Please join us between 4:30 and 4:55 pm via Zoom
Here is the Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82512159155
phone-in for (audio only).Phone Number: (646) 558-8656
Meeting ID: 825 1215 9155
Welcome and Theme: Julie: Welcome! It’s wonderful to have you with us here today as we open our hearts and learn to see the beauty that surrounds us and the love that enfolds us.
Opening Prayer
Holy One, praises and canticles anticipate
Each day the singing bells that wake the sun.
Open the secret eye of faith
And drink these deeps of invisible light and clothe us in joy. AMEN
Adapted from Thomas Merton
Opening Song Deep Peace, Sara Thomsen, Video by Denise Hackert-Stoner
https://youtu.be/5dIAcqaUUz4
LITURGY OF THE WORD
FIRST READING
A Reading from the Book of Acts 9:10-19
There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Risen Christ called to him in a vision, “Ananias.” Ananias answered, “Here I am”. The Christ said, “Get up and go to the street called Straight. Ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is there, praying. In a vision, he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay hands on him, that he may regain his sight.” But Ananias replied, “I have heard from many sources about this man, what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison all who call upon your name.” But the Risen One said to him, “Go! For this Saul is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before Gentiles, rulers, and Israelites. I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name.”
When Ananias entered the house where Saul was staying, he laid hands on Saul with the words, “Saul, you are kin to me through Jesus the Christ. I have been sent by the Christ, who appeared to you on the way here, to help you recover your sight. Be filled with the Holy Spirit!”
Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he regained his sight. He got up and was baptized. When he had eaten, he recovered his strength.
These are the inspired words of the anonymous storyteller we call Luke and the community affirms them by saying AMEN.
PSALM 30 vss. 2+4;5-6;12-13
The psalm response is: You clothe us with joy.
R: You clothe us with joy.
I exalt You, O God, for You have raised me up. You did not let evil rejoice.
You revived my breath when I was dead,
restored me to life from among those returned to dust.
R: You clothe us with joy.
Sing to the Everlasting One, you who love God. Alleluia to the Holy Name!
Suffering will not last,
but God’s Love endures forever.
At dusk, weeping may come for the night,
but at dawn there is rejoicing.
R: You clothe us with joy.
You changed our mourning into dancing. You lifted our shroud
and clothed us with joy;
a glory that cannot keep silent! You are our God!
We will give thanks forever!
R: You clothe us with joy.
SECOND READING
A Reading from the Book of Revelation (4:1-3, 6b-8)
After the letters to the seven churches were opened and read, I looked. There, in the heavens, a door stood open. The first voice I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, spoke again: “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place.” At once I was spirited away. There in the heavens stood a throne, with one seated on the throne. The one seated on the throne looked like jasper and carnelian. Around the throne was a rainbow that looked like an emerald.
Also around the throne, and on each side of the throne, were four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind. The first living creature was like a lion; the second living creature like an ox; the third living creature had a face like a human face; and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each of them with six wings, were full of eyes all around and inside. Day and night without ceasing they sing,
“Holy, holy, holy,
Holy God, Supreme in Love,
Who was, and is, and is to come.”
This is the vision of a Late First Century Writer known as John and the community affirms it by saying AMEN.
Alleluia
GOSPEL
A reading from the gospel of Luke (24:13-33, 35)
Two of the disciples were making their way to a village called Emmaus - which was about 7 miles from Jerusalem - discussing all that had happened as they went.
While they were discussing these things, Jesus approached and began to walk along with them, but they were kept from recognizing Jesus. He asked them, “What are you two discussing as you go on your way?”
They stopped, grief stricken. One of them, Cleopas by name, asked, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who doesn't know the things that have happened these past few days?”
Jesus said to them, “What things?”
They said, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, a prophet, powerful in word and deed in the eyes of God and all the people - how our religious authorities and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. We were hoping that he was the one to set Israel free.
“Besides all this, just today - the third day since these things happened - some women of our group brought us astonishing news. They were at the tomb before dawn and didn't find the body. They returned and informed us they had seen a vision of two angels who declared that Jesus was alive. Some of our number went to the tomb and found it just as the women said: they didn't find Jesus.”
Then Jesus said, “How misguided you are! How slow of heart you are to believe all that the prophets have announced! Did not the Messiah have to suffer all this and then enter into glory?”
Then, beginning with Moses and all the prophets, Jesus interpreted for them every passage of Scripture which referred to the Messiah. By now they were near the village where they were heading, and Jesus appeared to be going farther. But they said eagerly, “Stay with us. It's nearly evening. The day is practically over.” So, Jesus went in and stayed with them.
After sitting down with them to eat, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, then broke the bread and gave it to them. Their eyes were opened! They recognized Jesus, who immediately vanished from their sight.
They said to one another, "Weren't our hearts burning inside us as he talked to us along the way and explained the Scriptures to us?" They got up immediately and returned to Jerusalem. There, they found the Eleven and the rest of the disciples assembled...
The travelers recounted what had happened along the way as they left Jerusalem, and how they had come to know Jesus in the breaking of the bread.
These are the inspired words of the anonymous storyteller we call Luke and the community affirms them by saying AMEN.
Shared Homily Julie
Today’s readings are all about the eyes, the eyes in our heads, the eyes of our hearts, and the eyes of the seraphim, who had eyes inside and out.
Poor Ananias. Jesus speaks to him in a vision and what is the message? Go heal that evildoer Saul, you know, the one who has been persecuting the followers of Jesus. Is it any wonder that Ananias is reluctant? What if the healed Saul continues his evil ways? But Ananias goes and heals Saul and the rest, as they say, is history because when Saul is healed, he sees clearly, not with just his eyes but his healed heart as well. With all the zeal with which he had persecuted the followers of Jesus, we know that the new Paul will now bring the teachings of Jesus to foreigners and the Gentiles, showing them The Way.
Meanwhile on the road to Emmaus, two disciples are “kept from” recognizing Jesus until the moment he chooses to reveal himself in the breaking of the bread. Admit it, you’re thinking, hey, if I was there, I would have definitely recognized my own teacher, Jesus!, no matter what. Ok, maybe I’m the only one who thought that. Then I remembered all the times when I couldn’t see what was happening right in front of my face. Talk about a reality check.
Reality appears to be the opposite of what’s going in the reading from Revelation. On Sunday we talked about the Book of Revelation as the literature of the oppressed, a way to communicate under Rome’s radar. Today’s reading describes the open door to heaven. Not a gate guarded by St. Peter but an actual open door. Imagine how reassuring that was to the early followers of Jesus who were keeping their heads down and trying to survive in a crazy world. The door to heaven is open and there are these wondrous creatures singing holy, holy, holy. Here’s the thing, the door to heaven is open for us too and we can walk through it today and every day that we choose to follow The Way of Jesus. Will you walk with me?
What did you hear? What will you do? What will it cost you? We would love to hear your insights on the readings. Please remember to remute yourself when you’re done.
Let us pray our Statement of Faith together.
Statement of Faith
All: We believe in one God, 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 God's Word,
bringer of God's healing, heart of God's compassion,
bright star in the firmament of God's
prophets, mystics, and saints.
We believe that We are called to follow Jesus
as a vehicle of God's love,
a source of God's wisdom and truth,
and an instrument of God's peace in the world.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
The life of God that is our innermost life,
the breath of God moving in our being.
The depth of God living in each of us.
We believe that God's 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.
Eucharistic Prayer of Belonging
Julie: 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….”
Julie: We pray for these and all unspoken concerns. Amen.
Julie: 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 https://youtu.be/nTewBnxBy30
(Words and music by Karen Druker)
We are holy, holy, holy,
We are holy, holy, holy,
We are whole.
Spirit Divine, Come to Me,
healing Love, healing Me.
Open my heart, allow me to see,
Beauty and love, live in me.
You are holy, holy, holy…
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.
Julie: 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 and pray:
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.
All lift the cup and pray:
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.
As we celebrate and recognize You in this bread and wine we love and recognize you in each other. We are filled with gratitude and joy. Glory and Praise to you both now and forever. Amen
All:
Through Jesus, we have learned how to live.
Through Jesus, we have learned how to love.
Through Jesus, we have learned how to serve.
AMEN.
All: 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.
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 communion saying: I am a spark of the divine.
Communion Song: You Shall Be Known by the Company You Keep – MaMuse
https://youtu.be/Vt_VQs8LP6kn
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 interpreted by Miriam Therese Winter
BLESSING
Julie: Please extend your hands and pray our blessing together:
May we continue to be the Face of God to each other.
May we be Easter people and beacons of light in our world.
May the certainty of our connectedness to one another and all creation ignite us to love more fully.
May we, like Jesus, be a shining light and a blessing for all.
AMEN!
Closing Song I Can See Clearly Now by Johnny Nash
