Mr. Don Music - Catastrophizing Crooner

Luke 13:1-9

At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”

Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

For the season of Lent we’ve been working on giving up Cognitive Distortions.  Those ways of thinking that are neither true nor helpful, but are AWFULLY tempting!  We worked on giving up “Shoulding” on ourselves or others.  We’ve talked about giving up Control Fallacies… both the fallacy that everything is somehow our fault, but particularly the more tempting lie that the Foxes of the world try to sell, that we are powerless, helpless victims and nothing we do can make any difference.  We pushed back against that fallacy by bringing to mind someone we loved and then deciding how we would bring that person a little kindness or bit of compassion.  When you did that this week, could you feel that fallacy crumble?  Were you able to see how making a physical move toward someone you love with a small act of compassion or kindness, proved to you (and the Foxes of the world) that in reality… we are FAR from powerless? 

This week we confront the Cognitive Distortion best illustrated by Mr. Don Music.  (Move to sit at piano)  I first heard about Mr. Music back in 1974, when TV reporter, Kermit the Frog, interviewed him for Sesame Street News.  Mr. Music was in the middle of writing his next hit song… and he was stuck.  “Mary had a little lamb.  It’s fleece was white as snow.  And everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was sure to… was sure to… was sure to… I’ll never get it!  Never!” (Bang head on piano)  By the way… it turns out I think that bit is JUST as hilarious at 57 as it was at 7.    

But for us today, what Don Music is demonstrating is the Cognitive Distortion known as Catastrophizing!  Believing all the worst while filtering out and dismissing anything positive.  Seeing the slightest setback as a guaranteed predictor of an inevitable, impending, complete, catastrophe from which we will never escape.  Never.  NEVER!  (Bang head on piano)

That’s where the people were in today’s Gospel lesson.  Pilate had killed people while they were at worship.  A tower had fallen in Siloam and killed 18 people.  Both factual and both horrible.  But from those events the people who came to see Jesus had begun to convince themselves that THIS was the way the whole world was inevitably headed.  That there was no way out!  No alternative!  No good left!  It was the way God was now working in the world and they were now condemned to live in a catastrophe from which they would never escape.  NEVER!  (Bang head on piano)  Have you ever done that?  Filter out any positive and obsess about the negative?  Think in All or Nothing ways?  Look at the world as Black or White… never with any grey… and certainly without any color!  This, by the way, is my favorite, personal, go-to Cognitive Distortion.  The Stinkin’ Thinkin’ I do the most and I do this one almost as well as Don Music!  (Bang head on piano)  So how do we give it up for Lent… or maybe even longer?  Jesus shows us how we can work on that with the parable of the fig tree.  

A man came to his vineyard for the third year in a row and once again found no figs!  At this discovery he went full “Don Music” on that tree.  “It will never have figs.  NEVER!” (Bang head on piano)  It is a catastrophic waste of space and will never be anything else.  NEVER!!  (Bang head on piano) Cut it down!  

But the gardener in this story knows something VERY important.  Feelings are not Facts.  While the vineyard owner FEELS there is no hope… FEELS this is a catastrophe.  The FACTS, on the other hand, are that with some gratitude for a tree that has grown to a fruit bearing age, and with some generosity in the form of some cultivation, manure and time, the tree will bear fruit.  One of the things we can learn from this parable is that you and I can counter our temptation to catastrophize in exactly the same way… by using gratitude and generosity.  

Horrible things are genuinely happening all around us every single day.  It all too often FEELS like these events portend never ending catastrophe, from which the world will never recover, NEVER!  (Bang head on piano) That way of Stinkin’ Thinkin’ leaves us depressed and paralyzed… tempts us to give up and believe we just can’t make a difference any more.  But this parable calls us to help one another remember… FEELINGS are not FACTS.  While events around us ARE horrible and there are times where we FEEL like there is no hope, the FACT is, that when the people of this church come together in gratitude for the abundant life we have been given, and when we are generous with our empathy, kindness, compassion and caring, the FACT is that THIS CHURCH MAKES A REAL DIFFERENCE IN THIS WORLD AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO JUST THAT!  We will continue to do genuine good.  Continue to make a real difference in the lives of the people we gather with here every week and in the lives of our neighbors and THAT is something we should never forget.  NEVER!  

So, now we practice.  Write down three things that you’re thankful for on that paper you got with your bulletin.  When you come up for communion bring it up and put that written prayer of thanksgiving in the bowl there.  Then… for homework, write down three things you’re thankful for each day this coming week.  I think you’ll find it’s hard to believe there is nothing good left in the world while constantly writing down things for which you are thankful.  Try it out.  Amen.   

Mr. Fox and His Fallacy of Cards

 Luke 13:31-35

At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him,
“Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’ Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

A week or so ago the President gave a speech to a joint session of Congress where he declared that Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion had been eliminated from the Federal Government and the country.  Recently Target announced that it would no longer support DEI initiatives.  In the late 1930’s a photographer took a picture of a large crowd giving the Nazi arm salute in Germany.  Two thousand years ago, a group of Pharisees came out to see Jesus to tell him that the king wanted to kill him.  

In each of these situations, one group of people tried to get another group of people to buy into the notion that THEY had complete and total control while the other group of people had absolutely no control… that they had been reduced to helpless victims.  Believing that you have absolute control or believing you have absolutely no control are what what the brain pros call “Control Fallacies” and along with other Cognitive Distortions, like the “Shoulding” we talked about last week, the Control Fallacy is another kind of Stinkin’ Thinkin’ that we are giving up for the season of Lent.  

They are called “Fallacies” because they aren’t true!  The fact that they aren’t true becomes immediately apparent when anyone pushes back on them even slightly.  As the president insisted in his speech that DEI had been stamped out of the Federal Government a camera cut to a close up of Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, an African American, Muslim congresswoman.  With that one camera shot the president’s attempt to sell us his Control Fallacy was shown to be exactly that… a laughable fallacy.  As Target abandons their DEI initiatives we are being sold the idea that retailers are helpless against this push.  That is until Comedian Kristin Key first laments losing Target with the shout, “haven’t we lesbians suffered enough!” and then sings a parody song about breaking up with Target, her abusive ex, for whom she still has feelings.  She goes on to remind us, however, that we still have Costco with auto parts right next to produce!  And the fallacy falls apart.  In the photo of an entire crowd of Germans giving the Nazi salute, a second look reveals that there is one man standing there with his arms folded.  That one man proves that even in the
extreme of Nazi Germany, total control is still just a fallacy.  When the Pharisees came out to tell Jesus that the king wanted to kill him, trying to convince him that when it came to standing against Herod, he was just a helpless victim, Jesus simply responded with his unchanging plans for the next three days.  

In each of these examples we are shown how people in different circumstances and in different times, all push back against the Control Fallacy being sold to them.  From those examples we too can learn how to give up that destructive way of thinking for the season of Lent (and maybe even longer!).  Ilhan Omar shows us that sometimes just showing up is all that is needed to send this fallacy tumbling to the ground.  When we show up here, we come to a place with rainbow chairs where the words of the apostle Paul continue to be proclaimed, that “There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of us are one in Christ Jesus.”  That one German with folded arms reminds us that sometimes opting out is all that is needed to destroy this fallacy.  Kristin Key reminds us how powerful humor is when it comes to fighting control fallacies, and Jesus shows us that one of the very best ways to push back on the idea that we are nothing but helpless victims, is to simply to keep on doing the things we value day after day… like bringing compassion and kindness to our neighbors regardless of what they look like, who they love, or how they identify.

All of these examples show us ways to push back on the house of cards that is the Control Fallacy that we are being sold… the Fallacy that we have been reduced to helpless victims… and all of these examples show us in a wide variety of ways, just how exceptionally frail this fallacy really is and how easily it falls to pieces with just the slightest nudge.  

To practice giving that fallacy a nudge, I want you to turn to someone around you and first tell them whose face comes to mind when you think about someone you love.  Share a little backstory with them.  Not a comprehensive lifelong biography!  Just a little something to help them remember who that person is to you.  (Give some time)  Now, think about a little act of compassion or kindness that you plan to bring to that person this week.  Then share your plans with your neighbor.  (Give some time)  This week, your assignment is to DO that little thing for the person you love and as you do it, remember… that what you are doing, in addition to the kindness, is telling THAT FOX that you are far from being a helpless victim and that they are king of nothing more than a frail falling house of cards.  Amen. 

The Devil Tries to Should on Jesus

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 the 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.

Last week I had you imagine all the darkness, evil, worry, and fear that you feel closing in on you, weighing on you, and pressing on you these days.  I told you to take all of it and knead it like clay in your minds into a personified form.  Then I told you to give that personified form a name, write that name on a rock, and then leave it… all of it… in that pile right there.  (If you weren’t here last week you are welcome to do that today after worship if you’d like)  We wrote a wide variety of things on our rocks but in ancient times I suspect the vast majority of people would have simply written “The Devil” on that rock, because that was a much more universal go-to name for the darkness, evil, worry and fear back in those days than it is now.  

But regardless of the name on the rock, that’s who Jesus met in the wilderness.  He met the personified form of all the darkness, evil, worry, and fear the world has to offer.  It’s the very same darkness, evil, worry, and fear you locked into those rocks last week.  THIS week we see one of the tricks the Devil uses to try and get us to let him out of his rock.  It’s called “SHOULDING.”  “Jesus, you SHOULD make bread.  Jesus you SHOULD be in charge of the world.  Jesus you SHOULD get the world’s attention.”  “SHOULD” statements are what we say to ourselves or others about what we “should,” “ought,” or “must” do.  SHOULDING sets up unrealistic expectations that will most likely not be met.  Those unmet expectations then lead to guilt, shame, and resentment.  Resentment when others don’t meet our expectations and guilt and shame when we don’t meet the expectations we put on ourselves.  Israel and Palestine SHOULD stop fighting.  The Administration SHOULD treat our allies better.  We SHOULD care more about the environment.  I SHOULD go to the gym more regularly.  Americans SHOULD take care of those on the margins.

The tricksy part of “SHOULD” statements is that the things we “SHOULD” do aren’t necessarily BAD things at all!  Jesus making bread?  Not bad.  In fact Jesus eventually makes bread for 5000.  Jesus ruling the world?  Also not bad.  In fact Jesus becomes King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Jesus getting the attention of the world by being lifted up?  Also not bad.  In fact, that’s this thing we call Easter!  The same is true of our “SHOULDS”… Middle East peace, treating friends well, caring for the environment, going to the gym, caring for those on the margins?  None of those THINGS are bad!  What IS bad… what IS tempting… what IS self destructive… is not the THINGS we are thinking about, but the WAY we think about them.  Thinking with “SHOULD” statements sets us up for dramatic disappointment, radical resentments, all consuming anger, and debilitating depression.  

The way to fight against the Devil and his temptation of “SHOULDING” is to use alternative language that BOTH keeps the people we love and the things we value in our focus, AND at the same time realistically manages our expectations.  Jesus used the language of Scripture to do that.  In addition to that, we can also use words like "could," "would like to," "might consider," "aim to," "prefer to," "want to," "it would be beneficial to," or "I choose to,” instead of SHOULD.  I would like to see peace between Israel and Palestine.  The Administration might consider treating our allies better.  It would be beneficial to care more about the environment.  I aim to go to the gym more regularly.  I would prefer if Americans took better care of those on the margins.  Do you see the difference?  We're still focusing on moving toward the people and values that are important to us, but the new language changes our outlook from an unrealistic expectation of instant arrival, to a more realistic expectation that getting to where we are going will take a journey.  

Now comes the experiential portion of this sermon.  In your bulletin you have a 3x5 card.  Think now... What is the loudest thing the Devil is telling you that you SHOULD do right now?  Jesus got three.  You just get one.  (You aren't Jesus!) Write that on one side of the card.  Now, JUST THINK about the language you might you use instead, so you're not letting the Devil SHOULD on you.  DON'T write that new language on the card.  You'll want to keep that.  Okay, now think of what is the Devil tempting you to tell someone else they SHOULD do? When you've got that, write it on the other side of that card.  What language might you use instead for that one?  

NOW, you know what you've got?  You've got a card with SHOULD all over it!  When you come up for communion, bring it here and throw it down the hole in the center of the pile of rocks.  That's where “SHOULD” belongs, so when the Devil tempts you with SHOULD again… do what Jesus did… talk back to him… find other language... and leave both the “SHOULD” and the Devil right there in the SHOULD-ER where they belong.  Amen. 

To protect you as you push back on the temptations of the Devil whether in personified form or not, with whatever temptations he might throw at you in these unusual times, I am going to anoint the walls of our church with Holy Oil.  This is part of an ancient ritual most often associated with the consecration of a church used to create a powerful impenetrable Spiritual boundary between the powers and rulers of darkness in the world, the spirit of wickedness, and the Devil himself and you… God’s people gathering here in this Sanctuary.  In this space, within these wall, you are unconditionally loved, you are accepted just as you are as a beloved… a BELOVED child of God.  With this rite and within these walls you have sanctuary and you will be safe.  Always. 

Like the Hypocrites Do

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17

Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near— a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness spread upon the mountains a great and powerful army comes; their like has never been from of old, nor will be again after them in ages to come.

Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord, your God? 

Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the children, even infants at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her canopy. Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep. Let them say, “Spare your people, O Lord, and do not make your heritage a mockery, a byword among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

“Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

“And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

“And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

First, we put ashes on our heads which disfigures our faces.  Then we read this Gospel where Jesus tells us NOT to disfigure our faces… you know… like the hypocrites do!  The first time I made that ironic connection in 25 years of preaching, was last Ash Wednesday… while I was preaching.  After worship Bishop Jack and I laughed about the irony. 

So, keep the ashes or wipe them off?  Maybe change the name from Ash Wednesday to Irony Wednesday?  I don’t think we’ll be able to sell that one.  Honestly, I think what we should do with these ashes on our heads depends.  Does keeping the ashes on your head, in some way or another, move you closer to God and neighbor?  If so… then by all means keep ‘em!  But, if keeping them doesn’t do either, then you’d be better off wiping them off before you go back into the world looking “like the hypocrites do.”  

That’s the same for most of the practices of Lent… fasting, giving things up, prayers, giving alms, doing extra acts of service.  When you do those things, do they move you, in one way or another, into a closer relationship with God and  neighbor?  If so… then by all means do ‘em!  But, if doing them isn’t moving you closer to God or your neighbor, then you’re probably doing them for yourself and if that’s the case, you’d be better off NOT doing them at all, rather than doing them “like the hypocrites do.” 

There does seem to be one Lenten practice that doesn’t “depend” so much.  It comes out of that lesson from Joel where he says, “Call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the children, even infants at the breast.”  It is the Lenten practice of showing up… the practice of being here, together, consistently… some might even say “religiously” in community. 

The gathered congregation, Joel believed, has the power to not just make a difference in individual lives, but to make a difference in the world.  I’d have to agree with Joel on that one.  Remember our first Sunday back together after two icy Sundays?  Being together again made a difference for us individually.  We all felt it.  But you also have to admit that when this particular assembly assembles, good things happen in the world as well.  Sheffield Pride, Berkstock, the AT project, tens of thousands of dollars shared with our non-profit partners.  All THAT happens out of our gathered solemn (and not so solemn) assemblies!

So, if there is an individual Lenten discipline that moves you closer to God and your neighbor by all means, take it on.  But whether or not you choose an individual practice… whether or not you keep your ashes or wipe them off…  let’s all take on the ancient Lenten practice of being with each other here this season.  Let us commit to being present and allowing the Divine to work compassion, healing, and hope through this solemn (and not so solemn) assembly to change the world for good.  God knows, the world could use some good.  Amen

Transfiguration for Unusual Times

Luke 9:28-43a

Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” —not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.

And all were astounded at the greatness of God.

The Transfiguration sermon for “usual” times calls us to move quickly BEYOND the happenings on the mountaintop.  The shining trio of Moses, Elijah, and Jesus as well as Peter’s offer to make them each a mountaintop vacation villa, are usually seen as temptations, enticing us to stay too long in the comfort of God’s Glory and ignoring the needs of the world.  The usual take home is, “Yes, the mountaintop is very, very cool… NOW go down the other side, and get to work!”  

But we no longer live in “usual” times.  For times such as these, this story tells us something different.  It tells us it is not just “okay” but in times like these it is actually SPIRITUALLY REQUIRED for us to take intentional time out from the world, to leave the chaos of the world behind, to walk up the Holy Mountain and spend SIGNIFICANT time in God’s Divine Glory.  In times like these we should NOT rush or be rushed down the other side and back to the work we are called to do in the world.  That time will come, yes, but that time is not now.     

Today we climb God’s Holy Mountain.  We begin from where we are.  My sense of where we are, is that we are surrounded by a growing spiritual darkness.  My sense is that we are all starting this journey overwhelmed by the weight of tremendous hatred born of unimaginable fear.  That we are beginning our journey surrounded by evil… a word I don’t just throw around, but a word find myself using seriously in these unusual times.

So before we take the first step up the Holy Mountain, I want you to take a good solid minute and really NOTICE where in your body you are carrying all of that these days.  (PAUSE) Where in your body does the darkness press the hardest? (PAUSE) Where is it in your body that you carry the weight of the world?  Your first thought may be “All Over!” which is understandable, but sit and try to NOTICE where in your body it is centered. (PAUSE)

Now, think about all that pushes on you… all that you carry… the darkness, the weight, the fear and the evil… think of it all together.  What does it look like?  What is it’s consistency?  What color is it?  How does it move?  (PAUSE) Now, in your mind, begin gathering it, condensing it, herding it into a smaller and smaller space.  In your mind being working it like clay.  Kneading it and shaping it and giving it a personified form.  (PAUSE) What’s it’s name? (PAUSE) Now, take that stone and the marker you were given and write that name on the stone and as you write, I want you to understand that what you are doing is injecting ALL of that darkness, all of that weight, all of that fear, all of that evil into that stone with that pen.  (Go to the center)

Now I’d like you to bring it here.  As you make your way up here I want you to understand that you are walking up God’s Holy Mountain.  Bring your stone up the Holy Mountain and leave it here.  As you leave your stone I want you to understand that you also are leaving whoever it is you wrote on your stone and all that went into them.  You’re going to leave them right here for the entire season of Lent.  Don’t worry about them.  God will watch them.  God knows what they like to eat and will put them to bed at the right time.  They will be in good hands.  

(Create the Cairn)

Your calling for now, is to leave that stone and all that it contains right there for the entire season of Lent.  While it sits there and God keeps an eye on it.  We will be working to give up the things that keep us from fully absorbing God’s Glory here on God’s Holy Mountain.  To prepare you for that work I want to pray St. Patrick’s Breastplate over you.  It is an ancient and powerful prayer of protection.  The clergy among us have offered help surround you with this prayer.

 

We arise today to pray for you and bless you 

Through a mighty strength: the invocation of the Trinity,

Through belief in the three-ness,

Through confession of the oneness

Of the Creator of Creation.

We pray for you today and bless you

Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism,

Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,

Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,

Through the strength of His descent for the judgement of Doom.

We pray for you today and bless you

Through the strength of the love of the Cherubim,

In the obedience of angels,

In the service of archangels,

In the hope of the resurrection to meet with reward,

In the prayers of our ancestors,

In prediction of prophets,

In preaching of apostles,

In faith of confessors,

In innocence of holy virgins,

In deeds of the righteous.

We pray for you today and bless you

Through the strength of heaven;

Light of sun,

Radiance of moon,

Splendor of fire,

Speed of lightning,

Swiftness of wind,

Depth of sea,

Stability of earth,

Firmness of rock.

We pray protection on you today and bless you

Through God's strength to pilot you:

God's might to uphold you,

God's wisdom to guide you,

God's eye to look before you,

God's ear to hear you,

God's word to speak to you,

God's hand to guard you,

God's way to lie before you,

God's shield to protect you,

God's host to save you,

From snares of devils,

From temptation of vices,

From every one who shall wish you ill,

Afar and anear,

Alone and in a multitude.

We summon today all these powers between you and those evils,

Against every cruel merciless power that opposes your body and soul,

Against incantations of false prophets,

Against black laws of hatred,

Against false laws of heretics,

Against craft of idolatry,

Against spells of the nefarious,

Against every knowledge that corrupts the body and soul.

Christ to shield you today

Against poisoning, against burning,

Against drowning, against wounding,

So there come to you abundance of reward.

Christ with you, Christ before you, Christ behind you,

Christ in you, Christ beneath you, Christ above you,

Christ on your right, Christ on your left,

Christ when you lie down,

Christ when you sit down,

Christ when you arise,

Christ in the heart of every one who thinks of you,

Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks of you,

Christ in the eye of every one who sees you,

Christ in every ear that hears you.

We arise today to pray for you and bless you

Through a mighty strength: the invocation of the Trinity,

Through belief in the three-ness,

Through confession of the oneness

Of the Creator of Creation.