"TEARS OF UNKNOWINGNESS"

As the sun set that first night, turning the rocks and cliffs and plateaus red and pink, the moon rose over the altar. Yes. Literally. The people sang. Dare to forgive. God will be with you. Let those who are thirsty, come.

And I wept. Tears of joy. Tears of amazement. Pent up tears. Tears I couldn't name because I didn't know their source. Tears of unknowingness. Tears that carved away a Bad Lands in my heart, exposed strong soul cliffs and washed away the unnecessary earth.

And I was not alone in weeping. And it was good.

Beautiful, powerful, prayerful, eloquent. Read it all.

Bless you, dear margaret.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY

For the latest medical report on Joel and Margaret, see Margaret's blog. Turns out that Joel has RSV "--a viral infection that can cause secondary infection, and is dangerous in folks with health conditions as Joel has --with compromised immune systems and little ability to cough." Margaret's pneumonia is probably a secondary infection from RSV. 

For Joel and Margaret:

O Father of mercies and God of all comfort, our help in time of need: We ask that you visit, and relieve your sick servants Joel and Margaret for whom our prayers are desired. Look upon them with the eyes of your mercy; comfort them with a sense of your goodness; preserve them from the temptations of the enemy; and give them patience in their illnesses. In your good time, restore them to health, and enable them to lead the rest of their lives in faith, and to your glory; and grant that they may dwell with you in life everlasting; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Book of Common Prayer (edited)

PLEASE PRAY FOR JOEL AND MARGARET

My dear friends Margaret and Joel need your prayers.  Joel is in the hospital being treated for pertussis.  Other ongoing health conditions put him at great risk in this situation.  Margaret is in a nearby hotel diagnosed with an active pneumonia-like infection dosing herself with prescribed antibiotics.  Trouble upon trouble.  Thank heavens Margaret's bishop is lovely and supportive.

See Margaret's blog.

O God, the strength of the weak and the comfort of sufferers: Mercifully accept our prayers, and grant to your servants Joel and Margaret the help of your power, that their sicknesses may be turned into health, and our sorrow into joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

PRAY FOR KIRSTIN AND ANDEE

From margaret at Leave It Lay Where Jesus Flang It:

Speaking of revealing the Kingdom --Courageous and Compassionate A sent me this response to the prayers I sent her yesterday:

D and I anointed Kirstin, using your prayers, this morning. She was sound asleep when we started, and immediately woke up, sat up, and said, "I want to be awake for this!" She loved it.

Truth be told, I merely took an ancient ritual of anointing --thanking God for every part of the body and sanctifying it, taught me by my teacher --and Kirstin's teacher too --and morphed the ritual a little.

I find myself this morning, doing more of that... taking the ancient bones in the garden.... There used to be whole books to guide one through the waiting for the time of death. Now, in our BCP, there is only a single paragraph --the only transition from Ministration to the Sick, to Ministration at the Time of Death. It reads (p462)

Almighty God, look on this your servant, lying in great weakness, and comfort him with the promise of life everlasting, given in the resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Please read margaret's entire wonderful and beautiful post about our dear Kirstin and commentary on the readings in Morning Prayer.