LITURGY CELEBRATING MARY OF MAGDALA for 2017: Her Spirit Rises Up for Justice in Us

GATHERING SONG AND GREETING

Woman’s Spirit

words and music: Marvella McPartland & Lynn Fugua

sung by: Karen Drucker

Woman’s Spirit is beauty

Woman’s Spirit runs deep

Woman loves with compassion

Our perfection is complete…

Woman’s Spirit is graceful

Woman’s Spirit is wise

Woman’s Spirit is moving

Bringing love into our lives...

Woman’s Spirit is passion

Woman’s Spirit is birth

Woman’s power unfolding

To honor life on earth.

Presider 1: We gather joyfully and begin in the name of the Holy One, Source of all Being, Eternal Word and Holy Spirit, Amen.

Opening Prayer

Presider 2: O Holy One, You moved through Mary of Magdala and through us.

ALL: As we work for justice, partnership and equality.

Presider 1:  We see Your feminine face in our ancestors and in all women.

ALL:  May we open our hearts, to Your mothering love.  

Presider 2: Jesus, our brother, taught us to see Your divine reality in women, especially in women who have been abused and exploited. 

ALL:  May we stand with our sisters who are abused and exploited.  

Presider 1:  We see You in men and women who have been caring partners and companions. 

ALL:  May we, live a connectedness and friendship with others.  

Presider 2: May Your love heal and empower us.  

ALL:  Amen.

Gloria

ALL:  Glory to You, O Holy One, in the highest, and peace, justice and equality to all people on earth.  We give You thanks, and praise You for Your glory. You are all goodness and light, and You hold us in Your heart forever. Amen.

LITURGY OF THE WORD

First Reading: The Gospel of Mary

  "Go then, preach the good news about the Realm. Do not lay down any rule beyond what I determined for you, nor promulgate law like the lawgiver, or else you might be dominated by it."
After the Risen One had said these things, he departed from them.
     But they were distressed and wept greatly. "How are we going to go out to the rest of the world to announce the good news about the Realm of the child of true Humanity?" they said. "If they did not spare him, how will they spare us?"
     Then Mary stood up. She greeted them all, addressing her brothers and sisters, "Do not weep and be distressed nor let your hearts be irresolute. For his grace will be with you all and will shelter you. Rather we should praise his greatness, for he has prepared us and made us true human beings."
      When Mary had said these things, she turned their heart toward the Good, and they began to debate about the words of the Teacher.
     Peter said to Mary, "Sister, we know that Jesus loved you more than all other women. Tell us the words of the Teacher that you remember, the things which you know that we don't because we haven't heard them." 
     Mary responded, "I will teach you about what is hidden from you." And she began to speak these words to them.
     She said, "I saw the Teacher in a vision and I said to him, 'Teacher, I saw you today in a vision.'
He answered me, 'How wonderful you are for not wavering at seeing me! For where the mind is, there is the treasure.'
     These are the inspired words of Mary of Magdala

All: Thanks be to God

Responsorial Psalm: “Ube Caritas” (Taize)

Ubi caritas et amour,

Ubi caritas Deus ibi est.

Gospel Acclamation:  Celtic ALLELUIA!    (sung)

Reader:  A reading from  the  Gospel John 20;13-18

“Meanwhile, Mary stood weeping beside the tomb. Even as she wept, she stooped to peer inside, and there she saw two angels in dazzling robes. One was seated at the head and the other at the foot of the place where Jesus’ body had lain.

“They asked her, ‘Why are you weeping?’

“She answered them, ‘Because they have taken away my Rabbi, and I don’t know where they have put him.’

“No sooner had she said this, than she turned around and caught sight of Jesus standing there, but she didn’t know it was Jesus. He asked her ‘why are you weeping! For whom are you looking?’

“She supposed it was the gardener, so she said, ‘Please, if you’re the one who carried him away, tell me where you’ve laid him and I will take him away.’

“Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’

“She turned to him and said, ‘Rabboni!’—which means ‘Teacher.’

“Jesus then said, ‘Don’t hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to Abba God. Rather, go to the sisters and brothers and tell them ‘I’m ascending to my Abba and to your Abba, my God and your God!’

“Then Mary went to the disciples. ‘I have seen the Teacher!’ she announced. Then she reported what he had said to her” (Jn 20:13–18)


HOMILY Starter:

The good news is that like Mary of Magdala, we are not afraid! The spirit of Wisdom Sophia is moving through us as we live the Gospel of justice, partnership and equality in our inclusive communities and ministries. We are in the process of healing a centuries old misogyny as we ordain women to minister in inclusive communities in the Roman Catholic Church today!

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, like a fierce mother bear, who protects her Young, is a defender of the oppressed and pursuer of justice, we now bring the women and men in our lives, in our church and 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 the men and women who have been caring friends and partners, 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.  

ALL: Amen

PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS

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 Woman-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 life 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 abuse and  accompany them on their journey to healing and wholeness.  Sharing this sacred banquet of love, we are filled with courage to live compassionate lives in our communities.

Voice 4:  Holy One, we remember all people throughout the world, as we grow in love, together with Francis our pope and our community leaders.  We remember our brothers and sisters who have suffered abuse and rejection by our church. We hold them in our hearts.

Voice 5: We remember all the companions who have gone before us:  Mary, Mother of Jesus, Mary of Magdala, Junia and Andronicus, Dorothy Day, Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Bishop Oscar Romero, Ita Ford, and all 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:  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 

(Prayer of Jesus by  Miriam Therese Winter)  

Sign of Peace

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.  

Let us offer each other a sign of peace.

Song for Peace

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.

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

Communion Meditation Song: Beauty of the Dancer

By Sara Thomsen

You see the beauty of the dancer

You hear the beauty of the song

You feel the beauty all around you

You wonder whether you belong.

You are where you belong!

You are the beauty of the dancer

You are the beauty of the song

You are the beauty all around you

You’re standing right where you belong

You’re standing right where you belong!

all above you

all below you

all around you

all within you

Beauty all above you

Beauty all below you

Beauty all around you

Beauty all within you

(Repeat)

You see the beauty of the dancer

You hear the beauty of the song

You feel the beauty all around you

You wonder whether you belong

You are the beauty of the dancer

You are the beauty of the song

You are the beauty all around you

You’re standing right where you belong!

(Repeat)

You are beauty

You are beauty

All above you

All below you

All around you

All within you

You are beauty

You are beauty

Beauty all above you

Beauty all below you

Beauty all around you

Beauty all within you

(Repeat)

CONCLUDING RITE

Presider 1:   The Holy One is with You. 

ALL:  and also with You.

Blessing

Presider 2: Please extend You hands as we pray our final blessing:

ALL: The encompassing of the Holy One is on us,

The encompassing of the Divine Presence,

The encompassing of the Christ of love,

The encompassing of the Spirit of Grace,

let us go forth from this Banquet, aware always that human rights are equal rights and that we are all the beloved of God. ALL:  Amen.

  (Adapted from Alexander Carmichael’s Carmina Gadelica)

Dismissal

Presider 1:   We go forth with the energy of Christ to heal and transform our church and world.  Let the service for justice and equality continue! 

ALL:   We give grateful thanks and may we be a blessing in our time.

CONCLUDING HYMN

Woman’s Spirit

words and music: Marvella McPartland & Lynn Fugua

sung by: Karen Drucker

Woman’s Spirit is beauty

Woman’s Spirit runs deep

Woman loves with compassion

Our perfection is complete…

Woman’s Spirit is graceful

Woman’s Spirit is wise

Woman’s Spirit is moving

Bringing love into our lives...

Woman’s Spirit is passion

Woman’s Spirit is birth

Woman’s power unfolding

To honor life on earth.

Liturgy by Dr. Bridget Mary Meehan and Dr. Mary Theresa Streck

Association of Roman Catholic Woman Priests

Contact Information:

Bridget Mary Meehan, sofiabmm@aol.com

Text: 1-703-505-0004

Bridget Mary’s Blog

http://bridgetmarys.blogspot.com/   

Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests

www.arcwp.org  

People’s Catholic Seminary

https://pcseminary.blogspot.com

https://pcseminary.org

Upper Room Liturgy - July 16, 2017

Dave DeBonis and Mary Skelly led the Upper Room liturgy on July 16, 2017 with the theme: Hearing the Word of the Holy One. Dave and Mary used the gospel of the day and paired it with a challenging reading from Michael Morwood, theologian and prophet. The reading is printed below followed by Dave's and Mary's reflections on the readings. 

First Reading:
Thousands of years ago, humans had a sense of this divine presence all around. Then, a major shift occurred. Formal religion took this presence from the earth and placed in the heavens in the form of gods. Later development in religious thinking led the Hebrew people to imagining and believing there was only one God, an Almighty God who ruled from above. It is surely ironic that formal religion brought the “original sin” to the world. It removed the divine from the earth and placed it in the heavens. It was formal religion that separated humanity from a previously intimate profound sense of the divine here on earth; it led people into images and notions about exile from God; it told people they were basically sinful and that only adherence to a particular religion can bring salvation as long as they dutifully obeyed the teachings and practices of that religion.

Formal religion took its mind and eyes and heart off of here and now and focused instead on notions of separation and the need for mediators and priests with special powers to access the heavenly God; it established systems that made people dependent on middle managers who could access God for them and tell them, with unquestioned authority, what God’s thoughts were on almost every aspect of community life.

And all the while, the creative, divine, energizing reality, this incredible presence that brought the universe into being, was really here on earth being expressed in people’s lives. The presence did not and could not move from here. Only formal religion could make people believe otherwise.

There is a widespread shift in consciousness among people today, a shift that reflects and gives expression to the divine presence embedded in everything that exists. It is about breaking free of religious images and creeds and beliefs that lock them into thinking the next life is what really matters. It is a growing awareness that “salvation” for the world is not about access to a heavenly God; it is about being attentive to how the divine presence is expressed in the human endeavor and how, in the words of Jesus, we are to make the “kingdom of God” evident in the human community.

These are the inspired words of Michael Morwood from his book It's Time.

Dave's Shared Homily: (At the Upper Room we invite all to participate in a shared reflection on the readings.)

In the gospel reading from Luke Jesus provides an explicit explanation of the parable that he spoke to the crowd. Clearly, the theme here is that some of us hear the word and understand it but for various reasons cannot apply it in our day-to-day lives; perhaps it is due to fear of ridicule from others or fear that the cost that we might incur in living out the gospel message is simply too high. And then of course there are situations where we not only hear the word, understand it and apply it.

As I was reading this gospel reading I was thinking that I personally could be any of these people, depending on the day, depending on the moment, depending on the particular situation. And I think it’s important to remember that even in those times when we can’t implement the word or we don’t implement it as well as we would like to we should be kind to ourselves and understand that we are human and all of us at times find living the gospel of Jesus challenging.

We decided to pair the gospel reading with the first reading by Michael Morewood because it talks about a sad reality regarding the role of formal religion in modifying, and some would say undermining, the word. And although I was saddened by the first reading I was also inspired by it because it reminded me of why I am a member of this inclusive community. This community believes that we are not sinful or exiled from God; that Jesus came to earth not to save us from sin but out of love and to show us how to live. And that when Jesus talked about salvation he was really talking about saving us from ourselves-- our own egos, our own black and white thinking, our own unnecessary fears. He came to teach us a better way. I’m reminded by the first reading that being a member of this inclusive community means that we do not reach out to our brothers and sisters in the hopes of receiving some future reward when we die; we reach out because, like Jesus, we are vehicles of God’s love in the world. The prayers we recite today as part of our liturgy tell us to seek courage and creativity and to be proactive in helping the poor, the marginal, the forgotten. Let’s not be distracted by doctrine and dogma; let’s see with our eyes, hear with our ears and understand with our hearts. Let’s be the body of Christ to the world.

Mary's Shared Homily: 

Listening to God’s message may be easier said than done. From the time we rise in the morning to when we retire, we’re pretty much on the go. If we really want to experience God’s presence, we need to take the time to slow down and make a commitment to clear our thoughts, listen, see and feel the inspiration coming our way. It’s always there, we just need to recognize and welcome it.

The reading about the seeds falling on various types of soil and taking root has always been an interesting metaphor for me. Do I have a rich soil that allows God’s word to take root and grow? Do the roots continue each season to grow deeper and deeper or must I provide routine nurturing in the form of prayer, meditation, books, scripture, and gatherings to keep the soil fresh and welcoming? If I don’t, do the fruits of my seeds stop growing, die or stagnate?

These are the questions I see raised in Matthew’s gospel. I would like to think that my efforts are rewarded by a rich spiritual life but I also know that if I don’t keep up the work, the rich soil may become arid and unyielding. If we are fortunate to have developed the rich soil which can put forth beautiful flowers and food, then it’s important to water and feed it which for me is exploring and experiencing different rituals in various faiths and listening to other’s points of view. In other words, to be open minded and attentive.

How do you nourish your soil, which ironically is only one letter off from soul and can you recommend any methods that have helped you grow in your spirituality?

ARCWP Ordination, in Times Union, New York

http://m.timesunion.com/local/article/Your-Best-Shot-11287825.php

Sydney Condray ARCWP Quoted in Article in Toledo Blade on Attitudes Shifting on Women in Clergy

http://www.toledoblade.com/Culture/2017/07/16/Attitudes-shifting-on-women-in-clergy.html

Do I Want to Get Well? Homily Starter by Rev. Karen Kerrigan, Deacon ARCWP Heart of Compassion International Faith Community, Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Sketch of Heart of Compassion Community in Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Karen Kerrigan ARCWP, Homilist

Do I Want to Get Well? Homily Starter by Rev. Karen Kerrigan, Deacon ARCWP Heart of Compassion International Faith Community, Windsor, Ontario, Canada (09 July 17)

Over the years, I have belonged to the 12- Step Program Over-Eaters Anonymous.  You may know that the famous book  “Alcoholics Anonymous” is often referred to as The Big Book.  Many persons who belong to 12-Step programs will refer to their book of Sacred Scriptures as The Bigger Book.  In these communities, our first Gospel Reading about the Pool of Bethseda (John 5:1-17) is often referenced because of the key question that Jesus asks the man who has waited by the pool for 38 years, “Do you want to get well?”  Except in the 12 steps we often add, “Do you want to get well …. really?”

This is a question that I ask myself as I remember a recent rejection by a priest that I have known for more than 30 years.  He was unable to accept my decision to become an ordained deacon.  He informed me that he doesn’t want to see me again until we get to heaven.  My heart was broken.

I thought telling my priest friend about my ordination was the right thing to do!  My journey with The Women’s March Community has taught me to have" conversations that matter" with people with whom you have disagreements.  I thought I was on the right track.  I prayed over my intention to share my news of my upcoming ordination with this priest.  I asked for guidance, for God’s providence and protection, but it appears to me that my choice backfired.  Now, I am left with a choice to proceed through a process of healing. 

Do I really want to get well? My healing process is modeled on the steps that are outlined in "Shattered Soul? Five Pathways to Healing the Spirit After Abuse and Trauma" by Sue Lauber-Fleming and Patrick Fleming both psychotherapists who accompany persons who have suffered clergy abuse.  The first step is asking for courage to face rejection and not trying to re-imagine it as anything other than it is. This courage phase of the process takes time.

Next, it’s time to let myself be angry!  I wanted to be treated with joy and love as I tried to present my ordination invitation to my priest friend.  Instead, I was warned if I gave him that invitation, it was documentation and he would have to report it to our diocese. 

Now I need to show God and a trusted friend how angry I am that a beloved priest confidant threatened to harm my relationships with other institutional Church connections. This anger phase will take time. I am tempted to give him excuses and rationalizations, as women have often done in the face of discrimination that comes from their inner circle. Do I really want to get well? 

Then I need to enter the grief phase?  I need to grieve the fact that not only did my priest friend choose to refuse my invitation with love and joy, but that our relationship is on thin ice. I have to feel the sorrow that my hoped for and dreamed of relationship will likely not happen. 

Finally, along with the love and patience of persons who can journey with me and with the help of God, I need to forgive my priest friend and to allow this hurtful and disappointing experience to transform my heart and my life. 

Yes I really want to get well. I will sit by the Bethseda Pool and trust that Jesus will heal me. Will you join me there?

Sharing in Partners:

We realize that not everyone may have a struggle with abuses from clergy or others in the institutional Church, while others here today have serious struggles and are in need of a place where they can share their story. If you have a story, please take this time to share some of it with a partner. 

Given our time constraints, we know that what you share now is only the beginning of our healing journey together.  You may want to share more later, perhaps with someone in our faith community, our pastoral circle or with a trusted friend or confident, which might include a spiritual director or therapist. We will be having a retreat day in the Fall to explore our healing journeys and to bring all into the healing graces of Holy Presence. Edited by Rev. Dr. Barbara Billey, Priest ARCWP