I am feeling mellow and tired after a beautiful day of liturgy.
Got up early to make the wonderful yeast rolls I use for the bread. Since I am on a restricted diet I forgot that I don't use eggs. Opened up the fridge, "NO eggs, yikes" So my yeast proving in a 2 cup measure, I dashed off to the Kroger's. "Wait, the local gas station may have eggs. Everybody sells everything in the 21st century." I stopped and sure enough Amish eggs, even. So I grabbed them and out the door I ran.
Back to the kitchen, the yeast was literally at the top of measuring cup! Happy little one-celled fellows, of course I had given them a "teaspoon full of sugar" to grow on and they sure did. The recipe makes two pans of 12 dinner rolls each. I would take the extra to give away.
Judy who called me to schedule one could not come because her husband who suffers from Parkinson disease had a TIA on Friday and was being released today. She felt badly but we all understood. Her son is a professional horse trainer and is here for the 3 week spring session of racing at Keeneland. Ray her spouse really likes his sons so this was blessing as Ray was confused and out of it. Her son stayed with him so Judy could go home to rest. It is so difficult for families with some of the chronic diseases of seniors. Ray has been ill for over 10 years: stroke, heart attach, Parkinson disease. I asked her was she getting help and she agreed that she would schedule home health care and PT for him. Judy is a lovely saint from Ireland and a true friend.
As I re-read the Scripture readings for the day I saw in synchronicity that today's reading from the AlAnon blue book was perfect for the day. It is a reminder that we cannot change the abuse in the RCC (alcoholic in our relationship). What we can change is our behavior which supports the abuser. As they say in AlAnon; "We didn't cause the behavior, we can't cure it, but we can contribute to it." Which lay Roman Catholics have done and done and done. As they say in AlAnon, we keep doing the same behavior and expect things to change-we are insane, our lives are unmanageable. As adult Roman Catholics must come of age, change our behavior and "stop the abuse" and I am not only talking pedophilia.
As I was thinking on the Good Shepherd I realized that my creche is still up and that I had plenty of sheep and a Shepherd to place on the altar as the center of focus. Which I did, I had my camera and am sorry that I did not take a photo, I will next time.
So six of us gathered at Ann's beautiful home built in 1882. She is an artist and creates masterpieces-that is the size of the painting. She is a long time feminist but always wanted to stay within her Roman Catholic tradition as she converted when she was 15. I will not name all the women as some are connected directly to the Roman Catholic Church and all attend their parishes regularly.
All the women want healing for themselves and and Roman Catholic faith community which was the theme for our Good Shepherd Sunday liturgy. I borrowed from the CTA liturgy of Ann Arbor MI for the gathering of the circle. A lighted candle is passed around and each person brings a joy, gratitude, something that happened this week, intention for the liturgy. This is a quiet time of reflection and acknowledging the needs in our life's circles. We bring these needs to our liturgy.
We used the liturgy written by a RCWP community of San Diego CA. We had used it when I co-celebrated with Bridget Mary in Sarasota at Easter time. I won't type it all but here is the Creed from Sr. Joan Chittester OSB:
We believe in God who made us all and whose divinity infuses life with the sacred.
We believe in multiple revelations of God, alive in every human heart, expressed in every culture, found in all the wisdoms of the world.
We believe in Jesus, the Christ, who leads us to the fullness of humanity, to what we are meant to become.
Through Christ, we become new people, called beyond the consequences of our brokenness, lifted to the fullness of life.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the breath of God on earth, who keeps the Christ vision present to souls yet in darkness, gives light to hearts now blind, infuses energy into spirits yet weary, isolated, searching and confused.
We believe in God who is life
Amen to courage, to hope, to spirit of truth, to nature, to happiness, to wholeness, to the partnership of women and men in God's plan, to the Christ who calls us beyond the boundaries of ourselves, to forgiveness, and to everything that stretches our hearts to the dimensions of God.
In all of this, we can surely believe, as God does.
Amen.
For the homily which is always shared when I preside, I wrote this meditation as a "homily starter." I will include it all as a model by which you may write your own. The theme was the Good Shepherd so to by-pass all our "previous learning" I wrote it so Jesus could speak to each of us within our own heart. The Evangelical Christians always ask, "Do you have a personal relationship with our Lord?" This is how we may create the relationship; the St Ignatius Exercises are another way.
Follow my voice, if you wander, focus on my voice again. However this experience follows the Spirit and if she leads you to another place it is okay. All flows from the Spirit.
Close your eyes with your feet on the floor your hands resting comfortably. Your body relaxed, stretch if you need to. Breathe gently in/out, in/out (until the group seems to be relaxed) a 30 seconds or so.
Find yourself in a safe place...
See a bridge before you...
Cross over the bridge...and see the path before you.
Follow the path which leads you back through time...
Until you find yourself in Jerusalem and countryside at the time of Jesus...
Find yourself in a green space with Jesus and with sheep grazing...
Say hello to Jesus...
Share with Jesus your own need for healing...
How does Jesus respond? What does he say?....
Share with Jesus the need for healing in the RCC...
How does Jesus respond? What does he say?...
Share with Jesus anything you have on your heart...
Listen to Jesus' reply...
Ask Jesus for his blessing...
It is time to leave knowing you can return to be with Jesus whenever you choose...
Say goodbye to Jesus, you may give him a hug...
Jesus says good bye to you...
It is time to leave, wave goodbye to Jesus who now stands with the sheep...
Return to the path...
Retrace your footsteps through time till now...
Cross the bridge...
Return to this room...
When you are ready open your eyes...
The women stayed in the silence for a few minutes and then I opened up the circle for sharing. A couple of women wanted "marching orders" from Jesus but instead he said "Feed my lambs, feed my sheep." He asked them to be patient that he knew the situation and was in control. Jesus blessed each one and for women he looked differently. For one he was a young boy in his teens "One who has been molested?" For another a strong vibrant male in his prime. Each woman was affirmed, not told what to do but to trust as the gospel asks us to do. Each woman had her own unique experience...our personal relationship with Jesus.
We blessed the bread and wine, we shared around the circle. We each read paragraphs of the Canon. We all lifted our hands and said the prayers of Consecration together.
At the end of the mass, we opened the circle to "Go in the peace of Christ. Let our service to God and each other begin."
Amen, Alleluia.
May each of you and all of you have a blessed week knowing our Loving Shepherd Jesus watches over us.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
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