Bridget Mary's Blog: Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community Liturgy in Honor of 55th Anniversary of Vatican II and Feast Day of St. John XXIII, Oct. 14, 2017

Lee Breyer and Kathryn Shea ARCWP co-presiding at MMOJ Liturgy in Sarasota, Florida

Presiders: Kathryn Shea, ARCWP and Lee Breyer

Music Minister: Linda Lee Miska

Theme: John and Francis: comments, expectations & promises

Opening Expression

Presider: Welcome everyone. As I mentioned in my “pre-liturgy preface,” today’s liturgy takes us back in time when many of us and our parents began evolving from the Church of our childhoods (pre-1962) to where and what it is today…and also to where the promise of Pope Francis may take us in the future. As we know, we will have an opportunity to voice those ideas in our homily shortly, but right now let us place ourselves in this today…now…in St. Andrew’s Church…at a MMOJ liturgy. (pause) And as we gather ourselves together in mind and spirit, let us remember we are truly a holy people. So, let us sing what might be called “our camp song” … Karen Drucker’s “We are holy.”

We are Holy, You are holy, I am holy, We are holy….

Opening Hymn: “Sing A New Church” #413 vs. 1,3,5

Opening Prayer

Presider: Pope John XXIII opened the Second Vatican Council with this edited prayer. Almighty God, in you we place our confidence, not trusting in our own strength to renew the people of your holy community everywhere on planet earth. Look down kindly on our efforts to regenerate ourselves so that we may respond to your Spirit leading us on to be worthy witnesses to your messages today and all the days of this council. To you be love, power and glory forever and ever. Amen. And to Pope John’s prayer, we add…

ALL: Loving God, bless all of us gathered here now and all of those of our community who are not with us today. Raise up in all of us the spirit that filled Saint John years ago in undertaking such a blessed mission and supported him throughout till his return to you. We ask this of you, in the names of Jesus - our Brother, and the Spirit - our Wisdom and Sustainer.

Penitential Rite and Community Forgiveness

(Let us pause briefly while we reflect on our need to grow more in love for one another.)

Presider: Compassionate God, to whom all hearts are open, no desires unknown, and from whom no secrets can be hidden, cleanse our hearts by the inspiration of Holy Wisdom. We thank you for sending your Spirit to us so that, with her strength, we may live more fully according to your will. Through your grace, all peoples, wherever they may be on this earth, are one family …and you have made every one of us worthy to be called your sacred people.

ALL: Christ Jesus, we ask you to instill in us the virtues of pardon and peace so that we may – in turn – learn to be forgiving to our brothers and sisters, whoever and wherever they may be. Give us the courage and strength to extend your merciful presence that is your gift - through us – to all those with whom you share your unending love. May this be so, without exception. Amen.

Glory to God

Presider: let us give glory to our loving Creator.

(Sung) Glory to God, Glory, O praise God, alleluia. Glory to God, glory, O praise the name of our God. (3x)

Liturgy of the Word

Presider: The preface to each of the four readings is: “Veni, Sancte Spiritus” to the music of the Taize community.

ALL: Veni, Sancte Spiritus.

First reading: This is a selection from: Lumen Gentium, the Constitution on the Church

ALL: Veni, Sancte Spiritus.

Second reading: This is a selection from Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy.

ALL: Veni, Sancte Spiritus.

Third reading: This is a selection from Gaudium et Spes, the Constitution on the Church in the Modern World.

ALL: The acclamation before and after the fourth reading: Alleluia (Celtic Version).

Fourth reading: This is selection from Dei Verbum, the Constitution on Divine Revelation

Shared Homily/Community Reflections

Homily starter: The “performance” of John XXIII and the “promise” of Francis

Profession of Faith

ALL: We believe in God, the creator of all, whose divinity infuses all existence with the sacred, and who’s very being is the heart of the universe. We believe in Jesus, the Christ, the loving expression of God to humankind, the sacred messenger of God’s word, the carrier of God’s healing and boundless compassion. We believe in the Spirit, the breath of God in the cosmos who strengthens us to be instruments of peace and justice in a hope-filled world. We surely believe in all this!

Prayers of the Community

Presider: We are a people of faith; we believe in the power of prayer. We are always mindful of God’s unconditional love and care for each of us. And so, we bring the needs of the people to our loving and merciful God. After each intercession, our response is: Compassionate God, bless our petitions.

God of healing and grace, we ask for your loving care for those caught up in the devastating fires in California and for those who risk their time and safety to be of help to them. Compassionate God, bless our petitions. (intentions)

Presider: Healing God, we ask you to strengthen us in our concerns and care for one another, here and throughout the world, especially at this time of extreme need. We ask you to bless our efforts for justice and equality so that, with our sisters and brothers, we may promote cultures of peace and nonviolence everywhere. We make this prayer in the name of Jesus, the Christ. Amen.

Judy, Cathy, Elena, Joan, Karen and Mary Al

Offertory Procession and Song: “Seed , Scattered, and Sown” #386 verses 1 & 3

Gathering of the Gifted

Presider: Jesus, who has often sat at our tables, now invites all of us to join him at his. Everyone is welcome to share in this meal. (The invitation is to everyone to join around God’s family table.)

ALL: Loving and caring God, we – your people – are united in this sacrament by our common love of Jesus. Through your universal presence, we are in communion with everyone, everywhere, who shares your gift of compassion especially to all those who are marginalized and oppressed. May we love tenderly, do justice, and walk humbly with you in solidarity with our sisters and brothers. May we live always as prophetic witnesses to the gospel of Jesus, the Christ. Amen.

Presider: Let us lift up our hearts.

ALL: We lift them up to our gracious God who has gifted us with overflowing love so that we may share it with everyone, everywhere.

Presider: Let us recognize the presence of our God who dwells in each one of us.

ALL: Namaste! Namaste! Namaste! (3 x)

Eucharistic Prayer

Voice 1: Ever loving God, we do well always to give you thanks for your bonding with us, your family. In you we live and move and have our very being. That Spirit, who raised Jesus from the dead, is the foretaste and promise of the paschal feast of heaven. Her dwelling in us gives us the hope of unending peace and joy with you. And so, in gratitude, we SING with thankful praise….

ALL: Holy, Holy, Holy God, God of power, God of light. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed are all who come in the name of our God. Hosanna in the highest; Hosanna in the highest.

Voice 2: We thank you for the gift of Jesus in history - and the gift of Jesus in faith. On earth, Jesus burned with the constant vision of his mission. He revealed you to us through his compassionate life well-lived. And he showed us, through his example, not only how we should live, but also for what we may pay the same price as he did.

Voice 3: And when his time on earth had come to an end, 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. He even provided an example of this wisdom for all people in all ages to come. He did so by opening wide his arms on a cross…and then died. The Spirit, who raised him from the dead showed us by her action that life is eternal and that love is immortal. Jesus, the Christ, lives with us today …as he will through the end of time.

ALL: (With an outstretched arm, we pray the consecration together): We remember the gift that Jesus gave us on the night before he died. He gathered with his friends to share his final Passover meal. And it was at that supper that Jesus took bread, blessed, broke and shared it with them saying: take this, all of you, and eat it. This bread is you; this bread is me. We are one body, the presence of God in the world. Do this in memory of me. (Pause)

In the same way, Jesus took the cup of wine, blessed it and gave it to them saying: take this all of you and drink it. This wine is you; this wine is me. We are one blood, the presence of God in the world. Do this in memory of me.

Communal Blessing of Cups and Plates

All: (With an outstretched arm we pray)

Loving God, Source of all Being, in this moment we are gathered as a community to celebrate and remember your extravagant affection for your creation. As we pause to recall how wondrous is your love for us, we ask you to bless these cups and plates made by human hands and intended as vessels to hold the Precious Body and Blood of Jesus our Brother during liturgical celebrations. May they be symbols of Jesus’ promise to be with us always and his mandate to be His body and blood to each other. We ask this in the name of Jesus, Eternal Word, and Sofia Holy Spirit Wisdom. Amen.

(Bridget Mary sprinkles the cups and plates with holy water and then the community does the same while chanting)

(Bridget Mary sprinkles holy water as Alleluia is sung during blessing)

ALL: Through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, Creator God, forever and ever... (sung)…Amen. (X times!)

The Prayer of Jesus

ALL: (holding hands): Our Father and Mother, who are in heaven, blessed is your name…

Presider: Understanding God, we have just prayed that “your kindom may come” among us. Strengthen us with your grace and love so that we can truly open our hearts to make it happen in the fullness of time.

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 and …

ALL: …. grant us that peace. O Loving God, following the example of Jesus and with the strength of the Spirit, help us spread that peace throughout the world, to everyone, everywhere, no exceptions. Amen.

Presider: May the peace of God be always with us, and let us extend that peace to one another as we join hands in a circle of love and sing: Let there be peace on earth #532 using the following:

(“…with God as creator, family all are we…” and “With every breath I take, let this be...”)

Litany for the Breaking of the Bread,

Presider: Loving God… All: you call us to Spirit-filled service and to live the Gospel of nonviolence, peace and justice, 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. We will love tenderly.

Presider: Loving God… All: you call us to speak truth to power and live with equality towards all. We will walk humbly with you.

Presider: This is Jesus, who liberates, heals, and transforms us and our world. He calls us to share our bread on the altar of the world. Everyone is invited to partake of this sacred banquet of love. ALL: We are the Body of Christ.

Pre-Communion Prayer

Presider: Gracious 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, this very earth and its people cry out for environmental justice.

ALL: We cannot listen to your words of peace and not grieve for a world at war’s doors.

Communion: Instrumental

Post Communion Hymn: “Here I Am God” #377 all verses

Prayer of Thanksgiving after Communion

Presider: Loving God, may this Eucharist in which we shared Christ’s healing love deepen our oneness with you and with one another. May wonder and thanksgiving fill our hearts with grace and gratitude as we experience the cost of discipleship with you as we heard in today’s Gospel. And may we continue to realize that Jesus lives in us and that we reflect him to our brothers and sisters. ALL: Amen.

Introductions, Gratitudes, and Announcements

Community Blessing

Closing Community Blessing

(Let us all extend an arm to one another a mutual blessing)

ALL: May you, our gracious God, bless everyone in our community as we do our best to “pay forward” the cost of discipleship. We ask this of you -- in the name of God, our Creator -- in the name of Jesus, our bearer of the message of love -- and in the name of the Spirit, our inspiration and strength. May we reflect them as we care and minister to one another and to all those whom we meet on our journey. May we always remember, with gratitude, that we are the face of God to the world. Amen.

Closing Hymn: The Spirit is A-Movin” #454, verses 1, 4 and 5.

Closing Community Commissioning:

Presiders: As we leave here in the peace of Christ, let us be the sacred people that God created us to be. Let our service continue.

ALL: Thanks be to God. Let it be so. Alleluia, let us live the gospel!