Yesterday I attended my Bishop's parish in Sarasota; Mary Mother of Jesus. The mass is totally inclusive language with many images of the Feminine face of Godde.
Today I attended a traditional parish liturgy at the school where my three grandchildren are in 8th, 7th, and 4th grades. My granddaughter Ellie 9 read the first reading of the liturgy.
I was disjointed spiritually after the mass today and began to remember the liturgies I have attended in my life:
1. I was raised pre-Vatican II so I began RC my journey with a mass totally in Latin and we saying the rosary etc because it was in a foreign tongue except for the homily. Only the altar boys responded to the priest in Latin. Our prayer books had one column of English and one column of Latin on each page of the Mass. We spent the mass in private prayer as we had not role in the service.
2. After Vatican II and the change to English for the mass and music; the liturgy took on a communal form: we sat in a circle, the priest faced the people, guitar masses, home masses many different "experiments" took the mass to the People of God. We all participated: lectors and Eucharistic ministers were roles for adults not altar servers. Altar servers were boys and girls in many parishes.
3. In Floyd county VA (early 90's) I attended my first house church with Women Church Convergence. I wondered if I was going to be condemned for attending? We said the words of consecration, no priest present. The next day I attended a "traditional parish" and during the Mass I entered in Kyros time. For my WC-C liturgy was "super imposed" over the liturgy before me. I even became nauseated because of my "being in two places at once" I concluded "all liturgy is an acceptable offering to my God" The spiritual journey of women gathered is a different journey and relationship with God. Both are valid ways to worship and I never looked back theologically. I know all worship is acceptable to God across the world's religions.
4. Moving to Chicago in 1996 I began to attend The Harold, a small intentional community every Sunday and became one of the "in the monthly schedule" presiders for 13 years until I moved away in 2009. Here I learned and practiced "What can the liturgy look like, still remembering the passover meal and life and teachings of Jesus our brother, but without all the trappings of Empirical Rome. I loved the liturgy as I developed my own "style" and would love to use again. Maybe Sun City Center will have a small RC faith community.
From large to small faith circles gathering to worship our Godde. I have had rich liturgical life experiences which formed my faith and my faith formed them. Yet I know when I meet God face to face all this will be as naught for what I experience now through communal prayer will compare as nothing to the direct experience of God.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
How the Universe Works if I Pay Attention
My plan for tomorrow was
AM attend a discussion of news and views at a local church.
PM get a perm and cut at a local salon.
I try to follow the Path of Jesus. I think at the age of 68 I am beginning to tread more trustingly on the Way. And here is how it works:
I got up this morning and checking my voice mails my beautician had called and asked if I wanted to move my appointment (cut and perm)up tomorrow till the morning. At that time I had a conflict so I called back and said, "I am sorry I cannot come tomorrow at that time" As the morning went on my schedule changed and I really wanted to do the morning appointment so I could participate in a phone conference on Faith and Economics by Jim Wallis of Sojourners taking place in the mid afternoon.
I called her back "I would like to take the morning appointment" even though I would then miss my Wed morning discussion group.
"I am sorry it is filled, but can you come today?"
"Yes, I would be very happy to!"
So off I went for the cut and perm.
Knowing God had given me a way to attend my discussion on "News and Views" in the morning and be home to attend the phone conference in the afternoon. To add the final reason why God rearranged the schedule, later today an automated message from Home Depot who will deliver a new stove to my apartment between 12 and 4 PM tomorrow.
Trusting in God in the Now, my total day was rearranged to meet my needs!
God bless everyone, and see if you can catch the universe rearranging your day to meet your needs and desires.
AM attend a discussion of news and views at a local church.
PM get a perm and cut at a local salon.
I try to follow the Path of Jesus. I think at the age of 68 I am beginning to tread more trustingly on the Way. And here is how it works:
I got up this morning and checking my voice mails my beautician had called and asked if I wanted to move my appointment (cut and perm)up tomorrow till the morning. At that time I had a conflict so I called back and said, "I am sorry I cannot come tomorrow at that time" As the morning went on my schedule changed and I really wanted to do the morning appointment so I could participate in a phone conference on Faith and Economics by Jim Wallis of Sojourners taking place in the mid afternoon.
I called her back "I would like to take the morning appointment" even though I would then miss my Wed morning discussion group.
"I am sorry it is filled, but can you come today?"
"Yes, I would be very happy to!"
So off I went for the cut and perm.
Knowing God had given me a way to attend my discussion on "News and Views" in the morning and be home to attend the phone conference in the afternoon. To add the final reason why God rearranged the schedule, later today an automated message from Home Depot who will deliver a new stove to my apartment between 12 and 4 PM tomorrow.
Trusting in God in the Now, my total day was rearranged to meet my needs!
God bless everyone, and see if you can catch the universe rearranging your day to meet your needs and desires.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
