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Michelle L. Torigian

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Michelle L. Torigian

Tag Archives: advent prayer

Advent Candle Lighting Prayer for Peace

07 Thursday Dec 2017

Posted by mictori in Church Life, Holidays, Liturgy, Pop

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Advent, Advent Candle, advent prayer, Advent prayers, advent wreath, Hope, lighting, peace, progressive Christianity

advent 2

One: Uneasiness stems from the unrest in our world.  News echoes from our TVs and phones alerting us of turmoil around the globe. From what happens in our communities, schools, and world, it’s often tough to find harmony.

Words between neighbors reflect a dismal connection with fellow children of God.  Bullies in schools, workplaces, and other institutions cloud our once happy souls.

Yet even as we stand in the midst of commotion and even when anxiety stirs within our hearts, God is with us. The buzzing of hatred will not be the final noises we hear as God’s song of serenity will rise above the clamor.

Today we light the candle of peace to remember that harmony will abide.  The turmoil of the outside world and the unrest in our souls will convert to peace that goes beyond all understanding.  The light of peace and hope will transform our world to holy tranquility.

And you will be with us in the peaks and valleys of our journeys, God of Placidness.

Amen.

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Today I Wear Black – Advent Reflection 14

18 Thursday Dec 2014

Posted by mictori in Church Life, Current Events, Holidays, Life, Pop, Pop Culture, Religion

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Advent, advent prayer, Blue Christmas, Christmas, domestic violence, Ferguson, human trafficking, Mental health, Moral Injury, racism, rape, sexism, sexual assault, war

imageInstead of the sparkly gold
Or sequenced green
Or metallic red sweaters
I wear black.

I wear black to remember the lives of
Michael and Tamir and Rumain and John and Eric
And so many other names we know
And don’t know.

I wear black to remember my sisters
Killed by their “loves” within their homes
Or on their way to work
Or any other space intimate violence happens.

I wear black to remember the sexual violence
In college dorm rooms
And young adult apartments
And cars
And parks
And through purchases
Because, apparently, people can still be bought and sold.

I wear black to remember all those who died in war-
Some wars less just than others.
And to defy the justification of torture.
And I wear black remembering the ones who came back
But parts of their bodies and souls were missing.

I wear black to remember those in Connecticut,
The classroom which buzzed with six-year-olds now silent
And how two years later peace is anything but silent.

I wear black to remember the ones who died this week
Or last week
And every single loved one who cries tonight
And on Christmas morning,
As they gaze upon the Christmas gifts that will remain unopened
Because a loved one is gone.

I wear black to remember the ones who mourn their relationship
A divorce.  A breakup.
A tear in the heart.
They live a new life, but old memories linger.

I wear black to remember those living in constant pain
Their bodies revolt against them.
It’s their necks, or backs, or knees or feet.
But the pain will never go away.

I wear black to remember those living their last Christmas
And those who “celebrate” with them,
Wondering how they can make this one special
Even after the terminal news.

I wear black to remember those who live in shadows
Who face the dread of depression
The shakes of anxiety
The roller coasters of bipolar
And each mental health challenge they may not mention aloud.

I wear black to remember those who are in the night of their lives-
A very long night-
Whose exile extends for days
And who will wander in the wilderness longer than expected.

Darkness is not darkness to God.
May our evenings be as bright as daytime.
May we find beauty in the nighttime of our souls
And in the areas void of light.

May we wear red metallic
And the green sequins
And sparkly gold sweaters
Next year.

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Advent Prayer 13 – Prayers in Fresh Grief

16 Tuesday Dec 2014

Posted by mictori in Current Events, Holidays, Life, Pop, Pop Culture, Religion

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Advent, advent prayer, Blue Christmas, Christmas, death, depression, Depression during holidays, grief, grief at Christmas, grieving, loss of loved one, occupy advent, praying advent, Progressive Christianty

imageCreator of the morning moon,
Painter of the cloudy evening sky,
In this season of abundant nighttimes
And shadows that extend for miles
Our hearts are painted with ash.

We wail in the corners of the world
Wondering when the Merry will come with Christmas,
When the sparkles will return,
And when the light will reappear.
The wound is fresh.
It extends beyond the bone
To the depths of the soul.

Why did it just happen
In this brightened season of hope
When plastic joy is glued to every surface
And smiles are permanently affixed to faces?

Why must we face this Christmas
When we’ve just been cheated?
Why must we be reminded
At every meal we would have eaten with him
And when holding the gift we just bought her?

Why is our future crushed
By the current song on the radio
Or the hymn sung at church?

God, we don’t know how we’ll make it through this hour
Let alone candlelight worship,
Christmas morning expected bliss
Or New Year’s countdowns.

So let us find that sacred spot
Where tears flow freely,
Where weeping and gnashing of teeth are welcomed,
And where we can wear sack cloths,
Or flannel clothes
Or sweats
Or his old t-shirt
And spill our souls to you, God.

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Advent Prayer 12 – Lament of the Busy

15 Monday Dec 2014

Posted by mictori in Current Events, Holidays, Life, Pop, Pop Culture, Religion

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Advent, advent prayer, Advent prayers, busy, Lament of the Busy, occupy advent, prayer for the busy, praying advent, Progressive Christianty

8328024253_6b187a2c31_zGod I’m swimming in Christmas prep!
The cards aren’t ready to send-
Half are addressed
And maybe a few names are scribbled within the cards.
Shopping.  Wow.  I’m not even close to be finished.
A few more gifts to buy for the family
And for my love.
Don’t forget about the lunch next week
And dinner Wednesday night
And a couple of other holiday parties.
I signed up to volunteer this Thursday…
And Saturday…
And next Monday.

Wait… the tree.
The tree isn’t even up
Let alone the lights
And the ornaments
And the rest of the household Christmas decorations.

Then there’s the wrapping
And the cookies
And the caroling
Besides the everyday work
Around the house and the office.

Stop.  Breathe.

Ok.  In my preparation
I’m forgetting to prepare myself
To open my heart in new ways
And to be silent and still.

Instead, I keep moving-
Falling into the busy trap-
Being less intentional,
Less relational
And more cynical.

Open me, God
To the freshness of the day
To the love in front of me
And the presentness of this moment.  Amen.

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Advent Prayer 11 – A Blessing for the Sunday Morning Brunchers

14 Sunday Dec 2014

Posted by mictori in Pop

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Advent, advent prayer, Advent prayers, dones, Nones, occupy advent, prayer for Sunday brunch, Progressive Christianty, spiritual but not religious, Sunday morning

imageMay the God of creation surround you with fellowship this hour,
May the Christ of merriment bring laughter to your day,
May the Spirit of sustenance refresh you for the week.

May you see the Divine-
however you see Her or Him-
surrounding you in the lines to order,
the banquet or buffet,
the smiles across tables,
the serious reflections,
and discussions for justice.

May you grow in mind and spirit
As you ponder life’s major issues –
In the chaos of heated discussions
And the laments of everyday life.

Whether stillness or noise awakens you this morning,
Whether you find the Holy in the ordinary or in the sanctuary,
Be well.

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Advent Prayer Day 10 – A ‘Love Actually’ Prayers of the People

11 Thursday Dec 2014

Posted by mictori in Holidays, Life, Movies, Pop

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Advent, advent prayer, Advent prayers, Love Actually, occupy advent, progressive Christianity

For the one who is cheated on by a long-time love
And flees to the country to write away his pain,
We pray to you, O God.

For the one who feels betrayed by a spouse
Wondering if the affair is flirtations, intimacy or love,
We pray to you, O God.

For the one who loses the chance for love
Because taking care of family is a top priority,
We pray to you, O God.

For the one who can’t show his affections
And for the one who he pines for,
We pray to you, O God.

For the one who longs for his best friend’s girl
And yet wants to move forward with his life,
As he laments “Enough… Enough…”
We pray to you, O God.

For the one who remembers his spouse
So soon after he lost her,
And as he takes care of her child,
We pray to you, O God.

For the one who finds contentment
In the time spent with his greatest love:
His best friend,
We give thanks to you, O God.

For the sparkly new relationship
After meeting in a hallway
Or in front of a cottage
Or rushing to say goodbye in an airport
Or working together closely
Or flying to a new country,
We give thanks to you, O God.

For the first wave
The first smile
The first embrace
At the airport arrivals gate,
We give thanks to you, O God.

<a href="http://love actually photo: love actually folder-147.jpg“>

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Advent Prayer Day 9 – For the Reproductive Losses

09 Tuesday Dec 2014

Posted by mictori in Church Life, Life, Pop, Religion

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Advent, advent prayer, Advent prayers, miscarriage, Progressive Christianty, reproductive loss, stillbirth

God, I don’t know what to say
To the couple who can’t have a baby
Even though they’ve been trying for four years.
I don’t know how to comfort the friend
Who had one, or three, or five miscarriages.
I don’t know how to support my loved ones
Whose adoption fell through.

How to I approach the friend
Who gave birth to a stillborn child,
Who felt the child move kick?
What words will bring her a sense of comfort
And give strength to her partner?

These losses mount up, God.
They are losses I’ve never experienced
But the pain radiates from their eyes
And I have a sense that they’ll be in pain
Even though they laugh.
Even when they seem fine.
Even after they’ve stopped talking about it.

Telling them that their child is “better off”
Or “there’s a reason”
Or “God needed another angel”
Will absolutely tear their souls.

There are no words that will cover their pain
But by just being there-
Even in silence and words unspoken-
May bring the daybreak of peace.

Help us be your presence to women and men
Facing the empty wombs of life.

image

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Advent Prayer Day 8 – Remembering the Caregiver

09 Tuesday Dec 2014

Posted by mictori in Church Life, Current Events, Life, Pop, Pop Culture, Religion

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advent prayer, caregivers, caregiving, occupy advent, Prayer, progressive Christianity

advent 8 caregiverGod of the weak bodies and tough souls,
Those we love are hurting.
We lift more than our arms can bear.
We feed more than our bowls can hold.

Place the oxygen mask on yourself
Before placing it on the person next to you.

God, I forget this.
I rush to fill my loved one’s lungs and soul with energy
While mine slowly drifts away.

The bags settle under my eyes
After many nights with little sleep.
I forget what a full night’s rest is like.

I’m becoming… impatient…
Irritable…
The worst possible version of myself
(Even as I’m lovingly caring for the one I love).

But I must continue on…
For him… for her…
She needs me… He’s calling.

I’m exhausted, God.

Fill my body with the love
And hope
And spirit
And strength it needs
To carry on, to carry another.

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Advent Prayer Day 7 – The Cry of Generation X

07 Sunday Dec 2014

Posted by mictori in Church Life, Current Events, Life, Movies, Music, Pop, Pop Culture, Religion

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Advent, advent prayer, Advent prayers, cold war, Gen X Prayer, Gen-X, Generation X, It's the End of the World, Kurt Cobain, nuclear war, occupy advent, progressive Christianity, REM, the 1980's, the 1990's, Wynona Ryder

imageGod, they called us slackers
And those without direction
And angsty
As if Wynona or Kurt spoke for all of us.
Maybe they did… a little.

We wondered when the world would blow up
Who would send the missiles first-
Us versus them.
There’s still a piece of our souls
That cringe when we hear “war” or “bombs” or “nuclear.”

It’s the end of the world as we know it…
But we couldn’t tell if we felt fine,
Or if we didn’t.  Meh.

Maybe it was melancholy that we became accustomed to.
Maybe we stopped hoping.

And yet, we weren’t slacking
We’re just trying to listen for our call
To know where to go
And embracing meaning in everything we do.

We worked.
We kept moving forward.
Moving through the motions as we waited for life to start
Or end.

We couldn’t be as cool as the generation before
Or the generation after.
We’re the middle child, living in the shadow of our older brother Boomer
And eclipsed by our younger sister Millennial.

We are the generation in the wilderness
Wondering if we’ll make it into the promised land.
From crisis to crisis
Our story is a journey
Never a destination.

Sometimes, God, it was tough to find you
And we lost some sisters and brothers along the way.

And now, as adults,
We only know resilience in despair’s face.
We lament, God, as we may never understand our true purpose
Or accomplish what we had hoped for.

Now in the early evening of our lives,
We wonder if we’ll live the dream
Or continue to move through the motions.

 

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Advent Day 5 Prayer – Prayer to Purge

05 Friday Dec 2014

Posted by mictori in Current Events, Life, Pop, Pop Culture, Religion

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

advent prayer, Clean, hoarders, occupy advent, pack rat, prayer for hoarders, prayer for people who keep too much, prayers to purge, progressive Christianity, spring cleaning prayer

closetGod, you created the human mind
The magnificent world
Elements, minerals,
Space and time.
But I’m pretty sure you never intended us to keep crap.

I glance towards you God
To figure out what to do with the heaps of stuff:
Useless materials,
Empty bottles,
And the neverending paper piles.

The wasteland that is my spare bedroom
Filled with clothes three sizes too small.
My waist will never be that small again,
I cry to myself,
But I want to remember when it was.

The garage filled with extra books
And records from
Fifteen, sixteen… well… almost 20 years ago.
Who needs computer books from 1996, anway?
Apparently, I do.

The desk filled with receipts and scraps of  papers
With important number written down
Even though I have no idea whose numbers they are.

The basement filled with memories
The cherished items of loved ones
But in boxes, so I don’t enjoy them
My loved ones can’t enjoy them
And God, you can’t even enjoy them.

Half open bottles of conditioner and facial creams.
Ooops.  I forgot I already had one
But I should keep them both.  I’ll use them one day.

I’ll use them one day… I’ll use them one day…
The biggest lie I tell myself
The biggest lie I tell you, God.

My friends laugh,
My family jokes,
Strangers who enter my office or car or abode
Will tease
As if no one has any faults
Or kept something a little too long.
Like they laugh at those on Hoarders
As if it’s a fault and not a mental health issue.
As if no one has a limitation in their body
Or mind.
They can’t understand my brain.
I can’t understand my brain.
It’s all so overwhelming.

Nevertheless, help me shed the extra stuff in the shed,
And the closets,
And the cupboards
And the kitchen pantry
And the laundry room
And the garage
And the trunk of my car.

Most of all, God,
Give me the courage to dump the things I’ll think need someday
And trust you instead.

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