A Liturgy in Atlanta: For Healing

I have been in Rome, I will attach a report I wrote in another post. DC looking for a place (I think I might have found one). A week in Hilton Head and St. Augustine with Lisa and my grand kids. Then back to Lexington and now onto Ann Arbor for July 4th.

On the way home from FL I stopped by a supporter of women's ordination Lynn and her husband Bob. Bob walks from Atlanta to Columbus GA with a group of Buddhists to take part in the SOA Watch vigil held each November. Their home is used as Lynn's preschool for 5 days a week and is filled with exciting things for "children to grow and learn on."

We had a nice dinner together and Lynn asked if we could have a short liturgy in the morning to start the week. The liturgy was held in the library with books literally from floor to wall. A small table for the altar and another table on which was the photo of Gandhi's tomb which is ornately carved. I felt his presence in the room, a deep peace abided amongst us. Bob and Lynn are part of a worldwide group that prays for peace on the 6th of each month at 7:30. The tradition started in 1985 in Hiroshima. On the altar were bread, wine in a beautiful antique etched glass and candles of different sizes and a bell. Bob was an altar boy and loves the sound of the bell.

I proposed the readings from the day. However, Bob misreading the verse numbers read instead the gospel of the healing of the woman with a hemorrhage and the leader's daughter who had died. My sharing included a story from Walter Reed and my and Jason's healing. When Jason came into WR, Jason was blind. His right eye had shut down with lazy eye. The sight in his left "good eye" was destroyed in the blast that also took his arm and buttocks. I began to read all the stories of the bible in which Jesus heals those who are blind. I came to understand very quickly that I would be healed of my blindness (my marital relationship)and that Jason would be healed. The MD for eyes was astounded, but it is not unheard of, when a child's eye is patched at the appropriate age, the brain retains the ability to "turn it on" if necessary. By Christmas Jason was reading! For the scriptures use the healing of the physical to "mirror" the healing of the soul. Jason's eye was healed at Walter Reed and my soul was healed. Who can say "What was the greater miracle?"

I wanted to focus on healing as Christianity's focus on sinfulness of humanity does not heal but gives the basis for power over by the priests and hierarchy of the RCC. "You are a sinner and must come to us as only we can forgive your sin."
Jesus can heal us, as AlAnon teaches "God as we define God can heal us."

I began with having each of us speak as CTA does, "What do I bring to this Eucharist? What is on my heart/mind?" Then during the normal "kyrie eleison" I instead asked for healing from the wounds of our childhood, from friends, from the community at large. Our response was, "Creator God heal us; Jesus our brother heal us; Spirit heal us."

For our offering of bread and wine I talked about how each of these represents ourselves and community. The bread our lives and actions, the wine all our feelings which give us our experience of being alive.

Then the consecration. We each held our hands out over the bread and wine. I recited the words of consecration, doing the best I can as I couldn't find them in my Living with Christ. As I did this I entered deeply into the Last Supper, more deeply than ever before. I began to weep as Jesus knew this was His blood which would be shed for all. We Catholic Christians have been following his words for 2000 years "Do this in memory of me."

I saw in my mind's eye, as I said the words, Jesus standing at my right side. White robe and dark hair and beard. His hands were outstretched and pointing down. At the same time I knew him to be the Cosmic Christ throughout time. Jesus is as large as the universe. Jesus was present in our simple liturgy of three persons with open hearts to experience His presence in Scripture and in the Eucharist. And He is.

I am so thankful for the opportunity to celebrate Eucharist with others. I encourage you to do the same. God's love is available to each and everyone of us without the intermediary of the RCC. The People of God can gather, bless the bread and wine and receive the body and blood of Christ. All of life is Sacred and we are part of Sacredness it is in our DNA.