phone-in for (audio only).Phone Number: (646) 558-865
Welcome: Welcome to our liturgy today! We’re so happy to see your shining faces as we gather.
Opening Prayer: Holy One, help us to see clearly, even when it is painful. Most especially help us to live in compassion for those whose abilities are so different from our own. AMEN
Opening Song: Eyes of the World by the Grateful Dead
https://youtu.be/hGjsYLlTxQ4?si=WWebx9CgY4DJjc-y
Right outside this lazy summer home
You ain't got time to call your soul a critic, no
Right outside the lazy gate of winter's summer home
Wonderin' where the nut-thatch winters
Wings a mile long just carried the bird away
Chorus: Wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world
The heart has its beaches, its homeland and thoughts of its own
Wake now, discover that you are the song that the mornin' brings
But the heart has its seasons, its evenin's and songs of its own
There comes a redeemer, and he slowly too fades away
There follow his wagon behind him and that's loaded with clay
And the seeds that were silent all burst into bloom and decay
And night comes so quiet, it's close on the heels of the day
Chorus
Sometimes we live, no particular way but our own
Sometimes we visit your country and live in your home
Sometimes we ride on your horses, sometimes we walk alone
Sometimes the songs that we hear are just songs of our own
Chorus
LITURGY OF THE WORD
Readings:
A Reading from the First Letter of John 2:7-10
Beloved, I am writing no new commandment to you but an old commandment, one you have had from the beginning. This ancient commandment is the word that you have heard. Yet I do write a new command to you since you are experiencing it anew. This word of love, the commandment to love one another, holds true in the Christ, and among you. Chaos is yielding to new insight through which you will see and understand differently.
Whoever says they know and understand this commandment, and yet hates another, remains ignorant, blind to its meaning. Whoever chooses to love gains full understanding. Nothing will cause that person to stumble or fall.
These are the inspired words of an Early Church Pastor. We affirm them by saying AMEN.
Gospel Acclamation: Spirit of the Living God by Michael Crawford-video by MTStreck https://youtu.be/xoJN0owUoWA
Gospel:
A Reading from the Gospel attributed to John 9:1-3, 5-17, 24-41
As Jesus walked along, he saw someone who had been blind from birth. The disciples asked Jesus, “Rabbi, was it this person’s sin that caused the blindness or that of the parents?” “Neither,” Jesus answered. “It wasn't because of anyone’s sin - not this person’s nor the parents’. It was so God’s works might be made visible through this child of God… While I am here, I am the Light of the World. That is, I must make God visible in the world.”
With that, Jesus spat on the ground, made mud with his saliva and smeared it on the eyes of the one born blind. Then Jesus said, "Go. Wash in the pool of Siloam”, which means “sent”. So, the person went off to wash and returned, able to see.
Neighbors, and those who had gotten used to seeing the blind beggar, began to ask, “Isn't this the one who used to sit and beg?” Some said “yes.” Others said “no”, that the one who had been healed only looked like the beggar. But the one whose vision had been restored said, “Yes. I am the one who was blind and a beggar.” Then the people asked, “Then how were your eyes opened?”
“The one they call Jesus made mud and smeared it on my eyes, and told me to go to Siloam and wash. When I went and washed, I was able to see.”
“Where is Jesus?” they asked. The healed person replied, “I don’t know.” Then they took the one who had been born blind to the Pharisees. It was on the Sabbath that Jesus made the healing mud paste for the one born blind. The Pharisees asked how the person came to see. The person again answered, “Jesus put mud on my eyes. I washed it off. Now I can see.” This prompted some Pharisees to say, “This Jesus is not from God because he doesn't keep the Sabbath.” Others argued, “But how could a sinner perform signs like these?”
They were sharply divided.
They asked again, “What do you have to say about Jesus? After all, he opened your eyes!” The one born blind said, “Jesus is a prophet”.
…A second time the Pharisees summoned the one born blind and said, “Give glory to God for this deed, not that Jesus who is a sinner”. The one born blind said, “I don't know whether Jesus is a sinner or not. I only know that I was blind and now I see”. They persisted, “Exactly what happened? How were your eyes opened?”
“I already told you, but you won't listen to me. Why do you want to hear it all over again? Do you want to become disciples of Jesus too?”
They retorted scornfully, “You’re the one who is Jesus’ disciple. We’re Moses’ disciples. We know God spoke to Moses, but we have no idea where this Jesus comes from.” The one born blind retorted in turn, “That is what is so amazing! You are blind to where Jesus is from even though he opened my eyes! You say that God does not listen to sinners. You say God listens to those who are devout and who do the desire of God’s heart. It is unheard of that anyone ever gave sight to a person blind from birth. If Jesus were not from God, he could never have done such a thing!” “What!” they exclaimed. “You are steeped in sin, and have been from birth, and you're teaching us?!” With that they threw out the accused.
When Jesus heard of the expulsion, he sought out the one whose sight had been restored and asked, “Do you believe in the Chosen One?” “Who is the Chosen One that I may believe?” Jesus replied, “The one you see before you; the Chosen One is speaking with you now.” The healed one said, “Yes, I believe,” and praised Jesus. Jesus said, “I came into this world to bring justice, so that those who are blind might see, and those who do see become blind”.
Some Pharisees who were nearby heard this and said, “You're not calling us blind, are you?” To which Jesus replied, “If you were blind, there would be no sin in that. But since you say, ‘We see’, your sin remains.”
These are the inspired words of the anonymous storyteller we call John. We affirm them by saying AMEN.
Homily Starter: “Rabbi, was it this person’s sin that caused the blindness or that of the parents?” “Neither,” Jesus answered. “It wasn't because of anyone’s sin - not this person’s nor the parents’. It was so God’s works might be made visible through this child of God…” This brief exchange gets directly to the heart of this long gospel reading. First, there’s the ugly suggestion that disability and illness are caused by sin. Quintessential blame the victim. Or the victim’s parents. I’d like to think that kind of thinking ended in Jesus’ time. But then someone pops up saying that a child’s autism was caused by their mother taking a certain medication during pregnancy and boom, two thousand years later, we’re back to blaming the parents.
This breaks my heart for many reasons, most especially because my beloved nephew, my godson Craig, has Level 3 autism and I see how my sister suffers from hearing things like this. I also see how Craig suffers in a world that can’t bear to look at, can’t bear to see, those who are different, those who are disabled, and so pretends that people like him don’t exist. There are so many kinds of blindness besides the physical kind. This is another reason my heart breaks, because these people aren’t seeing how “God’s works might be made visible through this child of God,” that is, through Craig and all the others like him.
Today I ask you all to continue to be the eyes of the world, to see God’s works in all those around you, especially those who are different. May we all live the commandment of our first reading and experience the healing power of loving one another.
And now my friends I ask you, what did you hear? What will you do? What, if anything, will it cost you? We would love to hear your insights on today’s readings.
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.
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
Prayers for the community
As we prepare for this sacred meal, we are aware of our call to serve, and just as Jesus is anointed, so is each of us. We bring to this table our prayers for the community beginning 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.
Please join in praying the Eucharistic prayer together.
Blessed are you, Holy One, source of everything that has ever existed. Through your goodness you set this universe in motion. Through ages and eons, you have called your creation to become, and we are becoming.
You called our brother Jesus into the wilderness of the desert, and there you revealed to him his own path of becoming, and he called his friends to follow.
During this season of Lent, let us enter into the wilderness of our own lives. Let us rest there with open eyes and hearts, as you reveal to each of us the path that we are called to.
In great joy and gratitude, we join with friends living now and with those living in eternity. Together we celebrate the continuing evolution of our becoming, as we sing:
Holy, Holy: Holy, Holy, Holy by Peter Mayer - video by Denise Hackert-Stoner
We thank you for Jesus, who in word and action reminded us of who we are, and who we are called to be.
Through his compassion for the least among us he showed us what love looks like.
Please extend your hands in blessing.
The bread and wine on this table have been blessed by air, water, and soil to become the gifts before us today. We bless them together once more, and gratefully receive them, for they come from you, Holy One.
On the night before he died, Jesus gathered for supper with the people closest to him. Like a household servant, he washed their feet, so that they would remember him.
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.
(pause)
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)
What we have heard with our ears, we will live with our lives. As we share communion, we become Communion both love’s nourishment and love’s challenge.
Please receive Communion with the words We Are Glorious!
Communion Meditation/Song: This Is Me from The Greatest Showman
https://youtu.be/CjxugyZCfuw?si=rpBzkzVAGv3WfRGt
Prayer after communion:
Holy One, like Jesus, we are willing to enter the wilderness of our lives, opening ourselves to you and to the path of our own becoming. Like Jesus, we want to be the people you created us to be. We want to live compassionate lives, bringing hope to many, simply by being true to our best selves.
We open ourselves to your Spirit, especially during this holy season of Lent, and we call on that Spirit to fill us with your life and purpose, as we join with our brother Jesus in giving you unending gratitude. 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
BLESSING
Please raise your hands as we bless each other: May our eyes and ears be open to all creation. May we love extravagantly. And may we be a blessing in our time! AMEN
Closing Song: Gild the Lily by Billy Strings
https://youtu.be/xBkRCd2UCLI?si=QsYPQVw69D0w0r0T
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.