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The Good Fight
Welcome and Theme Julie: Welcome. We are so very happy to have you with us as we come together to celebrate our liturgy on this fine day and consider what it means to fight the good fight.
Opening Prayer:
Holy One, in the midst of our struggles, let us find rest in you. Let us be held up by your strength as we fight the good fight today and always. AMEN
Julie: Jesus reminds us that one of the surest ways to know peace is to let go of fear. Please take a moment and rest as our opening song washes over you.
Opening Song: Be Not Afraid
https://youtu.be/RF0DIpFOoBg
LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading
A Reading from the Second Letter to Timothy 4:6-19, 21-22
As for me, I am already being poured out like a wine offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Now there is waiting a crown for righteousness, which God, the just judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but to all love the Christ and long for the Christ's return.
Do your best to come to me quickly. Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Bring Mark with you, for he is of excellent use in my ministry. I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm. God will hold him accountable. You, too, must be on your guard, for he strongly opposed our words.
At my first defense, no one came to my support. All deserted me. May it not be counted against them! God stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. God will rescue me from all evil and preserve my heart for the cosmic kin-dom. To God be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Greet Prisca and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. Try to get here before winter. Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, and Claudia send their greetings, as do all the beloved.
God be with your spirit. Grace be with all of you.
These are the inspired words of a Disciple of Paul and the community affirms them by saying AMEN.
Alleluia: https://youtu.be/o1rc7ojQtJU
Gospel:
A Reading from the Gospel attributed to Luke 18:9-14, 18-24
To some who trusted in their own righteousness and looked down on others, Jesus told this parable: “Two people went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing alone, was praying like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week. I give a tenth of all my earnings.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but while breast-beating said: ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this one went back home justified before God, rather than the other. For all who raise themselves up will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be raised up.”
Later, an official asked Jesus this question, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall honor your father and your mother.’” The official replied, “All of these I have observed from my youth.” When Jesus heard this he said, “There is still one thing left for you. Sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have a treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the official heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich. When Jesus saw that the official was filled with sorrow, Jesus was also sad and said, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kin-dom of God!
These are the inspired words of the anonymous storyteller we call Luke, and the community affirms them by saying AMEN.
Homily Starter: Julie
Poor Paul. In our first reading, we hear of his suffering during imprisonment, including the list of people who have abandoned him. There is also a list of things he needs. With his devotion to Christ, it’s sometimes easy to forget that even Paul was just a man, in this case, a man who needed his cloak brought to him. This is a low moment for Paul, who thinks he is near to death. Still, even in the face of imprisonment, he is keeping the faith. Even in the face of abandonment, he is fighting the good fight.
What is the good fight? For Paul, it meant keeping faith in God even when everyone turned against him. In the gospel, there was a different sort of fight going on in the heart of that rich man who wanted eternal life but not enough to sell his numerous possessions and follow Jesus. How many of us want something but not enough to take the necessary step to make it happen? Of course, I want peace in my family but forgive my cousin? Are you crazy? Or how about the times we’ve said something like of course I want to be healthier but give up sugar? I can’t do that.
So rather than admit what we’re not willing to do, we focus on what we are doing, all the good we do, and thank goodness we’re better than those other folks who can’t get their lives together! Oh wait, that sounds an awful lot like that Pharisee in the gospel Yes, he is devout and does all the right stuff plus a little extra but he’s proud and he’s judgmental and in the eyes of Jesus, those two things undo all the good. Suddenly it’s the tax collector who is in God’s favor. Yes, the tax collector who can do nothing but beg for God’s mercy is the one who is raised up. How do you think the Pharisee felt about that? How would you feel about that?
So my friends I ask you, what is the good fight for you? How do you keep the faith?
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
Julie: As we prepare for the sacred meal, we are aware that just as Jesus is anointed, so is each of us. 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 concerns. AMEN.
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
Julie: 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 their plates 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 their cups 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 the Face of the Holy One.
Communion Song: I Am the One Within You by Karen Drucker
Prayer after Communion:
Julie: 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.
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
Julie: Please extend your hands and pray our blessing:
May we be blessed with hearts open to Spirit’s transforming power in our lives.
May we be a blessing of love, compassion, and peace in our families, our communities, and our world.
AMEN.
Closing Song: Go Make a Difference
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