Taizé | January 2021 Theme: Compassion - St. James Anglican Church
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Taizé | January 2021
Theme: Compassion
One of the hallmarks of Taizé worship is deep silence, along with chanting and contemplative readings. Therefore, during
the Taizé service we have several periods of silence and no instructions or commentary.
It is a little different sharing the songs of Taizé this evening: you are invited to listen deeply to this music of reflection.
Thank you to Owen Bloomfield from St James and Cecily Heslett from Central Pentecostal.
Territorial Acknowledgement | Anglican Diocese of Niagara
We wish to acknowledge that we are on land that, at the time of contact, was held by the Attawandaron as an area of
trade and ceremony by the two rivers. At various times the land was occupied by both Haudenosaunee from the south
and Anishnaabe from the north. In more recent times the Huron Treaty gave rights to the Mississaugas of New Credit.
In a spirit of reconciliation, we seek to respect the history, spirituality, and culture of Indigenous Peoples and seek a new
relationship with the Original Peoples of this land, one based in honour and deep respect. May we who dwell on or visit
these lands and waterways also be good stewards and honour those who came before us. And may our actions be
guided by our commitment to reconciliation.
Opening Chant: Let all who are thirsty
Opening Prayer
God of compassion,
in our words, our songs, and in our silence,
we praise your holy name.
May we be blessed with compassion for ourselves
and compassion for others.
We remember the blessings promised by Jesus on the mountaintop.
And we rest into these modern Beatitudes:
blessed are you who are raging. blessed are you who are mourning.
blessed are you who feel numb.
blessed are you who feel sick. and tired. and sick and tired.
blessed are you who refuse to turn away.
blessed are you who need to turn away.
blessed are you who keep breathing deep.
blessed are you who are tending to your own needs.
blessed are you who are tending to the needs of another.
blessed are you who have been calling.
blessed are you who have been organizing.
blessed are you who have been testifying.
blessed are you who have been hearing.
blessed are you who have been resisting.
blessed are you who feel broken open beyond repair.
blessed are you who are raw beyond words.
…blessed are you who are marching.
blessed are you who are weeping.
…blessed are you who know deep in your bones that you are good. and beautiful. and beloved. and sacred. and
worthy. and believed. and held. and capable of healing beyond your wildest imagination.
blessed are you who remind others they are good. and beautiful. and beloved. and sacred. and worthy. and
believed. and held. and capable of healing beyond their wildest imagination.
blessed are we when we dare to dream of a world without sexual violence, without white supremacy, without
misogyny, without police brutality, without anti-trans and anti-queer violence.
blessed are we when we stay tender. blessed are we when we stay fierce.
blessed are we when we dare to imagine repair, and transformation.
blessed are we when we labor together to make it so. Amen.
(These modern Beatitudes are the writing of Rev. Anna Blaedel, Theologian In Residence,
enfleshed.)
Opening Chant (recap): Let all who are thirsty
We will hold a brief silence between the readings.
A Reading from the Gospel of Luke (10:26-36)
Jesus was asked the question, ‘Who is my neighbour?’ He replied, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho,
and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now, by chance,
a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So, likewise, a Levite: when
he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, while travelling, came near him; and
when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on
them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two
denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, “Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more
you spend.”
Psalm 103:1-14
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me, bless God’s holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all God’s benefits,
who forgives all your iniquities,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from despair,
who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
who satisfies your mouth with good things,
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The Holy One does righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
Our God is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
Love will not always accuse,
neither will Strength keep anger forever.
Mercy does not treat us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is Compassion’s mercy toward those who honour God;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has Forgiveness removed our transgressions from us.
Like a parent shows compassion to their children,
so does God give compassion to those who follow the holy path.
For the Beloved knows how we are formed;
and remembers that we are dust.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Brief silence.
Chant of Praise: Raise a song of gladness
Food for Thought
There is wisdom in the words of the prophet, Henri Nouwen:
“Compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to enter into the places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear,
confusion, and anguish. Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who
are lonely, to weep with those in tears. Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the
vulnerable, and powerless with the powerless. Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being
human.”
There is love in the words of the prophet, Joyce Rupp:
“Compassion holds both beauty and challenge. It is based on the belief that we are united with all beings.
Their joy and sorrow is our joy and sorrow because of this deep and intimate connection. To be truly
compassionate means to approach another with the nonjudgment and the unconditional love that Jesus had
when he met those who were suffering.”
(Out of the Ordinary)
Chant of Healing: In God Alone My Soul
Healing
The Lord is here.
God’s Spirit is with us.
This is God’s word, the word of our creator: ‘Do not be afraid – I will save you. I have called you by name – you
are mine. When you pass through deep waters, I will be with you; your troubles will not overwhelm you.’ So
come with your fears and your hopes, come with your sadness and your regrets, come with your pain and
your doubt, come with whatever faith you have. Whether the storm is around you or within, Jesus holds you;
you are not alone.Chant of Faith: Bless the Lord my soul
Healing and Restoration
The risen, living Christ
Calls me by my name;
Comes to the loneliness within me;
Heals that which is wounded in me;
Comforts that which grieves in me;
Cleanses me of that which does not belong to me;
Renews that which feels drained within me;
Awakens that which is asleep in me;
Names that which is formless within me;
Consecrates and guides that which is strong within me;
Restores me to this world which needs me;
Reaches out in endless love to others through me.
(Flora Slosson Wuellner, Soul Weavings, Lyn Klug, ed.)
Invitation to Enter Silence (from Psalm 132)
Enter into the Silence, into the Heart of Wisdom and Truth;
For herein lies the Great Mystery where life is ever unfolding....
Silent Contemplation. We sit in silence. The silence begins and ends with a chime.Litany
This Kyrie, “God have mercy,” is our prayer response and will be sung twice to begin and again between each
petition.
Kyrie eleison,
kyrie eleison,
kyrie eleison,
kyrie eleison.
O God have mercy,
O God have mercy,
O God have mercy,
have mercy on us.
God, in this time of pandemic we pray for patience and goodwill.
We pray for all frontline health workers, for grocery clerks, bus drivers, and food preparers.
We pray for our leaders: elected politicians and medical officers of health.
(Together we hold silence in prayer.)
Gracious God,
show us your compassion and inspire your compassion within us.
God, in this time of unrest in the United States we pray for all who live there,
and for their elected and appointed leaders,
that peace may reign and government may function.
(Together we hold silence in prayer.)
Gracious God,
show us your compassion and inspire your compassion within us.
God, in this time of uncertainty we pray for all refugees and captives,
all those who are unjustly imprisoned,
and all those who are caught up in wars across the globe.
(Together we hold silence in prayer.)
Gracious God,
show us your compassion and inspire your compassion within us.
God, in this time when so many are ill and dying, we pray for endurance.
To all who are ill, whether from Covid or other causes, bring help and healing.
To all who are dying, bring blessing and peace.
To all who mourn, bring comfort and solace.
(Together we hold silence in prayer.)
Gracious God,
show us your compassion and inspire your compassion within us.Meditation on the Lord’s Prayer
Abba, Amma, Beloved,
your name be hallowed, your reign spread among us,
your will be done well, at all times, in all places, on earth as in heaven.
Give us the bread we need for today.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Let us not fail in the time of our testing.
Spare us from trials too sharp to endure.
Free us from the grip of all evil powers.
For yours is the reign, the power and the glory, the victory of love,
for now and eternity, world without end.
Amen and amen.
Closing Prayer
Bless my eyes to see goodness
Bless my words to speak kindness
Bless my heart to feel compassion
Bless my soul to radiate love.
Amen.
Closing Chant: My soul is at rest
Music Jacques Berthier ©1991 Les Presses de Taizé, GIA Publications, Inc., All rights reserved.
Used by permission under license #613425. One License.Our next Taizé service will be Wednesday, February 24th, 2021.
Taizé is the 4th Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. except in July and August.
St James Anglican Church, Fergus
Priest: Reverend Ann Turner
Tel: 226-821-4461 | email: rev.annturner@gmail.com
Church Office: 519-843-2141
E-mail: st.jameschurch@wightman.ca | website: www.stjamesfergus.ca
Follow us onYou can also read
