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| Left to right; Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP, Lee Breyer Co-Presider |
Theme: Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time
(with thanks to Marcus Borg)
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| Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community, March 11, 2017, 2nd Sunday of Lent |
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| Bob MacMillan read first reading |
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MMOJ Community Prays Eucharistic Prayer around the Banquet Table
Bob Murray, Bridget Mary and Mary Murray
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Gathering Prayer
Presider: Friends, let us pray as we come together to break bread and share in the banquet of love. As we do so, may we always recognize that God is with us, in many different cosmic expressions. Today, in our liturgy, we remember that Jesus, known well by his apostles who followed him during his earthly mission, went with them to a hilltop and showed them “another side” of himself. As we celebrate his transfiguration, let us pray that – as we meet Jesus again for the first time – we are transformed as were Peter, James, and John. And let us do so, as always, in the name of God, our creator, of Jesus Christ, our liberator, and of the Holy Spirit, our sanctifier.
ALL: Amen.
ALL: And we ask, Loving God, that you bless all of us gathered here now and all those of our community who are not with us today.
Presider: We celebrate with joy and we give thanks, O Holy One, for all the blessings that we have received from you. May we open our hearts to everything and everyone with whom we share this universe, with no exceptions. And may we be the light of the world that, through your disciples, you called us to be. ALL: Amen.
Gathering Hymn: “Gather Us In” (Music by Haugen, different lyrics on page 6)
Opening Prayer
ALL: Creator God, as we make our journeys into the heart of compassion, we celebrate your love of us and are grateful for the gifts of your presence, guidance, support and strength. Open our minds and hearts to the message of the Gospel so that your inspiration and peace may guide our lives. You call us to see goodness and beauty everywhere and to live in harmony with creation. You call us to heal, with your grace, 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. Loving God, may we always remember that you have created us as one body – your body – the Body of Jesus, the Christ. Amen.
Community Forgiveness
(raise an arm toward the community as a sign of forgiveness)
Presider: Compassionate God, to you all hearts are open, no desires are unknown and no secrets are hidden. We thank you for sending your Spirit to us so that we may live more fully according to your will for us and we are thankful that you have called us to be your blessed people.
ALL: We ask you for the grace to realize our continual need to grow in understanding, compassion and caring for ourselves, for others, and for our planet earth. Teach us the virtues of pardon and peace so that we may – in turn – learn to forgive one another. Help us to be Jesus to all those with whom we meet. We ask this of you in the names of Jesus, our brother and of the Holy Spirit, our healer and comforter. Amen.
Gloria
ALL (sing): Glory to God, glory, O praise God, Alleluia. Glory to God, glory. O praise the name of our God. (3X)
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading: Genesis 12: 1-5 ALL: Thanks be to God.
Psalm: 33 Responsorial: Our God fills the earth with love, with love; Our God fills the earth with love. #767
Second Reading: Second letter of Paul to Timothy ALL: Thanks be to God.
Acclamation:
Gospel: Matthew 17: 1-9 ALL: Glory to you, O God.
Homily Starter: Lee Breyer
HOMILY
Second Sunday of Lent
Peter, James, and John had walked and worked, taught and talked with Jesus ….they knew him from their time with him. They were taken someplace with him to pray…something they probably did many times before. But this was different — they saw a different Jesus this time as described by Matthew (that we just heard in the gospel) and Mark (from whose writing Matthew got it.) This turned out to be a peak religious experience for all of them.
Describing it, as Mark did, was challenging. How to picture a spiritual experience…? He used images that were familiar to his readers; the mountain (like Mount Sinai), characters (like the Jewish heroes Moses and Elijah, the only ones who talked with God on Mt. Sinai), outside features (like the cloud from heaven that opened and the voice of God). This was a major moment for all…Peter, James and John had met Jesus again, for the first time.
So much for them. While we most probably had no such experience, what we might have are what I wrote in the liturgy, namely “passages from Jesus as savior, to Jesus as teacher, then to Jesus as personal friend or some other relationship. What is our transformational story that we’d like to share today?
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Shared Homily and Community Reflection
Discussion starter: “Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time.” This might be our passages from Jesus as savior, to Jesus as teacher…then to Jesus as personal friend or some other relationship.. What is our transformational story that we’d like to share today?
Profession of Faith
ALL: We believe in one God, the Creator of the universe, whose divinity infuses all that exists, making everything in the cosmos sacred.
We believe in Jesus, the Christ, a messenger of God’s Word, a carrier of God’s healing and the heart of God’s compassion. Through him, we have become a new and holy people.
We believe in the Spirit, the Breath of God, who strengthens us in our call to follow the example of Jesus as an expression of God’s love, a source of God’s wisdom and truth, and an instrument of God’s peace in the world.
We believe that God’s kin-dom is here and now, spread everywhere around us for those with eyes to see it, hearts to receive it, and hands to make it known to everyone.
Prayers of the Community
Presider: We are a people of faith; we believe in the power of prayer. We are mindful of God’s loving compassion and care for everyone. And so we lift up the needs of the people to our merciful and gracious God. Our response is… ALL: Healing God, hear our prayers.
Presider: That the hungry and homeless receive sufficient bread and shelter, 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 all of us may be constant lamplighters of truth and justice, we pray. R.
Presider: That those who have gone ahead of us dwell forever in our heavenly home, we pray. R.
Presider: And for whom or what else do we pray at this time? (Mention other intentions) R.
Presider: We will hold these, and all our unspoken intentions, in our hearts when we gather
around the Banquet Table.
Offertory Procession and Preparation of the Gifts
Offertory Song: “Taste and See” #331
Presider: Blessed are you, God of all creation, through your goodness we have this bread to offer, this grain of the earth that human hands have prepared for us. It will become the bread of life
Presider: Blessed are you, God of all life, through your goodness we have this wine to offer, this fruit of the vine that human hands have prepared for us. It will become our spiritual drink.
Presider: Through this sacred meal may we become messengers of your love for your people. May others see you in us — and find your loving and healing grace through us.
ALL: Namaste
Presider: Jesus, who has often sat at our tables, now invites us to be his guests at this, his family table. Everyone is welcome around the Banquet Table. (the community encircles the table)
Eucharistic Prayer: Gathering of the Gifted.
Voice 1: Gracious God, you embrace us with your extravagant love in our blessedness and our brokenness.. We are united in this sacrament by the love of Jesus who proclaimed your power and mercy for all. We thank you that, in this festive meal, your Spirit continues to be poured out among us gathered here as we share the gift of your shalom, our peace. May we be strengthened by her so that we may live as prophetic witnesses to the Gospel of Jesus and be supported by the vision that directed him. We join with the angels and saints and people of every race, faith and nation in an unending hymn of praise.
ALL (sing): We are holy…You are holy…I am holy… we are holy… (Karen Drucker)
Voice 2: Gracious God, you set your banquet table and invite all of us to a feast of endless delight. Here we celebrate your divine love beyond all that words can express. Here your divine care connects the young and the old, the least and the last, to everyone else, everywhere on their journeys into the heart of mercy.
ALL: We thank you for the gift of Jesus in history – and the gift of Jesus in faith. Through him, you breathe life into us. He was moved by his vision of your everlasting presence in everyone he met, wherever he went. He revealed you in everything he did in his life well lived. He showed us, through his example, not only how we should live, but also what is worth dying for.
Voice 3: When his time on earth had come, Jesus – aware of and accepting his destiny – gave up his life for the values that he deeply believed, lived and taught…his conviction that love is stronger than death. And then, providing an example of this insight for the understanding of ages to come, he opened wide his arms and died. Then the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead, demonstrated to us that life is eternal and love is immortal. Jesus is with us today as he will always be through the end of time.
ALL: O God, let your Spirit of life, healing and wholeness come upon these gifts that we brought from your fields and placed on our table. May she make them holy so that they will become for us the Body and Blood of Jesus, our brother.
(extend an arm as we pray the consecration together.)
Presider: On the night before he was betrayed, Jesus gathered with his friends to share a final Passover meal. And it was at that supper that he took bread, said a blessing, broke the bread and shared it with them saying…
ALL: …take this all of you and eat it. The bread is you; this bread is me. We are one body, the presence of God in the world. Do this in memory of me.
Presider: In the same way after supper, Jesus took a cup of wine, again he said the blessing and gave it to his friends saying…
ALL: …take this all of you and drink from it. This wine is you; this wine is me. We are one blood, the presence of God in the world – in a new and everlasting covenant because of me. Do this in memory of me.
Presider: Jesus, who was with God “in the beginning of the creation of the heavens and the earth,” is with us now in this bread. The Spirit, of whom the prophets spoke in history, is with us now in this cup. Let us proclaim this mystery of faith.
ALL: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ lives in us and through us in the world today.
Voice 4: God of Blessings, we pray for your church throughout the world; help them to grow in love of one another. We remember Francis, our Pope; Bridget Mary, our Bishop; and your whole family everywhere, especially those who live on the margins of church and society. We also remember the communion of saints, both living and dead, who touched our lives and left their footprints on our hearts. We remember especially…(mention names.)
ALL: Through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ, all praise and glory are yours, Loving God, (sing and hold hands) Amen. (x times)
The Prayer of Jesus
ALL (sing): Our Father and Mother ….
The Sign of Peace
Presider: Jesus, you said to your disciples, “My peace I leave you; my peace I give you. Look on the faith of those gathered here today …
ALL: … and grant us your peace. (join hands as we sing “Let There be Peace on Earth” #532) (replacement lyrics: …with God as creator, family all are we… With every breath I take…)
Litany at the Breaking of the Bread
Presider: Loving God….ALL: you call us to Spirit-filled service and to live the Gospel of peace and mercy. So we will live justly.
Presider: Loving God….ALL: you call us to be your presence in the world and to be bearers of understanding and compassion, forgiveness and healing everywhere in your name. So we will love tenderly.
Presider: Loving God….ALL: you call us to speak truth to power. So we will walk humbly with you.
Presider: Loving God.…ALL: you call us to show mercy to our brothers and sisters. So we will be mindful of them and of all your creation.
Presider: This is Jesus, who calls us to open doors that are closed and share our bread on the altar of the world.
ALL: We thank you, God, for creating us as worthy to recognize the presence of Jesus in everyone we meet, wherever we may go. May we reflect to them by our actions your compassion in the world. We are all the Body of Christ.
Presider: Let us share the Body of Christ… with the Body of Christ! ALL: Amen.
Pre-Communion Prayer
Presider: Loving God, as we come to share the richness of your table, we cannot forget the poverty of so many of our brothers and sisters, our families and neighbors.
Men: We cannot eat this bread and forget those who are hungry. O God, your world is one world and we are stewards of its nourishment for all your people.
Women: We cannot drink this wine and forget those who are thirsty. O God, the very earth and all its people cry out for environmental justice.
All: We cannot listen to your words of peace and not grieve for the world at war’s door.
Communion Song: An instrumental medley
Communion Reflection Song: “You Are The Face of God”
Prayer of Thanksgiving after Communion
Presider: O God of Compassion, Jesus showed us how to love one another and care for one another’s needs. Through the power of your liberating Spirit at work within us, may we learn how to give and receive forgiveness, live joyously and work for the healing of our society and the earth.
ALL: Amen
Prayers of Gratitude, Introductions, Anouncements
Closing Community Blessing (extend an arm in mutual blessing)
Presider: Our God is with you. ALL: and also with you.
ALL: May our gracious God, bless All of us gathered here, in the name of God our Creator, in the name of Jesus our Liberator, and in the name of the Holy Spirit, our Sanctifier as we care and minister in love to one another and to all those whom we meet on our journeys. Be with us as we continue on our paths and follow in the footsteps of Jesus — for we are the face of God to the world. Amen.
Commissioning
Presider: May we all go in the peace of Christ. Let our service continue in all that we do and say. And let us be the people that God created us to be. ALL: Thanks be to God. Let it be so!
Concluding Hymn: “The Summons” #384, verses 1, 4 and 5
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