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Peace Prayer
Welcome, Theme and Opening Prayer
Today
is the 112th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which is usually
celebrated on the final Sunday of September. The theme this year is based on
Matthew 18. “Even just one of these children”… addressing the dangers that
minors face as they follow the migrant routes such as trafficking, family
separation, exploitation and lack of access to basic safety and development.
Any of us, as adults, understand and commiserate with this very real situation
in our world.
Whether
in the Upper Room in Albany, NY, online in our Zoom companion community or
listening and watching at a later time, we pray for the world. We open our
hearts and eyes to the plight of the migrant and refugee. May we find a way to
safeguard their futures, their lives, and their Creator-led presence in our
loving communities.
Opening
Song:
Bread on the table. By Alex Stone.
https://youtu.be/6mLdD6kD1nw?si=2GsjB2RlRBoGpWwd
LITURGY OF THE WORD
First
Reading:
WE ARE ALL CITIZENS OF A COUNTRY THAT DOES NOT YET EXIST.
A
just country, a compassionate country, a forgiving country, a multi-racial
country, a multi-religious country, a joyful country that cares about its
children and about its elders. That cares about itself and about the world.
That cares about what the Earth needs as well as what individual people need. I
am, you are, a citizen of a country that does not yet exist, and that badly
needs to exist.”
By
Vincent Harding, inspired by Langston Hughes, A bookmark from the
SyracuseCulturalWorkers.com site.
We
as the Upper Room Community, embrace this concept, and we affirm it with a
strong - AMEN.
Second
Reading:
From Paul’s letter to the Philippians (2: 1-5)
Brothers
and sisters if, then, in Christ any encouragement comes, if there is any
persuasive power in love, if there is any communion with the Spirit, if there
is any tenderness or pity, I entreat you to make my happiness complete—live
together animated by the same spirit and in mutual love, one in heart, animated
by one spirit.
Nothing
should be done in a factious spirit or from vanity, but each of you should with
all humility regard others as better than yourself,
and
one and all should consider, not only their own interests, but also the
interests of others.
Let
the spirit of Christ Jesus be yours also.
These
are words attributed to Paul’s letter to the Philippians, and we affirm them
with a resounding, AMEN.
Gospel
Acclamation:
Celtic Alleluia by Christopher Walker
https://youtu.be/o1rc7ojQtJU
Gospel: A reading according to Matthew,
(21: 28-32)
What
do you think of this? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the elder
and said, ‘Go and work in the vineyard today, my son.’ ‘I will not go,’ he
answered, but afterward thought better of it and went. Then the father went to
the second son, and said the same. ‘Certainly, sir,’ he answered, but did not
go. Which of the two sons did as his father wished?” “The first,” they said. “I
tell you,” added Jesus, “that tax collectors and prostitutes are going into the
realm of God before you. For when John came to you, walking in the path of
justice, you did not believe him, but tax gatherers and prostitutes did; and
yet you, though you saw this, even then did not think better of it, nor did you
believe him.
These are the words from the community of Matthew and we affirm them by saying Amen.
(New Testament readings from The New, New Testament, Hal Tausig et.al.)
Homily
Starter
We
have all had occasion to be around a people-pleaser, and maybe, we have been
one ourselves. 😊
The
people-pleaser seems to always say yes to any request, putting others in front
of their own needs and sometimes to the detriment of themselves. When I read
this week’s first reading, I imagined that Paul’s request to his friends and
Christian family in Phillipi, asking each of his followers to put themselves
second and defer to others, was probably a true foreign concept. In today’s
society, that concept is not encouraged. In some circles it is thought to be a
sign of unhealthy behavior and weakness. The martyr.
Paul
was asking his people in Phillipi to put others first from a prison cell.
Speaking from his lived experience and conversion to follow Jesus, he was
asking his sisters and brothers in Christ to live in the Spirit of Love.
Jesus
questions his contemporary teachers in their awareness and lived experience. He
always challenges everyone, leaders and his followers, and those who he
encountered on the road. He challenges us to be aware, live in service and
change when we realize that we have a new perspective. Will we be able to do
it?
Our
challenge on this World Day of Migrants and Refugees is to not only provide
support and service and take care of especially the most vulnerable. What about
having the vision to see what can be? Our first reading gives us the real dream
and intention. We can repeat this vision to ourselves over and over and begin
the road to making it happen. If we don’t have the dream of what can be and
what we want, we cannot get there.
Let
us continue our practice to put others first, keeping in mind healthy
boundaries, to change when we realize that we need to respond in a new way, to
dream of what can be, and to work towards that vision in community and love.
We
would love to hear your thoughts today. Please share. And thank you!
Presider: Let us together pray our
Statement of Faith
We believe in God,
who creates all things,
who embraces all things, who celebrates all things,
who is present in every part of the fabric of creation.
We believe in God
as the source of all life,
who baptizes this planet with living water.
We believe in Jesus Christ, seen in the
suffering one,
the poor one, the malnourished one, the climate refugee –
who loves and
cares for this world
and suffers with it.
And we believe in
Jesus Christ, the seed of life,
who came to reconcile and renew this world
and everything in it.
We believe in the
Holy Spirit, the breath of God,
who moves with God
and who moves among and with us today.
We believe in everlasting life in God.
And we believe in the hope that one day God will put an end to
death and all destructive forces.
(Lutheran Theological College, South India, adapted)
LITURGY OF THE
EUCHARIST
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…..”
Presider:
We pray for these and all unspoken intentions. Amen.
Eucharistic Prayer
Presider: With open hands and open hearts, let us pray
together:
All: Holy Mystery, before there were
mountains, before rivers carved valleys, before rain nourished forests, your
Spirit danced upon the waters. From your love emerged stars, oceans, whales,
birds, trees, and all living creatures—woven together in one sacred community.
Therefore, with rivers and rain, with salmon and herons, with clouds and
oceans, with saints and ancestors, and with all creation we sing:
Holy, Holy, Holy by Peter Mayer
https://youtu.be/A4kiEGVb3E8
Presider: Please extend your hands in
blessing.
All: Spirit of Living Water, Flow upon these gifts of bread and wine and
flow within us. May this bread become courage. May this wine become compassion.
May this meal strengthen us to become living water for a thirsty world.
We
thank you for our brother, Jesus, who as Living Water crossed boundaries,
welcomed strangers, restored dignity. washed dusty feet, stilled storms, and
taught us that abundant life belongs to everyone.
On
the night before he faced his own death and for the sake of living fully, Jesus
sat at the 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.
Presider: Please share Communion with
the words: I am / We are Living Water.
Communion
Song: By
the Stream by Christopher Grundy
https://youtu.be/bKL3RvAEc9w
Prayer After Communion
All: Loving Source of All, we remember today those without clean
water, those displaced by flood, those suffering drought, defending rivers,
protecting oceans, those whose voices have been silenced, and all who long for
peace. May our lives become Living Water and the answer to our prayers.
Like Jesus, in all openness, we will be filled with your Spirit
and renew the face of the earth.
For it is through learning to live as he lived,
And why he lived,
And for whom he lived,
That we awaken to your Spirit within,
Moving us to worship you truly,
O Holy One,
At this time and all time and in all ways.
And we say yes to You!
Prayer of Jesus
Presider: Let us pray
together the prayer of 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: Please join in praying our
blessing:
We
ask for guidance to help envision our future for the planet. Thank you for
being with us as we live your call to each of us. Bless this earth and all who
reside on it. Help us to remember the ones who are the most vulnerable, human
and others. In all things, we sing your praise. Amen.
Closing
Song: Canticle
of the Turning by Rory Cooney Video by Denise Hackert-Stoner
https://youtu.be/b-QR_OZB5ik
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