Theme: Death is followed by Life
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| Left: Elena Garcia ARCWP and Cheryl Brandi co-preside at MMOJ Liturgy |
Welcome: We, the Inclusive Catholic Community of Mary Mother of
Jesus, welcome you to today’s liturgy. Our liturgical style is highly inclusive
and our language of prayer uses both the male and female metaphors for God. You
are invited to partake in the ordinary of the liturgy, and in the Eucharistic
Prayer and Consecration. All are welcome
to share in our simple Eucharistic meal around this friendship table. We use
non-alcoholic wine so all may receive if you wish. You may drink from the cup
or dip the bread in the cup. If you are visiting with us for the first time,
there will be an opportunity to introduce yourself near the end of the liturgy.
So welcome everyone. Now let us take a moment to collect ourselves in mind and
spirit as we place ourselves in the presence of God and adore Her Divine
majesty.
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| Linda Lee Miska Music Minister |
Opening Song: # 604 “Christ be our Light” verses 1,2,5
Let us begin in the name of God
our creator, Jesus our Brother and Holy Spirit Sophia our Wisdom. Amen
Opening Prayer: Grant us we pray O loving God, the constant
gladness of being devoted to you, for it is full and lasting happiness to serve
you with constancy, the author of all that is good. We ask your blessing on all
of us gathered here and all those of our community who are not with us today.
We ask this through our brother Jesus and Holy Spirit Wisdom Sophia. Amen
Penitential Expression and Community Forgiveness (All raise hands extended in prayer)
All: Compassionate God, we believe that nothing we do can separate
us from your infinite love. And we also know that we have to continually strife
to grow in understanding and compassion so that we may be more forgiving of our
brothers and sisters. We ask your forgiveness for any of our actions that may
be hurtful to people of other beliefs, interests, nationalities and races.
We make this prayer through the intersession
of Jesus our brother and of Holy Spirit, our wisdom. Amen
Glory to God: All: “Glory
to God, glory, O praise God alleluia, Glory to God, glory, O praise the name of
our God” 2x
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading: Daniel 12:1-3 All:
Thanks be to God
Psalm: 16 Response: “You are my Beloved and in you will
I live forever” Adapted by Nan Merrill
Second Reading: 1Thessalonians: 1:1-6 All:
Thanks be to God
Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia (Sung)
Gospel: Mark 13: 24-32 All: All Glory and praise to
Jesus the Christ
Homily Starter/Death Is Followed by Life by Elena Garcia ARCWP
In
today’s gospel, Jesus reminds his disciples to learn the lesson of the fig
tree, that summer will follow with new leaves. He also asks us to be attentive
to the end of things. As we near the close of the church year, we practice
being attentive to the ends of things which are manifested in suffering, as well as the darkness of shorter
days and longer nights, and nature allowing itself to surrender to the call of
the earth and becoming dormant.
Jesus
promised that when we see darkness and destruction, suffering and pain, “he is
near, at the gates.” Ironically, in the most difficult times of our lives, many
of us are more likely to feel alone and distanced from God.
It
is easier to see summer coming after the spring and harder to recognize winter
as the birthplace of spring. Jesus invites us, his disciples, to remember that
he draws near now, right in the chaos of our world.
The
central mystery of our faith is that death is certain and certain also followed by life. No matter how messy life
becomes, God invites us to be the people who pay attention. God invites us to
connect with our true selves who wait for and expect new life, thus preparing
for union with the divine.
Year
after year throughout our lifetime we celebrate the seasonal changes and the
rituals that accompany each season. Does it occur to us that each season change
is another teachable moment provided by our Divine Creator to review the divine
plan for union with all of creation.? Each season is another opportunity to
renew, recommit and allow ourselves to
reach AHA moments of awareness of our true selves in our journey towards Union with God, aware of who we are and embracing the circle
of life without fear - as was illustrated so well in the “The Lion King”.
While
meditating on these scripture readings, which present us with the challenge to
ponder and in some sense to fear end times, I experienced instead, a loving
call to trust, hope and follow a path to self-realization in preparation for
total Union with our Loving God. God loves me totally, unconditionally and just
the way I am, for my true self is The Risen Christ in me, hence it is not
afraid of death, for it has already been to hell and back!
I
stop here with quotes from Thich Nhat Hanhs and Stephen Levine:
“Enlightenment
for an ocean wave is the moment the wave realizes that it is water. At that
moment all fear of death disappears”
“But
water is water no matter what It’s shape of form. The solidity of ice imagines
itself to be its edges and density. When melting it remembers; evaporating, it
ascends.”
So
do not be afraid. Death to false self and the end of human life is simply a
return to our Ground of Being, to God, to Love. Life doesn’t truly end; it
simply changes form and continues evolving into ever new shapes and beauty.
Question: Share an AHA moment regarding self- awareness in
relation to God on your life’s journey.
Shared Homily
Profession of Faith:
All: We believe in God, the Creator-the source of everything that
exists in the universe. We believe that God’s divinity infuses all life, in all
forms and everywhere, with holiness. We believe in Jesus the Christ through
whom we have become a new people, called beyond the consequences of our brokenness.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Breath of life in the cosmos and the One who
keeps the Christ vision present in everyone searching for meaning and
wholeness. We believe that you energize those people whose spirit may grow
weary in the process. We say Amen to courage, to hope, to the spirit of truth.
We say Amen to the partnership and equality of all persons, genders, and
colors. We believe in justice and peace for everyone, everywhere, with no
exceptions. In all of this O God, we surely believe.
Prayers of the Community
Presider: Aware of God’s
unconditional love for us as a people of faith we lift up our needs to our
gracious God. After each petition respond: Compassionate
God bless our petition.
Presider: Healing God we ask you to strengthen us in our concerns
for one another here and throughout the world. We ask you to bless our efforts
as we strive for peace, justice and equality, so that with our sisters and
brothers, we may promote cultures of peace and nonviolence in our world. As always, we make theses prayer to you, O God
our Creator, to Jesus the Christ, and to the Holy Spirit our Wisdom. All:
Amen
Offertory Song: # 492 Those Who See Light” All verses
Presider: Blessed are you, God of Creation, through your goodness
we have this bread to offer, this grain of the earth that human hands have
prepared for our use, It will become for us the bread of life.
All: Blessed be God forever.
Presider: Blessed are you, God of Creation, through your goodness
we have this wine to offer, this fruit of the vine that human hands have
prepared for our use. It will become for us our spiritual drink.
All: Blessed be God forever.
Presider: Jesus who has often sat at our table, now invites all of
us to join him at his. Everyone is welcome to share in this meal. Please join
us around our family table.
Presider: Let give thanks to the Creator of all that exists.
All: With hearts full of love we give God thanks and praise.
Presider: Let us acknowledge the presence of the Holy Spirit among
us gathered at the family table
All: We will develop our respect and reverence for you, for one
another, and for all creation.
Presider: Let us lift up our hearts.
All: We lift them up to the One who lives in us- - and loves others
through us.
Presider: Christ dwells in each one of us. All: Namaste!
Eucharistic Prayer – (Michael Morwood)
Presider: Wise and faithful God, you have birthed us in goodness,
gifted us with life, and cherished us in love. In the heart of our being, your
Spirit dwells: A Spirit of courage and vision, a Spirit of wisdom and truth.
Presider: In the power of that same Spirit, we lift up our hearts
in prayer, invoking anew the gift of wisdom and enlightenment, that we may
continue to praise and thank you, in union with all who sing this hymn of
praise:
All: “We are Holy, Holy, Holy” (You, I,
We) (Karen
Drucker)
Presider: Sending among us Jesus, our brother, you birthed afresh
in our world the power of Sophia-Wisdom, and in the gift of the Spirit, your
creative goodness blooms anew, amid the variety and wonder of life.
First
Invocation:
All: That same Spirit we invoke upon the gifts of this Eucharistic
table, bread of the grain and wine 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.
Invoking
the memory of tradition:
Presider: Gathering the disciples around the table of shared
wisdom, Jesus took bread; blessed You God of all gifts, broke the bread and
handed it to those seeking nourishment, with these words:
All: Take this all of you and eat: This is my body which will be
given up for you.
Presider: After the meal, Jesus took the cup, poured out in a
spirit of solidarity and empowerment. Jesus gave thanks and shared the cup with
his friends saying:
All: Take this all of you and drink from it. This is the cup of my
life-blood, the life of a 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.
Second
Invocation:
All: In the power of this Eucharistic meal, bless
us afresh with the gifts of the Spirit, that our hearts may be open and
receptive as you invite us into the fullness of life.
Voice: 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.
Doxology:
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 (sung) # 936 “Amen,
Amen, A----men”
All: (sung) Our Father and Mother……….
Sign of Peace
Presider: Jesus, you said to your disciples, “My peace I give you,
my peace I leave you.”
Look on the
faith of those gathered here today and…
All: grant us your peace O
God, following the example of Jesus and with the strength of the Spirit, help
us spread that peace through our words and actions to everyone, everywhere with
no exceptions. Amen
Presider: May the peace of God be always with us. Let us hands and
express that desire in song. “Let There Be Peace On Earth” #532
Litany for the Breaking of the Bread
Presider: Loving God: All: You
call us to live the Gospel of Peace and justice. We will live justly.
Presider: Loving God: All: You
call us to be your presence in the world. We will love tenderly.
Presider: Loving God: All: You
call us to speak truth to power. We will walk with integrity in your presence.
Sharing of the Meal:
Presider: This is Jesus, who called women and men to be partners
and equals, and who liberates, heals and transforms us and our world. All are
invited to partake of this sacred banquet of love.
Presider: You invite us to receive you and become you for
others. We are the Body of Christ. May
the Source of Life whose power now at work in us can do immeasurably more than
we can ask or imagine, be given glory through all generations. Amen
Sharing of the sacred body and
blood: You are the Body of Christ. You are the Blood of Christ.
Communion Song: Instrumental. After
Communion Song: #331 “Taste and See” verses 1 and 3
Prayer of Thanksgiving after Communion
Presider: Loving God, may this Eucharist in which we share Christ’s
healing love deepen our oneness with you and with on another. May wonder and
Thanksgiving fill us with knowledge, understanding and experience of your love
and compassion for us, your sacred people. We ask this in the name of Jesus the
Christ. Amen
Prayers of Gratitude, Introductions,
Announcements
Final Blessing: (All extend hands) Presider:
As we go forth from this sacred space, let us purposefully look with new
eyes and hearts, always with the purpose of enhancing life, as we recognize the
Christ within all whom we meet. All: Amen
Closing Song: #385 “Take
Christ to the world”
