March 2, 2013 Lenten Taizé Quiet A ernoon

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1 Whoever you are, wherever you are on your journey of faith, you are welcome here. Saint Jude s is a spiritual oasis where lives are transformed. March 2, 2013 Lenten Taizé Quiet A ernoon St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church McClellan Road, Cuper no, CA Phone: (408) Fax: (408) Web site: office@saintjudes.org Office hours: Open Tues.-Fri. 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Mon. 10:00 am to 1:00 pm 12

2 WELCOME LENT TAIZE QUIET AFTERNOON: Lord Hear my Prayer As you enter, you are encouraged to keep silent, to reflect and prepare for worship. Please feel free to enter fully into the prayer. Worship is quiet and reflective, deeply peaceful and joyful, including four-part harmony chants in different languages, silences, prayers, and readings. In terms of the singing, you are encouraged to listen to the tune, to follow the music provided, and to join in singing the harmonies if that is your preference. It encourages us to pray in the mind with the heart, and to wait in contemplation. It is beautiful in its simplicity and depth. It helps us find quiet space in our heads and our hearts as we journey throughout Lent. Introduction to Taizé Taizé is a tiny village hidden away in the hills of Burgundy, France, not far from the ruins of the old monastery of Cluny. Since 1940 it has been the home of an ecumenical community of brothers whose common prayer, three times a day, is at the center of their life. The focus of their ministry is reconciliation with Christ and in the world, as they seek through their common life and worship to enable people to find ways of reaching beyond the barriers that divide, by being more open to God and one another. There are over one hundred brothers, some of them scattered around the world in small groups, working amongst the poor on different continents. They work together with an Ignatian order of sisters in the next village of Ameugny, and today, Taizé is a place where many hundreds and thousands come to participate in their community way of life, have retreats, or in international meetings of prayer and reflection. Visitors are of all ages, and backgrounds and nationalities but it is particularly a place of welcome for young people. For more information about the Taizé community, visit Opening Prayers Short Silence Bless the Lord My Soul Closing Prayer In the Lord 2 11

3 Let All Who are Thirsty Come Psalm 25 My God, I trust you, let me not be disappointed; do not let my enemies triumph. Those who hope in you shall not be disappointed, but only those who wantonly break faith. Lord, make me know your ways. Lord, teach me your paths. Make me walk in your truth, and teach me, for you are God my savior. In you I hope all the day long because of your goodness, O Lord. Remember your mercy, Lord, and the love you have shown from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth. In your love remember me. The Lord is good and upright, showing the path to those who stray, guiding the humble in the right path, and teaching the way to the poor. Lord of All Goodness Reading: Luke 9:22-25 Jesus said to his disciples, The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. Then he said to them all, If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves? Lord of all Goodness Silence Intercessions Lord s prayer Please feel free to use the language or version of your choice as we recite the prayer; 10 From Psalm 51 Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness. In your compassion blot out my offense. O wash me more and more from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. My offenses truly I know them; my sin is always before me. Against you, you alone, have I sinned; what is evil in your sight I have done. Indeed you love truth in the heart; then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom. O purify me, then I shall be clean; O wash me, I shall be whiter than snow. A pure heart create for me, O God, put a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, nor deprive me of your holy spirit. 3

4 Reading: Luke 4:1-13 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread. Jesus answered him, It is written, One does not live by bread alone. Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours. Jesus answered him, It is written, Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him. Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you, and On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone. Jesus answered him, It is said, Do not put the Lord your God to the test. When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time. Silence Closing Prayers Ubi Caritas Intercessions We sing Kyrie eleison in between the prayers. After beginning with some set prayers, we will move into free and spontaneous prayers. These should be brief, and end with the words Lord we pray or similar words. Lord of all Goodness Lord s prayer Please feel free to use the language or version of your choice as we recite the prayer; Lord, Hear Our Prayer next page 4 9

5 tivity touches us, it strikes us that life is indeed beautiful. These moments can take us by surprise; they may arise even in a period of suffering, like a light that comes from elsewhere. In them we can see, in simplicity, the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In our day, when many experience broken relationships and unexpected changes in their lives, the relationship with Christ can provide continuity and meaning. Faith does not cause our inner contradictions to vanish, but the Holy Spirit disposes us to live a life of joy and love. Trust in Christ opens us to trust in the future and to trust in others. It encourages us to face the problems of our time and of our own lives with courage. Faith is like an anchor that gives us a firm attachment in the future of God, in the risen Christ with whom it binds us inseparably. Faith leads us not to be afraid of the future or of others any longer. The trusting of faith is not naive. It is aware of the evil that is present in humanity, and even in our own hearts. But it does not forget that Christ came for all. Trust in God brings to birth in us a new way of looking at others, at the world, and at the future a way of looking that involves gratitude and hope, and attentiveness to beauty. Trust in God frees us to be creative. Questions for reflection and discussion: 1. In what areas of my life do I need faith, or need to trust God? 2.What am I grateful for in my life right now? How can I practice gratitude in my life as a regular practice? 3. Who or what brings me hope? Notes: Closing Prayer Stay with Me 8 5

6 UNCOVERING THE WELLSPRINGS OF TRUST IN GOD Notes: SESSION ONE: Our Faith Journeys: Encountering Christ in our lives of faith, doubt, suffering and joy Passages for reflection: God dwells in unapproachable light. No human being has ever seen or can see God (1 Timothy 6:16). Christ is the image of the invisible God, writes the same apostle Paul (Colossians 1:15). Even during his lifetime, many were mistrustful of him: He is out of his mind (Mark 3:21 What you do for one of the very least of my brothers and sisters, you do for me (Matthew 25:40), Comment for reflection: What is the meaning of our lives? How do we deal with suffering and death? Where do we find lifegiving joy? These are questions that every generation and every person is called upon to answer. The fact that individuality is central in our age has a positive side: it enhances the value of the human person, human freedom and autonomy. Even in societies where religion is very present, trust in God is less and less self-evident; it requires a personal decision. Let us search together, talking about this with other believers, agnostics or atheists! The dividingline between faith and doubt passes through as many believers as non-believers. Jesus did not teach a theory; he lived a human life like ours. The only difference was that, in him, God s love shone out with no shadows. No one is forced to believe in Jesus. But believing is more than just a feeling. It is also a rational act; it is possible to make a well-thought-out decision to have faith in Christ. What makes Jesus credible? Why is that, for two thousand years, he has had so many followers? Is it not his humility? He did not impose anything on anybody. He simply went towards all people, to tell them that God was near. He trusted those whom society refused to trust. He restored their dignity. He himself consented to be despised and excluded, so as not to deny God's love for the poor and excluded. Questions for reflection and discussion: What sustains you in your faith journey, that helps you cope with doubt along with faith, sorrow along with joy? In what ways have you encountered Christ most strongly or powerfully? In creation? In serving others? In worship and prayer? In music? In another way? Who inspires your faith, whether living or no longer alive? What about what they did/do or said/say inspires you? In your faith journey and your life, what brings joy that is life-giving? SESSION TWO: Living without fear of the future or others: Trusting in God Passages for reflection: The Lord s Prayer, Luke 11:1-4 Comment for reflection: Believing in God, trusting in God, means relying on God. Having faith does not mean being able to explain everything or having an easier life, but finding stability and a starting point. It means not being dependent on our successes or failures, and thus ultimately on ourselves, but on Another who loves us. Nobody can live without something to rely on and so, in this sense, everyone believes something. Jesus invites us to rely on God, as he did and because he did. Jesus teaches us to pray Our Father in heaven. Silent worship nourishes reflection and understanding. But more importantly, it places us before and within the mystery of God. Developing Sabbath moments, times when we stop and do nothing, offering our time to open a nearby church for a couple of hours a week, praying with others, joining the local Church each week to recall the death and resurrection of Christ...all this allows God to find a place in our daily lives. In every human being there is an inner life, where light and shadows, joys and fears, trust and doubt mingle. Amazing breakthroughs can take place there. When we know we are loved or when we love, when we experience bonds of friendship, or when the beauty of creation or human crea- 6 7