Cantica Gaudia

Ordinary Time, Late Summer: Tuesday Noonday Prayer

Opening: From the corners of the world, from the confusion of life, from the loneliness of our hearts, gather us, O God.

To feed our minds, to fire our imagination, to free our hearts, gather us, O God.

Psalm: O Beloved, let all that is unholy within us be cleansed,
          erased as chalk from a slate.
As fire consumes the forest,
          as the flame reaches up to the heavens,
Let the refining Fire of your Love
          reach into the hidden places within open hearts!
Forgive us and let the deep regret of our souls
          rise up as contrite offerings.
Let the people seek your Word,
          let the nations turn from violence and destruction.

Let them know that You alone, You who reign with Love,
are the Most High over all the earth!

Reading: God has created me to do him some definite service.  He has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another.  I have my mission.  I am a bond of connection between persons.  He has not created me for naught.  I shall do good.  I shall do his work.  I shall be a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it, if I but keep his commandments.  Therefore will I trust him.  Whatever I am, I can never be thrown away.  He does nothing in vain.  The Lord knows what he is about.

The Lord’s Prayer

Creator of all,
Alive in all things and greater than all things,
Your naming be held holy.
Your vision of our goodness be made manifest throughout the universe,
And your desires for us brought to fulfillment.
Give us that which is essential for our growth and work.
Offer forgiveness and healing to us as we forgive and heal those around us.
Protect us from unnecessary suffering and wasteful pain.
For all that is beautiful, strong and glorious has its roots in you
and expresses your will and your nature, which we share in, unendingly.  Amen.

Prayer: Come, my Light, and illumine my darkness.
Come, my Life, and revive me from death.
Come, my Physician, and heal my wounds.
Come, Flame of divine love, and burn up the thorns of my sins,
Kindling my heart with the flame of your love.
Come, my King, sit upon the throne of my heart and reign there.
For you along are my King and my Lord.  Amen.

Going Forth: In work and worship, God is with us. Gathered and scattered, God is with us. Now and always, God is with us. Amen.