Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community in Sun City Liturgy and Blessing by Katy Zatsick and Community of Roman and Theresa Rodriguez

Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community at SCC

January 5, 2017

Blessings from God, Blessing for Ministry

Blessing for Roman and Theresa

All: Let us begin in the name of our God, God of Love sending blessings for all peoples, our Brother Jesus blessing us with reconciliation and forgiveness, Sophia God of Blessings and Ministry. Amen

Opening Prayer:

We come to worship you God who showers us with blessings and asks us to be blessing for others in our new year of 2017. May we cherish every amazing day, conscious of your Presence and abundance all around us. We ask you to give us insight into our ministry for 2017. May we celebrate with joy the many blessings we have received and will receive in 2017. May we pray for guidance to follow you with the People of God in ministry with them. Amen

LITURGY OF THE WORD

Readings from the Hebrew Testament Deuteronomy 15: 4-6, 10, 18

But there are to be no poor among you, for in the land of YHWH, your God, is giving to you as your inheritance. YHWH will bless you richly—but only if you obey YHWH, your God, in all things and conscientiously observe all the commandments that I give you this day. For YHWH, your God, will bless you as it was promised, and you will lend to many nations, but borrow from none. (verse 4)

Be generous to those in your debt and not with a grudging heart; and in return, YHWH will bless you in all things that you undertake and in all your endeavors. (verse 10)

Don't think it a hardship to set your indentured workers free. For six years, the services rendered to you were worth what it would have cost you for a hired hand. And YHWH, your God, will bless you everything you do. (verse 18) The word of God. All: Thanks be to God

Psalm response - From Psalm 103, Psalm 104

Response All: Bless YHWH, my soul!

All that is in me, bless God's holy Name!

Bless Yhwh, you angels,

you powers who do God's bidding

attentive to every word of command!

Bless YHWH, my soul!

Bless YHWH, you heavenly host,

your faithful ones who enforce God's will.

Bless YHWH, all creation, to the far reaches of God's reign! (psalm103)

Bless YHWH, my soul!

YHWH, my God, how great you are!

I will sing to you all my life...

May these reflections of min give God

as much pleasure as God gives me!

Bless YHWH, my soul! (psalm 104)

Second Reading: from Ann Wilson Schaef

Youth talks-Age teaches

Often, those who have the least to say talk the most. I have always respected my Elders as I was taught to do as a child. I was taught to listen to my Elders, and even though what they said sometimes did not seem particularly relevant to my life, I discovered that if I listened closely, I would always find what I needed.

As an adult, I am so grateful for these teachings. As I've been spending more and more time with Native Elders, I have learned that they do a lot of what sailors call tacking. When they want to go to the left, they go right, and when they want to go down, they go up or sideways. Only by staying with them and listening closely is it possible to put it all together. Life with the Elders is not linear, it moves in loops and spirals.

The most important teachings are often the ones that required waiting with and then the teaching may be learning to wait with. (Sept 13) Spending the day with a Native Elder feeds my mind, my soul, my creativity, and my being. I am grateful for all those who preserve the old ways. (April 16) There is so much to learn. We need the Elders from many places and many races to teach us! (April 26) Let us help each other remember how blessed we are to have Elders in our life. (August 19) It's time to listen to the wisdom of the Elders. (Dec 15 Emphasis is author's) The inspired word of Ann Wilson Schaef All: Thanks be to God.

From “Native Wisdom for White Minds” Inspired by the Native Peoples of the World, 1995.

Gospel: A reading taken from Matthew 5:3-11

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the mountainside, and after he sat down and the disciples had gathered around, Jesus began to teach them:

Blessed are those who are poor in spirit: the kindom of heaven is theirs.

Blessed are those who are mounting; they will be consoled.

Blessed are those who are gentle: they will inherit the land.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice they will have their fill.

Blessed are those who show mercy to others; they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are those whose hearts are clean: they will see God.

Blessed are those who work for peace: they will be called children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of their struggle for justice: the kindom of heaven is theirs.

The good news of Jesus, the Cosmic Christ! ALL: Glory and praise to you, Jesus our Brother. 

SHARED HOMILY

What and who have been a blessing in my life? How do you define blessing as used in Scripture?

Does it strike you that we “humans,” creation and angels bless God in the Psalm?

What have I learned from my Elders regarding my spiritual journey? How did they teach me?

What do I want to teach those who are the younger generations in my life?

CREED:
All: We believe in God the fountain of life flowing through every being. We believe in Jesus the Christ our Brother who reflects the face of God and the fullness of humanity. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the breath of God in the cosmos, who calls us to love and serve without counting the cost. We believe in our global communion with all in the circle of life. Amen to loving actions on behalf of justice, healing , compassion and equality for all in our world. Amen.

Community petitions: With hearts filled with loving compassion, we lift up the needs of our families, friends, community and our country. All: God of blessings hear us.

For our country and all elected officials we pray:

For all those who are ill especially Wanda ARCWP who is recovering from a shoulder replacement, we pray:

Please add your intentions

Presider: We hold these and all our unspoken intentions in our hearts as we gather around the Banquet Table today.  As always we pray in our Brother Jesus name. All: Amen

Offertory of gifts and ourselves:

Co-Presider: 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 community as we offer our lives in ministry for others' blessing. May we individually and as a community live your vision of peace and justice for all including the earth. This will become for us the bread of life. All:  Blessed be God forever.

Co-Presider: Blessed are you, God of all creation.  Through your goodness we have this wine to offer, fruit of the vine and work of human hands. This drink is our desire to live for the Common Good. For the ministry of wise elders Roman and Theresa as they companion younger couples of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This wine and juice will become our spiritual drink. All:  Blessed be God forever.

My sisters and brothers let us pray together that our gifts may be acceptable to our Creator Spirit and Love.

All:  May God accept these gifts from our hands, for the praise and glory of God's name, for our compassion and our ministry for the Common Good of all. Amen

Let us stand around our table and altar (Canon adapted from Diarmud O'Murchu for Holy Wisdom)

Sing: We are holy, holy, holy...you are holy, holy, holy..., I am holy, holy holy...We are holy, holy, holy...3times (Karen Drucker)

Invocation:

Presiders: That same Spirit we invoke upon the gifts of this Eucharistic table, bread of the grain & vine of the grape, that they may become the body and blood of Jesus – to nurture afresh in us the discerning gifts of

wisdom, light and truth. We ask the Spirit to bless each of our ministries in 2017

Invoking the memory of tradition:

Presider: Gathering the disciples around the table of shared wisdom,

Extending our hands All: Jesus took bread; blessed you God of all good gifts,

broke the bread and along with the cup, handed to those seeking nourishment, with these words: Take this all of you, eat and drink: This is my body which will be given up for you.

Presider After the meal, Jesus took another cup, poured out in a spirit of solidarity and empowerment.

Extending our hands: All: Jesus gave thanks and shared the cup with his friends, saying: Take this all of you and drink from it; this is the cup of my life-blood, the life of the new and everlasting covenant. In prophetic solidarity, it is poured out for you and for all.

Sustain one another in the power of sacred memory.

Eucharistic Acclamation All

In faith and hope we are sustained, in grace and dignity reclaimed, in praise, we thank our God.

Presiders: As we celebrate this sacred meal, we recall the wise and gracious gifts bestowed on us down through the ages; and we look forward in hope, knowing that you, our wise and faithful God,will continue to endow us with abundant blessings.

Second Invocation to Holy Wisdom: (Placing your right hand on the shoulder of the person next to you.) All: In the power of this Eucharistic meal, bless us afresh with the gift of the Spirit, that our hearts may be open

and receptive as you invite us into the fullness of life.

Presider: In union with all peoples living and dead, we unite our thoughts and prayers.

All: We ask for wisdom and courage:

-to share our wisdom as elders with others as ministers of you kindom..
- to discern more wisely your call to us in the circumstances
  of our daily lives;
- to act justly and courageously in confronting the pain and
  suffering that desecrates the Earth and its peoples;
- to take risks in being creative and proactive on behalf
  of the poor and marginalized;
- and to love all people with generosity of heart,
  beyond the labels of race, creed and color.

Presiders: And may we ever be aware and alert to the new things the Spirit makes possible, as our world unfolds amid pain and beauty, into the fullness of life to which all are called, participating in the wise and wonderful work of co-creation. All: Amen

Doxology: (lifting up the bread and wine)

All: In the wisdom of our triune God, Creator, Liberator, and Holy Spirit, we are blessed with the gifts of this Eucharistic table, and with all the good things bestowed upon our world, now and forever.  Amen.

Our Sign of Peace
Presider: God who teaches by life and example who has nourished us is our peace. Strangers and friends, male and female, old and young, the God of peace has broken down the barriers to bind us to God’s Self and to each other. Having tasted God’s goodness, let us as a community extend a sign of peace to one another.

LITANY FOR THE BREAKING OF BREAD
ALL: Loving God, You call us to live mercy, we will do so. Loving God, You call us to live justice, we will do so. Loving God, You call us to live equality, we will do so.

Presiders: This is Jesus our Brother, who calls us to open doors that are closed and share our bread on the altar of the world. All are invited to eat and drink at this sacred banquet of love. 

ALL: Jesus, we are worthy to receive you and to be your compassion and wise elder s for our world. Let us say to one another, You are a priest of God. We are the Body and blood of Christ. 

Please dip the bread as this is cold and flu season

Prayers of Gratitude, introduction and announcements

Blessing of Roman and Theresa on their ministry with young married couples-see sheet.

CONCLUDING RITE
Presiders: Our God is with you.
ALL: and also with you. 

Closing BLESSING
(Everyone please extend your hands in mutual blessing)

ALL: In gratitude, in deep gratitude for this moment, this meal, for our community, we give ourselves to you, O God. Be with us as we go out as changed people because we have shared Your Living Bread and cannot remain the same. Ask much of us, expect much from us, enable much by us, encourage many through us. Amen.

DISMISSAL
Presider: Go in the peace and Love of our Cosmic Christ. Let our ministry continue! ALL: Thanks be to God. 

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BLESSING OF THE MINISTRY OF WISE ELDERS

Theresa and Roman Rodriguez

MMOJ at SCC January 5 2017

Dear Loving God

Mary Mother of Jesus members in Sun City Center blessed Roman and Theresa members of Our Lady of Guadalupe parish during the January 5^th liturgy held at the home of Paddy Cooney.

Roman and Theresa last fall became Mentors and companions for the young married families at Our Lady of Guadalupe.

They meet every week with the families with children present for a study of the scriptures and how they apply to the lives of young married couples.

Theresa said, “It is a ministry of Presence for these families” as Roman and Theresa have been married for 60 years, have three sons, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

They do share their experience of marriage, their strength and their hope.