Liturgy
Here’s to the God of the wild and untamed
Here’s to the animals that bat their wings
And test their speed in freedom
Here’s to nature as our parish,
The beauty of the morning light
The breeze moving through the trees
May all beings know freedom
May we be stewards of dreams that balloon so much they take up infinite
space
May the words we speak bring peace amongst the ravages of conflict
May our works be like water in a desert
May we not grow blind to the horrors of the world, but continue to speak
out against them
The veins of self-doubt run long
But Lord in community we find rest
Lord in you we find resistance
No leash, no kennel, no cage—to the wild and untamed
In the name of our God, a melody of hope
Christ, the wings of freedom
And a Holy Spirit, the embers of resistance
Amen.
(Vox Prayer Team)
Scripture
We invite you to hear from the Gospel according to Matthew 5:2-11
2 And Jesus began to speak and taught them, saying: 3 “Blessed are the
poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who
mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will
inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for
righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they
will receive mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10
Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when people revile
you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my
account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in
the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
The Good News of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
The grass withers and the flower fades,
but the Word of the Lord endures forever.
Amen.
Homily & Reflection
Podcast: Who is Vox? Pursuing Justice
Where are the places we can practice hospitality as an act of justice?
What are some practical ways you can meet physical needs of the vulnerable?
How might our nonviolent resistance be needed for restorative justice?
Benediction
God when we are empty you contain millennia
When we grapple with the tragedies
of this Earth you provide embrace
You are a God of the masterpiece, the epic
As we go out into the week let us remember
that you are never truly absent
In the name of a God of wild freedom
A Christ of radical inclusion
And a Holy Spirit of community
Amen
(Vox Prayer Team)
[photo by Boran Pang]