Come to the Table of Plenty: A Prayerful Reflection and Dialogue
on Thanksgiving Eve 2017 for Interfaith Service by Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP
1. Play Song/
Words
and music by John Michael Talbot
Come
to the feast of heaven and earth!
Come
to the table of plenty!
God
will provide for all that we need
Here
at the table of plenty
O
come and sit at my table
Where
saints and sinners are friends
I
wait to welcome the lost and lonely
To
share the cup of my love
O
come and eat without money
Come
to drink without price
My
feast of gladness will feed your spirit
With
faith and fullness of life.
My
bread will ever sustain you
Through
days of sorrow and woe
My
wine will flow like a sea of gladness
To
flood the depths of your soul
1.
Reflection
“There was a lady
who was visiting a church one Sunday.
The sermon seemed to
go on forever, and many in the congregation were dozing off. After the
service, she walked up to a very sleepy-looking gentleman, extended her hand
in greeting, and said, "Hello, I'm Gladys Dunn."And the gentleman
replied, "You're not the only one, ma'am, I'm glad it's done too!"
|
I
assure you, my sisters and brothers, this will not be your experience! At Mary
Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community, our presiders, including our
ordained priests, offer a homily starter which is followed by the community
participating in a shared homily. After over 2000 years, Catholics in our
communities have a lot to say about how God’s Word is impacting their lives. We
believe that the Spirit of God speaks through the whole community and is
guiding us as we live a new model of inclusivity, hospitality in our
communities where all are welcome.
So
in light of this tradition, this evening I will begin my homily with a guided
meditation on reflecting together on the many blessings of our lives, our earth
and our calling to to be a “table of plenty” for those we meet each day and for
those we will never know.
“The one thing all humans have in common is that
each of us wants to be happy,” says Brother David Steindl-Rast, a monk and
interfaith scholar in an interview with Oprah Winfrey. And happiness, he
suggests, is born from gratitude. "Gratitude can change our world in
immensely important ways, because if you're grateful you're not fearful, and if
you're not fearful you're not violent. If you're grateful you act out of a
sense of enough and not of a sense of scarcity and you are willing to
share."
David Steindl-Rast: Want to be happy? Be
grateful https://www.ted.com/talks/david_steindl_rast_want_to_be_happy_be_grateful
The God
of Inclusive Love invites us to celebrate the wholeness and humanity of
everyone especially our sisters and brothers who are poor and marginalized and
in need of us providing a table of plenty for them.
So, on this Thanksgiving Eve, I invite you to
reflect on gratitude, name the Table of Plenty in your life, in creation and give thanks as we care for the Earth together.
(Rachel’s Song plays softly in background)
3. Meditation at Table of Plenty
Take
a few minutes to breathe deeply and journey into the depths of your soul, the
still point of your being, where you relax in the Presence of the Holy One who loves you beyond your wildest dreams at
the Table of Plenty…
Open
yourself to experience the boundless love, healing energy, and blessings of the
Holy One within you… Be aware of any thoughts, images or feelings that
fill your heart…
Give
thanks for the great blessings of your life… family… friends, loved
ones…special people ..our earth. Give thanks for each one in the circle of love at the
Table of Plenty…
In
your prayerful imagination, see creation in an expanded circle around the Table
of Plenty… Give thanks for the boundless blessings of each living creature and our earth…. Be
aware of any thoughts, images or feelings that fill your heart…
Now
reflect on any ways you can live each day with a grateful heart and share your
blessings at the Table of Plenty with others especially those in need as we care for the earth together...
As
you are ready, jot down on your card, or make a mental note of your special
blessings that you wish to name at your Table of Plenty as we now bring our
meditation to a close…
4. Sharing in small groups/Community sharing with all: time permitting
Share
with onenear you- your greatest blessings, practices that help you live gratefully
each day, and ways we can share our blessings with others.
5. Conclude with song again
Bridget
Mary Meehan, 703-505-0004, sofiabmm@aol.com
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