Theme: Today we celebrate the reality of Holy Mystery who loves us
unconditionally from the original enfleshment of God in matter, the Big Bang of
14 billion years ago. Who loves us in the Creation of earth 4 billion years ago
and who loves us in the blessing of the rise of human consciousness about
200,000 years ago. What is my mission in
the spiritual evolution of humanity?
Left: Sally Brochu ARCWP and Katy Zatsick ARCWP- Presiders |
Our first reading from
Jung relates the “spiritual awakening” we may encounter on our evolutionary spiritual
journey. Pope Francis writes of his vision for the community living in the
consciousness of Jesus Christ. What/would you add to this vision? In the Good
News, Jesus the man asks if this suffering passage to greater consciousness
could be removed from his life. As we
are called to do, Jesus surrenders his will and says, “Abba…your will be done”
He will arise to Jesus Christ. What are we called to give up spiritually to
gain new life in relationship to Jesus Christ? Sofia Wisdom? Our Creator, Love
the energy of evolution, in whom we live, move, and have our being?
GATHERING SONG
#425 “How Great thou
Art” verses 1, 2. (please substitute
‘Love’ for Lord)
Greeting-Presider 2:
All: (arms outstretched), Infinite
God in whom we live and move and have our being
(hands in Namaste position, bowing to person across from you) Holy
Spirit Sophia in every person and all Communities
(hands crossed over heart) God within, our brother
Jesus Christ; we are your light for the world Amen
Community
Healing:
All: Let us pause now to pray
with one another for forgiveness. Let us pray for the times we failed to ask Sofia
to heal our own wounds which cause hurt to others. We desire to participate deeply
in the spiritual evolution of our human consciousness.
Raise
hands in gesture of mutual forgiveness and healing and sing this Taizé chant:
All: Ubi
Caritas, et amor, ubi caritas, deus ibi est. (3 times)
OPENING PRAYER
All: God of the universe, you speak to us in all of
creation, but you call to us most surely in the depths of our souls. Help us to listen for your voice today,
gentling our work, our re-creations, our relationships with others and the
earth in ways that let us hear you.
Deepen our faith in your Presence in us and in all the universe. Grant
this through the intercession of all your saints and prophets who listened in
sincerity and truth. Amen.
Presider 1: Let us give
praise and thanks to our Loving and Endlessly Creating God who asks us to be
co-creators of the kin-dom of Holy Mystery on earth:
All Sing: Glory to God,
glory, oh praise God, alleluia, Glory to God, glory. Oh, praise the name of our
God (3 times)
LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading: A Reading
from Carl G Jung
But why on earth, “you may ask, “should it be necessary for
man (woman) to achieve, by hook or by crook, a higher level of
consciousness?” This is truly the
crucial question, and I do not find the answer easy. Instead of a real answer, I can only make a
confession of faith: I believe that, after thousands and millions of years,
someone had to realize that this wonderful world of mountains and oceans, suns
and moons, galaxies and nebulae, plants and animals, exists. (author’s
emphasis)
From a low hill in the Athi plains of east Africa I once
watched the vast herds of wild animals grazing in soundless stillness, as they
had done from time immemorial, touched only by the breath of a primeval
world. I felt then as if I were the
first man, the first creature, to know that all this is. (author)
The entire world round me was still in its primeval state; it did not know that
it was. (author) And then, in that one moment in which I came to
know, the world sprang into being; without that moment it would never have
been. All Nature seeks this goal and
finds it fulfilled in man (woman), but only in the most highly developed and
most fully conscious man (woman). Every
advance, even the smallest, along this path of conscious realization adds that
much to the world. These are the inspired words of CG Jung All: Amen (The Archetypes and the
Collective Unconscious p.95)
Psalm
response: All: Make a joyful noise to your Beloved all the earth; break forth
into grateful song and sing praises!
Arise! Awaken to the
new dawn! Come into the Light: shed darkness like skin on a snake! For the
foundations for the cosmos are shaking with injustice. I say, “Within you
dwells the Beloved, the Breath of your breath; Open your heart in the Silence
and know the ONE in the many.” Arise!
Join in the new creation! Let harmony reign among all the nations! (psalm 82)
All:
Make a joyful noise to the Beloved all your earth; break forth into grateful
song and sing praises!
May my heart be as
your Heart; May my mind be as your Mind.
May your steadfast love guide me as I live according to your Will, You,
O counselor, are my strength and my guide; so I choose the path of peace and
wholeness. (Psalm 26)
All:
Make a joyful noise to the Beloved all your earth; break forth into grateful
song and sing praises!
O sing to the Beloved
a new song, for Love has done marvelous things!
By the strength of your Indwelling Presence, we, too, are called to do
great things; we are set free through Love’s forgiveness and truth. Make a joyful noise to the Beloved all the
earth; break forth into grateful song and sing praises! Yes, sing songs of praise extolling Love’s
way; lift up your hearts with gratitude and joy. (psalm
98)
All:
Make a joyful noise to the Beloved all your earth; break forth into grateful
song and sing praises! Adapted from Psalms for Praying, Nan C Merrill
Second
Reading:
From the writings of Pope Francis (May
6, 2016)
(We are called to be co-creators of the
vision of Sophia for the kin-dom amongst humanity)
I dream of a
World that is young, still capable of being a mother; a mother who has life
because she respects life and offers hope for life.
I dream of a
World that cares for children, that offers fraternal help to the poor and those
newcomers seeking acceptance because they have lost everything and need
shelter.
I dream of a
World that is attentive to and concerned for the infirm and the elderly, lest
they be simply set aside as useless.
I dream of a
World where being a migrant is not a crime but a summons to greater commitment
on behalf of the dignity of every human being.
I dream of a
World where young people breath the pure air of honesty, where they love the
beauty of a culture and a simple life undefiled by the insatiable needs of
consumerism, where getting married and having children is a responsibility and
a great joy, not a problem due to the lack of stable employment.
I dream of a
World of families, with truly effective policies concentrated on faces rather
than numbers, on birth rates more than rates of consumption.
I dream of a
World that promotes and protects the rights of everyone, without neglecting its
duties toward all.
I dream of a
World of which it will not be said that its commitment to human rights was its
last utopia.
The
inspired words of Pope Francis, and we affirm his truth by saying, All: “Thanks
be to God.”
(I changed Europe to World)
Alleluia, alleluia (sung)
In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in
Christ Jesus Alleluia, alleluia (1Thessalonians
5:18)
Gospel
from the writings of Matthew, 27:36-47
(Jesus died a
man, and arose as Jesus the Christ)
Then Jesus went with them to a place
called Gethsemane and said to the disciples, “Stay here while I go over there
and pray…My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death. Please stay here and stay awake with me. Jesus went on a little further and fell prostrated
in prayer, “Abba, if it is possible, let this cup pass me by. But not what I want—what you want.”
When Jesus returned to the
disciples, he found them asleep. He said
to Peter, “Couldn’t you stay awake with me for even an hour? Be on guard, and pray that you may not
undergo trial. The spirit is willing,
but the body is weak.”
Withdrawing a second time, Jesus
prayed, “Abba, if this cup cannot pass me by without my drinking it, your will
be done!” We affirm the Good News of
Jesus Christ our Brother All: Amen
Jack Duffy: Homily Starter. “Sofia Wisdom” Shared homily
Jack Duffy: Homily Starter. “Sofia Wisdom” Shared homily
STATEMENT
OF FAITH
ALL:
We believe in God, the creator of the universe and Earth with all
its species and peoples. God calls us to be co-creators of a healthy life and
environment for all. We believe in
Shekinah, the breath of
God, calling us to evolve in deepening consciousness and into
Jesus the Christ. We are called to
enflesh Sofia’s dream for humanity of our Oneness; Peace and Justice for all
and for the Earth. We believe in Jesus Christ, nourishing us with abundant life as the Body of Christ
at his sacred table, spiritually nourishing us for the work of human
evolution. Amen.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD
Presider 1: As we prepare for the
sacred meal, we pray for the needs of the people of God in our community and
around the world, earth and all life God’s planet sustains.
Response to each prayer:
All: May Shekinah guide us.
Presider 2: for Marianne Smyth
ARCWP recovering from surgery, for Janice S-D who is ill and all in MMOJ who
are in need of healing prayer. All: May Shekinah guide us.
Please share your prayers…
Presider 2: We give thanks for all whom we hold in the circle of grace and
will continue to pray for and serve. Amen.
PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS
Song: “Sing Out, Earth and Skies”
#553 Verses 1, 3, 4
Presider
1: Blessed are you,
God of all Creation, Earth and humanity. This bread is your community of Mary Mother
of Jesus offering our spiritual evolution into the Heart of Christ as our
ministry for humanity. May this bread become spiritual nourishment for our
journey. ALL: Praise and glory to our Creator, Shekinah, and Jesus
Christ forever.
Presider 2: Blessed are you, God of all
Creation, Earth and humanity. This wine
is our desire to make co-creator choices in our own lives and for
humanity. May we grow into the faith,
hope, and love, energy of evolution by following the Way of Jesus Christ, our
wise elder Brother.
ALL: Praise
and glory to our
Creator, Shekinah, and Jesus Christ forever.
PLEASE JOIN US AROUND THE TABLE
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
Presider 1: Holy Mystery, you
stirred the waters of creation and you dwell in us.
All: and in every living being and
earth itself.
Presider 2: Let us lift up our
hearts
All: We lift up our hearts to our
Creator in whom, past, present, future and ALL that exists are ONE.
(Extend hands in
blessing toward bread and wine for Invocation of the Holy Spirit)
All: Come Sophia Wisdom,
Holy Spirit and settle on this bread and wine.
Fill them with the holiness and wholeness of our Brother Jesus our
Universal Christ who is calling us to justice, peace, equality and dignity for
all. We give thanks and praise this day.
Amen.
All: On the night before he died, Jesus gathered with his
friends, and washed their feet, so that they would follow his example in
service of human consciousness and evolution into Jesus Christ.
Presider 1: (lifts bread as community with hands extended prays
the following:)
All: When he returned to his place at the table, he spoke the
blessing, broke the bread and shared it with them saying:
Take
and eat of the Bread of Life
Whenever
you remember me like this
I am
among you. (pause)
Presider 2 (lifts the cup as community with hands extended prays the
following:)
All: Jesus then raised a cup of blessing, spoke the grace
saying:
Take
and drink of the covenant
Made
new again through my life in each of you and in your community.
Whenever
you remember me like this,
I am
among you. (pause)
All: (2nd Invocation of the Holy Spirit, with right hand on the
shoulder of the one next to you.)
Come Shekinah to rest on
us. Refreshed from our worship together
and joined with you within the Communion of Saints may we continually grow in
faith, hope and Love your energy of evolution for humanity and all existence.
Amen.
Great Amen: (lift up bread and wine)
All: Through Christ,
with Christ, in Christ, in unity with Shekinah Holy Spirit, all glory, honor
and praise to you, loving Creator God forever and ever.
Sing…Amen, Amen, Amen.
THE PRAYER OF JESUS
Holding hands in our circle of community and unity
Presider 1: Let us sing the prayer Jesus taught us. All sing:
Our Father and Mother…
Sign of Peace, sung with gestures:
All: Peace before us,
peace behind us, peace under our feet.
Peace within us, peace over us, let all around us be peace.
Then use words “love before us…” then “Christ
before us…”
LITANY FOR THE BREAKING OF BREAD
Presider 1: Please join
in the prayer for the breaking of the bread. (Presiders break the bread)
Presider 1: Creator of
the Cosmos…All: may we live our Oneness with you and all that live on your
blue planet Earth
Presider 2: Shekinah
Presence of God…All: Energize us for the journey as we minister for peace
and justice for all our brothers and sisters and earth itself.
Presider 1: Jesus
Christ our brother…All: may we live following your Path for spiritual
evolution and consciousness.
(Presiders hold up bread
and wine)
Presider 1: "This
is the bread of life and the cup of blessing. Through it we are nourished and
we nourish each other. All are welcome to the Feast.
All: What we have heard with our ears, we will live with our lives;
as we share communion, we will become communion, both Love’s nourishment and
Love’s challenge to grow in consciousness and evolution in Jesus Christ for
all.
When passing the bread,
you may say “You are Love for the world”
When passing the wine, you
may say “You are hope for the world”
Communion song:
instrumental
Post communion song: recording
of “Shekinah” sing along if you know the words.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Presider 1: Loving Creator of the
Universe, fill us with awe at your extravagant Love living in us and flowing
through us to all we meet each day. May we immerse ourselves in the beauty of
nature speaking of your Presence to us each day. May we reach out to our
sisters and brothers who are in need with the Compassion and Peace of Jesus
Christ growing within us each day. All: Amen.
Prayers of Thanksgiving:
Introductions; Announcements
CONCLUDING RITE
Presider: The
Holy One dwells within us all and illuminates God’s world through our own
spiritual evolution into the Compassion of Jesus Christ. ALL: And the Holy One is also within you.
BLESSING
(everyone please extend your hands in mutual blessing)
All sing: You are the face of God, I
hold you in my heart, you are my family, you are the face of God. (Sing 3
times)
Presiders: Let us go in peace continuing our spiritual evolution
as we serve our brothers and sisters and earth itself in the faith, hope, and love
of Jesus Christ.
ALL: Thanks be to
God as we go out in joy and hope. Amen
CONCLUDING HYMN
“Sing a New
Song” #543 Verse 1 please substitute “our Love” for “the lord”
Liturgy
adapted from Bridget Mary
Meehan, Elena Garcia and Katy Zatsick
Association of Roman Catholic Woman Priests