Please join us between 9:30 and 9:55 am 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
Opening Prayer:
Suzanne: Let us celebrate the indwelling of our God among us. Divine Spirit, you call us to open our hearts and act to bring peace and justice to our world. Yet, as Mother Theresa reminds us: “Do small things with great love.” We ask your holy blessing on us as we discern what is ours to do.
Opening Song: Go Light Your World (Fountainview Academy)
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading: James 1: 17-18, 21-22, 27
My dear sisters and brothers: every worthwhile gift, every genuine benefit comes from above, descending from the Creator of the heavenly luminaries, who cannot change and is never in shadow. God willingly gave birth to us with a word spoken in truth, so that we may be, as it were, the first fruits of God’s creatures.
Humbly welcome the word which has been planted in you, because it has power to save you. But act on this word— because if all you do is listen to it, you’re deceiving yourselves.
Pure, unspoiled religion, in the eyes of our Abba God, is this: coming to the aid of widows and orphans when they are in need, and keeping oneself uncontaminated by this world.
These are the inspired words of the writer known as James and the community affirms them by saying AMEN.
Second Reading: A thought from Ruth Bader Ginsberg
“Whatever you choose to do, leave tracks!
That means, don't do it just for yourself.
You will want to leave the world a little better
for your having lived.”
These are the inspired words of Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Supreme Court Justice, Powerhouse and Wisdom figure. The community affirms them by saying AMEN.
Alleluia
Gospel: Luke: 14 1, 7-14
Then Jesus said to the host, “Whenever you give a lunch or dinner, don’t invite your friends or colleagues or relatives or wealthy neighbors. They might invite you in return and thus repay you. No, when you have a reception, invite those who are poor or have physical infirmities or are blind. You should be pleased that they can’t repay you, for you’ll be repaid at the resurrection of the just.
These are the inspired words of the writer known as Luke, and the community affirms them by saying AMEN.
Shared Homily
While Margaret and I were preparing this liturgy, we considered a few different scripture readings and recognized the theme of humility. For many of us, growing up as Catholics, and especially as women, the message was clear – we should embody humility. As Paul admonished in Corinthians, ‘Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission.’ Well look what Phillis and Mary Anne did this weekend. Along with a growing number of sister priests, they will surely be ‘speaking up in Church.’ As for being submissive, they are standing on the shoulders of so many bold and prophetic women, often hidden in our faith tradition.
In the first reading, James invites us to humbly welcome the word that is planted in us. In this welcoming, we open our hearts to respond to the call that is distinctly ours. The phrase: “if all you do is listen…” jumped out at me. It is ours to do to determine our call to be love in the world. That call will be different in each of us, yet the invitation to respond is clear.
Luke puts our response to our call into perspective. Focus time and energy on the marginalized; the others will typically do just fine. It is up to us to follow our hearts. Perhaps we are called to literally serve the hungry, or to spend time in deep prayer that their needs be met. Or maybe what is ours to do involves being present to a person struggling with the decision to come out, knowing they will be ostracized – or worse - by family and by friends. You all know the great needs in our world and our awareness of our call to act is as different as we are.
When I first entered seminary, our spiritual director asked us to identify what breaks our heart. After each of us stood and responded, she paused and said ‘That is where your call lies.’
Mary Anne and Phillis have boldly responded to their calls. Further, an awareness of others who listen to the call of their hearts can energize and awaken in us a renewed commitment to act.
I am always amazed at the goodness of the people in the South End of Albany. They live in a food desert, yet right now an old McDonald's is being transformed by a group of people who live there. They had a Farmer's Market just last week bringing fresh produce to this desert. The store itself will open December 26th after a huge transformation. It will bring glorious food to the people of the South End.
I welcome your thoughts on the readings and what they have awakened in you. If you are on zoom, please remember to unmute yourself and then re-mute when you are finished sharing.
Margaret: Let us join together to share our statement of faith.
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
(Written by Jay Murnane)
Suzanne: 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 prayers for the community. Please state your intention beginning with the words “I bring to the table.”
We pray for these and all unspoken intentions. Amen.
Margaret: Please join in praying the Eucharistic prayer together:
All: Blessed are you, Holy One, source of all creation. Through your goodness you made this world and called us to be Your co-creators. We give thanks for the diversity and beauty of life around us and within us.
We open our awareness to the goodness of all of creation and we remember our responsibility to serve. You invite us to build the earth into a community of love rooted in justice. You placed confidence in us, for you made us and you know that we are good.
In joy and in thanksgiving we join with all the faithful servants who have gone before us and we sing:
Holy, Holy, Holy: Here in this Place by Christopher Grundy
https://youtu.be/sgkWXOSGmOQ
ALL: We thank you for Jesus, simple servant, lifting up the lowly, revealing you as God-With-Us, and revealing us as one with you and all of creation.
He lived among us to show us who we are and challenged us to know you. He taught us the strength of compassionate love.
Please extend your hands in blessing.
We are grateful for your Spirit at our Eucharistic Table and 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 died, Jesus gathered for supper with the people closest to him. Like the least of household servants, he washed their feet, so that they would re-member him.
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:
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)
All: 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. You are called, consecrated, and chosen to serve.
Please share Communion with the words: “ I see the Divine in you.”
Communion Song: Follow Your Heart’s Desire (Jan Phillips)
Prayer after communion:
Suzanne: Holy One, we are willing to do everything Jesus did, to re-create the living presence of a love that does justice, of a compassion that heals and liberates, of a joy that generates hope, of a light that illumines people and confronts the darkness of every injustice and inequity.
We trust you to continue to share with us your own spirit, the spirit that animated Jesus, for it is through his life and teaching, all honor and glory is yours, O Holy One, forever and ever. Amen.
All: Amen.
Margaret: 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
Suzanne: Let us raise our hands in blessing pray together:
Holy One, hold us, envelop us in compassion because we are not yet who you made us to be. Illuminate our circle of life with the wisdom and nurturing we need, so that we may see and respond to what is ours to do. Amen.
Closing Song: I’m Never Giving Up (Fearless Soul)
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