Author: kredig

Action Item – Mass Script for July 26, 2020 Zoom Liturgy

/ kredig

Mary of Magdala Celebration—a feast for all women and men!

GATHERING SONG

All Are Welcome by Marty Haugen

 Verse 1:  Let us build a house where love can dwell and all can safely live, a place where saints and children tell how hearts learn to forgive. Built of hopes and dreams and visions, rock of faith and vault of grace; here the love of Christ shall end divisions:

All are welcome, all are welcome—all are welcome in this place.

Verse 2:  Let us build a house where prophets speak, and words are strong and true, where all God’s children dare to seek—to dream God’s reign a new.  Here the cross shall stand as witness—and as symbol of God’s grace; here as one we claim the faith of Jesus:

All are welcome, all are welcome—all are welcome in this place.

 GREETING

 Presider:  In the name of God, our mother and father, and of Jesus our savior and healer, and of the Holy Spirit, our wisdom and guide.

ALL:  Amen.

Presider:  May God, the Blessed Holy Three, be with us, as we work together for partnership, justice and equality for women in church and society!

ALL:  And also with you.

 PENITENTIAL RITE

Presider:  O God, may we see your feminine face in our female ancestors and in all women.

ALL:  May we open our hearts, like Mary of Magdala to the Risen Christ.

Presider:  Jesus the Christ, may we see the divine reality in the person of a woman especially in women who are called to serve you.

ALL:  May we, like Mary of Magdala, proclaim the Good News with courage.  

 Presider:  May the God of love, forgive us our lack of trust in your Spirit Sophia moving with us, in us, and through us, leading us to guidance, courage, healing and empowerment.

ALL: Amen.

 LITURGY OF THE WORD

First Reading:  Romans 16:1-7, 16

 Litany of Women for the Church

Presider:  Dear God, creator of women in your own image, born of a woman in the midst of a world half women, carried by women to mission fields around the globe, made known by women to all the children of the earth, give to the women of our time the strength to persevere, the courage to speak out, the faith to believe in you beyond all systems and institutions so that your face on earth may be seen in all its beauty,  so that men and women become whole, so that the church may be converted to your will in everything and in all ways. We call on the holy women who went before us and who stand beside us, channels of Your Word in testaments old and new, to intercede for us so that we might be given the grace to become what they are and have been for the honor and glory of God.

Please have people respond with, “pray for us” after each petition

ALL: Come, O Jesus, send us your Spirit, renew the face of our Church

  • Saint Esther, who pleaded against power for the liberation of the people, pray for us.
  • Saint Judith, who routed the plans of men and saved the community, pray for us.
  • Saint Deborah, laywoman and judge, who led the people of God, pray for us.
  • Saint Elizabeth of Judea, who recognized the value of another woman, pray for us.
  • Saint Mary Magdalene, minister of Jesus, first evangelist of the Christ, pray for us.

ALL: Come, O Jesus, send us your Spirit, renew the face of our Church

2.

  • Saint Scholastica, who taught her brother Benedict to honor the spirit above the system, pray for us.
  • Saint Hildegard, who suffered interdict for the doing of right, pray for us.
  • Saint Joan of Arc, who put no law above the law of God, pray for us.
  • Saint Clare of Assisi, who confronted the pope with the image of woman as equal, pray for us.
  • Saint Julian of Norwich, who proclaimed for all of us the motherhood of God, pray for us.

ALL: Come, O Jesus, send us your Spirit, renew the face of our church

3.

  • Saint Therese of Lisieux, who knew the call to priesthood in herself, pray for us.
  • Saint Catherine of Siena, to whom the pope listened, pray for us.
  • Saint Teresa of Avila, who brought women’s gifts to the reform of the church, pray for us.
  • Saint Edith Stein, who brought fearlessness to faith, pray for us.
  • Saint Elizabeth Seton, who broke down boundaries between lay women and religious by wedding motherhood and religious life, pray for us.

ALL: Come, O Jesus, send us your Spirit, renew the face of our Church

4.

  • Saint Dorothy Day, who led the church to a new sense of justice, pray for us.
  • Sr. Joan Chittister, who is passionate for change and challenges us to take the leap, pray for us.
  • Sr. Simone Campbell, who brings commitment and humor to the serious business of social justice, pray for us.
  • Bishop Bridget Mary Meehan, who leads Catholic women everywhere to honor their call to Ordination, pray for us.  
  • Mary, Mother of Jesus, who turned the Spirit of God into the body and blood of Christ, pray for us. Amen.

ALL: Come, O Jesus, send us your spirit, renew the face of our Church

Joan Chittister, OSB, Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Pennsylvania; amendments by G. Mog

Gospel Acclamation:  ALLELUIA!    (sung)

Reader:  A reading from the Gospel according to John 20:1-2, 11-18

ALL:  Glory to you O God.

Reader:  The good news of Jesus, the Christ!

ALL:  Glory and praise to you, Jesus the Christ!

HOMILY

PROFESSION OF FAITH

ALL:  We believe in God who is creator and nurturer of all. We believe in Jesus, the Christ, who is our love, our hope, and our light. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the breath of Wisdom Sophia, who energizes and guides us to build caring communities and to challenge oppression, exploitation and injustices. 

 We believe that God loves us passionately and forgives us everything.  We believe that we are radiant images of God who calls us 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 all are one in the Heart of God.  We believe that women’s liberation is human liberation.  Here we dwell in loving relationships.  Here we live our prophetic call of Gospel equality.

PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL

Lector:  Jesus healed St. Mary of Magdala of a very serious illness and then she chose to follow him, supporting his mission with all of her resources.  Thank you O Christ, for all the ways you heal us.  Open our hearts to receive your healing grace and let us, like St. Mary of Magdala, put all we have at your service.  For this we pray.

 Response:  Loving God, hear our prayer.

 Lector:  Mary and the other women and men disciples persevered with Jesus, even when he was persecuted by his own religious leadership and government authorities.  God of Strength, help us stand in Jesus’ truth and healing love especially when we experience persecution for justice’ sake.  For this we pray.

Response:  Loving God, hear our prayer.

 Lector:  Because of her witness and fidelity, St. Mary of Magdala is known as the Apostle to the Apostles.  Help us, O God of Righteousness, to accept your apostolic call “to go and tell our brothers and sisters of Jesus’ power to heal… even wounded structures which exclude.” For this we pray.

Response:   Loving God, hear our prayer.

 Lector:  Women were faithful disciples of Jesus and significant leaders in the early Christian communities.  Help us Most Inclusive One, to reclaim our baptismal call to leadership.  For this we pray.

 Response:  Loving God, hear our prayer. 

ALL: Amen

Liturgy of the Eucharist

 Preparation of the Gifts—(Reminder to the people—here we bring and offer all that we are along with the bread and wine)

 (Presider lifts the bread)

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. It will become for us the bread of life.

All: Blessed be God forever.

 (Presider prays alone—pouring a few drops of water into the chalice along with the wine)

(By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity).

 (Presider lifts the chalice)

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. It will become our spiritual drink.

All: Blessed be God forever.

 Presider:  My sisters and brothers; let us pray that these our gifts may be acceptable to God, our Creator.

Prayer over the Gifts [all stand]

 All: Holy One, accept these gifts from our hands for the praise and glory of your name, for our good and the good of all your people.

Presider:  God dwells in you.

ALL:  And also in you.  

 Presider:  Lift up your hearts and pursue justice.

ALL:  We lift them up to God, Pursuer of Justice.  

 Presider: Let us give thanks to the Creator of all.

ALL: It is right to give God thanks and praise.

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

 Part One:  Presider: O loving God, O blessed Holy Three, who brings to birth the world of our dreams for mutual respect and partnership, we do well always and everywhere to give you praise.  Give us courage to act justly and work collaboratively to change systems that keep people poor and marginalized in our society. We thank you for the women and men who are working for justice and equality in our church and world. Your gift of the Spirit, who raised Jesus from the dead, gives us hope that one day all will be one at the eternal banquet of heaven. With thankful hearts in the company of the angels and saints, we praise you, God of Abundance and Welcome.

ALL:

Holy, holy, holy, Christ Sophia.

Gentle pow’r, merciful might, your glory fills heaven and earth.

Blessed are you who comes in God’s holy name.

Hosanna, hosanna in the highest. 

Part Two:  Presider: You are holy indeed O Mothering God. You are the Heart of Love. You affirm women’s bodies as holy and women’s stories as sacred.  Pour out your Spirit upon all who work for justice and equality.  Pour out your spirit upon this bread and wine so that we may become the body and blood of Jesus, the Christ, in whom we have all become your daughters and sons.

(please all extend hands as we recite the consecration)

Presider:  On the night before he died, Jesus came to table with the women and men he loved.  Jesus took bread and praised you, God of compassion. He blessed and broke the bread, gave it to all his friends and said:

ALL:  “Take, eat, this is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. 

Presider:  After supper, Jesus poured the final cup of wine and blessed you, God the Creator.  Jesus shared the cup with his friends, and said:

ALL:  This is the cup of the covenant of my love poured out for you.  As often as you drink of it, remember me.

Presider:  Let us proclaim the mystery of faith.

ALL:    Christ has died.  Christ is risen.  Christ will come again.

Part Three:  Presider: In memory of Jesus, who showed us the path to liberation and empowerment, we offer you, Loving Creator, the bread of life, this saving cup. We give thanks that we live in your Enfolding Presence and serve you with grateful hearts.  May all of us who share in this sacred banquet of Christ be brought together as one in the Holy Spirit and be filled with courage to live Gospel equality in inclusive communities working for justice and peace in our church and world.

Part Four: Presider:  God, remember your holy people throughout the world, make us one in love, together with Francis, our pope, our female and male bishops, and all God’s people. Remember our sisters and brothers, who face oppression, discrimination and joblessness, who have lost homes, partners, and hope.  Remember all those who work for justice. Remember those who have gone to their rest in the hope of rising again, bring them and all the departed into your everlasting arms.

Part Five:  Presider: Have mercy on us all; make us one with Mary, Mother of Jesus, our sister and champion of the oppressed, and the apostles through the ages, especially Mary of Magdala, Junia and Andronicus, and all the holy women and men who have done your will throughout the ages.  May their courage inspire us to confront patriarchal systems that discriminate against women.  God, may we be free at last from all bondage and injustice, and give you glory through Jesus the Christ.

ALL:  Through Christ, With Christ and In Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, may our work for justice, peace and equality give You glory and honor, Holy God forever and ever.  Amen.

THE PRAYER OF JESUS

Join hands all around and across the isles and continue holding hands until the concluding prayer.

 ALL:  Our Father and Mother, who art in heaven…

Presider:  Protect us, God, from all evil and dismiss all anxiety from our minds.  May a thousand angels guide our steps to live justice, partnership and equality now as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of God in our time where all can say “thank God we are free at last!”

 ALL:  For the kindom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

 THE SIGN OF PEACE

 LITANY FOR THE BREAKING OF BREAD—(Lamb of God)

Loving God, you call us to speak truth to power.

ALL:  Have mercy on us.

Loving God, you call us to live the gospel of justice and peace.

ALL:  Have mercy on us.

Loving God, you call us to be your presence in the world.

ALL:  Grant us your peace.

 Presider:   This is Jesus, who called women and men to be partners and equals, and who liberates, heals and transforms us and our world. All are invited to partake of this sacred banquet of love.

ALL:  Jesus you make us worthy to receive you and become you for others.  We are the Body of Christ.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Our God of love and compassion, just as you called Mary of Magdala, you also call us to go forth and to tell the Good News.  We answer you as people who are often unsure of our desire to be so embraced.  Guide us closer to You and to each other.  Strengthen us in our walks of life and build us into the Reign of God and seal us with the Spirit of your promise.  We ask this through our Holy Sophia.  Amen.

CONCLUDING RITE

BLESSING

Presider:   Our God is with you.

ALL:  and also with you.

 (extend your hands over one another)

ALL:  May the fire of God’s love warm our hearts.  May God grant our prayers for justice and equality in our church and world.  May the love of Christ fill us and radiate through us forever.

 DISMISSAL

Presider:   Go in the peace of Christ.  May Mary of Magdala be our model of courage and faithful service.  By her example may we delight in the presence of Jesus and shout with joy:  “I have seen the Lord!”

ALL:   Thanks be to God.

CONCLUDING HYMN

All Are Welcome by Marty Haugen

Verse 4:  Let us build a house where hands can reach beyond the wood and stone—to heal and strengthen, serve and teach—and live the Word they’ve known.  Here the outcast and the stranger—bear the image of God’s face; let us bring an end to fear and danger:

All are welcome, all are welcome—all are welcome in this place.

Verse 5:  Let us build a house where all are named, their songs and visions heard—and loved and treasured, taught and claimed—as words within the Word.  Built of tears and cries and laughter, prayers of faith and songs of grace—let this house proclaim from floor to rafter:

All are welcome, all are welcome—all are welcome in this place.

Bridget Mary Meehan Association of Roman Catholic Woman Priests

http://bridgetmarys.blogspot.com/

www.arcwp.org

 

News Item – Zoom Link for Mass on July 26, 2020

/ kredig

Dear Friends,

As you know, we are now on ZOOM! All Are One Catholic church will be hosting our first ZOOM liturgy on Sunday, July 26, 2020 at 10:00 A.M. CDT.  Instructions are given below to allow you to participate. In addition this mass will be a celebration of Mary of Magdala, apostle to the apostles and a celebration of all women too and their rightful place in our Church.

Some of you have already participated in Zoom meetings so are familiar with how to do it. If you have not participated in a Zoom meeting before, it is really quite easy—this comes from someone who is not the most technically adept person. (:  Follow the instructions below and you should be able to participate. If you have any problems or questions before the day of our first live Mass on Zoom, my son-in-law, Adam is willing to walk you through your concerns: adamqp@gmail.com.

I hope you can be with us! Jump on early, at 9:45 A.M. CDT that day and we can have a bit of fellowship before Mass as it has been so long since we have been together! We will also be able to have some fellowship time afterward!

Hopefully, this is finding you well and relatively at peace in these trying times.

Love to all–hope to see many of you on Sunday!

Pastor Kathy

P.S. I will be putting out materials for your participation in a later mailing.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­If you would like to join us on your computer, or other device using Zoom, simply click on this address:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85189455528?pwd=eml2RE5URTdjaXpJRWp1dXdmbkZBUT09

If you need to join us via phone call, dial this number: +1 312 626 6799 and, when prompted, enter this information:

Meeting ID: 851 8945 5528

Password: 407545

 

Bulletin – Celebration of Mary of Magdala – Apostle to the Apostles – in a time of Pandemic

/ kredig

Dear Friends,

First Zoom Mass this Sunday, July 26, 2020 at 10 A.M., CDT.  WATCH FOR LINK TO JOIN IN in a later mailing. 

With July 22 this past week, the Church remembered a prophet and priest and faithful follower of our brother, Jesus, the Christ, Mary of Magdala.  This Sunday we will celebrate her in a special Zoom liturgy.  This is usually our traditional, Mass on the Farm and picnic which, due to COVID 19, we need to forego this year to keep us all safe.

We hope many of you can join us and maybe even some far away friends who can’t usually be with us!

Peace and love to all this week as we remember Mary of Magdala and all women and work toward making our Church more open and inclusive.  –Pastor Kathy

Readings: 

  • Romans 16: 1-7, 16
  • Litany of Women for the Church
  • John 20: 1-2, 11-18

 

Sharing – Thoughts on the Eucharist via Zoom

/ kredig

My dear friends,

On this Sunday, July 26, 2020 at 10 A.M., CDT, we will, as a community, have, for the first time, the opportunity for a Mass through the technology of Zoom! Our board met successfully last evening through this format and it was so good to “see” each other again!

These are new times that call for new ways of being Church and community–something we have been talking about during this time of pandemic.  I realize that many have already used Zoom for other meetings and gatherings, so this should be very easy for you.  Some may not have yet done this, so it will be something new, but because of the good prep work of my son-in-law, Adam, who will be standing by on Sunday; I think this will be a good experience for all of us who can join in.

This first Mass on Zoom will be a celebration of Mary of Magdala (feast day, July 22) and of all women, recognizing our loving God’s intention, as exemplified so well in our brother Jesus’ earthly life of inclusion of all, that we are,  women and men, equally called to serve as ministers at the altar.

As I pondered how to best do this Mass, knowing that only a few, (my personal family) will be present in the room with me to receive the Eucharistic bread; I am extending an invitation to you who join us on Sunday to participate in a special way, new to all of us, but one that other women priests have been using in their Zoom liturgies.

Those of you who are part of our Winona, All Are One community, know that I always invite you to pray the Eucharistic Prayer with me including the words of institution–” This is my body…this is my blood.  I humbly remind you that I have the privilege of being the presider, but you all are celebrants with me and together, through the words and our faith, we make Jesus present.  During this time of pandemic, in the absence of the physical bread, I have reminded us that Jesus is always with us and that we are being called to experience his presence in a different way.

So now my friends, again we have a new opportunity and your participation, that I spoke of above,  in a special way,  is my invitation to you,  if you wish, to bring your own bread and wine, or grape juice to the Zoom Liturgy and when we all say the words together, in our faith, Jesus will be present in the bread and wine of our “collective altars.”  This is what we do in our Masses at Lutheran Campus Center as you exercise your “priesthood of the faithful.”

I realize that this might feel strange to some of you, but the only difference is that we won’t be in the same room and I believe that the Spirit can make the leap!

Hopefully this makes sense and can rest easily on your hearts.  I shared this plan with the board last evening and they were in agreement to proceed.  And again, if you are uncomfortable with this plan, please know that it is an invitation and is totally up to you to decide what you want to do.

If you have questions or concerns, please be in contact and we can talk.  aaorcc2008@gmail.com or 507-429-3616.

I will send the link for the Sunday Zoom Mass plus some written material for your participation in a few days,

Love and peace,

Pastor Kathy

 

Homily – 16th Sunday in [Extra] Ordinary Time in a Pandemic

/ kredig

Dear Friends, 

Here we are in another week on our journey with our brother Jesus in July of 2020 in a time of pandemic.  Each of us is, as always–called to be our best.  This is a time  when strong leadership in Church and government would be a comfort, but unfortunately, we have come to see, that for the most part, we have to look within ourselves for answers as we seem to be short on leadership from the aforementioned places. Our loving God though, the Scriptures tell us this week, is always with us–we have no need to fear as our good God is our hope and we are each other’s hope too.  Please reach out to me if I can be of help in any way: 507-429-3616 or aaorcc2008@gmail.com.  Peace and love,  Pastor Kathy

Entrance Antiphon

 God, you are our help, upholding our lives.  We offer you a willing gift of ourselves—we praise your name God for your goodness towards us—always!

Let Us Pray

Opening Prayer

 Loving God, be merciful to us.  Fill us with your gifts and make us always eager to serve you in faith, hope and love. We ask this in Jesus’ wonderful name who lives and loves us, with you, in the Spirit, one God, forever and ever, Amen.

Readings:

  • Wisdom 12: 13, 16-19
  • Romans 8: 26-27
  • Matthew 13: 24-43

Homily

My friends, the Wisdom literature for this Sunday tells us, and I paraphrase, a truly powerful God can risk being lenient to attain the justice that is wanted (needed) by all.  To me, this idea speaks to the whole issue of law versus love.  This is the theme of the Wisdom writers throughout the First Testament of the Bible, known to most of us as the “Old Testament.”  It would behoove us to keep our eyes on these writers more, including the prophets, and not as much on those who depict our God as mean and unfeeling.  The books of Wisdom and that of the Prophets challenge us to be people of justice and of love as the God of us all had challenged them to be.  The God of the prophets was the God that our brother Jesus called—“Abba,” Loving Parent.

Contemplating on the God of Wisdom literature being lenient in judgment, strong, caring, powerful and kind reminds me of the much loved musical, Fiddler on the Roof that we had occasion to watch this past week. This story, as you may know is that of Tevye, the Jewish “papa,” his wife, Golda and their five daughters whom they try to raise in the traditions of their Jewish faith.  Their God seems somewhat remote and they are constantly trying to understand this God, especially Tevye.

Their faith, in its tradition, holds that a “match-maker in their town will choose husbands for their daughters when the time comes for them to marry.  The whole story is fraught with the notion that, “times are changing,” which means that Tevye’s sense of tradition, “what is right” will be challenged by his daughters wanting to marry men that they love, not men whom their papa and mama choose for them.

As the story unfolds, we see that the final decision will come from “the papa,” who, as in all Jewish families, is head of the household. We see though, that he can be resigned to his daughters marrying men that they choose, as long as they marry within the faith.  Chava, the youngest of the three to marry in the story, chooses a man outside the faith and to papa; it is seen as if she has died. This reflects a God who is not “lenient” as described in Wisdom today, and even one who is “mean and unfeeling.”

For those of you who know the story, as the townspeople of Anatevka are forced to move on the brink of the Russian revolution of 1905, Tevye, in the end, can find it in his heart to show love and not just “the law” to his daughter who married outside of the faith.

So, my friends, what does this story have to say about our Scriptures today?  It seems, when all is said and done, the entirety of words of both testaments of our Holy Book speak to the struggle of law versus love—it was always so and always will be.  We need the law to guide our path but never at the expense of love. This was certainly the message of our brother, Jesus.  We need to remember the words from the Wisdom writer’s 1st reading today—a truly powerful God can risk being lenient to attain justice.

One cannot read this Sunday’s readings and come away with any other notion than that, “God definitely has our backs.”  Paul, in his letter to the Romans carries on the thought of the Wisdom writer of a God who is kind, caring, strong and filled with justice by saying, “The Spirit comes to help us in our weakness, with groanings too deep for words.”  I would say, God truly knows our hearts and stands with us, not only in our pain, but in our joy too.

The psalmist continues—“You are good and forgiving.”  In Matthew’s gospel today we read of three parables told by our brother Jesus—of weeds and wheat, of the mustard seed growing into the largest of shrubs, even though it started as the smallest seed, and yeast put into a measure of flour—all with the same message—we are loved and God will give us every chance to grow and become all that we were meant to be.  And as his followers; we are challenged as the prophets of old, to share that goodness with others.

As always, my friends; the Scriptures call us back into our lives, our world in July of 2020 where we must ask, “What do I make of these words on the page of so long ago?”  Are they living words that are reflected in my life or are they dead upon the page?

And my friends, I can honestly admit to you, that I struggle in my life as you do in yours to let these words of justice, caring, goodness—basically, love be reflected in my life—in July of 2020.  A sampling from my life may be of help:

  • I struggle to make sense of people in religion with power over others using and abusing them—completely ruining the lives of those they have abused. The most current example is musician-songwriter, David Haas.
  • I struggle with his apology to the Catholic community, which on the surface seems, heartfelt, but knowing the cunning of such people, “to groom” their vulnerable victims—can I truly trust his apparent sincerity?
  • I struggle with those in public office whose bottom line seems to be, themselves, not the people they purport to serve—what literally do I do with my anger, my disgust?
  • I struggle with those one-issue voters who use their precious right to vote to elect individuals who promise to save life in the womb, but deny it to those same lives once here. By electing people who promise life at one point on the continuum but deny it through a livable wage, adequate housing, food and education makes absolutely no sense and it makes me livid. This is the kind of thing that caused Jesus to incite a riot in the temple on the last week of his life. Life is life all along the continuum! I could go on, but I think you get the point.

July in 2020 lays out a plenitude on the land—to be harvested and to be enjoyed—fruits and vegetables—flowers of all colors and sizes to behold!  As we consider the harvest which Jesus is speaking of in the parable of weeds and wheat growing up together in today’s gospel; we see the plenitude of our God.  The “weeds and the wheat” are us, of course, as we make our way through life, choosing at one time, good, and at other times, the not so good. Our God realizes that we are capable of both and gives us every chance to grow, as is depicted in letting the weeds grow along with the wheat, so that we, all, might become, if we choose, our best selves.

There is a poignant scene in, Fiddler on the Roof when the townspeople are told that they have to leave Anatevka.  Tevye’s son-in-law, Motel (pronounced with a long “O”) says to the rabbi, “We have waited all our lives for the Messiah—wouldn’t this be a good time for him to come?”  The rabbi, who is depicted as rather non-plussed by everything in life says, “Well, we will just have to wait for him someplace else.”

Overall, the people of Anatevka are depicted as a long-suffering group, but one too of fortitude—courage in pain and suffering.  One of the themes in this movie, as I indicated earlier, is that, “the times are changing.”

Maybe we all need to consider, in the face of pain and suffering that our call may be to name the pain suffered as the Jewish people were beginning to do as evidenced by the three marriageable daughters in the Fiddler.  As Jesus’ followers we too need to name the pain in our world and ask what part we play in that pain. We must then  do our part to make the necessary changes that would allow everyone—every race—every gender and its variations, to have justice.  That is what, “Black Lives Matter” is really all about, hearing the cries of all in our world who are imploring us to hear their cries that, “they cannot breathe.”

The time when we can be shocked one day by a crime at the hands of the State, the police, the Church—whomever it may be and let it slip past us if we aren’t directly affected, is over. Period.

We all have been given the perfect opportunity in this July of 2020, in a time of pandemic—felt to a greater degree by those living in poverty, a time that has called our nation’s attention to its racist heart, and to the lack of concern and true moral leadership at the highest levels of our government, to be the “messiahs” that we all hope for—basically to do our parts in the ways that we can to make meaningful change.

We may feel like that smallest of seeds in today’s gospel—the mustard seed and that our paltry efforts can make no difference—but they can!

Our efforts, each one, will make the greatest of “trees.”  This is what Jesus, our brother did in his time—this is what we must do in our time, now, in July of 2020!  Amen? Amen!

Prayers of the Faithful

 Response: “Be with us Loving God”

  1. Jesus, give us strength to be the good seed, the yeast for your people that we might all grow to be what you intend for us, we pray—Response: “Be with us Loving God”

 2.  O God, let peace reign in our hearts and give us the strength and grace to be people of peace—help us to understand that making peace is always better, albeit harder, than making war, we pray—Response:  “Be with us Loving God”

 3.  Jesus, you ask us to be people of faith, and trust—we believe, but help our times of unbelief, we pray —Response: “Be with us Loving God”

  1. Jesus, in your loving Spirit let us as members of this community, All Are One, always find room at our table for all your people, help us all to be together again soon, we pray—Response:  “Be with us Loving God”

 5.  Loving Creator, Savior, Spirit—give us your patience, your strength, your love for our world, be with our country that it can find its way back to “goodness” for all, we pray—Response: “Be with us Loving God”

 6.  Loving Jesus, give each of us, what we most need today, to be prophets for the kindom, we pray—Response: “Be with us Loving God”

  1. Loving Jesus, be with all families who have lost loved ones this week, due to COVID 19, and all other causes—give them your peace, and help them to find their way through their grief, we pray—Response:  “Be with us, Loving God.”

   ***Let us pray for your particular needs—you may say them aloud, we pray, then response

***Let us pray for the silent petitions on our hearts—pause, we pray, then response

Let Us Pray

Gentle God, you who loves us beyond all imagining—be close to us each and every day, shadow us under your wings and be the strength that we need to live as you did, conscious of being inclusive of all, loving others when it is easy and when it is not so easy. Be with our community, All Are One, in special ways during this time of physical separation.  Give us your deep and abiding peace that we would not worry, but trust and believe that you will always be with us. All of this we ask of you who are God, living and loving us forever and ever—Amen!

Let Us Pray—Jesus is with us my friends—always, if we want him to be—this time without the physical Eucharist reminds us of this fact—let us remember often that Jesus is with us.

Prayer after Communion

Loving Jesus—thank you for the gift of yourself with us, always—let it help us to always share your love and peace with all we meet. We ask this in your wonderful name—Amen.