Mary Mother of Jesus Catholic Community Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe and 3rd Week of Advent December 10, 2016 Michael and Imogene Rigdon Presiding , Music: Mindy & Russ

"I who am your mother, I who am always close to you." Our Lady of Guadalupe 

      Welcome!

Advent Candle Lighting/Blessing

Michael Rigdon lights candle as Imogene leads prayer

Presider: Like our ancestors, we honor the cycles and the seasons that remind us of the ever-changing flow of life of which we are a part. Ritual acts give life meaning—they honor and acknowledge the web of life that connects us all.

All: We light this third candle and remember that in the heart of every person on this earth, and in all of creation there burns the spark of luminous goodness - the presence of the Divine. And so we respond: Let us kindle the light of joy!

Presider: Indeed, let us welcome the light within each other.

Opening song: #38

1. You come, you come, Emmanuel,

You gather all who stumbled and fell.

You share your life, you share your love.

Your dawn breaks forth in wondrous light above.

Refrain: Rejoice, rejoice, O people of the earth!  In God’s great love we comprehend our worth!

2. You come with grace, O source of light,

You teach us to find courage in the night.

Your way is justice, mercy and peace,

Your wisdom is the path to true release.

Refrain.

Opening Prayer. Presider:  Nurturing God, you became human in Jesus and showed us how to live life fully. You know what it means to laugh and cry, to walk  and talk, to love and be loved. We know that your mothering presence is always with us. May we, like Mary, rejoice as we give birth to God within us, and may we give birth to God in everything we say and do.  ALL:  Amen.

ALL (sing): Glory to God, glory. O praise God, alleluia. Glory to God, glory. O praise the name of our God. (x2)

Liturgy of the Word

Gospel Reading1: Luke 1:26-38

Response: #829 My Soul Rejoices

Gospel Reading2: Luke 1:39-56

Response. ALL: Glory and praise to you, Jesus the Christ!

MMOJ—Our Lady of Guadalupe, December 10, 2016

Homily Starter

Imogene and Michael Rigdon

This is the Our Lady of Guadalupe packet developed by Future Church, the same Catholic not-for-profit that promotes the annual July feast of Mary of Magdala. They provide interesting background information on this feast, a 485-year old tradition established among indigenous Mexican people in early 16th century. Their background information is based on a 1994 book by Jeannette Rodriguez. Several points stood out for us:

1.      The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City is the most frequently visited Catholic pilgrimage site in the world.

2.      For years the indigenous people had been conquered in every way possible by Spanish invaders: Their population was decimated by war and disease, their religious shrines were demolished, & they were subjected to Spanish rule & conversion to Catholicism.

3.      The Guadalupe tradition represented a way for the indigenous people to recover important aspects of their religion and blend it with the Spanish culture & Catholic religion.

4.      Mary appeared to Juan Diego &; identified herself as the Mother of the “God for whom one lives,” a principal name for their divinity. And she asks Juan why he didn’t call on her when his uncle was at the point of death, saying, “I who am your mother, I who am always close to you.” This Guadalupe figure represented for Juan and his people the mother of their God, and she recaptured for Juan and his people the intimacy and constant protection provided by their male/female God.

5.      This saying, “I who am your mother, I who am always with you” is the phrase inscribed in the arch above the basilica’s front door.

Dialogue Homily

Profession of Faith. ALL: We believe in God who is creator and nurturer of all. We believe in Jesus, the Christ, who is our love, our hope, and our light. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the breath of Wisdom Sophia, who energizes and guides us to build caring communities and to challenge injustices.  We believe in the communion of saints our heavenly friends, who support us on life’s journey.  We believe in the partnership and equality of women and men in our church and world.  We believe that all are one in the community of creation. We believe that God calls us to live fully, love tenderly, and serve generously.  Amen.

Community Petitions.

Presider: For a deeper coming of Christ in our world, we pray. 

Response: Nurturing God, hear us.

Presider: May we experience the coming of God anew in our lives, we pray. R.  Presider: May people who suffer from destitution & despair experience the mothering comfort of God, we pray.  R.

Presider: May the sick and suffering receive the nurturing, healing love of God, we pray. R.

Presider: May those who have died rest in God's eternal embrace, we pray.  R.

(Other Intentions)

Offertory Song: #345 Pan de Vida vs 1-3

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 you. ALL: And also with you. Presider: Lift up your hearts.  ALL:  We lift them up to God.  Presider:  Let us give thanks to our God. All: Amen.

Eucharistic Prayer.

Women: Mothering God, you brought forth all creation from your life-giving womb. O Love of the ages, we praise you and leap for joy in your presence.

Men: Holy One of ancient Israel, you revealed yourself in Mary's womb, in a shining star, in humble shepherds, in a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes. You embrace us with infinite love in every situation and relationship. You dwell in the depths of our hearts.

All: We invite you this day to deepen our awareness of your boundless love as we gather around the table of abundant life. With grateful hearts, we proclaim your praise:

ALL: Holy, Holy, Holy, Creator of heaven and earth.  All beings are pregnant with your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed are you who dwell in all things. Hosanna in the Highest.

Women: Praise to you, all-giving God, born of Mary. You are the body and blood of woman. We glorify you, nurturing God for the dawning of the sacred promise of God's Anointed, fulfilled in Jesus, the Christ.

Men: We celebrate the birth of Jesus, our newborn Emmanuel, who came to give us the fullness of life. During this holy season we share the bread of freedom and lift the cup of salvation. 

All (with hand extended to invoke the Spirit):  Come Holy Spirit deepen your Presence within us and in these gifts of bread and wine, that they may become the Body of Christ.

As Jesus gave birth to the new covenant, he took bread, gave thanks, broke the bread, and shared it with all those present saying: Take this all of you and eat it. This is my body. (pause) Then Jesus took a cup of wine, blessed you, loving God, shared the cup with all those present saying: Take this all of you and drink from the covenant, poured out for you and for everyone. Do this in memory of me.

Presider:  Let us proclaim the sacred presence of our nurturing God:

ALL: Christ, by your life, death and rising, you have blessed us with abundance that will never end.

Second Invocation of the Spirit: All (with hand on next person’s shoulder): God of all people, you call us "beloved." Give us courage to accept your faith in us and to live your compassion in the world. You infuse us with Sophia, Holy Wisdom, to serve you in the last and the least.

Women: As we wait with joyful hearts for the fulfillment of your loving presence in our lives, we remember the prophet, martyrs and saints who have gone before us: Deborah, Isaiah, Mary of Magdala, Peter, Oscar Romero, Maura Clark, Dorothy Kazel, Jean Donovan, Ita Ford, and all those we remember as heroes and heroines in our church who inspire us today. (Community names mentors they want to remember, living and dead.)

Men: God of our dreams, may we give birth to the Word made flesh in us everyday. May we give birth to the church of our dreams and hopes. May we give birth to a deep reverence for earth and live in harmony with all creatures on the earth.

ALL: Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, all praise and glory are yours, Holy God, through the power of the Spirit. Amen.

ALL: Our Father and Mother….

Sign of Peace. Presider:  Let us join hands and hearts and pray for peace in our world as we sing “Let there be peace on earth” #532

Litany for the breaking of bread. 

ALL:   Loving God, you call us to speak truth to power. We will do so. Loving God, you call us to live the Gospel of peace and justice.  We will do so. Loving God, you call us to be your presence in the world. We will do so. 

Presider: This is Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us, loving us forever. All are invited to partake of this sacred banquet of love.  ALL: May we be who we are, the Body of Christ.   

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

Prayer after Communion. Presider:  God of new beginnings, thank you for nourishing us in your sacrament. May your tender presence continue to open our hearts to the daily miracles of life that surround us each day, through Emmanuel, God-with-us.

ALL: Amen.

Thanksgiving/Intros/Announcements

Final Blessing. ALL (with hand extended in prayer):  May our loving God fill us with radiant joy.  May our liberating God fill us with deep peace, and may our loving God bless us always with strength to serve the broken and excluded. Amen.

Presider: Let us birth Christ anew in our world today. Go in the peace of Christ.

ALL:   Thanks be to God.

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Final Song: Alabaré, alabaré, alabare, alabaré, alabaré a mi señor (x2)
Led by Roman and Theresa Rodriquez