Jim Marsh, ARCWP, and Denise Hackert-Stoner led the Upper Room Liturgy for Sunday, February 24, 2019.
Welcome and Theme: Today we celebrate the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary
Time using the Gospel reading for the Sixth
Sunday. There is certainly a theme of blessedness in the readings today which I
will speak about later. There is also an element of hunger… and so may you be
satisfied with whatever it is that you are hungry for … that is until the
hunger pangs again appear!
Opening Song: Peace
Will Come by Thomas R. Paxton
Liturgy
of Word
First Reading: Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
[Psalms for Praying – Nan Merrill]
Blessed
are those who walk hand in hand with goodness,
who stand
beside virtue, who sit in the seat of truth;
for their
delight is in the Spirit of Love,
and in
Love’s heart they dwell day and night.
They are
like trees planted by streams of water,
that yield
fruit in due season, and their leaves flourish;
and in all
that they do, they give life.
The
unloving are not so; they are like dandelions which the wind blows away.
For Love
knows the way of truth,
and Love’s
penetrating Light breaks through hearts filled with illusions.
This is a sacred song that inspired
our ancestors, and together we respond: Blessed
are we who never lose hope!
Sung Alleluia
Second Reading: Luke 6:17, 20-26 [translation
from The Message Bible]
Coming
down off the mountain with them, he stood on a plain surrounded by disciples
and was soon joined by a huge congregation from all over Judea and Jerusalem.
Then he spoke:
“You’re
blessed when you’ve lost it all, God’s kin-dom is there for the finding.
You’re
blessed when you’re ravenously hungry, then you’re ready for the Messianic
meal.
You’re
blessed when the tears flow freely; joy comes in the morning.
Count
yourself blessed every time someone cuts you down or throws you out, every time
someone smears or blackens your name to discredit me.
What it
means is the truth is too close for comfort and that person is uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens; skip like a lamb if you like. For even
though they do not like it, I do, and all heaven applauds and know that you are
in good company. My preachers and witnesses have always been treated like this.
Give away
your life.
But it’s
trouble ahead if you think you have it made. What you have is all you’ll get.
And it’s
trouble ahead if you’re satisfied with yourself; your self will not satisfy you
for long.
And it’s
trouble ahead if you think life’s all fun and games; there’s suffering to be
met, and you’re going to meet it.
There’s
trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what
flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth
contests. Look at how many scoundrel preachers were approved by your ancestors.
Your task is to be true, not popular.”
These are the
inspired words of Luke, and we respond: AMEN!
Jim’s Homily Reflection:
Today’s
readings both talk about a common theme, namely being BLESSED. What exactly
does it mean to be blessed, and what does this Gospel story have to do with our
now, our time?
We know
this Gospel story so well and that is precisely why Denise and I chose to use
the translation from the Message Bible—perhaps to get us to sit up and listen,
really listen. It is also so very important to have an understanding of the
context and culture of first century (Common Era) and what the Jewish disciples
(that is, students of Yeshua) heard as Jesus taught them about the kin-dom of
God.
This
passage, known as the Beatitudes, is not about platitudes and niceties, but
should really shock us, as it no doubt did for those first century
hearers. They heard Yeshua say that
those who are weeping, impoverished, poor and broken as well as hungry are
blessed and that the reign of God is theirs. This would have been very bizarre
and maybe even blasphemous given their Mosaic understanding of tradition.
Perhaps a
little background will enlighten us. After Moses received the ten commandments,
the Law, the Torah, the author of Deuteronomy (chapter 28) reminds the
people of Israel of the covenant God made with them, and in great detail says
if you faithfully obey Torah you will be blessed above every nation, whether
you are in the city or country, even the fruit of your womb and all your
livestock and herds, your kneading bowls and baskets will be full. As long as
they keep the commandments, they will be blessed (consecrated) and will walk in
YHWH’s footsteps. But if they did not follow Torah, all the commandments, then
all manner of curses and woe will befall them: all sorts of catastrophes,
confusion and fear, ruin and even their destruction. They will perish as plants
in dry, arid land.
This is
their mindset. Yet Jesus turns it upside down; he’s saying those who appear to
be cursed (the broken, the poor, the hungry, the persecuted and marginalized)
are blessed and woe to those who are rich, satisfied, full of laughter and have
the approval of others. It’s interesting to note that Yeshua’s words to his disciples
mirror those of his mother, Myriam, who sung of the proud being scattered, the
lowly being lifted up, the hungry being filled while the rich would be sent
away empty. Jesus is warning them of what lies ahead if they don’t amend their
ways.
We used
Psalm 1 today as our first reading. The lectionary had this response to today’s
Psalm: “Blessed are they who hope in YHWH.”
Is there a
message here for us in our time, in our country and in our world which is beset
by so very many ills and troubles?
I believe
we are called to people of radical hope in these discomforting times.
The Gospel
invites us to make decisions about our lives that honor the vision of Jesus for
our world. We are called to stand with the economically poor, the marginalized,
those suffering sexual assault and domestic violence, the increasing number of
people who are targeted because of orientation and gender identity, and those
refugees and immigrants who are dehumanized daily simply because they are
seeking a place to call home.
My prayer
this day is that we follow our brother Jesus as we embody and incarnate the
divine in our world, to stand and raise our voices challenging the status quo, bringing
hope and blessing even if it causes some to denounce and revile us. It is not
easy, but growth and transformation always leads to new life! If we do this, my
friends, then surely the Psalmist was singing about us “They are like trees
planted by streams of water … and in all they do, they give life.”
So what
did you hear and how will you respond?
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.
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.
Denise: As we prepare for the
sacred meal, we lay our stoles upon the table as a sign that just as
Jesus is anointed, so is each of us. And 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 concerns. Amen.
Liturgy of the
Eucharist
Jim: With open hands let us pray our Eucharistic Prayer together:
All: O Holy One, the first
passion of Jesus was his passion for you and his passion for justice, namely, to incarnate your justice by demanding for
all, a fair share of a world belonging to and ruled by your covenant with Israel.
In solidarity with Jesus, and with all the faithful men and women who have gone before us, we lift up our hearts and sing:
All: Holy
One, we celebrate the life of your son and our brother, Jesus. He lived his
life and walked forward to his death knowing that you were leading him. We
walk forward in his pathway and follow his teaching.
We
are standing in the right place when we let go of money, possessions, pride
and privilege, to become vulnerable and open to you, to accept poverty of
spirit and reliance on you.
We
are standing in the right place when we are compassionate for all human beings,
to feeling empathy and loving everyone, especially the poor, oppressed, and
mournful. We remember all those who suffer and die each year from war, poverty
and unjust disease. We mourn for them, and for all creatures we destroy, and
for the earth itself.
We
are standing in the right place when we are gentle, nonviolent, courageous and humble, like your saints.
We pray to grow in awareness of our unity with all of creation and co-create with
You our earth as a sanctuary of peace.
We
are standing in the right place when our hearts
hunger and thirsts for justice for all people who live in poverty, imprisonment
and war. We pray for the courage to
carry on your struggle for justice for the world’s oppressed as we challenge
the world’s domination systems.
We
are standing in the right place when we are merciful, especially toward those whom the culture deems
unworthy of your mercy and care. We embrace everyone with compassion and
respect.
We
are standing in the right place when our hearts are pure heart so that everything that comes from
within us might be loving and holy. Opening ourselves up to your Spirit, may we
see You everywhere, especially in every human being.
We
are standing in the right place when we
are peacemakers, renouncing violence and oppression. We pray to make peace
everywhere.
We
are standing in the right place when rejected
and persecuted while working for justice and peace. With you we will not
retaliate but respond with love and compassion.
We
rejoice, O Holy One, and we are glad as we join the lineage of Your prophets of
justice and peace. We, Your daughters and sons, continue to work with Your grace
as we arise and walk forward in the footsteps of our brother, the nonviolent
Jesus.
Presiders stand at table
All: On
the night before he died, Jesus did more than ask us to remember him. He showed us how to live when he washed the
feet of his friends.
Denise lifts bread
All: At the table, he took the Passover
Bread, spoke the grace, broke the bread 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)
Jim lifts the cup
All: 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.
All: Let us share this bread and cup as we proclaim and live the gospel of
peace through love and non-violence.
Holy One, we trust you to continue to
share with us Your own Spirit, the Spirit that filled Jesus, for it is through
his life and teaching, his loving and healing that all honor and glory is yours. Amen.
Denise: Let us pray as Jesus taught us:
All: 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)
Prayer for the Breaking
of Bread
Jim: Please join in the prayer for the
breaking of the bread.
Presiders break the bread
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)
Denise: This
is the bread of life and the cup of blessing. 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.
Communion Song: Beatitudes Song by Noirin Ni Riain
Antiphon: Amen! Truly, I say to you, gather
in my name, I am with you.
Blessed
are the poor in spirit, the kin-dom of Heaven is theirs.
Blessed
are the gentle, they shall inherit the land.
Antiphon
Blessed
are those who mourn, they shall be consoled.
Blessed
are those who hunger and thirst for justice,
the
justice of God shall be theirs. Antiphon
Blessed
are the merciful, mercy shall be show unto them.
Blessed
are the pure of heart, they shall behold their God. Antiphon
Blessed
are those who bring peace, they shall be children of God.
Blessed
are those who suffer in the cause of right,
the Kin-dom
of Heaven is theirs. Antiphon
Blessing
Jim: Let us raise our hands and
bless each other.
May you be blessed with a restless
discomfort about easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships. May you
seek truth boldly and love deeply within your heart. May you continue to be the
face of the Holy One to all you meet. May
your name be a blessing in our time.
Closing Song: Blest Are They by David
Haas
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