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| Mural in Shepherd's Field Chapel in Bethlehem. Photo by Mary Theresa Streck |
Mary Theresa Streck, ARCWP, and Kathleen Ryan, ARCWP, led the Upper Room Christmas liturgy with the theme: Peace Through Justice. This theme runs through the Old and New Testaments and especially in the stories
about the prophets and the stories we hear about Jesus. In the good news as
recorded by Luke, that message begins in the birth narratives and continues
throughout the life of Jesus.
Lighting of Advent Candle and Prayer
We light this fourth candle and
remember that we are called to create, to share and be light in all our ways,
and to commit ourselves to the works of peace and justice needed in our world.
Let us kindle the light of love! Amen.
Opening Prayer
O Holy One, you bless us
always and invite us to awaken to your life within us. May we like Jesus,
continue your incarnation as we look beyond our comfortable lives and find you
among the lost, lonely, ill and neglected. This season reminds us again and
again, that the story begun over 13 billion years ago continues through the
ages in each of us as we open our hearts to you and your light shines through
us. Amen.
Opening song: Little Town by Over the Rhine
O
little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy dark and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
How still we see thee lie
Above thy dark and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in
thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight
The everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight
The
lamplit streets of Bethlehem
We walk now through the night
There is no peace in Bethlehem
There is no peace in sight
We walk now through the night
There is no peace in Bethlehem
There is no peace in sight
The
wounds of generations
Almost too deep to heal
Scar the timeworn miracle
And make it seem surreal
Almost too deep to heal
Scar the timeworn miracle
And make it seem surreal
The
baby in the manger
Grew to a man one day
And still we try to listen now
To what he had to say
Grew to a man one day
And still we try to listen now
To what he had to say
Put up
your swords forever
Forgive your enemies
Love your neighbor as yourself
Let your little children come to me
Forgive your enemies
Love your neighbor as yourself
Let your little children come to me
O
little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy dark and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
How still we see thee lie
Above thy dark and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
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| Mural in Shepherd's Field Chapel in Bethlehem. Photo by Mary Theresa Streck |
A Reading
from the Prophet Isaiah
Isaiah
9:2-7a
In
darkness, a light was born.
From deep
darkness, a crest of dawn shines.
You
enlarged life, and Your people were born.
Even though
they knew pain and suffering,
You
increased their joy.
They
rejoice before You as with joy at the harvest,
as children
exult at play, and delight in sharing gifts.
For You
have shattered the yoke that burdens them,
the bar
across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.
Every
warrior’s boot used in battle
and every
garment rolled in blood
will be
destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.
For unto us
a baby is born.
For unto us
a child is given
on whose
shoulders our future rests.
The child
will be called: Wonderful Counselor,
Strength of
God, Everlasting One, Voice of Peace.
And of the
peace the Child brings,
there will
be no end.
These are the inspired words of the
Prophet Isaiah.
Glory to God
Marty Haugen
Refrain:
Glory to God, in the
highest (3x)
And peace to God’s
people on earth.
We sing praises to
you,
God of life, God of wonder,
Hearts filled with
joy,
let our voices be
thunder.
Refrain
Sing to Jesus the
Christ,
Word of life to the
nations,
Raised up in glory
As our hope and
salvation.
Refrain
In the Spirit we come
For the feast and the
stories,
Speaking of God
In the pain and the
glory.
Refrain (2x)
Gospel
A Reading
from the Good News according to Luke
Luke 2:1-20
In those
days, a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be
registered. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from
the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called
Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David and
Bathsheba. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was pledged to be
married and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for
her to deliver her child. She gave birth to her firstborn and wrapped the babe
in bands of cloth. She laid the newborn in a manger, because there was no place
for them in the inn.
In that
region, there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their
flocks by night. Then an angel, a messenger of God, stood before them. The
glory of God shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to
them, “Do not be afraid. For I am bringing you good news of great joy for all
people:
Unto you is
born this day, in the city of David, a Messiah, the Anointed One. This will be
a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a
manger.”
Suddenly,
there was with the messenger a multitude of the heavenly beings, praising God
and singing, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to all
God's people!”
When the
angels had left them, retreating into cosmic splendor, the shepherds said to
one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken
place, which God has made known to us.” They went with haste and found Mary and
Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known
what had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed at what
the shepherds told them.
Mary
treasured all these words, and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds
returned to their pastures, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard
and seen, which was just as they had been told.
These are the inspired words of Luke,
Disciple of Jesus.
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| Shepherd's Field in Bethlehem. Photo by Mary Theresa Streck |
Last
January, I had the privilege of visiting the Holy Land. One of the stops in my
travels was the Shepherd’s Field Chapel in Bethlehem which marks the place
where the angels appeared to the shepherds in the fields below. While I was
there, I was imagining the Christmas story that is so familiar to all of us. It
did not matter what I knew from contemporary theology, I just remembered a
sacred, ancient story that has lasted for 2000 years.
We can read
infancy narratives of Jesus of Nazareth and debate if they are history or
parables. Was Jesus born of a virgin? Did angels appear to shepherds? Did three
wise men come to visit Jesus in Bethlehem, etc.? In other words, is this story true? And the answer is, yes, this story is a true
faith story – a story about a child who grew in wisdom, age and grace and
brought an extraordinary message of love and peace for the human race.
Peace on
earth. Don’t we all long for that? If we
travel back to the first century CE and imagine ourselves in the communities
that gathered to remember Jesus, we would be among his followers who so longed
for peace. The temple in Jerusalem had been destroyed and although there was
peace in the Roman Empire under Caesar Augustus, it was not the peace promised
by the prophets and by the Holy Rabbi Jesus.
Caesar
Augustus brought about the Pax Romana, a time of law and order and security in
the empire through military conquest. Caesar was acclaimed in story and in
stone throughout the empire as Divine, Son of God, God from God,
Lord, Redeemer Liberator, and Savior of the World. The stories
surrounding Caesar Augustus were probably never meant to be history, but rather
stories that delivered the very clear message that Caesar Augustus was an
extraordinary human being.
I imagine those first followers of Jesus knew the stories about Caesar
Augustus and borrowed from them to tell a powerful parable about Jesus. In the
beginning of their Gospel stories, Matthew and Luke proclaim the good news about the birthday of a divine child, greater than
Caesar Augustus who would save the world from destruction by establishing a
lasting peace. And, according to the story, the good news was for everyone,
even the lowliest in society, the shepherds, the marginalized, the poorest of
the poor.
The difference between Caesar Augustus and Jesus was that the first
brought peace through violent victory and Jesus taught about transformational
love and lasting peace through non-violent justice. Peace through conquest is
not lasting. It may create a lull for a period of time, but peace through
justice is lasting peace for it requires that all humans have what they need,
free from oppression, injustice, and violence. It is the perennial message of the prophets and
Jesus to live justly, love tenderly and walk with integrity.
As we ponder the beautiful birth parable as told to us by Luke, the
fundamental question we might ask is not about the biology of the mother, or
angels appearing in a nearby field, or three wise men following a star to
Bethlehem. Rather, the fundamental question might be about the destiny of the
child.
“What
is that destiny? and, once you know it, are you willing to commit your life to
it? To Caesar the Augustus or to Jesus the Christ?” (Borg and Crossan)
What did you hear
in these readings? What will you do?
What will it cost you?
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| Mural in Shepherd's Field in Bethlehem. Photo by Mary Theresa Streck |
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
Presider 1: 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….” (pause) And we pray for these and all
unspoken cares and concerns. Amen.
Presider 2: Please join in praying our
Eucharistic Prayer: (written by Jay Murnane)
O Holy One, you are continually
creating the universe, continually giving birth to all of us. We sense the need
to do the same, to set ourselves free from a sense of emptiness and barren
hopelessness.
We celebrate you as the Source of
light and life and love, and we celebrate your presence and all-ways care. We
give thanks, and joined with your vision of harmony and peace, we sing:
Blessed be our God!
Blessed be our God!
Joy of our hearts, source of all life
and love!
God of Heaven and Earth!
God of Heaven and Earth!
Dwelling within, calling us all by
name!
Alleluia, sing!
Alleluia, sing!
Gift of love and peace!
Gift of love and peace!
Jesus Christ, Jesus our hope and
light!
A flame of faith in our hearts!
A flame of faith in our hearts!
Proclaiming the day, shining
throughout the night!
Alleluia, sing!
Alleluia, sing!
(Alleluia Sing by David
Haas)
https://youtu.be/-FvAFEjAnrc
Your wisdom invites us to draw on our
tradition, as old as the stars, shining through Sarah and Abraham, shining
through your prophets in every age and every culture. We join that
enlightening, enlivening tradition with what we are as we risk fidelity to a
dream.
Filled with your spirit, we, like
Jesus, can give birth in our day to your living word for the sake of hope
enfleshed in creativity and confrontation, healing and reconciliation, justice,
universal and unconditional love.
(presiders approach table)
On the night before he faced his own
death, 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 with them, he bent down and washed their feet.
(presider lifts bread)
When he returned to his place, he took
bread, gave thanks and offered it to them saying:
Take and eat of the Bread of Life
Given to strengthen you
Whenever you remember me like this
I am among you. (pause)
(presider lifts cup)
Jesus then raised a cup of blessing,
spoke the grace 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. (pause)
Let us share this bread and cup
To proclaim and live the gospel of
justice and peace
O Holy One, we dare again to dream the
ancient dreams and open ourselves to marvelous visions. There are mountains of
arrogance to lower, valleys of fear and separation to fill in, to create a
community and communion that stretches throughout our consciousness and around
our world.
In this way, working to renew the face
of the earth, we are opened up to your Spirit, the Spirit of light and life and
love born in Jesus.
For it is through his life and
teaching, all honor and glory is yours, O Holy One, forever and ever.
All: Amen.
Presider: Let us pray the prayer Jesus
taught us:
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 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.
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
Presider 1: Please join in our prayer
for the breaking of the bread:
(presiders break bread during this
prayer)
All: O Holy One, You call us to live the Gospel of peace and justice. We will live justly.
You call us to be Your presence in the
world. We will love tenderly.
You call us to speak truth to
power. We will walk with integrity in
your presence.
(Presiders hold up bread and wine)
Presider 2: "This is the bread of
life. Through it we are nourished and we nourish each other.
All:
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.
Presider 1: Our Eucharistic
celebration is all-inclusive. You are a spark of the Divine and nothing can
separate you from God’s love. All are welcome to receive at this table.
Please pass the bread and the cup with
the words: “You are an incarnation of the Divine!”
Presider 2: Our communion meditation
is: Silent Night / Each Holy Child by
Shaina Noll
BLESSING
Presider 1: Let us pray together our
blessing:
May we continue to be the face of God
to each other. May we call each other to
extravagant generosity! May we, like
Jesus, be a shining light and a blessing in our time!
All: AMEN
Presider 2: Please join in singing our closing songs - selection of carols with justice.
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| Shepherd's Field Chapel, Bethlehem. Photo by Mary Theresa Streck |
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