Pool of Siloam-Jerusalem
Welcome: Our scriptures are about blindness, in all its forms. The Hebrew word for blind is לסמא (pronounced Lsma). Coincidently or providentially this Hebrew word also means dazzle. John describes Jesus as the light of the world. He came to eliminate our blindness and even, dazzle us!
Opening Prayer: Let us pray. Holy One, You sent Jesus to show us the way. He showed us how to walk with the blind, the hungry, the homeless, the abused, the incarcerated and the unseen. Help us to remove the barriers which prevent us from fully seeing the love you have for all of creation. Amen.
Opening Song: More Light by Christopher Grundy
LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading: A reading from the book of Samuel
Samuel saw Eliab, son of Jesse, and said to himself “surely, God’s anointed stands before us. But YHWH said to Samuel, “pay no attention to appearances and height, I have rejected him. YHWH does not see as mortals see; YHWH sees into the heart.”
Seven sons were presented to Samuel by Jesse, who said “YHWH has not chosen any of these. Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest, but he is tending the sheep.”
Samuel said, “send for him.” So, they sent for the boy, a ruddy youth with bright eyes and handsome to behold.
YHWH said, “Rise and anoint this one.” Then Samuel took the oil and anointed the boy in the presence of his brothers, and from that day forward the Spirit of YHWH came upon David and was with him.
These are the inspired words of Samuel, prophet of the Holy One. The community affirms them by saying AMEN. I
A reading from Walking in Wonder by John O’Donohue.
Light
What is the source of light that banishes our fear? I read a lovely sentence in a Hindu book years ago which said, consciousness always shines with the light from beyond itself. One of my images of the divine is that it is light in some form, and that the divine light works very tenderly with human freedom. If you don’t believe that the light is there, you will experience the darkness. But if you believe the light is there, and if you call the light towards you, and if you call it into whatever you’re involved in, the light will never fail you. There is light inside everything that happens to you.
These are the inspired words of John O’Donohue, a disciple of Jesus. The community affirms these words with AMEN.
Alleluia: Spirit of the Living God (sung by Dennis McDonald) Video by MT Streck
Gospel: A reading from the Gospel of John
As Jesus passed by, he saw someone who had been born blind. The disciples asked if it was the individual’s sin that caused the blindness, or that of his parents? Jesus answered, “Neither.” It wasn’t’ because of anyone’s sin, not this person’s nor the parents. Rather it was to let God’s works shine forth in this person. We must do the deeds of the One who sent me while it is still day for night is coming. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
With that Jesus spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva,
and smeared the clay on his eyes, and said to him,
"Go wash in the Pool of Siloam" — which means Sent —.
So he went and washed, and came back able to see.
His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said,
"Isn't this the one who used to sit and beg?"
Some said, "It is, "
but others said, "No, he just looks like him."
He said, "I am."
They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees.
Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath.
So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see.
He said to them,
"He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see."
So some of the Pharisees said,
"This man is not from God,
because he does not keep the sabbath."
But others said,
"How can a sinful man do such signs?"
And there was a division among them.
So they said to the blind man again,
"What do you have to say about him,
since he opened your eyes?"
He said, "He is a prophet."
They answered and said to him,
"You were born totally in sin,
and are you trying to teach us?"
Then they threw him out.
When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out,
he found him and said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"
He answered and said,
"Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?"
Jesus said to him,
"You have seen him, and
the one speaking with you is he."
He said,
"I do believe," and he followed him.
These are the inspired words of John a disciple of Jesus. The community affirms them by saying AMEN
Shared Homily
Most of us were raised listening to four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Mathew, Mark, and Luke are known as the Synoptic Gospels. These three have many of the same stories, similar sequencing, and sometimes identical wording. John, on the other hand, stands alone from the first three. John’s focus is different. He is writing to make the case that Jesus is the light of the world. Remember John’s opening prologue; “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and continues to…In the Word was life, and that life was light, a light that shines in the darkness, a light that the darkness has never overcome.”
With John’s focus on Jesus as light, notice the first verse in today’s gospel: Jesus was passing by the blind person. Jesus was not looking to cure anyone. The purpose for this healing story is not to demonstrate Jesus’ healing powers but rather another opportunity for Jesus to show the truth of who Abba God really is. Jesus begins by challenging the long-held belief; that God allows or even sends misfortunes because misfortunes are deserved by our sinfulness. Most people in Jesus’ time and many people now still believe that suffering or disasters happen because of our sin.
The Pharisees asked who caused the blindness, the man himself or his parents. Today we hear televangelists and others declare illnesses, or hurricanes and other disasters happen because of sinful, immoral living. We are generations away from Jesus and yet there are many who ask the same question…who’s behavior, who’s sin, caused this catastrophe?
We know Jesus hung out at the margins, he ate with so called sinners, and those considered unworthy. He performed miracles, healed many, and even raised people from the dead.
As amazing as each of these events were, Jesus’s life mission was not to dazzle us with miracles and healings but rather to introduce us to a loving caring God. Jesus came to end our blindness, not just physical blindness but more importantly our spiritual blindness.
We often forget that Jesus was very familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures. (He was definitely not walking around with a small, gold trimmed copy of the New Testament in his pocket.) Jesus knew he was Jewish, and he belonged to the Chosen people of God. He knew the people of the Torah were not perfect people, but they were chosen, nonetheless. He knew the story of how and why YHWH chose David. He knew that his Abba God sees with the heart.
John wrote this gospel so we would see Jesus as the Light of the world. How was he the light? Jesus’ mission was to end our blindness, end our misunderstanding of ourselves, each other, and our misunderstanding of our God. Jesus wants us to see with our hearts and know we are and always have been chosen and unconditionally loved.
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.
Prayer of Intentions
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 intentions beginning with the words “I bring to the table….”
We pray for these and all unspoken prayers and concerns. Amen.
Liturgy of the Eucharist
adapted from Diarmuid O’Murchu
With open hands let us pray our Eucharistic Prayer together:
Gracious God, source and sustenance of life, redeeming presence to the pain and brokenness of our world, Holy Spirit, who enlivens and inebriates all that exists, we are grateful for your healing power upon us and all we pray for today.
Down through the ages, you rescue us from darkness.
you light up our ways with wise and holy people. You restore our spirits and you revive our dwindling hope.
May the Spirit of life and wholeness transform us that we may be refreshed in our inner being and be empowered to bring compassion, love, and healing to those whose lives we touch.
For all you bring to our lives, and for all we seek amid
pain and suffering, we acclaim your love and greatness,
and we join with all creation to sing our hymn of praise:
Holy, Holy, Holy: Here in This Place by Christopher Grundy
Please extend your hands in blessing.
Source of our health and wholeness, healer of body, mind, and spirit, we bring before you the darkness of our world, and the pain and suffering of your people.
We seek to be healed and made whole; we seek to be reconciled and united; we seek peace in our hearts and in our world.
Awaken anew in our hearts the empowering grace of your abundant Spirit, who infuses these gifts of bread and wine with the transforming energy of life, to nourish and sustain us in our time of need.
As we gather around this friendship table, we recall God’s
blessing and love from ages past, and we celebrate anew
the gift of life which we share among us at this Eucharistic feast.
The bread we break and the cup we share are symbols of our world of abundance where all are invited to partake of the fullness of life.
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. Once again, he showed us how to love one another.
All lift the plate 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 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: The Light is within you always.
Communion Song: I am Light. By India.Areie
May we strive to create a world where suffering and pain are diminished, where justice and peace are restored, and where all people can live in health and wholeness, united in acclaiming the God of life, whose abundance is offered to each and to all, until the Kin-dom arrives in the fullness of time.
This prayer we make in the name of our healing and nurturing God through, with, and in whom we offer these gifts, sources of life, love, and goodness, now and forever. Amen.
Let us pray as Jesus taught us:
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
Blessing
Let us raise our hands and bless each other.
May your inner eye see through the surfaces and glean the real presence of everything that meets you. May your soul beautify the desire of your eyes that you might glimpse the infinity that hides in the simple sights that seem worn to your usual eyes. May you remember you are walking in the light. Amen. (J. O’Donohue)
Closing Song: Canticle of the Sun by Marty Haugen
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