A Liturgy to celebrate the Life of MLK Jr.

I was the presider this morning for liturgy.
Today we honored the life of MLK.
I thought I would publish our liturgy.
The prayers are from those published by the Presbyterian Church-USA, I used them freely.

May we all rededicate our lives to the Non-violent way of life for justice and peace making as MLK taught us, as Gandhi's taught us as Jesus the Anointed One taught us.

St. Harold’s Roman Catholic Community
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Memorial of Rev. Martin Luther King
January 20, 2008

All In the name of our Creator,
Jesus our brother,
And Sophia our Courage and Wisdom.

Amen

Prayer of Confession

Reader 1:
Most holy and merciful God:
We acknowledge and confess our slowness to do good,
Our blindness to injustice, and our complicity in deferring
The dreams and hopes of the oppressed.
We have refused your call to do justly, to love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God.

Reader 2:
We condemn racial injustice in our pronouncements,
Yet we cling to the privileges derived from inequality.
When we ought to be ashamed of our failures,
We prefer to cling to private, selfish, imprisoning desires.
We participate in our own oppression.

Reader 3:
Give us the courage to name our sin,
Give us the strength to claim responsibility for our actions.
Give us the grace to change our behavior.
In accordance with the commands of Jesus Christ
Shake us from our sleep with your imperative to do justice.
Move us to action with the compassion of your grace;
And give us courage to pay the price, however painful or costly,
That the justice you will, may be done, on earth as in heaven.
All: Amen

Opening Prayer:

God created all the races and nations of the world and willed
That we live together in peace and harmony.
All: We were made to be family.

There is strife in the human family; injustice abounds as racism, classism, sexism, cultural imperialism and other isms. We are a divided people
All: We have been called to let justice roll down like waters.

We must work passionately to bridge the gulf between us, overcome the injustices that oppress us, and restore community among us.
All: We must be determined to change what we can.
We must have the courage to accept what we cannot change.
Above all, we must be wise enough to know the difference.

Readings:

First Reading: Isaiah 49:3, 5-6

Second Reading: John 1: 29-34
Gospel: MLK on Nonviolence
Response: Litany of Celebration from MLK

Offering of Our Bread

Blessed are you, God of all creation, through your goodness we have this bread to offer, which earth has given and human hands have made. This bread is our faith community your beloved daughters and sons who attempt to walk humbly with our Godde. It will become for us the bread of life.

All: Blessed be God forever.

Offering of Our Juice

Blessed are you, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this juice to offer, fruit of the vine and work of human hands. As when the grapes are crushed to be transformed may our hearts be transformed to live in justice and peace non-violently. This juice will become for us our spiritual drink.

All: Blessed be God forever.

Pray sisters and brothers; that our faith community, our walking in the love of Jesus; all our feelings and thoughts, our spiritual life may be a gift pleasing to You, almighty Godde, Mother and Father.

All: May Godde accept the offering in our hands
For the praise and glory of Godde’s name,
For the good of all the People of Godde,
And our lives of justice and peace.

Reception of Eucharist

We are the body and blood of Christ shared with others so that peace and justice may enter the world. Happy are we who are called to this meal.
Today when we share the Body and Blood of Christ,
let us say:
We are the Body of Christ;
We are the Blood of Christ.

Closing Prayer: All

Gracious God, you create and love us;
You make us to live together in community.
We thank you for Martin Luther King Jr and all
Your children who have been filled with your vision
For our lives and who have worked
to bring your vision into reality.
Fill us with your vision
Guide us to live by your vision,
working to build the beloved community
Where everyone is welcomed, all are valued,
Power is shared, privilege is no more,
And all your children know wholeness
And well being.
Amen.

May we go forth to love and
Serve Godde and one another
All: Amen

All
In the name of our Creator,
Jesus our brother,
And Sophia our Courage and Wisdom.
Amen

Reading from the speeches of MLK Jr.:

"The ultimate weakness of violence is that
it is a descending spiral begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy.
Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it.
You may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth.
You may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate, nor establish love.
Returning violence for violence multiplies violence,
adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Scripture Reflection by Katy Scott

We look at the readings from Christian scripture and we hear of the telling of the unique role of Jesus in human her/history. For these readings were selected to teach us
“Who is Jesus?”
From Isaiah
“I God will make you the light of the nations,
So that my salvation will reach to the ends of the earth.”
Israel the nation is not the focus but the Son of David, the Son of Man, the Son of God all found in the Christian community’s naming of Jesus.

In John’s gospel we hear the same. John confesses that he did not recognize who Jesus was. And it is difficult for us also to recognize Jesus.
John is told, “When you see the Spirit descend and rest on someone, it is this One...
God’s Chosen One.”

Can we say this for Rev MLK also?
Do these words of scripture describe Dr. King for us?
The Spirit of God rested on him
That in our lifetimes Martin was chosen to reveal to us the Will of God?
That through the life and words of MLK we experience the reign of God,
The reign of peace and justice being enfleshed in the world?
We are called to read, to ponder and to reflect and to take action.

Finally from Dr King’s own words.
How his words burn in our hearts as our nation as in Dr. King’s time is engaged in war.
This time in the Middle East the historic lands where Jesus’ ancestors lived and died.

From my son Jason’s story a lived example of the escalation of violence from violence.
Jason was injured Oct 15, 2005. He lost his right eye and arm to a roadside bomb in Iraq.
He is taken from combat and injuries tended to. A truck stop in Iraq is more than a gas station. The place is where people and their families usually this is a large extended family complex live and work all dependent on the income from the truck stop to earn a living. Maybe a 100 people are connected with the truck stop.

The next day Jason’s immediate captain gave an order, “Take the tank and the humvees and destroy the “truck stop” where Jason was injured,” his men are told. The persons living in the truck stop are warned to leave and using the tremendous firepower once under Jason’s command. The truck stop is destroyed, wiped out totally. No stone stands upon a stone.

How do I know?
Jason’s platoon videotaped their response of violence to violence. Jason and I watched it on his computer while he was a patient at WR. Jason showed it to his visitors.

Then because the US Army usually pays money after it destroys civilian property
The town remains are posted with a flyer saying “Come see the commander” All the men from the truck stop go to Jason’s Captain. Instead of receiving cash, they are arrested, and turned over to the Iraqi police. And when they are freed with livelihood for the families destroyed, maybe having been tortured or ransomed, do you think they will live non-violently?

The violence of war continues, we as Americans bear responsibility for what the military does in our name. And Dr. King preached
“Returning violence for violence multiplies violence,
Adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”

Let us turn from hate and violence and destruction
And live following Jesus as MLK taught and lived.
Healing the breach caused by hate by building bridges of love.
Following the Anointed One, the salvation of Israel,
Jesus the Christ, our brother.

A Coyote

I had the experience of a very surprised suburbanite on Friday.
I was on my way to visit a nursing home in Libertyville.
This is a very busy route #21 or Milwaukee Ave.

I could not believe what I was looking at in the only piece of land left undeveloped (not for long).
It had been a field, now being prepared to become more shopping center.
There about the level of my auto was a coyote checking for mice I am sure.
His size his coat with golden brown paws told me "I was seeing what I thought I was seeing."
First time for me in my five years of driving around Lake county as my home health position demands of me. God's creation continues even as we destroy habitat after habitat.

He was a beauty, my heart breaks that we do not honor his need for open spaces (and our hearts own). Blessings everyone.

katy

Monday Morning....

Oh what a Monday Morning:

I headed out to a therapy session called "holographic therapy" images and colors. It was a good session. It is now later in the day. I must admit, don't know if it was the therapy but my cough and drainage seem to be lessening. I hold the image in my mind and hope to continue to be able to do that.

I went to sign up for a "discounted workout price at the Park District armory building near by. The place was very busy. The staff person said, "You must have cash only" So I humphed and headed home to get the cash. She didn't say anything about "exact amount" so...I go back in no person. I check out the building and finally find her upstairs with a yoga class. I show her my $20. "Sorry I need exact amount" I said, "You have got to be kidding, you didn't tell me when I was in before." No...a person said to me "If you let me sign in I have change and she can use it for you." Of course she was signing two folks up...wait, wait.

All the time I am feeling foggy because I have a sinus infection. Finally my turn, people keep interrupting because they are asking to find the yoga class that starts at 11 AM. So I ask about the phone number to complain about "false advertising" says "cash or check" but they can't take a check because they stop that two weeks before the session begins... "It's the Park District" is the only reply the staff person can offer! So I wait, and wait. Finally I have this small receipt which is "your ID" to get in. I thought "Will I ever remember this?" Sigh.

Then off to the CVS to buy some sinus wash to take care of my sinus infection. I have a 2:45 appointment with the MD. I head back to the apt. Try to back in to help Rich who is pulling out and hit my door on a pole! Darn, Dow set up a $1000 deductible, sigh. The door is really crunched, still opens. I will get it repaired later? And the time is not even noon!

It truly is a Monday Morning! feeling. If something can go wrong it looks like it will today.

A book of note: Water for Elephants. Great book we read it for the local parish bookclub that meets tonight. I am trying to decide if I will go. Right now I feel pretty good.

Saturday January 12, 2008 Saturday is for Rest. Right? Uh, Uh

What a Saturday!
I have a sinus infection again, my third one this season. Not good.
However following a MD's advice I have been drinking tea with honey and milk.
Has to be decaffeinated and it seems to be reducing the infection. I am also taking a lot of Vitamin C-1500 mg a day and zinc. I really do not feel too badly today. Coughing because of the drainage.

However if it remains locked in I will go to the MD's on Monday because I have just gotten notice that my mother's sister Irene 87, now in hospice, is approaching imminent and I may be heading to Detroit for a service this week. I have offered to preside at the service which will be very small. Aunt Irene has no living children and her grandchildren are away. It will be Aunt Theresa the only remaining sibling of my mother her son and my sisters and I. I am thinking we could actually do the service in the evening as that might permit a couple of my nephews and family to attend. Of course maybe because Irene is going to be buried, family may want to do it during the day so they could also go to the cemetery. Not sure on this we will have to see. Some times it is good to be a hospice chaplain with my experience at presiding and working to arrange funerals.

Earlier in the day, I presided at the service of the father of one of the condo owners where I used to live. He was 95 and had lived a good long life seeing his great granddaughter. I was so jealous as I have no pictures of my father's side of the family or his growing up. They had all kinds of memory items-his wonderful booklet from his baptism in Germany; pictures and plans of his family's florist business on the west side of Chicago at the turn of the century. A joke (the actual cat Sue played it for us) he played on his CNA-he bought a mechanical cat that mewed, arched its back and eyes flashed. One morning he set it up when his room was dark and started it when the CNA walked in. She yelled! and he had a good laugh. This was a few months back. It was a very nice service, about 50 folks friends and family to support Sue and Bill who recently retired from teaching over 35 years in the Chicago schools.

I am going to email the service to my family members so they can "think about what we should do for Aunt Irene." It is a good basic Christian service.

Then I came home and made some salmon patties that my mother used to cook for dinner. However I used too much butter to cook them in and did I get sick to my stomach! yecch once on a low fat diet, must stay on the diet. Got nauseated. Took Tums. I washed the dishes, listened to Garrison Keillor-favorite on the radio. He ran old shows and this one had Molly Ivans from Austin, now deceased. She sure could tell a Texas political story like no one else! I had the privilege of seeing her the summer before she died.

To top off this crazy Saturday, I got a call from a hospice patient. I had given her my home number because I thought she would be discharged tomorrow. I had wanted to stay in touch is I had offered to preside at her funeral service. ALL of the plans were finalized, except...her daughter cannot move her tomorrow. So she called me and said, "I have to unpack. I have to stay another week." "Oh, no" was my unspoken response. So we will "patch" the week of support together as best we can. I left a message for the hospice administration and staff so they can untangle the situation on Monday. Thank goodness I don't have to work Monday:-) Other staff will have to do contend with the "off again/on again of service delivery."

So one patient heading to death, one patient now back on service, one memorial service completed...What a hospice chaplain's Saturday. I thought I was going to take the day off to help myself recover from the infection!

House still in a mess from Christmas and before. Maybe tomorrow if I am lucky I can dig in and do some major clean up before I have to leave town.

PS Divorce Note: I began paying on my Medicare insurance have part A and part D; need part B supplement. Have an application into AARP, but haven't got the paperwork yet. Final settlement sent to Dow's lawyer before Christmas. Haven't heard anything back so we wait until Dow decides to counter-propose, settle, whatever. Negotiate, go to different judge to get it signed and I am off on my own for the very first time in my life at age 65. I think we are looking at a 2/2008 date now. I don't think they can turn it around that fast as my lawyer said we would have to meet prior to setting court date where Dow does not have to attend. Then Dow and I have to do the financials, the lawyer said sometimes it is a hassle trying to split the IRA's. As the managing agencies each have their demands on what must be produced for evidence, etc. Say a prayer it all goes well.

I Receive My Medicare Card or I Celebrate my 65th

I didn't want my Medicare Day to get too far in the past.
The Christmas holidays are now officially over as we celebrate Epiphany tomorrow.
Friends from Pax Christi got together tonight to celebrate. They started a new tradition "Bring a gift as a king/queen" exchange. Choose a book, CD or DVD from your collection that you want to share with others. I took "Yes Sir, No Sir" the story of the Vietnam Era Vets who protested against their war and whom the IVAW take as their model. The man who chose it said he'd wanted to watch it but never took it out from Blockbuster.

Anyway, I was feeling upset about my birthday being alone for the first time in my life. For the past ten years we have celebrated at Lisa's as the final closing to our Christmas visit. The grandchildren sing a rousing chorus of "Happy Birthday." I missed that this year. So I woke up knowing I had to attend a meeting and thought, "I won't get a cake unless I buy one." So I bought this fabulous Raspberry Chocolate Marble cake. Really, really good, and took it to the meeting. The folks sang me a Polish blessing, I had heard before but can't tell you. It is wishes for a 100 years. I really liked it. We ate the cake and sent the remainder to a Mexican family with lots of members and not much money. I thought that was good to let others share in the celebration.

Then it was off to see a couple of patients, help a neighbor to plan a funeral for her dad-I'll preside for her, then I attended a wake for a man with Down's syndrome who lived to be 70. So I spent the day being a hospice chaplain, a ministry that I love. I hope I was also a blessing for all those I met and minister with.

I came home and Lisa and children called me to sing me a "Happy Birthday!" It was so good to hear their voices! and I must say now that they are 10, 9 and 6 they sound a lot better. Lisa was proud of them. She talked about singing Christmas carols next year.

We chatted for a while then it was time to call it a day on my 65th. People ask, "How is it?"
I have to laugh as I KNOW (as a hospice chaplain), really know the alternative to not celebrating getting older. Because of my decision to divorce I know equally as true I am mentally and spiritually and emotionally more alive, healthier and happy for the first time. I am at peace ALL of the time. My Pax Christi group asked me what I had learned in my 65 years, "I have learned to not fear and to take risks" I didn't add aloud "To trust my own heart and intuition and to leave a relationship that is unhealthy." That is what I have learned and am learning still. God will guide me; doors will open, others will shut. I truly feel that the decisions I make from now on will be good. Any decision that I make will be life giving. It is if I am before a buffet of "what I can do" and all the possibilities are good ones. Any choice I make will be pleasing to God; it is up to me. I hope in my next entry to write about some of the alternatives.

My one disappointment for this birthday is that I did not receive any wishes from Jason-not a card, email or call. I feel badly but know that I cannot aid in his emotional and spiritual healing, Jason must want it and choose to do the difficult work healing entails. Jason must reach out toward me, I would never reject him. I hold Jason and Jodi in my prayers and send them good thoughts. It is enough, I know my life's mistakes; my ignorance is gone on the winds of time. I work and live for peace.

I hope to write about my Faith and Resistance Retreat from12/26 to 12/31 in Washington DC with the Jonah House and Catholic Worker House folks. It truly was a blessing for me and I enjoyed every moment of it.

Happy, Happy New Year everyone.
PS: The settlement is being reviewed by Dow and lawyer. We should hear back pretty soon. Then it goes to the judge for signing. I feel that it is almost over. Then I have to write a will, get a power of attorney, change my name, etc., etc.