Ancient Faith in the Far Future: Prayer

Showing posts with label Prayer. Show all posts

Friday, February 21, 2020

Rest In Peace My Friends

R.I.P.

Richard Carnes

Last night my fellow parishioner Richard Carnes, a Vietnam Veteran, left this life. The scourge of cancer brought an end to his life in this world. The grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ brings him to life in the world to come. He was a close friend of our priest for decades, and a good friend to me; and the godfather of my two sons.

Richard Carnes
667887 Army, 1 term Trooper Age 72 Cr – no longer important
Rifle-1, Mechanical-2, Wheeled Vehicle-0, Animal Handling-0

He was: Husband. Father. Grandfather. Godfather. Friend.

Robert Wood

More unexpectedly, over the weekend of the 15th-16th, my fellow parishioner Robert Wood, a Vietnam-era Navy Veteran left this life. Robert had COPD from a lifetime of smoking, which finally brought an end to his life in this world. The grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ brings him to life in the world to come. He was a part of our parish for over ten years, and I enjoyed many conversations with him from religion to politics to philosophy to his love of motorcycles.

Robert Wood
665887 Wet Navy, 2 terms Petty Officer Age 66 Cr - not much
Electronics-2, Mechanical-1, Wheeled Vehicle-1, Swimming-1 Watercraft-0

Robert never married, but he travelled widely, and had friends in many places.

Prayers for the Departed

Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend the souls of thy servants, Richard and Robert, and beseech thee to grant them rest in the place of thy rest, where all thy blessed Saints repose, and where the light of thy countenance shineth forever. And I beseech thee also to grant that our present lives may be godly, sober, and blameless, that, we too may be made worthy to enter into thy heavenly Kingdom with those we love but see no longer: for thou art the Resurrection, and the Life, and the Repose of thy departed servants, O Christ our God, and unto thee we ascribe glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

If you are minded to pray, pray also for Richard's widow Karen, their six children (grown) and four grandchildren.

Almighty God, who knowest the weakness and frailty of our nature, we beseech Thee to give unto us Thy servants whom thou hast stricken with this sorrow, such measure of thy grace as shall enable us to bear it with humility, resignation and submission to thy divine will. Grant that we not sorrow as those who have no hope. Grant that whatsoever we may want in outward consolation, we may find in the inward rest of perfect submission to Thy holy will, and unshaken trust in Thy loving mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Both will be buried in a Veterans cemetery in central Virginia.

Image credit: Pixabay

Friday, March 30, 2018

Saints of the Corridor

At the beginning of Easter Weekend for those on the Western calendar, and the start of Holy Week for us on the Eastern calendar, I present something I've been working on for a while now.

A hagiography of the Saints who Shined Forth in Holtzmann's Corridor.

To go with this, here is the tale of a miraculous deliverance worked by an icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Miracle of The Blessed Virgin of Vaasa (Kemasiik)

Vaasa is a subordinate world of Kemasiik. For many years it has been plagued by attacks from pirate & slaver gangs, sometimes carrying away entire villages. In the town of Lojotz, there lived a priest named Fr. Gervais. When Fr. Gervais heard the alarm that meant another attack was coming, he went to the church to pray. He asked God what he could do to protect his people. He was told to take the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary from the altar, and go out to meet the raiders. He would then know what to do.

Prayers for those who Travel

     At every Matins (Morning Prayers) and Vespers (Evening Prayers) service at our parish at the time when we pray for various needs, along with prayers for "all the poor and the sick and suffering of our community", prayers are offered for "all travellers". For my part as I pray, that includes all who enjoy my favorite RPG.

     There is also this, a part of the Great Litany, a prayer office used during penitential seasons:
     That it may please Thee to preserve all who travel by land, by water, or by air, all women in child-birth, all sick persons, and young children; and to show Thy pity upon all prisoners and captives;   We beseech Thee to hear us, good Lord.

     From the Propers of the Mass for Pilgrims and Travelers:

O hold thou up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not: incline thine ear to me, and hearken unto my words: shew thy marvelous loving-kindness, thou that art the Savior of them which put their trust in thee, O Lord.
(from Psalm 17)

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Prayers and Blessings for Travellers in space

This week, as our parish priest was blessing two new Bibles we got ourselves for Christmas, he pointed out to me the following in his prayer book. Prepared (perhaps) against the day when Jump Drive is invented, the Church has already established a prayer blessing Travellers in space, and a rite for the blessing of a space craft:

A blessing for space Travellers
     O God who has created the heavens and the earth; guide and preserve those who penetrate the vastness of outer space; and grant that we who learn from their explorations may come to perceive the majesty of thy creation and turn to thee for grace to use that knowledge for the good of all mankind. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Blessing of space craft
      O God the king and Lord of all, who hast created all things in the Universe: graciously hear our prayers and bless this craft now prepared for journeys of they servants in space. Be present with those charged with its navigation, protect them in all perils; prosper them in their course, and bring them to their destination; and at length, conduct them in safety to the haven where they would be. Through thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

     In my Traveller universe, Christian chapels are a common sight at most class A & B starports. Priests, monks and nuns serve at these chapels to minister to the spiritual needs of travellers, and to serve as conduits of communication between the planetary diocese and the parent jurisdiction. Travellers may ask a blessing for themselves or the ships in which they travel.
The referee must determine based on government code and cultural factors how much autonomy the Church has on a world.

Startport  Chapel Present (2d)
A          3+
B          4+
C          7+
D          8+
E          9+