together, friday

Friday, July 4

Come to Stillness: Take a few minutes to allow your mind and heart to be still before God.

Opening Prayer: All praise and thanks to thee, most merciful God, for adopting us as thine own children, for incorporating us into thy holy Church, and for making us worthy to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.  Grant us, we pray, all things necessary for our common life, and bring us all to be of one heart and mind within thy holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. (The Book of Common Prayer)

Scripture Reading for the Day: Luke 10:25-37

Reading for Reflection:

 

How strange that we should ordinarily feel compelled to hide our wounds when we are all wounded!  Community requires the ability to expose our wounds and weaknesses to our fellow creatures.  It also requires the ability to be affected by the wounds of others… But even more important is the love that arises among us when we share, both ways, our woundedness. (A Different Drum by M. Scott Peck)

Reflection and Listening: silent and written

Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself

            

Closing Prayer: O Blessed Trinity, Three in One, as we celebrate this day of independence, help us always to remember that the life you have called us to is really a life of dependence—a dependence upon you, as well as an interdependence upon each other.  Thank you that the life of faith was never meant to be lived alone in isolation, but always lived together in community.  We pray this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.  Amen.