Theme:
“…and let it begin with me.”
Welcome
and Gathering Song: “Canticle of the Sun”
#422 (verses 2, 3, 5)
Opening Prayer
All: God of life, wholeness and
holiness, you who direct all creation to its fulfillment in Jesus, the Cosmic Christ
– help us to open our hearts to the message of the Gospel so that your peace
may rule in our hearts and your justice may guide our lives. Loving God, we pray that all world leaders,
especially, acknowledge and practice the wisdom that you have given everyone so
that we can all live together in the peace of Jesus and that we all can care
for and protect our planet Earth.
Loving God, bless all of us gathered
here and all those of our community who are not with us today. We ask this of you, our brother Jesus, and
our sister Sophia. Amen.
Penitential
Rite and Community Forgiveness
Presider: Compassionate
God, to you all hearts are open, no desires unknown, and no secrets
hidden.
All: For
all of us, our desire is to be continually conscious of your awareness of
thoughts and actions in our own lives. For
each of us, we ask for forgiveness from one another for our hurtful words
and actions, and we do this before bringing our gifts to your altar, following
the teaching of Jesus.
Presider: We ask you to send your Spirit to each us so that we may
live more fully according to your will and give thanks that you have called us
to be your chosen people.
All: (with an outstretched arm):
God, our Father and Mother, help us to hear Wisdom’s messages, to faithfully
understand them, and to act upon their compassion with all our brothers and
sisters everywhere. Merciful God, teach
us the virtues of pardon and peace so that we may – in turn- learn to forgive
our own failures to care for one another and for our planet Earth. We ask this of you in the names of Jesus, our
brother and of the Holy Spirit, our healer and comforter. Amen.
Glory to
God
All:
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to all God’s people on
earth. Creator God, heart of the universe,
we thank you for the breath of the Spirit that sustains everything that exists,
everywhere in the cosmos. Through the
example and teachings of Jesus, you gave us the grace to know that you are
always among us – and that we can experience your presence in our brothers and
sisters. We give you glory and praise
through Jesus Christ, our brother, and the Holy Spirit, our Wisdom. Amen.
Liturgy
of the Word
First
reading Acts: 3: 1-12
One day at three o’clock in the afternoon, Peter and John were on their
way into the Temple area for itrs hour of prayer. At the same time there was a
man crippled from birth who, every day, was carried to the temple gate, the one
named Beautiful, to beg for monies from those going into the Temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into
the Temple, he begged them for some alms.
Peter, with John at his side, looked at him straight in the eye and
said, “Look at the two of us.” The poor
lame man looked up, expecting to get something from them.
Peter said to him: “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have,
I give to you…”In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I tell you to get up
and walk!” Then Peter took the man by his
right hand and helped him up. Immediately,
the man’s feet and ankles became firm and strong; he leaped to his feet and started
walking, praising God.
Then the man went into the Temple with Peter and John. Everyone there saw him walking around without
any trouble. They recognized him as the man who used to sit begging at the
Beautiful Gate and they were astonished, scarcely believing what they were
seeing, and many ran over to see them. The
man, crippled from birth, now threw his arms around Peter and John. He was so filled with joy and thanksgiving at
what had happened to him.
When Peter saw the people, he addressed them, “Fellow Israelites why are
you surprised at this, and why do you look so intently at us? Do you think that
it was by our own power or piety that we made this man walk? It was “In the name of Jesus of Nazareth”
that he is walking.
The Acts is brought
to us as a sequel to the Book of Luke, by the same author, focusing on the Holy
Spirit that inspired the life of Jesus in his time on earth and does ours as
well. And we express out thanks by
saying
All: Thanks be to God.
Psalm
118: Responsorial: Give thanks to our God who is
good, whose love is everlasting.
Second
reading: Acts 5: 12-16.
All: Glory and thanks to our God.
The second reading
is taken from the Acts of The Apostles, as well
Acts 5: 12 – 16
Through the hands of the apostles, many wonderful things were being
performed among the people who gathered together in Solomon’s Portico. More and more than ever, believers, women and
men in great numbers, were continually adding to the sizes of the groups– to
the extent that people even carried their sick relatives and friends into the
streets and laid them on cots and mats, in the hope that when Peter passed by, at
least his shadow might fall on some of them.
Crowds from the towns in the vicinity of Jerusalem also gathered too,
bringing their sick people and those who were troubled by unclean spirits… and
they were all cured.
And in this piece
we are told more about the work of the Holy Spirit in the first century, here
through Peter, and as it will continue through the twenty first century, though
us. To this, we say:
Amen,
let it be so
All: Glory and thanks to our God.
Gospel
Acclamation: Celtic
Alleluia
Gospel:
John 20: 19-29.
Later, on the same day that Mary Magdalene had gone to the tomb and saw
Jesus, the disciples gathered together, but – fearful of the Temple authorities
– they had locked all the doors in the house.
Then Jesus came and, standing in their midst, said “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his
hands and his side. The disciples, seeing Jesus with their own eyes, were
filled with joy. Jesus then repeated what
he had said: “Peace be with you. As Abba God has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he took a deep
breath and breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
It happened that Thomas (nicknamed “Didymus” or “Twin”), one of the
twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
The other disciples kept telling him: “We have seen Jesus!” But Thomas said to them, “Unless I see the marks
of the nails in his hands and put my finger on those scars and put my hand into
his side, I will not believe it.”
A week later, the disciples were once more together in the room, and this
time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but Jesus came through them
again. And as before, he stood in the
midst of the disciples and said “Peace be with you.” Then Jesus focused his attention on Thomas
and said “Put your finger here and examine my hands. Then take your hand and put it into my side. And
do not be unbelieving, but believe!”
Then Thomas answered Jesus and said to him: “You, Jesus, are here; my
God is here!”
And Jesus said to him: “So, have you come to believe because you have actually
seen me with your own eyes? Even better
blessings are in store for those who believe without having seen me.”
This is the word of
God as recorded for us by the apostle John. And for this inspirational message, we say:
Thanks
be to God
Shared
Homily/Community Reflection
Profession
of Faith
All:
We believe in the Sacred Mystery that is beyond all definition
and understanding. The creator and heart of all that has ever existed, that
exists now, or that will exist in this ever-expanding universe.
We believe in Jesus of Nazareth,
the human Jesus, the Divine Presence of God on earth, who carried the message
of God’s Word and who, through the example of his life, showed us how we could
heal ourselves and others. He is the
heart of God’s boundless compassion. It
is through him that we have become a new people. We are here in this place and this time to
share his message among ourselves and to others…the truth that we are all holy,
that we were born holy, and that we shall be holy forevermore.
We believe in the Spirit,
the breath of God in the cosmos who inspires our innermost life. She brings the Divine Presence to all those
who are searching for meaning and wholeness in their lives. And She is the one who helps us reach deeply
within ourselves so that we can use the graces that will bring us healing and
energy when our spirit may grow weary.
And we believe that God’s kin-dom is
here and now, stretched out all around us for those with eyes to see it, minds
to understand it, hearts to receive it, and hands to make it known to everyone.
We say: Amen to courage, to hope, and
to truth. We say: Amen to the
partnership and equality of all people of different genders, races, and
faiths. We believe in a world of justice
and peace for everyone, everywhere, with no exceptions. In all of this, we surely believe.
Prayers of the Community
Presider: We are a people of faith, believing in the
power of prayer. We are always mindful of God’s unconditional love and care that
is embedded in each one of us. And so,
we bring the needs of people - throughout the world - to our merciful and
gracious God. After each intercession, respond:
Compassionate God, bless our prayers.
Presider:
that those bound by neglect and violence will receive care and find peace, we
pray. R.
Presider:
that those suffering from sickness or hurtful acts may find healing and
consolation… R
Presider:
and for whom or what else do we pray at this time? Other
intentions followed by R.
Presider: We hold these and all our unspoken intention
in our hearts, we certainly pray.
Presider:
Healing God, you faithfully listen to our prayers. We ask you to strengthen us in our caring for
one another and in our works for justice, equality, and peace in a world
without violence. We also ask you for
your grace that we may grow in our concern and guardianship of the
environment. As always, we make this
prayer in the names of Jesus, the Christ, and the Holy Spirit, our Wisdom. Amen.
Offertory
Procession Song: “Morning has Broken” # 638
(all verses)
Preparation of the Gifts
Presider: Blessed are you, God of all creation. Through
your goodness we have this bread to offer, food from the grain that the earth
has given and human hands have made. It will become for us the bread of life.
All:
Blessed be God forever.
Presider: Blessed are you, God of all creation. Through
your goodness we have this wine to offer, beverage that human hands have made
from the fruit of the vine. It will become for us our spiritual drink.
All:
Blessed be God forever.
Gathering of the Gifted
Presider: Jesus, who has sat at our tables, now invites
us to be guests at his family table.
Everyone is welcome around our family table. (Invite everyone to join around the altar.)
Presider: Gracious God, you have set the banquet table
and have invited all of us to a feast of unending delight.
All:
Here we all celebrate your divine love beyond what all words could ever
describe. Your divine compassion connects us to the young and the old, to those
who may be seen to be the least and the last, and to everyone everywhere on our
journey into the heart of your mercy.
May we love tenderly, do justice, and
walk humbly with you in solidarity with our brothers and sisters. May we live as prophetic witnesses to the
Gospel, supported by the vision of Jesus and the wisdom of the Spirit. Amen.
Presider: God dwells in each one of us.
Presider: Let us give thanks to the Creator and
Sustainer of all that exists for all the gifts of grace that we have been
given.
All:
With hearts full of love, we give God thanks and praise.
Presider: Holy Spirit, we recognize your presence among
us as we gather at our family table.
All: Fill us with reverence for you,
for one another, and for all your creation.
Presider: Let us lift up our hearts.
All:
We lift them up to the Holy One, living in us and loving through us. Namaste (3x)
Presider:
And in joy we proclaim our joy to this gathering….
All:
We are holy, holy, holy X3….we are whole
Eucharistic Prayer
Voice 1. Gracious
Wisdom, you embrace us with your extravagant affection in our times of both
blessedness and weakness. You are always
with us…you living in us and we living in you.
In this festive meal, your Spirit is poured out on each of us gathered
in the circle of your friends and disciples, we also ask that your Spirit be
spread to those of our community who are not with us today.
Voice 2: We thank you
for the gift of Jesus of Nazareth in history -- and the gift of Jesus in faith.
On earth, his life burned with the vision of his mission on earth. Through the
example of his life – his teachings and actions - he showed us not only how we
should live, but also what was worth even dying for.
Voice 3: When his time
on earth had come to an end, Jesus – aware of and accepting his destiny – gave
us his life for the values that he deeply believed, lived and taught…his
conviction that love is stronger than death.
And then, in providing an example of this wisdom for all people in ages to
come, he opened wide his arms…and died.
And the spirit that lived in Jesus resurrected him to a new life, a
promise made to all of us too who live the new story. Jesus is with us today and he will be through
the end of time.
(With an outstretched arm, we pray
the consecration together. We remember the gift that Jesus gave us on
the night before he died. He gathered
with his friends to share a final Passover meal. And it was at that supper that Jesus took
bread, said the blessing and shared it with them saying: take this, all of you,
and eat it. This bread is you; this
bread is me. We are one body, the
presence of God in the world. When you do this, remember me and all that I have
taught you. This is the new and
everlasting covenant.
[short pause]
In the same way, Jesus took a cup of
wine, said the blessing and gave it to his friends saying: take this, all of
you, and drink it. This wine is you;
this wine is me. We are one blood, the
presence of God in the world. When you
do this, remember me and all that I have taught you. This is the new and
everlasting covenant.
Presider: Jesus,
who was with God “in the beginning of the creation of the heavens and the
earth,” is with us now in this bread. The Spirit, of whom the prophets
spoke in history, is with us now in this cup. Let us proclaim this mystery of faith.
All:
Jesus has died. Christ is
risen. The Divine Presence lives in us
and through us in the world today.
Voice 4: God, we know
that you bless your church throughout the world. We, your people, ask for your
grace that we may continually grow in our love and caring for Francis, our
Pope, Bridget Mary, our Bishop and for everyone with whom we come in contact,
especially those who live on the margins of church and society. They are all our
brothers and sisters, members of your Blessed Family. We remember also all those, living and dead,
who touched our lives and left their footprints on our hearts. We remember especially….(mention names here, if you would like to..)
All: We believe that the Spirit of God
is at work in and among us and will do more than we could ever ask or imagine. We believe that it is through Christ, with
Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is
yours, Creator God, forever and ever.
Holding hands we sing Amen. (x times)
The
Prayer of Jesus
All: Our Father and Mother, who re in
heaven, blessed is your name... ……..Amen.
All:
Lord God, we have prayed that your kindom may come among us. Open our ears to hear it, our hands to serve
it, and our hearts to hold it. Amen.
The Sign of Peace
Presider:
Jesus, you said to your disciples, “Peace be with you.” My peace I give
you.” Look on the faith of those
gathered here and ….
All: … grant us your peace. We know,
Jesus, that you gave to us, the gift of peace.
We now ask for the strength of the Spirit that we might spread that
peace throughout the small pieces of our worlds, our social places and
churches, our homes and families…all without exceptions. We recognize your presence with us now as we
join jour hands in a circle of love and sing our prayer: “Let there be peace on
earth.” (#532)
Litany for the Breaking of Bread
Presider:
Loving God…..All: you call us to
Spirit-filled service and to live the Gospel of non-violence for peace and
justice. We will live justly.
Presider:
Loving God …All: you call us to be your presence in the world and to be bearers of
forgiveness and understanding, healing and compassion everywhere in your
name. We will love tenderly.
Presider:
Loving God ...All: you call us to speak truth to power. We will walk humbly with you on our journey.
Presider: This is Jesus, who calls us to open doors
that are closed and share our bread and wine on the altar of the world. All are invited to eat and drink at this
sacred banquet of love
ALL: When we share in this meal, we- who have
always been worthy people – ask Jesus for his grace that we may strengthen our
commitments to living the teachings of gospel, and to spreading the good news message
of the kin-dom of God to others everywhere we go.
Communion: Instrumental
Post-
Communion Reflection Song: Mindy Simmons
Prayer of Thanksgiving After
Communion
Presider: Holy One, may this Eucharist in which we
always share Jesus’ healing love deepen our oneness with you and our unity with
one another. May we work for peaceful
relations among the nations of the world and the healing of our Earth, protecting
our planet from devastation. We ask this
in the name of Jesus, the Christ, and the Spirit, our Wisdom. All: Amen.
Community
Prayers of Gratitude and Announcements
Closing Community Prayer and Blessing
All:
May God who promises peacemakers a place in the kindom of heaven guide
us on our different paths through our pilgrimages on earth. May we do so with God’s gifts of Christ-like
love for one another – and with a consuming hunger for justice and non-violence
in ourselves, our homes, our country, and the world in which we live…with no
exception. With the grace of God, the
fellowship of Jesus, and the strength of the Spirit, we believe we can do all
this.
Thanks be to God. Let it be
so! Alleluja!
Concluding Hymn: “City
of God” #379 (using
“God” for “Lord, him and his”)
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