Never Forget… Sunday, November 14, 2021 Taizé
Rev. Diana Johnson, with Lucinda Alton, RScP and Chris Johnson, RScP.
Bell – Call to Awareness – 3 Bells
Opening Prayer – Lucinda will set the intention to open heart and mind, welcoming whatever is to be awakened today.
Introduction – Rev. Diana
Good morning. My name is Rev. Diana Johnson, Pastor and Spiritual Director of Mystic Heart Spiritual Center. Thank you for joining us this morning. Welcome Home to our Beloved Community, and welcome Home to your own Mystic Heart.
Please join us as we join our voices in devotion…Let Love Be the Guide.
Chant – Let Love Be the Guide
Rev. Diana
Joining our voices together changes us, creates a shift in our consciousness…which affects the global consciousness as it ripples out…chanting is another way to sit in the Presence of God…to experience the sacred. It is a holy expression of praise and thanksgiving…of connection to our deepest Wisdom…and to one another.
This month we are taking time to Celebrate the Gift…the gift of Life, the gift of Love, the gift of Abundance, the gift of Community…we are all so blessed. Last week we celebrated the opportunity to Look for the Good. And this morning, our Taizé Meditation with remind us to Never Forget.
As we sit, still at peace, feeling out connection, we take a nice, deep, cleansing breath…and relaxing the body on the outbreath, let yourself be fully supported, allowing your eyes to remain closed…slowing the breath and allowing it to find its own pace and sense of flow…scanning the body and releasing any remaining tension…letting go of anything that has come before this moment…breathing in Peace, and allowing Peace to flow from you into the space around you. Peace within…Peace without…surrendered to the stillness of this moment.
We take a moment to acknowledge the miracle of life…the miracle that is the body…the vehicle by which we move through the world…the mind, and its capacity for reasoning, and making conscious choices…emotions that allow us to feel, to love, to experience gratitude…intuition that serves as a Guide…and I give thanks for all of it, exactly as it is, and exactly as it isn’t.
Now let’s take a moment to acknowledge our Oneness with the global Community… knowing that we are intimately connected…of the same Spirit…
Envision with me now, a web of Creative Power and Energy that encompasses the earth…We see it with the inner eye, and we feel its Presence. Each of us is one radiant point of Light in the web, a perfect and intentional expression of the Divine. We expand our Vision to include every creature that shares this beautiful planet with us, and we sense the Light in each one. Now expand the Vision to include every plant, every rock, and every grain of sand. Even the soil and the water shine with the Light of Spirit…teeming with Life and Intelligence. We allow our Vision to move into the heavens, and we realize that the clouds, the stars, and the galaxies are all radiating the same Divine Light…one continuous field of Intelligence…no boundaries…all part of the One Life…eternal, omnipresent…
Feeling our Connection, we share a heartfelt intention for our time together. We claim the Light that we are and commit to expressing it in life-affirming ways, in Service to one another and to our beautiful Earth. And we seek to never forget our Power and Influence in the world, committing to use it for Good.
In setting this prayerful intention, our Work here is empowered. We are creating a ripple of Peace, of Love and Compassion that has the Power to heal. In the silence, we feel the Power of our collective consciousness…and Wholeness is being revealed.
SILENCE – 1 Minute – Bell
Rev. Diana
Never Forget. Most of the time, when I see this phrase, it is inviting me to remember something painful…like the many soldiers and innocent civilians who have lost their lives in wars and other violent situations. We are invited to remember the cost of violence to our families and societies…and I would have to agree with Winston Churchill that those who don’t learn, or forget history, are doomed to repeat it.
Sometimes the phrase Never Forget even invites us to hold on to our resentments, even to the point of retaliation for wrongs done. I would like to turn this phrase in another direction, one that is more constructive…one that invites us into a life of Peace, Contentment, and Connection with our Source.
Never Forget…that within the Infinite Possibility that I call God, there is a way that is Graceful. No matter what we are setting out to do, to be, or to accomplish, there is a way that is Graceful.
Here is the tricky part…in order to find the most Graceful path, I have to first believe that such a path exists. Then I must be willing to let go of the way I think it should look…of the habits and patterns that lead me back to the same old outcomes. And I must be willing to ask…sit still…and listen.
The book of Proverbs tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
Call to mind right now a situation or condition for which you are seeking Peaceful Resolution…something that is (or had been) creating dis-ease in your body, mind, or emotions. (Pause) Know with me now, that within the Infinite Possibility that I call God, there is a way that is Graceful. Spirit, show me the way. (Pause)
SILENCE – 1 Minute – Bell
Rev. Diana
Never Forget…that each of us who is awake and aware enough to do so must consciously do our part in whatever way we are Called…to be the change we wish to see in the world. If I wish to live in a Peaceful world, my thoughts, words, and actions must be Peaceful. I must be Peace in action. If I wish to live in a Loving world, and to have Love in my life, I must radiate Love.
If I wish to live in a world of sufficiency and abundance for all, I must practice Generosity…I must have a sense of enough.
Rabbi Jesus demonstrates this Principle in the book of John in the Christian Bible. In the story, he is gathering with his apostles for what is likely to be their last meal together…the last supper. And what is the example he sets? Jesus washes and feeds Judas who will betray him, Peter who will deny three times ever knowing him, and all the rest who will fail to stand by him in his hour of greatest suffering. The love that Jesus demonstrates is certainly not based on the merit of the recipients…he knows they will not stand by him…they are not strong enough…they do not truly understand his teachings. But he demonstrates unconditional love. And he commands them to love others in the same way. In other words, be the Love…no matter what.
As I seek to Never Forget…to remember who I Am and what I’m here for…I take a moment for contemplation…At this time in my life, what do I want to say Yes to? What can I do…how can I live…that honors the place where I stand… and makes the best use of my life?
SILENCE – 1 Minute – Bell
Musical Meditation – Remember by Chris Johnson
Rev. Diana
Last week we looked at Blessing through the lens of simple acknowledgement and acceptance of what is. I would like to choose another lens…let’s look at a process of Blessing that can help relieve us of the overwhelming sadness or frustration that can creep in as we observe the happenings in our world, in our communities and our families.
Join me, if you will, in taking a journey…back two hundred years…a time when the world was very small in comparison to today…before modern technology existed…before human beings were aware of the suffering happening across the country, or on the other side of the world. Two hundred years ago, the suffering we were aware of and expected to hold was so much less than it is today. We have had an explosion in our technology, but we have not had a simultaneous explosion in the soul’s capacity to hold all that suffering, all that grief.
And so, as I stay tuned in to what is happening to the rainforests, to our soil and our oceans…to how racism, greed, and violence are impacting our lives and our planet, how do I sit with it all? As I hold my heart open to friends, family, and Community members who are struggling, how do I not let it overwhelm me so that I am no earthly good?
In the morning, as I begin my Practice, I light a candle for what I can’t carry. I humble myself by acknowledging that there is more pain and grief in the world than I can carry…not to get stuck in the darkness, simply to acknowledge it.
I light a candle for those souls who need to transition through the process we call death, honoring their process, assisting in their Graceful release…
I light a candle for those souls whose time on earth is not yet done…and whose experience is difficult, even painful…
I light a candle for my world, that it knows Peace and Healing…
I light a candle for my country, that it cooperates with others, and contributes to the Peace and Healing of the planet in Powerful ways…
I light a candle for my local community, that it is strong and self-sustaining, Peaceful and Prosperous…
I light a candle for my Beloved Community, that it continues to grow and thrive…and for each member, that they each come to know themselves as blessings to the world…
I light a candle for my close friends and family members, that they are Healthy, Happy, and Fulfilled…and that they know Love and Belonging…
And I light a candle for myself, that I Never Forget who and whose I Am, and that I live accordingly…
I begin my day at the altar, thinking about the difficult things that are happening in the world. As I light my eight candles, I Am shining Light into the darkness. Friends and family who are experiencing loss and suffering…my own losses or challenges…I am fully present to what is happening. Sometimes I cry. I honor the lives that are being lived, human and otherwise…the lives that are being fought for, and the lives that are lost. I Am blessing and releasing…trusting each person and situation to God’s Loving Care and Perfect Unfolding.
And when I Am complete, I move into gratitude for the many blessings in my life. I take time to feel grateful…I mean really grateful. Finally, I sit with this question…what can I do with this one precious day? What messages do I need to share? What connections do I need to cultivate? What can I do to take care of myself? What I know is that in the face of my Joy and my grief, I intend to live this day fully, not knowing how long I have left. Because tomorrow is not promised…none of it is promised. I have the choice of whether to move unconsciously through my day, or whether to invest my time in something meaningful. If it is up to me, and it is, I choose silence…I choose study…I choose family and connection, I choose writing and dancing and cooking and putting my hands in the soil. If it’s up to me, I choose Love…I choose Peace…I choose Joy.
Chris – Meditation
In this Holy Moment we pause to remember the Truth of who we are… the Truth of what we are… Our essential nature is Pure Spirit… God in human form… the Christ Consciousness individualized, specialized, and personified… Each one of us is a unique vehicle for the glorious expression of the Divine… <pause>
Sometimes we can actually feel Spirit flowing through us… inspiring us… energizing us… Our intuition is right on target… we’re in the direct flow of Life… The world looks a little bit brighter… people are a little bit friendlier… our work is effortless… we smile more readily… These are all symptoms of us remembering our divinity… <pause>
But it seems altogether too easy to fall out of that state of Grace… The outer world presses in around us and our attention drifts away from the Truth of our being… We may feel like we are helpless in the face of human difficulties… We forget our Spiritual Power and our Divine Birthright as sons and daughters of God… … <pause>
Yeshua of Nazareth told us, “You are the light of the world. Let your light shine so brightly that all may see your good works and glorify the Spirit within you.” … It is easy to lose sight of that Divine Spark within us when our attention is drawn outward toward the suffering and darkness in the world…
We are meant to be the Light that penetrates that darkness… the Love that soothes that suffering… We are meant to be the heart and hands of God in this world… When we remember that “of ourselves we can do nothing,” and let “the Spirit within do the work,” we are back in the flow of Divine Life… As we enter the Sacred Silence, let us relax our sense of being human, and expand our awareness of the Divine Love, Beauty, and Inspiration that is seeking to express through us, as us… We are indeed the Light of the world…
Silence – 3:00
We emerge from this time of blessed contemplation filled with great gratitude… Grateful for this beautiful time of communion with Spirit and with our Beloved Community… Appreciative of this remembrance of who we truly are…
Thank you, God, for everything…
Please affirm with me that our thoughts, words, and actions align with our deepest spiritual intention, and that we are all inspired daily to give full expression to the gifts given us. The light of our souls shines brightly as we express powerful spiritual qualities in this world.
As we return to Rev. Diana inspired message this morning, we set our intention to remember… We consciously choose to Never Forget…
Rev. Diana – Invitation to Practice
Here is what I know and must Never Forget…the kind of change I can make in the world is directly related to the change I make in myself. Everything is connected. If I’m not willing to do my part, nothing will actually change. As I change, my immediate world has to change. Spiritual Principle tells me so. And that change just continues to ripple out, making a positive imprint for all time.
Here is what I know…I Am here to remind you…but mostly, I Am here to remind me. I guess when it comes down to it, there’s really no difference.
Musical Meditation – I’m Here to Remind You by David Ault
Rev. Diana
We allow this heartfelt prayer to become a full-body experience, feeling the Truth of every word. Right here and right now, I know that there is only One Thing going on here, and that One Thing is God expressing Itself as all that is…as you, as me, as every thought, word, and action. And so I know that I Am, that each of us Is, a perfect Emanation of Divine Life…nothing missing, nothing broken…perfectly imperfect, just as God intended. I take a moment to feel the Presence as it breathes me…as it fills me to overflowing with Its Life.
By Its Power and Intelligence, all things come into being. And so, I use the power of my Word, the Power of my prayer, to co-create a Love-Soaked World. Within the Infinite Possibility of God, there is a way for humankind to live peacefully together…first, each one Peaceful within, then with one another. Show me the way. There is a way for every being to experience Joy, Abundance, and Freedom. Show me the way. Knowing that Peace exists, that Love is real, we feel and know our world as a Peaceful place…where all beings practice loving kindness, compassion, and generosity with each other…where all humans respect and care for our planet as a cherished Home…where all beings have everything needed to experience fullness of life…nourishing food, the safety and comfort of home, medical care and education, healthy relationships, right livelihood, creative contribution, and a sense of belonging. We feel and know a world without greed, where there is abundance in having enough…
where every being, as a precious creation of God, is deserving of all the blessings life has to offer. I feel it, I know it…show me the way.
Trusting in the Power of our collective Knowing, and in the eternal givingness of God, and offering our heartfelt Vision, the world is new. All of creation is lifted in consciousness…and for this knowing, I give thanks.
I give thanks for each one who is here today, in community, in communion, in celebration of this beautiful life.
I give thanks for all who came together to make this time of celebration possible…for all who give of their time, talent, and treasure throughout the week to support and sustain our Beloved Community.
And I give thanks to the One Life that I call God…for Its Loving and Lawful Presence…and for all of the blessings of this and every day.
From this place of profound gratitude, I release this prayer, in absolute faith that it is being moved into form and experience.
Rev. Diana – Moving Into Celebration
Please repeat after me as together we affirm…
- There is Power in our Prayer…
- There is Power in our Vision…
- We feel the change happening…here and now…
- And so I simply let it be…calling it Good, and calling it done…
- And so it is! Amen!
I have a feeling that I’ve given you enough to think about this week…no specific homework required. However, if you’d like a three-step blessing that is guaranteed to challenge you, and eventually to free you, here it is.
Call to mind a person that you believe causes you strife, or even suffering. The more, the better. 😊
Now, with as much true feeling as you can muster, use this person’s name.
______________, I bless you.
______________, I love you.
______________, I release you from all expectations.
The first two are a little bit challenging…the last one should give you something to chew on.
We take the time each week to celebrate all the Good that is happening in the world…all the amazing people who bring the best of themselves to Life. Celebration is a vital part of our Mission and our Spiritual Practice.
Please join me in celebrating the Karadah Project, founded by Lieutenant Rick Burns. Rick says: “We are committed to building sustainable and long-term solutions in partnership with the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. We envision a world made better by equal access to ideas and partnering opportunities that empower people and communities to solve their own challenges and create their own destinies where sustainability, growth and innovation build civil, stable and economically productive communities.”
Good News: Karadah Project International
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMsSXxLTFJ0
Rev. Diana – Blessing for the Offering
Each Sunday, we invite you to join in the celebration of the work we are doing in the world by sharing of your financial Good, should you choose to. If you are at home, you can go to mysticheart.org to use our Donate Button or to find our mailing address.
We also have a Gracious Giving Program for those who would like to make a heartfelt monthly commitment of support so that we can more effectively plan for our growth and our monthly spending. I would be happy to give you more information.
As we move into this time of giving, let these words reverberate in your heart and mind, and know how much we appreciate your gifts:
As I awaken to the God within me and all around me, I see Abundance everywhere I look. I consciously step into that flow of Abundance by this act of giving. I bless this gift, sending it forth to heal and prosper. It is evidence of my deep faith. It does good work in the world and blesses all of Creation. I give from a consciousness of Abundance! And so it is! Amen!
The song we share today is to celebrate the life of an amazing musician…
George Harrison died in Nov. 29, 20 years ago. He was 58 years old.
Offertory Video – My Sweet Lord by Tribute to George Concert
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EORbL8N-R8
Lucinda & Rev. Diana Gratitude Prayer
April’s Invitation to the 12 Days of Kindness
Lucinda – This Week’s Invitations
- Tuesdays, 3-5 pm – Please join Michael Bordeaux for Secrets of the Lost Mode of Prayer by Gregg Braden. Drop-ins are always welcome. Donations are gratefully accepted but not required.
- Thursdays, 3-5 pm – Metaphysical Bible (on-going, drop-ins always welcome)
Looking Ahead…
- Mystic OAKS Adventure Group: The Schreder Planetarium, Saturday, December 3 from 7:00 – 9:00 pm. In celebration of the Holy-Day Season, we will be guided on a journey back in time to witness…THE CHRISTMAS STAR. Those who wish to meet can gather at Final Draft on California Street for dinner at 5:00. We will arrive at the Planetarium at 6:45 to check in and be seated. Contact Rev. Diana at (530) 356-1227, or by email at revdiana@mysticheart.org for more information or to make your reservation. Tickets are $12 per person. RSVP/payment in advance is required. 18 Seats are still available. Reserve your seats today!
- Mystic OAKS Adventure Group: Redding Lights at Turtle Bay, Thursday, December 16 from 7:00 – 9:00 pm. Those who wish to meet can gather at Mosaic for dinner at 5:00. We will gather in front of the Café and Gift Store at 6:45. Contact Rev. Diana at (530) 356-1227, or by email at revdiana@mysticheart.org for more information or to make your reservation. Tickets are $9 for seniors, $12 for adults, and $6 per child 5-15 years with our membership discount. RSVP/payment in advance is required.
- The Two Christmas Stories: A Mystical Look with Chris Johnson, RScP. Saturday, December 18 from 10 am – 3:30 pm. Did you know that the Christian Bible tells two very different Christmas stories? Join Chris in this mystical exploration. Lunch will be provided. Suggested donation: $20, any donation is appreciated. No one turned away. Contact chris@mysticheart.org or check out the website for more information and registration.
- You Are the Light: A Christmas Candle Lighting, Wednesday, December 22 from 7 – 8:30 pm. Please join Mystic Heart as we honor the world’s winter traditions and celebrations, each of which invites us to prepare for the return, or the revealing, of the Light.
If you’d like prayer support, we have prayer request cards and envelopes on the fireplace, as well. If you would like to meet with a Prayer Practitioner in person, I am available for a quick prayer after the service. Or contact one of the Mystic Heart Practitioners for a full Session during the week. Our contact information is listed in the bulletin and on our website, as are all of the Mystic Heart events and activities.
To continue the celebration, there is food and fellowship next door immediately following the service. So let’s stand and sing our closing song.
Closing Song: Love Be with You, written by Lainey Bernstein, RScP & Gary Lynn Floyd
Close of Service