Prayers

Celebrating God’s Fool, St. Francis of Assisi

October 5, 2022

Celebrating God’s Fool, St. Francis of Assisi

Written by

davidcantus

Originally Published

October 5, 2022

Prayers, Rituals, Seasons and Celebrations

Preparation

Find a quiet place where you can be alone without distractions. Light candles (or a small fire). Take a few moments to center yourself.

Approach

Make the Sign of the Cross while saying:

In the name of God, the Three-in-One, the One-in-Three,
One holy and blessed Trinity, now and for ever. AMEN.

Druid Call for Peace

Deep within the still center of my being
May I find peace.
Silently within the quiet of the grove
May I share peace.
Gently (or powerfully) within the greater circle of humankind
May I radiate peace.

Greeting the Four Directions

Adapted from Canticle of the Creatures, St. Francis of Assisi

From the Center, facing East say:

Most High, all-powerful, good God,
all praise is yours, all glory, all honor, and all blessing.
To you, alone, Most High, do they belong.

Walk to the East Quarter, light a candle and say:

All praise to you, O God,
through our Kindred Wind,
through the air, cloudy and serene, and every kind of weather,
through whom you sustain your creatures.

Walk sunwise (clockwise) to the South, light a candle and say:

All praise to you, O God, 
through our Kindred Fire,
through whom you light the night,
Who is beautiful and playful, robust and strong.

Walk sunwise to the West, light a candle and say:

All praise to you, O God, 
through our Kindred Water,
so useful, humble, precious and pure.

Walk sunwise to the North, light a candle and say:

All praise to you, O God, 
through our Kindred Earth,
who sustains us and governs us,
and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

Walk to the Center, face East, light the God/Jesus/Sun candle and say:

All praise to you, O God,
through our Kindred Sun, who brings the day;
and through whom you give us light.
How beautiful, how radiant in splendor;
Bearing the likeness of the Most High.

Still facing East, light the Goddess/Mary/Moon candle and say:

All praise to you, O God, 
through our Kindreds Moon and stars;
in the heavens you have made them,
bright, and precious, and fair.

Bow, make the sign of the cross, and say:

All praise and honor to God, Eternal Spirit, Maker of all that is;
To Jesu, the Christ, Bearer of our humanity;
And to the Holy Spirit, Awen and Breath of life.
As it was in the Beginning, is now, and will be for ever.
So may it be.
AMEN.

The Druid’s Prayer

Grant, O God, Thy Protection;
And in protection, strength;
And in strength, understanding;
And in understanding, knowledge;
And in knowledge, the knowledge of justice;
And in the knowledge of justice, the love of it;
And in that love, the love of all existences;
And in the love of all existences, the love of God: Creator, Redeemer, and Life-Giver,
Mary our mother,
all the angels and saints,
All of creation that sustains and nourishes us,
and all goodness.
Adapted from Iolo Morganwg (attributed)

The Word of God

Psalmody

Psalm 19:1-6 OR Psalm 8

At the end of the Psalm say:

Glory be to God, the Three-in-One, the One-in-Three;*
one holy and blessed Trinity, now and for ever. AMEN.

Scripture Reading

Genesis 1:1-2:3 OR Job 12:7-10

At the end of the reading say:

For the Word of God in Scripture,

For the Word of God among us,

For the Word of God within us,

Thanks be to God
Iona Community

Canticle

A Song of Creation

Prayers of Intercession

Offer prayers for the following:

The members of your local congregation/grove/coven
Those who suffer, those who are sick, and those in trouble
The concerns of your local community
The world, its people, and its leaders
The universal Church, its leaders, its members, and its mission
Those who have died
Any other concerns or thanksgivings

The Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is error, the truth;
Where there is doubt, the faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled, as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

The Prayer that Jesus Taught

Our Father, Who art in Heaven,
hallowed be Thy name;
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Leave-Taking

Blessing

Christ, as a light illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield overshadow me.
Christ under me; Christ over me;
Christ beside me, on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light; Christ as a shield;
Christ beside me on my left and my right.
Adapted from St. Patrick’s Breastplate,
From A Way of Living: A Worship, Prayer, and Liturgy Resource for the Lindisfarne Community, Jane Hall Fitzgibbon and Andrew Fitzgibbon

The Druid Vow

We swear by peace and love to stand,
Heart to heart, and hand in hand,
Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now,
Confirming this, our sacred vow.

Make the Sign of the Cross while saying:

In the name of God, the Three-in-One, the One-in-Three,
One holy and blessed Trinity, now and for ever. AMEN.

Extinguish candles/fire and leave the space.

Druid in the Hills Daily Prayer

July 18, 2022

This prayer is an adaptation of the Christian Liturgy of the Hours, or Daily Office, incorporating Druid and Christian elements, that can be used any time of the day.

Approach

Preparation

Find a quiet place where you can be alone without distraction.

Light candles or a small fire, if you like.

Take a few moments to center yourself. Here are a couple of ideas, if you’re at a loss for something.

Take some deep breaths – in and out. Focus on your breathing.
Chant the word, Awen, AH-OO-WEN, drawing out each syllable.
This prayer, the Druid Call for Peace

Deep within the still center of my being,
May I find peace.
Silently within the quiet of the grove,
May I share peace.
Gently (or powerfully), within the greater circle of humankind,
May I radiate peace.

When you’re ready to begin, make the sign of the cross and say:

In the name of God, Three-in-One, One-in-Three,
One holy and blessed Trinity, now and for ever.
AMEN.

Greeting the Four Directions

For the following, if you like, stand and face each direction, or walk to that position. Pause after each line to visualize peace spreading to that direction.

May there be Peace in the North.
May there be Peace in the South.
May there be Peace in the West.
May there be Peace in the East.
Facing east,
Through the strength of heaven,
Light of the sun,
Splendor of Fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of rock -
May there be Peace in the Land, in the Sea, and in the Sky.
May there be Peace throughout the world.

The Druid Prayer

Grant, O God, Thy Protection;
And in Protection, Strength;
And in Strength, Understanding;
And in Understanding, Knowledge;
And in Knowledge, the Knowledge of Justice;
And in the Knowledge of Justice, the Love of it;
And in that Love, the Love of All Existences;
And in the Love of All Existences, the Love of God, Eternal Spirit, Maker of all that is;
Jesu, the Christ, Bearer of our humanity;
The Holy Spirit, Fount of Wisdom, Awen, and Breath of Life;
Mary, Most Holy Theotokos and Our Mother;
All the angels and saints;
All Creation that nourishes and sustains us;
And All that is Good.
Adapted from The Druid Prayer, attributed to Iolo Morganwg

Chant some AWENS.

Depending on the time of day, face East, and say or chant one of the following.

O Dawning Sun (Morning)

O Dawning Sun, O Sign of Christ, O Sacred Seal
of All! We hail you as you arise from the
darkness of oblivion.

O Divine Word! O Christ! O Creator of the
Vastness of the Universe! We hail you Sun, as
you end the night, and come to create the Day.

We reunite ourselves with you in this moment, as
you travel through all the circles of the universe,
manifesting one Wisdom, one Beauty and one
Strength.
— Morning Prayer, The Order of St. Cyprian of Antioch

Light of the World (Evening/Sunset)

Light of the world, in grace and beauty,
Mirror of God’s eternal face,
Transparent flame of love’s free duty,
You bring salvation to our race.
Now, as we see the lights of evening,
We raise our voice in hymns of praise;
Worthy are you of endless blessing,
Sun of our night, lamp of our days
— Evening Prayer, Enriching Our Worship 1, The Episcopal Church

Song

Sing or play a recording of a chant, hymn, or other song. Here are my Spotify playlists for Morning and Evening:

Readings, Reflection, and Prayer

Psalms and Biblical Readings

Psalms and Readings from Scripture follow a cycle. You can find the Daily Office Lectionary of The Episcopal Church here.

The Mission of St. Clare site has the complete texts of the Episcopal Daily Office.

For the Roman Catholic Liturgy of the Hours, go to the Universalis site.

You can find an Orthodox version of the Daily Office at the St. Gregory the Great Orthodox Church site.

Canticles

A canticle is a biblical song outside of the Psalms. While the Book of Common Prayer lists suggested canticles for different days and seasons, the Song of Simeon can be used for Morning Prayer and the Song of Mary for Evening Prayer.

If used in a group setting the asterisk* indicates a change of reader or group of readers.

Morning Canticle – The Song of Simeon (Benedictus Dominus)

Blessèd are you, the God of Israel,*
You have come your people and set them free.

You have raised up for us a mighty Savior,*
Born of the house of your servant, David.

Through your holy prophets you promised of old*
To save us from our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us.

To show mercy to our ancestors,*
And to remember your holy covenant.

This was the oath you swore to our ancestors, Abraham and Sarah,*
To set us free from the hands of our enemies.

Free to worship you without fear,*
Holy and righteous before you, all the days of our life.

And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,*
For you will go before God to prepare the way.

To give God’s people knowledge of salvation*
By the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God*
The dawn from on high shall break upon us,

To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,*
And to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Luke 1: 68-79, from A Way of Living: A Worship, Prayer and Liturgy Resource for the Lindisfarne Community, Jane Hall-Fitzgibbon and Andrew Fitz-Gibbon, Copyright © 2006 Jane Hall-Fitzgibbon and Andrew Fitzgibbon, The Lindisfarne Community.

Evening Canticle – The Song of Mary (Magnificat)

My soul proclaims the greatness of God,*
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

For you, O God, have looked with favor on your lowly servant.*
From this day all generations will call me blessed:

You, the all loving, have done great things for me*
and holy is your name.

You have mercy on those who revere you,*
from generation to generation.

You have shown strength with your arm*
and scattered the proud in their conceit.

Casting down the mighty from their thrones*
and lifting up the lowly.

You have filled the hungry with good things*
and sent the rich way empty.

You have come to the aid of your servant, Israel,*
to remember the promise of mercy,

The promise made to our ancestors,*
to Abraham, Sarah, and their children for ever.
Luke 1: 46-55, from A Way of Living: A Worship, Prayer and Liturgy Resource for the Lindisfarne Community, Jane Hall-Fitzgibbon and Andrew Fitz-Gibbon, Copyright © 2006 Jane Hall-Fitzgibbon and Andrew Fitzgibbon, The Lindisfarne Community.

The canticle concludes with:

In the name of God, Three-in-One, One-in-Three,
One holy and blessed Trinity, now and for ever.
AMEN.

Intercessions

Help us, O God our Savior; 
Deliver us and forgive us our sins. 

Look upon your congregation; 
Give to your people the blessing of peace. 

Declare your glory among the nations; 
And your wonders among all peoples.

Do not let the oppressed be shamed and turned away; 
Never forget the lives of your poor. 

Continue your loving-kindness to those who know you;
And your favor to those who are true of heart. 

Satisfy us by your loving-kindness in the morning; 
So shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.

Offer prayers for the following:
The members of this group/grove/coven/congregation...
Those who suffer and those in trouble...
The concerns of this local community...
The world, its people, and its leaders...
The universal Church -its leaders, its members, and its mission...
Those who have died…

The Prayer of Jesus

Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be,
Father and Mother of us all,
Loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world!
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love,
now and for ever.
Amen.
— The Lord’s Prayer, The New Zealand Book of Prayer | He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa

Leave-Taking

The Oath of Peace

We swear by peace and love to stand
Heart to heart, and hand in hand.
Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now.
Confirming this, our sacred vow.

Final Blessing

Christ, as a light
illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield
overshadow me.
Christ under me;
Christ over me;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light;
Christ as a shield;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
— Adapted from St. Patrick’s Breastplate, Northumbria Community

Extinguish any candles or fire. Take a moment to ground.

Make the Sign of the Cross, then leave the space.

An Element-ary Way to Start the Day

April 29, 2022

Find a quiet place and take a few moments to center yourself. I find music helpful in this. You might try playing something like Song of Awen by Damh the Bard:

Turning or moving to each quarter, light a candle, and say the following:

May there be peace in the North.
May there be peace in the South.
May there be peace in the West.
May there be peace in the East.
May there be peace throughout the world.
Druid Prayer for Peace

Move or turn to the center and say the Druid’s Prayer.

Grant, O God (Goddess/Great Spirit, Holy Ones, thy protection
And in protection, strength
And in strength, understanding
And in understanding, knowledge
And in knowledge, the knowledge of justice
And in the knowledge of justice, the love of it
And in the love of justice, the love of all existences
And in that love, the love of God (Goddess, Great Spirit, Holy Ones, the Earth our Mother, and all Goodness
attributed to Iolo Morganwg

Chant the word “AWEN” slowly, drawing the word out into three syllables: AH-OH-EN.

Facing East –

Hail to you, Spirits of Air, Spirits of the East!
Be with me, guide, bless, and protect me this day.
I ask for you gifts of clarity, insight, and vision.
Help me to walk in wisdom.

Pause briefly, feeling the breeze moving around and through you. Welcome the power of air.

Facing South –

Hail to you, Spirits of Fire, Spirits of the South!
Be with me, guide, bless, and protect me this day.
Fuel my passion, ignite my creativity.
Help me to walk in courage.

Pause briefly, feeling the heat of the fire as it burns. Welcome the power of fire.

Facing West –

Hail to you, Spirits of Water, Spirits of the West!
Be with me, guide, bless, and protect me this day.
Wash over me with healing, let compassion flow through me.
Help me to walk in love.

Pause briefly, feeling the cool water wash over, around, and through you. Welcome the power of water.

Facing North –

Hail to you, Spirits of Earth, Spirits of the Earth!
Be with me, guide, bless, and protect me this day.
Grow in me health, prosperity, stability, and firmness of purpose.
Help me to walk in strength.

Pause briefly, feeling the solidity, vitality, and strength of the earth beneath you. Welcome the power of Earth.

The following two prayers are addressed to Cernunnos and Brighid. Please feel free to use other prayers here, or none.

Facing East, or towards an image of Cernunnos.

Hail to you, Cernunnos, Lord, sitter in the doorway,
god of equilibrium, terrible, merciful,
you who hold the opposites apart,
you in whom all opposites unite,
my prayer goes to you to open the passage,
to clear the threshold,
to make the way clear.
Ceisiwr Serith, A Book of Pagan Prayer

Pause briefly, listening for anything the deity wishes to communicate to you. Welcome their presence.

Facing an image of Brighid –

Hail to you, Brighid, Goddess of Fire,
three-fold queen who inspires poets, artists, and healers,
may your fire be the flame on my hearth,
may your fire be the flame in my heart.
adapted from prayers in A Book of Pagan Prayer by Ceisiwr Serith

Pause briefly, listening for anything the deity wishes to communicate to you. Welcome their presence.

So may it be

If you like, take some time to read, meditate, take an omen, etc.

When ready, conclude with the Druid Vow and some AWENS.

We swear by peace and love to stand
Heart to heart, and hand in hand;
Mark! O Spirit, and hear us now,
Confirming this, our sacred vow.

Chant the word “AWEN” slowly, drawing the word out into three syllables: AH-OH-EN.

Take your leave by thanking the powers you have invoked for their gifts and their presence, and extinguish any candles (or fires) you have lit. As you extinguish the candles say:

As I extinguish these lights, may their flame burn brightly within me, and may I carry what I have gained with me through the day.
So may it be!

Ring a bell or chime, pause briefly, then exit the space.

Samhain

November 16, 2021

The Wheel turns, Summer ends, Winter begins.
The harvest is gathered as Earth to her rest settles in.
We gather ‘round the hearth with friends and kin,
For warmth and comfort as darkness closes in.
The veil between worlds grows thin,
Even those without sight may glimpse within.

We remember and honor those who’ve gone before
As we welcome them to the table once more.
Slowly fades the light, giving way to dark of night.
Warmth gives way to cold snow and rain
As Winter approaches once again.

Hail and Welcome, Holy Uriel, Greeter of those who cross the veil!
Hail and Welcome, all you Holy Ones!
Hail and Welcome, friends and family, near and far!
Hail and Welcome, all who travel this road together!
Hail and Welcome, Ancestors!
Hail and Welcome, Winter!
Hail and Welcome, Night!

Prayer for the Healing of Division

April 15, 2021

In Response to Injustice and the Harm We Do to Each Other

Loving Creator, Mother and Father of us all,
in whom there is no male or female,
in whom we are all one - 
Help us to truly see the connections among us;
Help us to truly love each other,
including those we feel are unworthy, 
those who make us uncomfortable,
And those whom we regard as our enemies.
For it is in loving that fear of the other is banished.

Loving Redeemer, God become human,
whose incarnation reunites earth and heaven,
who suffered humiliation, exclusion, denial, physical torture, and death 
at the hands of those who felt threatened by you - 
Hold in love those who experience discrimination and disenfranchisement,
Those who experience hatred and violence,
Those who are killed simply because they are different.
Help us to see the Divine in everyone,
For we are all one in Christ.

Loving Spirit of Wisdom, Giver of Life,
the Awen that inspires us,
who guides us to closer union with God - 
Help us to overcome our prejudices,
Help us to truly see that God contains the immense diversity of creation,
Help us to see the beauty in each other.
Help us to see past our discomfort and fear.
Help us to stop hurting and killing.
For our joy is truly found in love of one another and all creation.

+In the name of God, Eternal Spirit and Maker of all that is;
Jesu, the Christ and Bearer of our humanity;
and the Holy Spirit, Breath of Life, Awen, and Source of all Wisdom;
One, Holy and Undivided Trinity,
As it was in the beginning, is now,
And will be for ever.
So may it be.
Amen.

Rainbow Spirits

June 26, 2017

For LGBTQIA folks all over the world, June is Pride Month. This morning I led a worship service at Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church celebrating Pride and the colorful rainbow of LGBTQIA humanity. Here is a transcript of my sermon. (Links to source material are provided in the text.)

Rainbow Spirits: Celebrating Pride

Sermon – ORUUC – June 25, 2017
FOR PRIDE
Reading By Lois Van Leer

[http://www.uua.org/worship/words/reading/pride]

They will march, walk, wheel, dance, shimmy and shake
Block upon block of undulating color, flesh, banners, signs, clothing or lack thereof

Hands raised, hands linked, apart, together

Singing, shouting, chanting, silent,

Joyous, tearful, nervous, afraid, proud, defiant, angry, happy, delirious, tentative, ecstatic, courageous, brave, free
The stereotype

The unrecognizable

The flamboyant

The ordinary

The parent, the child

The runaway, the lost, the lonely, the found
Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual, Trans, Queer, Intersexed, Questioning

Allies

Those who taunt and jeer

Their banners of hate 10 feet tall:

“God made Adam and Eve; not Adam and Steve”

“Burn in Hell”

The other slogans:

“Straight but Not Narrow”

“I love my gay child”

“Standing on the Side of Love”
One day a year

One out of 365

Mardi Gras out of season

Festive, bacchanalian, tame,

Booths, food, shopping!
Underneath there is a history:

Resistance.

It was the marginalized of the marginalized,

Drag queens, transvestites, the butch and the femme

Who unlike Rosa Parks did not sit down,

But in their tired rage

Stood up, rose up

fought back

holding the police captive in the bars they had come to raid,

their weapons: their oppression, their hands, beer bottles

Stonewall

Six days of riots in New York

June 1969
A year later a march in Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, L.A., San Fran

And now, any weekend in June, anywhere around the world, PRIDE
Why do we march?

For those who are not able

For those who have been murdered

For those who are ravaged by disease

For those who are still beaten, still taunted, still harassed, still victims still targets
Why do we march?

Because some truths ain’t self-evident

Because all men ain’t protected equal
And we love a good party…
They will march, walk, wheel, dance, shimmy and shake

Block upon block of undulating color, flesh, banners, signs, clothing or lack thereof

Hands raised, hands linked, apart, together

Singing, shouting, chanting, silent,

Joyous, tearful, nervous, afraid, proud, defiant, angry, happy, delirious, tentative, ecstatic, courageous, brave—
Free.

************

In the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn, a club in Greenwich Village that catered to the LGBTQ community. This was nothing new, bar raids happened frequently. In fact, the Stonewall Inn had been raided just a few days before. This time was different. For starters, the police ignored the arrangement with the bar’s owners to warn them of an impending raid, giving them time to cover the illegal activities going on inside the club. Thus, the bar’s staff and patrons were caught completely off-guard and unprepared.

Police raids had shut down most of the other clubs, leaving the Stonewall Inn as one of the few remaining places where LGBTQ folks could gather, drink, and dance. The bar was also one of the very few places that welcomed drag queens and LGBTQ youth. The raid went down as usual at first. People were rounded up, and arrested. Then a police officer struck a woman over the head, and incited six days of rioting from a community that had. HAD. ENOUGH. Tired of the way they were being treated, the community fought back.

Though the Stonewall riots were not the beginning of the gay rights movement, they were certainly a catalyst for renewed activism, leading to the establishment of organizations like the Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD, and PFLAG. In June of 1970, on the one year anniversary of the Stonewall riots, the first Pride parade was held in New York City. There were also marches Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco and other cities.

Fast forward to 1978, San Francisco had just elected its first openly gay city supervisor, Harvey Milk, who had campaigned on a message of hope for LGBTQ youth. Milk challenged San Francisco artist Gilbert Baker to create a positive symbol symbol of pride for the gay community, an alternative to the upside-down pink triangle that had been used by the Nazis to identify, persecute, and murder homosexuals. Though it had been reclaimed as a symbol of pride (and is still widely used), the pink triangle, for many, represented persecution and death.

Baker’s original handmade flag had eight colored stripes: hot pink, red, orange, yellow, green, turquoise, indigo, and violet; the colors of the rainbow, chosen because it was a symbol from nature. Gilbert Baker recalls the moment when the new flag was flown for the first time:

Raising it up and seeing it there blowing in the wind for everyone to see. It completely astounded me that people just got it, in an instant like a bolt of lightning – that this was their flag. It belonged to all of us. It was the most thrilling moment of my life. Because I knew right then that this was the most important thing I would ever do – that my whole life was going to be about the Rainbow Flag.

A few of Baker’s handmade flags were carried in that first Pride march in San Francisco in 1978. On November 27, 1978, San Francisco woke up to the news that city supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone had been assassinated. Galvanized by grief and rage, activists decided that the rainbow flag should be flown from the light poles on Market Street during the next Pride parade. Soon after, the now six stripe rainbow flag was visible all over the city. Whenever a symbol of hope and pride was needed, the rainbow flag appeared. Gilbert Baker described the flag as more than just cloth and stripes; putting the flag on a house or car is not just flying a flag, it’s taking action. On a personal note, when I was in grad school, I hung a rainbow flag in my window. I didn’t really think anything of it, but one night, a young woman told me seeing that flag hanging in the window every morning as she walked to class gave her hope and helped her realize that she wasn’t alone.

Gilbert Baker died this past March. He lived to see his creation become something much larger than himself, a symbol transcending sexuality, gender, race, and religion. Its universal nature is multiplied by Baker’s desire to share the flag with everyone, even if it meant not making a profit. He never trademarked it, nor did he attempt to monetize it. The Rainbow Flag has appeared on all sorts of products: coffee cups, bumpers stickers, shoes and clothing, and even as a reaction symbol on Facebook.
The Rainbow Flag has become a universal symbol of acceptance and peace. Singly, the colors represent a different aspect of human experience; together they form a beautiful tapestry of hope and pride.

I would like to close with a meditation on the different colors of the rainbow flag, adapted by H. Adam Ackley from a prayer by Cherry Kittredge and Patrick Cheng, and further adapted by me:
[http://jesusinlove.blogspot.com/2014/06/rainbow-christ-prayer-goes-nationwide.html]

The Rainbow Spirit embodies all the colors of the world. In mythology, rainbows bridge different realms: East and west, heaven and earth, queer and non-queer. So we celebrate each color of the rainbow.

Lighting a red candle: The red of the rainbow reminds us to LIVE FULLY a renewed Life rooted in Spirit. We seek the grace of healthy well-being. We are renewed in body, mind, and spirit as we follow our own inner light and live as the person we were born to be.

Lighting an orange candle: The orange of the rainbow reminds us to be thankful for the gift of creativity, including the fire of sacred human sexuality, We are open and free us to pursue meaningful and grace-filled relationships. We forgive the past and now embrace this present moment, freely expressing our passion and our desire in creative, healthy, grace-filled ways.

Lighting a yellow candle: The yellow of the rainbow reminds us to REJOICE in the very gift of self, each of us filled with the divine spark, empowering us, radiating in and through us. We value and trust ourselves and each other enough to “come out” continually from secrecy, shame, and self-rejection into the light that illuminates and affirms the holy in each of us.

Lighting a green candle: The green of the rainbow reminds us to LOVE. When we seek to fill our hearts with untamed, compassionate love for all beings, including ourselves and each other, in every area of our lives, we give and receive love with happiness, balance, grace, and harmony.

Lighting a blue candle: The blue of the rainbow reminds us to GIVE VOICE to the liberating spirit within us. We seek to use gracious, prophetic, active, and just voices to speak out with calm, confidence, and power against all that demeans and oppresses.

Lighting a purple candle: The violet of the rainbow reminds us of the inner vision that seeks and knows the highest Truth, which is LOVE, the deep intuitive wisdom of the universe. Love grants us the grace of interdependence, freeing us from isolation.

As all the colors of the rainbow are connected and yet distinct, we are connected with each other and with all of creation in ways that bring peace, wholeness, balance, and nurture of our spirits. Like the rainbow, may we too embody and reflect light, color, beauty and promise. So may it be.

***********
[music starts]
Several years ago, UU minister and musician Jason Shelton wrote a song in response to President Bush’s announcement that he was supporting the introduction of a Constitutional amendment to define marriage as solely between a man and a woman. Following the 2008 shootings at Tennessee Valley UU, the song, Standing on the Side of Love, inspired a public advocacy campaign, initiated by the Unitarian Universalist Association, to promote respect for the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Recently, Jason Shelton, in thoughtful, heartfelt response to concerns about the ableist language in the song, changed the words to Answering the Call of Love. It is those words we will sing together now. Please rise in body and/or spirit and let us join together in singing #1014 in the teal hymnal, Answering the Call of Love. [Click here for video.]

[Additional source material from: http://www.sftravel.com/article/brief-history-rainbow-flag and http://www.history.com/topics/the-stonewall-riots]

Ritual Words

March 21, 2017

I’ve been working on a set of quarter calls and releases, with the idea of singing them. Today, I’m posting calls for Ostara. You can find it at Ostara Quarter Calls I’ve done a set for Mabon and Yule, which I’ll post soon. I’ve used this process to explore my own creative impulses, as well as to dig more deeply into the imagery and meaning of each direction and element. In my tradition, we start in the North, invoking Air. Please feel free to adapt as you need, and let me know if you find them helpful.

Bendithion llachar!

More than Memes – Smudging the Campaign

October 14, 2016

Politics and religion can be a deadly mix, but the amount of negative energy being generated during this election season is staggering, and is having a detrimental effect on all of us. As a minister, and as a follower of a spiritual tradition that seeks to share love and light, I feel the need to speak to this.

It’s impossible to log into a social media feed without being assaulted by a seemingly endless barrage of lurid memes and fake news articles attacking the various POTUS candidates, especially if you’re like me, and have friends from all over the political spectrum. The amount of garbage spewed from all directions is truly amazing.

Why do you support your candidate of choice? Are you voting for someone based on his/her own merit (experience, policies, positions on issues, etc.) or are you buying into the hyperbole generated by the campaigns and the media? If you dig enough, you’ll find some pretty nasty stuff on every one of them.

To paraphrase a favorite verse of evangelical Christians, we’ve all missed the mark, sometimes pretty spectacularly. So, here’s my challenge to you and to myself:

Come up with a way to state why you support your candidate, based solely on that candidate’s positions and policy proposals or their and/or their party’s platform (which, interestingly, aren’t always the same). Not an easy task, and I’m learning that I see merit in all of them, much to my chagrin.
Here’s a way to start:
1. Figure out what issues are most important to you and your position on those issues. Which issues are deal-breakers and which can slide?

2. Go to the candidates’ Web sites and ask the same. Also, check the VP candidates. Keeping in mind that people do change their minds on things, does the candidate’s past history indicate support of their stated position? (Remember to include the so-called third party candidates. You might be surprised at what you learn.)

3. Do the same at the party Web sites. Do the platforms match, more or less? How do they differ? How are the same?

4. Compare the candidates/parties side by side.

These are just a few suggestions to help jump start the process for you. It’s hard work, but government of, for, and by we, the people needs to be a more thoughtful process than memes and sound bites.

Negativity isn’t good for anyone, and I hope this can be a help in generating some positive momentum.

May the Spirits of Air grant us wisdom to discern what is good and honorable. May the Spirits of Fire help us to burn with passion for a truly free free and just society. May the Spirits of Water bring healing and peace to our hearts and minds. May the Spirits of Earth grant us strength and solidarity of purpose. May He who is found in the joy of wild things grant us zeal for righteousness and truth, and may She who gives life to us all help us to grow in love. So mote it be.

Blessed Be!

Earth My Body

September 4, 2016

earthmybody It’s been an interesting week. Last Sunday morning, I woke up not feeling well. I got up, got ready, and headed out to the Unitarian Universalist church where I direct music. By the time the service started, I really didn’t feel well. By the end of the service, I realized a trip to the ER was no longer optional. Turns out I had a wound on my foot that looked healed, but was in fact concealing an abscess, and needed surgery. Fortunately, the infection was superficial, and had not gotten into the underlying tissue or bone.

Fast forward to Tuesday. I was still in the hospital, hooked up to multiple IVs that were feeding fluids and antibiotics into my bloodstream. Though I had felt pretty good Monday, I now felt completely out of sorts, sick, and very tired, and the doctor’s visit did nothing to ease my mind.

Two things came to mind:

I have never really put any serious effort into cultivating a daily spiritual practice.
A chant we had used in a study group the week before to raise power to send healing energy to a sick member.

I started researching spiritual practices, and found a couple of resources that I started digging into. That provided some comfort. The thing that got me through the day was the chant, that by now had become an insistent ear worm: Earth my Body, Water my Blood, Air my Breath, and Fire my Spirit. Singing that over and over, I made it through the day.

I have a strong connection to the elemental spirits, particularly those of water and air. Though the chant may seem trivial and even mindless, there is a lot of power in those simple phrases.

Earth my Body – Our bodies are made of the same stuff that makes up everything in the universe. When we leave this life, our bodies break down into their component materials and go back to the earth.

Water my Blood – Blood is mainly water, and water is a significant percentage of the mass of our bodies. Water played a very important part in my healing process while in the hospital, with all the physical water that was carrying medicine into my bloodstream through the IVs.

Air my Breath – Without air, we don’t breathe. Without breath, we die. It’s as simple as that.

Fire my Spirit – Fire is a symbol of spirit and spiritual energy in many religions. We talk about being “on fire” or “fired up.”

That a simple repetitive 10-word chant can capture and express our existence is mind blowing. That so much of who we are, physically at least, can be distilled down to four elemental energies is astounding.

For me, right now, this means a couple of things.

First, you and I, the refugee, the homeless kid, the tyrannical dictator, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, dogs, cats, skunks, snakes, bugs, trees, weeds, and everything else are all the same stuff. We need to move past the artificial divisions we have created based on pigmentation, gender, sexuality, religion, income, education, and whatever else we use to keep us apart. It’s not easy, and I am rarely successful at knocking down the walls I have built, although I like to think I’m getting a little better at it.
Many of us subscribe to an ethic of “harm none.” Some of us forget to include ourselves in “none.” It’s starting to dawn on me that, since we’re all made from the same stuff, that allowing harm to my body is indeed harming others, because at some point, someone else is going to have to deal with the consequences of my toxic behavior. Poor food choices, lack of exercise, neglect of medical care, and and the like greatly inhibit my ability to fulfill my purpose in this life. Bad health habits also show a lack of respect for the elemental that are so much a part of me. So, I’m formally expressing an intention to be better to myself.

Spirits of Air, give me the knowledge, intuition, and creativity to make wise decisions.

Spirits of Fire, give me the passion and zeal to transform poor choices into beneficial actions.

Spirits of Water, give me calm and openness to the changes I need to make.

Spirits of Earth, give me strength and resolve to follow through.

God and Goddess, Ancient Ones, listen to my words, and bless my efforts.

As I do will, So mote it be.

Bright Blessings!

For Justice and Reconciliation

July 8, 2016

In perfect love and perfect trust, we ask for the blessings of Air, Fire,
Water, and Earth to help us dispel darkness and hate with the power of
light and love.

Spirits of the East, Spirits of Air, grant us wisdom and inspiration as we work toward truly understanding and truly knowing each other.

Spirits of the South, Spirits of Fire, grant us passion and zeal as we work for justice and equality for everyone.

Spirits of the West, Spirits of Water, grant us healing of mind and heart as we work toward ending fear, division, and hate, and bringing about reconciliation.

Spirits of the North, Spirits of Earth, grant us strength and endurance as we work to build the Beloved Community.

May the powers of the Ancient One,
Spirit of Life,
Source of all creation,
Goddess, bright lady of the moon,
God, horned hunter of the sun,
Guardian spirits, Rulers of the elemental realms,
Powers of the stars above and the Earth below,
*You speak to us from the East and the West,
You speak to us from the North and the South,
You call to us from the depths of our being,
We respond with enthusiasm and fervor,
We cry out from Manila to Maui,
We shout from Alaska to Alabama,
We proclaim love from the highest mountain to the deepest ocean.
Our voices must be heard.
We shall not be silent.
Our voices must be heard.*

As we will so mote it be. Blessed be!

* from “Our Voices Must Be Heard” by Jonipher Kwong