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Our Lady’s Saturday
Peace Message
Let us take a few moments to reflect quietly on the wonder, beauty, and inspiration of the Divine feminine and masculine that merge into one unifying energy of love.
Welcome
Tomorrow is Father’s Day, a cultural tradition said to be founded by Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane Washington in 1908. Her mother was a widowed Civil War veteran who wanted to honour the love and sacrifice of fathers. Mother’s Day had already been recognized as early as 1872 when women’s suffragist Julia Ward Howe established a special day for mothers to honour their efforts for world peace. It is interesting that today the Catholic Liturgical Calendar has slated an ‘Optional Memorial’ dedicated to Mary the mother of Jesus in remembrance of Holy Saturday when he was placed in the tomb. We draw on the energy of deep mutual love to create a peace filled world.
Opening Prayer
O Holy One, your creative Word and life-giving Spirit have always nurtured us. Together with Jesus, our brother, and his family, we are each filled with your Spirit. We make new our commitment to the harmony of the original peaceful vision of creation. We will open wide our small circles and use our gifts to bring about life giving energy by living justly, loving tenderly, and walking on this earth with integrity.
Opening Song: All Belong Here by The Many - Lyric Video https://youtu.be/sJBEwqBfw3I
LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading: A reading of Janet Fitch, as written in her novel White Oleander
“They wanted the real mother, the blood mother, the great womb, mother of fierce compassion, a woman large enough to hold all the pain, to carry it away. What we needed was someone who bled, someone deep and rich as a field, a wide-hipped mother, awesome, immense, women like huge soft couches, mothers coursing with blood, mother's big enough, wide enough for us to hide in, to sink down to the bottom of, mothers who would breathe for us when we could not breathe anymore, who would fight for us, who would kill for us, die for us.”
- These are the inspired words of Janet Fitch, as written in her novel White Oleander.
Second Reading: A reading from elder, Joyce Sequichie Hifler from A Cherokee Feast of Days: Daily Meditations
“Little things speak to our hearts. Sounds, fragrances, music that would mean nothing to others, reach into our souls to do a work that the obvious could not touch. Simple remedies can heal the deepest of ills – a smile, an unexpected act of kindness from a stranger, the sound of birds twittering at dusk – these are some of the things that warm us and give us hope. But we have to listen for voices, inner and outer, to give us rest – and turn away the negative talk, the negative circumstance. We don’t always believe we have a choice – but we have more space there to work than we know. We can no longer scoff at the power to help ourselves. We have a bigger hand in it than imagined, and it is our decision to get down to business and be open to the help and healing that surfaces from unlikely sources.”
- These are the inspired words of Cherokee elder, Joyce Sequichie Hifler as written in A Cherokee Feast of Days: Daily Meditations
Gospel Acclamation: Celtic Alleluia by Christopher Walker – Video by Mary Theresa Streck
Gospel Reading: A reading as recorded by the evangelist known as John (Jn 14:15-21)
Jesus said, “If you love me and obey the command I give you, I will ask the One who sent me to give you another Paraclete, another Helper to be with you always— the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot accept since the world neither sees her nor recognizes her; but you can recognize the Spirit because she remains with you and will be within you. I won’t leave you. I will come back to you.
A little while now and the world will see me no more; but you’ll see me; because I live, and you will live as well. On that day you’ll know that I am in God, and you are in me, and I am in you. Those who obey the commandments are the ones who love me, and those who love me will be loved by Abba God. I too will love them and will reveal myself to them.”
These are the inspired words of Jesus as recorded by the evangelist known as John and we affirm them by saying, Amen.
- Priests for Equality, The Inclusive Bible: The First Egalitarian Translation
Shared Homily by Phillis and Suzanne:
Father’s Day and this Memorial Day dedicated to Mary the mother of Jesus helps us to imagine the depth of their family love. We honour their intimate relationship and can only wonder at the extent of influence they would have had on one another. We know very little about Joseph, but his mother is the ‘Morning Star’ symbolizing transition out of the depth of darkness. When the apostle’s faith wavered, the woman who brought Jesus into this earthly realm became a beacon of light and truth as she remained steadfast in faith, hope, and courage.
Our first reading by Janet Fitch responds to a universal search for relief when we find ourselves in the darkest of days. We crave the comfort of being embraced and securely held in mothering arms to ease the pain, even for a moment. But where can we find her? Are we seeking to find the person we want, or do we trust that the nurturance we need will eventually appear?
Joyce Sequichie Hifler offers hope, that when we lean into faith a ‘paraclete’ will appear to give us rest. However, it is up to us to choose to turn away from negative talk and circumstances so that helpful guidance and healing may appear from unlikely sources. We ask ourselves if we will be able to suspend judgment, bias and pride to hear the Spirit of Truth that is always present in the whispers?
Turning to our scripture reading today, this conversation flows from other verses found in Chapter 14 when the disciples gathered before Passover. In verse 5 Thomas is confused trying to understand how Jesus could declare that on one hand he would be physically leaving this earthly plain yet somehow return to be with them. How was this possible?
Jesus patiently tried to reassure Thomas by saying that on one level, he already knows the truth. Jesus went on to remind all the disciples who were listening: “I am the way; I am the truth; and I am the life”. He also said, “I am in God, and you are in me, and I am in you.” Everyone at this gathering must have been confused about the meaning of these cryptic phrases and how the prophesy of his impending death could possibly help them deal with the earthly reality they would be left without his presence. As messengers of the Good News, an inner knowingness must have been stirring that hinted at a timeless existence when they started to think about an earlier conversation: “Love one another, just as I have loved you, so that you will also love one another. By this, everyone will know you are my disciples” (John 13:34-35).
Jesus opened a door into a deeper understanding of the living paradox - that a loving energy is the thread that connects individual relationships by collapsing time and space into the vast single reality of eternity beyond the limitations of the earthly domain. Their mission, if they choose to accept, was being made painfully clear. It meant that by changing their perspectives to follow a different way - to live their lives through love there would be inevitable sacrifice, hardship, pain, and even death.
Their fearful uncertainties must have surfaced immediately. Jesus tried to calm their anxiety by providing reassurance that they would never be alone. Paracletes, yet unrecognizable, carry the Spirit of Truth. To help spread his message of love and peace, the wisdom of ‘others’ whom they had yet to notice because of a multiple of reasons would always be available to serve as personal guides if they choose to hear the whispers tugging at the ears of their hearts.
The Gospel of John has captured a personal and subtle message from Jesus himself. Called to be disciples, those who encountered the living Jesus were witnesses to his acts of humility. By putting the needs of others first Jesus gave them all a renewed purpose for life that would lead to the timeless Abba God.
We open ourselves to imagine that two thousand years ago his disciples were being asked to envision ‘how’ a different peaceful worldly existence could be created out of God’s loving energy. His timeless message has endured. Perhaps as modern-day disciples we can trust that the Spirit of Truth will surface from unexpected places to lead us to better understand what Jesus meant when he said, “I am in God, and you are in me, and I am in you.” Perhaps then, courage, faith and hope will follow, lighting the way for a better future.
What did you hear in the readings? Who is the paraclete that breathes for you when you are holding your breath? What message from the readings resonated in your heart?
Statement of Faith
Please proclaim our statement of faith together:
All: We believe in the Holy One, a divine mystery
beyond all definition and rational understanding,
the heart of all that has ever existed,
that exists now, or that ever will exist.
We believe in Jesus, messenger of the Divine Word,
bringer of healing, heart of Divine compassion,
bright star in the firmament of the Holy One's
prophets, mystics, and saints.
We believe that We are called to follow Jesus
as a vehicle of divine love,
a source of wisdom and truth,
and an instrument of peace in the world.
We believe in the Spirit of the Holy One,
the life that is our innermost life,
the breath moving in our being,
the depth living in each of us.
We believe that the Divine kin-dom is here and now,
stretched out all around us for those
with eyes to see it, hearts to receive it,
and hands to make it happen.
Prayers of the Community
As we prepare for the sacred meal, we remember that just as Jesus is anointed so is each of us. We bring to this table our blessings, cares, and concerns. Please feel free to share beginning with the words, “I bring to the table…”
Intentions offered
We pray for these and all unspoken concerns. Amen.
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
We are a priestly people. We are anointed. With open hands let us pray our Eucharistic prayer as one voice:
O Nurturing, Holy, Mothering One, You are always with us. We are grateful for Your constant loving and unconditional presence. At times we forget that You are holding and attending to us. We fall and You pick us up. You send strangers, friends and family to our aid. We are never without Your Light and Spirit.
Among our blessed ancestors, we celebrate the women who gently and firmly confronted the structures of oppression in their times with unique vision and compassion: Sarah, Deborah, Judith, Miriam, Ruth, Esther, Anna, Julian, Hildegard, and so many more.
United with them, with our Mother Planet, with her people everywhere and with You. O Holy One, our spirits sing and dance this song of praise:
Holy, Holy, Holy: Circle Chant – Linda Hirschhorn
All: We give thanks for all your faithful servants, opening a circle for all of us to follow a path to life. We are thankful for all the women who risked everything they had so that all of us could live in a better, brighter world.
We give thanks for our brother, Jesus who showed us so simply, so tenderly, how the world is in our hands. He showed us love, compassion and kindness through his words, stories and actions. In this world he walked with the Spirit of Truth. He had your love, companions on the journey, and his very self. Together, that was more than enough amid the confusion and chaos of his time. The legacy we have received are gifts of clarity: miracles of healing, renewed hope, nourishment, liberation and life.
On the night before he faced his own death and for the sake of living fully, Jesus sat at the Seder supper with his companions and friends. He reminded them of all that he taught them, and to fix that memory clearly within them, he bent down and washed their feet. Once again, he showed us how to love one another.
(All lift the bread)
Back at the table, he took the bread, spoke the grace, broke the bread and offered it to them saying, Take and eat, share, go and love one another.
(All lift the cup)
Then he took the cup of blessing, spoke the grace, and offered it to them saying:
Take and drink of the covenant made new again through my life in you.
Whenever you remember me like this, I am among you.
(pause)
Bread and wine are transformed by Your Spirit, and we are transformed when we open ourselves to Your Spirit. Every time we share this bread and wine we choose to be transformed. We choose to love as You love us.
What we have heard with our ears, we will live with our lives; as we share communion, we will become communion, both Love’s nourishment and Love’s challenge.
Please receive the bread and cup with the words: “I am a spark of the Divine.”
Communion Song: I Will Not Leave You Comfortless by Jan Phillips
Let us pray together the prayer of Jesus:
O Holy One, who is within, around, and among us, we celebrate your many names. Your wisdom come, Your will be done, unfolding from the depths within us. Each day you give us all that we need. You remind us of our limits, and we let go. You support us in our power, and we act with courage. For you are the dwelling place within us, the empowerment around us, and the celebration among us, now and forever. Amen.
The Prayer of Jesus as adapted by Miriam Therese Winter
BLESSING
Please extend your hands and pray our blessing together:
May we continue to be the Face of God to each other.
May the certainty of our connectedness to one another and all creation ignite us to love more fully.
May we continuously try again to let go and live as children of the Holy One.
And like Jesus be a shining light and a blessing for all.
All: Amen.
Closing Song: Woman’s Spirit by Karen Drucker – Video by Mary Theresa Streck
