Welcome dear Upper Room Community to our weekly Moment of Oneness. In this month of May—a time of blossoming, renewal, and honoring Mary—we gather to celebrate the Divine Feminine: the nurturing, creative, and justice-seeking presence of God alive in each of us and in all creation.
In David Richo’s book: When Mary Becomes Cosmic, Richo refers to Mary as an archetype of the Divine Feminine. She is a universal symbol that awakens the feminine dimension of divine reality—within the cosmos, within human consciousness, and within the spiritual journey.
We begin tonight with a blessing by Maribai Starr, a meditation that uses the breath to connect with our indwelling feminine presence. This breathing meditation creates deeper awareness of ourselves, while also evoking the intimacy and presence of the Spirit.
Opening Meditation: Divine Feminine Blessing by Mirabai Starr
Mary, you are the morning star
rising in the east before dawn to light a pathway.
Reassure us the fullness of day is coming,
be with us as we wait.
With hopeful and expectant hearts
rest with us as the darkness
begins to fade and the glimmer of the sun
radiates the promise of joy.
The ancient ones looked to the stars
to guide them through
the wilderness and desert.
Stand with us at the threshold
between night and day
welcoming the Sun of Justice
to illuminate the world again.
Holy Lady of the Stars
you are woven from light
and you remind us that we too
are made of stardust,
we are formed from the cosmos.
Light our way as we seek
to also bring hope to a struggling world.
Let our hearts bear lanterns
of hope and promise.
Help us to awaken the world to justice and care.
Song Meditation:Ancient Mother – Song by Jan Novotka
Welcome to all, online, in Zoom, in the Upper Room space. We are here together as family, wherever we are. We share a common awareness of how much we are loved, just because we exist. And we learn to love others in return because of this awareness and care. Let us listen with open hearts, minds and souls to the word today. Happy Mother’s Day.
First Reading: From The Friendship of Women, by Joan Chittister
Elizabeth was the cousin to whom Mary of Nazareth went betrothed, yes, but pregnant by someone other than Joseph “before they came together” and unmarried. It was a major issue, both religious and social. To be pregnant and unmarried in the Jewish community of the time was not simply to risk disapproval, it was to risk death. It was certainly to be shunned. But Elizabeth, contrary to all tradition, against all common sense, took Mary into her home, no questions asked, no verdict levied.
More than that, Elizabeth recognized in Mary the great gain that would eventually come from a situation that looked like such great loss to everyone else. Elizabeth accepted Mary for who she was and she saw the goodness in her. Literally. Immediately.
These are words of wisdom from Sr. Joan Chittister, and we affirm them by saying AMEN.
Second Reading: From The Friendship of Women, by Joan Chittister
Anne, according to tradition, was the wife of Joachim and the mother of Mary of Nazareth. She is an obscure figure. And is known only through the apocrypha, the unofficial gospels of the early church, but real in the mind of any woman who seeks to touch the spirit of women who are our ancestors in the long, plodding game of life. Anne becomes the mother of that whole long line of women who looked to Mary of Nazareth, the mother of Jesus, as a model of courage and endurance, of integrity and goodness. Anne is the root that nourishes the tree. In looking to Mary as a model, we must look at Anne, as well. It was Anne who nurtured Mary to become the woman she was. It is the Annes’ in our own lives, that bevy of invisible women, who have nurtured us as well.
It is the Anne quality that reminds us of what it means to stand on the shoulders of the matriarchs who have gone before us, anonymous and invisible and uncomplaining. Because of what they gave to us unseen, we pour out ourselves on our friends. We live in the tradition of those women who prepared the way for us. Invisibly, often. Immeasurably, sometimes. Unreservedly, always. And one day, sooner or later, we ourselves all become Anne, the nurturer.
These are words of wisdom from Sr. Joan Chittister, and we affirm them with a heartfelt, AMEN.
Third reading: From In God’s Womb by Edwina Gateley.
I am very happy. There is no happiness that can be compared with that of being with God. God supports me and reminds me of his presence. Here I could be a real prey to loneliness and a sense of isolation and insecurity. When I begin to feel lonely, I call upon God to hold me up, and God has never failed me. God is like a father or a mother walking gently behind the child -allowing the child freedom to walk, explore, and wonder-but never leaving her shadow and continually attentive in case she should call and reach out her hand.
Surely this God of ours is great in love! How could I be afraid? God is unable to leave me alone. God is my strength, my inspiration, my hope, and all my joy. Do not ask yourself if you have time to pray, ask yourself if you have time to love. For that is what it is.
These are words of wisdom from Edwina Gateley, and we affirm them with a resounding, AMEN.
Gospel Acclamation: Bernadett’s Alleluia by Joseph Moorman
Gospel: The Gospel from the community named John. (from The New, New Testament by Hal Tausig et.al.)
If you love me, you will keep my commandments, and I will ask the [Mother]/Father, and she will give you another helper, to be with you always—the spirit of truth. The world cannot receive this Spirit, because it does not see it or recognize it, but you recognize it, because it is with you, and is in you. I will not leave you bereaved; I will come to you. In a little while the world will see me no more, but you will still see me; because I am living, you will be living also.At that time, you will recognize that I am in the [Mother]/Father, and you in me, and I in you. It is they who have my commandments and keep them that love me; and the person who loves me will be loved by my [Mother]/Father, and I will love her, and will reveal myself to her.
These are words of wisdom from the Community of John, and we affirm them as the Community of the Upper Room, with AMEN.
Homily Starter: Deb Trees
In our minds eye, we know and see God as a spirit and as a person. Although predominantly God in our culture has been given a masculine persona, there are many references in the Bible to God as a mother.
This view of God as mother is important for us to embrace. Jesus refers to it and has this experience with the God of his life. He tries to expand the thoughts of the people around him to see the God of the Israelites as a mothering servant.
In the past several weeks, we’ve all seen lots of advertisements for Mother’s Day. As we prepare to remember our mothers and the mothers in our lives, we are given special guidance to make sure that we take care of them. We are encouraged to make them feel as special as they have made us feel in our lives. But there was one ad that I saw that really impressed me for today’s theme of God as mother. “I would not be me if it were not for you.” (Marketing – advertising for Floral Company for Mother’s Day as seen on TV, 5-1-2026)
When I heard this, I was reminded of Tom Going, our faithful friend, benefactor and companion. He told us about Ubuntu from African tradition and made sure that we knew its meaning: I am because we are. Most of the time when we would say that as human beings we’re speaking to each other. We might say it to a loved one or to a family group or to our tribe. But what if we were saying something a little different today.
The ad I saw was many mothers in different situations around children, and the ad ended with “I would not be me if it were not for you.”The mothers saying it to their children.
Today, I hear God saying that to us! God needs us just as much as we need God. God as a mothering servant. I am because you are.
Jesus tried to teach us these things and show us, especially in relation to opening our mind about women. He was always including his mother, and she was there for him every step of the way right to his very end. There was a special relationship there. She taught him what he knew about being Inclusive. And he, as a man of his time, then tried to teach his tribe and the people around him.
That spirit that guides us, cares for us, cradles us, shelters us, needles us, also grows with each of us in love and depth. The Actions of Mothering happen all around us as God our Mother becomes one of us. Jesus could see this side of Spirit. And he tries to open our minds to this facet of our usual vision of an Omnipotent and Powerful God.
But this soft side takes form WITH our companionship and accompaniment. Never in a vacuum. God needs us just as much as we need Her.
What did you hear my friends? Please share your insights and wisdom.
Statement of Faith
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 this sacred meal, we are aware of our call to serve, and just as Jesus is anointed, so is each of us. We bring to this table our blessings, cares and concerns.
We bring these and all deeply held blessings, cares, and concerns to the table of friendship and peace.
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
With open hands let us pray our Eucharistic Prayer together:
Holy One, we yearn to be close to you and to live in the embrace of your gentle wisdom. Your divine grace and love lead us away from our anxieties, fears and distractions and toward all that is blessed and joyous.
Each of us is divinely created in Your image. We are precious to you and to each other because of who we are. We are beloved and blessed in your unconditional love, quite apart from how we act or fail to act.
Thankful for Jesus who treated all of Creation with respect and abundant love, we resolve to follow his example to be a light in the darkness. We recognize Your loving Presence here with us today and always, and we sing:
Holy, Holy, Holy: Here in This Place by Christopher Grundy
Dearest Holy One, there are times when we feel scarcity and emptiness even though we know You love us more than our human imagination can grasp. May we have the presence of mind to live in Your love. We strive to see You reflected in every person we meet. Guide us in sharing our gifts and in being open hearted so that we may accept help from others.
We thank you for Jesus, who knew what it was like to be an outsider in occupied and foreign lands. May his presence prompt us to bring gospel kindness and understanding to the divisions and conflicts of our time.
Please extend your hands in blessing.
We call upon your Spirit that is present in us at this Eucharistic table. We are grateful for the bread and wine that remind us of our call to be the light of Christ to the world.
On the night before he faced betrayal and death, Jesus shared supper with his friends. He reminded them of all that he taught them, and to fix that memory clearly with them, he bent down and washed their feet.
When he returned to his place at the table, he lifted the bread, spoke the blessing, broke the bread and offered it to them saying:
Take and eat, this is my very self.
Then he took the cup of the covenant, spoke the grace, and offered it to them saying:
Take and drink.
Whenever you remember me like this,
I am among you.
Let us share this bread and cup to proclaim and live the gospel of justice and peace, using the words: You are the face of the Holy One.
Communion Song: Standing on the Shoulders by Joyce Johnson Rouse (Earth Mama)
Holy One, your transforming grace inspires us to follow our consciences and bring comfort to wherever people are in need. We pray for wisdom, patience and persistence to make a difference in our world. We resolve to love as Jesus loved, to discern the better angels of our nature with hearts open to your Spirit. Amen.
Let us pray as Jesus taught us:
Holy One, you are 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. Adapted by Miriam Therese Winter
BLESSING
Please raise your hands in blessing:
Blessings to each of us as we go on our way into the world. We bring the beauty and love of the Mother with us. We shine with dignity and caring for ourselves and those around us. We search for ways to support the work of peace and justice in our world. May it be so.
Welcome:What does God look like? A few weeks back we heard this Exodus reading and it raised more questions, as only scripture can and does.Where will these readings take us tonight?
Let us pray: Holy One, we long to see your face, to know you and to love more deeply. May this day and every day bring us closer to your mystery.
Opening song:
Ancient Words (shortened) by Michael W. Smith, video DHS
First Reading:A Reading from the Book of Exodus (33:18-23)
Moses said to the YHWH, “Please show me your glory!” YHWH said, “I will make all of my goodness pass before your eyes, and I will pronounce my Name.I AM, in your presence: I will show my grace to whom I will show my grace, and I will show my compassion to whom I will show my compassion.But you cannot see my face. No human can see my face and live.”
Then YHWH said, “Look—here is a place beside me, where you can stand on a rock. When my glory passes you, I will place you in a cleft in the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. When I remove my hand you will see my back; but my face you must not see.”
These are the inspired words from the Book of Exodus, and the community affirms with AMEN!
Second Reading: A reading from “Zulu personal Declaration”
I;
I am;
I am alive;
I am conscious and aware;
I am unique;
I am who I say I am; I am the value UQOBO (essence)
I forever evolve inwardly and outwardly in response to the challenge of my nature;
I am the face of my humanity;
The face of humanity is my face.
Our community affirms these words with AMEN!
Gospel Acclamation: Celtic Alleluia by Christopher Walker – MTVideo
Gospel: A Reading from the Gospel of John 14:15-21
Jesus said to his disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him. But you know him, because he remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”
These are the inspired words of John a disciple of Jesus.We affirm these words with AMEN!
Shared Homily
No human can see my face and live!This is one of those statements that we accept at “face” value, or we reflect and discover a little more. When you think of what God looks like what do you envision?When we were kids, we might have thought of God as that old, bearded man in the sky.Maybe we saw artwork that depicted God as an old man, or a man with thunderbolts and lightening around him.We humans need to “see” or imagine a God who fits what we think or believe. I have desperately tried not to envision God as an old man or even as a man. Maybe we cannot see God’s face because God does not have a face at least as we humans can understand.
We say God is Love, God is a Verb, we have so many ways to say what God is like.Mostly though we experience God- “in, around, and among us.”I experience God in nature, I experience God right here when we are sharing, and someone’s shared insights opens my eyes or heart in a new way.We have come to see God’s face in the experiencing of living, searching, loving and caring for each other and all creation.Or as the Zulu’s understood God…the face of humanity is God’s face!Or as the gospel says we know God’s Spirit because God is in us, remains with us and will not leave us. God is love, we receive and abide in that Love. Perhaps it is as simple as that.
Statement of Faith
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 bring to this table our blessings, cares, and concerns.Please feel free to voice your concerns beginning with the words “I bring to the table….”
We pray for these and all unspoken prayers and blessings. 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:
All: O Nurturing, 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 us, 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.
We experience great joy and we experience great pain and suffering. You are with us in the joy and the pain and suffering. When we experience Your presence we long to sing our hymn of praise:
Holy, Holy, Holy: Here in this Place by Christopher Grundy
All: Creator and Lover of all beings, we cannot grow in the darkness of this world without Your Light. Our desire to be in Your light is a gift from You. Help us keep our hearts and minds open to You through our love and care for each other and all creation
Please extend your hands in blessing
All: This bread and wine is a sign of Your nourishment and a sign of Your great love. Your Spirit is upon us and we belong to You and one another.
We thank you for Jesus, simple servant, lifting up the lowly, revealing you as God-With-Us, revealing us as one with you, and all creation.
On the night before he died, Jesus gathered for the supper with the people closest to him. Like the least of household servants, he washed their feet. Once again he showed us how to love one another.
(All lift the bread)
All: 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)
ALL: 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.
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 receive and abide in God’s love.
Communion Song:
Imago Dei by Richard Bruxvoort Collngan
https://youtu.be/dCN4unX1K3I?si=VbyBQyF_VACccuwl
Communion prayer:
Loving Source of our being, You call us to live the Gospel of peace and justice. We live justly, we love tenderly, we walk with integrity in Your Presence, Amen.
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 and 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: Blessings by Hollow Coves (video, DHS)
