Advent is about waiting and waiting is not easy. There is much to wait for now in life: human development, love, peace in the church and in the world. And most of us do not wait well for what we want or what we are meant to be. We get impatient or we get depressed. We question or we doubt. We argue or we alienate.
And now, we all wait, not for the coming of Christ, God took care of that- but for the coming of the Gospel which we are delaying in the name of God.
What is there about waiting that is redemptive. The chosen people taught us how to wait and why. They waited for years and decades and centuries through captivity and the destruction of the temple and the Roman occupation. And they never gave up.
Now women must wait through the captivity of their full humanity by the church. Now nations must wait through the mad planning for the destruction of the planet by government sick with power and paranoid with fear. Now the poor and uneducated and middle-class unemployed must wait through occupation by the militaristic mind-set for the return of social programs and high ideals for all.
While we wait we can learn and grow and become stronger than ever in our convictions. We can be conscientious and creative. And no matter who wants to suppress us or silence us we can be signs of hope that never, never go away. We never give up.
Prayers of Blessing and concerns:
May we be aware of the many blessings we receive every moment of everyday.
We pray for all those who feel less than during this season of abundance.
We pray for all families who are separated.
We pray for all those suffering from Covid, and we pray for all caregivers who tend to their many needs.
Please add your own intentions this night……
Closing Prayer:Blessed are you Mary who taught us to say yes to the Holy One. You taught us to wait with love. The Holy One has done great things for all of us.
Kathie: Welcome: As we celebrate this last Sunday in Advent we hear the Gospel story of Mary and Elizabeth. Two strong sacred women.They may have had fears and doubts of what was to come but they were together. Our opening song is called Sacred Women, but I promise you the song includes our Sacred Men as well.
Let us pray:Holy One, we know you are with us in all things. And yet, at times we are filled with fears and doubts.As we celebrate today may we rest contentedly in your Love and in the amazing experience of our loving community.Amen.
Let us light our Advent Candle!
Katie: 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.
(Mary S lights the 4th candle)
As we light this fourth candle and remember that we are called to create, share and be light in all our ways of relating to all of Creation and commit ourselves to work for peace and justice in our world.
Phillis S:A Reading from Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston, Choctaw
“Something sacred is coming this way.That is how my ancestors would have said it. In the midst of all this turmoil and confusion, when we cannot clearly see the path before us, when we feel trapped in a situation we cannot control, then I believe the wise elders of my holy heritage would climb to the high place of the heart, draw the circle of reason and faith around them, and stand to sing their prayers into the open sky of the history to come.
They would not shrink into a corner afraid, but rise up to catch the first light of what was coming into being all around them.
We are living in a time of emergence.
We are the witnesses to a great renewal.
The world is full of the fear of birth and change, but that transformation will one day be our blessing.
Do not be afraid, but be believing.
Come to the place where the ancestors are already standing. Come and see.
Something sacred is coming this way."
These are the words of Steven Charleston a disciple of the Holy One and the community affirms them by saying AMEN
Alleluia Dennis
Christina C:A Reading from the Gospel of Luke.(1:39-45, 56)
Mary set out and hurried to the hill country to a town of Judah, where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!But why am I so favored, that the mother of the Messiah should come to me?The moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leaped for joy.Blessed is she who believed that what our God said to her would be accomplished!Mary said: “My soul proclaims your greatness, O God, and my spirit rejoices in you, my Savior. For you have looked with favor upon your lowly servant, and from this day forward all generations will call me blessed.For you, the Almighty have done great things for me., and holy is his name. Your mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear you.You have shown strength with your arm; you have scattered the proud in their conceit; you have deposed the mighty from their thrones and raised the lowly to high places.You have filled the hungry with good things, and have sent the rich away empty. You have come to the aid of Israel your servant, mindful of your mercy—the promise you made to our ancestors—to Sarah and Abraham and their descendants forever.” Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then returned home.
These are the inspired word of Luke, a disciple of Jesus. The community affirms them by saying AMEN!
(Pause)
Shared Homily
In the first reading, the line, “The world is full of the fear of birth and change” grabbed my attention. We are definitely living in an era where constant change is happening all around us and within us, so our fears and pain are very real. Many catalysts for this fear include the unpredictability of new covid-19 variants or the unpredictability of school shootings. We fear the political polarization in our country and divisiveness. For some of us, the inability to keep up with the changes in technology or trying to protect ourselves from internet and phone scams keeps us in a state of fear.
In our gospel today, we see Mary also facing fears of massive change about to happen in her life during a very tumultuous time in history. As a remedy for her fears, she reaches out to Elizabeth maybe because she knew that Elizabeth was also about to experience the same things she was going through, their first pregnancy. Once they were together, scripture revealed a much different picture. Elizabeth began rejoicing, and Mary started singing the song we know as “The Magnificat.” Apart, they may have been fearful, but together their fear turned into joy and hope.
What we see today is that fear and even pain are natural during times of birthing great change, but God has already provided us with the built-in remedy of human connection that we need to actively seek out. Some of us have access to friends and family or even spiritual directors to help us temper our fears. Reverend Steven pointed out in our first reading that we also have access to our ancestors who have gone before us. All of these people (living in this life or in the next) are temples for The Divine Comforter that can provide us the human connection we need to turn our fear into joy as we wait for something sacred to come.
What did you hear in these readings? What will you do? How will they change you?
Mary B 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
Katie: 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…..”
Kathie: General intentions. We pray for these our blessings, cares, and concerns and bring them to our table of friendship and love. Amen.
Katie: 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:
We thank you for those in times past who believed the good news, and lived what they believed.
Kathie: 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 the body of Christ in the world.
Katie: 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, this is my very self.
(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)
Katie: Let us share this bread and cup to proclaim and live the gospel of justice and peace with the words:The Holy One dwells in you.
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.
Bernie K: 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
Katie: Please extend your hands and pray our blessing together.
May we continue to be the face of God to each other. May we call each other to extravagant generosity! May our light shine for all to see, and may we be a blessing in our time!
Theme: Year of St. Joseph, Patron of Immigrants, etc.
Introduction: This year has been named the year of Joseph by Pope Francis ( actually the year ended on December 8th) He is the patron saint of immigrants, travelers and working people as well as others. The Holy Family was a Middle Eastern immigrant family looking for a place to stay. They were told there was no room for them. Then, Matthew tells us that after the birth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph fled with the newborn baby to Egypt, as refugees fleeing from violence.
Opening Song: A Safe Place to Land by Sara Bareilles
May no one experience that sense of abandonment that comes from loneliness. Let each of us be reconciled with our own history, with those who have gone before, and recognize even in the mistakes made a way through which Providence has paved its path, and that evil did not have the last word.Show yourself to be a friend to those who struggle the most, and as you supported Mary and Jesus in difficult times, support us too on our journey. Amen.
From prayer to St. Joseph by Pope Francis
Intentions:
Let us pray for those who are seeking a safe and enriching place to live and flourish.
May we love all our immigrant neighbors in our towns and across artificial barriers that nations have imposed.
May we perform acts of hope and assistance for the weakest and most vulnerable.
May we bear witness and celebrate the many gifts that immigrants bring.
May we have compassion for their plight and open our hearts to their situation.
May we seek justice and mercy on their behalf.
May we make immigration assistance an action resolution in the new year.
Closing Prayer:
Loving God, you fill all things with a fullness and hope that we can never comprehend. Thank you for leading us into a time where more of reality is being unveiled for us all to see. We pray that you will take away our natural temptation for cynicism, denial, fear and despair. Help us have the courage to awaken to greater truth, greater humility, and greater care for one another. May we place our hope in what matters and what lasts, trusting in your eternal presence and love. Listen to our hearts’ longings for the healing of our suffering world. Richard Rohr
Ending Prayer:
St. Joseph stands as an example of resolute trust and a great intercessor for immigrants. He conveys the same message carried to him by an angel: Do not be afraid (Matthew 1:20). Having made such a perilous journey himself, St. Joseph shows us that God will walk with each of us too, wherever our journey takes us. (or their journey takes them)
Mary Theresa: Today is Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday in Advent, when we are encouraged to rejoice!! Our theme is “We are called to extravagant generosity.” May we find great joy as we share our blessings and giftedness with those who most need them.
Deven: 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.
Joan lights candle as Deven prays:
We light this third candle and remember that in the heart of every person on this earth, and in all of creation there burns the spark of luminous goodness – the presence of the Divine.
Pause to light the candle.
Deven: And so we respond:
All: Let us kindle the light of joy!
Deven: Indeed, let us welcome the light within each other!
Opening Song: We Are Bethlehem by Alana Levandoski
Brothers and sisters: Rejoice always in the Holy One! Again, I say: Rejoice! Your kindness is known to all. The Holy One is with you. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and with thanksgiving, make your requests known. For the peace of the Holy One that surpasses all understanding guards your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
These are the inspired words of St. Paul and we affirm them by saying, Amen.
Second Reading: Jean Talbot: A reading from The Soul of Money by Lynne Twist
Collaboration and reciprocity are natural, and yet in the world we inhabit, competition and the fear of scarcity often block us from seeing these ways of being with one another. In a you-or-me world, reciprocity and collaboration don’t fit. A you-and-me world is full of collaborators, partners, sharing, and reciprocity. In that world, our resources are not only enough; they are infinite. When we bring the practice of collaboration and reciprocity into conscious view in everyday life, a kind of alchemy and prosperity await discovery all around us.
Connections forged in a mind-set of scarcity—acting on the belief that there’s not enough, more is better, or that’s just the way it is—no matter how strong they may seem in the moment, are inherently self-limiting. Grounded in a lie, they only undermine our chances for long-term survival and sustainability. The kinds of connections that truly protect and preserve us are those that emerge from the context of sufficiency and the sharing, diversity, reciprocity, and partnership found there. We find sufficiency and sustainable prosperity when we think of our resources as a flow that is meant to be shared, when we put our full attention on making a difference with what we have, and when we partner with others in ways that expand and deepen that experience.
These are the inspired words of Lynne Twist and we affirm them by saying: Amen.
Alleluia: Bridget Ball Shaw: _____________
Gospel: Dave DeBonis: A Reading from the Gospel of Luke
The crowds asked John the Baptist, “What should we do?” He said to them in reply, “Whoever has two coats should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He answered them, “Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.” Soldiers also asked him, “And what is it that we should do?” He told them, “Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages.”
Now the people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Messiah. John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
These are the inspired words of the Gospel writer known as Luke and we affirm them by saying, Amen.
(Pause)
Homily Starter: Deven
Today’s gospel got me pondering about John, the son of Elizabeth. Who is this John? Some of us may be able to relate to Elizabeth, John’s mother, who had her first born late in her life. She was probably wondering if she would ever have children. I think of my first-born son and how much of an old soul he seemed to be right from the beginning. We can imagine John the same for Elizabeth. There is something different about children born to an older woman joyful to have this child. Perhaps we can see John growing up with Elizabeth and learning of the peaceful ways of her more mature life and pouring out to him her ethical will or legacy memoir. John follows his soul into the desert and draws to him people who see his wisdom passed on from Elizabeth. John sets the stage for the Beatitudes in this gospel that Jesus would later proclaim. It is not surprising that Jesus was drawn to his wise older cousin John as some of our own nephews may be drawn to our older wiser sons. But John admonishes the crowds for even seeking him for some sort of repentance and when asked what they should do, he puts it bluntly. Go share what you have, don’t horde it. Not only materials things but justice, kindness, and peace. John tells the people that he is not the be all and end all of their salvation and someone is coming greater than him that will inspire their hearts and soul with passion. And so here we see it today in the first reading.
Lynne Twist is another voice crying out in the desert to not fear scarcity but to put your faith in collaboration and reciprocity and certainty of abundance. Lynne Twist sees that sustainability and sufficiency is a flow of our resources not the hoarding of them. She talks about the natural inclinations of creation for collaboration and reciprocity. John must have learned about this through his survival in the wilderness and saw how nature existed in a mutual reciprocity. I am always amazed that resources continually come to us and we try to move them on to where they are needed. Our community had direct experience with this the past week when Bridget and I were given long lists of Christmas wishes for two adopt-a families. We each had 7 little elves to try to fulfill those needs. To say we were worried that we would not be able to get everything and leave someone hungry for more would be accurate. Remember Jesus and the seven fishes and loaves? Well, our story turned out like those seven fishes and loaves. The 7 elves turned into a multitude and we are probably looking at more left over once we tally all the responses. I think that grace knows where to flow so that the flow will continue. I pray to be open every day, to be a conduit for this flow and not a beaver damning it up. So where did these readings take you? What voice from the wilderness do you hear? Where will it take 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.
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
Mary Theresa: 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…..”
Mary Theresa: We pray for these and all unspoken intentions. Amen.
Deven: With open hearts and hands let us pray our Eucharistic prayer as one voice:
(written by Jay Murnane)
Deven: 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:
Mary Theresa: 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.
Joan: 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.
Deven: Please extend your hands in blessing.
Deven: We are grateful for your Spirit at our Eucharistic Table and 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.
All lift their plates and pray the following:
Mary Theresa: 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, this is my very self.
(pause)
All lift their cups and pray the following:
Joan: 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)
Joan: Let us share the bread of life and the cup of blessing as we proclaim and live the gospel of justice and peace.
Please receive communion with the words: You are anointed: Be the Light of Christ.
Mary Theresa: 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.
Deven: 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
Joan: Please extend your hands and pray our blessing together.
May we continue to be the face of God to each other. May we call each other to extravagant generosity! May our light shine for all to see, and may we be a blessing in our time!
All: AMEN
Closing Song: Love Large by Earth Mama – video by Deven Horne and Mary Theresa Streck https://youtu.be/-eY8ChWMoJg
