Liturgy

We come to sit with you now, our Mother God.
You have made all things and provided what we need.
We are like weaned children,
Drawing close to feel your presence,
Our souls stilled and quieted within us.
For you, Oh God, are our source and our solace,
Our hope and our connector.
We recognize the many gods in our lives
Those that cannot compare to a relationship with you.
We are distracted by power
And the need to feel like we know best
Even about the things that make us no better and no worse.
For you, Oh God, are our source and our solace,
Our hope and our connector.
We trust that you know us and see us
For we love you as the one God for whom we live.
We are full of human knowledge
But want to know what we do not know
And be filled with love instead of arrogance.
For you, Oh God, are our source and our solace,
Our hope and our connector.
In the name of our Mother above,
Jesus, through whom we live,
And the Spirit who sustains us.
Amen.
(Vox Prayer Team)

Scripture Reading

We invite you to hear from the book of 1 Corinthians 8:1-6

1 Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that “all of us possess
knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 Anyone who claims
to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge, 3 but
anyone who loves God is known by God. 4 Hence, as to the eating of
food offered to idols, we know that “no idol in the world really exists” and
that “there is no God but one.” 5 Indeed, even though there may be so-
called gods in heaven or on earth—as in fact there are many gods and
many lords— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Divine Parent, from whom
are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through
whom are all things and through whom we exist.

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: What is our Discernment Rooted in?

Where does knowledge limit and hinder our posture and practice of love and mutuality?

What is our invitation to consider meaningful relationship with those beyond our own comfort and alignment?

What does a nonviolent practice of empathy look like as we hold space for difference?

Benediction

God, give us capacity to see beyond ourselves.
Fill us up with your goodness and compassion and love
So that we can move beyond echo chambers
And puffed up knowledge.
Expand our worlds until we are human-sized,
No bigger or smaller than the other creatures
Made in your image with care.
Ground us in this world you have created,
Connecting us to the earth and each other.
We want to be at peace with all,
Honoring the Oneness of you.
In the name of the Creator, the Redeemer, and the Comforter,
Three in One. Amen.
(Vox Prayer Team)

[Photo by: Nguyen Thu Hoai]