Liturgy Celebrating St. Brigit of Ireland, Feast Day, Feb. 1st, by Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP

The Irish are a people who live warm hospitality and who love to sing and dance.
 So in this spirit we welcome all to a liturgy in honor of St. Brigit of Kildare.  bishop and abbess, whose gracious hospitality to all especially those on the margins, continues to inspire people today.

Left; St. Brigit of Kildare is depicted standing next to apostles on a ancient stone altar at Rock of Cashel in CountyTipperary, Ireland

Welcome

Gathering Song: “We are marching in the light of God” (substitute singing, loving, healing, African chant adapted)

Greeting:

Presider: In the name of God our creator, and of Jesus our brother, and of the Holy Spirit our wisdom     ALL:  Amen.

Presider:  God, our joy and delight, You are with us. ALL:  And with all.

Penitential Rite:

(Be seated. Allow a few minutes to become centered. Breathe in deeply the tenderness of God... Breathe out compassion for all living things...)

General Absolution by Community: (All raise hands extended in prayer and recite together.)

God, the Father and Mother of mercies, through his living, dying and rising, Jesus has revealed that nothing can separate us from the infinite love of God.  May God give us pardon and peace, and may we forgive each other our failures to care for one another and for our earth in the name of God our creator, and of Jesus our brother, and of the Holy Spirit our wisdom. Amen.

ALL:  Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God’s people on earth. Creator God, we give you thanks. We praise you for your glory. O Jesus Christ, Holy Child of our God, you reveal the love of God that permeates our universe. You, who are one in spirit with our God, receive our prayer. For you are the Cosmic Christ, one with the Holy Spirit, forever .Amen.

Opening Prayer:

Presider: O God of compassion and healing. You gave holy Brigit to us as a sign of your love. You caress us with the warmth of the sun.  You encircle us in love’s embrace. You are behind us and before us. You are above us and beneath us. We consecrate all that we are to you. ALL:  Amen

Liturgy of the Word:

A Reading Dt:18: 15-20

Response: “We let the love wash over us. We let, we let, it be “ All sing as chant led by Mindy Simmons

Second Reading: St. Brigit of Kildare (A Reading from the Life of St. Brigit from Praying with Celtic Holy Women by Bridget Mary Meehan)

Gospel acclamation: Alleluia (sung)

A Reading from the Gospel of Mark1:21-28

Response: Alleluia (sung)

Homily

Profession of Faith:  ALL: We believe in God, the Fountain of Life, flowing through every being. We believe in Jesus, the Christ, who reflects the face of God and the fullness of humanity. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the breath of God in the cosmos, who calls us to love and serve. We believe in our global oneness with all in the circle of life. 

General Intercessions

Presider: God of Abundance, we share these prayers as a community united in compassion.

Our response to each prayer is Yes!

That we may give as gift, the gifts we have received

That we, like St. Brigit, may be reflections of compassion and abundance.

That we may care for earth’s creatures.

That we may, like St. Brigit, serve those in need. (Additional spontaneous petitions)

Presider: God of healing, may be reflections of your liberating, healing compassionate love as we live our lives in love with you and with others. United in the power of your Spirit, we pray. Amen.

Preparation of the Gifts:

Collection and procession with gifts: instrumental music

Presiders (raise bread and wine):  Ever gentle God, as co-creators of our planet, we offer you the gifts of bread, wine and our lives.  We celebrate our oneness in the family of God.  In Christ Sophia, the Wisdom of God, we pray.  Amen

All are welcome to join us around the altar and pray the Eucharistic Prayer

Eucharistic Prayer:

Presider: Holy One, You dwell in us.

ALL: And in every living being.

Presider: Lift up your hearts.

ALL:  We lift them up to our Creator in whom all are one.

Presider: Let us give thanks for the gift of life.

ALL: It is right to give the God of Glory present everywhere and in everything, thanks and praise.

ALL sing: We are holy (x3), You are holy (x3), I am holy (x3), we are holy (x3) (Karen Drucker)

Voice One: Holy One, we bring you these gifts that they may become the Christ Presence as we share this sacred banquet.

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(All Extend Hands) 

All: We celebrate the outpouring of your Spirit on these gifts as we remember.

 On the night before he died, while at supper with his friends, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to them saying, “Take this, all of you, and eat.This is my Body. Do this in memory of me.”  (Pause)  

All: In the same way, Jesus took the cup of wine. He said the blessing, gave the cup to his friends and said, “Take this all of you and drink. This is my Blood. Do this in memory of me.” 

Presider: The Mystery of Faith: 

ALL: This bread is you, this bread is me. We are one body in Christ.

Voice Two: Holy One, You fill our lives with your Spirit as we celebrate our oneness with all in the Heart of Love.

Voice Three: Holy One, we remember all who are working for equality, human rights and justice. (pause as community remembers and names specific people)

Voice Four : Holy One, we remember Mary, mother of Jesus, faithful disciple, St. Brigit, and all the holy women and men who have passed into Your eternal embrace. May we praise you in union with them and live your compassion and justice each day.

Great Amen:

ALL:  Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in unity with the Holy Spirit, all glory, honor and praise to you, loving God forever and ever.

Sing: Amen, Amen, Amen

ALL sing: Prayer of Jesus (“Our Father and Mother”)

Sign of Peace: (Peace, is flowing like a river)

Litany for the Breaking of the Bread:

All:  God of love in you, with you and through you, we will love. God of service, in you, with you, and through you, we will serve. God of justice, in you, with you and through you, we will do justice.

Communion:

Presider: Adapted from St. Brigit’s Table Blessing in Praying with Celtic Holy Women

“We welcome the poor to the feast, for they are God’s children, We welcome the sick to the feast for they are God’s joy. Let the poor sit with Jesus at the highest place and the sick dance with the angels.”

ALL: We are the Body of Christ. All are welcome at this feast.

Communion Song: “You are the face of God. I hold you in my heart. You are my family, You are the face of God.” (Chant by Karen Drucker
 Meditation: One World by Mindy Simmons

                Concluding Rite:

Presider:  God of Compassion, you are with us

ALL: And You love through us.

Blessing: Ancient St. Brigit Blessing (with hands extended in prayer)

ALL: May St. Brigit bless the house wherein you dwell. Bless every heart that beats beneath its roof. Bless ever hand that toils to bring it joy. Bless every foot that walks its portals through. May St. Brigit bless the house that shelters you.

Recessional: “We are marching in light of God”

ALL sing &; dance: “We are marching in the light of God” (Substitute: We are dancing, we are living, we are serving in the light of God: South African chant adapted)

Liturgy by Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP

Association of Roman Catholic Woman Priests

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