Upper Room Liturgy, July 8 and July 9, 2023 - Presiders: Saturday: Kathleen Ryan, Sunday: Kathleen Ryan and Mary Theresa Streck

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82512159155 
phone-in for (audio only) Phone Number: (646) 558-8656
Meeting ID: 825 1215 9155

Welcome (Kathie/Mary Theresa): Today’s readings are about the both/and of life.  We have the good and not so good, the calm and the chaos, rough roads, and the smooth paths. We walk the ups and downs of life together and the Holy One is always here with us.

Opening Prayer (Kathie/Mary Theresa): Somedays our world is in turmoil, somedays our inner being is in turmoil, yet each week we gather to strengthen one another in Your love and presence.  Amen

Invocation by Christopher Grundy

https://youtu.be/A95UbOPVQKc

LITURGY OF THE WORD

 

First Reading: A Reading from Joan Chittister, Bounty, Beauty and Abundance.

Life is not meant to be a burden. Life is not a problem to be solved. It is a blessing to be celebrated.

Every dimension of life, its gains and its losses, is reason for celebration because each of them brings us closer to wisdom and fullness of understanding.

Loss and loneliness, darkness and depression all sear the soul and cleanse it of its sense of self-sufficiency. Suffering directs it to the God of life.

But so do bounty and beauty and abundance. These give us a foretaste of wholeness. These are the palpable manifestations of the goodness of God in our lives. All of these things come unbidden. They are not signs of either our sin or our sinlessness. They are simply signs that the God of life is a living, loving God.

Learning to celebrate joy is one of the great practices of the spiritual life. It confirms our trust in God. It affirms the greatness of creation. It seals our dependence on God. It attests to the beauty of the present and asserts our confidence in the beauty of the future. It recognizes the mercy and love of God.

When we celebrate the good things in life, we trace them to the Creator who gives without merit, openhandedly, out of the very goodness of community, love, and support that are by nature at the base of the human condition.

We affirm these words by saying “AMEN.”

Second Reading:  A reading from the Poet Mystic Rumi

This being human is a guest house.  Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!

Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still treat each guest honorably. They may be clearing you out for some new delight. The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.

We affirm these words by saying “Amen.”

Celtic Alleluia by Christopher Walker

https://youtu.be/o1rc7ojQtJU 

Gospel: A reading from the Gospel of Matthew  (MT 11:29-30)

Come to me, all you who labor and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon your shoulders and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart. Here you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

These words are attributed to Matthew, a disciple of Jesus, and we affirm them by saying AMEN

Shared Homily (Kathie/Mary Theresa)

When Jesus was speaking, he used words and stories that made sense to his listeners.  In today’s gospel we hear the words “take my yoke upon you”.  His followers understood very well the purposes of a yoke.   They knew Roman soldiers used the symbol of a yoke, an arch of three spears, under which a defeated army was made to march. Jesus’ followers were under the yoke of Rome.  They also knew the practicality of a yoke. Yokes were placed across shoulders to carry buckets of water, or other necessities. Yokes were used to couple oxen together to help plow the fields. Yokes were made very carefully to fit well, so the yoke did not rub.  

 When life is particularly difficult, we may take comfort in this phrase,” my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Perhaps the familiar phrase, “God will not give us more than we can carry” came from an understanding of this gospel verse.

 Here is the catch.  God does not pass out yokes, even if they are perfectly made to fit each individual. The God we have come to know does not give us burdens.  Yet in reality we are all carrying burdens.  There are almost as many types of burdens as there are individuals.  Some carry burdens because they have a different skin color, or love differently, or pray differently. Sometimes we create our own burdens and yokes.  We carry hurts, judgements, shame, guilt, and insecurities. Self-imposed yokes interfere with our ability to live fully and love abundantly.  

Joan Chittister reminds us that life is not a burden or a problem to be solved, but a blessing to be celebrated. I think Rumi would totally agree with Joan, but he also reminds us that every part of life, the joy, and the sorrow, is a blessing and both must be welcomed and entertained. 

Jesus lived in ordinary and extraordinary times. He modeled a balanced life of beauty and abundance while balancing work with prayer and rest.  

How do you live a balanced blessed life? What did you hear?

 

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.

 

Intentions 

 

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 unspoken prayers and blessings. Amen.

 

Pause.

 

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER OF BELONGING

Kathie/Mary Theresa: We are a priestly people. We are anointed. With open hands let us pray our Eucharistic prayer as one voice:

All: O Nurturing, Mothering One, You are always with us. We are grateful for Your constant loving and unconditional presence. At times we forget that You are holding us, attending to us. We fall and You pick us up. You send strangers, friends and family to our aid. We are never without Your Light and Spirit.

 

We experience great joy and we experience great pain and suffering. You are with us in the joy and the pain and suffering. When we experience Your presence we long to sing our hymn of praise: 

 

Holy, Holy, Holy: Here in this Place –by Christopher Grundy

https://youtu.be/cVWY9ourooI

All: Creator and Lover of all beings, we cannot grow in the darkness of this world without Your Light. Our desire to be in Your light is a gift from You. Help us keep our hearts and minds open to You through our love and care for each other and all creation

Kathie/Mary Theresa: Please extend your hands in blessing

 

All: This bread and wine is a sign of Your nourishment and a sign of Your great love. Your Spirit is upon us and we belong to You and one another.

 

We thank you for Jesus, simple servant, lifting up the lowly, revealing you as God-With-Us, revealing us as one with you, and all creation.

 

On the night before he died, Jesus gathered for supper with the people closest to him. Like the least of household servants, he washed their feet. Once again he showed us how to love one another.

 

(All lift the bread)

 

All: Back at the table, he took the bread, spoke the grace, broke the bread and offered it to them saying, Take and eat, go and share my love with one another.

 

(All lift the cup) 

 

ALL: Then he took the cup of blessing, spoke the grace, and offered it to them saying:

Take and drink of the covenant

Made new again through my life in you.

Whenever you remember me like this,

I am among you.

 

Bread and wine are transformed by Your Spirit and we are transformed when we open ourselves to Your Spirit. Every time we share this bread and wine we choose to be transformed. We choose to love as You love us.

 

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. 

 

Please receive the bread and cup with the words: I am blessed with abundance.

 

Communion Song:  Blessings by Hollow Cove

https://youtu.be/KY7rwjFmNfs 

Sunlight fell and reminded me that life can be so gracious sometimes
And I felt like everything around me was connected somehow
Mm

At night I hear the rhythm of the ocean as it breaks on the shore
And I think about all the things that I am grateful for

And they say, hold on to the ones you love
Keep 'em close to you
And they say, hold on to this time we have
And let the light shine through

Sometimes I get a little bit emotional when I see love unfold
Two hearts bound by reflections of the memories they'll forever hold

And they say, hold on to the ones you love
Keep 'em close to you
And they say, hold on to this time we have
And let the light shine through

There are blessings all around you
Open up your eyes
Feel the sunlight fall upon you
Let it free your mind
There are blessings all around you
Take a step outside
Let your heart shine in a new light
See it come alive

And they say, hold on to the ones you love
Keep 'em close to you
And they say, hold on to this time we have
And let the light shine through

Communion prayer:

Loving Source of our being, you call us to live the Gospel of peace and justice. We live justly, we love tenderly, we walk with integrity in Your Presence Amen.

 

Let us pray together the prayer of Jesus:

 

ALL:  O Holy One, who is within, around, and among us, we celebrate your many names. Your wisdom comes. 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.

The Prayer of Jesus as interpreted by Miriam Therese Winter

 

BLESSING

 

Kathie/Mary Theresa: Please extend your hands and pray our blessing together.

ALL:  May we travel together and do our part to bring justice into the world. Where there is justice there is peace. May our gathering ignite us to love more fully.  And like Jesus may we be a shining light and a blessing for all.  Amen.

Closing Song:  Celebration - Playing For Change | Song Around The World

https://youtu.be/8Lu41LulQos 

 

Moment of Oneness - July 5, 2023

Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81507551772
Meeting ID: 815 0755 1772
To connect by phone dial: +1 646 558 8656

JOY

Reading 1: Joy is the human’s noblest act by Matthew Fox

That “joy is the human’s noblest act” might amaze us. Really? Is Joy our noblest act? Why not fighting for justice or dying for a noble cause? Aquinas reminds us that even justice exists for the sake of joy—a just world is a balanced world and is therefore conducive to joy for the many, not just the few. Justice is not an end in itself, but joy is. To remain in joy through hardship and loss, disappointment and struggle, is no small thing. It demands a deep spiritual life. A depth of soul. Working for justice in order to share the joy, renders joy more available to more people. 

Furthermore, joy is part of compassion. As Eckhart, faithful disciple of Aquinas that he was, put it: “What happens to another whether it be a joy or a sorrow happens to me.” Eckhart is defining what compassion is—it is, on the one hand, a celebration of our common joy; on the other hand, however, it is an acknowledgment of our common suffering as we fight the good fight for healing and justice (so that joy can return). As we have seen, it is the playing out of our interdependence. 

Both Eckhart and Aquinas say that “God is compassion.” It follows that to become compassionate is godlike, as Jesus noted: “Be you compassionate as your Creator in heaven is compassionate” (Luke 6:36). Thus joy and compassion are indeed our noblest acts—our most godlike acts. 

Aquinas teaches that “love is the cause of joy,” and he offers proof: “Everyone takes joy in their beloved,” and “love and joy constitute the basis of all attraction—love is the origin and joy is the end result” (118, 433). Thus love and joy go together, so both love and joy constitute our noblest acts. Aquinas reminds us that “the only person who truly has joy is one who lives in love” (116). The consciousness of God is about love and joy, and the same is true of human consciousness. A call to love is a call to joy. And a call to joy is a call to love and sharing that love.

(Fox, Matthew. The Tao of Thomas Aquinas:     Fierce Wisdom for Hard Times)

Pause for Reflection

Music Reflection: Come, Be In Our Hearts – Sara Thomsen

https://youtu.be/gwxldz6oH2w 

Reading 2: The Significance of Oneself cannot be measured by the fame and glory of this world or the material things we have, but by the Love and Compassion you have shown to others everyday of your life without the fame or glory or thanks just in the name of love, and maybe all the little things we do for one another is the most significant thing you and I might do in our lifetime. 

 (Mi Sun, author & philosopher)

Prayer of Gratitude

With gratitude I remember the people, animals, plants, insects, creatures of the sky and sea, air and water, fire and earth, all whose joyful exertion blesses my life every day.

With gratitude I remember the care and labor of a thousand generations of elders and ancestors who came before me.

I offer my gratitude for the safety and well-being I have been given.

I offer my gratitude for the blessing of this earth I have been given.

I offer my gratitude for the measure of health I have been given.

I offer my gratitude for the family and friends I have been given.

I offer my gratitude for the community I have been given.

I offer my gratitude for the teachings and lessons I have been given.

I offer my gratitude for the life I have been given.

Please offer any expression of gratitude that you have this day.  

Just as we are grateful for our blessings, so we can be grateful for the blessings of others.    (from the Grateful Living Files)

Closing Prayer: Dear God, help me to find joy in my own heart. Help me fell the joy that is around me. Help me be a messenger of joy in my family. Help me become a beacon of joy in the lives of others. Amen.  (Maria Shriver)

Closing Song: Joy in Our Hearts by Karen Drucker

https://youtu.be/QRBSdrI1MBI  

Upper Room Sunday Liturgy, July 2, 2023 - Presiders: Kim Panaro and Donna Panaro

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82512159155 
phone-in for (audio only) Phone Number: (646) 558-8656
Meeting ID: 825 1215 9155

We Hold These Truths

Kim: Welcome and Theme 

Good morning and welcome to the Upper Room. On this weekend when United State citizens celebrate Independence, we will explore the theme of beliefs. In order to form a country, a faith or a movement of any kind, those involved must first be formed by a common set of values and beliefs that inform the path forward.  It is helpful and good to regularly remind ourselves of the values and commitments to which we commit our life journey. We being today with singing a prayer that reflects our value of leaning into Love for the sake of ourselves and the world. 

Opening Prayer/Song : Leaning In: A Prayer Intention by Christopher Grundy

https://youtu.be/rot5M9Kirhc  

LITURGY OF THE WORD

  

First Reading: A reading from the Letter to the Romans (Rom 6:3-4, 8-11)

Brothers and sisters:

Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus

were baptized into his death?

We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death,

so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead

by the glory of the Father,

we too might live in newness of life.

If, then, we have died with Christ,

we believe that we shall also live with him.

We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more;

death no longer has power over him.

As to his death, he died to sin once and for all;

as to his life, he lives for God.

Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as dead to sin

and living for God in Christ Jesus.

These are the inspired words from the Letter to the Romans and we affirm them by saying, Amen. 

Second Reading: A reading from Pastor Dawn Hutchings

But for the sake of LOVE, not only do I hope the church does not survive, I believe that the church should not survive.  Believing, as I do, that the DIVINE MYSTERY which we call “GOD” is LOVE, I am convinced that whatever our concept of church is, surely church ought to be the embodiment of that LOVE. Or, at the very least, church ought to be about the work of empowering its members to embody LOVE in the world. Sadly, much of what passes for church fails to either embody LOVE or to engender LOVE in the world. So, because the church has at the very least inspired hope in me, I hope that the church does not survive. My hope for the church’s demise is buttressed by my faith in resurrection which encourages me to imagine what new kind of church might rise up out of the death throes of ‘the Church’.

These are the inspired words of Pastor Dawn Hutchings and we affirm them by saying, Amen.

                                                                           

Celtic Alleluia by Christopher Walker & Fintan O’Carroll

https://youtu.be/4cs8NDVM3Vk     

Gospel: A reading from the anonymous Gospel writer known as Matthew 

(Mt 10:37-42)

Jesus said to his apostles:

"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,

and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross

and follow after me is not worthy of me.

Whoever finds his life will lose it,

and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

"Whoever receives you receives me,

and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.

Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet

will receive a prophet's reward,

and whoever receives a righteous man

because he is a righteous man

will receive a righteous man's reward.

And whoever gives only a cup of cold water

to one of these little ones to drink

because the little one is a disciple—

amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward."

Shared Homily

Today we have several documents that have the same essential purpose, which is to inspire the listener to move beyond the comfort of familiar ideas, beliefs , traditions and identities and embrace a larger, if riskier, possibilities. 

In the US, we celebrate the 4th of July celebration this week. This is when we remember the Declaration of Independence that was drafted by some of our founders. In the preamble we hear the now familiar phrase   “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness.”  On this 13th Sunday in Ordinary time, we hear from Paul in his letter to the Christian community in Rome and from the gospel writer known as Matthew. We also hear from Pastor Dawn Hutchings, a dear friend of ARCWP as she reflects on her thoughts in a recent post following her retirement as a Lutheran minister. 

The Founders statement of belief forms the inspiration for the American Revolution they were about to incite. In order to convince the colonists that it would be worth dying in a war with Britain, they had to appeal to the values they would be upholding. Although we know that “all men” did not include anyone except wealthy, white, men, it was logical in its historic time. They were asking people to be willing to give up their identity as British citizens, the security of a common history and  way of life, lose their family and friends living in Britain, and risk their lives for something new and untested. Pastor Dawn provides wonderfully rich language to explain why it would be important to let the Church metaphorically die so that something new and better can spring forth from the ashes. Unless the Church embodies Love and empowers Love in its’ members, it must die, that is transform and be resurrected. We are a resurrection people. This is a frightening concept for many because it can be frightening to relinquish familiar and comforting beliefs, customs and traditions in favor of a renewed Church. Any question should be answered by remembering the pain of Vatican 2 for so many who could only see loss and fear. 

In Matthew’s gospel, as in  Pastor Dawn’s writing, the core message is LOVE. Matthew’s Jesus teaches that the way to salvation is to love God and to love others. Period. So in the gospel today, the focus is on action in the form of service to others, not belief in Jesus. In other words, the Chrisian message is on doing good rather than right Christological belief. The point is made that the way to embody love of God and others is to realize that doing good to anyone is doing good to Jesus. That is the cross. That is the risk. The cross is more than risking death, it is the lifelong commitment to the cross of service, expanding the boundaries of tribal and religious rules. It is radical Love that in its own time separated families and resulted in persecution for those to step into a new way of living for God . Finally, this is emphasized by Paul in his letter. He believed that the act of baptism created a mystical union with the death of Jesus. The death in the water is followed by the resurrection into a new way of living . Salvation hinged on accepting this life/death/resurrected life belief about the Christian message. Again we see a prophet imploring the listener to risk everything to embrace a new paradigm. A path with great costs both then and today. 

So, what truths do we hold to be self-evident?  When we renew our baptismal promises every Easter, we declare fidelity to this call. It is a call to live without clinging to family, friends, familiar social and religious practices, comfort and easy answers. The way of the cross carries many risks, many potential dangers and losses. Yet, we are also people of the Resurrection and we know that God is Love, Love is the only way forward, Love is the ideal, the path, the goal and the reward. 

What did you hear in our readings or theme?

Statement of Faith (All)

 

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. 

 

Kim:  As we prepare for the sacred meal, we voice our intentions beginning with the words, “We bring to the table…..”  

We pray for our blessings, cares, and concerns and all unspoken intentions. Amen.  

Liturgy of the Eucharist

Kim: Please join in praying the Eucharistic prayer together:  

 

All: O Holy One, you have birthed us in goodness, gifted us with life and cherished us in love. In the heart of our being, your Spirit dwells; a Spirit of courage and vision, a Spirit of wisdom and truth. 
 

In the power of that same Spirit, we lift our hearts in prayer, invoking anew the gift of wisdom and enlightenment, that we may continue to praise and thank you, in union with all who sing the ancient hymn of praise: 

Holy, Holy: Here In This Place by Christopher Grundy

https://youtu.be/sgkWXOSGmOQ 

ALL: Holy One, we see around us the work of your hands, the fruit of your wisdom and love. The unfolding story of creation witnesses unceasingly to your creative power.  We, your creatures, often deviate from that wisdom, thus hindering your creative presence in our midst. 
 
Sending among us Jesus, our brother, you birth afresh in our world the power of Sophia-Wisdom, and in the gift of Your Spirit, your creative goodness blooms anew, amid the variety and wonder of life. 
 

Kim: Please extend your hands in blessing.  

 
All: We invoke Your Spirit upon the gifts of this Eucharistic table, bread of the grain and wine of the grape, that they may become gifts of wisdom, light and truth which remind us of our call to be the body of Christ to the world. 

On the night before he faced his own death and for the sake of living fully, Jesus sat at the Seder 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.

(consume bread and wine)

Communion Meditation: There Is Only Love by Karen Drucker

https://youtu.be/MLRcGBAIccQ 

All: In faith and hope we are sustained; in grace and dignity reclaimed. In praise, we thank you. 
 
In union with all peoples living and dead, we unite our thoughts and prayers, asking wisdom and courage: 
- to discern more wisely your call to us in the circumstances of our daily lives; 
- to act justly and courageously in confronting the pain and suffering that desecrates the Earth and its peoples; 
- to take risks in being creative and proactive on behalf of the poor and marginalized; 
- and to love all people with generosity of heart, beyond the labels of race, creed and color. 
 
And may we ever be aware and alert to the new things Your Spirit makes possible in us, as our world unfolds amid pain and beauty, into the fullness of life to which all are called, participating in the wise and wonderful work of co-creation. 
 

Like Jesus, we will open up wide all that has been closed about us, and we will live compassionate lives, for it is through living as Jesus lived, that we awaken to your Spirit within, moving us to glorify you, O Holy One, at this time and all ways. 

Amen.  

 

Kim: Let us pray the prayer 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

Kim: With raised hands, let us bless one another. 

May we go forth inspired by Love, filled with Love, and with gratitude for Love. May we share this gift in thought, word and deed through seeking opportunities to be active in building the kindom. May we live a life rooted in peace, justice and love for all creation. May we be a blessing in our time. 

Closing Song: America the Beautiful by Jesse Palidofsky

https://youtu.be/IiydluD0PyM