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| Bridget Mary and Pat MacMillan: Co-Presiders |
Theme: Rising Up and Living with Integrity
Welcome
Presider
1: Welcome everyone! We affirm that we are holy and deserve
to be treated with the utmost respect in our relationships and work places. In
solidarity, we embrace all #METOO, who have survived sexual abuse and
harassment, as courageous reflections of the face of God, who show us how to
rise up and live with integrity.
We
all participate in our liturgy as celebrant, sharing in our homily, our
prayers, our blessings, and the sacred meal. Let us place ourselves
fully in this holy time…now…in St. Andrew’s Church…at a MMOJ liturgy. (pause) And
as we gather ourselves together in mind let us sing our opening song:
Gathering
Song: We are Holy by Karen Drucker ( I am holy. holy. Holy, you are holy, holy,
holy. We are holy, holy holy)
Presider 2: We gather joyfully and
begin in the name of the Holy One, Source of all Being, Eternal Word and Holy
Spirit, Amen.
Rite of Reconciliation
Presider 1: O Holy One, You love each
of us beyond all imagination.
ALL: We are wounded healers on a
journey to inner healing and wholeness.
Presider 2: We see Your holy face in every person we meet,
especially those who have survived violence, abuse and harassment..
ALL: We acknowledge Your Divine
Presence within all.
Presider 1: Jesus, our brother, stood
up for the abused and exploited.
ALL: We work to dismantle patriarchal
structures that dominate and denigrate women.
Presider 2: Your love sets us free,
heals and empowers us
ALL: We rejoice as we live the
Spirit’s call to grow and evolve in mutual respect and partnership.
Opening Prayer:
All: God of compassion, you love us into healing
and wholeness. We open ourselves to your Spirit working in us to support our
sisters and brothers who are confronting violence, abuse and harassment and all
unjust systems in our church and world. We hold them in your embrace. Amen.
Gloria
ALL: (Sung) Glory
to God, Glory, O praise and alleluia. Glory to God, glory, O praise
the name of our God. (3x)
LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading: Malachi 1:14b,2:3b,
8-10
Responsorial Psalm Response:: In
you, God, I have found my peace
Psalm 131:
Most gracious Presence, let me not
be arrogant,
nor boast of my virtuous deeds.
(Response)
Let me not seek fame
or set my heart on the riches of the
world.
(Response)
Help me to calm and quiet my soul,
Like a weaned child on its mother’s
breast.
(Response)
I shall be at peace in you,
O Breath of my Breath,
from this time forth and forevermore.
(Response) (Nan Merrill, Psalms
for Praying)
Second
Reading:1 Thessolonians 2:7b-9,13
Gospel
Acclamation: Celtic ALLELUIA! (sung)
Reader: A reading from the Gospel Matthew 23:1-12
HOMILY Starter: Pat MacMillan
“All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and
all who humble themselves will be exalted.”
HUMBLED
We’ve all experienced
humiliation. It’s usually a lesson we
learn early in life. The first time may
have been when you sassed Mom or Dad or told them you’re not going to do
something they asked you to do- and then your first “come to Jesus” moment. Mom or Dad’s demeanor changes and they come
and look you straight in the eye and say “ What did you say? “ Your voice quivers and your bravado melts
away and you repeated what you said and then those unforgettable words, “you’re
getting a little too big for your britches aren’t you!” You
remember that lessons don’t you? Even
adults have those “come to Jesus” experiences. A friend shared this story with me, he was working on a special project for the Dept of
Children and Families and with pride he shared the importance of the project
with a favorite aunt who listened intently and when he was finished looked at
him and said “that’s important work , don’t get too big for your
britches”. My friend said he was
stunned. WOW, where did that come from? He was
sharing something important to him with his favorite aunt and her response left
him bewildered. Maybe she heard
something or thought something that concerned her and wanted to remind her
nephew that the emphasis of the project wasn’t about him, but about the subject
he was evaluating. Whatever the reason
it’s a painful lesson never forgotten. Those
moments and that message stays with us throughout life, it makes us stop every
so often and evaluate our motives. What
is the old saying “Surgery isn’t designed to feel
good; it’s designed to heal you. “
Humiliation
comes in different forms. There’s the too” big for your britches” form and then
there is the “know your place” kind of humiliation - that’s very different. Let me share some stories:
· “I was a very young state legislator, and in
my 20s and I was single — and I was nervous about getting my first bill out of
committee,” she said. “So I cautiously approached the dais and went up to speak
to the very powerful speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives. And
I explained to him the bill I had, and did he have any advice for me on how I
could get it out of committee?” “And he looked at me, and he paused, and he
said, ‘Well, did you bring your knee pads?’ ”
Senator Claire McCaskill
· I was
shadowing a respected therapist at the county health department in an internship
for my master's program. Because he was attractive and charming and I was
overweight and insecure, I was flattered by his flirtatious texts asking to
"rendezvous."
We were in
his car after an assessment when he told me to undress.
"Anxious, scared, and
seemingly paralyzed, I did what he asked," she says. "People make it
seem very easy to just say no, or just don't give in, or don't respond. But it
can be very paralyzing when someone is in control of where your future may
go."
·
I was on a crowded tram at Disney, and
sat a row behind my family. This man kept his hand on my thigh the whole ride,
stroking the fine hair there. His friend looked on. I was 11 and scared to
confirm dates of that trip with my mom, because I never told anyone. Us too.
All of us. Allison Tolman
· Any girl who’s
ever used public transport in India - local buses/trains has been a victim of
sexual molestation & harassment. #MeToo Suchitra
· And I was
blamed for it.
I was told not to talk about it.
I was told that it wasn't that bad.
I was told to get over it.
Najwa Zebian
Author and Poet
In my lifetime, I’ve experienced sexual
discrimination on the job, have had inappropriate jokes said in front of me,
have had comments made about my body and other things I don’t wish to reveal.
#METOO
And we are a “civilized” country, things are far worse for
women in other countries. Some countries, often the poorest and most
conflict-ridden, have a level of violence that makes life unbearable for women:
Rape is a weapon of war.
In Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan when it is time for a man
to marry, he or his family will pick a woman and she will be kidnapped. Some
families will keep the girl hostage for several days to break her will.
Honor Killing is a punitive murder, committed by members of a
Muslim or Hindu family for refusing an arranged marriage, being an adulterer,
being a homosexual, wearing inappropriate clothing
Bride Burning is a form of domestic violence practiced in
parts of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries set a woman on fire
because her family has refused to pay an additional dowry.
Acid Attacks are revenge against a woman who rejects a
proposal of marriage or a sexual advance that primarily occur in Afghanistan,
Pakistan and Bangladesh.
In Africa they continue the ritual of Female genital
mutilation on girls between the ages of 4-8 for cultural, religious or other
non-therapeutic reasons which has led to victims bleeding to death.
Human trafficking –The former Communist states of Eastern and
Western Europe such as Albania, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, Belarus and
Ukraine Offer young women and girls the promise of money
and work to lure them to wealthier countries where they are reduced to sexual
slavery.
In parts of Ghana, a family may be punished for an offense by
having to turn over a virgin female to serve as a sex slave within the offended
family.
The” know
your place” kind of humiliation comes in many forms and is inflicted to control
by individuals who want to show power over their victims. This kind of humiliation is severely
damaging both physically and psychologically to woman, LGBTQ individuals but
most especially to a young boy or girl. It’s
been going on throughout history, in civilized and uncivilized countries. The
following is a quote by Stacy Patton on #METOO “Black
women have been saying #METOO since slavery.”
I believe this behavior dates back to the beginning of man.
How
do we feel when we are subjected to this humiliation. We feel damaged, guilty, inadequate,
isolated, lonely, suicidal and angry.
What
can we do, what can help victims in this country and around the world? The #METOO phenomenon has visually shown the
world, how extensive the problem is. For
each of us, it tells us that we are not alone and what has happened to us is
not our fault.
The
law that Jesus delivered on Mt. Sinai, was never intended to be a heavy burden,
but a source of moral identity. So the
question for each of us is how important is it as a people, as a country, to be
moral and how will we bring it about?
Shared Homily: Community
Profession
of Faith
ALL: We believe in the Holy One who loves
passionately, embraces all and forgives everything.
We believe in Jesus who accompanies
us on our journey and shows the way to the fullness of life.
We believe in the Divine Spirit, the breath of Wisdom Sophia,
who energizes us as co-creators of caring
communities that challenge oppression, exploitation and injustice.
We believe that we are radiant
images of God called to live fully, love tenderly, and serve generously.
We believe in the communion of
saints, our heavenly friends, who support us on life’s journey.
We believe in the partnership and
equality of women and men in our church and world.
We believe that we are one in the
Heart of God.
GENERAL
INTERCESSIONS
Presider 1: Aware that the Holy
One, calls us to be people of integrity, wounded healers, and advocates of
justice, we now bring the women and men in our world, before You.
Response:
Holy One, You hear our prayer.
Presider 2: For those who have
been abused, we pray for empowerment. R.
Presider 1: For those who have
confronted their abusers, we pray for courage.
R.
Presider 2: For those who have
been sexually exploited, we pray for healing.
R.
Presider 1: For all wounded
healers, especially they women who have experienced sexual harrasment in #Me
Too, we pray for their continued growth and well being. R.
Presider 2: For all those who
need our prayers. Please share your intentions now.
Presider 1: In Your name we can
do all things by the power of Your Spirit working in us.
PREPARATION OF
THE GIFTS (Instrumental Music)
Presider 2: Blessed are You, O
Holy One, through Your divine providence we have this bread to offer, it will
become for us the Bread of Life.
ALL: Blessed are You forever.
Presider 1: Blessed are You, O
Holy One, through Your divine providence we have this wine to offer, it will
become our spiritual drink.
ALL: Blessed are You forever.
Presider 2: Nurturing One, we
are united in this sacrament by the love of Jesus in communion with all who
proclaim the liberating power of Your Spirit
in our midst.
ALL: Amen.
Presider 1: O Heart of
Love, You dwell in us,
ALL: And we dwell in You.
Presider 2: O Pursuer of
Justice, we lift up our hearts,
ALL: In service to our sisters and brothers.
Presider 1: We thank You,
Source of All,
All: All the days of our lives.
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
Voice 1: O Holy One, You love
through us as we reach out to our sisters and brothers who are abused and
exploited. Your Spirit, who raised Jesus from the dead, is rising up in our
work for justice. With thankful hearts in the company of the angels and saints,
we praise You, Spirit of Healing and Wholeness.
ALL: Holy, Holy, Holy Source of
strength and light. All creation is full of Your glory. Hosanna in the
highest. Blessed are all who come in Your
name. Hosanna in the highest.
Voice 2: You are holy indeed,
O Nurturing One. You are the Heart of Love. You affirm our bodies as holy and our stories as sacred.
Presider 2: Please
extend Your hands in blessing.
ALL: You pour out Your spirit anew
upon this bread and wine and upon us as we become more deeply the Christ
Presence in our world
On
the night before he died, Jesus came to table with the women and men he
loved. Jesus took bread blessed and broke
it, saying, “Take, eat, this is my body. Do this in memory of me.”
(pause)
After
supper, Jesus poured a cup of wine and shared it with his friends, saying, “This
is the cup of the covenant of my love. As often as You drink of it, remember
me.”
Presider 1: Let us proclaim the
mystery of faith:
ALL: Christ has died in all those abused and exploited.
Christ is rising in all those working for justice,
equality and partnership.
Christ comes each day in our work for a renewed
humanity.
Voice 3: In memory of Jesus, who showed us the path to empowerment,
we give thanks for the loving relationships that helped us grow more aware of
our goodness, strength, and passion. We give thanks for Your
Enfolding Presence as we advocate for survivors of violence and sexual
harrasment. You accompany all on their
journey to healing and wholeness. As we
share this sacred banquet of love, we are filled with courage to rise up and live
with integrity in our communities.
Voice 4: Holy One, we
remember all people throughout the world, as we grow in love, together with
Francis our pope, Bridget Mary our bishop and all our community leaders. We pray for courageous leaders who champion justice
for survivors of abuse.
Voice 5: We remember all the companions who have gone before
us: Mary, Mother of Jesus, Mary of
Magdala, Martha and Mary, the Samaritan Woman and holy women and men who have witnessed
for justice throughout the ages. Like Jesus, their courage inspires us to
confront all forms of discrimination and work for equality. For it is…
ALL: through living as Jesus lived,
and loving as he loved,
that we awaken to Your Spirit
empowering us to work for justice. AMEN
COMMUNION RITE
The
Prayer of Jesus
Presider 2: Let us pray
as Jesus taught us.
All:
Our Father and Mother (sung)
Sign
of Peace: (Peace is flowing like a River by Carey Laundry)
Presider 1: Jesus said to his
disciples, “My peace I leave You. My
peace I give You.”
The peace of the Holy One is also with You.
We
will sing Peace is flowing like a River as we hold hands and pray for healing of
survivors of sexual abuse and harassment.
Litany
for the Breaking of the Bread
ALL: Holy One, You call us to speak
truth to power; we will do so.
Holy
One, You call us to live the Gospel of
healing and justice; we will do so.
Holy
One, You call us to be Your presence in the world; we will do so.
Presider 2: This is the
bread of life and the cup of blessing. Blessed are we who are called to the
table.
ALL: We are the Body of Christ.
Communion
May the Christ Light Shine in You
By Kathy
Sherman
May the Christ light shine in you.
May the Christ light shine in me.
Then together we will shine with
God's love to the world.
Communion
Meditation Song: Beauty of the Dancer
By Sara Thomsen
