BELL – Moment of Silence
GATHERING SONG: #304,
“ Gather the People” verses 1,2,10
Presider: Let us begin in the name of our God, a God of Love,
Liberation and Wisdom.
ALL: Amen
OPENING PRAYER
Presider: O Lover of All, in this journey into the heart of compassion, we celebrate your love unfolding in the healing and wholeness of everyone and of every living thing.
You call us to see goodness and beauty everywhere and to live in harmony with creation. You call us to heal the wounds of hatred and violence, discrimination and oppression in our world. You call us to warmly welcome everyone who comes through our doors as your presence among us.
In communion with Jesus, our brother, and in the power of the Your Spirit, may we live your love poured out each day. ALL: Amen.
ALL: Amen
OPENING PRAYER
Presider: O Lover of All, in this journey into the heart of compassion, we celebrate your love unfolding in the healing and wholeness of everyone and of every living thing.
You call us to see goodness and beauty everywhere and to live in harmony with creation. You call us to heal the wounds of hatred and violence, discrimination and oppression in our world. You call us to warmly welcome everyone who comes through our doors as your presence among us.
In communion with Jesus, our brother, and in the power of the Your Spirit, may we live your love poured out each day. ALL: Amen.
PENITENTIAL RITE
Presider: God of tender compassion and extravagant love, You are our peace.
Presider: God of tender compassion and extravagant love, You are our peace.
ALL: Now and forever, we will be your peace.
Brian Connelly's
story as told by his brother, Kevin. (Kevin places the stole over the container
symbolizing that Brian was baptized as one of God's priestly people.)
WATERS OF BAPTISM:
Presider: As a baby, Brian was baptized with the waters of
Baptism in which we give thanks for the wonder of life and express belief that
human love is intimately linked with the Mystery we call God. Baptism means 'dipping into'. We need to
constantly “dip into” the story of Jesus so that his convictions about our
intimate, loving relationship with our God may color our lives.
Presider: Please extend your hands in blessing of this water as
we dip into and share something of what we believe.
Presider: God of all that is good, you gave us the gift of life
and loved us into being. You have blessed this water that sustains us,
refreshes our bodies and satisfies our thirst. It is holy because you created
it. Let us now sprinkle this water on all of us in this circle of love.
(Begin reading as presider sprinkles all with water)
Voice: We believe that when we live in love, we live in God and
God lives in us.
Voice: We believe that the mystery we call God comes to
visibility in human form in each of us.
Voice: We believe that the life teaching of Jesus sets us free
from the fear of God.
Voice: We believe that the Church exists to affirm God's loving
presence with us and to challenge us to give witness to this presence in our
love for one another.
ALL: Let is all be immersed in these beliefs.
LITURGY OF THE WORD – Three seemingly unrelated readings – in an non-traditional order
Reading: Job 30: 16-23
Gospel Acclamation: #130 (3X) “Lenten Gospel” - Praise to You,
Lord Jesus Christ, Word from the heart of God.
Gospel: Mark 9:2-10
Gospel: Mark 9:2-10
Gospel Acclamation: #130 (3X)
Reading: Excerpt from “We Are Dust and to Dust We Shall Return”
by Dawn Hutchings
SHARED HOMILY – Connecting the Dots
SHARED HOMILY – Connecting the Dots
HOMILY FOR THE SECOND SUNDY
IN LENT
AND THE MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR BRIAN CONNELLY
Saturday, February 24, 2018
Readings
Job 30:16-23
Mark 9:2-10
Dawn Hutchings, “We Are
Dust and to Dust We Shall Return”
These three readings seem to
be unrelated. In fact they were written
thousands of years apart. But that's
the point we want to make today. With
the perspective of time, we can see that, over thousands of years, God has invited
us to evolve by helping us to understand how things are...to grow in the
direction of divinity by understanding how things are... to
develop a conciousness of our own divinity because of the way things
are. Today we see more clearly
how God is as we move closer than we were four thousand years ago.
The first reading was suggested
by Judy Connelly because of the similarities between Job's and Brian's
lives. Both suffered because of
loss. They had what they wanted and
needed in life, but slowly things were taken away from them. Job lost land, wealth, family, reputation
and finally health. Brian lost the joy
of youth, a job he loved, his reputation, his access to God, and finally his
health.
By the time Job neared death,
he had given up on God, and knew that he was going to the common meeting place
of all that lives.
In other words, after his body
breathed its last breath, it would be laid in the ground to become part of the
soil of the earth along with dead leaves, dead animals, and all other matter
that had lived out its lifespan.
For this man and for everyone
of his time, death was the silent end.
What a painful acknowledgement
for a person who had lived an admirable life but who experienced himself
rejected by God and left to the fate of every living thing.
Brian, who was raised in the
Catholic Church and came to know God there, was rejected by the Church and
forbidden to access God in the ways the Church offered.
He was told he was not worthy
to stand in God's presence or even to hold down a job he loved and carried out
well.
Over his lifetime, he
protested to God and man, but nothing changed.
He died tired and
disillusioned.
At this stage of
understanding how things are, one is
condemned to accept the end of life and know that our remains will be put in
the ground along with dead leaves, dead animals, and so on. To dust we return.
The second reading – from the
Gospel of Mark – is being heard around the world this weekend because the
Church is celebrating the Feast of the Transfiguration.
This is the time Jesus
demonstrated one of the things he tried to teach in many ways and with a
variety of explanations – that the body has another dimension to it.
Yes – its materiality behaves
as matter should – it comes apart, it disintegrates, its cells take shape in
other forms – but that is not the end of it!
In fact, as he shows with his own glorious body, it has a beauty beyond
what we can see.
That alone indicates that the
body has a potential we haven't thought of, an out-of-the ordinary aspect to
it.
The Apostles didn't understand
at all what they were seeing, but after his death and resurrection they would
remember the dazzling white Jesus of this day.
And they would remember what
he had told them about himself, about themselves, and about the death of the
body not being the end of life.
Still today many people
believe as Job did.
But those who have heard and
experienced Jesus believe that there is more to life.
We pray that Brian moved to
knowing this as he left this life and made his way to heaven to be welcomed by
his ancestors. Finally we consider the
last reading.
Ordinarily the Liturgy of
the Word moves from the Hebrew
Scriptures (the Old Testament) through letters from the Apostle Paul and
finally the Gospel reading.
It was fitting for the early
Christians that the message of Jesus be the last word.
The church has maintained that
order for the readings ever since.
Today we ask you to think
about this:
Nearing the end of his life on
earth, Jesus told his disciples that he would be leaving them, which was
painful for them to hear.
But then he said “Wait! Don't go away! I'm going to send you my Spirit! And the Spirit will teach you all manner of
things you have not yet understood.”
And that's exactly what
happened!
The Spirit of Jesus came at
Pentecost and has been teaching us, as promised, for 2,000 years!
Jesus did not consider his
teachings on earth to be the last word.
Rather, the last word has not
yet been heard as the Spirit teaches and teaches.
What we need is a reading after
the Gospel that tells us what the Spirit has been teaching!
Led by the Spirit, our
inquiring minds have explored and been astonished by our world and the
universe.
Through these explorations the
Spirit has been teaching us about how things are.
About how God's creation is –
and therefore how God is.
Today's last reading, written
in our lifetime, reveals an evolution in understanding prompted by the Spirit.
That expanded understanding
offers great comfort to us.
We do not deny that our
material bodies go into the ground and become dust.
But neither can we deny the
awesomeness of that dust!
The reality that we are part
of – and will always be part of - something so much bigger than
ourselves is born out of the knowledge – the new knowledge - that we are
stardust, elements of the universe molded together over eons, molded together
by a force bigger than we can even begin to imagine, a force we call God, who
we have come to know is Love.
Love is breathed into the timeless elements from which we
and our ancestors emerged.
When we lay down our bodies,
relenquish them to the earth, we work in harmony with creation by releasing
love-infused elements to be used in the continuing evolution of the life of the
universe.
W e participate in creation
itself by paying attention to and complying with our God – who is always
inviting us to move forward, always calling to us from the future.
CREED:
We believe in a God of extravagant love who dwells within us, rejoices with us in our blessed selves and who weeps with us in our struggles, losses and sufferings.
We believe that we are one with all creatures great and small in a dynamic, evolving cosmos.
We believe in Jesus, whose life, death and resurrection, shows us how to live fully and joyfully and to serve others especially the outcast and heavily burdened.
We believe in Your Spirit, who works through us for justice, peace, and to overcome oppression of all kinds whether based on gender, sexual orientation, race or class.
We believe that we are called to live in mutual respect as disciples and equals in inclusive communities of empowerment.
We believe that we are forgiven, healed and whole in the heart of divine mercy.
We believe that we are united forever with all who have gone before us in the communion of saints.
GENERAL INTERCESSIONS
Presider: With hearts filled with loving compassion, we lift up the needs of our community at this time.
Presider: That those who suffer discrimination or abuse may be healed and empowered, we pray. R
Response: God of all compassion, love through us.
Presider: That those bound by hatred, hostility, and violence will be set free, we pray. R.
Presider: That the sick may be healed, especially those we now name, we pray. R.
Presider: That Brian and all our loved ones who have died, dwell forever in God's presence, (mention names), we pray. R.
Presider: For what else shall we pray? R.
We believe in a God of extravagant love who dwells within us, rejoices with us in our blessed selves and who weeps with us in our struggles, losses and sufferings.
We believe that we are one with all creatures great and small in a dynamic, evolving cosmos.
We believe in Jesus, whose life, death and resurrection, shows us how to live fully and joyfully and to serve others especially the outcast and heavily burdened.
We believe in Your Spirit, who works through us for justice, peace, and to overcome oppression of all kinds whether based on gender, sexual orientation, race or class.
We believe that we are called to live in mutual respect as disciples and equals in inclusive communities of empowerment.
We believe that we are forgiven, healed and whole in the heart of divine mercy.
We believe that we are united forever with all who have gone before us in the communion of saints.
GENERAL INTERCESSIONS
Presider: With hearts filled with loving compassion, we lift up the needs of our community at this time.
Presider: That those who suffer discrimination or abuse may be healed and empowered, we pray. R
Response: God of all compassion, love through us.
Presider: That those bound by hatred, hostility, and violence will be set free, we pray. R.
Presider: That the sick may be healed, especially those we now name, we pray. R.
Presider: That Brian and all our loved ones who have died, dwell forever in God's presence, (mention names), we pray. R.
Presider: For what else shall we pray? R.
Presider: We hold these and all our
unspoken intentions in our hearts as we gather around the Banquet Table
today.
OFFERTORY: “I Am Going Home” - Composed by and sung
Mindy Lou Simmons
Presider: Please join us around God's table.
PREPARATION
OF THE GIFTS
Presider: Blessed are you, God of all life. Through your goodness we have bread, wine, all creation, and our own lives to offer. Through this sacred meal may we become your new creation.
ALL: Blessed be God forever.
Presider: God is with us, loving and healing through us.
ALL: Namaste
Presider: Lift up your hearts.
ALL: We lift them up in tender love, open to serve.
Presider: Let us give thanks to our God.
ALL: It is our joy to give God thanks and praise.
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
Voice One: Gracious Wisdom, You embrace us with extravagant affection in our blessedness and brokenness. We thank you that in this festive meal, your Spirit continues to be poured out among the circle of disciples gathered here in our giving and receiving forgiveness and offering the gift of your shalom/peace. We join with the angels and saints and people of every race, faith and nation to glorify your presence as we sing:
ALL: Holy, holy, holy. Karen Drucker
Voice Two: We especially thank you, Nurturing God, for Jesus, who shows us how to love with a peaceful and courageous spirit. In Jesus, you show us how to care for those who face illness and grief and how to help those who experience rejection and marginalization.
Voice Three: God of tenderness, Jesus showed us the heart of mercy when he preached good news to the poor, release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, healing to the broken. Jesus called women to be apostles and disciples and treated them as equals in his circle of companions.
Voice Four: In response to people’s sufferings, Jesus broke rules and violated religious taboos. He shared meals with the poor, saved a woman from being stoned and said that prostitutes would enter heaven before religious leaders. He healed the sick and comforted the lonely. He challenged the priestly class and political leaders of his time and so they ridiculed, tortured and put him to death.
Voice Five: In faithful love, You raised the crucified Jesus, radiant and glorious to new life. With Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, you show us how to live freely and joyously in the midst of injustice, darkness and death.
(Please all extend hands as we recite the Epiclesis and Consecration together)
All: May your Spirit, present in these gifts and in us, fill us with a new outpouring of love that makes us more deeply one Body in the Cosmic Christ living the fullness of your compassion.
Presider: On the night before he was betrayed, Jesus gathered with his friends for a meal. he took bread into his hands, broke it and said:
ALL: Take this all of you. This is my body. Do this to remember me.
Presider: Blessed are you, God of all life. Through your goodness we have bread, wine, all creation, and our own lives to offer. Through this sacred meal may we become your new creation.
ALL: Blessed be God forever.
Presider: God is with us, loving and healing through us.
ALL: Namaste
Presider: Lift up your hearts.
ALL: We lift them up in tender love, open to serve.
Presider: Let us give thanks to our God.
ALL: It is our joy to give God thanks and praise.
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
Voice One: Gracious Wisdom, You embrace us with extravagant affection in our blessedness and brokenness. We thank you that in this festive meal, your Spirit continues to be poured out among the circle of disciples gathered here in our giving and receiving forgiveness and offering the gift of your shalom/peace. We join with the angels and saints and people of every race, faith and nation to glorify your presence as we sing:
ALL: Holy, holy, holy. Karen Drucker
Voice Two: We especially thank you, Nurturing God, for Jesus, who shows us how to love with a peaceful and courageous spirit. In Jesus, you show us how to care for those who face illness and grief and how to help those who experience rejection and marginalization.
Voice Three: God of tenderness, Jesus showed us the heart of mercy when he preached good news to the poor, release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, healing to the broken. Jesus called women to be apostles and disciples and treated them as equals in his circle of companions.
Voice Four: In response to people’s sufferings, Jesus broke rules and violated religious taboos. He shared meals with the poor, saved a woman from being stoned and said that prostitutes would enter heaven before religious leaders. He healed the sick and comforted the lonely. He challenged the priestly class and political leaders of his time and so they ridiculed, tortured and put him to death.
Voice Five: In faithful love, You raised the crucified Jesus, radiant and glorious to new life. With Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, you show us how to live freely and joyously in the midst of injustice, darkness and death.
(Please all extend hands as we recite the Epiclesis and Consecration together)
All: May your Spirit, present in these gifts and in us, fill us with a new outpouring of love that makes us more deeply one Body in the Cosmic Christ living the fullness of your compassion.
Presider: On the night before he was betrayed, Jesus gathered with his friends for a meal. he took bread into his hands, broke it and said:
ALL: Take this all of you. This is my body. Do this to remember me.
Presider: In the same way after supper, Jesus took the cup, and raised it with love beyond all telling. Jesus gave thanks and shared the cup with those at table and said:
ALL: Take this all of you and drink from it. This is the cup of my life blood, of the new and everlasting covenant. Every time you drink of it, remember me.
Presider: Now, in sacred memory, let us proclaim the mystery of our faith.
ALL: In every creature that has ever breathed, we see your tenderness; in every living being that has passed on before us, we see your goodness; in everything yet to be, Christ will come again! In our breaking of the bread of earth, Christ of the Cosmos is being re-membered!
Voice Six: Holy One, your transforming energy is always moving within us and working through us. We give thanks for all holy women and men who have been your face in our lives. They showed us how to forgive ourselves and others, to let go of guilt, refrain from judging others and see the good in people who irritate us. Let us pause to remember and name some of these holy women and men aloud or in the silence of our hearts.
ALL: Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, all praise and glory are yours, Loving God. Amen.
THE PRAYER OF JESUS
ALL: (spoken) Our Father and Mother . . .
THE SIGN OF PEACE
Presider: God of Peace and Compassion, grant us your peace and unity beyond that which all words can express. Let us as a community extend a sign of peace to one another.
LITANY FOR THE BREAKING OF BREAD
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.
Presider: This is Jesus, 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 in our world. We are the Body of Christ.
Presider: Let us share the Body of Christ with the Body of Christ! ALL: Amen.
Presider: This is Jesus, 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 in our world. We are the Body of Christ.
Presider: Let us share the Body of Christ with the Body of Christ! ALL: Amen.
Communion Song: Instrumental
Silence:
Post Communion Song: Navy Hymn - “Eternal Father” - sung by Mindy Lou
Simmons
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Presider: O God of Compassion, Jesus showed us how to love one another and heal our hearts. Through the power of your liberating Spirit at work within us, we will give and receive forgiveness, live joyously, and work for healing, justice and equality for our earth and for all God’s holy people. ALL: Amen
Prayers of Gratitude / Introductions / Announcements
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Presider: O God of Compassion, Jesus showed us how to love one another and heal our hearts. Through the power of your liberating Spirit at work within us, we will give and receive forgiveness, live joyously, and work for healing, justice and equality for our earth and for all God’s holy people. ALL: Amen
Prayers of Gratitude / Introductions / Announcements
CONCLUDING RITE
Presider: Our God is with you.
ALL: And also with you.
BLESSING (Everyone please extend your hands in mutual blessing)
ALL: May the Spirit of God who illuminates Brian, illuminate us and expand the horizons of our limited imaginations. Awaken in our souls dangerous dreams for a new tomorrow; and rekindle in our hearts the fire of prophetic enthusiasm. Amen.
DISMISSAL
Presider: Go in the peace of Christ. Let the service continue! ALL: Thanks be to God.
Presider: Our God is with you.
ALL: And also with you.
BLESSING (Everyone please extend your hands in mutual blessing)
ALL: May the Spirit of God who illuminates Brian, illuminate us and expand the horizons of our limited imaginations. Awaken in our souls dangerous dreams for a new tomorrow; and rekindle in our hearts the fire of prophetic enthusiasm. Amen.
DISMISSAL
Presider: Go in the peace of Christ. Let the service continue! ALL: Thanks be to God.
Recessional: #572 “Lord
of the Dance” - verses sung by Cheri McDonough
ALL Refrain:
Dance then
wherever you may be;
“I am the Lord
of the Dance” said he.
“I'll lead you
all wherever you may be,
I will lead you
all in the Dance” said he.
Postlude: (boom) “All God's Children Sing in the Choir”
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