Taking the time to pray and be still is something that Jesus modeled for us. Listening to the Spirit speaking to each of us in our being and our hearts is a skill that can be practiced and cultivated. In today’s world, similar to Jesus’s time, there are all manner of voices and noise, and it can be difficult to hear what we are supposed to do.
For this evening, quiet yourself as we listen to the following words of wisdom.
Reading: From Teachings of the Hindu Mystics edited by Andrew Harvey.
1.Sri Krishna: By devotion to one’s own particular duty, everyone can attain perfection. Let me tell you how. By performing his own work, one worships the Creator who dwells in every creature. Such worship brings that person to fulfillment.
2.It is better to perform one's own duties imperfectly than to master the duties of another. By fulfilling the obligations he is born with, a person never comes to grief. No one should abandon duties because he sees defects in them. Every action, every activity, is surrounded by defects as a fire surrounded by smoke.
1.Make every act an offering to me; guard me as your only protector. Rely on interior discipline, meditate on me always. Remembering me, you shall overcome all difficulties through my grace period but if you will not heed me in your self will, nothing will avail you.
2.If you egotistically say, “I will not fight this battle”, your resolve will be useless; Your own nature will drive you into it. Your own karma, born of your own nature, will drive you to do even that which you do not wish to do, because of your delusion.
1.The Lord dwells in the hearts of all creatures and whirls them around upon the wheel of Maya. Run to him for refuge with all your strength, and peace profound will be yours through his grace.
2.Be aware of me always, adore me, make every act an offering to me, and you shall come to me; this I promise, for you are dear to me. Abandon all supports and look to me for protection. I shall purify you from the sins of the past; Do not grieve.
A Reading from the Bhagavad Gita
Listening as an Art.
Listening is obviously a talent that can be cultivated and enhanced, especially when we are providing a healing presence for others. But what about when we are providing a healing presence for ourselves. Do we give ourselves the same time, energy, and focus? Do we give ourselves the same space? Do we bring our hearts and minds to listen to our desires and our truth?
Giving ourselves the same level and art of listening can be a challenge. When we follow good listening practices, we can do it.
Take the listening pose with yourself.
Let’s take a moment of silence as we ponder these readings and thoughts for ourselves and for our lives…
Intercessory Prayer:
1.Jesus, you show us the practice of quiet and reflection.Help us to follow your way in every moment of our lives here on earth.
2.Jesus, you give us an example of God’s love for us, Keep reminding us of this great miracle that we can hardly fathom.
3.Jesus, you love us unconditionally. Show us by your example how to treat all people in our lives, whether they are intimate or a fleeting encounter.
4.Jesus, you challenge us to Love and trust in God’s grace and presence. Thank you, in complete gratitude, for the opportunities that enfold in our lives.
Please add your own requests for anyone, or any issue you desire…
Deb: We ask for all of these holy imperatives for ourselves, in our communities and beyond in our earthly presence.
AMEN
Deb: Final Blessing: May each of us find the strength, patience and love in our hearts to meet ourselves in quiet and listening.
May we have the awareness to find our own calling and to respond as best we can.
May we have the awareness to see ourselves as beautiful spirits of God’s Love and Presence. AMEN.
Welcome: Welcome! I’m so glad you’ve joined us today as we come together to pray our liturgy together as a community of believers on the Way of Jesus.
Opening Prayer: Let us pray. Holy One, you created us and remind us of our essential goodness. Help us to continue to share that goodness with all of your creatures. Help us also to trust even when we don’t understand, even when we are disappointed. AMEN
A Reading from the Letter to the Colossians 3:12-17
As God’s chosen people, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another. Forgive one another. If any of you has a grievance against another; forgive as God forgave you. Over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and challenge one another in wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs of the spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of Jesus the Christ, giving thanks to the Holy One, the Beloved.
These are the inspired words of a disciple of Paul and the community affirms them by saying AMEN.
Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia (Eightfold) – Jan Phillips shortened
A Reading from the Gospel attributed to Luke 11:1-10,13
Jesus was praying in a certain place. After he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” Jesus responded, “When you pray, say:
‘Loving Creator
Your name be honored.
Your reign come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
And do not bring us into a time of trial.’ ”
Jesus continued, “Suppose one of you has a friend, whom you visit at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread. A friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set on the table.’ Your friend answers from within, ‘Don't bother me. The door has already been locked. I, and my children, are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though your friend will not get up and give you anything you want just because you are friends, if you are persistent, your friend will get up and give you whatever you need.
“So, I say to you, Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. Everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. For everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. If you, who are lacking and limited, know how to provide to others what is needed, how much more will the God of All give the Holy Spirit to those who ask!”
These are the inspired words of the gospel writer we call Luke, and the community affirms them by saying AMEN!
Homily Starter—Julie
We all know them. The folks we only hear from when they need something. It doesn’t make for a very satisfying relationship, does it? Not when your only role is to babysit or be the driver or the ATM. And yet that’s how so many of us started off thinking of God, as a sort of Santa Claus to solve all our problems. Fortunately for us, the Holy One is a little more gracious than us, well, me at least. I can’t picture eye rolling or sighing from the Holy One. And while our faith and understanding of prayer may have matured, we can still fall into the trap our opening song so poignantly describes, only asking God for favors. It doesn’t even have to be a life-or-death situation. I slipped into it myself a week ago when I was fervently praying to get out of jury duty. Sigh.
In our gospel today, Jesus shows us how to pray to our loving Holy One. It’s a prayer that shows both our vulnerability and our wonder. For me though, the real lesson that Jesus taught us was to make time for prayer. In the gospels, he repeatedly goes off either by himself or with a small group to pray silently. And then he listens to the Holy One’s response. It’s very hard to hear the response if we’re listing demands punctuated with a quick amen. It’s also hard to hear the response when it’s not what we want to hear. We know that not every prayer is answered. We may never know why either. It’s certainly not based on whether we’re “good enough.” Good people get disappointed too. Part of maturing in our faith is continuing to believe even when we don’t get what we want or even what we need.
Taking care of each other is what the first reading is about, living a life based on the teachings of Jesus. I wonder if it was as countercultural for them as it is for us. “[C]lothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. … Forgive one another.” The prayer of Jesus includes forgiveness too, emphasizing its importance. In some circles, these qualities are mocked. Maybe that’s the advantage of living in small communities of other believers—no one ridiculing your compassion or kindness. And yet even in this crazy world, even in the midst of our own challenges and disappointments, we do our best to be kind and generous, both with ourselves and with each other. We keep bringing light to our world.
My friends, what did you hear today? What will you do? What, if anything, 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:
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 share communion with the words: You are a spark of the Divine!
Communion song: Prayer (Prayer of Jesus sung in Aramaic) by Rafe Pearlman
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 love the universe the way our Creator loves us. May we live in peace and justice. And may we be a blessing in our time, AMEN.
Closing Song: You Shall Be Known by the Company You Keep – MaMuse
Welcome to this Moment of Oneness, that finds us
at the height of summer. It has been a
challenging summer, to say the least, and looking at the news every day can be
exhausting. But when I look around me as
I stroll through meadow and forest, or even in my own neighborhood, all I see
is growth. If I turn off my earbuds I
can listen instead to the chattering of birds, squirrels and chipmunks. If I pay attention, I notice that the air is
scented with flowers and mown grass.
Despite all the division and all the hate, it is still summer. So tonight, let’s take a moment to be
joyful. Let’s take a moment to be
grateful. Let’s take a moment to
celebrate this season and to praise the One who never tires of loving us, no
matter how tiring we must be sometimes. Let’s
allow ourselves to lay our troubles down and be lifted.
Opening Song: Hallelujah
by MaMuse, video by Denise
First Reading: Psalm
146 (Reimagined by Nan Merrill, “Psalms for Praying)
Praise
be to You!
Praise
the Beloved, O my soul!
I will
praise You with all
my
being;
I will
sing joyfully and with
Thanksgiving
to
You, Heart of my heart!
Put
not your trust in riches,
in
illusionary things that fade away.
For
when our day comes to depart
this
world,
at
that very time, we carry
only
the love
imprinted
upon our soul.
Blessed
are those whose strength is
in the
Beloved,
whose
trust is in You,
O
Divine Lover,
Who
gave birth to the universe –
the
heavens, earth, and sea –
and
all that is within them.
You
are ever-faithful, bringing
balance
and harmony to earth,
nourishment
to body and soul.
You
free us from the bonds
of
fear;
You
give insight to those
who
would see.
You
lift up the faint-hearted,
giving
succour to those who weep.
You
watch over those on journey,
sending
guides and angels
to
lead the way;
O,
that we might become beacons
of
light to those in darkness.
May
You, who live forever in
our
hearts,
loose
the fetters of fear
that
bind us,
That
we might praise You always
with
free and joyful song!
May it
be so!
Moment
of Silent prayers of gratitude.
Second
Reading
It is
not happiness that makes us grateful, it is gratefulness that makes us happy.
Every moment is a gift. … Whatever life gives to you, you can respond with joy.
Joy is the happiness that does not depend on what happens. It is the grateful
response to the opportunity that life offers you at this moment – Brother David
Steindl Rast
Intentions
For
the air we breathe…. We are grateful
For
the earth we stand upon…. We are grateful
For
the sun in the sky, for the moon and stars…. We are grateful
For
the rain that gives life…. We are grateful
For
the joy that comes in rising after sleep…. We are grateful
For
the joy that comes in good work…. We are grateful
For
the joy that comes from loving relationships…. We are grateful
For
the joy that comes from every day we spend on this beautiful planet…. We are
grateful.
Please
add your own reasons for gratitude
Closing
Prayer
Holy
One, we thank you for all your good gifts.You gift us with joy to make us strong as we face the struggle, never
alone, but with your Divine Presence in one another and in the beautiful world
in which we move.May we always remember
to look for your face, even in difficult times.And may we always be grateful for this, the life that you have given
us.Amen.
Canticle of the Turning by
Rory Cooney, video by Denise
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
Celebrating Mary Magdalene and Each of Us
Welcome to ALL, as we bring our attention to Mary Magdalene and to women who have served throughout the centuries. Women continue to serve the human condition with unequal status but with more than equal presence all over the world. Even in societies that suppress women in every way, there is always hope. Mary Magdalene, through her witness and love, leads the way.
Opening Prayer: We bring each person forward in our minds and hearts as we remember the work we do as women and men, and the love that is shared. May we find the power, persistence and presence to follow Mary Magdalene and Jesus who both lead the way. We ask for this in Jesus’s name. Amen.
When the Blessed One had said these things, he greeted them all, saying, “Peace be with you! Bear my peace within yourselves! Beware that no one lead you astray saying,
‘Look over here!’ Or ‘Look over there!’
For the Child of Humanity is within you! Follow it!”
“Those who seek it will find it. Go then and proclaim the good news of the realm. Do not lay down any rules beyond what I determined for you, nor give a law like the lawgiver, lest you be confined by it.” When he had said this, he departed.
But they were pained. They wept greatly, saying,
“How shall we go to the nations and proclaim the good news of the Child of Humanity?
If they did not spare him, how will they spare us?”
Then Mary stood up. She greeted them all, and said to her brothers and sisters, “Do not weep and be pained, nor doubt, for all his grace will be with you and shelter you. But rather let us praise his greatness, for he has prepared us and made us Humans.”
When Mary said this, she turned their heart to the Good, and they began to discuss the words of the Savior.
These are words attributed to the Gospel of Mary of Magdalene, in the Hal Taussig translation, and we affirm them by saying, AMEN.
Readings taken from Taussig, Hal. A New New Testament: A Bible for the Twenty-first Century Combining Traditional and Newly Discovered Texts. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Kindle Edition
Shared Homily: Deb Trees
For many years now we have been bringing back the emphasis on Mary Magdalene, celebrating her life and leadership. We bring women’s contributions to our awareness and to the forefront of justice, including women in all levels of church and ministry. Mary Magdalene’s feast day is celebrated in the Roman Catholic Church on July 22nd. Since that is Tuesday and not Sunday, we are celebrating this wonderful disciple and apostle
today.
According to the discussion of Hal Taussig regarding the Gospel of Mary, he states the following: “At the heart of the Gospel of Mary is a throbbing enthusiasm for becoming a true human being. For this ancient gospel, Jesus is the Savior because he teaches people how to welcome true humanity into themselves. None of the preceding
quotations from the Gospel of Mary point to how Jesus saves them, forgives them, or makes them holy. Rather, the focus of these teachings is on being real human beings.”
“The Child of Humanity is Within You…”
This Theology of Blessing is central to our work in that we applaud and enhance the idea that we are not sinners, not imperfect, not needing to be saved by the cross. Instead, we are holy and striving to be more holy. We achieve this by acting in our present lives with love and blessing for all. We are striving to attain Soul awareness.
Mary was given this teaching from Jesus and shared it as a leader with others.
Although the Gospel of Mary is not complete, it is well worth reading to get another flavor of Early Christian thinking and teaching. In the Gospel, Mary Magdalene strives to share her experience of Jesus with the disciples present. Jesus who was her spiritual teacher.
We all continue to work towards inclusive lives today, which is one of the reasons we are here together in the Upper Room. We strive to highlight the role of women now and in the early church. We celebrate Mary today as an example of female presence and leadership in the early church and continue by our lives to help all remember the
importance of women in the world.
May we continue to be true to our callings, each of us, no matter where we are, as we give voice to the Child of Humanity within us.
And so, my friends, what did you hear, and how will you live your vision today? We look forward to sharing our wisdom together.
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 the sacred meal, we voice our intentions beginning with the words, “We bring to the table…..”
We pray for these and all unspoken intentions. Amen.
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
Presider: Please join in praying the Eucharistic prayer together:
All: O Holy One, you have birthed us in goodness, gifted us with life and cherished us in love. In the heart of our being, your Spirit dwells; a Spirit of courage and vision, a Spirit of wisdom and truth.
In the power of that same Spirit, we lift our hearts in prayer, invoking anew the gift of wisdom and enlightenment, that we may continue to praise and thank you, in union with all who sing the ancient hymn of praise:
Holy, Holy, Holy: Here in this Place by Christopher Grundy
ALL: Holy One, we see around us the work of your hands, the fruit of your wisdom and love. The unfolding story of creation witnesses unceasingly to your creative power. We, your creatures, often deviate from that wisdom, thus hindering your creative presence in our midst.
Sending among us Jesus, our brother, you birth afresh in our world the power of Sophia-Wisdom, and in the gift of Your Spirit, your creative goodness blooms anew, amid the variety and wonder of life.
Presider 2: Please extend your hands in blessing.
All: We invoke Your Spirit upon the gifts of this Eucharistic table, bread of the grain and wine of the grape, that they may become gifts of wisdom, light and truth which remind us of our call to be the body of Christ to the world.
On the night before he faced his own death and for the sake of living fully, 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 within them, he bent down and washed their feet.
All lift their plate and pray the following:
When he returned to his place at the table, he lifted the Passover bread, spoke the blessing, broke the bread and offered it to them saying:
Take and eat; this is my very self.
All lift their cup and pray the following:
He then raised high 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.
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.
Please share the bread and wine with the words, You are a Child of Humanity.
In faith and hope we are sustained; in grace and dignity reclaimed. In praise, we thank you.
In union with all peoples living and dead, we unite our thoughts and prayers, asking wisdom and courage: - to discern more wisely your call to us in the circumstances of our daily lives; - to act justly and courageously in confronting the pain and suffering that desecrates the Earth and its peoples; - to take risks in being creative and proactive on behalf of the poor and marginalized; - and to love all people with generosity of heart, beyond the labels of race, creed and color.
And may we ever be aware and alert to the new things Your Spirit makes possible in us, as our world unfolds amid pain and beauty, into the fullness of life to which all are called, participating in the wise and wonderful work of co-creation.
Like Jesus, we will open up wide all that has been closed about us, and we will live compassionate lives, for it is through living as Jesus lived, that we awaken to your Spirit within, moving us to glorify you, O Holy One, at this time and all ways. Amen.
Presider 1: Let us pray the prayer Jesus:
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 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
(Miriam Therese Winter)
BLESSING
Presider: Let us pray together our blessing:
May we continue to hold the Divine in our lives and to strive for Soul Awareness and Ascent. May we continue our lifelong learning to be all that we can be and to humbly be Children of Humanity. May we be a blessing in our time.AMEN.
