phone-in for (audio only) Phone Number: (646) 558-8656
Meeting ID: 825 1215 9155
Welcome and Theme (Kim)
Opening Prayer: O Divine Love, open our eyes and hearts to recognize that we are worthy of love and compassion just for who we are. May we see the divine spark in each other, encouraging us to bring love, compassion, and kindness to all we encounter. In doing so, may we create a world free of war and hatred, building instead a world of peace and justice. Amen.
Opening Song: Come be in our Hearts by Sara Thomsen
https://youtu.be/gwxldz6oH2w?si=Hk85wimSN5JjtIgw
LITURGY OF THE WORD
1st Reading: A reading from Isaiah 25:6-10
On this mountain, Yahweh Omnipotent will prepare for all peoples a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines, food rich and succulent, and fine aged wines. On this mountain God will remove the morning veil covering all peoples, the shroud covering all nations, destroying all death forever. God will wipe away the tears from every cheek, and will take away the shame of God’s people on earth, wherever they live. Yahweh has spoken. On that day it will be said, this is our God, this is the one for whose liberation we waited, Yahweh is the one in whom we have hoped! We rejoice exultantly in our deliverance, for the hand of Yahweh rests on this mountain.
These are inspired words attributed to the Prophet Isaiah, and we affirm them by saying, Amen.
Responsorial Psalm
I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
2nd Reading: A reading from Franciscan scholar Ilia Delio from her book called: Compassion
I think our greatest fear is our deepest desire: to love and to be loved. We long to be for another and to give ourselves nobly to another, but we fear the cost of love. Deep within we yearn for wholeness in love, but to become more whole in love we must accept our weaknesses and transcend our limits of separation in order to unite in love. We long for oneness of heart, mind and soul, but we fear the demands of unity. Sometimes I think we choose to be alone because it is safe. To be comfortable in our isolation is our greatest poverty.
Compassion transcends isolation because the choice to be for another is the rejection of being alone. The compassionate person recognizes the other as part of oneself in a way that is mystical and ineffable. It is not a rational caring for another but a deep identification with the other as brother and sister.
These are the inspired words of Ilia Delio and we affirm them by saying, Amen.
Gospel Acclamation: Celtic Alleluia by Christopher Walker
https://youtu.be/4cs8NDVM3Vk?si=Vvq2qWtzmnk2t7o8
Gospel: A reading from the Gospel author referred to as Matthew
Jesus and the disciples left Jericho with a large crowd trailing behind. Two blind people sat by the roadside and when they heard that it was Jesus passing by, they began to shout, “Jesus heir to the house of David take pity on us.” The crowd shushed them, but they cried out all the louder, “Rabbi, Heir to the house of David take pity on us!” Jesus stopped and called them over and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” They answered, “Rabbi, we want our eyes to be opened.” Jesus, moved with pity, touched their eyes. Their sight returned immediately, and they followed him.
These are the inspired words of the author referred to as Matthew and we affirm them by saying, Amen.
(pause)
Homily and Shared Reflection
My story of compassion is taken from the first people of our land.
It’s a version of the 3 Sisters Story. There was a very long cold winter when the people were dropping from hunger. Three beautiful women came to their dwellings on a snowy night. One was a tall women dressed all in yellow, with long flowing hair. The second wore green, and the third was robed in orange. The three came inside to shelter by the fire. Food was scarce but compassion was shown to them and the visiting strangers were fed generously, sharing in the little that the people had left. In gratitude for their generosity and compassion, the three sisters revealed their true identities-corn, beans, and squash-and gave themselves to the people in a bundle of seeds so that they might never go hungry again.
You have all shared compassion to others as part of our church, please share a moment when you were able to do this.
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.
Prayers for the Community
Presider 1: As we prepare for the sacred meal, we acknowledge that just as Jesus is anointed, so is each of us. And we bring to this table our blessings, cares and concerns.
Presider 1: We bring all our blessings, cares, and concerns to the table of peace and friendship. Amen.
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
Presider 2: We are a priestly people. We are anointed. With open hands and hearts, 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 – with lyrics – 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.
Presider 2: 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 their plate as the community prays the following:
All: Back at the table, he took the Passover Bread, spoke the grace, broke the bread and offered it to them saying, Take and eat, this is my very self.
(pause)
All lift their cup as community prays the following:
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.
(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.
Communion Meditation: Compassion (Change the World) by Andrew Witt
https://youtu.be/Tw_pUMqEZ_E?si=3-67MKfVp9v58kcX
Post-Communion Prayer
All: Bread and wine is 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.
As we celebrate and recognize You in this bread and wine we love and recognize you in each other. We are filled with gratitude and joy. Glory and Praise to you both now and forever. Amen
Through him, we have learned how to live.
Through him, we have learned how to love.
Through him, we have learned how to serve.
AMEN.
Presider 1: Let us pray together the prayer of Jesus:
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 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.
Miriam Therese Winter
BLESSING
Presider 2: Please extend your hands and pray our blessing together:
All: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which you have been called. And be thankful. Let the words of Christ dwell in you, with gratitude in your hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.”
As summer has turned to autumn, a new season of harvest is here. Guide us in our call to discipleship as we share our compassion and bounty.
“May we become a church where all vocations are welcomed,
celebrated and nurtured,
where your priest reflect the diversity of your people,
and where our structures are at the service
of all your kin-dom of radically loving inclusion.” Amen
(Part of the Prayer for the Synodal Path)
Closing Song: Say Yes by Michelle Williams ft. Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland
https://youtu.be/FeJhi1-C7G0?si=gWCKnVW-LhwZ7B1Y
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