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
2nd Sunday of Advent ~ Sunday of Peace
Peace Prayer
Suzanne: Welcome and Theme:
We welcome all who are with us today, both in the room and joining us virtually. The Second Sunday of Advent, traditionally associated with Peace, represents the second of the four weekly themes: Hope, Peace, Joy and Love.
Peace represents the next step after hope: once hope is awakened, we prepare our hearts by seeking peace—both inner peace and peace among people.
The second candle—often called the “Bethlehem Candle” or “Candle of Peace”—symbolizes Mary and Joseph’s journey and the anticipation of the peace our brother Jesus brings.
Dave: Opening Prayer:
As we gather here today, we ask for the courage and guidance to open our hearts to a reaffirmed relationship with Jesus and a renewed mission to bring true peace to ourselves and our brothers and sisters.
Advent Candle Lighting Blessing Prayer
Like our ancestors, we honor the cycles and the seasons that remind us of the ever-changing flow of life. Ritual acts give life meaning—they honor and acknowledge the unseen web of Life that connects us all.
Community Member: lights candle as another member of community prays:
We light this second candle and remember our ancestors who feared death, evil and the darkness of winter. We, too, in our day fear the darkness of war, discrimination, xenophobia and selfishness that threaten to isolate us and consign our planet to an eternal winter.
Dave: Indeed, let us welcome the light within each other!
Opening Song: Give a Little Hope written and performed by Scott Petito and Leslie Ritter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVxpKPxMx3c&list=RDnVxpKPxMx3c&start_radio=1
LITURGY OF THE WORD
Reading 1: A reading from the works of Jack Manno
Blessings for Peacemakers
May all who would make peace align their words
and actions with the welfare of the People, yes, all
the people, human people, animal people,
plant people.
May Peacemakers give thanks for all those they love
and all those they have yet to learn how to love…
and all those who love them and all who have yet to
learn how to love those who seek peace.
May Peacemakers get good attention and frequent
hugs, when needed and wanted.
May we listen to each other’s stories until they are
almost fully understood.
May we develop systems of checks and balances
so that no one ever believes that he or she is better
than or less than another at being a
real human being.
May we console each other regularly, paying
attention to the fact that the more we learn to love,
the more that grief and tears are always at the
surface and always sacred.
So May It Be
These are the inspired words written by Jack Manno, from his book Blessings for Times Like These, and the community affirms them by saying Amen.
Reading 2: Rebirth of the Heart by Christine Evangelou
Through heartbreak,
A heart breaks open,
Spilling out all feelings
Because it can no longer lock anything in,
And through this openness,
A heart can gain depth, understanding, compassion,
And forge an entirely new strength, a new peace
Reinforced,
To love with a greater fury,
To heal with a bigger love,
To give when all seems lost,
And to feel so explicitly,
So powerfully
Regenerating a life,
Enhancing a soul,
And inspiring the spirit of human existence
In every heartbeat,
And every breath,
A profound restart,
The rebirth of the heart.
These are the inspired words of, Christine Evangelou, from her collection of 8 New Poems to Inspire Hope and Inner Peace and the community affirms them by saying “Amen”
Gospel Acclamation:
Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord, written by Stephen Schwartz from Godspell and sung by Dennis McDonald
Gospel: Matthew 3: 1-6
John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea
and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"
It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said:
A voice of one crying out in the desert,
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
John wore clothing made of camel's hair
and had a leather belt around his waist.
His food was locusts and wild honey.
At that time Jerusalem, all Judea,
and the whole region around the Jordan
were going out to him
and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River
as they acknowledged their sins.
These are the inspired words of the gospel writer known as Matthew and the community affirms them by saying “Amen”
Homily and Shared Reflections
The theme for the second Sunday of advent is “peace” and I know that the topic of peace has been on our minds lately considering the state of the world and our own personal, deep concern about the state of our country and the world. So, with apologies to John the Baptist, my thoughts today are mostly about peace.
Beth Quick, in her commentary asks if all the talk by Jesus followers during advent about peaceful holy nights suggests that we are either naïve or maybe even foolish. She wonders how year after year we can talk about the coming of peace when so many are so afraid, either by actual war or, the more subtle but still real dangers so many of us perceive every day.
What does the word “peace” mean when used in scripture? Lisa Dean defines it by stating that true peace is only found in you or me when Jesus is found in you or me. Beth Quick notes that along with prayer and studying the Word, we gain this peace when we live like Jesus. Quick writes: “We are called to be disciples who walk in the ways of peace, not hide ourselves away, or protect ourselves from all harm.”
Of course, we all know that there are times when we need to be alone; Jesus needed this so he could continue with his work. But as Quick notes, one of Jesus’ greatest gifts was that he tuned into others deeply, listening to them, hearing their pain and struggles, opening his heart.
The second reading by Christine Evangelou talks about heart break and I know that many of us here in the Upper Room have experienced this as we work to meet the food, clothing, and shelter needs of so many of our burdened brothers and sisters. Evangelou reminds us that allowing our hearts to break might be one of the surest ways to find this inner peace.
Rev. Jan Richardson writes that we are called to be willing to “let the world enter us, let it break our hearts” and rather than turning away “find those places where we can engage, can create, can offer what is uniquely ours-those places where we can learn to sing among the brokenness in celebration of all that goes deeper still.” It is in this realness that we are filled with true peace and can love and heal with a renewed intensity. It is, as Evangelou notes, a rebirth of the heart.
One final thought about peace. Joerg Rieger, in his article Never Settling for False Peace, reminds us that if scripture references to peace are interpreted as a call to always being kind, accommodating, and positive, conflict may be repressed but never truly addressed. He reminds us that we are not called to acquiesce to callousness and injustice and acting peacefully is no substitute for fighting those people and systems that prevent peace for our brothers and sisters. We are not called to create harmony with the powerful when the price for doing so is paid by the powerless. And we are not called to worry about offending some groups when we remind them that we are all equal in the eyes of the Divine. True peace addresses societal divisions and takes sides.
As progressive Christians we can see that true peace is not possible without social justice, as well as a reaffirmed personal relationship with the Divine. Just as John the Baptist prepared others for the coming of Jesus, we prepare by recognizing the suffering in the world and taking action to create a more just and peaceful one. Let us approach the remainder of this advent season knowing that it is our open broken hearts that guide our efforts to bring peace to ourselves and those we serve, grounded always in our brother, Jesus.
Sources
-https://lisadean.com/how-to-understand-biblical-peace/
-https://www.religionandjustice,org/blog/2019/3/21/never-settling-for-false-peace
-Jan Richardson (2021). Those who sow in tears will reap with cries of joy. In Thirsty and You Gave Me Drink. Ed: Rev. Deacon Jim Knipper.
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.
Suzanne: Prayers of the Community
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…”
We pray for these our blessings, cares, and concerns and bring them to our table of friendship and love. Amen.
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
Dave: With open hearts and hands let us pray our Eucharistic prayer as one voice:
(written by Jay Murnane)
All: Source of All That Is, we seek you in this season, when the earth is resting and preparing for new life. Like the earth, we long for new life and hopeful beginnings. This is the time of the pregnant woman, filled with life and hope powerful enough to topple structures of oppression. This is the time of her song of fidelity and celebration.
During this gentle season of Advent, we recognize that you have made us capable of bringing forth justice, like a rising sun. One with all who have gone before us, we sing a song of praise:
Holy, Holy, Holy: Music by John Bacchus Dykes, Words by Peter Mayer video by Denise Hackert-Stoner
We thank you for those in times past who believed the good news, and lived what they believed.
Blessed is Isaiah and every visionary who insisted on a better future that would break through the deception, disaster and broken promises of the age in which they lived.
Blessed is John, in the stark desert of careful focus, inviting the people to be born again in your love.
Blessed is Miriam, who believed the words of Isaiah and opened herself up to the unbelievable.
And blessed is her child Jesus, who felt the sorrows of humankind in his soul, and responded with deep and tender compassion.
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 peacemakers in the world.
All.: 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.
All lift their plates and pray 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, the bread of life for all who hunger for justice and peace. (pause)
All lift their cups and pray 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)
Suzanne: Let us share this bread and cup to proclaim and live the gospel of justice and peace.
Please receive the bread and cup with the words: “You reflect the heart of Jesus”
Communion Meditation/Song: Deep Peace by Ashana
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=300CZZINqCE&t=21s
Prayer after Communion:
Holy One, 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,
and worship you with our lives,
All: Amen.
Dave: Let us pray:
Our Mother who art within us, each breath brings us to you.
Thy wisdom come, Thy will be done,
As we honor your presence within us, You give us this day all that we need
Your bounty calls us to give and receive all that is loving and pleasurable
You are the courage that moves us to be true to ourselves
And we act with grace and power
We relax into your cycles of birth,
growth, death and renewal
Out of the womb, the darkness, the void comes new life
For you are the Mother of All things
Your body is the Sacred Earth and our bodies.
Your love nurtures us and unites us all.
Now and forever more.
Written by Dale Allen
BLESSING
Suzanne: Please extend your hands and pray our blessing together.
May each of us grow the peace that our broken hearts have sown. May we “learn to sing among the brokenness in celebration of all that goes deeper still. It is in this realness that we are filled with true peace and can love and heal with a renewed intensity.”
All: AMEN
Closing Song: The Great Peace March written and sung by Holly Near
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ3WycQhGsI
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.