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Epiphany Sunday
If everything around seems dark…
look again…You may be in the light.
~Rumi
Welcome and Theme:
Welcome to our Upper Room Epiphany Sunday celebration. One clever analysis of part of the story we hear today comes from Nadia Bolz-Weber: “On today, the Feast of the Epiphany, I am reminded that an insecure ruler named Herod was so threatened by the birth of Jesus that he tried to overthrow the result by putting a hit out on a toddler.” May our celebration today be filled with more insights and truths as we find light in the darkness.
Opening Song: What Child is This
https://youtu.be/QaniSS8IvXc?si=FH0JnQPY7zF0MvJs
LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading: Wise Women Also Came by Jan Richardson
Wise women also came.
The fire burned
in their wombs
long before they saw
the flaming star
in the sky.
They walked in shadows,
trusting the path
would open
under the light of the moon.
Wise women also came,
seeking no directions,
no permission
from any king.
They came
by their own authority,
their own desire,
their own longing.
They came in quiet,
spreading no rumors,
sparking no fears
to lead
to innocents’ slaughter,
to their sister Rachel’s
inconsolable lamentations.
Wise women also came,
and they brought
useful gifts:
water for labor’s washing,
fire for warm illumination,
a blanket for swaddling.
Wise women also came,
at least three of them,
holding Mary in the labor,
crying out with her
in the birth pangs,
breathing ancient blessings
into her ear.
Wise women also came,
and they went,
as wise women always do,
home a different way.
These are the inspired words of Jan Richardson and the community affirms them by saying: Amen
Second Reading: A reading from the Prophet Isaiah (Is 60:1-6)
“Arise, shine, for your light has come!
the glory of YHWH is rising upon you!
Though darkness still covers the earth
and dense clouds enshroud the peoples,
upon you YHWH now dawns,
and God’s glory will be seen among you!
The nations will come to your light
and the leaders to your bright dawn!
Lift up your eyes, and look around:
they’re all gathering and coming to you—
your daughters and your sons
journey from afar, escorted in safety;
you’ll see them and beam with joy,
your heart will swell with pride.
The riches of the sea will flow to you,
and the wealth of the nations will come to you—
camel caravans will cover your roads,
the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah;
everyone in Sheba will come,
bringing gold and incense
and singing the praise of YHWH.
These are inspired words from the Book of Isaiah, and we affirm them by saying, Amen.
Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible: The First Egalitarian Translation (p. 787). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Kindle Edition.
Alleluia: More Light by Christopher Grundy
https://youtu.be/a8XaUlqb8t0?si=5Wa4dj36tjTEHPZN
Gospel: A reading from the Gospel by the anonymous author called Matthew (Mt 2:1-12)
After Jesus’ birth—which happened in Bethlehem of Judea, during the reign of Herod—astrologers from the East arrived in Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the newborn ruler of the Jews? We observed his star at its rising and have come to pay homage.” At this news Herod became greatly disturbed, as did all of Jerusalem. Summoning all the chief priests and religious scholars of the people, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.
“In Bethlehem of Judea,” they informed him. “Here is what the prophet has written:
‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the leaders of Judah,
since from you will come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.’ ”
Herod called the astrologers aside and found out from them the exact time of the star’s appearance. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, after having instructed them, “Go and get detailed information about the child. When you have found him, report back to me—so that I may go and offer homage, too.”
After their audience with the ruler, they set out. The star which they had observed at its rising went ahead of them until it came to a standstill over the place where the child lay. They were overjoyed at seeing the star and, upon entering the house, found the child with Mary, his mother. They prostrated themselves and paid homage. Then they opened their coffers and presented the child with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
They were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, so they went back to their own country by another route.
These are inspired words from the Gospel attributed to Matthew, and we affirm them by saying, Amen.
Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible: The First Egalitarian Translation (p. 2126). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Kindle Edition.
(pause)
Shared Homily
Twelve days after Christmas is a feast in the church called Epiphany Sunday. In some Catholic homes, the Christmas tree could not to come down until the Epiphany in order to remember that the birth stories were not ended with Jesus’ birth. An epiphany is an experience of a sudden striking realization that we have been fundamentally changed. Just as the powerful center of the earthquake is called the “epicenter”, the epiphanies in our lives as faithful seekers mark our own pivot points, realizations, and markers. You have heard people say, “I have seen the light.” When someone says that they usually mean that they have experienced something that has given them a new perspective, which has helped them come to a deeper understanding of themselves and the eternal Mystery we call God or the Holy One.
The seekers are known by a few names. They are called Wise Men, Magi, the Three Kings, the Kings from Orient, astrologers. It is important to remember that they trusted the night sky and constellations to bring important signs and wonders from the heavenly realms. Scholars also argue that Matthew intends for the reader to understand that the Magi were gentiles or non-Jews. This is to foreshadow the eventual truth that Christianity spread well beyond the Jewish community to the Gentile world. Christianity survived and thrived because of the Gentiles. The sight of the star in the sky convinced them to go on a journey to find the new king. They did not abandon their trip when they got lost. They lost sight of the star but they knew it was still there so they continued on to ask for directions. When they got back on track and were in the presence of the baby, they dropped to their knees to show respect, honor and reverence for this life changing experience of following the light to meet Jesus.
Our reading from Richardson invites us to ponder the way wise women may also travel together and seek the child. Women are understood as bringers of practical gifts, the gift of presence and presents that serve the new family. They walk in faith through shadows and unknowing places. They did not care about Herod, asking permission or looking for directions. They directed themselves in a way that was creative from the light within themselves showing them the way.
We at the Upper Room cultivate lives of deep contemplation and profound service. Life may cause us to occasionally fall into dark places when things happen that we do not expect or would not choose. An election, a diagnosis, a terrorist attack, death of a loved one suddenly or after a long illness, fear for the future of our children and Mother Earth herself, realizations of our own aging and mortality, a deep and overwhelming sense of not knowing what or who we believe Jesus to be. Many notice the total lack of faith in God or God’s existence in the way we have known God. So many real-life events are hard. When we celebrated the winter solstice, we reminded ourselves of the long deep, trusting slumber of the cold and dark of winter. The darkness and the light are one, as our phases of “knowing and unknowing”, trusting and despair” “fear and hope” are one. None exists without the other for the believer. In all the phases of our journey we remember our beloved companions on the journey. At our Epiphany service last year, presider Kathie Ryan invited us to remember the critical role of our dear friends who serve, pray, support and walk with one another and the community. Recently, we had a reading from Kaira Jewel Lingo reminding us that the faith community or Sangha is found wherever others share in the disciplined journey toward truth.
Light that shines in the darkness is like a breath of fresh air. It can resuscitate us and take us to the next place. We each have light inside of us that must be nurtured so it can grow and so it can help other people. Light takes the form of peace, love and joy and it is much more powerful than the darkness of fear, hate and sadness. There are times when light comes from God through a song, another person or an experience. We, like the wisemen, may even find ourselves wanting to drop to our knees to reverence the moment, to give thanks and to fully notice the awe and wonder in our hearts.
How about you? We would love to hear about your experience of epiphanies past or present. How has the Holy One shown you that you are light for the world? We also welcome any other thoughts about the readings or topic.
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
Presider: As we prepare for this sacred meal, we are aware that just as Jesus is anointed, so is each of us. As bearers of LIGHT and HOPE, 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…..”
Presider: We pray for these and all unspoken intentions. Amen.
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
Presider: With open hearts and hands let us pray our Eucharistic prayer as one voice:
(written by Jay Murnane)
All: Holy One, you are continually creating the universe, continually giving birth to all of us. We sense the need to do the same, to set ourselves free from a sense of emptiness and barren hopelessness.
We celebrate you as the Source of light and life and love, and we celebrate your presence and all-ways care. We give thanks, and joined with your vision of harmony and peace, we sing:
Holy, Holy, Holy by Karen Drucker
https://youtu.be/nTewBnxBy30?si=gqJZPiTMMXbj9wsA
https://youtu.be/nTewBnxBy30?si=gqJZPiTMMXbj9wsA
Your wisdom invites us to draw on our tradition, as old as the stars, shining through Sarah and Abraham, shining through your prophets in every age and every culture. We join that enlightening, enlivening tradition with what we are as we risk fidelity to a dream.
Filled with your spirit, we, like Jesus, can give birth in our day to your living word for the sake of hope enfleshed in creativity and confrontation, healing and reconciliation, justice, universal and unconditional love.
Please extend your hands in blessing.
All: We are grateful for your Spirit at our Eucharistic Table and for this bread and wine which reminds us of our call to be the body of Christ in the world.
Presiders stand at table
All: On the night before he faced his own death, Jesus sat at the Seder 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.
Presider 1 lifts plate as the community prays the following:
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, this is my very self.
(pause)
Presider 2 lifts the cup as community prays the following:
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)
This is the bread of life and the cup of blessing. Through it we are nourished and we nourish each other.
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.
Presider: Please pass the bread with the words: “You are an incarnation of the Divine!”
Communion Song: Paint the Sky with Stars by Enya
https://youtu.be/mUwFF37SVYM?si=oAU94LXIP77he0aq
Post-Communion Prayer
Holy One, we dare again to dream the ancient dreams and open ourselves to marvelous
visions. There are mountains of arrogance to lower, valleys of fear and separation to fill in,
to create a community and communion that stretches throughout our consciousness and
around our world.
In this way, working to renew the face of the earth, we are opened up to your Spirit, the
Spirit of light and life and love born in Jesus.
For it is through his life and teaching, all honor and glory is yours, Holy One, forever and
ever. Amen.
Presider 2: Let us pray as Jesus taught us:
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.
Adapted by Miriam Therese Winter
BLESSING
Presider 1: Please extend your hands and pray our blessing together.
May we continue to be the face of God to each other. May we call each other to extravagant generosity! May we, like Jesus, be a shining light and a blessing in our time!
All: AMEN
Closing Song: Do You Hear What I Hear written by Noel Regney and Gloria Shayne
Performed by Angel City Chorale
https://youtu.be/3vVxXfA4BxE?si=N9R3GzsWCU2QMPLP
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