O Holy One, during this Christmas season, help us see Your light –radiating in the tiniest grain of sand, In the fungi that grows beneath our feet, in the wildflowers and trees, –and in every living creature. For You are love, and love is the energy that ignites and enkindles. To live in Your love is to realize that darkness is simply differing –degrees of light, And light pervades our universe!
Dispel our fears, and awaken the hope that lies within us, For justice, for peace, for unity, for a sustainable earth, Knowing that with You, all things are possible, and that living in You All fear surrenders to joy.
As we celebrate Your birth; –help us to know that it is our birth as well. Help us to know that without us, You have no place to dwell, to call ‘home.’ Without us You cannot come to birth, And if You cannot be born in us, then what do we live for?
Help us to see that, like You, we are undergoing the pangs of new birth, –like You, we are not finished, Our work together, You and I, is to become whole and complete, You in me and I in You.
Christmas is the feast of the whole person, –the whole creation, –the whole cosmos -celebrating the wonder of new birth. The universe is Theotokos, –God-bearing. Everything alive is seeking You, –longing for You.
Christmas is the celebration of love: In love with love and through love, You and me and all fragile creatures -are being born –into a new future together, a new reality. This new reality is the Christ; the humanity of Jesus is our humanity.
Awaken in me the truth of Christmas: You and I are bound together in love. Together, You and I and all creation, we are the Christ; And only through us can your dream for the earth be realized. Joy to the future fullness of love!
These are the inspired words of Ilia Delio, OSF, a light of Christ, and we affirm them by saying, Amen.
Prayers for the Community:
(light a candle for each of the following)
We light a candle and pray for all who are marginalized, dispossessed, vulnerable, hungry for good nutrition, thirsty for good drinkable water, desperate to know that they are not forgotten.
We light a candle and pray for all who have asked for our prayers.
We light a candle and pray for the Word Made Flesh in us. Let our hearts glow with that light so that we become candles through which the Holy One shines.
Closing Song: I’ll Light a Candle by Karen Drucker
Lindy: Welcome and Theme: Welcome to the Upper Room Community’s celebration of The Holy Family of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, and the Holy Family we have become in Christ.
Judy: Opening Prayer
O Blessed Jesus, let us remember the greater part of your life in humility and respectfulness to Mary and Joseph. You came to enlighten our world by sharing your teaching and example. We now have a more encompassing view of our tumultuous everchanging world. Let us hope and pray with hands linked in unity, with voices lifted in joyful noise and with works of blessed dedication. Give us wisdom to make the best choices for this family.
Lynn Waterman: A reading from the gospel writer known as Luke, Chapter 2 verses 41-52
Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom.
After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.
Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looking for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.
After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers.
When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.”
He said to them, “Why were you looking for me?Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
But they did not understand what he said to them. He wnet down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.
And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and Man.
These are the inspired words of the author known as Luke, and the community affirms them by saying, “Amen.”
Lynn Waterman: Alleluia. Open our hearts Holy One, to listen to the words of your son.
Mary Skelly: Alleluia. Let the word of Christ dwell in us richly.
Bridget: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia
Mary Skelly:
A reading from a letter written to the Colossians, Chapter 3, verses 12-17
Because you are God’s Chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with heartfelt compassion, with kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive whatever grievances you have against one another--forgive in the same way God has forgiven you.
Above all else, put on love, which binds the rest together and makes them perfect.
Let Christ’s peace reign in your hearts since, as members of one body, you have been called to that peace. Dedicate yourselves to thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ, rich as it is, dwell in you. Instruct and admonish one another wisely,. Sing gratefully to God from your hearts in psalms, hymns and songs of the Spirit. And whatever you do, whether in speech or in action, do it in the name of Jesus our Savior, giving thanks to God through Christ.
These are the inspired words of the letter of Paul to the Colossians and the community affirms them by saying ‘amen’.
(Pause)
Lindy…Shared Homily
Judy…Homily conclusion and thanks, introduction to Statement of Faith
Statement of Faith (Judy and 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.
We bring to the Table
Lindy: 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:
(Intentions are brought to the table by the community.)
Lindy: We pray for these and all unspoken concerns of our hearts.
(pause)
We trust that You will heal all of us, each in the ways we most need. Teach us to feel your consolation and how to thrive as you have created us! Thank you for Your love. Hold us in Your arms. For we are Your children. Amen.
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
Judy:Let us join with open hands to pray our Eucharistic prayer together:
Judy and All: Source of Love and Light, we join in unity of Spirit, love and purpose with your people everywhere, those who are living and those who have gone before. With all of creation across billions of galaxies, we open our hearts and souls to become One.
In your loving embrace we are liberated from division, fear, conflict, pride and injustice. We are transformed into wholeness which we resolve to bring to all whose lives we touch. With gratitude, we meld ourselves Your Divine Presence which knows all, shelters all and transforms all into love, abundant and eternal.
Lindy and All: In one voice, we praise your loving, healing ways and the glory of all you have Created:
Judy: We thank you, Holy One, for Jesus, a man of courage whose exquisite balance of human and Divine points our way and who strives with us in our time of need. We yearn with passion to live as Jesus, one with you and your Spirit, in peace and justice.
May our desire to be one with you join us to all living things. We seek to heal the differences that isolate us so that we may live in healthful unity with all people, of every ethnicity, skin color, gender orientation or class. May we have the imaginative sympathy and love of your Spirit to move with courage beyond the confines of bias, miscommunication, ignorance and hurt and into the healing place where Divine light and love abide.
Presiders approach table
Lindy: Please extend your hands in the blessing of bread and wine.
Judy and All: Together, we call on your Spirit, present in these gifts - bread that satisfies our hunger and wine that quenches our thirst – to make us more deeply One, living in the fullness of holy compassion and Sophia wisdom.
Ellen: Anticipating the likelihood of betrayal, arrest and pain, Jesus wanted more than anything to be with his friends, to share a meal, exchange stories and create fond memories. To strengthen the bonds of friendship that evening, Jesus washed the feet of his friends in an act of love and humility.
Consecration of the bread:
Lindy: Back at the table, he took the bread, spoke the grace, broke the bread and offered it to them saying, Take and eat, this is my very self.
Consecration of the Wine:
Judy: 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)
Ellen: Please receive communion with the words “As we receive communion, we become communion.”
Judy: As we celebrate and recognize you in this bread and wine, we recognize you in each other. Sharing the bread of life and wine transforms us and opens us to your Spirit. Knowing that Jesus spent his time with the lowly and hurting, the needy and shunned, we seek to remain open to how we can bring love, healing, and unity to whomever is in need. We ask for the grace to see with the eyes of Jesus, touch with the hands of Jesus and heal with the heart of Jesus. Amen.
Lindy: Let us pray as Jesus taught the disciples to pray together:
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 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 (Miriam Therese Winter)
Judy: Closing Blessing: Please raise your hands and join together as we go forth as blessed and blessing:
Jesus signaled a new consciousness, a new way of looking at God, self and others. We are this holy family, this kin-dom here and now. May we be mindful that our spirit impacts each and every person we meet. As we are blessed, let us be a blessing.
Welcome and Opening Prayer: Julie: Welcome to you all as we gather to celebrate the birth of Jesus. This is such a special time, a time of grace, and Annabella and I are so happy to share tonight’s liturgy with you.
Holy One, these long nights of December are dark and cold and yet we know the light is coming, to warm our bodies and our souls. Thank you for the gift of Jesus and the gift of each other, of our community. May we take care of each other as we walk the path of love. AMEN.
Peace Prayer: Julie: Thank you for taking time out of the busyness of the season, of the world, to gather with us. As we make the transition from the world out there to sacred space, I invite you to take a deep breath in and then slowly exhale. Let this song wash over you as you settle in a little more deeply.
Real and right and true, the sky is blue Everlasting arms up-holding you Sweet secret peace Sweet secret peace
Beautiful are you, your hands on you All you feel is real and right and true Sweet secret peace, secret Sweet secret peace
Real and right and true will turn into Secret peace inside the heart of you Sweet secret peace Sweet secret peace, ooh Sweet secret peace Sweet secret peace
LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading
A reading from A Course in Miracles, Chapter 7, The Gifts of the Kingdom. XI. The State of Grace
1. The Holy Spirit will always guide you truly, because your joy is His. This is His Will for everyone because He speaks for the Kingdom of God, which is JOY.
Following Him is therefore the easiest thing in the world, and the only thing that is easy, because it is not of the world. It is therefore natural.
The world goes against your nature, being out of accord with God’s laws.
The world perceives orders of difficulty in everything.
This is because the ego perceives nothing as wholly desirable.
By demonstrating to yourself there no order of difficulty in miracles, you will convince yourself that, in your natural state, there is no difficulty at all, because it is a state of grace.
2. Grace is the natural state of every Son of God. When he is not in a state of grace, he is out of his natural environment and does not function well. Everything he does becomes a strain, because he was not created for the environment that he has made. He therefore cannot adapt to it, nor can he adapt it to him. There is no point in trying.
A Son of God is happy only when he knows he is With God. That is the only environment in which he will not experience strain, because that is where he belongs. It is also the only environment that is worthy of him, because his own worth is beyond anything he can make .
These are inspired words from A Course in Miracles and the community affirms them by saying AMEN.
Second Reading
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
When Paul reached Antioch in Pisidia and entered the synagogue, he stood up, raised his hand for silence, and began to speak. “Fellow Israelites,” he said, “and you others who revere our God, listen to what I have to say! The God of this nation Israel chose our ancestors, made our people great when they were living as foreigners in Egypt, then through divine power led them out. Then God deposed Saul and made David their ruler, with these approving words: ‘I have selected David ben-Jesse, a person after my own heart, who will carry out my whole purpose.’ To keep this promise, God has given Israel a savior, one of David’s descendants—Jesus, whose coming was heralded by John when he proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the whole people of Israel. Before John ended his ministry, he said, ‘I am not the one you think I am; the one who is he coming after me, I’m not fit to undo the sandals on his feet.’”
These are the inspired words of the anonymous storyteller we call Luke and the community affirms them by saying AMEN.
Alleluia: Lynn K.
Gospel
A reading from the gospel of Matthew.
The family record of Jesus the Christ, descendant of David, descendant of Abraham:
Abraham begot Isaac; Isaac begot Jacob; Jacob begot Judah and his sisters and brothers; Tamar and Judah begot Perez and Zerah; Perez begot Hezron; Hezron begot Ram; Ram begot Amminadab; Amminadab begot Nahshon; Nahshon begot Salmon; Rahab and Salmon begot Boaz; Ruth and Boaz begot Obed; Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David, the ruler.
Bathsheba—who had been the wife of Uriah—and David became the father of Solomon; Solomon begot Rehoboam; Rehoboam begot Abijah; Abijah begot Asa; Asa begot Jehoshaphat; Jehoshaphat begot Joram; Joram begot Uzziah; Uzziah begot Jotham; Jotham begot Ahaz; Ahaz begot Hezekiah; Hezekiah begot Manasseh; Manasseh begot Amon; Amon begot Josiah Josiah begot Jechoniah and his sisters and brothers at the time of the Babylonian captivity.
After the Babylonian captivity, Jechoniah begot Shealtiel; Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel; Zerubbabel begot Abiud; Abiud begot Eliakim; Eliakim begot Azor; Azor begot Zadok; Zadok begot Achim; Achim begot Eliud; Eliud the father of Eleazar; Eleazar begot Matthan; Matthan begot Jacob; Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary. And from her Jesus was born Jesus.
Thus there were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen generations from David to the Babylonian captivity, and fourteen generations from the Babylonian captivity to the Messiah.
This is how the birth of Jesus came about. When Jesus’ mother, Mary, was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her husband, an upright person unwilling to disgrace her, decided to divorce her quietly.
This was Joseph’s intention when suddenly the angel of God appeared in a dream and said, “Joseph, heir to the House of David, don’t be afraid to wed Mary; it is by the Holy Spirit that she has been conceived this child. She is to have a son, and you are to name him Jesus—‘Salvation’—because he will save the people from their sins.” All this happened to fulfill what God has said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and give birth, and the child will be named Immanuel,”— a name that means “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of God had directed, and they went ahead with the marriage. He did not have intercourse with her until she had given birth; she had a son, and they named him Jesus.
These are the inspired words of the anonymous storyteller we call Matthew and the community affirms them by saying AMEN.
(pause)
Shared Homily: Annabella
Reading through the lectionary for Christmas, I see the focus on the birth of Jesus, the Incarnation of the Christ.In the gospel, we read: The virgin will be with Child and give birth.And the Child will be named “Immanuel,” which means “God with Us.”
Taking a deeper look, we are invited to contemplate the life of Jesus, whose name means ‘Salvation’ coming to save people from their sins.In the Acts of the Apostles, we read “God has given Israel a Savior, one of David’s descendants, whose coming was heralded by John. When he proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the whole people of Israel. “
Today, I would invite us to consider Grace, the gift of Grace, the state of Grace and how Jesus exemplifies for us, Being in, and Being Grace.What emerged for me in the liturgical readings was an invitation to get curious about Grace, the gift of Grace, receiving of Grace, giving of Grace, being in Grace. What is Grace? What does it mean to be in Grace? What is the state of Grace?
We start with what is Grace?
I was struck in the second reading, Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 13, the sentence from St. John the Baptist, …”Behold, one is coming after me. I am not worthy of unfastening the sandals on his feet.’How many of us walk around with that thought, all of our lives.And so, I thought, Grace.
Richard Rohr , in a recent meditation, Hope for Our Humanity, tells us that the genealogy of Jesus reveals that God chooses to work us as we are, using our weaknesses, even more than our strengths, to fulfill the divine purpose.To be in the Will of God, is to fulfill the divine purpose and that is, to be in a State of Grace.
The reading today, from A Course in Miracles, describes it“Following him is therefore, the easiest thing in the world, and the only thing that is Easy—because it is not of the world. It is therefore natural.
Grace is the natural state of every Son (and Daughter) of God.When he is not in a state of Grace, he is out of his natural environment, and does not function well.Everything he does becomes a strain.A Son of God is happy only when he knows is with God. This is the only environment in which he will not experience strain because that is where he belongs.”
Jesus exemplifies this throughout his life.Jesus experiences Grace as a birthright.
What does it mean to be in the state of Grace?
A Course in Miracles notes “by demonstrating to yourself there is no order of difficulty in miracles, you will convince yourself that it is your natural state . There is no difficulty at all because it is a state of Grace.”
To be in a state of Grace is to be in truth, to be in the truth that God is Love.To be in a state of Grace is to know this, walk in this.To be in state of Grace is, for me, to accept and to surrender, which means to surrender to the will of God ,which is, for me,to walk through life, knowing that it is really about Love. Love is at the Center of the Universe.
As Richard Rohr notes, in same meditation, to be in Grace means we do not gloss over the weaknesses we confront , both within ourselves and without.In these times of division between political parties, in this cleave between our collective health and individual liberties and even in the discord we see between our family members, the incarnation of Jesus Christ is a reminder of how to walk in the State of Grace.
Paraphrasing here, Rohr says, “Here, in Christmas in 2021, we are asked to acknowledge that we and our world are broken. Even our homes have become places of physical and psychological violence.It is only God, through Jesus Christ, in Grace, who can make us whole again.”
In closing, and finally, Ilia Delio reminds us that with the birth of the Baby, Immanuel, we are called to be a new people, born into the life of the spirit.The power of the incarnation awakens us to the gift of life , the gift of Grace. We must first receive the gift of Grace, accept it, trust in it, then extend it to others.
We may once have been unfit to unfasten his sandals, however, through his birth, we are made fit.We are heirs to his Grace. We are made whole and stand in a field of miracles.
Grace waits for our invitation. Will we call?
What did you hear?
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
Annabella: As we prepare for this sacred meal we are aware that just as Jesus is anointed, so is each of us. As bearers of LIGHT and HOPE, we bring to this table our blessings, cares and concerns. Please feel free to voice your intentions beginning with the words, “I bring to the table…..”
Annabella: We pray for these and all unspoken intentions. Amen.
Julie: With open hearts and hands let us pray our Eucharistic prayer as one voice:
(written by Jay Murnane)
Julie: Holy One, you are continually creating the universe, continually giving birth to all of us. We sense the need to do the same, to set ourselves free from a sense of emptiness and barren hopelessness.
We celebrate you as the Source of light and life and love, and we celebrate your presence and all-ways care. We give thanks, and joined with your vision of harmony and peace, we sing:
Holy, Holy, Holy: Here In This Place" by Christopher Grundy
Annabella: Your wisdom invites us to draw on our tradition, as old as the stars, shining through Sarah and Abraham, shining through your prophets in every age and every culture. We join that enlightening, enlivening tradition with what we are as we risk fidelity to a dream.
Filled with your spirit, we, like Jesus, can give birth in our day to your living word for the sake of hope enfleshed in creativity and confrontation, healing and reconciliation, justice, universal and unconditional love.
Holy One, we dare again to dream the ancient dreams and open ourselves to marvelous visions. There are mountains of arrogance to lower, valleys of fear and separation to fill in, to create a community and communion that stretches throughout our consciousness and around our world.
Julie: In this way, working to renew the face of the earth, we are opened up to your Spirit, the Spirit of light and life and love born in Jesus.
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 their plates and pray the following:
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 their cups and pray the following:
Annabella: 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)
What we have heard with our ears, we will live with our lives. As we share communion, we become Communion, both love’s nourishment and love’s challenge.
Let us share this bread to proclaim and live the gospel of justice and peace with the words: You are an incarnation of the Divine.
Holy One, we are grateful for the gift of Your Spirit, always drawing beauty and balance out of chaos. And like Jesus…
Standing where he stood,
and for what he stood,
and with whom he stood,
we are united in your Spirit,
and worship you with our lives,
All: AMEN.
Jean T: Let us pray as Jesus taught us:
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.
Adapted by Miriam Therese Winter
BLESSING
Annabella: Please extend your hands and pray our blessing together.
May we continue to be the face of God to each other.May we call each other to extravagant generosity!May we, like Jesus, be a shining light and a blessing in our time!
All: AMEN
Julie: Even though Bridget and Chris Shaw couldn’t be with us tonight, we can still enjoy their beautiful music. As our closing song plays, we invite each of you to light a candle, either in your home or here in person, and let the light of our community shine like a star this dark night.
Closing Song: Light a Light by Bridget and Chris Shaw
