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
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings
The Word of God – Love
Welcome and Theme (Kathie): We welcome you this morning as we reflect on the message of Jesus to recognize the Divine Feminine at work in our world, calling us to use the power of love to bring justice to those who cry out.
Opening Prayer (Clare Julian): Shekinah, Divine Presence in our midst, open our ears to the inspired word that we may follow the way of Jesus, who spoke a message of compassion and dignity for all those to whom he ministered. May we, like him, be empowered to reach out in love to those oppressed, and to speak truth to those who oppress. We ask this in your Holy Name. Amen.
Opening Song: She Who Hears the Cries of the World by Unanimous (Play to 3:45)
LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading (Mary Ann): A reading from the Second Letter of Timothy (2 Timothy 3:14 – 4:2)
You, for your part, must remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know who your teachers were. Likewise, from your infancy you have known the sacred scriptures, the source of wisdom which through faith in Christ Jesus leads to salvation. All scripture is inspired of God, and is useful for teaching— for reprimanding, correcting, and training in justice— so that the people of God may be fully competent and equipped for every good work. In the presence of God and of Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of the appearance and reign of Christ, I charge you to preach the word; to be prepared in season and out of season; to correct, reprimand and encourage with great patience and careful instruction.
These are the inspired words from the Second Letter of Timothy, and we affirm them by saying, Amen.
Second Reading (Rosie): A reading from Julian of Norwich
Know it well, Love was his meaning.
Who reveals it to you? Love.
What did he reveal to you? Love.
Why does he reveal it to you? For Love.
Remain in this and you will know more of the same.
But you will never know different, without end.
These are inspired words from Revelation of Divine Love - Julian of Norwich, and we affirm them by saying, Amen.
Celtic Alleluia: https://youtu.be/UoaZq5eorpo
Gospel (Deven): A reading from the Gospel attributed to Luke (Luke 18: 1-8)
Jesus told the disciples a parable on the necessity of praying always and not losing heart: “Once there was a judge in a certain city who feared no one— not even God. A woman in that city who had been widowed kept coming to the judge and saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ For a time the judge refused, but finally the judge thought, ‘I care little for God or people, but this woman won’t leave me alone. I’d better give her the protection she seeks, or she’ll keep coming and wear me out!’” Jesus said, “Listen to what this corrupt judge is saying. Won’t God then do justice to the chosen who call out day and night? Will God delay long over them? I tell you, God will give them swift justice. “But when the Promised One comes, will faith be found anywhere on earth?”
These are inspired words from the Gospel attributed to Luke, and the community affirms them by saying, Amen.
Homily Starter – Clare Julian
I must confess that I come before you this morning with a set bias. It’s an inner knowing I don’t think will ever change in me. It involves my belief that Jesus’ main purpose in coming to us was/is to restore the Sacred Shekinah, the Divine Feminine Presence and Her values. We are told in Genesis, that Jacob first realized the Shekinah withdrew Her presence when he embarked on giving each of his sons a blessing before he died. He realized the Sacred Feminine was no longer there to inspire him. She had fled into exile. When I inquire as to what caused Shekinah to withdraw, I am told it was related to how She had been disregarded, overshadowed and devalued by patriarchal values
Over the years, as I reflect on the Gospels and Jesus’ presence in them, I have come to observe that in large part he is continuously championing, affirming the feminine gender, and honoring the values of the Divine Feminine to his disciples. In fact, when I observe Jesus appearing to his disciples after his Resurrection and “breathing on them the Holy Spirit”, my heart sees Jesus restoring to us the permanent return of the Shekinah from exile!!
In our Gospel reading today we hear Jesus presenting to us an interaction between a persistent woman and a harsh, impatient, uncaring Judge. As I reflect on the reading two lessons surface to enrich me. First, as Dennis observed in our planning session, Jesus depicts a strong, persevering female who trusts her own agenda for justice and will not relent in her request. The interaction is reminiscent of the Syro-Phoenician woman, in Luke’s gospel, who persists in asking Jesus for her daughter’s healing. Jesus, if you remember, pushes back and is somewhat rude to her. But in so doing he provokes her to remain strong in her request and determination, to not be personally offended or discouraged by an authoritative male figure, and to trust her request borne out of love, for her daughter’s healing. She does indeed persist, and her daughter is healed. Our first lesson seems to be - Woman trust yourself, honor your heart’s inner knowing. Do not be discouraged by a discouraging response.
The second lesson seems to entail a need to shift our perspective of the Divine – from that of a harsh, impatient judge, to a listening, loving, Divine Presence. Can we trust in a Creator who really cares for us?, Jesus questions at the end of his parable. In using these images, Jesus both affirms the female gender, and challenges the human construct of a harsh Creator, reassuring us of a listening, caring, efficacious God.
Recently some of us attended Bishop Patricia Fresen’s beautiful, rich presentation on the Aramaic Lord’s Prayer. A phrase she taught us that made my heart sing was, “Teytey Malkutache”. What has been interpreted as “Thy Kingdom Come. Thy Will be done” is more accurately rendered – “Come, Come quickly, Divine Feminine Presence and may Your desire for our Unity be fulfilled”!! Jesus was evoking the Divine Feminine in the prayer he taught us! We will recite the prayer in full later in the liturgy.
In our reading from Timothy, we are implored to remain faithful to what we have learned. I believe this includes trusting the deep wisdom that resonates within our hearts and souls. We know it when we experience it. Ours is to remain faithful to it, to trust in the ultimate Love and Goodness of our Creator and to participate in fulfilling Her Desire for our Oneness.
Shared Homily
Statement of Faith (Kathie and Clare Julian read for respective group)
(mute both room and Zoom)
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
Kathie: 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. (unmute both room and Zoom)
Intentions read
We bring these, and all deeply held blessings, cares, and concerns to the table of friendship and peace.
[mute both room and Zoom]
Please join in praying the Eucharistic prayer together (Kathie and Clare Julian pray for respective group):
All: O Holy One, you have birthed us in goodness, gifted us with life and cherished us in love. In the heart of our being, your Spirit dwells; a Spirit of courage and vision, a Spirit of wisdom and truth.
In the power of that same Spirit, we lift our hearts in prayer, invoking anew the gift of wisdom and enlightenment, that we may continue to praise and thank you, in union with all who sing the ancient hymn of praise:
Holy, Holy, Holy: Here in this Place – with lyrics – Christopher Grundy
Kathie/Clare Julian: Holy One, we see around us the work of your hands, the fruit of your wisdom and love. The unfolding story of creation witnesses unceasingly to your creative power. We, your creatures, often deviate from that wisdom, thus hindering your creative presence in our midst.
Sending among us Jesus, our brother, you birth afresh in our world the power of Sophia-Wisdom, and in the gift of Your Spirit, your creative goodness blooms anew, amid the variety and wonder of life.
Please extend your hands in blessing.
We invoke Your Spirit upon the gifts of this Eucharistic table, bread of the grain and wine of the grape, that they may become gifts of wisdom, light and truth which remind us of our call to be the body of Christ to the world.
On the night before he faced his own death and for the sake of living fully, Jesus sat at the Seder supper with his companions and friends. He reminded them of all that he taught them, and to fix that memory clearly within them, he bent down and washed their feet.
All lift their plate and pray the following:
When he returned to his place at the table, he lifted the Passover bread, spoke the blessing, broke the bread and offered it to them saying:
Take and eat; this is my very self.
All lift their cup and pray the following:
He then raised high 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.
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 consume the bread and drink the cup with the words: Open me to the Power of Love
Communion Meditation: She Who Hears the Cries of the World by Unanimous
https://youtu.be/Fnf3nBPs8_o?t=1080
Kathie/Clare Julian: In faith and hope we are sustained; in grace and dignity reclaimed. In praise, we thank you.
In union with all peoples living and dead, we unite our thoughts and prayers, asking wisdom and courage:
- to discern more wisely your call to us in the circumstances of our daily lives;
- to act justly and courageously in confronting the pain and suffering that desecrates the Earth and its peoples;
- to take risks in being creative and proactive on behalf of the poor and marginalized;
- and to love all people with generosity of heart, beyond the labels of race, creed and color.
And may we ever be aware and alert to the new things Your Spirit makes possible in us, as our world unfolds amid pain and beauty, into the fullness of life to which all are called, participating in the wise and wonderful work of co-creation.
Like Jesus, we will open up wide all that has been closed about us, and we will live compassionate lives, for it is through living as Jesus lived, that we awaken to your Spirit within, moving us to glorify you, O Holy One, at this time and all ways.
Kathie/Clare Julian: Let us pray the Aramaic prayer Jesus:
Father-Mother – Source of All the is – Shining Vibration going out to all that is
focus Your Light Within us. May it be held holy inside us.
Come quickly Divine Feminine Presence, ruling principles that guide our lives toward unity.
May your heart’s desire be done on earth for unity and harmony.
Give us what we need each day in bread and insight and wisdom.
Loose the cords of mistakes and sins biding us; release the strands that tie us and one another in knots.
Let us not be seduced by the appearances of things. Let not surface things elude us.
Free us from what holds us back from our true purpose. AMEN
BLESSING
Kathie/Clare Julian: Let us raise our hands and pray together our blessing:
Let us revel in the love of the Divine Feminine, the One who reveals that Love is the Way. May we live this Way of Love to enrich our world and the lives of all we meet along the way. Amen
Closing Song: Prayer of St. Theresa by John Michael Talbot
https://youtu.be/tF7Yb9fobCg?t=9
Unmute both Room and Zoom
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