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https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81534075389?pwd=TTdGY2NxS3AzTW13ODJESkdYME9aUT09
Meeting ID: 815 3407 5389
Passcode: 803326
(Note -- if you have a problem with the above link, open your ZOOM app and insert the Meeting ID number and Passcode)
Welcome! Michael. We warmly welcome you to the inclusive Catholic community of Mary Mother of Jesus in Sarasota, Florida. All are welcome here.
Theme: The body of Christ on the table,
The body of Christ at the table,
The body of Christ around the table.
We celebrate together ✝️ in the name of God our creator, Jesus the Christ, and the Spirit our wisdom within. Amen.
Please welcome each other with a sign of Christ’s peace:
☮️ Namaste! The peace of Christ be with us! ☮️
Gathering 🎶 (Intro-Mike) Everyday God:
https://youtu.be/F1oNP4vaW_c (4:48)
Reconciliation Rite. Voice1 & All:
We pause now to remember times when messages of our unworthiness have clouded our vision of the infinite love within us. Let us imagine our imperfections, the chaos and messes of our lives, all brightly lit by a love that heals and transforms us as we evolve and grow in awareness of our divinity and our humanity.
(Pause for several moments. Then extend arm over your heart.)
All: I’m sorry. I forgive you. Thank you. I love you.
Opening Prayer. Voice2 & All:
Spirit of the Holy One, we gratefully acknowledge your presence among us and within us. You have transformed us into the one Body of Christ, making us the face of Christ’s love in the world. Guide us to be present to those who continue to suffer from the three pandemics afflicting our country—covid, racism, and gun violence. We pray this in Christ’s name. Amen
Voice3 & All:
Glory to the Spirit of Life, to the Holy One who surrounds us, who lives within us, whose Sacred Word is shared by us in our world.
Glory to the Spirit of Life, who offers us peace; peace in our hearts, peace in our thoughts, peace with one another as we reach out to one another and ask for blessing.
Glory to the Spirit of Life, who cares for the health workers, postal workers, store clerks, garbage collectors and all those who those who serve our special needs in numerous ways.
Glory to the Spirit of Life, who sent Jesus who teaches us how to live the Gospel, who brings hope and healing to all those in need.
We depend upon the ever-present Spirit to walk with us as we journey in the present and rejoice in the life before us. Amen
Liturgy of the Word (Please pause in a moment of silence)
1st Reading Jim B.
A reading from Bridget Mary’s Blog.
During this time of pandemic, women priests and inclusive Catholic communities are walking toward the future as we celebrate Eucharistic liturgies on Zoom. Our ordained presiders at Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community, my faith community, invite those who gather each week with us on Zoom to have bread and wine/juice in front of them. We invite everyone to pray the words of consecration and to receive Communion.
After participants have received Communion at their own tables, they share their experiences of thanksgiving. I often hear the Christ Presence speaking through them, offering words of comfort, strength and blessing.
In his book The Future Of Eucharist, Bernard Cooke observes that a new understanding of the resurrection in the Vatican II church has broadened the church's understanding of "real presence" and helped people to appreciate Christ's loving presence in the believing community. According to Cooke, while individuals may have specific functions within the gathered assembly, the entire community performs the eucharistic action (p. 32).
If this is so, then the gathered assembly is the celebrant of Eucharist. It is the community that "does" the Eucharist, not the presider alone. A community encamps, wherever it happens to rest for this moment in time, around the Christ Presence that infuses our communion, vivifying our One Body. Some apply a “both/and” theology and say that the Body of Christ is on the table, at the table and around the table.
Historical scholarship supports this conclusion and goes even farther. Gary Macy, chairperson of the Theology and Religious Studies Department at the University of San Diego, concludes from his research in Middle Ages manuscripts that, in the understanding of the medieval mind, regardless of who spoke the words of consecration—man or woman, ordained or community—the Christ Presence became reality in the midst of the assembly.
(Adapted from Walking the Prophetic Journey, Introduction, by Bridget Mary Meehan & Mary Beben.)
These are the Spirit’s words to us through Bridget Mary, and we all respond: Thanks be to God!
🎶 (Please pause for a moment) Alleluia:
https://youtu.be/gIHnZn3JjcM
2nd Reading Suzanne B
Continuation of a reading from Bridget Mary’s Blog.
As groups like women priests' inclusive communities gather during this time of pandemic for the sacred meal, they celebrate a vision of faith, share joys and tears, acknowledge a cosmic citizenship as people of God, and model the equal ministry of women and men. They believe, as Paul did, that in the body of Christ there is no Jew, Greek, slave, citizen, male or female. (Gal.3:20). All are welcome at the eucharistic celebrations, not only families, but single parents and children, the divorced and remarried, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgendered people. Roman Catholic Women Priests and all those who find themselves on the fringes of the institutional church for whatever reason are walking toward a future of embracing the Christ Presence everywhere in all people, beyond all limitations and imagination.
We are, like a pillar of fire guiding the people of the covenant, the Way of love and justice, and we know that our lives are holy; our lives are blessed and broken in the mystery of God's transforming love in service of others, especially to the poor and marginalized and to all those in need. As a community of believers embraced in love and filled with love, we are walking toward the future that brings us across thousands of miles into one community in a digital age.
(Adapted from Walking the Prophetic Journey, Introduction, Bridget Mary Meehan and Mary Beben)
These are the Spirit’s words to us through Bridget Mary, and we all respond: Thanks be to God!
🎶 (Please pause for a moment) Alleluia:
https://youtu.be/gIHnZn3JjcM
Shared homily. Michael
As the Spirit moves you, now is your opportunity to share your thoughts about the readings, the liturgy, or something else. Please turn your microphone on to share, then off when you’re finished.
Profession of Faith. Voice4 & All:
We believe in the creator of all whose divinity infuses life with the sacred.
We believe in Jesus the Christ who leads us to the fullness of humanity.
We believe in the Spirit of wisdom, the divine breath in the cosmos,
who enlightens those living in darkness.
Amen to courage, to hope, to the spirit of truth, to wholeness,
to the partnership of all women and men in the divine plan.
We believe in justice and peace for all. We surely believe in all this!
Prayers of the Community Voice5 & All:
We bring to the table prayers for our community and the world.
We bring to the table the more than one million Americans who have died from covid, as well as their family and friends who bear an enormous burden of grief.
We bring to the table those who continue to suffer from “long covid” with a variety of symptoms that disrupt their lives.
We bring to the table our Congress and our Local Leaders. May they do the will of the people and pass gun laws that will save lives.
We bring to the table the people of Ukraine that they will have their country returned to them and we pray for strength as they struggle for their survival.
We bring to the table Mary Kay, Diane Burroughs, and all of our community members, family members and friends who need healing, comfort, and strength in their illness.
We bring to the table the intercessions in our Community Prayer Book, as presented by Joan Meehan.
What else shall we bring to the table today?
(Please turn your microphone on to offer a prayer, then mic off.)
O Christ, we will be your love in the world today and every day. Amen
We offer our gifts. Voice6 & All: We invite everyone to place their plate of bread and cup of wine on their table of plenty. (Pause) Ever present Sacred Spirit, you who hold us in your loving hands, we offer these gifts of bread and wine as we celebrate your life with us. These gifts are made sacred through our faith. We ask this in the name of Jesus our brother. Amen
Eucharistic Prayer. (Pause for a moment of silence before we begin)
https://youtu.be/orKBBIj5LZA (1:32)
Voice7 & All:
Jesus was always the guest.
In the homes of Peter and Jairus,
Martha and Mary, Joanna and Susanna,
he was always the guest.
At the meal tables of the wealthy
where he pled the case of the poor,
he was always the guest.
Upsetting polite company,
Befriending isolated people,
welcoming the stranger,
he was always the guest.
Voice8 & All:
But here
at this table,
Jesus is the host.
Those who wish to serve him
must first be served by him,
Those who want to follow him
must first be fed by him,
Those who would wash his feet
must first let him make them clean.
Voice9 & All:
For this is the table
where God intends to nourish us;
this is the time when Christ can make us new.
So come, you who hunger and thirst
for a deeper faith,
for a better life,
for a fairer world.
Jesus Christ,
who has sat at our table,
now invites us to be guests at his.
Voice10 & All:
For us you were born,
for us you healed,
preached, taught
and showed your way.
You died and rose
to show us the path of transformation.
Jesus Christ, present with us now,
for all that you have done
and all that you have promised,
what have we to offer?
Voice11 & All:
Our hands are empty,
our hearts are sometimes full of doubt and fear.
But with you is mercy
and the power to change.
Voice12 & All:
So as we do in this place
what you did in an upstairs room,
send down your Spirit
on us
and on these gifts of bread and wine
that they may become for us your body,
healing, forgiving
and making us whole;
and that we may become,
for you,
your body,
loving and caring in the world
until your kindom comes. Amen
(Taking and breaking the bread)
Voice13 & All:
Among friends, gathered around the table,
Jesus took bread, broke it and said,
‘This is my body,
It is broken for you.’
(Taking the cup of wine)
Voice14 & All:
Later, after they had eaten,
Jesus took a cup of wine and said,
‘This is the new relationship with God,
made possible because of my life and death.
Drink this, all of you, to remember me.’
Prayer of Jesus
Voice15 & All:
Let us pray as Jesus taught his companions to pray:
O Holy One, you are within, around, and among us.
We celebrate your many names.
Your wisdom come, your will be done, unfolding from the depths within us.
Each day you give us all we need.
You remind us of our limits, and we let go.
You support us in your power, and we act with courage.
For you are the dwelling place within us, the empowerment around us,
And the celebration among us, now and forever. Amen
(Adapted from Miriam Therese Winter, MMS)
Communion.
Voice16 & All:
Look: here is Christ coming to us in bread and wine.
These are the gifts of God for the people of God.
We are the Body of Christ.
(All receive Communion)
https://youtu.be/DpNnzc18eFQ (2:08, Please sing along!)
V1. Come! Live in the light!
Shine your joy and the love of our God
We are called to be light for the kindom,
To live in the freedom of the city of God!
Refrain. We are called to act with justice,
We are called to love tenderly,
We are called to serve one another;
To walk humbly with God.
V3. Sing, Sing a new song!
Sing of that great day when all will be one!
God will reign, and we’ll walk with each other
As sisters and brothers united in love! Refrain
Final prayer. Voice17 & All: Full of Christ’s peace, may we go out to love and serve one another in our community and in our wider world. Remember: We are the face of Christ to the world! Amen
Thanksgiving. Introductions. Announcements. (Michael)
Mutual blessing Voice18:
Please raise your hand in blessing:
All: May the blessing of the Holy One hold us on our journey.
May the blessing of the Christ give us strength and vision.
May the blessing of the Spirit of Life give all families peace.
Let us go in peace. May we be the face of Christ to those we meet. Alleluia!
🎶 All Sing: Alle, Alle, Alleluia.
https://youtu.be/sFBMBkmGPXo (2:26)
________________________________________________________________
If you want to add an intercession to our MMOJ Community Prayer Book, please send an email to Joan Meehan: jmeehan515@aol.com
If you want to invite someone to attend our liturgy, please refer them to the day’s liturgy at MaryMotherofJesus.org
To support our community, please send your check to:
Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community
St Andrew UCC, 6908 Beneva Rd, Sarasota, FL 34238
