Liturgy

Breath of Life, wake us up.
Open our eyes to you, and
pull us out of the darkness.
We feel our bodies shake against the discomfort.
Birth is painful, and waking up feels like reliving
the cold push into this world.

Hold us fast, hold us close, pull us through.
We yearn to hear your voice. We long for the
familiar touch of your hand, and we cry out
for understanding.

We can not go back. We can not fall asleep
once we have woken up, we can not unlearn
what we have learned, and we can not
un-see what we have seen.

Here and now, there is stillness.
Here and now you are real,
not an imaginary friend.

Here and now, we can release the pain
we have been holding onto, and breathe
in you, Breathe of Life.

God, who is life, God, who is love,
God, who is one, we pray to you,
our God in community,
Holy in One.
Amen.
(Naomi Jackson)

Scripture

We invite you to hear from the reading of Psalm 116.

1 I love GOD because I was listened to,
listened as I begged for mercy.
2 God listened so intently
as I laid out my case.
3 Death stared me in the face,
and was hard on my heels.
Up against it, I didn’t know which way to turn;
4 then I called out to GOD for help:
“Please, GOD!” I cried out.
“Save my life!”
5 GOD is gracious—it is God who makes things right,
our most compassionate God.
6 GOD takes the side of the helpless;
when I was at the end of my rope, God saved me.

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God!
The grass withers and the flower fades,
but the Word of the Lord endures forever. Amen.

Homily and Reflection

Homily Podcast – Recovery As A Path 4.23.2023

What is your cry to the Divine?
Where might you seek reconciliation in your life?
How might you take a step toward healing?

Benediction

Let us leave with a benediction.

This blessing
can wait as long
as you can.

Longer.

This blessing
began eons ago
and knows the art
of enduring.

This blessing
has passed
through ages
and generations,
witnessed the turning
of centuries,
weathered the spiraling
of history.

This blessing
is in no rush.
This blessing
will plant itself
by your door.

This blessing
will keep vigil
and chant prayers.

This blessing
will bring a friend
for company.

This blessing
will pack a lunch
and a thermos
of coffee.

This blessing
will bide
its sweet time

until it hears
the beginning
of breath,
the stirring
of limbs,
the stretching,
reaching,
rising

of what had lain
dead within you
and is ready
to return.

(Jan Richardson)

[ Photo by Timothy Dykes ]