Please join us between 9:30 and 9:55 am via Zoom
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phone-in for (audio only).Phone Number: (646) 558-8656
Meeting ID: 825 1215 9155
Welcome and Theme (Suzanne)
We are so happy you have all joined us here in
the room and from near and far on Zoom. Today’s Gospel reading is the story
often referred to as “Jesus feeds the 5000.”
Actually it is a miracle of collaboration. Jesus blesses the food and the skeptical
disciples distribute it to the crowd. It
is a story of sharing resources. The
abundance that results is not solely the result of Jesus's miracle but also the
result of the disciples' willingness to share what they have.
Today we will focus on faith
after confusion and how compassion and inclusivity can unfold as we shift our
lens from fear to faith.
Opening Prayer (Alice)
Jesus, our brother, you showed us hope
and compassion in the feeding of the crowd. The miracle of the
loaves and fishes demonstrates that even with limited resources, there is
enough to go around when shared and distributed with intention and care. The Holy One surrounds us with love in all
things and in all ways. May we open our
hearts to hope and compassion as Jesus taught us.
Opening
Song: Come Be in My Heart by Sara
Thomsen
https://youtu.be/1Wby-8AAspA?si=xKNYGL301o9GN11F
LITURGY OF THE WORD
Reading One: A reading from the writer known as Luke (Luke
9:11b-17)
But when the crowd found out, they followed him. Jesus welcomed
the crowd and spoke to them about the reign of God, and healed all who were in
need of healing. As sunset approached, the Twelve came and said to Jesus,
“Dismiss the crowd, so they can go into the surrounding villages and
countryside and find lodging and food, for this is a remote and isolated area.”
Jesus answered them, “Give them something to eat yourselves!”
The disciples replied, “We have nothing but five loaves and two fish. Or do you
want us to go and buy food for all these people?” There were about five
thousand gathered.
Jesus said to the disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of
fifty or so.” They did so and got them all seated. Then, taking the five loaves
and two fishes, Jesus raised his eyes to heaven, said a blessing over them,
broke them and gave them to the disciples for distribution to the crowd.
They all ate until they were satisfied and, when the leftovers
were collected, there were twelve baskets full.
These are the inspired words of the writer known as Luke and the Community
affirms them by saying “Amen.”
Gospel Acclamation: 9-fold Alleluia by Jan Phillips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC4nbwmQDVw
Reading Two:
A reading from “The Gift of Sacred Confusion” A Sufi
Poem
I
followed the path like a scholar,
counting beads, memorizing stars,
reciting names of God
as if they were steps
on a ladder to certainty.
But then—
the sky spilled inward.
My tongue fell silent.
Even the questions lost their shape.
I said: What is this emptiness?
A breeze replied: The space where God speaks.
I said: I am lost.
And something deep within me laughed -
not with scorn,
but with love.
O Seeker,
do not curse the fog.
It is the veil
the Beloved wears
before the kiss.
Confusion is not the end of the path—
it is the door.
And only those who kneel in not-knowing
are light enough
to be carried
into fire.
These
are the inspired words of an anonymous Sufi writer. The Community affirms them
by saying “Amen”.
(pause)
Homily and
Shared Reflections
When I began preparing for today’s liturgy, I read the
gospel and for the first time, I had this vision of the reaction on the faces
of the disciples when Jesus said ‘Give them something to eat yourselves.”
Without even planning to do so, my reaction was a genuine
experience of Ignatian Contemplation. I am no expert in Jesuit practices, but I
recently read Fr. James Martin’s tome: “Jesus, A Pilgrimage.” I appreciated his commitment to his life as a
Jesuit and it is still very much on my mind.
Ignatian Contemplation is the practice of placing yourself into the
Gospel scene; its purpose is to encounter Jesus personally.
So there I was amidst the followers on that hillside.
After Jesus challenged them to ‘Give them something to eat yourselves’, I
imagined the dropped jaws, astonished faces, and the confusion and grumbling
that certainly occurred. Perhaps a few eye rolls, scowls and even some ‘You’ve
got to be kidding?’ expressions were exchanged.
It’s easy to forget how human this moment is. The
disciples are tired, anxious, and practical. "We don’t have enough."
They think like we often do: there’s not enough time, not enough money, not
enough energy—not enough.
But Jesus doesn’t see scarcity. He sees possibility—in a young
boy’s small gift, in the crowd’s hidden generosity, and in God’s power to turn
little into plenty.
James Martin invites us to see this miracle not only as divine
multiplication, but as a miracle of participation. Maybe people opened their
bags and shared. Maybe love spreads faster than loaves. Either way, the miracle
is real: when we are moved by compassion, and act in faith, what seems
impossible becomes more than enough.[1]
Yet, as the story goes, the disciples listened, put aside
their confusion and stepped out in faith.
This resonates - who among us hasn’t been deeply confused about a
situation or a decision? We seek
guidance, from trusted family, friends, from spiritual mentors and guides. We yearn for clarity, but the future is often
foggy. Just as the disciples did not
know where this ‘You give them something to eat’ situation was going, they
still took action. It is possible to
move from confusion to faith, or better to walk through confusion with
faith. The Holy Mystery that surrounds
us in love and light, invites us to experience the abundance of blessings for
us and for those we encounter. Walk
through the fog and understand that the kin-dom of God is not about fear and
confusion, but rather about abundance and trust.
[1] (*A
compilation of thoughts from Fr. James Martin on the Feeding of the 5000.)
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.
Prayers of the Community
Alice: As we prepare for the
sacred meal we bring to this table our prayerful
intentions. Please feel free to voice your
concerns beginning with the words “I bring to the table….”
We pray for these and all unspoken prayers in our hearts. Amen.
LITURGY
OF THE EUCHARIST
Presiders stand at the
table
Suzanne: Let us pray our Eucharistic prayer with open hearts and hands:
All: Holy
One, our friendship table reminds us of the compassion of Jesus for all,
regardless of gender, class or role. The
disciples, including women, are invited to share their resources (even if
seemingly small, like 5 loaves and 2 fish) to meet the needs of the community.
This encounter between Jesus, his friends and the crowds, highlights the idea
that even limited resources, when shared and blessed by God, can be multiplied
to feed many.
Don’t doubt
God’s blessings that reside within your heart and are written on your soul. You
have an assignment to fulfill that was bestowed to you when you were born. Each
of you has a legacy of purpose to offer. Just as Jesus recognized and lived his
purpose so must each of us live with compassion and hope.
We
recognize Your loving Presence here with us today and always, and we sing:
Holy,
Holy:
Cello and Piano @Tenacity Music
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fmosHXYcZHY
All: Dearest Holy One, there are times when we feel scarcity and
emptiness even though we know You love us more than our human imagination can
grasp. May we have the presence of mind to live in Your love. We strive to see
You reflected in every person we meet. Guide us in sharing our gifts and in
being open hearted so that we may accept help from others.
Alice: Please extend your hands in
blessing.
All:
Mother God,
we bring to your table our gift of
bread.
This bread which comes from the rich
Moistness
and darkness of the earth,
which grew as wheat in the light of the
sun
and became bread in the work of our
hands.
This bread is a sign of hope for the
world.
It represents our hope that we will
share
the produce of the land and feed the
hungry.
May this bread nurture and strengthen us
in
our commitment to bring about a new
world
of justice in which no one will ever go
hungry.
Bless, O Mother of all life, our gift of bread.
All: We call upon your Spirit
that is present in us at this Eucharistic table. We are grateful for the bread
and wine that remind us of our call to be the light of Christ to the world.
On the night before he faced betrayal
and death, Jesus shared supper with his 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.
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.
Alice
lifts plate as the community prays the following:
(pause)
All:
Father God,
we bring to your table our gift of wine.
This wine comes from grapes grown on the vine
and finds its soul in time.
We receive this wine through your
goodness
and the work of human hands.
It will become our spiritual drink.
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 lifts the cup as
community prays the following:
Alice and Suzanne:
This is the bread of life and the cup of blessing. Through it we are nourished
and we nourish each other.
ll: 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.
Alice: Our Eucharistic celebration is all-inclusive. Nothing can
separate us from God’s love. All are welcome to receive at this friendship
table. Please pass the bread with the
words: “You embody hope and compassion.”
Communion Song:
“Lean on Me” written by Bill Withers (instrumental)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4I9ieOArVQ
All: Holy One, your
transforming grace inspires us to follow our consciences and bring comfort to wherever people are in need. We pray for wisdom, patience and persistence
to make a difference in our world. We resolve to love as Jesus loved, to
discern the better angels of our nature with hearts open to your Spirit. Amen.
Suzanne:
Let us pray as Jesus taught us:
All:
O, breathing Source of Life,
Your name shines everywhere!
Hollow out a space to plant your presence here.
Come, really come and guide us to that good place where your
vision is fulfilled.
May your delight be fulfilled in each life, as it is in the
shining realm of your full presence.
Illuminate the circle of life with the wisdom and nurturing we
need now, for body, mind and spirit. Empower us to stop crossing the boundaries
of others; allow us to let go of the tangled threads of others’ faults we
hold in our hands;
release the knots of sin in our lives.
Help us to be neither too outer nor too inner, lest we bear unripe
or rotten fruit.
For to you belongs the
enlightened vision, the empowering energy, and the song that brings all
together in harmony, from gathering to gathering. This is the ground of being
from which my actions will come. Amen
(Aramaic Prayer of Jesus: A
translation by Neil Douglas-Klotz)
Closing Prayer:
“Optimism can let us down; but hope
never does! These days our need for hope is great because we feel surrounded by
darkness, disoriented by evil and violence, and distressed for the plight of so
many of our brothers and sisters. We truly need hope! We must not let hope slip
away from us. God and his love walk alongside us. “I hope because God is with
me.” Each of us can say these words.
~
Pope Francis, from his book: A Gift of Joy and Hope
BLESSING
Alice:
Please extend your hands in blessing.
May the love we’ve shared
here
go with us into the world.
May we continue to feed the hungry,
lift the lowly,
and live with grateful hearts.
Go in peace, to love and serve. Amen.
Closing Song:
“God of Abundance” Kat Mills Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEktFF9yPrQ
________________
Footnotes:
1.
Written by Sibyl Dana Reynolds
2. Written by Edwina
Gateley
