Please join us between 9:30 and 9:55 am via Zoom
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
Welcome: Welcome! I’m so glad you’ve joined us today as we come together to look at how we see.
Opening Song: Breathe In by Peter Mayer
https://youtu.be/JJ0horvBHWc?si=xgPcQqIeWE1pLoI6
LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading
A Reading from the Book of Acts 9:10-21
There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Risen Christ called to him in a vision, “Ananias”. Ananias answered, “Here I am”. In the vision, Christ said, “Get up and go to the street called Straight. Ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is there, praying. In a vision, he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay hands on him, that he may regain his sight.” But Ananias replied, “I’ve heard from many sources about this man, what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison all who call upon your name.” But the Risen One said to him, “Go! For this Saul is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before Gentiles, rulers, and Israelites. I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name.”
When Ananias entered the house where Saul was staying, he laid hands on Saul with the words, “Saul, you are my brother through Jesus the Christ. I have been sent by Jesus, who appeared to you on the way here, to help you recover your sight. Be filled with the Holy Spirit!”
Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he regained his sight. He got up and was baptized. After eating, he recovered his strength.
Saul stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus. He began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “Jesus was of God.” All who heard him were astounded and said, “Isn’t he the one who, in Jerusalem, ravaged those who called on this name. Hadn’t he come here expressly to take those same people bound in chains to the chief priests?”
These are the inspired words of an Early Church Historian, and the community affirms them by saying AMEN!
PSALM 30 vss. 2+4;5-6;12-13
The psalm response is: You clothe us with joy.
R: You clothe us with joy.
I extol You, O God, for You have raised me up.
You did not let evil rejoice.
You revived my breath when I was dead, restored me to life from among those returned to dust.
R: You clothe us with joy.
Sing to the Everlasting One, you who love God.
Alleluia to the Holy Name!
Suffering will not last; for God’s Love endures forever.
At dusk, weeping comes through the night, but at dawn there is rejoicing.
R: You clothe us with joy.
You changed our grief into dancing.
You lifted our shroud and clothed us with joy so that our glory can praise Your glory!
We cannot keep silent!
You are our God!
We will always give thanks!
R: You clothe us with joy.
Second Reading
A Reading from the Book of Revelation 4:1-3, 6b-8
After the letters to the seven churches were opened and read, I had a vision of an open door to heaven. I heard the voice like a trumpet that had spoken to me before, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place.” At once I was spirited away. In the heavens stood a throne, with the appearance of the one seated on the throne sparkled like jasper and carnelian.
Around the throne was a halo-like rainbow, brilliant as an emerald. Around the throne, and on each side of the throne, were four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind. The first living creature resembled a lion; the second living creature, an ox; the third living creature had a face like a human face; and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each of them with six wings, were full of eyes all around and inside. Day and night without ceasing they sing,
“Holy, holy, holy,
is God, the Name above all names,
Who was, and is, and is to come.”
This is the vision of a Late First Century Writer, known as John, and the community affirms them by saying AMEN!
Gospel acclamation: Celtic Alleluia by Christopher Walker
Gospel
A reading from the Good News attributed to Luke 24:13-33, 35
Two of the disciples were making their way to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem, discussing all that had happened as they went.
While they were discussing these things, Jesus approached and began to walk along with them, but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you two discussing as you go on your way?”
They stopped, grief stricken. One of them, Cleopas by name, asked, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who doesn't know the things that have happened these past few days?”
Jesus said to them, “What things?”
They said, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, a prophet, powerful in word and deed in the eyes of God and all the people - how our religious authorities and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. We were hoping that he was the one to set Israel free.
“Besides all this, just today - the third day since these things happened - some women of our group brought us astonishing news. They were at the tomb before dawn and didn't find the body. They returned and informed us they had seen a vision of two angels who declared that Jesus was alive. Some of our number went to the tomb and found it just as the women said: they didn't find Jesus.”
Then Jesus said, “How misguided you are! How slow of heart you are to believe all that the prophets have announced! Did not the Messiah have to suffer all this and then enter into glory?”
Then, beginning with Moses and all the prophets, Jesus interpreted for them every passage of Scripture which referred to the Messiah. By now they were near the village where they were heading, and Jesus appeared to be going farther. But they said eagerly, “Stay with us. It’s nearly evening. The day is practically over.” So, Jesus went in and stayed with them.
After sitting down with them to eat, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, then broke the bread and gave it to them. Their eyes were opened! They recognized Jesus, who immediately vanished from their sight.
They said to one another, “Weren't our hearts burning inside us as he talked to us along the way and explained the Scriptures to us?” They got up immediately and returned to Jerusalem. There, they found the Eleven and the rest of the disciples assembled… .
The travelers recounted what had happened along the way as they left Jerusalem, and how they had come to know Jesus in the breaking of the bread.
These are the inspired words of the anonymous storyteller we call Luke, and the community affirms them by saying AMEN!
Homily Starter
The first time I saw the Grand Canyon, I couldn’t fully see it. It was more than my eyes could handle, so much so that it looked almost flat, like a picture. My eyes had to learn how to see it. The next day when I saw it, it came to multi-dimensional life. It was glorious!
So I could relate to Saul (Did you notice he’s still Saul here? Paul was likely a “second name” used with a Greco-Roman audience. It wasn’t unusual for Judeans to use two names: one Jewish, the other Latin or Greek. Sort of like my Chinese kids who call themselves by American names when they’re here studying. But I digress.) whose vision was restored by the reluctant Ananias. It was like scales fell from Saul’s eyes. Saul’s conversion and subsequent healing enabled him to see what was formerly hidden from him. Similarly, Jesus kept himself hidden from the disciples he met on the road to Emmaus. Cleopas and his unnamed, probably female, companion didn’t recognize him until the breaking of the bread. Can you imagine how glorious that was for them?
I’d like to think that I’d recognize Jesus on the road, and, if not there, then definitely in the breaking of the bread. But some days I think that even if I had all the eyes, inside and out, of all four creatures from the book of Revelation combined, I still wouldn’t see what was right in front of my face. Because I’m human. Because sometimes I have scales on my eyes. Because sometimes I just don’t understand.
I’m not giving up. Because blind or not, the Holy One brings us joy. The Holy One turns our grief into dancing. Not in an instant but in the steady following of the Way. Joy, clear seeing, and love. That’s what I’m here for.
What did you hear in these readings and homily starter? How will you do? What will it cost 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 – Christopher Grundy
https://youtu.be/uXyu57tR2gk
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 see the face of God.
Communion song: At This Table by Idina Menzel video by Denise
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: See You Again (Charlie Puth, Wiz Khalifa), by One Voice Children's Choir
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