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Welcome/Theme: In planning today’s liturgy, I was thinking about St. Clare of Assisi, who was a companion of St. Francis, starting the Poor Clare’s religious order to live out the message promulgated by Francis. I thought, we will end the Season of Creation with the Feast Day of St. Francis next week, so why not recognize and honor the work of St. Clare and the women who followed her. St. Clare is well known for her teaching that we, as Christians, are called to mirror the image of Jesus, the Christ, to the world. We will hear more about this in our first reading. In mirroring Jesus, we live out the mission and ministry he taught and lived, that of love and compassion for all of God’s creation.
Opening Prayer:
Creator God,
Let there be peace on earth
One world
Living in harmony
Caring for one another
Delighting in the wonders around us
Tending your creation
Let there be peace on earth
And yet….
Ours is a world at war
A world of enmity and hatred
A world of greed and destruction
A world of hunger and homelessness
God, forgive us
Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with you and me
Our words and actions
Our priorities and passions
Our love for our neighbors nearby and far away
Our care for land and air and sea
God, help us
Let there be peace on earth
The peace that was meant to be
A world of justice and joy
A world of fairness and respect
A world of kindness and compassion
A world of plenty for all
God, for this we pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Rt Rev Rosie Frew, General Assembly Moderator, Church of Scotland
Opening Song: A Prayer for the Earth by Pope Francis, music by
Hazzan Steve Klaper & Br. Al Mascia, OFM
https://youtu.be/VJz0ZuxxMI0?si=4ywsrEBRSl2Yl-O2
LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading: A reading on St. Clare of Assisi from the work of Fr. Murray Bodo OFM 1
Always it is the Poor Christ whom Clare is determined to gaze upon, consider and contemplate, because He is the image of God, the Mirror we are to contemplate.
This image of the mirror is central to Saint Clare’s spirituality. As Francis was the mirror of Christ and Christ of the Father, so the life of the contemplative is to look into the mirror that is Christ and see there oneself, thereby learning who you are. By looking into the mirror who is Christ and recognizing yourself, you become a mirror of Him whom you contemplate, and you in turn mirror, through Christ to the Father, all the creation. You see yourself both in a mirror and as a mirror.
Saint Clare writes to her sisters: For the Lord Himself has not only placed us as example and mirror for others, but also for our own sisters whom the Lord has called to our way of life, so that they in their turn will be mirror and example to those living in the world.
The wisdom of St. Clare of Assisi as told by Fr. Murray Bodo, OFM which we affirm with, Amen.
Second Reading: A reading from the writings of Hildegard of Bingen
God’s Soul is the wind rustling plants and leaves,
the dew dancing on the grass,
the rainy breezes making everything to grow.
Just like this, the kindness of a person flows, touching
those dragging burdens of longing.
We should be a breeze helping the homeless,
dew comforting those who are depressed,
the cool, misty air refreshing the exhausted,
and with God’s teaching we have got to feed the hungry:
This is how we share God’s soul.
The wisdom of Hildegard of Bingen which we affirm with, Amen.
Gospel Acclamation: Celtic Alleluia by Christopher Walker
Gospel: A reading from the Book of Hebrews from the First Nation Bible
(Hb 2:5-8)
The Great Spirit did not put the world that is coming, which we will now speak about, under the guidance of spirit-messengers. Instead, somewhere in our Sacred Teachings it has been said, “O Great Spirit, why do you think so much of humanity? Why do you watch over human beings so carefully? For a short time you made them a little lower than the spirit-messengers. You placed a headdress of honor on their heads and made them the caretakers over all things.”
When Creator gave human beings the sacred calling of being the caretakers over all things, he left nothing that was not under their care. But we still do not see all things under the care of humankind.
We hear these words of inspiration in the First Nation style and affirm them with Amen.
Shared Homily:
Today’s scripture reading from the First Nation Bible’s interpretation of the reading from Hebrews reminds us that God chose the human race, not the angels, to care for all creation. “When Creator gave human beings the sacred calling of being the caretakers over all things, he left nothing that was not under their care. But we still do not see all things under the care of humankind.”
This last sentence calls us to task and why we celebrate the Season of Creation. Yes, we want to recognize the beauty of creation, but as this year’s theme, Peace with Creation, reminds us, along with that sentence from Hebrews, we are not entirely at peace with creation, whether that be the environment, animals, or other human beings.
Our second reading from Hildegard of Bingen reminds us in the language of creation that we are meant to help the homeless, depressed, exhausted, and hungry. And certainly in our world today it is so desperately needed. So, how do we go about this?
This brings us to Saint Clare, who, according to Br. Cuthal Duddy, a Franciscan in Ireland, invites ‘us’ to gaze upon all that lives around ‘us’, seeing that ‘we’ are in a vital relationship with the trees, with human beings and with all other creatures, and that this relationship is a mutual giving and receiving, and provides for the necessities of life. All participate together in the gift of life, allowing each creature to be authentic, to be seen and to be accepted in its uniqueness2
In order to do this Clare shares that when looking into a mirror, we not only see our image but looking more deeply, more contemplatively, we see our inner being, where the Divine Image resides, if we wish, the Soul. It is this deep recognition that allows us to look on the world with the eyes of Christ, who, like him, are called to promote peace and love for all we encounter.
Timothy Shriver interviewed Fr. Thomas Keating, who re-introduced the Centering Prayer practice and came away with this insight “If there is one thing our country needs right now, it is what Father Keating tried to teach: a disposition of the heart that leads us to love and respect one another. And even more, we need the calm and presence and silence that will help us reduce the toxicity in our public discourse and become present to the gentleness and goodness within each of us… But no matter what identity we carry, we can each start to make the change our country needs by making ourselves into agents of transformation and healing from the inside out. The wholeness we hunger to see in our country we must first welcome into ourselves.”
We do this by looking at the mirror, deeply and contemplatively, connecting to Christ consciousness, and by then seeing in ourselves and others the divine image to be shared with all creation.
I chose the table cloth on our table purposely because its many flowers and leaves of different colors creates more beauty than just one color. It brings a beautiful richness to our table. And so it is with us. The beauty of this gathering is the variety of people making up the Upper Room. It is the richness that is so often expressed as to why many of us return week after week, our shared homily, the voices of many sharing their insights on the readings of the week. We might think of it as looking into the readings more deeply, and finding there not just our thoughts and insights, but those that come from a deeper connection, a connection to that divine presence within us. And from there we leave revitalized to go out and reflect the message of Jesus to those we encounter during the week. In our Eucharistic Prayer today, Jay Murnane says it so well, “as his companions, students, troubadours and truth-tellers, breathing with your own spirit, we are able to mirror your own glory, O Holy One, as we live every day.” Let us look beyond our own image in the mirror of life, and gaze deeply into the looking glass, seeing the image we were made in and were meant to mirror, that of the Divine. May each of us, like Clare and her sisters, “be mirror and example to those living in the world”.
What did you see and hear in your reflection on the readings? How might you be “mirror and example” in your life?
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 this table our blessings, cares and concerns. Please feel free to voice your concerns beginning with the words “I bring to the table….”
We pray for these, and all the unspoken blessings, cares, and concerns held in the silence of our hearts. AMEN
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
Gratitude (written by Jay Murnane)
O Holy One, we are amazed by the world around us, and we respond with deep thanks.
We are blessed by the lights of the heavens: the sun and moon, planets and comets and stars; we are blessed by the darkness which keeps us from being blinded by the light and eases us into contemplation and rootedness.
We are blessed by the generous oceans, and the cliffs and shores which embrace them and allow us to be touched, and to touch. We are blessed by streams and lakes and rivers, by snow and rain.
We are blessed by mountains, which teach us of solitude; where we can feel the power of the softest wind.
We are blessed by all the harmonies of creation, which charge our souls with hope.
We are blessed by the children whose open arms and imaginations teach us enthusiasm and delight at living in the now.
We are blessed by friends who share with us the dark and the light, the tears and the laughter – our companions on the journey.
We are filled with appreciation for all these blessings, as we become aware that all is oneness and oneness is all. And so we sing:
Holy, Holy: Here in this Place by Christopher Grundy
Because of the pain in our hearts and the immensity of the world’s pain, we often walk this good earth without appreciation and awareness.
We are blessed by all those who have asked us to look around, open up, breathe deeply and really see. We appreciate our elders in the family of life – whale and wolf and sunflower and wheat – who simply live with joy and abandon.
We celebrate the troubadours and the truth-tellers who have gone before us, and who are with us now. We celebrate Jesus, who lived fully in love to show us how to live, and who died only for the sake of integrity and life.
On the night before he died, he sat at a table with friends and relived with them his work, his teaching and wisdom of the universe. Then he went among them as servant, washing their feet, touching their hearts.
When he returned to his place, he took bread, gave thanks, broke the bread, and offered it to them saying:
Take and eat, the bread of life for all who hunger for peace and justice.
lift the cup as community prays the following
After the meal, he then raised the cup of blessing poured in a spirit of solidarity and empowerment, spoke the grace, and offered them the Cup saying:
Take and drink the Cup of Compassion for a broken and fragile world.
Whenever you remember me like this, I am among you.
All: What we have heard with our ears, we will live with our lives; as
We share communion, we will become communion, both Loves nourishment
And Love’s challenge.
Please receive the bread and cup with the words, I am a reflection of the Divine.
Communion Meditation: Look At The World by John Rutter
https://youtu.be/T4k8oVf9v78?si=DXBhxYJpmnngDKEm
Post-Communion Prayer
As we are joined with all of creation, so are we are joined with Jesus in life and ministry, death and resurrection.
We are joined with him in standing with the broken and wounded of the earth, with hands open and ready to serve, creativity turned to healing, resolution and reconciliation.
We journey towards greater and fuller openness and awareness, a living sense of gratitude. Always opening up to the amazing energies of your creative spirit, we enter into life as Jesus did,
As his companions, students, troubadours and truth-tellers, breathing with your own spirit, we are able to mirror your own glory, O Holy One, as we live every day. Amen.
Presider: Let us pray the Prayer Jesus
Holy One beyond all names
Eternal Wellspring
May love rise again in us today
With food for every table
Shelter for every family
And reverence for every life
Forgie us our failings in love
And free us from all falseness
That the light of our souls may shine
And the strength of our spirits endure
For Earth and all its people
This day, tonight and forever.
Amen. (from John Philip Newell)
BLESSING
Please extend your hands and pray our blessing:
Holy Adventure, whose Spirit breathes through all life and enlivens the cells of our bodies and the birds of the air, open us to your life in all things. Help us to experience the deep cries of creation. Help us to feel the pain of vanishing species, of dying forests, of melting ice caps, of threatened generations of unborn creatures. Help us to be your partner in healing the earth, in restoring life where we have been agents of destruction, of giving hope to generations beyond us who will dwell, both human and nonhuman alike, on this good earth. Amen
Closing Song: Keepers of the Earth by Centuple Resource Centre & SEFAAI3
https://youtu.be/OyeXIO8s1UU?si=91C0YPK97NY4uQs7
References
- 1. Source: Murray Bodo OFM, THE WAY OF ST. FRANCIS – The Challenge of Franciscan Spirituality for Everyone, Cincinnati, OH: St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1995, pages 29-31.
- 2. Adapted language by Dennis
- 3. Keepers of the Earth - Composed and written by Olajumoke Adamolekun
