John 3: 14-21
Call to Celebration
We give gratitude for the presence of light that is among us this day.
It is good to stand on sacred ground where grace binds us together.
We are here to walk more deeply into the light.
Light of the World, open our hearts to the truth.
Transform our darkness into light.
Empower us to walk away from that which hinders our evolution.
We are grateful to be in a space that creates other voices of light.
We have the capacity to become who we imagine ourselves to be. May it be so!
Amen
Offertory
"Open Unto Me"
By: Howard Thurman
Open unto me — light for my darkness.
Open unto me — courage for my fear.
Open unto me — hope for my despair.
Open unto me — peace for my turmoil.
Open unto me — joy for my sorrow.
Open unto me — strength for my weakness.
Open unto me — wisdom for my confusion.
Open unto me — forgiveness for my sins.
Open unto me — love for my hates.
Open unto me — thy Self for my self.
Lord, Lord, open unto me!
Amen.
John 3: 14-21
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John 3: 14-21
Taking the Light into theWorld
Women’s History (Her-story) Month
Asenath "she belongs to Neith," from Egyptian sw, "she belongs," and Nt, "Neith," the name of an Egyptian goddess (Gen 41:45, 50; 46:20). When the Hebrew shepherd Joseph becomes prime minister, he receives an Egyptian name and an Egyptian wife, named Asenath, who is the daughter of Potiphera (different from Potiphar), a priest of On. In bearing a theophoric name relating her to the ancient Egyptian goddess Neith, Asenath brings to her marriage with Joseph strong overtones of royalty and world creation, for the goddess appears both as mother of the king and as primordial creator. Thus the marriage represents a full joining, both literally and figuratively, of Egypt and Israel on multiple levels. It also indicates that marriage to foreigners (exogamy) can produce politically valuable alliances. A later story of Asenath's marriage to Joseph appears in a tale composed in Greek, usually known as Joseph and Aseneth.
By Susan Tower Hollis
Women in Scripture: A Dictionary of Named and Unnamed Women in the Hebrew Bible, the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books and the New Testament (p. 120). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Kindle Edition.
I like the story of Judith, a daring and beautiful widow, who is upset with her Jewish countrymen for not trusting God to deliver them from their foreign conquerors. She goes with her loyal maid to the camp of the enemy general, Holofernes, with whom she slowly ingratiates herself, promising him information on the Israelites. Gaining his trust, she is allowed access to his tent one night as he lies in a drunken stupor. She decapitates him, then takes his head back to her fearful countrymen. The Assyrians, having lost their leader, disperse, and Israel is saved.