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| Left to right: Karen Hylen and Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP |
Theme: The Spirit of God
dwells within us in infinite love.
Welcome
Opening Prayer
ALL: O Spirit of Love, you dwell in the
depths of our hearts. You manifest yourself each and every day in our lives,
and in our world. We celebrate your infinite love always moving in our lives
and empowering us to live your compassion and justice in our world.
ALL: Amen
Penitential Rite and
Community Forgiveness
Pause briefly and reflect
on the need to grow more in love with others and with creation.
General Absolution by
Community:
(All raise hands extended
in prayer and recite together.)
God, our Mother and
Father of compassion, through his living, dying and rising, Jesus has revealed
that nothing can separate us from the infinite love of the Holy One. 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 all God’s people on earth. Creator God,
Divine Mother of the universe, we thank you for the breath of the Spirit
sustaining everything that exists, everywhere in the cosmos. Through the
example and teachings of Jesus Christ, you gave us the grace to know that you
are always among us – and that we can experience you in our brothers and
sisters. We give you glory and praise through Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the Holy Spirit, our Wisdom. Amen.
Liturgy of the Word
First reading: Acts
8:5-8, 14:7
All: Thanks be to God
Responsorial Psalm: Ubi
Caritas et amo, ubi caritas, Deus ibi est. (Taize)
Second reading:
1 Peter 3: 15-18
All: Thanks be to God
Gospel Acclamation:
Eightfold Alleluia
Gospel Reading: John
14:15-21
All: Glory and thanks to
our God.
Homily
Starter: Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP
This
beautiful musical chant by Shana Noll, sung by Mindy Lou Simmons reminds us of
our deepest reality proclaimed in our Gospel today that we are the Risen Body of
Christ. Jesus said that he is one with God and that we are one in Christ: “You
are in me and I am in you.” The Spirit dwells within each of us and in all of
us in infinite love.
Scripture scholar Roger Vermalen Karban, a Catholic priest in the
Diocese of Belleville, Ill., reflects on the significance of the risen Jesus identification
with all his followers in the story of Paul’s conversion. Saul planned to “arrest any men and women” who followed
the Way. On the way he was confronted by the Risen One claiming to be “Jesus
whom you are persecuting."
"According to Luke's
theology, not only were the Christian men in Damascus other Christs, so were
the women. Reflecting on Galatians 3: 28 spiritual author Michael Crosby once
mentioned it took 30 or 40 years before the church overcame the Jew/Gentile
issue, and almost 1,900 years before it finally settled the slave/free
question. Then he pointed out the obvious: "We're still dealing with that
male/female thing!" Just as the church once struggled to surface the risen
Jesus in Gentiles and slaves, it continues to struggle with experiencing that
same unique person in women, especially in women who have a calling to preside
at the Eucharist.”
Like Paul,
we encounter the risen Christ living and loving, healing and empowering today through us. We are the Body of the Risen Christ where the Spirit of God dwells in infinite love. At each Eucharist, as we share the Bread of life, we say to one another: "you are the Body of Christ." Amen, my sisters and brothers, this is who we are!
Fourteenth Century English
Mystic Julia of Norwich shared Christ’s visions of the gospel of love in her
book entitled, Showings, or Revelations . She reminds us that we have
been loved in God’s mind “from without beginning,” as Julian puts it, so “in
this love our life is everlasting.” She understands that Christ’s unconditional
love overcomes all evil and will eventually transform all suffering in heaven. My
favorite Julian quotes are her theology on the motherhood of God: “As truly as
God is our father, as truly is God our mother, and “all shall be well and all
shall be well and all manner of things shall be well."
Now let us prayerfully journey into the depths of our souls and
contemplate Christ dwelling there in infinite love. Here we can leave fear,
mistrust and toxic thinking behind. Here all shall be well.
-->
Chant: Mindy Lou Simmons leads;
"Be still and know that
all is God...
Be still and know that
all is divine...
Shared Homily with Community
Profession of Faith
ALL: We believe in God,
the Creator of the Universe, 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 without counting the cost. We believe in our
global communion with all in the circle of life. Amen to loving actions on
behalf of justice, healing, compassion and equality for all in our world! We
believe we are light to the world!
Prayers of the Community
Presider: We are a
people of faith, believing in the power of prayer. We are filled with joy as
your Spirit loves through us . And so, we bring the needs of people –
throughout the world – to You.
After each intercession,
respond: Spirit of the Living God, fill us with your love.
Presider: Loving God, you
faithfully listen to our prayers. We ask you to empower us in our service
of our sisters and brothers. We pray in names of Jesus, the Christ, and the
Holy Spirit, our Wisdom. Amen.
Offertory Procession: Song:
Instrumental
Preparation of the Gifts
Presider: Blessed
are you, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this bread to
offer, this grain that the earth has given and human hands have made. It will
become for us the bread of life.
All: Blessed be God
forever.
Presider: Blessed
are you, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this wine to offer,
this fruit of the vine that human hands have made. It will become for us our
spiritual drink.
All: Blessed be God
forever.
Gathering of the Gifted
Presider: Jesus,
who has sat at our tables, now invites us to be guests at his family
table. Everyone is welcome around our family table.
ALL: Nurturing God,
we are united in this sacrament by our common love of Jesus. We are in
communion with everyone, everywhere, who proclaims your mercy to all those who
are marginalized and oppressed. May we love tenderly, do justice, and
walk humbly with you in solidarity with our brothers and sisters. May we
live as prophetic witnesses to the Gospel, supported by the vision of Jesus and
the wisdom of the Spirit. Amen.
Presider: God
dwells in each one of us.
All: Namaste!
Presider: Let us
give thanks to the Creator and Sustainer of all that exists.
All: With hearts
full of love, we give God thanks and praise.
Presider: Holy
Spirit, we realize your presence among us as we gather at our family table.
All: Fill us with
reverence for you, for one another, and for all your creation.
Presider: Let us
lift up our hearts.
All: We lift them
up to the Holy One, living in us and loving through us.
Eucharistic Prayer
All: O
Divine Flame of Love, your glowing embers dance in our hearts. Your passionate
presence kindles our souls. You purify us with the searing truth that ignites
our spirits. We celebrate your nearness this day as we remember your Pentecost
miracles in our lives and world.
Voice 2 : The wind of your life has blown across our
world in the gentle breezes and thunder storms of your vision in your prophets
and visionaries among us. We praise and exalt you forever with grateful hearts
as we sing:
Holy Holy Holy
- Karen Drucker
We are Holy, Holy,
Holy…
You are Holy,
Holy, Holy,…
Voice 3: Passionate God, you kindle your fire of
enthusiasm within us. You speak to us with assurance and excitement and reveal
to us the infinite, boundless, depths of your love for us.
Voice 4: You awaken us to your promises to be always
present in our lives, no matter what the obstacles or setbacks we experience.
You consume us with such a hunger and thirst for justice that our words and
actions inflame others to become signs of your justice. You give us eyes to see
human need, hearts to care for our sisters and brothers and hands and feet to
lighten others burdens.
Invocation of the Holy Spirit (extend you hand in
blessing)
All: You bless us O Holy One and you enliven all that
exists. You transform these gifts of bread and wine, and our lives, by
boundless grace that nourish and sustains us on our journey.
Presider: On the night before he faced his own death,Jesus sat at the Seder supper with
his companions. He reminded them of what he taught them and bent down and
washed their feet. Jesus returned to his place at the table, lifted the Passover
bread and spoke the blessing, and then broke the bread with these words,
All: Take and Eat, this is my very self.
Presider: Jesus then raised high the cup of blessing,
spoke the grace, and offered them the wine with these words:
Take and drink of the covenant made new again through
my life for you and for everyone. Whenever you do this, you remember me.
Presider: Let us proclaim the mystery
of wonder in our midst:
All:
Christ of the Cosmos you are the spark of love in whom we believe; the Wisdom
of Sophia in whom we trust; and the desire for justice that consumes us.
Voice 5: In memory
of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, we offer you, God, this life-giving
bread and this cup of divine love. May all who share this sacred meal grow
more deeply one in the Holy Spirit. And may that Spirit, that Wisdom,
that moved in Jesus heal, liberate and empower us as well.
Voice 6 Spirit of Truth, remember
your holy people throughout the world, help us grow in love, together with
Francis, our Pope, Bridget Mary, our Bishop, and all your people everywhere –
especially those who live on the margins of church and society. Remember also
all those, living and dead, who touched our lives and left their footprints on
our hearts. We remember especially….(mention names, if you would like
to).
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. Amen (sung).
All: Our Father and
Mother ……..Amen.
The Sign of Peace
Presider: Jesus, you said
to your disciples, “My peace I leave with you; my peace I give to
you.” Look on the faith of those gathered here and
All: … grant us your
peace. O God, following the example of Jesus and with the strength of the
Spirit, help us live in peace and harmony with everyone, everywhere.
Presider: May the peace
of God be always with us, as we join hands and sing, Peace is flowing like a
river…
Litany for the Breaking
of Bread
Presider: Loving God…All:
you call us to Spirit-filled service and to live the Gospel of non-violence for
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 forgiveness
and understanding, healing and compassion everywhere in your name. We
will love tenderly.
Presider: Loving God…All:
you call us to speak truth to power. We will walk humbly with you.
Presider: This is
Jesus, who liberates, heals, and transforms us and our world. All are
invited to partake of this sacred banquet of love. All: We are the
Body of Christ.
Communion:
Instrumental
After Communion
Reflection Song: Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on us, Spirit of
the living God fall afresh on us. Melt us.
Mold us. Fill us. Use us. Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on us.
(repeat with me/them) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BagH-zTfnsQ
Prayer of Thanksgiving
After Communion Presider: Spirit of Truth, may this Eucharist in which we always
share Christ’s healing love deepen our oneness with you and our unity with one
another. We ask this in the name of Jesus, the Christ, and the Spirit,
the Wisdom. All: Amen.
Community Prayers of Gratitude
and Announcements
Closing Community Blessing
Presider: Liberating
Spirit at work within us, we go forth in your abiding presence to give and
receive forgiveness, live joyously, and work for healing, justice and equality
for our earth and for all your holy people. ALL: Amen
ALL: (with an outstretched
arm in blessing)
May the blessing of the
Spirit, go before you.
May Her love wrap you
‘round.
May Her blessing remain
with you always.
May you walk on holy
ground.
Co-Presiders:
Let our service continue in all that we do!
ALL: Thanks
be to God. Let it be so! Alleluia!
Gathering and Concluding
Hymn: Let you Light Shine In Us,”
By Kathy Sherman from
album (Love Cannot be Silenced)
Let your light shine in
us (repeat 3 times)
And we will be light for
the world.
Repeat again
We will be one and the
kindom will come.
Let your hearts beat in
us (repeat 3 times)
And we will be love for
the world.
We will be one and the
kindom will come
Let your joy sing in us (repeat3
times)
And we will be hope for
the world.
We will be one and the kindom
will come
Let your peace live in us
(repeat 3 times)
And we will be one for
us.
We will be one and the kindom
will come.
Let your light shine in us (repeat 3 times)
And we will be light for
the world
We will be one and the
kindom will come!
