Katy Zatsick in alb and stole in the middle of MMOJ Sun City Community, Paddy Cooney on far right |
The meaning of word Rabbi, Rabboni *
The meaning in Hebrew is “My Great
One,” a title that took on the meaning “My master.” By 200 CE it had come to
mean a “master” as opposed to “slave” and a master or teacher of students. In the Christian testament “Rabbi” is used
only in direct address to Jesus, not a title. The Gospel of John uses the title
for teacher (1:38) Matthew implies that rabbis are teachers amongst the Jews
(23:7-8). The address “Rabboni” in John 20:16 is probably employed to express
familiarity and devotion. In the Gospel
of Luke only Judas Iscariot calls Jesus “rabbi”
The
role of the Jewish Priest, the role of priest in the Christian Testament *
During the period of the ancestors
(ca. 2000-1700 BCE) there was no official priesthood. During the Hellenistic period (ca. 333 BCE to
70 CE) the priesthood dominated the nation. Priests were specially designated
officials who served in the temple performing ritual function and conducting
the sacrificial services. As a
prestigious, elite class the priests were also expected to preserve the
holiness of the sanctuary and uniqueness of the people of Israel . The head of the temple, the
high priest, was de facto head of the government of Judea ….When
a person suffered a disease or physical sign of impurity, the purification
rites were performed by a priest.
After the rule of Herod the Great,
the Roman prefects who ruled in Judea (6-41,
44-66CE) appointed high priests, many of whom are said to have bought the
office. The chief priests of Jerusalem are presented
in all four Gospels as hostile to Jesus.
Acts 6:7 indicates that a great many of the priests in Jerusalem came to faith in Jesus. In time,
some Christians transferred the role of the priest as mediator between God and
humans onto Jesus, particularly the Letter to the Hebrews. Elsewhere, 1 Peter
and Revelation identify Christian believers as the true priests of God. (1
Peter 2:5,9; Rev 1:6; 5:10, 20:6) …See reading below.
Please answer
these dialog homily questions and requests for
prayers.
What
is your understanding of the ministry of a priest or spiritual leader?
What
is your experience of a person or persons who have filled this role in your
life?
What
is the role of priest in the USA in the 21st
century?
What
is the role of a RCWP in the USA in the 21st century?
Characteristics and qualities?
What
is the difference (s) between a RCWP and RCC liturgy? Or other church liturgy?
Or spiritual gathering. (Please write the differences down and Katy will
collect)
Mary
Mother of Jesus at Sun City
Center
February
5, 2015
Celebration
of the 5th Anniversary of Katy’s
Ordination
to the Roman Catholic Priesthood (Feb 6 2010)
“Rabbi,
Teacher, Priest”
All: In the name of
God who calls us to priesthood; our brother Jesus who is our Teacher, and Sofia
gifting us with priestly ministry. Amen
All: Opening Prayer:
God
of Faithfulness, enable us to give you thanks for the goodness to Katy, our
sister.
Today
she comes to rededicate the gift of priestly service which she first received
from you. Intensify within Katy your
sprit of perfect love, that she may devote herself more fervently to the
service of your presence within us and all of creation and the ministry of
evolution of the human spirit. We ask this through our Brother Jesus your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen. *
.
First Readings : Wisdom and writing of Spiritual Leaders
Leonardo Boff,
Franciscan Liberation Theologian: “Initially, even in the New Testament,”
ecclesiastical ministry” is not defined in function of the Eucharist, but in function
of the essential apostolicity of the community.
It is the preaching, admonition, upbuilding , solidification, and
direction of the community that is decisive.
Being a minister basically has to do with the direction of the
community. Titles are of scant
importance…. The community has the inalienable right to celebrate the Eucharist:
“Do this as a remembrance of me” It does so through and with its president, who
is president not simply because (she/he) has received (his/her) investiture
through ordination. On the contrary,
first (s/he) is called and designated by the community (Gr.: cheirotonia) this act is understood by the ancient church as
manifestation of the Spirit in the community. …We may therefore conclude that a
situation in which a community was unable to celebrate the Eucharist because
there was no bishop or presbyter present was unthinkable in the early
Church.”
(Boff reviewing Edward Schillebeeckx on the priesthood p 66).
“We
see God in Water, Sun, Air---everywhere” George Goodsriker, Kainai (Blackfoot)
Elder Canada” “How luxurious! God is
everywhere. How much more we could learn
about God if we were open to the knowledge that pours into us every minute!
What beauty there is in life---in the opportunity to interact with God in
everything we do. Such a life, indeed,
becomes a living prayer. When I see God
in water, sun, air everywhere, I live with reverence with everything around me
because I know that if I abuse or destroy any of God’s creation, I destroy my
relationship with God.”
These
too are the Word of God. All Thanks be to God.
(From Native Wisdom for White Minds, February 1)
Community Psalm Response
All: Jesus you are
blessing. May we be a blessing for the world.
Jesus
you were a blessing to the poor, the meek, the wounded, and to all who received
you.
All: Jesus you are
blessing. May we be a blessing for the world.
Help
us to be open to you and to know the meaning of your words for our time and
place. Turn our minds and our very world of thought around, that we may
creatively bring dignity and healing to our people and our planet.
All: Jesus you are
blessing. May we be a blessing for the world.
Give
us faith in the more that lies within and beyond what we can see and hear. Teach us to care for another as you have
cared for us, that like you, we may be a blessing for our world and praise to
God our creator now and forever.
All: Jesus you are
blessing. May we be a blessing for the world.
Second Readings (quoted in above
definitions)
Acts 6:7
The
word of God continued to spread, while at the same time the number of disciples
in Jerusalem
increased enormously, and a large number of priests became obedient to the
faith.
1 Peter 2:5, 9
And
you are living stones as well: you are being built as an edifice of spirit, to
become a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus
Christ. ..You, however, are a “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a consecrated
nation, a people set apart” to sing the praises of the One who called you out
of the darkness into the wonderful, divine light.”
Revelation 1:6; 5:10;
20:6
To
Christ---who loves us … and who has made us to be a kindom of priests to serve
our God and Creator---to Jesus Christ be glory and power forever and ever!
Amen.
You
made of (us) a kindom, priests to serve our God, and we will reign on the
earth.
Happy
and holy are those who share in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them. They will be priests of God and of Christ and
will reign with Christ for a 1000 years.
The
Word of God. All: Thanks be to God.
The Gospel according
to Matthew 23: 8-12
“But
as for you, avoid the title “Rabbi” for you have only one Teacher, and you are
all sisters and brothers. And don’t call anyone on earth your “Mother” or
“Father” You have only one Parent---our loving God in heaven. Avoid being called leaders. You have only one leader---the Messiah. The greatest among you will be the one who
serves the rest.” The Good News of Jesus our Brother. All:
Thanks be to Jesus our Brother and Savior.
Dialog homily
What
is your understanding of the ministry of a priest or spiritual leader?
What
is your experience of a person or persons who have filled this role in your
life?
What
is the role of priest in the USA
in the 21st century?
What
is the role of a RCWP in the USA
in the 21st century? Characteristics and qualities.?
What
is the difference (s) between a RCWP and RCC liturgy? Or other church liturgy?
Or spiritual gathering. (Please write
the differences down and Katy will collect)
Blessing of Katy on
her 5th Anniversary
All raise their hands
in blessing.
Each
person will have time to offer a prayer for Katy and all the priestly People of
God.
(Please
write these down and Katy will collect or send to Katy before Thursday)
Anointing of each
person as a priest of the People of God
Please
reflect on how you are a gift for the People of God, what is your ministry?
What
do you ask for your priestly ministry?
Prayers of the
community
Response:
All: As priests of God we call upon you, hear our prayer.
Offertory:
Blessed are you, God of all creation, through your
goodness we have this bread to offer which earth has given and human hands have
made. This bread is our faith community living a ministry of teaching
Love who is God. May we individually and
as a community be your priests and live your vision of justice, peace and healing
for all. This will become for us the
bread of life.
All:
Blessed be God forever.
Blessed are you, God of all creation. Through your
goodness we have this wine to offer, fruit of the vine and work of human
hands. This drink is our desire as priests to serve the People of God and
to bring your love and truth to all and your earth. This wine and juice will become our spiritual
drink.
All:
Blessed be God forever.
My sisters and brothers let us pray together that our
gifts may be acceptable to God our Creator.
All:
May God accept these gifts from our hands, for the praise and glory of God's
name, and for our priestly ministry with the People of God.
Co-Presider: Loving
God of Evolution and creation, we give you thanks for the blessing of worshiping
you as a community. Accept our gifts and
our worship. By offering ourselves may we be filled with your spirit of truth,
knowledge, and compassion every minute, every day for all people and the earth
itself. We ask this through Jesus
Christ, our brother.
All:
Amen.
Eucharistic
Prayer from Liturgy on Healing by Diarmuid O’Murchu.
Our
Father/mother: sung
Sign
of Peace…sung, Peace is flowing…Love is flowing…Alleluia,
alleluia…
The bread is broken.
All:
This is our Creator who is Compassion
and Love, who calls each of us to a ministry of teaching, healing and sharing our
Way who is Jesus. May we be who we
are--the Body of Christ. May we be what
we eat--the Body of Christ. Amen
Passing the bread “We are the Body of Christ.”
Passing the wine “We are the Blood of Christ”
Prayers
of thanksgiving and final thoughts
Blessing. Raise hands in mutual
blessing
All: God of love, on
this joyful anniversary celebration you have fed us the Body and Blood of Jesus
our brother, teacher, rabbi, priest.
Refreshed by this spiritual food and drink, may our sister Katy and the
People of God advance happily on that journey which began in you and leads to
you. Amen
Co-Presiders: Go in the peace of Christ, let our
priestly service begin!
All:
Thanks be to God.
No comments:
Post a Comment