Day 404: Saturday, April 24th: Let's get ready for our celebration tomorrow

at 4:45 pm Pacific Time

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Emmaus Liturgy April 25, 2021

The Cosmic Christ-Jesus as Mother Earth Crucified

Yet Rising Daily

Hope Moving Forward

If at all possible, I hope you will take the time to watch the attached video in its entirety. There will be snippets of this video during the liturgy but I think the experience will be much enhanced by watching the unedited version prior to the liturgy.

Video: Breakthrough Communities

https://coursera.org/share/9a66e2e0504b14ae3f3bf2c8b8c25a4a

Steve: Welcome and Opening Reflections

Today’s liturgy falls in the post-Easter period of the liturgical cycle as well as in the week we celebrate Earth Day. Therefore, I would like us to reflect on Matthew Fox’s idea that

‘the appropriate symbol of the Cosmic Christ who became incarnate in Jesus is that of “Jesus as Mother Earth crucified yet rising daily.”’

(Jesus as mother hen)

Fox goes on to cite the human assault on our Mother Earth even though she has remained completely loyal, supportive, and nurturing to us humans for 4.5 billion years. Today’s liturgy will be shorter on song and longer on video.

My hope is that the notion of an emerging new life and explosion of human creativity will leave us with a sense of great hope for the future. That the matricide of Mother Earth will be transformed into a great faith that the Resurrected Mother Earth can become a reality. Our consciousness is undergoing tremendous change. My dream is that today’s liturgy can open up our thinking just a little bit more.

Steve: PENITENTIAL RITE: Let us take a moment of silence to ask our Earth Mother for forgiveness for all that humanity has done to degrade and harm her. (silence)

Ed: FIRST READING/OPENING VIDEO:

EMERGING EARTH COMMUNITY - TRANSITION

https://coursera.org/share/383cc8ce4382e5412d42c6edccae4355

Transcript from the Video:

How are we to use this symbolic consciousness to create a human presence that will enhance the well being of the Earth community? We are beginning to understand the profound powers of the universe. And, just as these powers have brought forth galaxies, stars, and life itself, perhaps the universe is now unfolding toward some new destiny. What if our ultimate destiny Is to experience the universe so deeply we come to realize that we are, in some sense, the mind and heart of the universe. Our deepest yearning is for a wholehearted participation in the search. As we float in the midst of such mysterious immensities, is there any deep wisdom that might help us align our consciousness with the grain of cosmic evolution? Wonder will guide us.

Human species has a genius for becoming astounded by almost anything in the Universe. What can this mean? The body of the Universe gave birth to our bodies. The self-organizing dynamics of the universe gave birth to our minds. We belong here. We've always belonged here. These deep discoveries of science are leading to a new story of the universe. It's a story that can be summarized in a single sentence. Over the course of 14 billion years, hydrogen gas transformed itself into mountains, butterflies, the music of Bach, and you and me. And these energies coursing through us may indeed renew the face of the earth.

We live in one of the most creative and yet one of the most destructive moments in our planetary history. How are we going to find the energy to create a flourishing future. How can this store inspire a new planetary civilization for the flourishing of the entire earth community.

One that includes, races, classes, religions, cultures and nations states. We have in the second half of this course, collected some of the most creative thinkers on the planet who are drawing on the inspiration of the story, to show us the way, to become mutually enhancing humans on our planet.

Responsorial:

Steve/All: The heart that breaks open can contain the whole universe. …All is registered in the “boundless heart” of the bodhisattva. Through our deepest and innermost response to our world—to hunger and torture and the threat of annihilation—we touch that boundless heart.”

(Joanna Macy)

Ed: SECOND READING/VIDEO:

BREAKTHROUGH COMMUNITIES

(Carl Anthony and Mary Evelyn Tucker)

Mary FitzGerald The Gospel According to St. John

Chp. 10 vs 11-18: The Good Shepherd

“I am the good shepherd. A shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them.” This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.”

Reader: This is the Gospel according to St. John

Mary/All: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia

SHARED HOMILY: Steve will lead in and read the starter questions.

As Brian Swimme stated in the video, “our ultimate destiny may be that we experience the universe so deeply that we come to realize in some sense that we are the heart and mind of the universe”…… then are we not also the good shepherds, are we not called to lay down our life and take it up again? Do we not have the power to lay it down and take it up again; the power to Resurrect Mother Earth?

We are called to be shepherds of the earth. How are you a good shepherd? How do you lay down your life for your sheep? ie: Mother Earth, your fellow brethren?

In the midst of chaos, disharmony, violence and political and social dysfunction, where do you experience cracks of light and hope for the future?

How do you envision communities in the future?

Steve: What do we bring to the table this evening? What do you want to pray for?

Ed: OFFERTORY MUSIC:

Song to the Mother (O Viridissima) from Visions the music of Hildegard von Bingen

Lyrics:

Hail, O greenest branch, you who came forth in the windy blast of the questioning of saints.

When the time came that you blossom in your branches-hail, hail was (the word) to you!

for the warmth of the sun distilled in you a fragrance like balsam.

For in you blossomed the beautiful flower that gave fragrance to all the spices which had been dry.

And they all appeared in full verdure.

Hence the heavens dropped dew upon the grass and the whole earth was made glad, because her womb brought forth wheat, and because the birds of heaven had nests in it.

Then a meal was prepared for humanity, and great joy for the banqueters.

Hence, O sweet Virgin, in you no joy is lacking.

Eve despised all these things.

Now, however, praise be to the Most High.

The Eucharistic Prayer:

Cathy: May we invoke the Holy Spirit here and now through this canticle of the mystics:

Peter: Praise be you, my love, through our sister Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces varied fruits with colored flowers and herbs. St. Francis of Assisi

Cathy: I am the supreme and fiery force who kindled every living spark, and I breathed forth no deadly thing—yet I permit them to be. As I circle the whirling sphere with my upper wings (that is, with wisdom), rightly I ordained it. And I am the fiery life of the essence of God. Hildegard of Bingen

Peter: At every deed, however puny, that results in justice, God is made glad, glad through and through. At such time there is nothing in the core of the Godhead the is not tickled through and through and that does not dance for joy. Meister Eckhart

Cathy: For I saw very surely that our substance is in God, and I also saw that God is in our sensuality, for in the same instant and place in which our soul is made sensual, in that same instant and place exists the city of God. Julian of Norwich

Peter: The powers that have released, could not possibly be absorbed by the narrow system of individual national units which the architects of the human Earth have hitherto used.

The age of nations has passed. Now, unless we wish to perish we must shake off our old prejudices and build the Earth. Teilhard de Chardin

CONSECRATION:

Victoria: On the night before He died, Jesus was at table with His friends, He took bread, he gave thanks to You, broke it, gave it to his friends and said,

All: “This is my body, broken for you.”

Steve:

As supper was ending, Jesus took the cup of wine.

Again he gave thanks to you,

gave it to his friends and said,

This cup is the new covenant of my lifeblood shed for you and for all. And as often as you do this, Do this in remembrance of me.

Victoria: Let us proclaim the Mystery of Faith

For, it is “Through You, With You, and In You,

In Unity of the Holy Spirit,

all Glory and honor is yours

Forever and Ever.

All: Amen

Steve: Now together, as one community, we offer to you O God,

our prayer, in the name of your beloved son and our brother, Jesus:

Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain bearer, Life-giver,

Source of all that is and that shall be Father and Mother of us all,

Loving God, in whom are the heavens:

The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!

The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world!

Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain

our hope and come on earth.

With the bread we need for today, feed us.

In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.

In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.

From trials too great to endure, spare us.

From the grip of all that is evil, free us.

For You reign in the glory of the power that is love,

now and forever. Amen. (The Lord’s Prayer - The New Zealand Prayer Book)

The Kiss of Peace:

Victoria: Now give a gesture of peace to all in our beloved community.

Invitation to Eucharist:

Steve: Through this Eucharist, and in the spirit of our Beloved Community, we extend the invitation of Jesus to each and everyone of you to take and eat this bread, to take and drink from this cup. Come to the table, this is the table of Risen Christ, where all are welcome.

COMMUNION SONG:

A Feather on the Breath of God by Hildegard of Bingen, sung by Emma Kirby

Victoria: THE CLOSING PRAYER: by Hildegard of Bingen

The earth is to the sun, as the soul is to God.

The earth has a scaffold of stones and trees.

In the same way is a person formed:

flesh is the earth,

the bones are the trees and stones.

The soul is the firmament of the organism, then.

In the manner in which the soul permeates

the body with its energy, it causes and

consummates all human action.

This is how a person becomes a flowering

orchard.

The person that does good works is indeed

this orchard bearing good fruit. And this

is just like the earth with its ornamentation

of stone and blossoming trees.

Ed: CLOSING SONG: In the Spirit of endless Gratitude:

Thanks A Lot - Raffi

Thanks a lot,

Thanks for the sun in the sky.

Thanks a lot,

Thanks for the clouds so high.

Thanks a lot,

Thanks for the whispering wind.

Thanks a lot,

Thanks for the birds in the spring.

Thanks a lot,

Thanks for the moon-lit night.

Thanks a lot,

Thanks for the stars so bright.

Thanks a lot,

Thanks for the wonder in me.

Thanks a lot,

Thanks for the way I feel.

Thanks for the animals,

Thanks for the land,

Thanks for the people everywhere.

Thanks a lot

Thanks for all I got.

Thanks for all I got.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

ANNOUNCEMENT #1: Wednesday 4/28 at 4:00 pm:

Closing Service at St. Patrick's for "Pray Their Names"

The memorial exhibit called "Pray Their Names will soon be moving from St. Patrick's to Sonoma.

We have been invited by the Rector of St. Patrick's Episcopal Church, Doyle Dietz Allen to participate in a closing service. Kenwood Community members are also participating.