Praying for our National and all Elections: MMOJ Liturgy at Sun City, Fl. by Katy Zatsick ARCWP

Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community at SCC

November 3, 2016

Praying for our Country, Praying for our National and all Elections

Sr. Joan Chittister, O.S.B.: An Uncommon Search for the Common Good...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1vbY7nBM2A 

Sep 20, 2012 ... A common good is a vision, a vision of public virtue which engages the individual citizen, guides the energies of the government, shapes the …

Thomas Merton: To say that I am made in the image of God is to say that love is the reason for my existence, for God is Love. Love is my true identity. Selflessness is my true self. Love is my true character. Love is my name. If therefore, I do anything or think anything or say anything or know anything that is not purely for the loved of God, it cannot give me peace, or rest, of fulfillment, or joy. To find Love I must enter into the sanctuary where it is hidden, which is the mystery of God.

All: Let us begin in the name of our God, a God of Love for the Common Good of all peoples and universes, our God of Reconciliation, and and our God of Liberation. Amen

Convocation
Come, brothers and sisters

All: Let us seek justice.

Come, mothers and fathers:

All: Let us restore our streets.

Come, friends and foe:

All: Let us love mercy.

Come, ancestors and descendants:

All: Let us repair the breach.

Come, persons from all faiths and none:

All: Let us walk humbly with a God of many names.

ALL: Come, courage and doubt, together in power:

Let us create God’s commonwealth of love.

Opening Prayer:

All: Prince of Peace, our nation desperately needs your peace and reconciliation We are torn apart from within. We pray particularly for the Church in America, that we will so noticeably live in Christ's peace that true peace will come to all communities of our nation. Speak peace once again to your people, Loving God "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful" (Col. 3:15). (Facebook)

(Prayer for reconciliation (raise hands extended in prayer)

ALL: God, the Father and Mother of Mercy, through his living, dying and rising, Jesus has revealed that nothing can separate us from your infinite love. May You give us pardon and peace, and may we forgive each other our failures to care for one another and our earth. We make this prayer in the name of God our Creator, Jesus our brother, and of the Sofia Holy Spirit, our wisdom. Amen.

LITURGY OF THE WORD

Readings from the Hebrew Testament:

Genesis 1: 29-31 So it was. God looked at all of this creation, and proclaimed that this was good---very good. Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed. On the 7^th day God had finished all the work of creation, and so, on the seventh day, God rested.

Leviticus 19:33-34 Do not mistreat the foreigners who reside in your land. The foreigner who lives among you must be treated like one of your own. Love them as you love yourself, for you too were a foreigner in the Land of Egypt. I am YHWH.

Deuteronomy 16:19-20 (The judges and officials you are to appoint) should judge fairly and never pervert justice or show partiality. They must never accept bribes, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and endangers the cause of the righteous. Follow the path of justice and justice only, so that you might live,..”

Isaiah 2:4 God will judge between the nations and render decisions for many countries. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks, one Nation will not raise the sword against another, and never again will they train for war.

Micah 6:8; Listen hear, (men and women) God has already made abundantly clear what “good” is, and what YHWH needs from you: simply to do justice, love kindness, and humbly walk with your God.

The word of God. All: Thanks be to God

Responsorial Response - Psalm 110 (Adaptation by Nan Merrill)

The Beloved says to all who will hear, “Come walk with Me. Let us give birth to a new Earth!”

R: Come! Feast on the Bread of Life.”

The law of Love is perfect, reviving the soul.

The testimony of Love is sure, making wise the simple;

The precepts of Love are right, rejoicing the heart;

The authority of Love is pure, enlightening the eyes;

The Spirit of Love is glorious, enduring forever;

The rites of Love are true, awakening compassion. (from Psalm 19)

R: Come! Feast on the Bread of Life.”

You, O Divine Breath, dwell within our hearts;

with unconditional Love, You assuage our fears.

You call us to holiness, to justice, and integrity,

to free those bound by oppression,

to bring light where ignorance and darkness dwell.

Come! Drink from the streams of Living Water.

Come! Feast on the Bread of Life.

R: Come! Feast on the Bread of Life.”

Gospel: Matthew 25:31-39

Jesus said, “At the appointed time the Promised One will come in glory, escorted by all the angels of heaven, and will sit upon the royal throne, with all the e nations assembled below. Then the Promised One will separate them from one another, as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats. The sheep will be placed on the right hand, the goats on the left.

The ruler will say to those on the right, “Come, you blessed of my Abba God! Inherit the kindom prepared for you from the creation of the world! For I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me; naked and you clothed me. I was ill and you comforted me; in prison and you came to visit me.” Then these just will ask, “When did we see you hungry and feed you, or see you thirsty and give you drink:? When did we see you as a stranger and invite you in, or clothe you in your nakedness? When did we see you ill or in prison and come to visit you?” The ruler will answer them, “The truth is, every time you did this for the least of my sisters or brothers, you did it for me.” The good news of Jesus, the Cosmic Christ! ALL: Glory and praise to you, Jesus our Brother.
SHARED HOMILY

What do the readings teach us about the Common Good?

How do I understand the Common Good?

What are the greatest needs for our country at this time?

CREED:
Women: I believe in you, O Holy One, Source, Sustainer and Receiver of all; the incomprehensible mystery of love beyond imagining.

I believe that I am in you and that you are in me and that our relationship is transforming my life.

I believe that you surround me with forgiving, abounding kindness in the midst of injustice, sin, and death. 

Men: I believe in Jesus, anointed by Your Spirit, who embodies your Compassionate ways in his ministry.

I believe that Jesus came to live and help others live in abundance on this beautiful earth.

I believe that Your Spirit anoints me to share in the same ministry by living justly, loving tenderly and walking with integrity.

I believe that you summon my conscience to action on behalf of justice that will change oppressive structures. 

All: I believe that Your Spirit is at work in all of creation including our communities, state and nation.

I believe that you call me to be a co-creator with you and to join with companions on the journey as you beckon us to birth with you a new creation.  You call us to vote for the Common Good and a sustainable environment. Amen.   Adapted from “A Personal Creed” by Mary Theresa Streck, ARCWP

GENERAL INTERCESSIONS
With hearts filled with loving compassion, we lift up the needs of our community and our country at this time. 

Response: God of all compassion, love through us.
Presider: That the millions in our country that are hungry and starving, without homes, health care, education may our hearts be opened to hear their cries for help, we pray.

Presider: That all who vote will choose for the Common Good and a better USA for all and the Earth. R

Presider: That all who vote will be concerned with the sustainability of our planet and economic needs of all people. 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: For what else shall we pray?

Presider: We hold these and all our unspoken intentions in our hearts as we prepare to vote as we gather around the Banquet Table today.  As we ask for the very best outcomes for all the citizens of the USA and our planet. All: Amen

Offertory:

Co-Presider: 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.  This bread is our faith community as we pray for our country and prepare to vote for the Common Good. May we individually and as a community live your vision of peace and justice for all including the earth. This will become for us the bread of life.

All:  Blessed be God forever.

Co-Presider: 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. This drink is our desire to live for the Common Good with all our brothers and sisters especially here in the USA and all your earth. This wine and juice will become our spiritual drink.

All:  Blessed be God forever.

My sisters and brothers let us pray together that our gifts may be acceptable to our Creator Spirit and Love.

All:  May God accept these gifts from our hands, for the praise and glory of God's name, for our compassion and the Common Good of all. Amen

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER:

Side 1 Side 2

In the beginning was God In the beginning, the Source of all that is

In the beginning, God yearning God, moaning

God, laboring God, giving birth

God, rejoicing God, baptizing

And God loved what She had created.

All: And God said, “It is good”

Then God knowing that all that is good

is shared Held the earth tenderly in her arms

God longed to share the good earth God yearned for relationship

And humanity was born in this

Yearning of God.

All: We are born to share the earth

In the earth was the seed In the seed was the grain

In the grain was the harvest In the harvest was the bread

In the bread was the power

God said, “All shall eat of the earth All shall eat of the seed

All shall eat of the grain All shall eat of the harvest

All shall eat of the bread

All: All shall eat of the power

God said, “You are my people, My priests, my friends,

My lovers, My sisters,

And my brothers All of you shall eat

Of the bread and the power

Then God gathering up her courage in love said,

All: Let there be bread

And God’s people, her daughters and sons,

Knelt on the earth planted seeds

Prayed for the rain sang for the grain

Gathered the harvest cracked the wheat

Pounded the corn kneaded the dough

Kindled the fire filled the air with the smell of fresh baking

All: And there was bread

Our brother Jesus our brother Jesus

Took the bread on the night before he died

Jesus blessed the bread and broke the bread

And gave it to his friends and to us, and said

All: Take. Eat. This is my body, which will be broken for you. Whenever you eat it, remember me

After their meal Jesus took the wine

He blessed it and gave it to them, to us

And Jesus said,

All: Drink this. This is my blood, which I will shed for you. Whenever you drink it, remember me.

The priestly People of God say today All shall eat of the bread

And the power All shall have the power

And bread We say, “Let there be bread!”

And power! Let us eat the bread and the power

And all will be filled.

All: And all will share power

Now let us take hands and pray in Jesus’ words

For the sharing of the bread and power

All: Our Mother and Father, who art in heaven…

Now let us embrace and share the peace that comes from the

Sharing of power

(Sign of Peace)

By the power of God The people are blessed

By the people of God The bread is blessed

By the bread of God The power is blessed

By the power of the bread and the power of the people

And the power of God We are blessed

Sisters and brothers We are the body and blood of Christ

(Hold up the bread and cup)

All: I do believe

All: Let us say to one another: You are a priest of God.

We are the body of Christ. We are the blood of Christ

Prayers of Gratitude and Thanksgiving

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

BLESSING
(Everyone please extend your hands in mutual blessing)

ALL: In gratitude, in deep gratitude for this moment, this meal, for our community, we give ourselves to you, O God. Be with us as we go out as changed people because we have shared Your Living Bread and cannot remain the same. Ask much of us, expect much from us, enable much by us, encourage many through us. So God, may we live to your glory, both as inhabitants of earth and citizens of the Untied States of America and commonwealth of heaven. Amen.

DISMISSAL
Presider: Go in the peace and Love of our Cosmic Christ. Let our service continue! ALL: Thanks be to God.