amen.
Bono
9-8
"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it."
- Isaiah 55:10-11
"Come back to the heartbeat, the pulse, the rhythm we all walk to, regardless of nation or color. Come back to the breath – inhale, take the world deep into your lungs; exhale, give yourself back fully. This is what the body says: release the peace that lives within your skin."
- Gayle Brandeis from, The Body Politic of Peace
God, we pray today for the families of those who died in the prison fire last week in Honduras. Comfort all in their time of mourning and distress. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Amen.
"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it."
- Isaiah 55:10-11
"Come back to the heartbeat, the pulse, the rhythm we all walk to, regardless of nation or color. Come back to the breath – inhale, take the world deep into your lungs; exhale, give yourself back fully. This is what the body says: release the peace that lives within your skin."
- Gayle Brandeis from, The Body Politic of Peace
God, we pray today for the families of those who died in the prison fire last week in Honduras. Comfort all in their time of mourning and distress. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Amen.
Gayle Brandeis
9-9
"Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you."
- Philippians 4:4-9
"In God's wildness lies the hope of the world—the great fresh unblighted, unredeemed wilderness. The galling harness of civilization drops off, and wounds heal ere we are aware."
- John Muir
God of all creation, you created animals to roam the earth and fish to fill the seas. We pray for creatures on the verge of extinction, specifically that those responsible for poaching and polluting will be held responsible. Help us to live in a way that does not endanger life, but cherishes and nourishes the life in and around us. Amen
"Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you."
- Philippians 4:4-9
"In God's wildness lies the hope of the world—the great fresh unblighted, unredeemed wilderness. The galling harness of civilization drops off, and wounds heal ere we are aware."
- John Muir
God of all creation, you created animals to roam the earth and fish to fill the seas. We pray for creatures on the verge of extinction, specifically that those responsible for poaching and polluting will be held responsible. Help us to live in a way that does not endanger life, but cherishes and nourishes the life in and around us. Amen
John Muir
9-10
"Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whosoever believes in me will never be thirsty.'"
- John 6:35
“Diamonds do not dazzle with beauty unless they are cut. Then cut, the rays of the sun fall on them and make them shine with wonderful colors. So when we are cut by the cross, we shall shine as jewels in the [reign of God].”
- Sadhu Sundar Singh
God, thank you so much for your love. Help me to love you with my whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. Help me to love my neighbor as myself. Amen.
"Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whosoever believes in me will never be thirsty.'"
- John 6:35
“Diamonds do not dazzle with beauty unless they are cut. Then cut, the rays of the sun fall on them and make them shine with wonderful colors. So when we are cut by the cross, we shall shine as jewels in the [reign of God].”
- Sadhu Sundar Singh
God, thank you so much for your love. Help me to love you with my whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. Help me to love my neighbor as myself. Amen.
Sadhu Sundar Singh - Christian Missonary
9-11
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Jesus Christ for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good."
- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-21
"I cannot persuade myself that without love to others, and without, as far as rests with me, peaceableness toward all, I can be called a worthy servant of Jesus Christ."
- Saint Basil
God, we continue to pray for the people of Greece as they attempt to keep the peace amid riots and violence. Please heal the wounded, comfort those who mourn, and give discernment and wisdom to both leaders and rabble rousers. Amen.
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Jesus Christ for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good."
- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-21
"I cannot persuade myself that without love to others, and without, as far as rests with me, peaceableness toward all, I can be called a worthy servant of Jesus Christ."
- Saint Basil
God, we continue to pray for the people of Greece as they attempt to keep the peace amid riots and violence. Please heal the wounded, comfort those who mourn, and give discernment and wisdom to both leaders and rabble rousers. Amen.
Saint Basil (329 AD - 379 AD)
9-12
"Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly … Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and [God] will say, Here I am."
- Isaiah 58:7-9
"In the silence of listening, you can know yourself in everyone, the unseen singing softly to itself and to you."
- Rachel Naomi Remen
Everlasting God, we pray today for those around us who do not know or understand your gift of grace. Give them an unshakable curiosity about you, that they would begin to seek you more and more each day. Amen.
"Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly … Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and [God] will say, Here I am."
- Isaiah 58:7-9
"In the silence of listening, you can know yourself in everyone, the unseen singing softly to itself and to you."
- Rachel Naomi Remen
Everlasting God, we pray today for those around us who do not know or understand your gift of grace. Give them an unshakable curiosity about you, that they would begin to seek you more and more each day. Amen.
Rachel Naomi Remen
9-13
"You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt."
- Exodus 22:21
"At some thoughts one stands perplexed, above all at the sight of human sin, and wonders whether to combat it by force or by humble love. Always decide ‘I will combat it by humble love.’ If you resolve on that once and for all, you can conquer the whole world. Loving humility is a terrible force: it is the strongest of all things, and there is nothing else like it.”
- Fyodor Dostoyevsky, from
The Brothers Karamazov
Be still and know that I am God.
Amen.
"You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt."
- Exodus 22:21
"At some thoughts one stands perplexed, above all at the sight of human sin, and wonders whether to combat it by force or by humble love. Always decide ‘I will combat it by humble love.’ If you resolve on that once and for all, you can conquer the whole world. Loving humility is a terrible force: it is the strongest of all things, and there is nothing else like it.”
- Fyodor Dostoyevsky, from
The Brothers Karamazov
Be still and know that I am God.
Amen.
Fyodor Dostoevsky
1/21/13
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."
- Isaiah 43:2-3
"If you don’t become the ocean, you’ll be seasick every day."
- Leonard Cohen
May the faith that gives us hope, the love that shows the way, and the peace that cheers the heart be ours, this day and every day. Amen.
from Prayers of Comfort and Hope
God of all creation, help me to be patient with myself, that I allow myself to be present in each moment. Teach me patience in such a way that all my worries and fears be not hindrances, but opportunities to trust you more. Amen.
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."
- Isaiah 43:2-3
"If you don’t become the ocean, you’ll be seasick every day."
- Leonard Cohen
May the faith that gives us hope, the love that shows the way, and the peace that cheers the heart be ours, this day and every day. Amen.
from Prayers of Comfort and Hope
God of all creation, help me to be patient with myself, that I allow myself to be present in each moment. Teach me patience in such a way that all my worries and fears be not hindrances, but opportunities to trust you more. Amen.
Leonard Cohen
1/20/13
"O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Yonder is the sea, great and wide, creeping things innumerable are there, living things both small and great."
- Psalm 104:24-25
"'Tell me a story' still comprise four of the most powerful words in English, words that are intimately related to the complexity of history, the origins of language, the continuity of the species, the taproot of our humanity, our singularity, and art itself."
- Pat Conroy
God, we pray today for our heads of state. Give them wisdom and discernment as they move about their day, and grant them the courage to seek help in their own spiritual journey. Amen.
"O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Yonder is the sea, great and wide, creeping things innumerable are there, living things both small and great."
- Psalm 104:24-25
"'Tell me a story' still comprise four of the most powerful words in English, words that are intimately related to the complexity of history, the origins of language, the continuity of the species, the taproot of our humanity, our singularity, and art itself."
- Pat Conroy
God, we pray today for our heads of state. Give them wisdom and discernment as they move about their day, and grant them the courage to seek help in their own spiritual journey. Amen.
Pat Conroy
1/19/13
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because [God] has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. [God] has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."
- Luke 4:18-19
“Sabbath observance invites us to stop. It invites us to rest. It asks us to notice that while we rest, the world continues without our help. It invites us to delight in the world’s beauty and abundance.”
- Wendell Berry
God of all creation, awake us to the beauty around us, that we may see glimpses of you both in nature and in our neighbor. Amen.
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because [God] has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. [God] has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."
- Luke 4:18-19
“Sabbath observance invites us to stop. It invites us to rest. It asks us to notice that while we rest, the world continues without our help. It invites us to delight in the world’s beauty and abundance.”
- Wendell Berry
God of all creation, awake us to the beauty around us, that we may see glimpses of you both in nature and in our neighbor. Amen.
Wendell Berry
1/18/13
"I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith."
- Philippians 1:23-24
“How happy is the little stone / That rambles in the road alone, / And doesn't care about careers, / And exigencies never fears; / Whose coat of elemental brown / A passing universe put on; / And independent as the sun, / Associates or glows alone, / Fulfilling absolute decree / In casual simplicity."
- Emily Dickenson
O God, to those who have hunger, give bread, and to us who have bread, give the hunger for justice. Amen
via Bread for the World's Quote of the Day
Emily Dickenson
"I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith."
- Philippians 1:23-24
“How happy is the little stone / That rambles in the road alone, / And doesn't care about careers, / And exigencies never fears; / Whose coat of elemental brown / A passing universe put on; / And independent as the sun, / Associates or glows alone, / Fulfilling absolute decree / In casual simplicity."
- Emily Dickenson
O God, to those who have hunger, give bread, and to us who have bread, give the hunger for justice. Amen
via Bread for the World's Quote of the Day
Emily Dickenson
Emily Dickenson
1/17/13
"For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God."
- 1 Corinthians 8:19-21
“Christ wears ‘two shoes’ in the world: Scripture and nature. Both are necessary to understand the Lord, and at no stage can creation be seen as a separation of things from God.”
- John Scotus Eriugena
God, we pray today for the country of Senegal as it experiences violence around the elections. May peace and understanding prevail against violence and distrust. Amen.
"For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God."
- 1 Corinthians 8:19-21
“Christ wears ‘two shoes’ in the world: Scripture and nature. Both are necessary to understand the Lord, and at no stage can creation be seen as a separation of things from God.”
- John Scotus Eriugena
God, we pray today for the country of Senegal as it experiences violence around the elections. May peace and understanding prevail against violence and distrust. Amen.
John Scotus Eriugena
1/16/13
"But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God."
- 1 Corinthians 1:27-29
“When there is a tendency to compartmentalize the spiritual and make it resident in a certain type of life only, the spiritual is apt gradually to be lost.”
- Flannery O'Connor, from Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose
God, we pray for each state's legislature, that they make just and humane choices to help underrepresented communities. We pray that their decisions be sincerely driven by the needs of those they serve, not by greed. Amen.
"But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God."
- 1 Corinthians 1:27-29
“When there is a tendency to compartmentalize the spiritual and make it resident in a certain type of life only, the spiritual is apt gradually to be lost.”
- Flannery O'Connor, from Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose
God, we pray for each state's legislature, that they make just and humane choices to help underrepresented communities. We pray that their decisions be sincerely driven by the needs of those they serve, not by greed. Amen.
Flannery O'Connor
Martin Luther King, Jr.
1/15/13 Martin Luther King's Birthday 1-15-29
"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."
- Psalm 10:14
"It may be that what you could be haunts you. It is real. It is a weight you have to carry around. Each failure to become, to be, is a weight. Each state you could inhabit is a burden as heavy as any physical weight, but more so, because it weighs on your soul. It is the ghost of your possibilities hanging around your neck, an invisible albatross, potentials unknowingly murdered."
- Ben Okri
Almighty God, help me to resist temptation this week. Help me to pinpoint divisive activities that get in the way of my walk with you. May my thoughts, words, and actions give glory to you. Amen.
"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."
- Psalm 10:14
"It may be that what you could be haunts you. It is real. It is a weight you have to carry around. Each failure to become, to be, is a weight. Each state you could inhabit is a burden as heavy as any physical weight, but more so, because it weighs on your soul. It is the ghost of your possibilities hanging around your neck, an invisible albatross, potentials unknowingly murdered."
- Ben Okri
Almighty God, help me to resist temptation this week. Help me to pinpoint divisive activities that get in the way of my walk with you. May my thoughts, words, and actions give glory to you. Amen.
Ben Okri
1/14/13
"So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another."
- Ephesians 4:25
"To be a good writer, you not only have to write a great deal but you have to care. You do not have to have a complicated moral philosophy. But a writer always tries, I think, to be a part of the solution, to understand a little about life and to pass this on."
- Anne Lamott from, Bird by Bird
God, bless those who are weary, that they might find strength in their weakness. Like you restore life to the earth in spring, fill our hearts with renewed hope. Amen.
Anne Lamott
"So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another."
- Ephesians 4:25
"To be a good writer, you not only have to write a great deal but you have to care. You do not have to have a complicated moral philosophy. But a writer always tries, I think, to be a part of the solution, to understand a little about life and to pass this on."
- Anne Lamott from, Bird by Bird
God, bless those who are weary, that they might find strength in their weakness. Like you restore life to the earth in spring, fill our hearts with renewed hope. Amen.
Anne Lamott
Anne Lamott
1/13/13
"Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, but you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture? When you drink of clear water, must you foul the rest with your feet?"
- Ezekiel 34:18
"It's a dangerous business, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no telling where you might be swept off to."
- Bilbo, from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring
God, you created the seas, the rivers, lakes, and oceans. It is from these waters that we have learned to find life and sustenance. Teach us how to care for the water in our world, how to keep it clean for future generations, and cleanse it for those who need it in the present. Amen.
J.R.R. Tolkien
"Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, but you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture? When you drink of clear water, must you foul the rest with your feet?"
- Ezekiel 34:18
"It's a dangerous business, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no telling where you might be swept off to."
- Bilbo, from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring
God, you created the seas, the rivers, lakes, and oceans. It is from these waters that we have learned to find life and sustenance. Teach us how to care for the water in our world, how to keep it clean for future generations, and cleanse it for those who need it in the present. Amen.
J.R.R. Tolkien
J.R.R.Tolkien in Oxford
1/12/13
"Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted [God's] people, and will have compassion on [God's] suffering ones."
- Isaiah 49:13
"To walk alone is possible, but the good walker knows that the trip is life and it requires companions."
- Dom Helder Camara
God, help me to bear the fruit of kindness daily -- with both strangers and friends. Help me to live out your love, exemplified by Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Dom Helder Camara
"Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted [God's] people, and will have compassion on [God's] suffering ones."
- Isaiah 49:13
"To walk alone is possible, but the good walker knows that the trip is life and it requires companions."
- Dom Helder Camara
God, help me to bear the fruit of kindness daily -- with both strangers and friends. Help me to live out your love, exemplified by Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Dom Helder Camara
Dom Helder Camara
1/11/13
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you."
- Matthew 5:38-42
"The good news of the resurrection of Jesus is not that we shall die and go home to be with him, but that he has risen and comes home with us, bringing all his hungry, naked, thirsty, sick prisoner [brothers and sisters] with him."
- Clarence Jordan
Lord Jesus, you teach us to love God and neighbor, and identify yourself in a special way with the most needy people; hear our prayer. Grant us courage and wisdom so that the we may practice fraternal charity, according to your word and example. Amen.
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you."
- Matthew 5:38-42
"The good news of the resurrection of Jesus is not that we shall die and go home to be with him, but that he has risen and comes home with us, bringing all his hungry, naked, thirsty, sick prisoner [brothers and sisters] with him."
- Clarence Jordan
Lord Jesus, you teach us to love God and neighbor, and identify yourself in a special way with the most needy people; hear our prayer. Grant us courage and wisdom so that the we may practice fraternal charity, according to your word and example. Amen.
Clarence Jordan --
Koinonia Farm, an interracial Christian community
1/10/13
"The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labor of each. For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building."
- 1 Corinthians 3:8-9
"If you cultivate a healthy poverty and simplicity, so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then, since the world is in fact planted in pennies, you have with your poverty bought a lifetime of days."
- Annie Dillard
God, prepare my heart and mind to rest this weekend. Help me to understand what it means to keep the Sabbath holy in my life. Amen.
"The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labor of each. For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building."
- 1 Corinthians 3:8-9
"If you cultivate a healthy poverty and simplicity, so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then, since the world is in fact planted in pennies, you have with your poverty bought a lifetime of days."
- Annie Dillard
God, prepare my heart and mind to rest this weekend. Help me to understand what it means to keep the Sabbath holy in my life. Amen.
Annie Dillard
1/9/13
"For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another."
- Galatians 5:13-15
"Peace starts within each one of us. When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us. When our community is in a state of peace, it can share that peace with neighboring communities, and so on. When we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it helps us also to develop inner happiness and peace."
- Dalai Lama
Gracious God, we pray for those going through a difficult time. May we all remember the words in Proverbs 3, to trust in you with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding, that in all our ways we may look to you to guide our path. Amen.
"For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another."
- Galatians 5:13-15
"Peace starts within each one of us. When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us. When our community is in a state of peace, it can share that peace with neighboring communities, and so on. When we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it helps us also to develop inner happiness and peace."
- Dalai Lama
Gracious God, we pray for those going through a difficult time. May we all remember the words in Proverbs 3, to trust in you with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding, that in all our ways we may look to you to guide our path. Amen.
Dalai Lama
1/8/13
"[God] shall judge between many peoples, and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more;"
- Micah 4:3
"Christianity doesn't deny the reality of suffering and evil... Our hope... is not based on the idea that we are going to be free of pain and suffering. Rather, it is based on the conviction that we will triumph over suffering."
- Brennan Manning
God of peace, we continue to pray for the country of South Sudan. Help their leaders to pursue holistic peace, and comfort those who have been victimized by recent violence. Amen.
"[God] shall judge between many peoples, and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more;"
- Micah 4:3
"Christianity doesn't deny the reality of suffering and evil... Our hope... is not based on the idea that we are going to be free of pain and suffering. Rather, it is based on the conviction that we will triumph over suffering."
- Brennan Manning
God of peace, we continue to pray for the country of South Sudan. Help their leaders to pursue holistic peace, and comfort those who have been victimized by recent violence. Amen.
Brennan Manning
1/7/13
"I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
- John 13:34-35
"Anyone who loves words will tend to let themselves be satisfied by them, and as a result stop short of true satisfaction. For true satisfaction...comes when I am silent and listen.... When God’s voice is drowned out by incessant clamor, whether inner or outer, in whatever shape or form, then continuous dialogue with God becomes impossible."
- Esther de Waal, from A Life-Giving Way & Seeking God: The Way of St. Benedict
God of healing, we pray for restoration of the girls, boys, men, and women, who have been rescued from the sex trafficking industry. Provide safe and secure shelters, with loving and compassionate caretakers, to aid in their healing process. Send your spirit to calm their minds, bodies, and souls. Amen.
"I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
- John 13:34-35
"Anyone who loves words will tend to let themselves be satisfied by them, and as a result stop short of true satisfaction. For true satisfaction...comes when I am silent and listen.... When God’s voice is drowned out by incessant clamor, whether inner or outer, in whatever shape or form, then continuous dialogue with God becomes impossible."
- Esther de Waal, from A Life-Giving Way & Seeking God: The Way of St. Benedict
God of healing, we pray for restoration of the girls, boys, men, and women, who have been rescued from the sex trafficking industry. Provide safe and secure shelters, with loving and compassionate caretakers, to aid in their healing process. Send your spirit to calm their minds, bodies, and souls. Amen.
Esther de Waal
1/6/13
"The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouting of a ruler among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one bungler destroys much good."
- Ecclesiastes 9:17-18
"To me, the ending felt so correct and so appropriate that it seemed to bend over backward to kiss the beginning."
- Elizabeth Gilbert
Creator God, be our greatest desire. Let us be filled with the joy of knowing we are yours. Amen.
"The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouting of a ruler among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one bungler destroys much good."
- Ecclesiastes 9:17-18
"To me, the ending felt so correct and so appropriate that it seemed to bend over backward to kiss the beginning."
- Elizabeth Gilbert
Creator God, be our greatest desire. Let us be filled with the joy of knowing we are yours. Amen.
Elizabeth Gilbert
1/5/13
"I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through [Christ] who strengthens me."
- Philippians 4:11-13
“Saints cannot exist without a community, as they require, like all of us, nurturance by a people who, while often unfaithful, preserve the habits necessary to learn the story of God.”
- Stanley Hauerwas, from “The Gesture of a Truthful Story” in Critical Reflections on Stanley Hauerwas’ Theology of Disability
God, as the weeks grow colder, the winter harsher, we pray for the homeless and those without shelter or heat. Give them unexpected warmth, comfort, and community. Amen.
"I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through [Christ] who strengthens me."
- Philippians 4:11-13
“Saints cannot exist without a community, as they require, like all of us, nurturance by a people who, while often unfaithful, preserve the habits necessary to learn the story of God.”
- Stanley Hauerwas, from “The Gesture of a Truthful Story” in Critical Reflections on Stanley Hauerwas’ Theology of Disability
God, as the weeks grow colder, the winter harsher, we pray for the homeless and those without shelter or heat. Give them unexpected warmth, comfort, and community. Amen.
Stanley Hauerwas
1/4/13
"O Lord, you will hear the desire of the meek; you will strengthen their heart, you will incline your ear to do justice for the orphan and the oppressed, so that those from earth may strike terror no more."
- Psalm 10:17-18
"Anyhow:from my standpoint the only thing--if you're some sort of artist--is to work a little harder than you can at being who you are:while if you're an unartist(i.e. aren't)nothing but big&quick recognition matters." (sic)
- e.e. cummings, from a letter to his daughter.
Almighty God, we pray for those in need of your love and mercy. May their hearts be filled with joy and comfort, knowing that you are always with them. Amen.
"O Lord, you will hear the desire of the meek; you will strengthen their heart, you will incline your ear to do justice for the orphan and the oppressed, so that those from earth may strike terror no more."
- Psalm 10:17-18
"Anyhow:from my standpoint the only thing--if you're some sort of artist--is to work a little harder than you can at being who you are:while if you're an unartist(i.e. aren't)nothing but big&quick recognition matters." (sic)
- e.e. cummings, from a letter to his daughter.
Almighty God, we pray for those in need of your love and mercy. May their hearts be filled with joy and comfort, knowing that you are always with them. Amen.
e.e. cummings
1/3/13
"Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers."
- Romans 12:11-13
“Our present ecological crisis, the biggest single practical threat to our human existence in the middle to long term, has, religious people would say, a great deal to do with our failure to think of the world as existing in relation to the mystery of God, not just as a huge warehouse of stuff to be used for our convenience.”
- Rowan Williams Archbishop of Canterbury
God, we pray for our brothers and sisters in the Philippines who were affected by a landslide last week. Comfort all families, give strength to the rescue workers, and grant peace to the survivors. Amen.
"Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers."
- Romans 12:11-13
“Our present ecological crisis, the biggest single practical threat to our human existence in the middle to long term, has, religious people would say, a great deal to do with our failure to think of the world as existing in relation to the mystery of God, not just as a huge warehouse of stuff to be used for our convenience.”
- Rowan Williams Archbishop of Canterbury
God, we pray for our brothers and sisters in the Philippines who were affected by a landslide last week. Comfort all families, give strength to the rescue workers, and grant peace to the survivors. Amen.
Rowan Williams - Archbishop of Canterbury
1/2/13
"I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
- Ephesians 4:1-3
"My life is not simply a meaningless conglomeration of serendipitous events and unremarkable happenstance. Rather, it is a series of divine appointments with the goal of shaping my character."
- Kelly James Clark
God, thank you for sending your son into this world, to us a broken people, held captive by sin. Help us to trust in Jesus Christ alone as our savior, and help us to spread your love in our actions. Amen.
"I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
- Ephesians 4:1-3
"My life is not simply a meaningless conglomeration of serendipitous events and unremarkable happenstance. Rather, it is a series of divine appointments with the goal of shaping my character."
- Kelly James Clark
God, thank you for sending your son into this world, to us a broken people, held captive by sin. Help us to trust in Jesus Christ alone as our savior, and help us to spread your love in our actions. Amen.
Kelly James Clark
1/1/13 ღ Ƥĕᗩᑥĕ ❀ ᏝᎧᏉᏋ ღ Happy New Years!
"The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord, and the neediest people shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. For the tyrant shall be no more, and the scoffer shall cease to be; all those alert to do evil shall be cut off— those who cause a person to lose a lawsuit, who set a trap for the arbiter in the gate, and without grounds deny justice to the one in the right."
- Isaiah 29:19-21
"Anybody can observe the Sabbath but making it holy surely takes the rest of the week."
- Alice Walker, from In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens
God, you are the light of the world, you have overcome all darkness. May we share your light with those who are searching -- with words and actions that are pleasing to you. Amen.
"The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord, and the neediest people shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. For the tyrant shall be no more, and the scoffer shall cease to be; all those alert to do evil shall be cut off— those who cause a person to lose a lawsuit, who set a trap for the arbiter in the gate, and without grounds deny justice to the one in the right."
- Isaiah 29:19-21
"Anybody can observe the Sabbath but making it holy surely takes the rest of the week."
- Alice Walker, from In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens
God, you are the light of the world, you have overcome all darkness. May we share your light with those who are searching -- with words and actions that are pleasing to you. Amen.
Alice Walker
12/31/12
If I am to know the will of God, I must have the right attitude toward life. I must first of all know what life is, and to know the purpose of my existence.
Thomas Merton. No Man Is An Island. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1955: 63.
Thought for the Day
He does not need our sacrifices, He asks for our selves.
No Man Is An Island: 63.
Contemplative Pause: Throughout this week, pause, take a breath, and listen with your heart. How are you giving yourself?
If I am to know the will of God, I must have the right attitude toward life. I must first of all know what life is, and to know the purpose of my existence.
Thomas Merton. No Man Is An Island. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1955: 63.
Thought for the Day
He does not need our sacrifices, He asks for our selves.
No Man Is An Island: 63.
Contemplative Pause: Throughout this week, pause, take a breath, and listen with your heart. How are you giving yourself?
12/30/12
"Now may the God of peace, who brought the great Shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus, back from the dead through the blood of the new everlasting covenant, perfect you in every good work as you work God’s will."
- Hebrews 13:20-21
"We are all children of society, but we are also mothers. We have to nourish society. If we are uprooted from society, we cannot transform it into a more livable place for us and for our children."
- Thich Nhat Hanh
God, may this weekend be one of rest and recentering, refreshment and rejuvenation, and most importantly, refocusing on you. Give me eyes to see where you are leading, ears to hear what you are saying, and a heart that follows wherever you may go. Amen.
"Now may the God of peace, who brought the great Shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus, back from the dead through the blood of the new everlasting covenant, perfect you in every good work as you work God’s will."
- Hebrews 13:20-21
"We are all children of society, but we are also mothers. We have to nourish society. If we are uprooted from society, we cannot transform it into a more livable place for us and for our children."
- Thich Nhat Hanh
God, may this weekend be one of rest and recentering, refreshment and rejuvenation, and most importantly, refocusing on you. Give me eyes to see where you are leading, ears to hear what you are saying, and a heart that follows wherever you may go. Amen.
12/29/12
“…know that the peace of God (a peace that is beyond any and all of our human understanding) will stand watch over your hearts and minds in Jesus, the Anointed One.”
- Philippians 4:7
“Love is the will to extend one's self for the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth... Love is as love does. Love is an act of will -- namely, both an intention and an action. Will also implies choice. We do not have to love. We choose to love.”
- M. Scott Peck (The Road Less Traveled)
God be in my pain and in my enduring. God be in my plans and in my deciding. God be in my mind and in my growing. God be in my limbs and in my leisure. Amen.
From Coventry Cathedral (2 of 2)
“…know that the peace of God (a peace that is beyond any and all of our human understanding) will stand watch over your hearts and minds in Jesus, the Anointed One.”
- Philippians 4:7
“Love is the will to extend one's self for the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth... Love is as love does. Love is an act of will -- namely, both an intention and an action. Will also implies choice. We do not have to love. We choose to love.”
- M. Scott Peck (The Road Less Traveled)
God be in my pain and in my enduring. God be in my plans and in my deciding. God be in my mind and in my growing. God be in my limbs and in my leisure. Amen.
From Coventry Cathedral (2 of 2)
Thomas Merton
