Theme: Strength for the journey
Opening Welcome
Presider: Welcome, everyone. Once again, we gather here to celebrate the
God that is within each of us, the one who is giving us the blessings to hear
God’s message as we proclaim it in today’s liturgy and to understand it more
clearly as we share it in our community. And today, we honor Mary in her title of “Our
Lady of Mt. Carmel”, the mountain on which Elijah with Yahweh encountered the
priests of Baal. And as we do this, we
remember and make present in our prayers our ARCWP family members who are on
their annual retreat so that, on their return, they will be an enriched support
and strength to us for our journey.
Opening Hymn: Table of Plenty #310
vs 1 & 3
Opening Prayer
ALL: God of compassion,
God of truth, you who directs all creation to its ultimate fulfillment in
Jesus, the Christ. Open our hearts to your
messages today through Paul and Mark, so that through them we may have your
peace rule in our hearts and your justice guide our lives on our journeys. May we recognize and respond to your blessings
in ways that result in meaningful movements for justice and peace, liberation
and life for everyone, everywhere. Loving God, bless all of us gathered here
now and all those of our community who are not with us today, especially
those who are in Fort Myers - refreshing themselves for your service and ours. We ask this of you, our brother Jesus, and our
Wisdom Sophia. Amen.
Penitential Rite and Community
Forgiveness
Presider: O Holy Spirit,
pour out your healing grace on us.
ALL (With an outstretch arm to our brothers and sisters): Loving
God, through Jesus’ life death, and resurrection, he reconciled the world to
you and he taught us that nothing can separate us from your infinite love. We realize we have a never-satisfied need to
grow in understanding and compassion so that we may – in turn – learn to
forgive our brothers and sisters, whoever and wherever they may be. Give us the
strength to extend your merciful and forgiving blessing that is your gift -
through us – to all those with whom you
share your unending love. We ask this in
the names of Jesus, our brother, and the Holy Spirit, our healer and
comforter. Amen.
Glory to God
Presider: let us give glory
to our loving Creator. We give thanks to
our God for the wonder of the Spirit that supports everything that exists in
the universe and for the Christ vision that strengthens all of us on our
journeys. And, in gratitude, we sing…
ALL: (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
First
Reading: Colossians 1: 15-20 ALL: Thanks be to God
Psalm 85 Responsorial: Forever I will sing the
goodness of our God #790
Second Reading: 1
Corinthians 12: 4-11 ALL: Thanks be to God
Gospel Acclamation: ALL: Alleluia (Celtic version)
Gospel: Mark 6: 6-11 & Matthew 10: 40 and 11:1 ALL: Thanks be to God
Shared Homily & Community
Reflections
Profession of Faith
ALL: We
believe in God, the divine mystery that is beyond all description and understanding. We believe that God, the Creator, is the very
heart of all that has ever been or will ever exist in the expanding universe. We believe in Jesus, the Christ, the
touch of God to humankind, the sacred messenger of God’s word, a carrier of
God’s healing and the soul of God’s boundless and everlasting compassion. It is through him that we become a new
people, called beyond the consequences of our brokenness. We believe in the Spirit, the breath
of God in the cosmos who supports us that we may be instruments of peace and
justice in the world. It is by her grace that we are strengthened on our
journeys. We believe that the message of the gospels is
summed up in the love of God - who is love, and in love of our neighbor
– who is everyone that lives anywhere.
We believe that God’s kindom is here with us now and always will be
for those with eyes to recognize 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 unconditional love and care for each
of us. And so, we now bring the needs of
the people to our merciful and gracious God.
After each intercession, please
respond: Compassionate God, we ask
you to bless our petitions.
Presider: Healing God, strengthen us in our concerns
and care for one another, those here and those throughout the world. 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 in our
world. And, as we always do, we make
these prayers to you, O God, in the names of Jesus, our Brother, and the Holy
Spirit, our Wisdom. Amen.
Offertory Procession and Song: Here
I am Lord #377 vs 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. So
please join us around God’s family table.
Presider: (when all are gathered around the table): God dwells in each one of us.
ALL: Namaste!
Namaste! Namaste! (with a
nod)
Presider: Blessed are you, God of Creation, through
your goodness we have this bread to offer…this grain of the earth that human
hands have made for our use. It will become for us our spiritual food.
ALL: Blessed be God forever.
Presider: Blessed are you,
God of Love, through your goodness we have this wine to offer…this fruit of the
vine that human hands have made for our use.
It will become for us our spiritual drink.
ALL: Blessed
be God forever.
Presider: In these gifts, Christ is present. Through these gifts, Christ will make us
whole.
Eucharistic
Prayer
ALL: Gracious
God, we recognize your presence that is with us always, and especially when we
gather at this, your banquet table, where you have invited all of us to join in
your feast. We are united in this sacrament by the love of Jesus who proclaimed
your power and mercy for everyone, especially the marginalized and oppressed … those
without sufficient basic care for themselves, food for their days, or even
their own tables to put it on. Here your
divine compassion connects us to the young and the old, the most and the least,
the first and the last…your whole creation.
Voice 1: Ever loving
God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks. In you we live and move and have our very
being. Each day you show us your
love. Your Spirit dwelling in us gives
us the promise 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.
Voice 2: We thank you
for the gift of Jesus in history - and the gift of Jesus in faith. Through him,
you breathe life into us. During his
earthly life, he burned with the constant vision of his mission here among us. He
revealed you through his compassionate love for everyone with whom he came in
contact. And he showed us, through his
example of a life well lived, not only how we should live, but also,
like him, for what we might even die.
Voice 3: And when his
time here had come to its end, Jesus, accepting his destiny, gave up his life
for the values that he deeply believed, taught, lived and would die for…his
conviction that love is stronger than death.
And he provided an example of this wisdom for all people in ages to come
-- he opened wide his arms…and died. Then the Spirit, in raising him from the
dead, revealed to us another truth -- that life is eternal, love is immortal,
and death is only a horizon.
ALL: As we
gather around this Eucharistic table, we recall God’s blessings and love for us
as we celebrate - once again - the gifts we have received and now share with
one another at this feast. May the
Spirit of life and wholeness, who will transform these simple gifts also
transform us well. And may we, then, be
empowered by her grace to bring mercy, love and healing to all those whose
lives we touch.
Presider: We remember the gift
with which Jesus blessed us on the night before he died…
ALL: (With an outstretched arm, let us pray the
consecration together. Jesus
gathered with his friends to share a final Passover meal. And it was at that
supper that he took bread, said the blessing and then 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 a moment))
In the same way, Jesus took the cup of wine, said the
blessing 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.
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 of 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 in the world today.
Voice 4: May all of us
who share this sacred meal be strengthened in our unity by the grace of the
Holy Spirit. And may that Spirit, that
Wisdom, that moved in Jesus move just as freely in our lives as She did in his.
Voice 5: God, we know
that you grace your blessed people throughout the world. Help us grow in love,
together with Francis, our Pope; Bridget Mary, our Bishop; and all your family
everywhere - especially those who live on the margins of church and society. We
remember, as well, the entire communion of saints, those living and dead, who
touched our lives and left your footprint on our hearts. We remember especially
…(names are mentioned).
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…hold hands and sing) Amen (x times).
ALL: Our
Father and Mother, who are in heaven, blessed is your name. May your kindom
come…
Presider: God, we have just prayed that “your kindom
may come among us.” Strengthen in us
your grace and love so that we may open our hearts to make it real - and our
hands to serve one another.
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 your 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
“…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 a Spirit-filled service and to live the Gospel of
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 to live respecting the
equality of our brothers and sisters. We
will walk humbly with you.
Presider: This is Jesus, who liberates, heals, and
transforms us and our world. He calls
us, his sacred people, to open those doors that are closed and to share the Eucharist
on the altar of the world. All are
invited to partake of this 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 friends and neighbors…all members of the
one family.
ALL: We cannot
eat this bread, your Body, and forget those who are hungry. O God, your world is one world and we are the
stewards of its nourishment for all your people.
We cannot drink this wine, your Blood, and forget
those who are thirsty. O God, this very
earth and its people cry out for environmental justice.
We cannot listen to our words of peace and not grieve
for the world at war’s doors.
Communion Musical Background: Ave Maria
(Andrea Boclli)
Post-Communion
Song: You are the Face of God
(The lyrics
are on the last page)
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. And
may wonder and thanksgiving fill us with the knowledge, understanding and deeply
personal experience of your love and compassion that we will be true witnesses
of your presence among your blessed people.
ALL: Amen.
Introductions,
Gratitudes, and Announcements
Closing
Community Blessing (Extend an arm to one another in mutual blessings)
ALL: May our
hearts be glad on our journeys as we dream new dreams and see new visions.
Presider: May we remember
all our sisters and brothers throughout the world in our love and prayers and
by our compassionate and justice-making actions. And may we remember,
especially, those who are participating in the ARCWP retreat and social sharing
this weekend.
ALL: May we work to create a culture in a world where
suffering and pain are diminished, where justice and peace are restored, and where
all people can live in health and wholeness.
Presider: May we learn to bless and honor and hold in
reverence the Earth and each other.
ALL: May we
always remember, with gratitude, that we are the face of God to the world.
Amen.
Closing
Community Commissioning:
Presiders: As we go, let us take the love of God with
us, sharing our recognition of the-God- in- us to all those we meet. Let us remember always that, as we sang in
our post communion song, we are the face of God on earth.
So then, let us be the
blessed people that God created us to be.
And let our service continue.
ALL: Thanks be
to God. Let it be so!
Closing Hymn: On Eagles Wings #437
vs 1, 2. 3 (with
“Lord” to “God”)
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