phone-in for (audio only) Phone Number: (646) 558-8656
Meeting ID: 825 1215 9155
Welcome: The Hebrew and Aramaic word for Spirit is Ru’ahh, in Greek it is Pneuma. These words translate more accurately as Breath. These words are all feminine. The Holy One breathed life into us in the womb. Our mother’s heard that first breath at our birth. Happy Mother’s Day to all our mothers, and to all those who have mothered us.
Opening Prayer: Holy One, you breathe life into each of us and all creation. You are as close to us as our next breath. May we breathe deeply. Amen.
Opening song:
Breath of the One Life by Jan Novotka
LITURGY OF THE WORD
A reading from the Book of Acts
Philip went down to the city of Samaria
and proclaimed the Messiah to them.
With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip.
Unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,
came out of many possessed people,
and many paralyzed or crippled people were cured.
There was great joy in that city.
Now when the apostles in Jerusalem
heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God,
they sent Peter and John,
who went down and prayed for them,
that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
for she had not yet fallen upon any of them;
they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Then they laid hands on them
and they received the Holy Spirit.
The community affirms these words with AMEN!
Alleluia (Eightfold) – Jan Phillips shortened
A reading from the Gospel from John
Jesus said to his disciples:
"If you love me, and obey the command I give you, I will ask the One who sent me, to give you another Advocate to be with you always,
the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept,
because the world neither sees her nor recognizes her.
But you can recognize the Spirit because she remains with you,
and will always be within you.
I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
Those who obey the commandments are the ones who love me, and those who love me will be loved by Abba God.
These are the inspired words of a person known as John. The community affirms them with AMEN!
Shared Homily
The last chapters of John are known as the last discourse of Jesus. These chapters were added to this gospel much later. The verses in these chapters are often quoted and used as proof that the only way to “the Father” is through Jesus. We seriously suspect Jesus never said these words.
The author has Jesus talking to the disciples about his relationship with his Abba God and what Jesus hopes or expects will be their relationship with Abba and Jesus himself. “If you love me and obey my commandment, and whoever loves me will be loved by my Abba God” are quotes with requirements or expectations. The requirement of “IF” or the expectation whoever loves me then…will be loved by Abba does not fit with what we know of Jesus’ teaching.
What makes scripture mysterious or difficult is the challenge to understand. Scripture verses tend to surface more questions than answers. While Jesus walked this earth, he did not ask others to love him, rather he asked they love as he and his Abba love, tolove one another in the same way. Jesus never said if you don’t keep my commandment, I will withhold my love. Jesus lived his life modeling love.
In the first reading, Phillip is in Samaria, proclaiming the word of God, healing, and baptizing in Jesus’ name. People were filled with the spirit a second time. Remember the first time was when Jesus went to Samaria and was introduced to the town by that notorious woman at the well. Jesus stayed and taught all of them they were loved by the Father. The people of Samaria were filled with the Spirit then too.
One question that surfaced for me was why after hearing about the success of Phillip do Peter and John run down to Samaria to lay hands on to assure, the Samaritans received the Spirit? Perhaps once again, just like you and I often do, the disciples missed something. Something very important. The Spirit is with us always. The people of Jesus’ time, the disciples, and you and I always need reminders. Whether we are baptized, or someone lays on hands or not, the Spirit is within us. The Spirit does not come and go. The Spirit of the Holy One is with all creation, everything, everyone, all the time!
Sharing our thoughts and questions during our liturgies gives us all and opportunity to dig deeper, what resonated for you?
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
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….”
We pray for these and all unspoken prayers and blessings. Amen.
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: Here in this Place –by Christopher Grundy
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.
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)
All: Back at the table, he took the bread, spoke the grace, broke the bread and offered it to them saying, Take and eat, go and share my love with one another.
(All lift the cup)
ALL: 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.
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 the bread and cup with the words: I am a servant.
Communion Song:
I Am the One Within You by Karen Drucker
Communion prayer: 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 Amen.
Let us pray together the prayer of Jesus:
ALL: O Holy One, who is within, around, and among us, we celebrate your many names. Your wisdom comes. 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
Please extend your hands and pray our blessing together
May we know we are loved, no if and or buts. May we be aware of the Spirit within. May we breathe life and love in all we do. May we remember we are co-creators with the Holy One. Blessings to all Mothers
everywhere! Amen.
Closing Song By Breath by Sara Thomsen (Video by Denise Hackert-Stoner)
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