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Welcome to the Upper Room on this feast day of Pope John the 23rd. His feast day is also the anniversary of the day that he opened the Second Vatican Council in 1962. Pope John the 23rd recognized the importance of helping an imperfect church become a better reflection of the kindom on earth. We will focus today on God’s invitation to help us do the same.
Opening Song: All Are Welcome by Marty Haugen
https://youtu.be/qRcdtSrHzp0?si=ypo32mLQVYWjMOAY
LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading: A reading from the Book of Isaiah (25:6-10)
On this mountain the LORD of hosts
will provide for all peoples
a feast of rich food and choice wines,
juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
the veil that veils all peoples,
the web that is woven over all nations;
he will destroy death forever.
The Lord GOD will wipe away
the tears from every face;
the reproach of his people he will remove
from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.
On that day it will be said:
"Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!
This is the LORD for whom we looked;
let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!"
For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.
These are the inspired words of the prophet Isaiah and the community affirms the by saying: Amen
Second Reading: The Wedding Banquets by Fr. Richard Rohr
In the New Testament, and particularly for Jesus, the most common image for what God is offering us is a banquet. It’s not a trophy, not a prize, not a reward reserved for later, but a participative and joyous party now. A banquet has everything to do with invitation and acceptance; it is never a command performance.
Matthew’s Gospel contains the parable of the wedding banquet. A king sends out his servants to let the guests know that the banquet has been prepared. “But they were not interested. These are not bad things, but just “busyness with many things” that keep them from “the one important thing” (Luke 10:41–42), which is the banquet of conscious divine union. At the end of the parable, the king instructs the servants, “Go out and invite everyone you can find to the wedding feast.” The servants returned with “the good and the bad alike.” That phrase has been shocking to most Christians, because we have been taught to believe that Jesus’ message is primarily a moral matter in which “bad” people would clearly not belong. Once we know it is primarily a mystical matter, a realization of union, it reframes the entire journey. Almost by accident, we find ourselves becoming “moral,” but morality did not earn us a ticket to the banquet.
These are the inspired words of Richard Rohr and the community affirms them by saying: Amen
Gospel Acclamation: Celtic Alleluia
https://youtu.be/o1rc7ojQtJU?si=6CxA2UOkT-qrnBO2
Gospel: A reading from the Gospel writer known as Matthew (22:1-14)
Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.’ But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad, so the wedding hall was filled with guests.
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”
These are the inspired words of the gospel writer known as Matthew and the community affirms them by saying: Amen
Homily Starter
Throughout history there has been an ongoing evolution of how people understand God. Our first reading was written at a time when people were experiencing war and destruction in Judah. This part of Isaiah uses images of a King’s banquet to describe the prophet’s understanding of how God will prevail over war, death and destruction. Fast forward to the time of Jesus when a new King or Messiah is anticipated. Jesus’s ministry focused on teaching his friends about a different kind of king and kingdom. Instead of using military power Jesus models and teaches about the power of servant leadership, forgiveness, love, and healing. Jesus often teaches with parables.
The parable we hear today in the gospel of Matthew is a challenging one. By unpacking the symbols found in the story, the meaning can become clearer to us. Fred Craddock, New Testament scripture scholar says: “The King’s invitation symbolizes God’s open call to all people. The guests who refuse the invitation reflect humanity’s indifference to divine grace. The lack of proper attire signifies the importance of being willing and open hearted to the transformation experienced in God’s Kingdom. And the radical inclusivity of inviting everyone shows that God’s invitation extends beyond any human boundaries. There is not a prerequisite to the invitation.”
We are invited to the Kindom of heaven today and at each moment of our lives. Two things are required regarding this invitation. First one must accept the invitation and then must put on the wedding garment. This wedding garment is a metaphor for being transformed by love or for “putting on Christ.” Saying yes to this invitation to be transformed by love means brave participation in our own evolution to be our highest self. We were created to love as our Creator loves. Saying yes to this invitation frees us to live our best lives as we let go of anything that gets in the way of our own evolution. We can participate in opportunities to let go of fear, hate, and greed so that we can love without measure. We can open our hearts to grace when we accept the invitation to the banquet of life. Saying yes to the invitation is an opportunity to open our heart to the mystical power of love which removes the veil of separateness. When the veil is removed, we realize union with the Great Love that unites all. We become aware of our connectedness to the Great Belonging reframing the entire journey of life.
Shared Reflections
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.
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
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.
Eucharistic Prayer
Presider: With open hearts and hands let us pray our Eucharistic prayer in one voice:
O Great Love, thank you for living and loving in us and through us as we set our hearts on belonging to you. May all that we do flow from our deep connection with you and all creation.
You know our limitations and our essential goodness and you love us as we are. You beckon us to your compassionate heart and inspire us to see the good in others and forgive their limitations. Acknowledging your presence in each other and in all of creation, we sing:
Holy, Holy: Here in This Place by Christopher Grundy
https://youtu.be/sgkWXOSGmOQ
Guiding Spirit, when opposing forces in us tug and pull and we are caught in the tension of choices, inspire us to make wise decisions toward what is good.
We thank you for our brother, Jesus, and for all our sisters and brothers who have modeled for us a way to live and love in challenging times. Inspired by them, we choose life over death, we choose to be light in dark times.
Please extend your hands in blessing.
We are ever aware of your Spirit in us and among us at this Eucharistic table and we are grateful for this bread and wine which reminds us of our call to be the body of Christ in the world.
On the night before he faced his own death, Jesus sat at supper with his companions and 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.
All lift the plate and pray:
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.
(pause)
All lift the cup and pray:
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.
(pause)
We share this bread and cup to proclaim and live the gospel of justice and peace. We choose to live justly, love tenderly, and walk with integrity.
Please receive communion saying: I am / We are the Face of the Holy One.
Communion Song: At This Table by Selah
https://youtu.be/gs4q_9MrHa0?si=A16IggVAXY8nr-44
Prayer after Communion:
Holy One, your transforming energy is within us and we join our hearts with all who are working for a just world. We pray for wise leaders in our religious communities. We pray for courageous and compassionate leaders in our world communities.
We pray for all of us gathered here and like Jesus, we open ourselves up to your Spirit, for it is through living as he lived that we awaken to your Spirit within,
moving us to glorify you, at this time and all ways.
Amen.
Prayer of Jesus
Presider: 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
Presider: Please extend your hands and pray our blessing:
ALL: May the Fire of Love ignite our hearts and radiate through us.
May the Spirit of truth and justice burn within us.
May we say yes to the invitation to become our highest selves, and
May we be a blessing in our time.
AMEN.
Closing Song: I Am Willing by Holly Near
https://youtu.be/_XXYhhh-5sg?si=0sHofoGVdr2qLT9f
