Good morning, fellow caregivers this is Liz Wessel and it is my honor to share in this time of reflective prayer with you in our little community of mutual support and caring. We all come with a wealth of experience and wisdom and diverse backgrounds. It is our diversity that adds to the richness and beauty of our lives. Being together in community and sharing in a few minutes of intentional prayer strengthens us. Our heartfelt intentions multiply and carry far and wide, rippling out in boundless ways, beyond our ever knowing to bless others in unforeseen ways. So, thank you for bringing your healing energies to this moment to heal others and to be healed in the process. Healing is what we do, each and every day, especially when we bring our wholeheartedness into whatever we are doing, in our family life and work life, regardless of the task at hand, when we approach our work in a conscious and intentional manner it opens us to the scaredness that exists in all things. So, let us settle in to a comfortable position and begin with a few with deep centering breaths. As you breathe in repeat to yourself, I am at peace, and with each out breath allow tension to release from your body, Breathing in…. Peace I receive, and on your next in breath, repeat, peace I offer. Ring the bell In the spirit of prayer offer your own prayer intentions in the silence of your hearts, for loved ones, for co-workers, for patients and families, for our wounded world and all of God’s creation. Pause… 5 seconds Our Value of Integrity: We pursue authenticity with humility and simplicity. Fr. Richard Rohr offers these thoughts on Lent, which is the religious observance in the Christian liturgical calendar that began on Feb 17th Ash Wednesday and ends the night before Easter. There are two moments that matter. One is when you know that your one and only life is valuable and alive. The other is when you know your life, as presently lived, is entirely pointless and empty. You need both of them to keep you going in the right direction. Lent is both. The first such moment gives you energy and joy by connecting you with your ultimate Source and Ground. The second gives you limits and boundaries, and a proper humility, so you keep seeking the Source and Ground and not just your small self. (Richard Rohr) And I’d like to share the wisdom is offered by Chief Yellow Lark of the Lakota Sioux Oh, Great Spirit, Whose voice I hear in the winds and whose breath gives life to all the world. Hear me! I need your strength and wisdom. Let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes ever hold the red and purple sunset. Make my hands respect the things you have made and my ears sharp to hear your voice. Make me wise so that I may understand the things you have taught my people. Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock. Help me remain calm and strong in the face of all that comes towards me. Help me find compassion without being overwhelmed. I seek strength, not to be greater than my brother or my sister, but to fight my greatest enemy: myself. Make me always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes. So when life fades, as the fading sunset, my spirit may come to you without shame. (Lakota Sioux Chief Yellow Lark Richard Rohr invites us to spend some time this week contemplating the rhythm of your own life. Without judgment, reflect on how you spend your time, what you pay attention to, and where your energy goes. Does the rhythm of your life honor the relationships and values that are most important to you? Is there some degree of balance between work and rest, solitude and community? Be open to the movement of the Spirit. How might God be inviting you into greater freedom, integrity, and love through the rhythm of your daily life? This concludes our prayer for today. Be well and be blessed. Shared by Liz Wessel

St. Joseph Health, Home Care Services

3.2.21 - Universal Prayer For Self Reflection

2-23-2021Univeral Prayer Offering -Infinitely Loved Good morning, this is Liz Wessel, and as we gather, we come just as we are and we are welcomed as we join in a brief time of reflection. We may come as stranger but we will leave as friends. Let us center ourselves, while sitting comfortably, take a few slow deep breaths and quietly repeat to yourself "I am" as you breathe in and "at peace" as you breathe out. Feel your entire body begin to relax. You may wish to focus on your breathing throughout this time together. In this sacred space we reconnect with the source of all that is. Gavin Thomas Murphy offers the following insights to think and pray about throughout this week. We are invited to rest awhile among the green meadows and flowing streams, to relax in God’s presence, and be nourished, strengthened, and renewed. In this place, we may turn from a closed fist of denial, frustration and turmoil to an open hand of acceptance, relaxation and serenity. (Gavin Thomas Murphy) Too many of us gravitate towards distress and anxiety: we say it is the way of work and the world. Just 5 minutes of silence seems pointless. But we get in touch with our ‘inner teacher’ when we find times to be still in our day, connecting us with deep peace and balance. It is available to tap into as we live in the moment. This can be discovered in talking with people, working on a single task, walking and feeling a fresh breeze on our face. This invitation has stirred Gavin to stop fixing his eyes on the ground and see the beautiful ordinary. (Gavin Thomas Murphy) After resting, we may be invited to walk more closely in Love’s presence, freer and more confident and better able to navigate the hazy path of our lives. It is true that we all need to work on maintaining balance in our lives, but we are not alone. We can learn so much from modern and contemplative wisdom to live life with greater richness, and when all is done, we can rejoice knowing that we are infinitely loved. (Gavin Thomas Murphy) In the spirit of prayer, let us pray I rest in you, Spirit of Life, and give to you my worries, my fears, my doubts, my hopes, my joys, my pains, my anger, my love, and allow you to take in all that I am. And as I give all that I am, I find the place of truth and stillness, l where you and I are one. (Karem Barratt) A Prayer for Resting in God's Love God of Goodness, I come into your presence so aware of my human frailty and yet overwhelmed by your love for me. I thank you that there is no human experience that I might walk through where your love cannot reach me. If I climb the highest mountain you are there and yet if I find myself in the darkest valley of my life, you are there. Teach me today to love you more. Help me to rest in that love that asks nothing more than the simple trusting heart of a child (unknown author) A closing prayer by Thomas Merton: O God, You have made us one with you. You have taught us that if we are open to one another, you dwell in us. Help us to preserve this openness and to fight for it with all our hearts. Help us to realize that there can be no understanding where there is mutual rejection. O God, in accepting one another wholeheartedly, fully, completely, we accept you, and we thank you, adore, and love you with our whole being, because our being is your being, our spirit is rooted in your spirit. Fill us then with love, and let us be bound together with love as we go our diverse ways, united in this one spirit which makes you present in the world, and which makes you witness to the ultimate reality that is love. Love has overcome. Love is victorious. Thanks everyone for blessing us with your presence and may you be blessed as your go forth to bless others with your love. Shared by Liz Sorensen Wessel

2.23.21 Universal Prayer Offering - Infinitely Loved (See Description for Prayer)

2-16-2021 Universal Prayer: All Shall Be Well Today I have a different kind of prayer to offer, one that is set to music. It is a well-known prayer written by Julian of Norwich called, “all shall be well.” Julian was a 14th century mystic who lived during a period of great suffering and uncertainty during the 100-year war between England and France. Famine was widespread coupled by the disastrous bubonic plague pandemic. This led to Julian living in isolation. Suffering was everywhere, which many attributed to the wrath of God. However, Julian’s response was not one of despair or judgment, but of love, solidarity, and hope. As you listen, may you be enfolded anew by the miracle of your being. (John O’ Donohue) https://youtu.be/YcmsnAtgopY From Love we come From Love we come From Love we come In Love we are enfolded In Love we are enfolded In Love we are enfolded To Love we shall return To Love we shall return To Love we shall return Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia All shall be well All things shall be well All shall be well All things shall be well All shall be well All things shall be well Perhaps you needed to hear this as much as I did... Affirmation: Love is the bond that strengthens and enfolds us, we are held in Love... Shared by Liz Sorensen Wessel Artwork by Liz

9.16.21 - Universal Prayer - All Shall Be Well (See description for Prayer)

Virtual Ash Wednesday Service 2 - 16 - 2021 by St. Joseph Health, Home Care Services

Virtual Ash Wednesday Service 2 - 16 - 2021

2-9-2021 Universal Prayer World Day of the Sick Good morning, this is Liz Wessel and it is an honor to be with you and to share in a short time of prayer and reflection. I have woven together a compilation of prayers from various sources. I will share the name of author after each one. First let us begin to center ourselves and settle into a comfortable position. Take 3 deep breaths, one to let go of stress, another to let go of worry and the third breath to become fully present. To the God of our understanding, the spirit with whom we gather this morning – we ask that our minds be open, our hearts welcoming in this shelter of belonging. For Pope Frances and others before him, February 11 is a day of recognition and prayer for the sick and for the ministry of health care, both professional and family caregivers. He reminds us, “The commandment of love that Jesus left to his disciples is also kept in our relationship with the sick. A society is more human to the degree that it cares effectively for its most frail and suffering members, in a spirit of fraternal love. Let us strive to achieve this goal so that no one will feel alone, excluded, or abandoned.” -Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the 29th World Day of The Sick This year’s theme from the Gospel of Matthew calls us to remember, “You have, but one teacher, and you are all brothers” (Mt 23:8). However, each of us understands God; we are created in the same light. Even as the pandemic separates us, remakes the world around us, our shared humanity continues to bind us in as one family. As the pandemic continues to surge, wane and wear us down, Christians find support in Jesus, who knows our illnesses and strengthens us to serve. This year we cannot escape the ongoing effects of the worldwide COVID pandemic, and our prayers are offered for those most impacted by the virus. (CHA) Please take a moment to reflect in the spirit of prayer and to offer our own silent intentions. (Ring the chime and pause for 3 seconds) Loving God, you fill all things with a fullness and hope that we can never comprehend. Thank you for leading us into a time where more of reality is being unveiled for us all to see. We pray that you will take away our natural temptation for cynicism, denial, fear, and despair. Help us have the courage to awaken to greater truth, greater humility, and greater care for one another. May we place our hope in what matters and what lasts, trusting in your eternal presence and love. Listen to our hearts’ longings for the healing of our suffering world. Knowing, good God, you are hearing us better than we are speaking, we offer these prayers in all the holy names of God. Amen. (Fr. Richard Rohr) God of our understanding, How often we find ourselves thinking that it is impossible to make a difference in the world in which we live in. There are difficulties, challenges and injustices that can seem too big for our attempts to try and conquer them. Help us to focus on our vision, instead of the problems. Inspire us to think beyond our thoughts of the impossibilities and to focus instead on what our own contributions might be. Help us to live within the power that You have given us and to believe that the way we look at problems can, and will, make a difference. Inspire us to give gifts of love and gifts of kindness as we move about this day. Help us to recognize, and to extend the gift of unconditional love. May we model Your unlimited love for all people as we give, and receive, today. Above all else, may Your love be expressed and all people blessed. Amen -Samantha Gilbertson, PNMC Mission Integration and Spiritual Care We are deeply grateful to each of you for your service and for making a difference.

2.9.21 - Universal Prayer - World Day Of The Sick (Please see description for Prayer)

2-2-2021 Universal Prayers in Honor of Black History Month 2021 Good morning and welcome, Liz Wessel here, and as we gather together, taking a moment out of our busy lives as we share in a brief time of prayer and peacefulness. Resist the temptation to multi-task and instead gift yourself with 5min of peace and prayer. Find a sitting position that allows you to be alert—and also relaxed. Close your eyes and rest your hands in an easy, effortless way. Together we will take in a deep breath and as you exhale release your cares, again breathe in and honor those whom we hold in our hearts. Listen to the wind it talks Listen to the silence it speaks Listen to your heart it knows (Native American Proverb) Ring the chime: God of our understanding, we come to you in these quiet moments, seeking that which is beyond ourselves. In this sacred space; we join in solidarity and prayer, as we lift up our brothers and sisters of color and express our hopes and our dreams for a better world. God of each Heart and Mind, We are reminded this morning, of the importance of listening. In the wind, and in the silence, there is a voice that speaks. Help us to remember that it isn’t necessarily the human voice where wisdom springs forth and communication lies. May we quiet ourselves in order to hear. May we quiet the exterior and the interior so that we can connect with our own heart. For within the heart, it knows. May the messages heard from the wind and the silence be instilled into our hearts today. (Samantha Gilbertson) Spirit of the Living God, As we gather this morning, allow your spirit to fill our very being. Most gracious and loving God, we remember the struggles of our people, black people, people of African descent, your people and we thank you for your grace, your love, and your mercy. We thank you for leaders that you continue to place in high places and ordinary places. Inspire each of us to work more faithfully for justice and dignity of life everywhere. Lord God, we remember the hurts of exclusion and prejudice, but we know that you can raise our vision above all barriers and give us wisdom and courage to make this a better world. Spirit of Abundance, God of Grace, Mother of Hope, We pause now to remember those stories that are all around us, But so often passed over, Those stories that when told are shared because Of what someone is, not who they are. This month in our nation's character Is Black History month. Help us to realize that Black history is All our histories. May the day come when these stories Are so wildly taught that no month need Be separately divided. We know this day will not come until we as a people Make different choices. We pray now for those new choices. May we come to see a day where the prison system Becomes redemptive, not punitive. A day where the legal system learns to focus more squarely on the facts, And the not colors of our skin. A day where our schools are as well funded, as the needs demand. May our role models be allowed to excel when they thrive, And not be taken down for their rich heritage. We know this will require a shift in power. And this can be scary for some. Give those full of fear - hope. May we come to know grace, So that our hearts will not be hardened to the pain around us. There are so many beautiful stories needing to be told. And we need to get the chance to hear them. Widen our vision so that the history that is shared this month, And every month, Come to be known as our history too. We are most human when we see the humanity in others. (Author Unknown) We conclude our time together with thoughts of truth and justice which stir us from our ease and move us to acts of goodness, and for the contemplation of life which fills us with hope that what is good and lovely cannot perish. Amen. May you feel Love’s presence with you as you navigate through your day. (New Union Prayer Book)

2.2.21 -Universal Prayer - Black History Month (Please see Description for Prayer)

Good morning, this is Liz Wessel and it is joy to be with you and to share in a short time of prayer and reflection in this community of great belonging. These prayers are a compilation from various sources and todays theme is called, “Help Me to Rest in Love.” Let us take a moment to center ourselves and find a comfortable position. take 3 deep breaths, one to let go of whatever you are holding, another to listen deep into your heart and the 3rd to arrive in this moment. Dear Love, Please help me to rest, I place my list of things to do in your hands. Just for one moment, I let go. I place my thoughts about how someone else should be Different in your hands. Just for a moment, I let them go. Right now, just for a moment, I allow things to be as they are, I allow someone else to be as they are, I allow myself to be as I am. And so, I rest. To the God of our understanding, the spirit with whom we gather this morning We lift up those whose lives are touched by sadness, by illness, by worry, or by loneliness. May all find comfort, hope, and healing strength in this community and the larger community. And let us take a moment to silently reflect in the spirit of prayer and to offer our own silent intentions. (Chrystal Hogan) Our Loving God, How difficult it can be to let go- of things that we believe we must hang on to and of the things that we are unable to let go of. Give us the courage we need to release everything into Your very capable hands. Help us to trust You completely as we do so. Give us the patience we need as we wait, knowing that someday we will see how Your hand was a part of everything during the process. Amen Chaplain Samantha Gilbertson, PNMC Mission Integration and Spiritual Care May we have the power of vision to look past both the specks in our own eyes and the outward appearance of other people in order to see that divine spark of life - of Love - which is present in all human beings. We pray today particularly for those who are marginalized within our society - those whose inherent divinity is so often unrecognized - and for those who live or work in conditions we ourselves could not accept. For them, and for all people who find life difficult, we pledge ourselves to the task of helping to make this world a better place - even if it is simply by a smile or a welcoming word. As we pause now in the quietness of our own thoughts, let us consider both the blessings and the trials of our lives, and dedicate ourselves to sharing our blessings and to doing what we can to ease the trials of others. Dear Love, We give thanks for places of simplicity and peace. Let us find such a place within ourselves. We give thanks for places of refuge and beauty. Let us find such a place within ourselves. We give thanks for places of nature’s truth and freedom, of joy, inspiration, and renewal, places where all creatures may find acceptance and belonging. Let us search for these places in the world, in ourselves, and in others. Let us restore them. Let us strengthen and protect them, and let us create them. May we mend this outer world according to the truth of our inner life and may our souls be shaped and nourished by nature’s eternal wisdom. (Michael Leunig) O Great Love, thank you for living and loving in us and through us. May all that we do flow from our deep connection with you and all beings. Help us become a community that vulnerably shares each other’s burdens. Listen to our hearts’ longings for the healing of our world. We ask for continued blessings on which to draw as we go about our work. When we are weary, energize us. When burnt out, infuse us with the light of your spirit. May the work that we do bring hope, life and courage to all whom we serve, and in the day’s most stressful moments, may we pause for that “quiet within” and rest in you. (Adapted from Richard Rohr) The need to center ourselves in love and to renew our spirit in order to love others effectively is a universal call to wholeness.

1.26.21 - Universal Prayers - Help Me To Rest In Love - (Please see description for today's prayer)

1-19-2021 Universal Prayer in Remembrance of Martin Luther King Jr. Good morning and welcome, Liz Wessel here, and as we gather together, taking a moment out of our busy lives let us share in a brief time of prayer and peacefulness. Resist the temptation to multi-task and instead offer the gift of your loving presence to this community. Find a sitting position that allows you to be alert—and also relaxed. Close your eyes and rest your hands in an easy, effortless way. Ring the chime: Allow your awareness to scan through your body and, wherever possible, soften and release obvious areas of physical tension. Because we so easily get lost in thoughts, let’s begin with attention to the breath. Using the breath as a primary anchor of mindfulness helps quiet the mind so that you can be awake to the changing stream of life that moves through you. (Tara Brach) God of our understanding, we come to you in these quiet moments, seeking that which is beyond ourselves. In this sacred space; we join in solidarity in the prayers of Reverend Martin Luther King to express our hopes and our dreams for a better world. Eternal God, out of whose mind is this great cosmic universe, we bless thee. Help us to seek that which is high, noble and Good. Help us in the moments of difficulty. Help us to work with renewed vigor for a brotherhood that transcends race or color. (MLK) A way in which every man will respect the dignity and worth of all human personality. A way in which every nation will allow justice to run down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream. A way in which men will do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. (MLK) God grant that we will be participants in this newness and this magnificent development. If we will but do it, we will bring about a new day of justice and brotherhood and peace. And that day the morning stars will sing together and the sons of God will shout for joy. (Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.) MLK’s mission for equality resonates with our organizational values of compassion, dignity, justice, excellence, and integrity. Creator God, may we view our work as vocational; a ministry of whole-person healing. May we advocate for those who are poor and vulnerable as we serve our dear neighbor without distinction. (Nancy Jordan) And in closing, as you go about your day continue to reflect on how your role in our organization is not limited to your wise experience and skills. Every time you ask how a patient is feeling or assist a co-caregiver with a task, you are making a positive difference in the lives of others. Building each other up one interaction at a time builds our up our communities. Building up our communities exemplifies Martin Luther King’s vision for equity and equality. (Nancy Jordan) In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., thank you for your steadfast service to all. May God bless you and all those you love. Painting form the CHA website

1.19.21 - Universal Prayer Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. *See description for today's Prayer*

1.12.21 - Universal Prayer - Peace, Unity And Reconciliation by St. Joseph Health, Home Care Services

1.12.21 - Universal Prayer - Peace, Unity And Reconciliation

https://web.microsoftstream.com/video/feb9bf96-28b7-4b19-b331-e572563ccfd6 Song presentation starts at the 24 minute mark

Time Of Reflection For All HCC Caregivers - **Link to the presentation is in the description***

1.5.21 - Universal Prayer For All HCC Caregivers - Hope by St. Joseph Health, Home Care Services

1.5.21 - Universal Prayer For All HCC Caregivers - Hope

12.29.20 - Universal Prayer Break by St. Joseph Health, Home Care Services

12.29.20 - Universal Prayer Break

12.22.20 Universal Prayer by St. Joseph Health, Home Care Services

12.22.20 Universal Prayer

12.15.20 Universal Prayer Offering by St. Joseph Health, Home Care Services

12.15.20 Universal Prayer Offering

Join Honorine Uwimana, Maria Elena Perales and Yesenia Altamirano in St. Joseph Justice Center Public Witness Prayer. To watch the video recording of the Prayer to go: https://youtu.be/lnIEgYPNu5g

Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange: St. Joseph Justice Center Public Witness Prayer

Podcast by St. Joseph Health, Home Care Services

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St. Joseph Health, Home Care Services

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