Friday, February 5, 2021

WEDNESDAY LAUDS: "Liturgy and Prayers"

I hope you'll join me for Lauds, our morning prayers, as the Beloved Community greets each new day in peace and faith.  Let our hearts be opened wide to the invitation of Jesus: to love abundantly, to do justice bravely and to seek the peace of our cities, towns and nations.  Most often I'll stream these prayers on Facebook Live at 8 am, and then post them to the blog a little after that.

MORNING PRAYERS, SPRING 2021:
WEDNESDAY 

Refrain

         Lord Jesus Christ, Lover of all, 
         Trail wide the hem of your garment
         Bring healing, bring peace!

         or

         Bright morning stars are rising (3x)
         Day is breaking in my soul

Invocation
        O Holy Light, O Wisdom, O Christ:
        Lift our spirits now, raise your servant church to life.
        As night turns to day, and dark welcomes dawn,
        Open our eyes that we may see your face
        In the joys, in the wonders, in the strange struggles
        That await us this new and sacred day.

        (Trail wide the hem of your garment...)

Peace to you, dear friends!  When we pray together -- as we do here -- we lean into the grace of God, the mercy of God, and the beloved community that is our true hope and calling.  So welcome!  You'll find the text of these morning prayers on my blog, "Valley Rise Up."  In the gentle pauses that follow, I hope you'll add your own prayers, your own praise to our community's lauds.  We pray together.

Praise
        Creek Alleluya

        I praise You, God, for light and for dark, for seasons and for cycles. [ALLELUIA]
        I praise You, God, for the body's strength and for the body's frailty. [ALLELUIA]
        I praise You, God, for the trails that make sense to me, 
        and for the paths that go nowhere at all. [ALLELUIA]
        With our own words, we praise You, God,
        for the graces and gifts in our particular lives...  

        (You're invited to offer your own praise, for all that is and all that you are.)

        Creek Alleluya

Devotion
         Let the mind of Jesus be in us and with us:
         That we might receive today's gifts with joy,
         That we might bear today's sorrow in faith,
         And that we might keep our eyes on the prize
         Of liberation, celebration and the beloved community
         Of all beings, all peoples, and all souls.   
         Amen and amen.
 
Five Minutes of Silence & Meditation
You’re invited to experience the active, generous presence of God—in your body, in your soul, in our ruah.  Remember that the Bible uses this one Hebrew word (ruah) for “spirit” and for “wind” and for “breath.”  As we sit quietly and breath mindfully, we are aware of the Spirit’s tender and resilient movement in our lives.

If your mind wanders, do not be harsh or judgmental.  Simply notice the wandering mind, and then return to your breath.  Return to the Spirit who is your companion in prayer.

The Bell Rings
        In our breathing, we rest in You.
        In our resting, we rejoice in You.
        In our rejoicing, we are one with You.

Prayers of the People
We are called to community and communion.
We are called to witness and resistance.
And we are called to compassion and prayer.

         Kyrie eleison, Kyrie eleison
         Holy One, have mercy on us
         Jesus Christ, have mercy on us
         Kyri-Kyrie eleison.

For those who are sick and ailing today, for those who are anxious and frightened today, and for their caregivers--that all may know the generous spirit of grace and peace:

         God, have mercy.  

For all who seek racial justice, and for those committed to systemic and consequential change on the path to nonviolent and just national renewal:

         God, have mercy.

For immigrants and refugees so far from home, that their hearts may be strengthened by faith and that their journeys to freedom be hastened by grace:

         God, have mercy.

For our friends incarcerated in institutions and jails, and for prisoners of conscience living for freedom, that holy hope rise in their hearts and mercy make them wise:

        God, have mercy.

And for so many others, friends, partners and antagonists, 
that they too may know comfort and companionship among friends; 
we pray for them by name:

(You're invited to offer into prayer the names of those you hold in love or gratitude today.)

         Kyrie eleison, Kyrie eleison
         Holy One, have mercy on us
         Jesus Christ, have mercy on us
         Kyri-Kyrie eleison.

Our Intention
I invite you now to consider your own intention for the day to come: how you might face the opportunities, responsibilities and mysteries that stretch out across morning, afternoon and nightime.  How do you intend to live this day, the day you're given, on planet earth?  And in a quiet moment, offer this intention to God, and receive God's promise of companionship and blessing.

Intention Prayer 
   Where we might divide, reconcile us, O God of peace,
   and make us one, make us new, make us whole.
   Where we might judge, break us open, O God of grace,
   and fill us with love, with joy, with hope.
   Where we might despair, awaken us, O Christ,
   and grant us vision, grant us courage, grant us light.

   By the revealing light of your gospel,
   We see a new day, bathed in glory,
   We see familiar worries, transformed as opportunities,
   We see a world of many peoples, reaching for unity and spirit.

   Open our eyes and hearts this day, this very moment,
   That we may be witnesses to your reconciling power,
   To your nonviolent passion, to your boundless and eternal mercy.

   Open our hands and homes by the example of Jesus,
   That we may bring good news to the weary, 
   Healing and hope to the brokenhearted,
   And jubilee justice to the ends of the earth.
   Amen and amen.

People's Response
         “This Little Light of Mine” 

Blessing:  
There is a Love 
that meets our deepest need with grace
There is a Grace
that renews every soul and refreshes every thirst
There is a Thirst
that joins us in communion to the
One Holy and Eternal God
whose passion is unity
whose delight is peace
whose light shines in your hearts now and always.

Go with Christ, then: to shine, to love, to thirst.
Amen and amen.

Until next time, my friends, in all things and in all ways, BE WELL AND LIVE INTO THE BLESSING OF YOUR LIFE!