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Zoom link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/
Meeting ID: 815 3407 5389
Passcode: 803326
Theme: Our Prophetic Path
(Lee) We warmly welcome you to the inclusive Catholic Community of Mary Mother of Jesus in Sarasota. All are welcome here. We invite you to pray the liturgy where it says “All.” And please sing your heart out! Everyone will be muted during the service. During the shared homily and prayers of the community, we invite you to unmute yourself to contribute, and then re-mute yourself again. Please have bread and wine or juice with you as we pray the Eucharistic Prayer.
(Elena) During the past few weeks we have been made aware, through scripture and tradition, that angels, stars and dreams have played important roles in delivering messages from God to the human race. And it all came to pass as it had been foretold by Prophets. Today we open up to consider how prophecy has impacted our lives from the beginning of humankind to the present. As we celebrate the reality of Holy Mystery today let us focus on the gift of prophecy, which is given to each of us, and how to identify it and allow it to become living by the power and grace of God, who gives it and strengthens it.
(Lee)The readings provide information that may help those of us who still wonder about how to frame and understand the concept of Prophecy. How, when and where we have been led by God to experience This Divine Mystery through a different lens. How do the conversion stories of the prophets and ours confirm for us that our transformations were key in leading us into a deeper understanding of the mystery of God. We are continuously called to enter into a transformation that will enhance our relationship with the God mystery, a relationship immersed in the ever loving energy of evolution, in whom we live, move, and have our being.
Gathering Song: Canticle of the Sun
https://youtu.be/y_ZkWVBg7k0
(Elena and All) We begin our joy filled celebration together in the name of the Holy One, Source of all Being, Jesus, Eternal Word, and Holy Spirit Sophia, our Wisdom within. Amen.
Opening Prayer:
(Elena) O Holy One, voice in the listening heart, your gifts to us are beyond measure, and your patience without limit. We gratefully acknowledge your presence among us and within us. As we gather to celebrate Eucharist, we offer you thanks and praise for the gift of our humanity, the consciousness and freedom that allows us to know you and one another. We ask that you continue to graft us onto your wholeness so that with absolute self-confidence we may experience an impassioned desire to have everyone else experience the same transformation and ecstasy. Amen
Transformation Rite
( Lee ) We pause now to remember the times we have not born fruit in caring for self and others. Take a moment to recall one missed opportunity, one broken or damaged relationship.
(Pause briefly and extend your hand over your heart)
ALL: As we ask for and receive forgiveness, we open our hearts to Infinite Love embracing and healing us. Let it be
The Sign of Peace
(Elena) It is fitting that, having asked for Divine and mutual forgiveness, we now extend an expression of Peace to each other. (Elena and All): Grant Your peace O Loving God, that following the example of Jesus and with the strength of the Spirit, we may be eager to spread that peace to everyone, everywhere, with no exceptions. Amen All: May the peace of our gracious and loving God be always with us.
(Elena) Let us turn to each other and with praying hands offer one another a sign of peace. NAMASTE 3x
Joyful Gloria:
(Pat) Let us All lift our voices in praise.
Glory to the Holy One who surrounds us, who lives within us, whose sacred Word is shared by us in our world and beyond.
Glory to the Spirit of Life, who offers us peace, peace in our hearts and peace with one another as we reach out and ask for blessing.
Glory to the Spirit of Life who invites us to learn the lessons of our mistakes.
Glory to Jesus who teaches us how to live the Gospels, and invites us to be healers of heart, body and soul.
You, O Holy One, are one with us. You give us the strength to live your gospel message in our world and beyond.
We depend upon your ever-present Spirit to expand our consciousness to include your ever expanding universe as we journey in the present and rejoice in your call to courageously strive for justice and equality for all.
Glory to the Spirit of Life. Amen! Alleluia
Liturgy of the Word: First Reading (Maryal) A reading from Isaiah 49:3, 5-6
“And now” God says, this God who took me in hand from the moment of birth to be his servant, to bring Jacob back home to him, to set a reunion for Israel-- What an honor for me in God’s eyes! That God should be my strength! He says, “But that’s not a big enough job for my servant--- just to recover the tribes of Jacob, merely to round up the strays of Israel. I’m setting you up as a light for the nations so that my salvation becomes global!”
This is a reading found in the Old Testament book of The prophet Isaiah. Response: AMEN
Responsorial Psalm: (Pat) R: Here am I, God, I come to do your will.
~I have waited, waited for the Holy One, and God stooped toward me and heard my cry. And there was a new song put into my mouth, a hymn to our God. R—Here am I, ………
~Sacrifice or offering you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not; then said I, “Behold I come.” R—Here am I, ………
~”In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!” R—Here am I, …
~ I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O God, know.
R--Here am I, God, I come to do your will.
Alleluia:
https://youtu.be/o1rc7ojQtJU
(Lee ) This Gospel narrative takes place the day after the Pharisees had sent a group of priests and officials to ask John to identify himself and to explain why he was baptizing. This prophet spoke with courage about the One who unrecognized by them had taken his place among them.
(Maryal) The holy Gospel according to John 1:29-34
The very next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and yelled out, “Here he is, God’s Passover Lamb! He forgives the sins of the world! This is the man I’ve been talking about, ‘the One who comes after me but is really ahead of me.’ I knew nothing about who he was—only this: that my task has been to get Israel ready to recognize him as the God-Revealer. That is why I came here baptizing with water, giving you a good bath and scrubbing sins from your life so you can get a fresh start with God.
John clinched his witness with this: “I watched the Spirit, like a dove flying down out of the sky, making himself at home in him. I repeat, I know nothing about him except this: ‘The One who authorized me to baptize with water told me, “The One on whom you see the Spirit come down and stay, this One will baptize
with the Holy Spirit.’ That’s exactly what I saw happen, and I am telling you, there’s no question about it: This is the Son of God.”
We affirm the Good News of Our Brother, Jesus the Christ. All: AMEN and ALLELUIA
The Message-The Bible in Contemporary Language---Eugene Peterson
Alleluia:
https://youtu.be/o1rc7ojQtJU
Homily
Statement of Faith (Pat and All) We believe in the Holy One, a divine mystery beyond all definition and rational understanding, the heart of all that has ever existed, that exists now, or that ever will exist. We believe in Jesus, messenger of God's Word, bringer of God's healing, heart of God's compassion, bright star in the firmament of God's prophets, mystics, and saints.
We believe that we are called to follow Jesus as a vehicle of God's love, a source of God's wisdom and truth, and an instrument of God's peace in the world.
We believe that God's kin-dom is here and now, stretched out all around us for those with eyes to see it, hearts to receive it, and hands to make it happen.
Prayers for the people of God
Response: Shelter us, O Holy One in the shadow of your wings.
(Maryal) As we prepare for the sacred meal, we pray for the needs of the people of God in our community and around the world and for the earth and all universal life sustained by God.
~ We pray for all suffering from natural disasters all over the world, that they not lose hope and that they feel the light of your love. R: Shelter………..
~Jesus, Wonderful Counselor, give wisdom to those who negotiate to bring about a better quality of life to all people. R: Shelter…………
~We pray that our government puts children above guns, power, and greed. R: Shelter…….
~Jesus lamb of God, help us to acknowledge our complicity in the suffering of others, and give us a renewed spirit that we may share in the mystery of redemption. R: Shelter………..
~Jesus, Prince of Peace, may those who govern seek to bring peace, that all may live in a fully human way. R: Shelter……….
~We pray for the people of Ukraine and Russia, that they may live in peace without fear, and that goodness and sanity will fill the hearts and minds of those that would cause them harm. R:Shelter
~You are the Way, The Truth and the Life, awaken in us the courage to set aside all pettiness and all half-truths that keep us divided from one another. R: Shelter……….
~We pray for our MMOJ intentions on our community prayer list. R: Shelter………
( Maryal) And for what else do we pray? Begin with, “I bring to the table.” R: Shelter………
(Maryal and All) Holy One, may we respond to the needs of our sisters and brothers in loving prayer and solidarity. Amen
Preparation of the Gifts
Offertory: Here is My Life by Joe Wise
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsHM7_XZT5A
(Pat) Blessed are you, God of all Creation, Earth and the Universe. This bread is your community of Mary Mother of Jesus, offering our spiritual evolution into the heart of Christ. May this bread become spiritual nourishment for our journey. All: Praise and glory to our Creator, Shekinah, and Jesus the Christ forever.
(Pat) Blessed are you, God of all Creation, Earth and the Universe. This wine is our desire to make co-creator choices in our own lives and for humanity. May we grow in faith, hope and love by following the way of Jesus Christ, our wise elder brother.
All: Praise and glory to our Creator, Shekinah, and Jesus the Christ forever.
(Pat) Grateful for your covenant with us, which extends to us the heritage of light and life and love, we gather together in hopeful openness, joined with all living creatures, and we sing:
Holy, Holy, Holy by Karen Drucker
https://youtu.be/nTewBnxBy30
Eucharistic Prayer
(LEE) Holy Mystery, you stirred the waters of creation and you dwell in us.
(Lee and All): and in every living being and earth itself.
(Lee) Let us lift up our hearts.
(Lee and All): We lift up our hearts to our Creator in whom past, present, future and All that exists are One.
(Extend hands in blessing over bread and wine for the Invocation of the Holy Spirit.)
(Elena and All): Come Sophia Wisdom Holy Spirit and settle on this bread and wine. Fill them with the holiness and wholeness of our brother Jesus the Christ who is calling us to justice, peace, equality and dignity for all. We give thanks and praise this day. Amen.
(Lee and 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 the Christ.
(Elena and 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.”
(Elena and All) Jesus then raised the 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.”
(Maryal and All) Jesus, who was with God in the beginning of the creation of the heavens and 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 the mystery of faith - Christ dies, Christ rises, Christ comes again and again and again.
Great Amen by Linda Lee Miller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy76fpfkNsg
The Abba Prayer
(Pat and All) Eternal Spirit, Earth maker, Pain bearer, Life giver, Source of all that is and that shall be, Father and Mother of us all, Loving God, in whom is heaven –
The hallowing of your name echoes through the universe.
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world,
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings.
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom, sustain our hope and come to earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In the times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trial too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever. Amen
(Lee) Please join me in praying the Litany for the Breaking of the Bread.
(Lee and All): Holy one, you call us to speak truth to power.
We will walk with integrity in your presence.
Holy one, you call us to live the Gospel of healing and justice.
We We will live justly.
You call us to be your presence in the world.
We will love tenderly.
(Maryal) 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.
(Maryal and 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 obedience to the call of the Holy One in Jesus the Christ.
(Lee) Take and share communion with the words “(I am) or (You are) love for the world.”
Take and share the cup with the words “(I am) or (You are) hope for the world.
Communion Meditation: What Shall I Give? by Sara Thomsen
https://youtu.be/UUTs9qa5h3g
Prayer After Communion
(Elena and All) Loving God, may this Eucharist in which we share Christ’s healing love deepen our oneness with you and with one 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.
Prayers of Gratitude, Introductions and Announcements
Closing Community Blessing (Everyone please extend your hands in mutual blessing.)
(Lee and All): May our hearts be glad on our journeys as we dream new dreams and see new visions.
May we live and work for mercy, peace and justice, in our hearts for ourselves and our brothers and sisters…whoever they are and wherever they are.
May we learn to bless, honor and hold in reverence one another and thus grow in gratitude and humility.
May we continually strive to be the faith of a mustard seed, so we can move mountains that are barriers to justice and equality.
And may we be the face of God to the world, reflecting a compassionate and caring presence in us to everyone we meet.
And finally, as we go forth from this sacred space, let us purposefully look with new eyes and hearts to recognize our call, to Spiritual growth and evolving consciousness. Thanks be to God. Let it be so!
Commissioning
(Elena) Full of Christ’s peace, let us go out in haste to share the Good news of the Divine Presence dwelling within. Remember, that as the face of Christ to the world we are absolute existence and a field of infinite possibilities. Let our service continue with hearts full of zeal and desire to answer our call to be the voice of the Holy One at all times. All: Amen and Alleluia !!!
Closing Song: Faithhill Song
https://youtu.be/f9yddyu-ZDs
If you want to add an intercession to our MMOJ Community Prayer book, please send an email to jmeehan515@aol.com
If you want to invite someone to attend our liturgy, please refer them to the day’s liturgy at MaryMotherofJesus.net
