Liturgy

God of Mystery,
as the piano dances a melody
alongside a vocalist, so you
accompany us in our life song.

The cello joins in, a welcome bass,
a fluttering violin, at times, orchestral unity,
in a moment, indignant cacophony,
Through it all, you are with us.

We come longing for harmony
unsure where the ballad will turn next.
We practice, we perform,
we feel the instability of nervous fear.
Draw us into your holy aria.

You welcome us into the mystery of the divine.
We see you as the conductor.
Help us see you in the musician at our side.
We see you as the star soloist.
Help us see you in the drum on which we beat.

God of the dance,
Christ in all people,
Spirit of the choir,
we join your divine refrain
in your holy and precious name,
amen.

(Elise Bjork)

Scripture Reading

We invite you to hear from the book of Philippians 2:1-2

1 If, then, there is any comfort in Christ, any consolation from love, any partnership in the Spirit, any tender affection and sympathy, 2 make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.  

Homily and Reflection

Homily Podcast – What is Collective Discernment?

What questions are alive inside me today?

How might I practice listening deeply to the Spirit, my individual body, and others?

Which voices do I tend to elevate above others?

Benediction

God, give us courage to enter into the sacred space
of conversation, of listening and of speaking.
In our intimate relationships – with family, with friends,
in our social circles – with colleagues, with neighbors,
in our ephemeral connections, with acquaintances, with
strangers. Your Truth need not be locked up by fear.

May we enter a posture of listening
to one another with our whole beings.
May we enter a posture of speaking with
transparency and humbleness and love.

What you speak to us, in our hearts, may we readily
give to another with our voices. What words you place
before us, spoken to us, may we receive with patience
and intrigue, if not with care and compassion.

Enable us to listen beyond the words, hearing the essence
of what is spoken, folding it gently into our own contemplations,
creating space for the pauses, the moments of processing,
realizing, considering, rethinking.

To be heard is to be known.
To be known is to be vulnerable.
To be vulnerable is to be open to a changed heart
that only you, God of Mystery, can and will bring,
in more ways than we can imagine.

Let us engage in both of these wonders –
Listening – inhaling –
Speaking – exhaling –
Let us move between them in conversation with ease,
trusting your nimble Spirit to shift our flow of breath.

Let your unstoppable love and your unfailing Truth
flow from us and to us, as we speak, as we listen,
as we trust, courageously.

In the name of God, all around us,
Jesus, near to us,
and the Holy Spirit, within us.
Amen.

(Crystal Franz)

[Photo by Mari Madrid]