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Inclusive Catholic Liturgies





Liturgy for Year of Mercy:

Journey into Heart of Compassion

 
Gathering  Song: "Womb of All Creation Flowing" 
by Jann Aldredge-Clanton  
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O08rI_AN15M

(This hymn draws from the biblical image of the Divine as a Womb, giving birth to all creation. In the Hebrew Scriptures the word "rahum" is literally translated "womb-love," and is used to convey divine compassion, graciousness, and mercy. "Rahum" ("womb-love") pictures a Creator who continually loves and nurtures us.)

GREETING

Presider:  Let us begin in the name of our God, a God of Love, Wisdom, and Liberation.
ALL:  Amen

PENITENTIAL RITE

Presider:  God of tender compassion; you are our peace.
ALL:  Now and forever, we will be your peace.

Song: Litany of Peace by Dan Schutte https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YldPJMxELYM


Gloria: Glory to God, glory. O praise God, alleluia. 
Glory to God, glory. O praise, the name of our God.
 Or
Glory to God In The Highest by Dan Schutte
(Gloria is omitted during Advent & Lent)



OPENING PRAYER

Presider: O Lover of All, in this journey into the heart of compassion, we celebrate your love unfolding in the healing and wholeness of everyone and of every living thing.
You call us to see goodness and beauty everywhere and to live in harmony with creation. You call us to heal the wounds of hatred and violence, discrimination and oppression in our world. You call us to warmly welcome everyone who comes through our doors as your presence among us.
                 In communion with Jesus, our brother, and in the power of the Your Spirit, we will live your love poured out each day. ALL: Amen. 

LITURGY OF THE WORD

First Reading
Second Reading
Responsorial Psalm

Gospel Acclamation: Praise, honor and glory to our God.  Be compassionate as God is compassionate, praise honor and glory to our God.

GospelReader:  A reading from the Gospel according to . . . 
ALL:  Glory to you O God.
Reader:  The good news of Jesus, the Christ!
ALL:  Glory and praise to you, Jesus the Christ!


HOMILY





CREED

We believe in a God of extravagant love who dwells within us, rejoices with us in our blessed selves and who weeps with us in our struggles, losses and sufferings.
We believe that we are one with all creatures great and small in a dynamic, evolving cosmos. 
We believe in Jesus, whose life, death and resurrection shows us how to live fully and joyfully and to serve others especially the outcaste and heavy burdened.   
We believe in Your Spirit, who works through us for justice and peace and to overcome oppression of all kinds whether based on gender, sexual orientation, race or class.
We believe that we are called to live in mutual respect as disciples and equals in inclusive communities of empowerment.
We believe that we are forgiven, healed and whole in the heart of divine mercy.
We believe that we are united forever with all who have gone before us in the communion of saints.





GENERAL INTERCESSIONS

Response: God of all compassion, love through us.

Presider: With hearts filled with loving compassion, we lift up the needs of our community at this time. R.
Presider: That those who suffer abuse; may be healed and empowered, we pray. R.
Presider:  That those bound by hatred, hostility, and violence will be set free, we pray.  R.  
Presider:  That the sick may be healed, especially (mention names), we pray.  R.   
Presider: That the dead may live forever in God's presence, we pray. R.   (Other Intentions)
Presider: We hold these and all our unspoken intentions in our hearts as we gather around the Banquet Table today.



PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS

Presider: Blessed are you, God of all life, through your goodness we have bread, wine, all creation, and our own lives to offer; through this sacred meal may we become your new creation. 
ALL:  Blessed be God forever.   
Presider: God is with us, loving and showing mercy through us.
ALL:  Namaste
Presider:  Lift up your hearts.  
ALL:  We lift them up in tender love, open to serve.
Presider: Let us give thanks to our God.
ALL:  It is our joy to give God thanks and praise.


EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

Voice One:  Gracious Wisdom, You embrace us with extravagant affection in our blessedness and brokenness. We thank you that in this festive meal, your Spirit continues to be poured out among the circle of disciples gathered here in our giving and receiving forgiveness and  offering the gift of your shalom/peace. We join with the angels and saints and people of every race, faith and nation to glorify your presence as we sing:

Song/ALL:  Holy, holy, holy by Karen Drucker

Chorus: We are holy holy holy
We are holy holy holy
We are holy holy holy
We are whole... (repeat)
(substitute “We are” with: You are / I am )
Verse: Spirit divine - come to me
feeling love - healing me
Open my heart - allow me to see beauty and love
1st time: lives in me...
2nd time: surrounding me...

Voice Two:  Gracious God, you set the banquet table and invite all to the feast of unending delight. Here we encounter the glory of God in an evolving cosmos. Here divine compassion connects us to the young, the old, the least and the last, to everyone everywhere on our journey into the heart of mercy.

Voice Three: We especially thank you, Nurturing God, for Jesus, Your anointed, who shows us how to love with a peaceful and courageous spirit. In Jesus, you show us how to care for those who face illness, grief and how to help those who experience rejection and marginalization. 

Voice Four: God of tenderness, Jesus showed us the heart of mercy when he preached good news to the poor, release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, healing to the broken. Jesus called women to be apostles and disciples and treated them as equals in his circle of companions.

Voice Five In response to people’s sufferings, Jesus broke rules and violated religious taboos. He shared meals with women, saved a woman from being stoned and said that prostitutes would enter heaven before religious leaders. He healed the sick and comforted the lonely. He challenged the priestly class and political leaders of his time and so they ridiculed, tortured and put him to death. 

Voice Six: In faithful love, You raised the crucified Jesus, radiant and glorious to new life.  Like the holy ones throughout the ages, Moses and Miriam who led their people from oppression to freedom, Jesus’ life, death and resurrection shows us how to live freely and joyously in the midst of injustice, darkness and evil and death.

(Please all extend hands as we recite the Epiclesis and Consecration together)

All: May your Spirit, present in these gifts and in us, fill us with a new outpouring of love that makes us more deeply one Body in the Cosmic Christ living the fullness of your compassion.

Presider: On the night before he was betrayed, Jesus gathered with his friends for a meal. He took bread into his hands, broke it and said

ALL: Take this all of you. This is my body. Do this to remember me.

Presider:  In the same way after supper, Jesus took the cup, raised it with love beyond all telling. Jesus gave thanks and shared the cup with those at table and said:

ALL: Take this all of you and drink from it. This is the cup of my life blood, of the new and everlasting covenant. Every time you drink of it, remember me.

Presider:  Now then, in sacred memory, let us proclaim the mystery of our faith:  

ALLIn every creature that has ever breathed, we see your tenderness; in every living being that has passed on before us, we see your goodness; in everything yet to be, Christ will come again!  In our breaking of the bread of earth, Christ of the Cosmos is being
remembered!

Voice Seven:  Holy One, your transforming energy is always moving within us and working through us. We give thanks for all holy women and men who have been your face in our lives. They showed us how to forgive self and others, let go of guilt, refrain from judging others and see the good in people who irritate us. Let us pause to remember and name some of these holy women and men aloud or in the silence of our hearts. 

Voice Eight: God, who opens doors and hearts, enlighten our religious ministers and political leaders. May they welcome refugees, transform poverty into plenty, and work for human dignity and justice for all. We pray for our pope and bishops, especially ____, and all God’s holy people.

Voice Nine:  We remember those who are sick and suffering.  May they be healed and strengthened, and filled with every blessing in your loving presence. We remember Mary, mother of Jesus, Mary Magdala, Peter, Paul, and Junia; our patron saints and all the saints and angels who surround us with loving prayer each day. We remember our loved ones and all those who have died into your embrace.

ALL:  Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, all praise and glory are yours, Loving God. Amen.

THE PRAYER OF JESUS

ALL:  Our Father and Mother . . .

THE SIGN OF PEACE

Presider:  God, we pray for peace and unity as we join hands in a circle of love and sing one of the following hymns; “Peace is flowing like a River” or “Let there be peace on earth” or Peace before us, Peace behind us, Peace under our feet, Peace within us, let all around us be peace.”

LITANY FOR THE BREAKING OF BREAD

ALL:  Loving God, You call us to live mercy, we will do so.  Loving God, You call us to live justice, we will do so. Loving God, You call us to live equality, we will do so.

Presider:  This is Jesus, who calls us to open doors that are closed and share our bread on the altar of the world. All are invited to eat and drink at this sacred banquet of love. 

ALL:  Jesus we are worthy to receive you and to be your compassion in our world.  We are the Body of Christ. 

Presider:  Let us share the Body of Christ with the Body of Christ!  ALL:  Amen.

Communion Song:  The Face of God by Karen Drucker

Words: Reverend Karyl Huntley & Karen Drucker
Music: Karen Drucker

You are the face of God
I hold you in my heart You are a part of me
You are the face of God...
You are the face of love
I hold you in my heart You are my family
You are the face of God...

And/ or
There Is Only Love by Karen Drucker

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Presider:  O God of Compassion, Jesus showed us how to love one another and heal our hearts.  Through the power of Your liberating Spirit at work within us, we will give and receive forgiveness, live joyously, and work for healing, justice and equality for our earth and for all God’s holy people.   ALL:  Amen


CONCLUDING RITE

Presider:  Our God is with you.
ALL:  and also with you. 

BLESSING

(Everyone please extend your hands in mutual blessing)

ALL:  May the God of Abraham and Sarah,
the Blessed One of Jacob and Rachel,
Sophia, Holy Wisdom,
walk with us and all created life
on our journey into the heart of compassion! Amen.


DISMISSAL

Presider: Go in the peace of Christ.  Let the service begin!  ALL:   Thanks be to God.


Recessional:
“Room at the Table for Everyone” by Carrie Newcomber https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92OM5bdQ4N4


CONCLUDING HYMN


Bridget Mary Meehan
Association of Roman Catholic Woman Priests





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