Above:  Edmund Pettus Bridge, Selma, Alabama, April 7, 2010

Photographer = Carol M. Highsmith

Image Source = Library of Congress

(http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2010646613/)

Reproduction Number = LC-DIG-highsm-07312

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God created human beings in his own image;

in the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them.

–Genesis 1:27, The Revised English Bible (1989)

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All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

–The Constitution of the United States, Amendment 14, Section 1

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If each person bears the Image of God,

with all the natural rights inherent thereof,

nobody has cause to discriminate against another

for a characteristic which one cannot change.

So to hatred, indifference, and fear one should not even nod

in assent, for divine love

us should not bother

or even enrage.

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The divine command

is not to understand

but to grant respect, dignity,

and, of course, equality,

despite the prejudices we might have learned,

which contradict divine love unearned.

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O that we humans would

cease from using the name of God

to justify cruelty, inequality,

and other forms of perfidy,

but instead open our arms

and begin or continue the healing of those we have harmed!

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

JUNE 26, 2013 COMMON ERA

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Published originally at TAYLOR FAMILY POEMS AND TAYLOR FAMILY POEMS:

http://taylorfamilypoems.wordpress.com/2013/06/26/equality-granted-and-denied/

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Above:  The Author on Sunday Afternoon, June 16, 2013

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God of graciousness,

yesterday I looked at images of myself and noticed light-colored hairs at my temples.

I have been aware of them for some time, of course,

but something about that image made a great impression on me.

I am aging yet am inwardly much younger than I look

while I am wiser for experiences over time.

Thank you for such wisdom combined with inner youthfulness.

May I use them for your glory and the benefit of others, not just myself.  Amen.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

JUNE 17, 2013 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF SAINTS TERESA AND MAFALDA OF PORTUGAL, PRINCESSES, QUEENS, AND NUNS; AND OF SAINT SANCHIA OF PORTUGAL, PRINCESS AND NUN

THE FEAST OF SAINT EMILY DE VIALAR, FOUNDER OF THE SISTERS OF SAINT JOSEPH OF THE APPARITION

THE FEAST OF SAMUEL AND HENRIETTA BARNETT, ENGLISH SOCIAL REFORMERS

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Adapted from this post:

http://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2013/06/17/a-prayer-of-thanksgiving-for-increased-wisdom-with-age/

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Above:  A Fountain Pen

Image Source = Auyon

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Dear God of beauty,

you have granted literary ability and spiritual sensitivity to

N. and others, who have composed hymn texts.

May we, as you guide us,

find worthy hymn texts to be icons,

through which we see you.

In the Name of God:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Sirach/Ecclesiasticus 44:1-3a, 5-15

Psalm 147

Revelation 5:11-14

Luke 2:8-20

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

APRIL 20, 2013 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF SAINTS AMATOR OF AUXERRE AND GERMANUS OF AUXERRE, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS; SAINT MAMERTINUS OF AUXERRE, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT; AND SAINT MARCIAN OF AUXERRE, ROMAN CATHOLIC MONK

THE FEAST OF JOHANNES BUGENHAGEN, GERMAN LUTHERAN PASTOR

THE FEAST OF SAINT MARCELLINUS OF EMBRUN, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP

THE FEAST OF OLAVUS AND LAURENTIUS PETRI, RENEWERS OF THE CHURCH

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Adapted from this post:

http://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2013/04/20/proper-for-hymn-writers/

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Above:  Scholar and His Books, by Gerbrand van den Eeckhout

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O God, you have endowed us with memory, reason, and skill.

We thank you for the faithful legacy of [N. and all others]

who have dedicated their lives to you and to the intellectual pursuits.

May we, like them, respect your gift of intelligence fully and to your glory.

In the Name of God:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Psalm 103

Philippians 4:8-9

Mark 12:28-34

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

MARCH 6, 2013 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF SAINT CHRODEGANG OF METZ, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP

THE FEAST OF EDMUND KING, ANGLICAN BISHOP OF LINCOLN

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Adapted from this post:

http://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2013/03/06/proper-for-scholars/

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Above:  The Author, November 27, 2012

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Within the hour, while seeking a good proper for liturgists in official volumes from various denominations, I found no such thing.  So I wrote a prayer and selected the readings.

Holy God, whose majesty surpasses all human definitions and capacity to grasp,

thank you for those (especially N.)

who have nurtured and encouraged the reverent worship of you.

May their work inspire us to worship you in knowledge, truth, and beauty.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

1 Chronicles 25:1-8

Psalm 145

Revelation 15:1-4

John 4:19-26

I am and am not a traditionalist regarding worship.  I am not a traditionalist in the sense of traditionalism that objects to calling God “You” instead of “Thee,” considers any new idea a bad one reflexively, or idolizes the 1928 Book of Common Prayer or some other older liturgical volume.  Yet I am sufficiently traditional to think that anyone who brings a guitar to church needs to be there to play classical guitar.  And I am enough of a traditionalist to have complete disdain for “contemporary worship,” accurate synonyms for which are inappropriate for a G-rated blog.  (Use your imagination, O reader; you might guess correctly.)  And “blended worship” bears the taint of “contemporary worship.”

Here I stand; I can and will do no other.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

NOVEMBER 27, 2012 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF SAINT JAMES INTERCISUS, ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYR

THE FEAST OF HENRY SLOANE COFFIN, U.S. PRESBYTERIAN THEOLOGIAN

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Adapted from this post:

http://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2012/11/27/proper-for-liturgists/

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Above:  The Author, November 7, 2012

(Photograph by the author via the computer camera)

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The weather becomes colder,

Daylight Savings Time has ended,

darkness falls before 7:00 PM,

and the year has entered its final stretch.

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Where has the year gone?

It seems to have passed so quickly,

more rapidly than winged Mercury,

with greater speed than the Road Runner,

with a dizzying pace.

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Yet here we are,

in November.

Yet here we are,

close to Thanksgiving and Christmas.

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May the rest of the year

be for all of us a time of blessings,

and may the  next year

be for all of us a time of even more blessings.

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May we all love God and each other actively,

behave charitably toward each other,

seek to understand each other,

and behave merely decently.

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May we act responsibly toward each other,

seek the common good,

upon which our own benefit depends,

and care for each other.

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May God bless others through us,

bless us through others,

and be evident in our midst,

in deeds more than in words.

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And may we be where we ought to be

when we ought to be there

doing what we ought to do

the way we ought to do it.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

NOVEMBER 9, 2012 COMMON ERA

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This is post # 850 of this weblog.–KRT

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Adapted from this post:

http://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2012/11/09/time-and-vocations/

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Above:  A Birthday Cake

Image Source = Vikas Bhardwaj

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Happy_Birthday%21.jpg)

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Dear Lord, thank you for birthdays.

Thank you for the past and the present, with all their blessings.

Thank you for all the positive which has flowed from the negative and the painful.

Thank you for occasions to mark time and reflect on the past and the present.

May the remainder of our lives be replete with your best for each of us,

may each of us be a blessing to others, and may others be blessings to each of us.  AMEN.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

JANUARY 30, 2012 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF LESSLIE NEWBIGIN, UNITED REFORMED THEOLOGIAN

THE FEAST OF SAINT BATHILDAS, QUEEN OF FRANCE

THE FEAST OF CHARLES I, KING OF ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND, AND MARTYR

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Adapted from this post:

http://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/a-birthday-prayer/

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