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Monday, November 24, 2014

The Progressive Catholic Coalition Eucharist In Solidarity with Our Sisters & Brothers of Latin America Seeking Justice


Left to right: ARCWP Priests: Olga Lucia, Janice Sevre -Duszynska,, Katy Zatsick

Introduction [given after the “housekeeping” directions]                            Janice
Welcome on the 25th anniversary of SOA Watch celebrating our solidarity with our Latin American sisters and brothers. As the alternative community seeking the Kin-dom, the new social reality, we gather. Let us celebrate and renew each other in the Spirit of the God of Newness, in the Freedom of the Living One among us.

Commissioning of Leaders by the Gathering
Leader 1: Since we know that all baptized are anointed in Jesus, Priest, Prophet, and Shepherd, we are all ministers of this liturgy. We ask you as the People of God gathered here in one spirit:
Do you accept us as the ones you wish to lead this gathering in prayer, reflection and meal this evening?
All: We commission you to this ministry of service.
Response of the Commissioned Leaders: We thank you for your confidence in choosing to have us lead this prayer. Please pray that we carry out this ministry worthily. (Short pause for silent prayer)

Opening Song:

Opening Prayer
Let us pray.
All loving and wise God, Creator and sustainer of all reality. You are the ground of our being and the source of our hope. Holy One—like Hosea, Jeremiah and Jesus—we cry out against indifference and numbness to human suffering and all creation. Awakened to your alternative consciousness, we witness for an end to oppression. We name, we keen the “hurt, human pain and grief that the dominant royal culture has tried so hard to repress, deny and cover over.” (Walter Brueggemann, The Prophetic Imagination)
Fill our hearts with the confidence you deserve as we continue to stand in solidarity with our sisters and brothers. AMEN.

LITURGY OF THE WORD

First Reading
“From Below” by Colombian Judith Bautista, ARCWP (Proclaim English translation)

FROM BELOW
by Judith Bautista, ARCWP
I thank you, Father,
                for hiding these things
From the wise and prudent,
                and revealing them to the childlike.
                                                                  - Mt 11: 25

I write from below,
From the sweat and dust,
Where the foundations of your Name may be found
Along  with laughter as well as lament.
Your name when the cold at dawn
Makes us freeze,
And earth scorches
Our seedlings in its guts;
Your name when the sun
Lights up the afternoons
And enlivens
The harvest festival;
Your name when wailing
Rips open our dreams
And we grieve the children
robbed from us by war.
Your name in the morning
when the day’s work begins,
while the mother rocks
her child in her arms.

I write from below
where naked skin—
with neither clothing, nor excuses—
smacks more of heaven.         

                                 ~translation by John P. Wentland 

Gospel Acclamation (sung to the melody of the Celtic Alleluia
                                                                                    
                     Alleluia, Alleluia!  Alleluia, Alleluia! Alleluia, Alleluia! Alleluia, Alleluia!
Leader:         The word of our God is forever;
                        God’s is the Word that is living.
                        It is brought to us by our brother Jesus Christ.
All:                 Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Alleluia! Alleluia!

Gospel                                                                                           John: 20: 19-31
A reading from the Gospel according to John.
A:  Glory to you, O God. 

In the evening of that same day, the first of the week, the doors were locked in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Temple authorities.
Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
Having said this, the savior showed them the marks of crucifixion.
The disciples were filled with joy when they saw Jesus, who said to them again, “Peace be with you. As Abba God has sent me, so I am sending you.”
After saying this, Jesus breathed on them and said,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
      If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven.
      If you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained.”

It happened that one of the twelve, Thomas—nicknamed Didymus, or “Twin—was absent when Jesus came. The other disciples kept telling him, “We’ve seen Jesus!”
Thomas’s answer to them was, “I’ll never believe without putting my finger in the nail marks and my hand into the spear wound.”

On the eighth day, the disciples were once more in the room, and this time Thomas was with them. Despite the locked doors, Jesus came and stood before them, saying, “Peace be to you.”

Then, to Thomas, Jesus said, “Take your finger and examine my hands. Put your hand into my side. Don’t persist in your unbelief, but believe!”
Thomas said in response, “My Savior and my God!”
Jesus then said,
“You’ve become a believer
      because you saw me.
Blessed are those who have not seen
      and yet have believed.”
Jesus performed many other sign as well—signs not recorded here—in the presence of his disciples. But these have been recorded to help you believe that Jesus is Messiah, the Only-Begotten, so that by believing you may have life in Jesus’ Name.
Short pause
Reader: The Gospel of Jesus the Christ.
All:  Praise to you, Jesus the Christ!

Reflection: Olga Lucia Alvarez [Spanish]  Read in English by Janice
Commentary: Fr. Jerry Zawada, OFM

Blessing with Water
As we receive the gift of water, reminder of our Baptismal covenant, we seek the Spirit’s renewal and refreshment to work in life-affirming community for the healing of the wounds of injustice in solidarity with our Latin American sisters and brothers.

SONG:

General Intercessory Litany 
Leader 2: Let us join in prayer now as we are invited to remember our saints and companions—living and dead—on this journey, especially those in Latin America.
After each invocation, we will light a candle to remind us of the luminous presence of these witnesses and turn over the rain stick to remind us that our solidarity and theirs continues to resonate with us.

After each invocation, please note the response.
All you holy children, we pray for you
OR
All you holy men and women, pray for us.

Leader:
Divine Light, Radiant Holy One, light of all Lights, we remember the saints who are with us and those who have gone home to God.


Voice 1: Let us remember the risk-takers, who faced their fears and took action, who sought justice even though they had to pay a price for it…  the six Jesuits, their housekeeper Elba and her daughter Celina; the four church women of El Salvador, Rutillio Grande, Aida Escalante of Cinquera, El Salvador, Oscar Romero… (You are invited to shout out other names.)
All: (sung) All you holy men and women, pray for us.

Voice 2: Let us remember the tens of thousands of unaccompanied children from Central America, and their families, especially those from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, fleeing the violence in their countries—a crisis turning public attention to flawed U.S. border policies and the inhumane treatment of immigrants.
All: (sung) All you holy children, we pray for you.

Voice 3: Let us remember the 46 young Mexican men and their families and all others murdered by the drug cartels and corrupted officials – remnants of NAFTA/CAFTA.
All: (sung) All you holy men and women, pray for us.

Voice 4: Let us remember the brave ones who walked through their struggles with hope, who taught us how to trust and have confidence during our times of sorrow and difficulty… (You are invited to shout out names)
All: (sung) All you holy men and women, pray for us.

Voice 5: Let us remember those nameless ones who were tortured and disappeared or those who are being held in prison. (You are invited to shout out names)
All: (sung) All you holy men and women, pray for us.

Voice 6: Let us remember the indigenous of Latin America who struggle to keep their land and way of life.
All: (sung)  All you holy men and women, pray for us.

Voice 6: Let us remember those who work with the poor and for justice in Latin America, including the closure of the School of the Americas.
All: (sung) All you holy men and women, pray for us.

Voice 7: Let us remember those who witness for an end to drone warfare, nuclear weapons and militarism.
All: (sung) All you holy men and women, pray for us.

Voice 8: Let us remember the great lovers of life, whose humor and enthusiasm lifted our spirits and brought us joy… (You are invited to shout out their names)
All: (sung) All you holy men and women, pray for us.

Leader 1: Sacred One, Giver and Sustainer of life, thank you for the holy ones who are with us. May our lives model their virtues. May our hearts and actions resonate with their courage.
All: AMEN

Instrumental Music to Accompany the Presentation of the Gifts

Leader 1: (lifting the bread)
Blessed are you, God of all creation.
Through your goodness we have this bread to offer,
which earth has given and human hands have made.
It will embody for us the Bread of Life.
All: Blessed be God forever.

Leader 2: (Lifting the cup)
Blessed are you, God of all creation.
Through your goodness we have this wine to offer,
Fruit of the vine and work of human hands.
It will embody for us our spiritual drink.
All: Blessed be God forever.

EUCHARIST PRAYER
God dwells in you.           And also in you.
Lift up your hearts          Hearts burning with love, we give them to God
Let us give thanks to the God of All.     We do this in justice and right.

Leader 1: Ever-gentle God, Jesus washed the feet of the disciples as an example for us. We offer our lives in service to you and your people. Fill us with the spirit of humility and love.

All: All loving God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks. In you we live and move and have our being. Each day you show us your love, your Holy Spirit dwelling within us, giving us the hope of unending joy. With thankful praise we say:

All: Holy, holy, holy God, Spirit of love and peace! All of the earth’s abundance reflects Your glory. Highest praise be to You! Blessed are all who come in the name of our compassionate God. Hosanna in the highest!

All: O Holy One, you are the fountain of all holiness, and all creation righty gives you praise. All life, all holiness comes from you by the working of your Holy Spirit. From age to age, you gather a people to yourself, so that from east to west a human blessing may be made to the glory of your name.

Leader 1: (Invites all to extend hands over bread and cup in blessing)
Therefore, we ask that you bless our gifts as they become for us the body and blood of Jesus at whose invitation we celebrate this Eucharist.

All: On the night before he died, Jesus gathered for the Seder supper with the people closest to him. Like the least of household servants, he washed their tired and dusty feet, so they would re-member him.

Leader 1 breaks the bread into two pieces as community prays the following:
All: Returning to the table, he took the Passover Bread, spoke the grace, broke the bread and offered it to them saying:
Leader 2: Tomad y comed, este es mi ser verdadero. Take and eat, this is my very self.
(Pause)
Leader 2 lifts the cup as community prays the following:
All: Then he took the cup of blessing, spoke the grace, and offered it to them saying:
Leader 2: Tomad y bebed de la alianza renovada por mi vida, derramada por ustedes y por todas/os para que fuereis libre.
Take and drink of the covenant made new again through my life,
Poured out for you and for everyone, so that you might be free.
Whenever you remember me like this, I am among you.  (Pause)

All: Loving God, we thank you for blessing us and beckoning us to you. May all of us who share in the work of your creation be brought together in unity through your Holy Spirit. You love your human family. Help us grow in love with all of your children.
We remember our brothers and sisters who have gone before us and all the saints who have done your will throughout the ages. We praise you in union with them, and give you glory through Jesus, our brother.

Leaders hold up bread and cup:
All:
Through him, we have learned how to live.
Through him, we have learned how to love.
Through him, we have learned how to serve.
AMEN.

The ministers of communion are invited to come around the altar and join hands with the leaders extending the connection with the gathering as all pray together. . .

The Prayer of Jesus
Leader 2: Let us pray together the prayer of Jesus:

O Holy One, who is within, we celebrate your many names.
Your wisdom come.
Your will be done, unfolding from the depths within us.
Each day you give us all that we need.
You remind us of our limits, and we let go.
You support us in our 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.
(The prayer of Jesus as interpreted by Miriam Therese Winter)
SIGN OF PEACE

Leader 1: May God’s peace be with you. Please share a sign of peace with each other.
PEACE SHARING SONG: ??

PRAYER FOR THE BREAKING OF BREAD
As the song continues, the ministers of communion bring the other cups to the table and prepare them filling them with wine from the carafes.)

Leaders:  Loving God, You call us to live the Gospel of peace and justice.
All: We will live justly.

Leaders: Loving God, you call us to be Your presence in the world.
All: We will love tenderly.

Leaders:  Loving God, You call us to speak truth to power.
All: We will walk with integrity in your presence.

COMMUNION

Leader 1:  This is Jesus, the Bread of Life. How bless are we who are called to the table.

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.

For those who wish communion with gluten free bread and grape juice, please proceed to the communion ministers on your left front side of our worship space.

COMMUNION SONG:

After the communion procession has finished, the ministers of communion take the remainder to a side table and wait there to administer the reminder of communion to those who come forward to consume them after the recessional song is finished.
Announcement: Following our recessional song, you are invited to the side table to continue communion by reverently consuming the remainder of the communion bread and cup.
Also please help the PCC planning community in our planning for next year by completing the evaluation form on the back page of your worship aid. Thank you.

BLESSING (Invite all to raise their extended hands in mutual blessing.)
Leader 1: May we see from the depths of our being the presence of God calling us to bring justice to our world! All: AMEN.
Leader 2: May we invite the timid to a life of courageous witness to recognize the living presence of Jesus in the wounds of our sisters and brothers suffering injustice in Latin America and other places today! All: AMEN.
SENDING FORTH
Leader 3: Let us go forth from this place to invite others to touch the wounds of Jesus in our midst and work together with faith in action. All: AMEN.

CLOSING SONG:

Acknowledgement: We thank the Inclusive Catholic Community of Albany, NY for the use of part of the text of this liturgy.
_______________________________
NEED A PRIEST—woman or man
If you would like a Eucharist celebrated in your community, here are some resources:
 Janice at rhythmsofthedance@gmail.com or 859-684-4247.
See the website of the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests  www.arcwp.org  or  www.bridgetmarys.blogspot.com
CITI Ministries [Celibacy is the Issue-Community is the Intention]:
or Judy Lorenz jlorenz@verizon.net  or 301-464-5690
FCM [Federation of Christian Ministries]

Phone: 800-538-8923

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT  
(202) 675-1006

You do not need to know precisely what is happening or exactly where it is all going. What you need to recognize is the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope.      Thomas Merton

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