Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82512159155
phone-in for (audio only) Phone Number: (646) 558-8656
Meeting ID: 825 1215 9155
Welcome: Welcome! I’m so glad you’ve joined us today as we come together to think about what following the Way of Jesus means to us as women and men. Are we truly companions on the journey? Do we share our full selves with each other and the Holy One? And are we honest with ourselves and each other?
Opening Song: Companions on the Journey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h86xLnaXUZU
LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading:
A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles (4:32-35; 5:1-11)
Now the whole group of those who believed was of one heart and mind. No one claimed private ownership of any possessions. Everything they owned was held in common. With great power, the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of Jesus the Christ. They were all accorded great respect. No one among them was in need, for those who owned land or houses sold them. They brought the proceeds of what was sold and put them at the feet of the apostles; and they were distributed to each as any had need.
However, there was a man named Ananias who, with the consent of his wife, Sapphira, sold a piece of property. With his wife’s knowledge, he held back some of the proceeds and brought only part of the proceeds to lay at the apostles’ feet. “Ananias,” Peter asked, “why have you fallen prey to the Tempter, lying to the Holy Spirit and keeping back part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal? What were you thinking? You have lied, not to human beings, but to God.” When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. Great fear came upon all who heard of it. The younger among them rose to wrap up his body, carry it out, and bury him.
About three hours later, Sapphira, his wife, came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter said to her, “Tell me. Did you and your husband sell the land for such and such a price?” She responded, “Yes, that was the price.” Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you conspired together to put the Spirit of God to the test? Listen! The footsteps of those who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you away too.” At once, she dropped dead at his feet. When the young men came in, they found her dead. They carried her out and buried her beside her husband. A great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these things.
These are the inspired words of an Early Church Historian and the community affirms them by saying AMEN!
Gospel acclamation: Celtic Alleluia by Christopher Walker – MT Video
Gospel:
A Reading from the Gospels attributed to Mark and Luke (Mk 16:13-14; Lk 24:35-48)
After the risen Jesus appeared to his disciple, Mary Magdalene, he appeared in another form to two other disciples walking along on their way to the country. They returned and told the others; but they did not believe them either.
…
While the disciples were still talking about the reports of Jesus appearing to some of their number, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. Jesus said to them, “Why are you troubled? Why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
After saying this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.
He said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said to them, "Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for forgiveness, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things."
These are the inspired words of the anonymous storytellers we call Mark and Luke and the community affirms these words by saying AMEN!
Homily Starter:
Last week, Kathie began her homily starter with “John’s gospel originally ended with Chapter 20, the story of Doubting Thomas. Chapter 21 was added much later- and focuses on Peter and his call to “feed my sheep”. We might surmise that Chapter 21 was added to highlight Peter’s role as “head of the church.” But that is a discussion for another day.” Today is that day. Sort of.
As you may recall, last week I was skeptical of that chapter being tacked onto the very same gospel where Martha was the first to declare Jesus the messiah, not Peter. It would be mildly annoying if it weren’t for the millennium of misogyny and abuse that followed in the male dominated Catholic Church. Can you imagine how different our history might have been if that gospel reported that a woman was called to “feed my sheep?” Or if men and women shared power? I think the Catholic Church, indeed the world as we know it, would be markedly different, maybe even unrecognizable to us.
And, as shown in our first reading, the early followers of Jesus weren’t anti women. The early followers of Jesus, even when they were holding out on their fellows, did it as men and women together, like Ananias and Sapphira. From the Comprehensive Catholic Lectionary notes on this reading:
“He, with her knowledge (reversing the Eve and Adam narrative where she led and he consented), withholds money from the sale of a property instead of giving it to the disciples charged with caring for the needs of all disciples. We are not told how Peter learned of their action, only of the outcome. Peter declares first to Ananias, and later separately to Sapphira, that they have deceived not only their co-believers but God. Ananias drops dead when Peter confronts him. Sapphira also drops dead upon receiving the news of the discovery of their deceit and of Ananias’ death. The response of the Christian community was, understandably, fear. This narrative demonstrates that the ideal of sharing all in common was not necessarily lived out by all disciples. We know it is not a practice that endured through the centuries. The CCL includes the narrative because of Sapphira’s role in the deceit. In the earliest church, when women were involved in ways which would later be denied them, women bore the responsibilities and consequences of church life as men.”
(Just an aside if you’re wondering why the CCL uses this wild reading. Because the canonical first reading is anti-Semitic. Ananias and Sapphira are a lot of things but they’re not anti-Semitic.)
So how do we go from Ananias and Sapphira plotting, and being confronted, equally to the near complete marginalization of women in the Roman Catholic Church? The Romans. You know, the same empire that executed that pesky Jesus. Then in the fourth century CE, Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity and made it legal. And while the end of persecution of Christians was great, Romans believed that women didn’t have souls. Why would men share power with soulless women? And just like that, we were shoved to the sidelines and burned as witches if we complained about it. At least Sapphira just dropped dead!
What did you hear in these readings and homily? How will it change you?
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 of the Community
As we prepare for the sacred meal, we bring to the table our prayers and intentions, starting with the words I bring to the table.
We pray for these and all the unspoken intentions held in the silence of our hearts. AMEN.
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
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 my 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 communion with the words: I am the face of God.
Communion song: The Face of God by Karen Drucker
https://youtu.be/rH-BKtAP2q4?si=VIsuHJ-A8rYhMTIE
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 as we bless each other.
ALL: May we be Easter people, living in joy and love. May we walk together as we support and tend to one another and all creation. AMEN.
Closing Song: Shine by Collective Soul video by Denise
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