FROM THE HINDU SCRIPTURES The Bhagavad Gita

He who offers to me with devotion only a leaf, or a flower, or a fruit, or even a little water, this I accept from that yearning soul, because with a pure heart it was offered with love. Whatever you do, or eat, or give, or offer in adoration, let it be an offering to me; and whatever you suffer, suffer it for me. Thus thou shalt be free from the bonds of Karma which yield fruits that are evil and good; and with thy soul one in renunciation thou shalt be free and come to me. I am the same to all beings, and my love is ever the same; but those who worship me with devotion, they are in me and I am in them. Give me thy mind and give me thy heart; give me thy offerings and thy adoration; and thus with thy soul in harmony, and making me thy goal supreme, thou shall in truth come to me.

(Bowl of rose water, dish of rose petals. Participants wash fingertips in the bowl--purification. Then offer rose petal to the altar, symbol of gift of the self offered to God)

FROM THE BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES The Dhammapada--The Monk

The monk whose words are controlled, peaceful and wise, who is humble, who throws light on the letter and the spirit of the sacred verses--sweet are his words. The monk who is full of love and who fully lives in the law of Buddha, he follows the path of Nirvana, the path at the end of all sorrow, the path of infinite joy.

(rose of compassion --pink--to contemplate and offer to the next person) 

FROM THE ZOROASTRIAN SCRIPTURES The Zend Avesta of Zarathustra

O Thou Cosmic Order! And Thou Universal Mind! I will worship Thee and Ahura Mazda because of Whom the Creative Mind within us is causing the Imperishable Kingdom to progress. So long as I be able and may have the power, so long will I teach the people concerning those Deeds to be done by them with faith toward Mazda, and in the desire for the coming of the Cosmic Order of Asha into their Souls and their Bodies.

(candle-lighting ceremony. Each participant has candle. They are lit by passing light from God Candle thru cherags to neighbors) Sing: "Let my heart reflect thy light lord, as the moon reflects the light of the sun, in love...."

FROM THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES Psalm 40

Sacrifice and offering thou dost not desire; but thou hast given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering thou hast not required. Then I said, "Lo, I come; in the roll of the book it is written of me; I delight to do thy will, O my God; thy law is within my heart."

(10 commandments Each participant comes forward and reads one. Or: daisy chain, each participant adds daisy to chain which goes on altar)

FROM THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES Matthew 6

Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hipocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you they have 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 in secret; and your father who sees in secret will reward you.....

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay 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 will your heart be also.

( Song: Let your light so shine... repeat the Lord's prayer)

FROM THE SCRIPTURES OF ISLAM The Koran

Allah will bring all things to light, be they as small as a grain of mustard seed, be they hidden inside a rock or in heaven or earth. Allah is wise and all-knowing. Be steadfast in prayer, enjoin justice, and forbid evil. Endure with fortitude whatever befalls you. That is a duty incumbent on all. He that surrenders himself to Allah and leads a righteous life stands on the firmest ground. To Allah shall all things return.

(Have someone repeat the Call to prayer, or play a tape of it, or sing Kalama or do zikr. . .)

FROM THE GAYAN OF HAZRAT INAYAT KHAN

1782 God's message does not come only in words. What comes in words is small compared with the radiance the message brings to all things and all beings. It comes in the form of a sacrament, as bread and wine; and bread and wine symbolize life and love.

Ragas 526: Thou pourest wine into my empty cup wherever we meet, on hills and dales, on the tops of the high mountains, in the thick forests and in the barren deserts, on the shores of the roaring sea and on the banks of the gentle river; and there ariseth in my heart the unearthly passion and the heavenly joy.

Meditation on cosmic light, breathing it in, giving it out thru heart or sing Murshid's song "I searched..."