Collect: Ini Kopuria, Founder of the Melanesian Brotherhood, 1945 (Jun 6)

Collect for the Commemoration

Loving God, we bless your Name for the witness of Ini Kopuria, founder of the Melanesian Brotherhood: Open our eyes that we, with these Anglican brothers, may establish peace and hope in service to others; for the sake of Jesus Christ, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

“Open our eyes that we … may establish peace and hope in service to others.” Read a short summary of the story of Ini Kopuria to understand better what we are asking of God. Then, remember your (Baptismal) Covenant with God and other Christ-followers: With the help of God I will strive for justice and peace among all people and will respect the dignity of every human being. Finally, know that God will surely answer this prayer in our own lives. ~Fr. Dan

Be well. Do good. Pay attention. Keep learning.

• Lectionary readings for the Commemoration (Lectionary Page)
• Ini Kopuria (Holy Women, Holy Men)
• The Melanesian Brotherhood (Home Page)
• Baptismal Covenant (Hear the Spirit)

Image: The Melanesian Brotherhood. “The picture on the left is of the stained glass window from the chapel at Tabalia The picture is of Ini Kopyria (in the middle) flanked by (left) non Christian – heathen; and on the right by a (female) companion – praying for the work of the brothers.”

Solemn Pentecost Blessing

May Almighty God, who enlightened the minds of the disciples by pouring out upon them the Holy Spirit, make you rich with his blessing, that you may abound more and more in that Spirit for ever. Amen.

May God, who sent the Holy Spirit as a flame of fire that rested upon the heads of the disciples, burn out all evil from your hearts, and make them shine with the pure light of his presence. Amen.

May God, who by the Holy Spirit caused those of many tongues to proclaim Jesus as Lord, strengthen your faith and send you out to bear witness to him in word and deed. Amen.

And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you for ever. Amen.

The Book of Occasional Services, 2003, 27

Be well. Do good. Pay attention. Keep learning.

• The Book of Occasional Services, 2oo3 (Amazon.com)
• Pentecost (Episcopal Glossary of Terms)
• Whitsunday (Episcopal Glossary of Terms)
• A blessing is… (Spirituality & Practice Quotation)

Image: ChurchArt.com

After violence in Egypt

Once again I turn to Alden Solovy for a heartfelt prayer as the horror of another terrorist attack burdens the hearts of all people of goodwill. This prayer was originally posted on To Bend Light on May 27, 2017. The attack in Egypt occurred on May 26th.

For the Christians of Egypt
Oh people of conscience,
Cry out.
For G-d calls us to stand
With our Christian brothers and sisters.

Source and Creator,
Grant a perfect rest under your tabernacle of peace
To the victims of the ongoing attacks
Against Christians in Egypt.
Remember, too, those murdered
Throughout the Christian world.

Today we remember with sorrow the recent
Attack on pilgrims to St. Samuel the Confessor.
Their lives were cut off
In acts of aggression and hate.
May their souls be bound up in the bond of life,
A living blessing in our midst.
May they rest in peace.

Remember the survivors of this horror.
Grant them comfort and consolation.
Bless them with endurance to survive,
Strength to rebuild,
Faith to mourn,
Courage to heal,
And devotion to each other.

Oh G-d,
We implore You,
Look down upon the suffering
Of the Christians of Egypt.
Hold them close with Your mercy.

G-d of All,
With Your gentle and loving hand
Unite Your children
Under a canopy of peace.
Bring the light of salvation and healing
To the four corners of the earth.

© 2017 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

Postscript: On April 9, suicide bombings killed 44 at two Coptic churches in Egypt. This prayer is based on  for “Racist Violence against Houses of Worship” and my “Liturgy after Terror Attacks.”

Visit TO BEND LIGHT and find more prayers in the Jewish Tradition by Alden Solovy.

See also: To Bend Light on Facebook

Image: To Bend Light

We remember

God encompass you

Throughout the day the good God encompass you;

throughout the night the saving God enfold you;

throughout your life, the loving God behold you.

And the blessing of God,

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

be in you and remain with you forever. Amen

David Adam, The Open Gate: Celtic Prayers for Growing Spiritually
(Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing, 1995) p. 111

Be well. Do good. Pay attention. Keep learning.

• The Open Gate (Amazon.com)

Image: Watercolor by Elanie Moore and used as the cover art for the Easter Season Worship Booklet at St. Hugh’s Episcopal Church in Idyllwild, CA.

Ascend with Christ

Grant, we pray, Almighty God, that as we believe your only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into heaven, so we may also in heart and mind there ascend, and with him continually dwell; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect in Ascension week in The Book of Common Prayer,  p. 226

Humanity, humankind, our flesh and blood, Jesus Christ, ascended. What began at Christmas as God took our flesh is now completed as our flesh is united to the divine “in heaven.” Forever. Everywhere. God in us. We in God. May we indeed be aware of this union and “with [God] continually dwell.” ~Fr. Dan

Be well. Do good. Pay attention. Keep learning.

• The Ascension of Christ (Episcopal terms)
• Daily Office (Mission of St. Clare)
• Paschal Mystery (Episcopal Glossary of terms)

Image: ChurchArt.com

Comfort of the sad

Almighty and everlasting God, the comfort of the sad, and strength of them that suffer; Let the prayers of Thy children who cry out of any tribulation come unto Thee, and unto every soul that is distressed grant Thou mercy, relief, and refreshment; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Gelasian Sacramentary (8th century, CE) in Albert E. Campion, Ed., Prayers For Christian Healing (New York: Morehouse-Gorham Co., 1958) p. 26 [Out of print]

As we continue to grieve and suffer with those who hurt or harmed by violence in so many parts of the world: let us turn to God who is “comfort of the sad, and strength of them that suffer.” Beyond prayer, let us listen for the Spirit’s guidance in order to be the “mercy, relief, and refreshment” of God in Jesus Christ. ~Fr. Dan

Be well. Do good. Pay attention. Keep learning.

• Prayers for Personal Situations (Church of England)
• Daily Office (Mission of St. Clare)
• Paschal Mystery (Episcopal Glossary of terms)

Image: ChurchArt.com