( interview with Dr. Mary Condren on Brigid’s Day on RTE)
Catholic Liturgy shared by Tony MacCarthaigh that will be celebrated by Open Table - 72 Community in Dublin, Ireland on Feb.2, 2025
Sunday 2nd Feb 2025 … Jesus presented in temple… and Bridget presented to Ireland…
A reflection…
In Celtic Spirituality and Wisdom…
The sacred is as present on earth as in heaven…
…immanent as it is transcendent…as human as divine…as physical as spiritual…
…and can be breathed-in, tasted, touched, seen, etc. as much in body of the earth and other living beings as in the body of religion. It is the true essence of all life.
Its uniqueness? – can’t be reduced to a set of doctrines, or beliefs…at its core is the conviction is that we need to essentially keep listening to what the soul already knows…in either the circumstances of our lives or in in what is going on in wider world.
In the 72 Community Gathering in 2023 we made a change to our Holding Paper to include - “We embrace a spirituality that speaks of the ancient wisdom of wholeness and closeness to nature that is in keeping with the rich tradition of our Celtic Spirituality and Heritage and that answers today´s imperative and sacred call to care for planet Earth and protect our common home. ¨
Music… Bagpipe (Celtic Harp Soundscapes)
Opening Prayer
Bridget, you were a woman of peace. You brought harmony where there was conflict. You brought light to the darkness. You brought hope to the downcast. May the mantle of your peace cover those who are troubled and anxious, and may peace be firmly rooted in our hearts and in our world. Inspire us to act justly and to reverence all God has made. Brigid you were a voice for the wounded and the weary. Strengthen what is weak within us. Calm us into a quietness that heals and listens. May we grow each day into greater wholeness in mind, body and spirit. Amen.
1st Reading
Insights of Julian of Norwich from ‘The Showings’ (From CAC – RR)
In her mystical masterwork The Showings, Julian shares that she used to obsess about sin. She couldn’t figure out why God, who is all-powerful, wouldn’t have eliminated our negative proclivities when he made the world. “If he had left sin out of creation, it seemed to me, all would be well.” But what God-the-Mother showed Julian in a near-death vision was that all shall be well anyway. Not in spite of our transgressions but because of them. [Or, as I like to say, we come to God, not by doing it right, but by doing it wrong.] Julian unpacks this for us. In doing so she dispenses with the whole concept of sin and replaces it with love. “I believe that sin has no substance,” Julian writes, “not a particle of being.” While sin itself has no existential value, it has impact. It causes pain. It is the pain that has substance.
But mercy is swiftly forthcoming. It is immediately available. Inexorable! It is frankly rude of us to doubt that all will be well. . . . “When he said these gentle words,” Julian writes, speaking of God-the-Mother, “he showed me that he does not have one iota of blame for me, or for any other person. So, wouldn’t it be unkind of me to blame God for my transgressions since he does not blame me?”
Responsorial Psalm
Resp. Ps (Magnificat translation: - Spong)
R: My soul sings in gratitude. I’m dancing in the mystery of God.
The light of the Holy One is within me and I am blessed, so truly blessed. This goes deeper than human thinking. I am filled with awe at Love whose only condition is to be received. R.
The gift is not for the proud, for they have no room for it. The strong and self-sufficient ones don’t have this awareness. But those who know their emptiness can rejoice in Love’s fullness. R.
It’s the Love that we are made for, the reason for our being. It fills our inmost heart
2nd Reading : Hebrews 2:14-18
Since the children share in blood and flesh, Jesus likewise shared in them, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the Devil, and free those who through fear of death had been subject to slavery all their life. Surely he did not help angels but rather the descendants of Abraham;therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sistersin every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people.Because he himself was tested through what he suffered,he is able to help those who are being tested.
Alleluia…A light of revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel. Alleluia…
Gospel (Lk 22)
When the days were completed for their purificationaccording to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.
This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:
“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”
Eucharistic Prayer…
We gather together to praise and thank you, Loving God, in the name of Christ Jesus and in his Spirit who said that we those who devote themselves to the link of the Spirit are fulfilled and that the design of the universe is rendered through them; that those who have softened what is rigid within are healed and shall be open to receive the splendour of earth’s fruits and that those who long deeply for a world of right relationships are happy and shall b encircled by the birth of a new society.
Jesus asked his followers to come together as we do now and to taste his dream of a loving community by taking bread and wine as he requested to do in his memory. We invoke The Holy Spirit on this food so that it may become for us the body and blood of Christ. We lift the bread like Jesus who said ‘This is my body, given up for you’. We lift the cup and say ‘This is the cup of my blood, shed for you and for all. Do this in my memory.’
We acclaim in faith – Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again!!
We thank you Loving God for Jesus our Christ who showed us the depth and magnitude of your love and who proclaimed to us that healthy are those who from the inner womb birth forth compassion, that they shall feel it’s warm arms embracing them and that happy are those whose passion radiates with deep abiding purpose, for they shall envision the furthest extent of life´s wealth.
And so thanks to you, Loving God, for life, love, faith and love. Thanks for family and friends who have gone before us and for family and friends who walk with us.
We make our prayer in, through and with Christ in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Amen
We pray in the way of Jesus - Our Father/ Mother who dwells within – All in all. In you I live and move and have my being. Wholeness is your name. Your Kingdom is here and now. Give us this day our daily bread and help us let go of all grievances, as we extend our love to others. Lead us not into illusions of separation as you help us transcend our ego thoughts. Surround us with your healing light, for you are eternal truth and love. Forever.
Shalom to everybody! Namaste! Namaste! Namaste!
Music: Amazing Grace (Amazing Grace Bagpipes) …see below
Communion Prayer (Original 12th C Hail Mary)
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with you, untroubled maiden.
You are blessed among women, you who brought forth
peace to people and glory to the angels.
Blessed too is the fruit of your womb,
who by grace made it possible for us to be his heirs.
Blessing
Let us raise our hands and bless each other.
May we seek truth boldly and love deeply.
May we welcome opportunities to birth the Christ in all those we meet.
May we live our baptismal call, travel the distance reaching out to those in need and assist them with our support.
May we continue to be the face of the Holy One, and
May we be a blessing in our time.
Ceol…Lynch’s Jigs!
Namaste...
I honour that place in you were the whole universe exists. I honour that place in you of love, integrity and joy.
If you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me, we are truly one. Namaste!
Amazing Grace (as Ghaeilge!)
A Ghrásta Iontaigh, is binn an fhuaim, a shaor ‘s a shabháil mé.
Bhíos caillte tráth; téim saor ón gcrá, bhíos dall ach chím go glé.
‘S é an Grásta a theagasc faitíos dom, bhain Grásta an faitíosdíom.
Ba luachmhar glé an uair fuair mé, an creideamh lena gcloim.
Nuair a bhéimid ann na mílte bliain, Ag soilsiú lonrach glé,
Ní laghdófar na laetheanta líon, againn chun moladh Dé.
