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phone-in for (audio only) Phone Number: (646) 558-8656
Meeting ID: 825 1215 9155
Welcome: We celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration. Transfiguration is really our personal transformation. We are always in the process of transforming, changing, and growing in the love of the Holy One.
Opening Song: Transfiguration song by Carey Landry:
https://youtu.be/uCx-gmFl_G8?si=VHeDMHgXJP-sNWnL
LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading: A Reading from Exodus
Moses said to God,
“I know that you have told me to lead these people,
you have said that you are my friend and that you are pleased with me.
If this is true, let me know what your plans are,
then I can obey and continue to please you.
God said, “I will go with you and give you peace.”
Then Moses replied, “If you aren’t going with us, please don’t make us leave this place. But if you do go with us, everyone will know that you are pleased with your people and with me.
So God told him, “I will do what you have asked, because I am your friend and I am pleased with you.”
Then Moses said, “I pray that you will let me see your face in all its glory”
God answered: All right. I am a merciful God and I show kindness to anyone I choose. I will let you see my glory and hear my holy name, but I won’t let you see my face, because no one can see my face and live. There is a rock not far from me. Stand beside it, and before I pass by in all of my shining glory, I will put you in a large crack in the rock. I will cover your eyes with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take my hand away, and you will see my back. You will not see my face.
The community affirms these words with AMEN!
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 41
Marjorie: My soul is thirsting for my God, when shall I see you face to face? (refrain)
All: My soul is thirsting for my God, when shall I see you face to face?
Marjorie: Like a dear that yearns for running streams, so my soul is yearning for you, my God.
All: My soul is thirsting for my God, when shall I see you face to face?
Marjorie: My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life, when can I enter and see the face of God.
All: My soul is thirsting for my God, when shall I see you face to face?
Second Reading: A reading from Welcome to the Wisdom of the World:
Once upon a time, a congregation became very concerned because their old rabbi had taken to disappearing from the synagogue after the opening of the Shabbat.
Some were afraid he was forgetting his proper duties. Some worried that he was actually breaking the Sabbath laws. Some, knowing his reputation for holiness, insisted that he must be being spirited up to heaven, perhaps even by Elijah himself, to discuss holy questions, to escape the problems of the age.
So, to settle the concerns among them, one Sabbath night they dispatched a spy to follow him and report where he was going.
Sure enough, no sooner had the Sabbath candles been lit than the old man slipped out of the synagogue, walked quietly down the path, through the woods, and up a tall mountain. Finally, following quietly behind, the spy could see a small cabin in the distance. And sure enough, the rabbi went straight toward it. The spy crept closer. A few more steps and the spy could see the rabbi framed in the doorway by the soft light of a dying fire.
The spy slipped around to the side of the cabin and pressed his face to the window. He could never have imagined the scene he saw. There on a cot lay an old gentile woman, her face sallow, her breathing slow.
First, the rabbi swept the floor. Then the rabbi chopped new wood and fed the fire. Next the rabbi drew clean water from the well. Finally, the rabbi made a cauldron of fresh soup and set it on the bedstand by her side.
The spy sped back down the mountain and through the woods to make his report: “Well,” the congregation said, some with disdain, some with hope, “did our rabbi go up to heaven?”
The spy stopped for a moment to think. “No,” the spy said, “The rabbi did not go up to heaven. The rabbi went much higher than that.”
These are the inspired words of Joan Chittister, a disciple of the Holy One. The community affirms these words with AMEN!
Gospel acclamation:
Marjorie: Praise and honor to you O Jesus Christ.
All: Praise and honor to you O Jesus Christ
Marj: This is my beloved, my very own, hear his voice.
All: Praise and honor to you O Jesus Christ.
Gospel: A Reading from the Gospel from the Christian Community of Mark
Jesus took Peter and James and John led them up a high mountain where they could be alone. And there Jesus was transfigured before their eyes; the clothes Jesus wore became dazzling white - whiter than any earthly bleach could make them.
Elijah appeared to them as did Moses, and the two were talking with Jesus. Then Peter spoke to Jesus. “Rabbi” he said, how wonderful it is for us to be here! Let us make three shelters - one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah!” Peter did not know what he was saying, so overcome were they all with awe.
Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and there came a voice from out of the cloud: This is my Beloved, my Own; listen to this One. Then suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them, only Jesus.
As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until after the Promised One had risen from the dead. They agreed to this, though they discussed among themselves what “rising from the dead” could mean.
These are the words of the community of Mark. We affirm these words with AMEN!
Homily Starter:
“Your beauty transforms us”: We are all being transformed by the face of Jesus from within us and from without, transformed into one body.
It takes place when we open ourselves to the divine love and transforming presence within: We can remember: an experience of a quiet, silent yet powerful moment of wonder and amazement that made us feel like an insignificant part or the universe - Entering a mystery with nature or a musical masterpiece pulling at our heartstrings - The silent reading of a passage of the bible that resonated deep within our heart - We remember one most important event when somehow, God shined on us, that spark that nourished our faith for the rest of our life…
Often in the gospel, the disciples suddenly noticed Jesus was gone. They would look for him and find him away praying by himself.
In today’s gospel, Jesus invites three of his followers to join him in silent prayer on a mountain: All three would have a significant role of service in the first Christian communities after the resurrection. One, called his brother, another his beloved, and of course one who loved him and suffered a terrible, sorrowful guilt and remorse during the passion. This time, accompanying and entering into his prayer, they experienced Jesus in a new light. Later on, this vision would help them gradually recognize Jesus the Christ as someone who had a tremendous relationship as beloved of God, and who lived the Torah in its fullness and in a prophetic way that had the power to transform people and their lives.
Peter broke the silence of the moment, he wanted to grab this wonderful moment, saying, “let’s stay here”; it says that he did not know what he was saying … out of fear... Then God spoke from a dark cloud:” this is my beloved son, listen to him!”. Sometimes close encounters with God can terrify us at first… Then they saw “only Jesus”
The transformation from without happens when we open our heart to love, finding the face of Jesus in our contacts with others.
The birth of a child - The wonder and enthusiasm of the child - The sudden look of understanding and awe on the face of a student - The face of someone we accompany, that spiritual awakening and the slow transformation that takes place over time - The faces of suffering, desperation, anguish, fear – The struggle of endangered living beings adapting to environmental changes – resilience – new life – invitation to be changed, in who we are and how we live.
Think of a powerful moment of finding Jesus in the face of imperfection, the human condition, and realizing I am no better or no worse than anyone else. I don’t have to compete with anyone.
How has the face of Jesus changed for us, changed us? Did we notice that spiritual paradigm shift in the way we see God and receive strength from this loving God, strength to transcend, go beyond, become other-centered? We realize that the shift is not of our own making but of God’s. Real power is more about who we are than what we do. More a state than a position. We begin to understand what “rising from the dead means” as this divine power transforms us.
The more we find the face of Jesus in others, reaching out in love, the more we see through the eyes of Jesus that we are brothers and sisters, interconnected, one human family, united in our common home with all creatures rising up, beginning again, no need to compare or compete, dominate or control. We become the face of Jesus through finding the divine in others.
What did you hear in these readings and homily? How will it change you?
Statement of Faith (Marjorie/Kathie )
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
As we prepare for the sacred meal, we bring to the table our prayers and intentions:
We pray for these and all unspoken intentions. Amen.
Marjorie: As we approach the table bringing with us others we are concerned about, we accept to be transformed with others into one universal family, letting the bread and wine represent us, saying “Amen” to being one body: broken, shared, given, vulnerable, endangered, adapting, considerate of the common universal good for the benefit of all.
(Marjorie and Kathie) 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, Holy: Here in this place by Christopher Grundy
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.
(Lift plate)
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, go, share your love with one another.
(Lift cup)
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.
We share this bread and cup to proclaim and live the gospel of justice and peace. Please receive this bread with the words: I am being transformed.
Communion song: Many are the light beams
https://youtu.be/dAiKVhYIbA4?si=55fRDB_Ps2OqU6Ew
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
Loving source of our being, you call us to live the gospel of peace and justice. We choose to live justly, love tenderly, and walk with integrity in your presence.
BLESSING
Please extend your hands in our final blessing.
ALL: May the Fire of Love ignite our hearts and radiate light through us.
May the Spirit of truth and justice burn within us. May we walk together as we support and tend to one another and all creation. AMEN.
Closing Song: Where Did Jesus Go by Sara Thomsen
Video by Denise Hackert-Stoner
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