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| Elena Garcia ARCWP and Kevin Connelly - Co-Presiders |
Theme: The Call of the Prophet
Welcome and Centering Thoughts
Presider:
In Baptism we are all called to be priest and prophet. Prophets
are those who speak for or on behalf of God in the community. In a world that
did not clearly separate issues of religion and politics, the prophets appeared
as lobbyists for the rule of God demanding that the courses of action in times
of crisis, follow what God desired and not that which was most expedient
according to human political wisdom. As we gather today to celebrate Eucharist,
let us listen to the experiences of Ezekiel, Paul and Jesus.
Gathering Hymn: “We Are Called” #628 all verses, (using God for Lord)
Opening Prayer
Presider: We begin our
liturgy in the name of God, the Source of all being, and of the Son eternal
Word, and of the Holy Spirit, Sofia Wisdom.
ALL: Amen
Presider: My sisters and brothers, God is with you! ALL:
And also with you.
Presider: Let us pray.
Gracious and Gifting God, You, who
birthed the cosmos, every living thing and each and every one of us, help us
each day to be conscious and aware of your magnanimous love for us. Let your
life in us transform us that we may fully experience your love. Bring us to the
wholeness and holiness to which you call us.
Amen
Community Reconciliation
(Brief Pause for reflection.)
Presider: Creator God, to
you all hearts are open, no desires unknown, and no secrets are hidden. Cleanse
our hearts by the inspiration of Holy Wisdom.
ALL: We take your Word into our minds and hearts. Open them to new
understanding.
Presider: Loving Jesus, we ask for the grace to realize our
continual need to grow in understanding, compassion and caring for ourselves,
all of humanity and for our planet earth, and all the while to be You for
others and to meet You in others.
ALL: We accept your love and understanding of the frailty of our human
nature.
Presider: We ask for your forgiveness for our failure to extend
compassion, understanding and caring to all your children, our brothers and
sisters regardless of beliefs, nationalities, races and actions, for we are all
worthy to be called your sacred people.
ALL: (with an outstretched arm):
God, our Father and Mother of Compassion, through his life, Jesus revealed
to us that nothing can separate us from your unconditional love. He sent Holy
Spirit who gives us the understanding, willingness and courage to love one
another. We ask you to grant us the grace of pardon and peace so that we may –
in turn- forgive each other our failures to care for one another and for our
earth. We ask this in the name of Jesus, our brother and of Holy Spirit Sofia,
our healer and comforter. Amen.
Glory to God
Presider: Let us give glory to our loving Creator in song….
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: Ezekiel 2:2-5 ALL: Thanks be to God
Responsorial: Psalm 142 ALL:
Stand by us, stand by us. Lift us up from the restless sea. Second Reading:
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 ALL: Thanks be to God
Gospel acclamation:
ALL: Alleluia (Celtic version)
Gospel: Mark 6:1-6 ALL: Glory and praise to our brother Jesus
Homily Starter/ Community Reflections
Homily Starter/ 14th Sunday in Extraordinary
Time/2018/Elena Garcia ARCWP
We heard at the beginning of our liturgy today that prophets
are those who speak for or on
behalf of God. They do not yearn and aspire to become
prophets. Not like they wake up one
day and decide “I think I’ll be a prophet. That seems like a
lofty ambition to pursue” We
just listened to the
word of God in the readings for today. Ezekiel heard the word of God
and recognized the
power of Holy Spirit catapulting him onto his feet and then sending him out
among the wolves. Paul
was thrown off his horse and then instructed in the ways of God and
his mission while being assured that the grace of God would
be sufficient to sustain him in his
weakness while
speaking for and on behalf of God. And
Jesus showed us how to stand up to
injustice and speak truth to power. And was he not well received in his own
“parish, town”?
Prophets are seldom welcomed with open arms and as Jesus pointed
out, never in their native
land. They are often
met with opposition, persecution, and at the very least were ignored.
What did they have in common? They were called to speak for
and on behalf of God. They
carried out their
mission in non-violence. They were persistent in the face of opposition and
rejection. Then, as
is the case now, prophets are constantly surrounded by the voices of blind
complicity to the
established order, as well as those who are somewhat aware of the injustices
but have become numb
and preoccupied with other matters.
I think of times in
my life when I have been compelled to action about something that is
foreign to my knowledge
base and totally out of my comfort zone. From where did that
inspiration, energy and commitment emerge? I venture to say that those times have been
planted by Holy Mother God, taught by the example of Jesus
and nurtured and encouraged
by Holy Spirit Sophia.
I wonder then how does this message apply to us today? What
is the challenge before us?
We are all welcomed by this community that gets us, and
makes us feel the warm fuzzes! But
we must beware as
this community should be a charging station through which we can hear
God talk to us and Spirit bring us to our feet and
strengthen us to confront the hard of face and
obstinate of heart.
Priest and prophet all are we. We are called to speak for
and on behalf of God in whatever way God
wills.
Questions regarding our prophetic mission.
~have you ever considered yourself as a prophet
~Is the concept of Prophetic obedience a challenge? How so?
~How can we as a community respond to that call?
~Fear is a very real obstacle. How can we overcome it?
Profession of Faith
ALL: We believe in you O God, Creator
of the universe, whose divinity infuses all that exists, making everything
sacred. Jesus, we believe in You,
messenger of the Divine Word, the bringer of healing and the heart of
Compassion. We believe in you Holy Spirit, the breath of our innermost life,
and the Sustainer who heals and energizes us when our spirits grow weary in our
journeys.
We believe that You are here with us today in this gathering, calling
us to be a loving and just people. We believe the poor have a priority in your
plans and we are called to do our best to serve them in your name. We believe
you are offering us freedom and grace to become our true selves, so that we can
turn from false, worldly securities and look to you for our true identity as
your children. We believe that as You were anointed by God to do God’s Will,
through our baptism, we too are called to be a sign of God’s Kingdom on earth where
we are all sisters and brothers. Amen
Prayers of the Community
Presider: We are a people of
faith. We believe in the power of prayer. We are mindful of God’s unconditional
love and care for each one of us. And so, we bring the needs of the people to
our merciful and gracious Creator.
After each intercession please respond: R-Compassionate
God, hear our prayers.
O God, you grieve for all that
afflicts us.
~give those who struggle with
addictions the courage and perseverance they need. R-Com….
You are father and mother to us,
and we bask in your love.
~inspire persons of integrity and
compassion to care for children who are separated from their parents. R-
Com…..
You taught your followers to
travel lightly through life.
~call our consumer culture to a
change of heart and to values that lead to life. R-Com
For what else shall we pray?
Presider: Healing God, you faithfully listen to our prayers. We ask
You to strengthen us in our concern for one another- here and throughout the
world. We ask You to support us in our endeavors for justice and equality so
that, with our sisters and brothers, we may promote cultures of peace without
violence in our world. We ask this in the name of Jesus and Holy Spirit Wisdom.
All: Amen
Offertory Procession/Song
“Blest Are They” # 631 – all verses
Preparation of the Gifts
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 our use. 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 prepared for our use. It will
become for us our spiritual drink.
ALL: Blessed be God forever.
Gathering of the Gifts
Presider: Our brother Jesus, who has often sat at our tables, now
invites all of us to join Him at his family table. Everyone is welcome to share
in this meal.
(The whole community is invited to gather around God’s family table)
ALL: Loving and caring God, we, your people are united in this
sacrament by our common love of Jesus. We are one with all beings in the
community of creation and with all those who share your gift of compassion,
especially toward 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 strive to live as prophetic witnesses to the Gospel of our
brother Jesus, supported by the wisdom that directed him and by the Wisdom of
the Spirit who supports us. Amen.
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 the family table.
ALL: Fill us with reverence for you, for one another, and for all of
creation.
Presider: Let us lift up our hearts.
ALL: We lift them up to the Holy One who lives in us and loves others
through us.
Presider: God dwells in each one of us. ALL: Namaste!
Eucharistic Prayer
Presider: Ever present and always caring God, we do well always and
everywhere to give you thanks. In you we
live and move and have our being. Your
Spirit dwelling in us gives us the assurance of unending peace and joy with
you. That Spirit, who raised Jesus from the dead, is the foretaste and promise
of the paschal feast of heaven. And so,
we sing in thankful praise:
All (sing): We are Holy, Holy, Holy…(3x) You
are Holy, I am Holy, We are Holy…
Voice: We thank you, God, 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 constant
presence in everyone, everywhere he went.
He revealed you in everything he did in his life well lived. And he showed us, through his example, not
only how we should live, but also for what we may die.
Voice: 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 of God, who raised
Jesus from the dead, showed us that life is eternal and love is immortal. Jesus is with us today as he will 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 – this
simple wheat and wine. May she make them
holy so that they will become for us the Body and Blood of Jesus, our brother.
(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 a final Passover meal. And it was at that supper that Jesus took the
bread, said the blessing 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 a cup of wine, said the blessing and gave
it to his friends 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.
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 the mystery of faith.
All: Christ has died. Christ is
risen. Christ lives in us and through us in the world today.
Voice: In memory of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, we offer
you, God, this living-giving bread and this saving cup. May all who will share in this sacred meal be
brought together in unity by the Holy Spirit.
And may that Spirit, that Wisdom, that moved in Jesus move as freely in
our lives as She did in that of Jesus’.
Voice: God of blessing and
peace, we remember your church throughout the world; help us grow in love,
together with Francis, our Pope, Bridget Mary, our Bishop, and your whole
family everywhere – especially those who live on the margins of church and society. We remember the victims of recent floods and
earthquakes, and those struggling to reconstruct their homes and lives from
these devastating events. We remember the refugee families who have come to our
country fleeing from persecution and in need of acceptance and love. We
remember the communion of saints both living and dead, who touched our lives
and left footprints on our hearts. We
remember especially… (pause to mention
names).
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… and
let everyone sing… Great Amen (3X)
All (holding hands): Our Father and Mother, who are in heaven,
blessed is your name...
All:
God, we have just prayed that your kingdom may come among us. Grant that we can open our ears to hear it,
our hands to serve it, and our hearts to make it real. Amen.
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 to everyone, everywhere, with no exceptions. Amen.
Presider: May
the peace of our gracious and loving God be always with you.
ALL: And also with you.
Presider: Let us offer each other a
sign of peace.
Litany
for the Breaking of the 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 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. 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 the
sacred banquet of love. All:
We are the Body of Christ.
Pre-Communion
Prayer
Presider:
This is Jesus, who called women and men to be partners and equals,
and who liberates, heals and transforms us and our world. All are invited to partake of this sacred
banquet of love.
Presider:
Jesus, you invite us to receive you and become you for others. We are the Body of Christ. May the Source of Life whose power now at
work in us can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine, be given glory
through all generations. Amen.
Distribution
of Bread and Wine
“You are the Body of Christ.” “You
are the blood of Christ.”
Communion
Song: Instrumental and moment of silence
After
Communion Song
“We Are Many Parts” # 585 - All verses
Prayer
After Communion
Presider: May our hearts be filled with
wonder, gratitude, thanksgiving and compassion. May we each know that we are
loved and may we continue to be your face to each other. Amen
Prayers
of Gratitude, Introductions, Announcements
Final
Blessing
(Everyone
please extend your hands in mutual blessing.)
Presider: As we go forth from this sacred space, let us
purposefully look with new eyes and hearts to recognize our call to prophetic
obedience to the Gospel of Jesus and to count on God’s grace for courage to
speak truth to power. Let our service continue!
All: Thanks be to God. Let it be so!
Closing
Hymn
“Sing a New Church” # 413 –
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