Marina the , Monastic, 5th century

Thursday Healing Service June , 2021

Celebrant: Blessed be God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. People: And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and forever. Amen

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lord be with you And also with you. Let us pray. The Collect

Give us grace, Lord God, to refrain from judgments about the sins of others; that, like your servant Marina the Monk, we may hold fast to the path of discipleship in the midst of unjust judgments; through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Lesson: Susanna 34–46

Then the two elders stood up before the people and laid their hands on her head. Through her tears she looked up towards Heaven, for her heart trusted in the Lord. The elders said, ‘While we were walking in the garden alone, this woman came in with two maids, shut the garden doors, and dismissed the maids. Then a young man, who was hiding there, came to her and lay with her. We were in a corner of the garden, and when we saw this wickedness we ran to them. Although we saw them embracing, we could not hold the man, because he was stronger than we are, and he opened the doors and got away. We did, however, seize this woman and asked who the young man was, but she would not tell us. These things we testify.’ Because they were elders of the people and judges, the assembly believed them and condemned her to death.

Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice, and said, ‘O eternal God, you know what is secret and are aware of all things before they come to be; you know that these men have given false evidence against me. And now I am to die, though I have done none of the wicked things that they have charged against me!’

The Lord heard her cry. Just as she was being led off to execution, God stirred up the holy spirit of a young lad named , and he shouted with a loud voice, ‘I want no part in shedding this woman’s blood!’ Psalm 148

1 Hallelujah! Praise the Lord from the heavens; * praise him in the heights. 2 Praise him, all you angels of his; * praise him, all his host. 3 Praise him, sun and moon; * praise him, all you shining stars. 4 Praise him, heaven of heavens, * and you waters above the heavens. 5 Let them praise the Name of the Lord; * for he commanded, and they were created. 6 He made them stand fast for ever and ever; * he gave them a law which shall not pass away. 7 Praise the Lord from the earth, * you sea-monsters and all deeps; 8 Fire and hail, snow and fog, * tempestuous wind, doing his will; 9 Mountains and all hills, * fruit trees and all cedars; 10 Wild beasts and all cattle, * creeping things and winged birds; 11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, * princes and all rulers of the world; 12 Young men and maidens, * old and young together. 13 Let them praise the Name of the Lord, * for his Name only is exalted, his splendor is over earth and heaven. 14 He has raised up strength for his people and praise for all his loyal servants, * the children of Israel, a people who are near him. Hallelujah! Gospel: Luke 18:18–30

A certain ruler asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honour your father and mother.” ’ He replied, ‘I have kept all these since my youth.’ When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ But when he heard this, he became sad; for he was very rich. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’

Those who heard it said, ‘Then who can be saved?’ He replied, ‘What is impossible for mortals is possible for God.’

Then Peter said, ‘Look, we have left our homes and followed you.’ And he said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not get back very much more in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.’

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Reflection: A Litany of Healing (Let us name before God those for whom we offer our prayers.)

God the Father, your will for all people is health and salvation; We praise you and thank you, O Lord.

God the Son, you came that we might have life, and might have it more abundantly; We praise you and thank you, O Lord.

God the Holy Spirit, you make our bodies the temple of your presence; We praise you and thank you, O Lord.

Holy Trinity, one God, in you we live and move and have our being; We praise you and thank you, O Lord.

Lord, grant your healing grace to all who are sick, injured, or disabled, that they may be made whole; Hear us, O Lord of life.

Grant to all who seek your guidance, and to all who are lonely, anxious, or despondent, a knowledge of your will and an awareness of your presence; Hear us, O Lord of life.

Mend broken relationships, and restore those in emotional distress to soundness of mind and serenity of spirit; Hear us, O Lord of life.

Bless physicians, nurses, and all others who minister to the suffering, granting them wisdom and skill, sympathy and patience; Hear us, O Lord of life.

Grant to the dying peace and a holy death, and uphold by the grace and consolation of your Holy Spirit those who are bereaved; Hear us, O Lord of life.

Restore to wholeness whatever is broken by human sin, in our lives, in our nation, and in the world; Hear us, O Lord of life.

You are the Lord who does wonders: You have declared your power among the peoples.

With you, O Lord, is the well of life: And in your light we see light.

Hear us, O Lord of life: Heal us, and make us whole.

Let us pray.

Open us to your healing power, O God. We entrust ourselves to your care, knowing that you are doing for us and for all the world far better things than we can ask or imagine. With you as our companion and guide, strengthen us to hope for all that is good, and to fear no evil. For your love is stronger than death, and your faithfulness reaches to the heavens; and to you we give glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayers for Healing

Lyda Denham Dick Dillender Keith Elder Mary Evelyn Floyd Rob Haile Eric Hamilton Nancy and Herb Hughes Nelson Hunt Jann Little Marshall Fran McKendree Sally Morrow Tiffany and Benjamin The Novak Family Orlando Sally Reeve T Reeve Howard Snead

We also continue to pray those on our long-term prayer list, especially:

Martha Anderson, Uno Avisto, Connie Bryan, Gail Cox, Betsy Donahue, Carol, Ed Fisher, Marylu Fowler, Judy Franks, Margaret Haile, Eliza Gilbert, Mary Florence Jackson, Matt, Reggie, Susanna Metz, Molly Miles, Fr. Murphy, Jennifer Nicely, Shirley Page, Ann Palmer, Beverly Palmer, Brenda Payne, Katy Piper, Will Mary Pratt, Jody Randolph, Beverley Richardson, Sharon Shoaf, Evelyn Vanderford, Elizabeth Wyatt, Bob Younger

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. –Book of Common Prayer, p. 815

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor. Silence may be kept.

Minister and People Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

The , when present, or the Priest, stands and says Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.

Eucharistic Prayer A

Celebrant: The Lord be with you. People: And also with you. Celebrant: Lift up your hearts. People: We lift them to the Lord. Celebrant: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and every- where to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. Because in the mystery of the Word made flesh, you have caused a new light to shine in our hearts, to give the knowledge of your glory in the face of your son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name: Celebrant and People Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself, and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.

He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world.

On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, "Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts.

Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your into the joy of your eternal kingdom.

All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ: By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Alleluia, Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia The Gifts of God for the People of God. After Communion, the Celebrant says Let us pray.

Celebrant and People: Eternal God, heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have fed us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood. Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Blessing:

Priest: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. People: Thanks be to God.

Marina was born in present day Lebanon, in the fifth century. She was the only child of her parents, and her mother died when she was still a young girl. Her father refused to remarry, and instead raised her himself until she was a teenager. At that point, he hoped to find her a husband and then retire to live the life of a monk. Marina, however, rejected this plan, saying: “Why would you save your own soul at the cost of destroying mine?” Instead, she shaved off her hair and exchanged her clothing for men’s clothes. When her father saw her determination, he relented. Selling all of their possessions, they went together to the monastic settlement in the Qadisha Valley, where he introduced her as his son “Marinos”. After ten years of living the monastic life together, the father died. Marinos continued to live at the monastery without revealing his identity to anyone. In time, however, a local girl who had become pregnant accused Marinos of fathering her child. Rather than respond to this accusation with the obvious denial, Marinos accepted responsibility rather than reveal his secret or subject the girl to further reproach. When the child was born, the infant was given to Marinos to raise at the monastery, and he accepted the boy as though he were truly his own son, and bore patiently all of the scorn and abuse that the other heaped upon him for his alleged violation of his monastic vows.

After many years Marinos also died, and it was only when the monks went to prepare the body for burial that they discovered it was actually the body of a woman, who had obviously been innocent of the charges of having fathered a child. The monks and villagers lamented their false accusation and judgment, and after their repentance many miracles were performed at Marina’s tomb.

While some aspects of this story may be legendary, there are numerous accounts in early Christianity of women disguising themselves as men and entering male monasteries, and this is one of the examples that is considered to be the most historically reliable.

Marina/Marinos is particularly venerated today in Lebanon, Cyprus, and Italy, usually under the name of “Marina the Monk”.