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1. Love 
(1 Corinthians 13:4–7)
Choir, Organ 

Love is patient; love is kind; 
Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. 
It does not insist on its own way; 
It is not irritable or resentful;  
It does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 
It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

2. Joy
(A Paraphrase of St. Francis of Assisi’s teaching on Perfect Joy) 
Baritone Solo, Choir, Piano 

If everyone saw me as an example of holiness,
This would not be perfect joy. 

If I were the most successful physician, or engineer, or psychologist, or teacher, or musician, or public speaker; 
If I could breathe new life into things long dead, 
This would not be perfect joy. 

If I could speak all languages, and know all science, 
If I could explain all wisdom, and foresee the future, 
If I could see inside others’ souls, 
This would not be perfect joy. 

If my speech could soothe any aching heart, 
If I could travel amid the stars, while caring for the earth, 
If I possessed all riches, 
This would not be perfect joy. 

If I try my best to be part of the community, treating everyone with respect and kindness, 
and they, in turn, treat me with contempt, 
calling me a fraud, an imposter, a pretender, 
If they kick me out and slam the door, and  
I refuse to be ruffled, refuse to get angry or indignant, 
If I believe there may, in fact, be some truth to what they say— 
That God may be speaking through them, inviting me to  
Get real and lose the masks:
That is perfect joy!

3. Peace 
(The ABC's of Peace)
Mezzo-soprano Solo, Choir, Organ 

“Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” 

Peace is in the Air; peace be in the Body. 
Peace is in the Cosmos; peace be in our Day. 
Peace is in the Everyday; peace be in the Future. 
Peace is in our God; peace be in the Heavens. 
Peace is in the Intimate; peace be in the Joyful. 
Peace is in the Knowledge; peace be in our Love. 
Peace is found in Much; peace be found in Nothing. 
Peace is in the Open; peace be found in Pain. 
Peace is in the Quaint; peace be in the Rich. 
Peace is in the Sage; peace be in the Trite. 
Peace is in the Unitive; peace be in the Volatile. 
Peace is in found in Wonder; peace be in the Xenia*. 
Peace is in the Yard; peace be in the Zephyr*. 

“Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”

*Xenia: Hospitality • Zephyr: a soft breeze

4. Patience 
(Year In and Year Out)
Hymn 

In Advent we wait for the coming of Christ; 
In Christmas we wait for twelve days and twelve nights. 
Epiphany shines while for faith we do search. 
In Lent we all watch while we fast in the Church. 

Our Holy week hope seems so long to arrive; 
Then Easter day dawns, and we shout "He's alive!" 
The Pentecost wind bids the Spirit rush in; 
It's then we confess both our faith and our sin. 

And so through the year we look forward and back; 
We give thanks for all, and pray for what we lack. 
We wait and we wait for our Lord to appear, 
Beginning again at the end of the year. 

The moments of chronos tick by like a clock, 
But  the Kairos events ground our  faith like a rock. 
We hope patiently for what we do not see, 
While Spirit reminds us to pray: “Let it be.”

5. Kindness 
(Headlines from the News)
Quartet, Piano

Pilot Turns Plane Around To Help Grieving Family. 

Elderly Strangers Step In To Help Struggling Young Man Tie His Tie. 

Cop’s Kindness To Homeless Man Warms Hearts. 

Dad Overwhelmed As Hundreds of Celebs Send Birthday Messages To Son Who Is Being Bullied.

Muslims Hand Out Roses On London Bridge In Gesture Of Love And Solidarity. 

Trump Voter Leaves A $450 Tip For Black Waitress Along With A Moving Note.

Man Builds Tiny House For Homeless Woman Sleeping In The Dirt.

Two Killed In Portland While Trying To Stop Anti-Muslim Rant.

Surviving Victim Of Portland Max Train Attack Got Critical Medical Aid From Fourth Samaritan.

6. Generosity 
(A New Equation)
Hymn 

I have a theory of giving, but the math just does not compute. 
It starts with absolute zero; Then I add that which is one. 
The One I divide into three: the Source, the Verb, and the Son. 
From this I take away all that I want and I need 
And by this subtraction I multiply endless greed. 
I get a lot more than I had, but the void I cannot refute. 

This math has serious problems; so I check through all my work twice. 
What I've subtracted from Oneness, and thus also from the Three 
Is so much more than I can count or even begin to see. 
When I attempt to add to what their total comes out, 
it's no bigger number, but only my massive doubt. 
To solve this testy equation is not hard, and comes with no price. 

To give and give and give once more, all received by me is the key. 
I have in life very little, other than love, faith and hope. 
These shine above all that I own; they solely help me to cope. 
Our dollars make no cents; clinging to them has no point. 
My all is for others, since we share accounts now joint. 
The new math is simple; let's see: the more we give the more we're free.

7. Faithfulness 
(A Creed Without Dogma)
Tenor Solo, Choir, Organ 

I be-love the Oneness of the universe, 
From which all things come. 

I be-love the Holy Child in whom I see love, 
Born of a young girl infused with Spirit, 
Abused by human power, tortured, and put to death by the State. 
He died. He really died. 
His life was more powerful than death. 
He dwells with the Holy, sharing eternal love. 
His presence not bound by time or life or death. 

I be-love the Spirit of the universe. 
I be-love those who are faith-full in all places. 
I be-love those who are faith-full in all times. 
I be-love those who lack faith, but seek wholeness. 
I be-love my body that is and my body that shall be. 
I be-love the life beyond my comprehension.  SO BE IT.

8. Gentleness
(Chakras of Gentleness)
Soprano Solo, Choir, Piano 

“Let your gentleness be known to all" (Philippians 4:5) 

Gently, gently, O Spirit of God, root me in grounded stability.
Gently, gently, O Spirit of God, spawn in me reproductive creativity.
Gently, gently, O Spirit of God, kindle in me heated determination.
Gently, gently, O Spirit of God, nurture in me unconditional love.
Gently, gently, O Spirit of God, sing through me devotional praise.
Gently, gently, O Spirit of God, hone in me logical and intuitive reasoning.
Gently, gently, O Spirit of God, crown me with pure consciousness.

9. Self-Control
(Back to the Beginning)
Choir, Organ, Piano

“I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” 

How do I conquer this self-destructive bent? 
The Spirit, the Spirit, the Spirit will share its fruits! 

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,  
generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 
There is no law against such things.” 

Herein lies my self-control: 
Gentleness conquers cruelty. 
Faithfulness conquers alienation. 
Generosity conquers greed. 
Kindness conquers callousness. 
Patience conquers petulance. 
Peace conquers doubt. 
Joy conquers sorrow. 
LOVE CONQUERS ALL! 
OMNIA VINCIT AMOR 
LOVE CONQUERS ALL!

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