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July 18 – St. Camillus de Lellis (1550-1614)
Invitation to Worship
Come, let us adore the God of Compassion,
Who heals every one of our ills.
We make the Sign of the Cross over our lips as we begin.
O Holy ONE + open my lips,
~And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
Adonai, I cry to you for help;
~ and you, my God, will heal me.
HYMN FOR HEALING
All may sing or alternate the verses of any Morning Hymn .
O Christ, the healer, we have come To pray for health, to plead for friends.
How can we fail to be restored, When reached by love that never ends?
From ev’ry ailment flesh endures Our bodies clamor to be freed;
Yet in our hearts we would confess That wholeness is our deepest need.
How strong, O Love, are our desires, How weak our knowledge of ourselves!
Release in us those healing truths Unconscious pride resists or shelves.
In conflicts that destroy our health We recognize the world’s dis-ease;
Our common life declares our ills: Is there no cure, O Christ, for these?
Grant that we all, made one in faith, In your community may find
The wholeness that, enriching us, Shall reach the whole of humankind.
Text: Fred Pratt Green; Tune: Plainsong
PSALMODY
Antiphon
In his compassion for the poor and the sick,
Camillus proclaimed the loving care of God.
Psalm 29/30
I will extol you, Adonai, for you have rescued me
and have not let those who hate rejoice over me.
O Compassionate One, I cried for help,
and you, O God, have healed me.
You released me from the pit,
restored me to life from the depths of Sheol.
Sing praise, all you saints
give thanks to the Holy Name;
Love withdraws when we close our hearts,
yet ever awaits an open door.
In the evening we may weep,
yet joy comes with the dawn.
In my prosperity, I lost sight of Love,
I thought I could never fail.
I assumed I had God’s blessing,
I would stand firm as a mountain!
In mercy, you shook my foundation,
recognizing my separation, I shook with fear!
I cried to you for help;
from You I begged forgiveness:
“Why push me down to the pit?
Can the bones of the dead give you praise
or recount your unbroken love?
Hear me, my Love and help me now.”
You listened and moved with compassion,
came swiftly to set me free;
turned my mourning into dancing
removed my sackcloth and robed me with joy;
that my life might sing your glory
never silent in your praise.
I will thank you forever,
Adonai Elohim.
Glory to the One and to the Word
and to the Breath of Love;
As always before
so now and evermore. Amen
In his compassion for the poor and the sick,
Camillus proclaimed the loving care of God.
READING Jeremiah 33:6-16
Look! I am bringing health and healing to the city; I will heal them and reveal to them an abundance of lasting peace. … In this place, about which you say: “It is a waste without people or animals!” and in the cities of Judah, in the streets of Jerusalem now deserted, without people, without inhabitant, without animal, there shall yet be heard the song of joy, the song of gladness, the song of the bridegroom, the song of the bride, the song of those bringing thank offerings to the house of Adonai: “Give thanks to Adonai Sabbaoth, for Adonai is good; God’s love endures forever.”
Silent Prayer
Responsory
R. You stretch forth your hand, and heal me, Adonai.
V. Your hand will do all things for me. Your Love Adonai is eternal.
*You stretch forth your hand and heal me, Adonai.
V. Glory to the Abba and the Word and the Holy Breath of Love.
Canticle of Zachary– Luke 1:68-79
Antiphon
The poor and the sick are the heart of God,
in serving them, we serve Jesus the Christ.
Blessed + be Adonai, the God of Israel,
Who visits this people to set us free
Raising for us a sign of salvation
In the house and family of David.
God promised throughout past ages
In words of holy prophets
To save us from our enemies,
And from the control of our oppressors.
Adonai favored our ancestors
And remembered the sacred covenant.
The pledge to Abraham and Sarah
Is now renewed for us;
That freed from the grip of our foes
We might worship without fear
And be both just and holy
For the rest of our days.
And you, child, called “prophet of the Most High,”
Will go ahead to prepare the way,
By teaching this people of salvation
Through forgiveness of their sins.
For the loving compassion of the Holy One
As the Rising Sun will shine upon us
To illumine the darkness and dispel death’s shadow
To guide our feet on the way of peace.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
and to the BREATH of Love!
As always before,
so now and evermore. Amen
The poor and the sick are the heart of God,
in serving them, we serve Jesus the Christ.
Intercessory Prayer
On this feast of St. Camillus, patron of the sick and of those who care for them, let us call to mind now the many forms of suffering in our world.
Our connections with Air, Earth, Water and Fire are out of balance; our relationships with our selves, our neighbors, and all Earthkind are broken. Let us offer our prayer and compassionate concern for all who are in need of healing.
*For all who struggle for the breath of life—who suffer from lung disease and the toxic wastes of an economic system deprived of spirit…
*For the millions of people and other species displaced by hurricanes and tornados and those sweltering from heat unrelieved by even the slightest breeze…
*For eco-systems on land, in the soil, in the seas and of the sky –now suffering from greenhouse gases, nuclear radiation, and other imbalances in the atmosphere.
*For peoples and species deprived of the gifts which Earth has given to sustain, nourish and support the thriving of life in all its diversity…
*For the victims of earthquakes and volcanoes, especially those who continue to suffer the devastation and breaking of their dwellings, lives and hearts…
*For those who build bigger barns to store more than they need or can ever use—for those who discard or destroy what others need to survive…
*For those who hoard water, who waste it or pollute it—forcing others to pay excessively for water which rightfully belongs to all…
*For those who are cold, deprived of light and heat, isolated by sickness or loneliness from the warmth of companionship and love…
*For those whose lives are destroyed by airstrikes or bombs, wildfires or arson; and for those who struggle to contain fires and limit destruction regardless of their origin…
*For those who do not see that Earth is crammed with beauty and every common bush afire with God…
*For all those people and species that are in need of healing—physical, mental, emotional and spiritual—especially those in lands besieged by weapons and war, and for those oppressed by intolerance and injustice…
*For those who practice the healing arts, who have healed us with their compassion and have inspired us to become partners in healing minds, bodies and spirits…
*For those who strive to heal Earth, to restore the balance and to live more simply so that others may simply live…
Prayer of Jesus
Eternal Spirit, Life-maker, Pain-Bearer, Life-Giver, Source of all that is and all that shall be, Father and Mother of us all, Loving God in whom is heaven;
The hallowing of your Name echo through the universe!
May 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.
With the forgiveness we extend to others, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen 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 forever. Amen.
God of loving kindness, Giver of all good things, look with mercy on all who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death as their constant companions.
Send your healing, peace and wholeness wherever there is special need.
Let their suffering awaken our compassion; Let your love empower us to extend a healing touch. When overwhelmed by the immensity and complexity of suffering in this world, sustain us with the Good News of justice, healing, wholeness and peace. And let the people say, ~Amen!
May all beings be freed from suffering and from the causes of suffering.
All: May all beings be freed from suffering and from the causes of suffering.
May all beings experience loving kindness and compassion.
All: May all beings experience loving kindness and compassion
May all beings live in harmony and peace.
All: May all beings live in harmony and peace.
Let us bless Adonai.
~Thanks be to God.