A letter from Rev. Liza Marcato
Dear Congregation,
What a week it has been, both locally and globally. First—to our local situation: You received a letter the week about a change in the priests sent to your congregations, and this has landed as quite a shock for many of you. Leaving Hillsdale and our other congregations brings great sadness for me, but it also feels like the right time—even though it also never feels like the right time—I could also stay here for many more years to come. It is not an easy job Lenkers have to look at the whole Christian Community and the small number of priests and to figure out how to keep the movement moving forward by best pairing priests and congregations. Vowing to be on a lifelong path of becoming also means living into faith in the guidance of the spiritual world, as it comes through our Christian Community leadership. There is no lack of love behind such changes, but a call for a courageous leap into a new direction. Hearing in March of changes coming in mid-summer and beyond gives us an abundance of time to process my leaving and your receiving a new priest in Carol Kelly.
We are also part of a new global happening. The world has changed it seems overnight. The Coronavirus situation sweeping the entire human community continues to grow in its effect, and we do not yet know how it will be contained or managed or gotten through. There seems to be something different about our global response to this crisis, and the level of awareness and responsibility that each of us is challenged to bear. It is a time of testing—pushing us to be flexible, awake, and responsive to constant outer change and in the midst of that, find a deeper relationship to that which grounds and centers us. This naturally causes uncertainty, unleashing and stoking fears that we might not have even realized we carry in our souls.
We know that the human being lives between the pull of extremes. Christ lives with us in this, right in the midst of every struggle that the human being must bear in the spirit, in the soul and in the body. It is the power of Christ who dwells within us through which we can find the strength to become active in our center, between being pulled out of ourselves or getting lost in our own despair. We cannot deny the material fact that people are getting sick, that COVID-19 is communicable, and that we have to take care to limit the spread of the virus as best we can. It is, on a positive note, something that is reminding us in the most powerful way just how connected we are to everyone else on this planet—the air we breathe, the spaces we inhabit, the openness to each other. On the other hand, as those who strive for a living and real connection to the spirit in our religious practice, we also know there is a power that cannot be underestimated in the resilience of the body and the transformative power of the spirit, and the healing power of love—even right into the body. Orienting ourselves on Christ, we can avail ourselves of His calming and centering presence in meeting everything that comes to meet us out of the future with an inviolable peace. Recall His promise that we hear in every Act of Consecration: “I stand at peace with the world. This peace with the world can be with you also, because I give it to you.” This peace is not some magic that releases us from having to wrestle for the right responses—but helps us meet whatever we have to meet, whatever decisions we have to make.
About this Sunday
I will be in church on Sunday. I will celebrate the Act of Consecration of Man, and unless otherwise instructed, still offer communion to anyone who wishes to participate. I ask that anyone who thinks they might not feel well, or is in any way concerned about susceptibility to use wise self-assessment and refrain from outwardly taking communion, or stay home as needed. There is a great power in following along and participating spiritually, or even in turning one’s thoughts towards the Act from home at 10:30 AM, reading the Gospel and Creed aloud, and speaking the Lord’s Prayer. It is totally acceptable to partake in any way deemed best. It has been decided across The Christian Community to not give out only part of the communion—for our sacrament lives in direct connection with the first Communion and the ongoing practice by the early Christians. The cup was shared by Christ Jesus and the disciples in the building up of a new community centered in love, not fear; built out of the future and not the past.
This is the path we are on; and we have to lovingly accept where we are on that path, especially in this time of much that is not yet known; but we will not be swayed from our striving towards our goal.
There is also a communion that can take place in the soul when we read words that carry regenerative, healing power. Below is a list of suggested readings for you.
Gospel Readings to lend perspective and strength in this time
Luke 21, the promise of the Second Coming in a time of great distress
John 13-17, the entire content of the Footwashing, the Last Supper and everything Jesus wanted to tell the Disciples before going to the Cross
Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, The Lord’s Supper as described in the three synoptic gospels
FEAR NOT: Matthew 10; look up “fear not” in the Bible
1 John 4: God is love…Perfect love casts out fear. Read the whole chapter…
Psalms: 23, 27, 31, 46, 121. Pick one and say it every day!
If I can lend support to any of you during this time through a visit, a phone call, or anything else, please do not hesitate to reach out. I will be praying for you. Please pray for all who are on the frontlines or in any way struggling in this global situation. You can reach me at 413-854-8875, 518-325-1166 or lizamarcato@gmail.com
Thank you and best wishes to us all,
Your priest,
Liza