Here is the Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82512159155
phone-in for (audio only).Phone Number: (646) 558-8656
Meeting ID: 825 1215 9155
Opening Prayer: Today and every day we pray for a moment of awareness of your presence. Your presence brings us peace. Let it be so, amen.
Opening Song: I Will Not Leave You Comfortless by Jan Phillips
LITURGY OF THE WORD
1st Reading: A Reading from Genesis
YHWH appeared to Abraham by the Oak Grove of Mamre, while Abraham sat at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Looking up, Abraham saw three travelers standing nearby.
When he saw them, Abraham ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them; and bowing to the ground, said “If I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass by our tent. Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet, and then rest yourselves beneath the tree. As you have come to your faithful one, let me bring you a little food, that you may refresh yourselves. Afterward you may go on your way.
We affirm these words with AMEN!
2nd Reading: A reading from the Letters to the Hebrews
Don’t neglect to show hospitality to strangers for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Continue to stive to love each other as sisters and brothers.
We affirm these words with AMEN!
Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia By Christopher Walker
Gospel: A reading from John (10:27-30)
Jesus said:
“My sheep hear my voice;
I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they will never be lost.
No one can take them out of my hand.
Abba God, who has given them to me, is greater than all,
and no one can steal them from Abba God.
For Abba and I are one.”
We affirm these words with AMEN!
Shared Homily
When we pray and study scripture amazing insights arise within us. Sometimes when we are sitting with a scripture passage or trying to meditate to keep ourselves centered and in the present moment a moment of understanding occurs and gives us peace.
In the Genesis reading, we find Abraham sitting at the entrance to his tent. He had just been circumcised, and he probably wasn’t feeling so great. The Holy One is visiting and comforting Abraham. Abraham is experiencing a God moment.
Maybe each of you have had those moments. Enjoying the presence of God, sitting on the beach, walking in the woods, working in your garden, or even when you are doing dishes, or folding laundry. We might wish these moments with presence last forever, or least for more than a few minutes.
Look what happens to Abraham’s spiritual moment. In the middle of his spiritual encounter, three strangers show up. Abraham leaves his moment with God and offers hospitality to the three. Abraham knows that visitors in the desert must be welcomed and cared for. For those who travel the desert it is a life-or-death encounter. Abraham is doing exactly what God does. Abraham offers comfort and takes care of God’s children.
Rabbi Sharon Brous told this story: A naked man was running down the middle of the road. He was clearly in distress, yelling and carrying on, not making any sense. The neighbors, (you and I?) looked on and said to each other, “that poor man, something must have happened to him, he needs help, maybe we should call the police or 911.” Raymond, your friend, was running down the middle of the road naked, yelling, carrying on and not making any sense. Because we know Raymond, you or I would run after Raymond, throw a blanket around him, talk calmly to him, and bring him to our home to figure out how to help. The stranger needs the exact same help that Raymond does. Isn’t it so much easier to help someone we know but what happens to the stranger?
Every week or more we come together to celebrate and enjoy our liturgy, especially our shared homily. In this moment we are nourishing and caring for one another. We recognize, know each other, we feel supported and loved, we know the Holy One is present and we are one. We look forward to this sacred time.
However, when our sacred time is over, the Holy One challenges us to do more. Like Abraham, when we leave our nourishing God moment, we must go out and take care of the stranger or someone we know. God was comforting Abraham and at the same time preparing him to go take care of the three. Tonight, we support and comfort each other, and this our celebration is our preparation to go out and take care of the stranger or someone we know.
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:
We pray for these and all unspoken prayers of our hearts. Amen.
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
With open hands and hearts let us pray our Eucharistic Prayer together:
All: O Holy One you have sent prophets and messengers to show us the way- Abraham, Sarah and Hagar, Moses and Jesus, Buddha and Mohammad, Hildegard and Teresa, Oscar and Dorothy, and all of us here and now who celebrate this liturgy today.
Everything we do, we do together with You. We cannot be without You. We cannot be without each other. You are made visible in this world with our acts of love and kindness. With grateful hearts we raise our voices and sing:
Holy, Holy: Here in This Place by Christopher Grundy
https://youtu.be/sgkWXOSGmOQ
All: Holy One, slowly this world is moving toward oneness. Your pattern of Love is in everything and there are messages of Love in every pattern. Help us to stand with each other in love and suffering. The pain of one is the pain of all. May we co-create with You and restore balance and harmony in our world.
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 died Jesus did more than ask us to remember him. He showed us how to live when he washed the feet of his friends.
lift the bread
All: At the table, he took the Bread, spoke the grace, broke the bread and offered it to them saying:
Take and eat of the Bread of Life
Given to strengthen you
Whenever you remember me like this
Go and share your love with one another. (pause)
lift the cup
ALL: Jesus then raised a cup of blessing, spoke the grace 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.
We share this bread and cup to proclaim and live the gospel of justice and peace. Please receive this bread with the words: God and I are one.
Communion Song: A Safe Place to Land, by Sara Bareilles
ALL: Holy One we know you as the voice of kindness within us and the constant hope that lives in our hearts. We are grateful for the gift of your Spirit, always drawing beauty and balance out of chaos. And like Jesus,
Standing where he stood,
and for what he stood,
and with whom he stood,
we are united in your Spirit
now and forever. Amen.
Let us pray together the prayer of Jesus:
Adapted from Miriam Therese Winter
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.
All: Loving Source of our being, we are called to live the gospel of peace and love. This is our faith, to embrace life, to increase love, to have courage to be and walk into the mystery of your presence.
BLESSING
Please extend your hands and pray our blessing together.
May you know you are one with all creation, and our God is not a noun but a verb to be lived. Love intentionally, love extravagantly, love unconditionally. Our world waits in the darkness for the light that is you. Amen.
Closing Song: Be a Light – shortened Thomas Rhett (lyrics ) ft. Keith Urban, Chris Tomlin, Hillary Scott & Reba McEntire
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