Opening Prayer
The disciples of Jesus, the
people of his time, ran to join him on his ride into Jerusalem. They laid their
very cloaks on the ground to soften his way and show him their respect and
homage. Today, as we hold our palms and remember Jesus’s courageous stand to
tell the truth as he saw it, let us bless these palms and each other. Let us
hold a minute of silence as we bring peace to our space, each other, our world,
our cosmos, and back to ourselves in this holy space that we create. May our
blessed palms remind us of all of this during our coming reflection and
celebration of Holy Week. Living Today, may we feel the joy of being courageous
and standing up for what we believe. Amen.
Opening Song: Who Will Speak if You Don't
https://youtu.be/7cfBWjltR0A
First Reading: A reading from the reflections of Joan Chittister, Cry Out, Lent, 2018.
It is your voice and mine, alone as well as
together, that are meant to make God’s true nature known in the world. If we
don’t point out the breakdowns in human community and make clear the unseen
millions in need, they go on being unseen by the many.
It is not a matter of being able to change a
thing that must occupy us. It is a matter of being willing to point out the
problems – and do something about it – that counts. To be part of a group intent on change, we
must raise a great voice…
Most importantly, we must “cry out” the news
of what God wants for the world for as long as it takes. Our problem is that we expect change to come
in our lifetime. But nothing can ever
happen until we ourselves begin to work for it, announcing to others what God
desires for us all… We may not see much
improvement in our lifetime, but before we go, we can at least salt the
atmosphere with questions where they cannot be ignored. And that is valor enough for the moment.
These are the words of Joan Chittister and
our community affirms them by saying, AMEN.
Responsorial: Spirit of the Living God
The Gospel Reading, Palm Sunday. (Luke
19:29-40)
Approaching Bethpage and Bethany, near what
is called the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples with these
instructions: “Go into the village ahead of you. Upon entering it, you’ll find
a tethered colt that no one has yet ridden. Untie it and lead it back. If
anyone should ask you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ Say, ‘The Rabbi needs it.’”
They departed on their errand and found
things just as Jesus had said. As they untied the colt, its owners said to
them, “Why are you doing that?” They
explained that the Rabbi needed it. Then the disciples led the animal to Jesus
and, laying their cloaks on it, helped him to mount.
People spread their cloaks on the roadway as
Jesus rode along. As they reach the dissent from the Mount of Olives, the
entire crowd of disciples joined them and began to rejoice and praise God
loudly for the display of power they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the One who
comes in the name of our God! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!”
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to
Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
Jesus replied, “I tell you, if they were to
keep silent, the very stones would cry out!”
These are the words of Luke, and our
community affirms them by saying: AMEN.
Deb’s Homily Starter:
In
his contemporary Book, Prayers for Progressive Christians, Michael Morwood
challenges us with these words: “Palm Sunday invites us to consider what
calling oneself a “Christian” or a follower of Jesus is really about. Let’s
wave our palm branches for the right reason.”
That concept of waving those palm branches, or even putting my cloak
down on the ground as Jesus rides “triumphantly” into Jerusalem, gave me pause
to think about what I am really doing with my actions.
There
was no triumphant entry. Jesus had no perceived power compared to the Roman and
Priestly Jewish presence there in Jerusalem. He courageously stood up for what
he knew to be true… We are all created
equal in God’s eyes. All of God’s creatures are precious. And the Holy One
Loves Us.
Joan
Chittister takes this concept then to another personal level when she asks us
to consider what we will do in Response to Palm Sunday and the Entry into
Jerusalem. “This week I will cry out, I will raise my voice for …” whatever it is
that speaks to us personally. As we
reflect together in community today, consider how you will answer that
challenge. And if you feel comfortable,
please share your personal response in our homily right now…
Liturgy of the
Eucharist
(From Jay Murnane and Prayers for Progressive
Christians, Michael Morwood)
Presider 1: As we prepare for the sacred
meal, we lay our stoles upon the table as a sign that just as Jesus is anointed
so is each of us. We bring to this table
our blessings, cares, and concerns. (Please
feel free to voice your concerns beginning with the words, “I bring to the
table…”)
Presider 2: Please join in praying the Eucharistic prayer
together.
All: God beyond our words, we gather today mindful
of the many times we have professed our readiness to be true disciples of
Jesus, to be salt for the earth, to be light in the world.
We acknowledge the
daunting challenge of this profession in the society in which we live, with its
economic systems that impoverish and disempower people. We remember that Jesus
encountered in his day systems as unjust as those we experience in our day, As
we turn our hearts and minds to his message, hopes and dreams for a better
society, we lift up our lives and sing:
Holy, Holy, Holy One, God of Justice, God of Light
Heaven and Earth are filled with Your Glory
Hosanna in the Highest.
Blest is the One Who comes in the name of our God.
Hosanna in the Highest, Hosanna in the Highest.
All: We call to mind how Jesus urged
his listeners to put their trust in the power of being neighbor, in the power
of God’s Spirit within them, in the power of conversion from religious thinking
and practices that made them feel inadequate and worthless. And so we thank you
for Jesus, simple servant, lifting up the lowly, revealing you as God-With-Us,
and revealing us as one with you and all of creation.
On the night before he died, Jesus gathered for the Seder supper with
the people closest to him. Like the least of household servants, he washed
their feet, so that they would re-member him.
Presider 1: (lifts bread as community
prays the following:)
All: When he returned to his place at the table,
he lifted the Passover bread, spoke the blessing, broke the bread and offered
it to them saying:
Take and eat of the Bread of Life
Given to strengthen you
Whenever you remember me like this
I am among you. (pause)
Presider 2 (lifts the cup as
community prays the following: )
All: Jesus
then raised a cup of blessing, spoke the grace saying:
Take and drink of the covenant
Made new again through my life in you.
Whenever you remember me like this,
I am among you. (pause)
Let us share this bread and cup
To proclaim and live the gospel of justice and peace
All: Our prayer today is a prayer of resolve, a prayer of determination that
we, each one of us, will do whatever we can, however small, in whatever way, to
bring the real dream of Jesus to fruition in our lives and in our world today.
So, we trust you to continue to share with us your own spirit, the
spirit that animated Jesus, for it is through his life and teaching, all honor
and glory is yours, O Holy One, forever and ever. Amen.
Presider
1:
Let us pray as
Jesus taught us:
O Holy One,
who is within, around and among us,
We celebrate your many names.
Your Wisdom come.
Your will be done, unfolding from the depths within
us,
Each day you give us all we need;
You remind us of our limits, and we let go.
You support us in our power, and we act with courage.
For you are the dwelling place within us,
the empowerment around us,
and the celebration among us, now and
forever. Amen
(Miriam
Therese Winter)
Prayer for the
Breaking of Bread
Presider 2:
Please join in the prayer for the breaking of the
bread:
Presiders break the bread
All: O Holy One, You call us to live the Gospel
of peace and justice. We will live
justly.
You call us to be Your presence in the world. We will love tenderly.
You call us to speak truth to power. We will walk with integrity in your presence.
You call us to speak truth to power. We will walk with integrity in your presence.
(Presiders hold up bread and wine)
Presider 1: "This is the bread of life and the
cup of blessing. Through it we are nourished and we nourish each other.
All: What we have heard with our ears, we will live
with our lives; as we share
communion, we will become
communion, both Love’s nourishment and Love’s challenge.
Presider 2: Our Eucharistic celebration is all-inclusive. We
belong to the divine and to each other, and nothing can separate us. Everyone
is invited to receive at this friendship table. We will pass the bread and wine
with the words: You are the Face of God.
Communion Song: Jerusalem, My Destiny
Blessing
Presider 1: Let us raise our palms in blessing and pray
together:
All: At the start of Holy Week, we focus on Jesus
human like us. As a man willing to die for what he believed, a man that had to
trust that those who came after him would keep his dream alive, may we walk
with an awareness of our Call as companions on the journey, knowing we are not
alone. May we, like Jesus, be a shining light and a blessing in our time!
All: Amen.
Closing Song: Lean On
Me
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