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| Jim Marsh ARCWP Celebrates Liturgy |
Welcome
and Announcements - Jim
Bridget: As we gather
together in this sacred place and share in this banquet of love, let us begin in
the name of our God, who creates; of Jesus the Christ, who liberates; and of
the Holy Spirit, who sanctifies us.
All: Amen.
Opening Song: Mary’s Song by Millie Rieth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwR6J6uSXXg
My soul doth glory in
your love, O Lord.
My soul doth glory in
your love, O Lord.
For you gazed on your
servant with compassion,
And you reached out
and took me by the hand.
Great are you, God,
and holy is your name.
Your mercy reaches
until the end of time,
Ah, the lowly you
raise to the heavens,
And the proud-hearted
have no part with you.
Ah, how you fill the
hungry with your love.
With empty hands the
rich are sent away.
You will always be
mindful of your mercy,
As you promised your
people long ago.
My soul doth glory in
your love, O Lord.
My soul doth glory in
your love, O Lord.
For you smiled on your
servant with compassion,
And you reached out
and took me by the hand.
PENITENTIAL RITE
Jim: Creator God to
whom all hearts are open, no desires unknown, and from whom no secrets can be
hidden. We acknowledge our humanness and our need to seek healing and wholeness
for the times we have failed to live justly, love tenderly and care for our
earth and all its creatures.
After a silent pause, invite all to extend hands in
praying forgiveness over each other
All: O
Holy One, Father and Mother of all exists, we thank you for Jesus who taught us
by his living, dying and rising, that nothing can ever separate us from your
infinite love. With your grace and mercy, may we be reconcilers and
peacemakers in our world as we forgive each other our failures to care for one
another and our earth in the name of God, our Creator, of Jesus, our brother,
and of the Holy Spirit, our wisdom. Amen.
GLORIA
Let us continue to praise God in song …. (a capella)
Glory to God, glory,
O praise and alleluia.
Glory to God, glory,
O praise the name of our God. (3x)
Opening Prayer
Mary T: O Holy One, we
celebrate your love as we experience it
in our lives. May we recognize your presence in Word and in the Breaking of
Bread this day. May your peace fill our hearts,
your justice direct our lives, and your love guide us to recognize you in the
stranger, the outcast, the poor, and all those we meet daily. We make this prayer in union with Jesus, our
brother, and trusting in the power of your Spirit, Sophia Wisdom. All: AMEN.
LITURGY of WORD
First Reading A passage inspired by Celtic theologian Pelagius
Look at the animals roaming the forest: God’s
spirit dwells within them.
Look at the birds flying across the sky: God’s
spirit dwells within them.
Look at the tiny insects crawling in the
grass: God’s spirit dwells within them.
Look at the fish in the river and sea: God’s
spirit dwells within them.
There is no creature on earth in whom God is
absent. . . .
When God pronounced that creation was good, it
was not only that the Holy One's hand had fashioned every creature; it was that
the divine breath had brought every creature to life.
Look too at the great trees of the forest;
look even at your crops. God’s spirit is present within all plants as well.
The presence of God’s spirit in all living
things is what makes them beautiful;
and if we look with God’s eyes, nothing on the
earth is ugly.
Go out into the natural world and look with
God’s eyes; listen with God’s ears; know your place within God’s good creation.
Alleluia Response (a capella)
Gospel Reading Luke 1:39-56
Mary set
out and hurried to the hill country to a town of Judah, where she entered
Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.
As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her
womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed
"Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why am I so favored, that the mother of
the Messiah should come to me? The
moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken by God would be accomplished!"
Mary said: "My soul proclaims
your greatness, O God, and my spirit rejoices in you, my Savior. For you have
looked with favor on your lowly servant, and from this day forward all
generations will call me blessed. For you, the Almighty, have done great things
for me, and holy is your Name. Your mercy reaches from age to age for those who
fear you. You have shown strength with your arm; you have scattered the proud
in their conceit; you have deposed the mighty from their thrones and raised the
lowly to high places. You have filled
the hungry with good things, while you have sent the rich away empty. You have come to the aid of Israel your servant, mindful of your
mercy—the promise you made to our ancestors—to Sarah and Abraham and their
descendants forever."
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about
three months and then returned home.
Homily Thoughts – Jim
I have a three basic homily
thoughts to share ………….
First: In our Catholic tradition, we have great
respect for Mary as the mother of Jesus. Today’s Gospel from Luke tells that
story from Mary’s own perspective. Luke tells us that an angel appeared to Mary
and told her that she will bear a son and will name him Jesus. Mary is troubled
by this and asks how it will happen and the angel tells her not to doubt … that she will conceive through
the power of the Most High.
She then hurriedly goes
off to visit her elderly cousin Elizabeth who is already six months pregnant,
(God of surprises-much like the story of Sarah & Abraham). After greeting
each other, Mary proclaims her famous hymn of praise, which we call the
Magnificat. It is Mary’s great ‘yes in
faith’ to all that will be.
In her
wisdom, the Church calls us to stop and celebrate Mary on this calendar day.
Today’s
Feast of the Assumption recalls the end of her life here on earth, and her
union with the Holy One and her son Jesus for all eternity.
So what is
it that we need to celebrate and ponder? Perhaps it is simply that Mary gives
us a wonderful metaphor for the “female, mothering side of the Divine.” It is
truly an understatement to say we desperately need this after centuries of
exclusive patriarchal and masculine images that have caused many to feel a
distance from God, to say nothing of the many problems we are experiencing in
our church today.
Second: Can I safely say that each of you residents
here at the Eddy are feeling the effects of aging? Each of you need some level
of assistance in the tasks of daily living. Do you ever feel that you’re
invisible, isolated from the world—perhaps from your families, neighborhood
friends and former parishioners that you may not see too often?
Did you
know that in South Africa, there is a beautiful custom of greeting each other?
They use the word ‘Sa-wu-bona’ which means “I see you.” In other words you are
not invisible to me…. And the response is either ‘Ye bo sa-wu-bona’ [Yes, I see
you seeing me] or ‘Ngikona’ [I am here because you see me].
We heard
in our first reading from the Celtic theologian Pelagius, God’s spirit dwells
in all of creation …. and it is beautiful …. it is good!
So my
friends, you are never really alone. Remember that at the center of your being
is the very Spirit of God, inspiring your every breath. Each of you is a unique
manifestation of the Divine—indeed, you are God’s beloved! His Holiness, the
Dalai Lama, says it this way: “There is no need for temples; no need for
complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy
is kindness.” So the next time a fellow resident or a staffer here at the Eddy
greets you, be mindful that they are saying more than just hello—they are
saying ‘I see you.’
Third: We know that getting older and the aging
process is natural. Could it be that this process is preparing us for the
kin-dom of God? One of the great theologians of the last century, Pierre
deChardin SJ thought that our ‘diminishment due to the aging process’ was how
we prepare for the great merging with the cosmos that occurs when we die. Could
it be that God is consuming us so we can be one?
And so I
encourage all of us, you and I to have faith— each of us has a purpose and our
lives make a difference. Pray every day for the grace to say ‘yes’ to all that
will be, until God calls us home to the kin-dom for all eternity. Our Christian
hope assures us—that communion will be the greatest ever!
Statement of
Faith
We believe in the Holy
One, a divine mystery beyond all definition and rational understanding, the
heart of all that has ever existed, that exists now, or that ever will exist.
We believe in Jesus,
messenger of the Divine Word, bringer of healing, heart of Divine compassion, bright
star in the firmament of the Holy One's prophets, mystics, and saints.
We believe that We are called to follow Jesus as a vehicle of divine love, a source of wisdom and truth, and an instrument of peace in the world.
We believe in the Spirit of the Holy One, the life that is our innermost life, the breath moving in our being, the depth living in each of us.
We believe that the Divine kin-dom is here and now, stretched out all around us for those with eyes to see it, hearts to receive it, and hands to make it happen.
We believe that We are called to follow Jesus as a vehicle of divine love, a source of wisdom and truth, and an instrument of peace in the world.
We believe in the Spirit of the Holy One, the life that is our innermost life, the breath moving in our being, the depth living in each of us.
We believe that the Divine kin-dom is here and now, stretched out all around us for those with eyes to see it, hearts to receive it, and hands to make it happen.
Intercessory
Prayers
Jim: As we
prepare for the sacred meal, let us be mindful of our personal blessings, cares
and concerns as well as the needs of our world. (Please feel free to voice your concerns
beginning with the words, “I bring to the table…”) At conclusion: We pray
for these and all unspoken concerns of our hearts. Amen.
OFFERTORY
Bridget: (lifting the bread and cup of
wine)
Blessed are You, God of all creation. Through Your goodness we have this bread and
wine to offer, gifts from your creation, the earth, together with the work of
human hands. They will become for us our spiritual food and drink. All: Blessed be God forever.
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
Mary T: God is with you. All: And also with you.
Jim: Lift
up your hearts. All: We lift them up to our God.
Bridget: Let us give thanks to our loving God. All: It is right to give God thanks and praise.
Mary T: All-loving and ever-living God beyond all imagining,
we give You thanks for the gift of awareness that allows us to recognize Your
presence and action in our universe. Everything we have, everything we see,
everything we do, everyone we love and everyone who loves us, reveals Your
sustaining presence. We thank You for Your presence which animates life and all
that exists.
Jim: You express yourself in human life and through
us you sing and dance, speak and write, love and create. In this we never cease to hope, and for this
we always thank and praise You. We join
with the saints of all times and places as they sing forever to Your glory:
All: (sung) HOLY, HOLY, HOLY by Karen
Drucker
We
are holy, holy, holy. Spirit
Divine, Come to me.
We
are holy, holy, holy. Feeling
love, healing me.
We
are holy, holy, holy. Open my
heart, allow me to see.
We
are whole. Beauty
and love, lives in me.
You are holy, holy, holy…
Bridget: Loving God, we live and move and
have our being in You. We give thanks for those throughout history who have
affirmed your loving presence and moved your people to give witness.
All: They have witnessed to
your presence in lives characterized by love, mercy, compassion, generosity and
forgiveness.
Mary T: We thank you for Jesus, who loved
so greatly, taught so clearly, and proclaimed so courageously. He set people free from images, ideas and religious practices that bound
them in fear and a false sense of separation from you.
All: Through Jesus, we know
our loving actions become a share in your life. In Jesus, we see your
Spirit challenging us to make your presence more visible on earth.
Jim: We thank You for Your
Spirit of life and love among us. We are grateful that Your Spirit sets us free
to discover your presence within us and in all of creation. All: And for this we thank and praise You.
Bridget: Loving God, intensify the
presence of Your Spirit in these our gifts, as they, and we, become the Body
and Blood of Jesus the Christ for our wholeness and the wholeness of all creation.
Mary T: I
invite you, the People of God, to extend your hands and pray with us:
All: We
remember that on the night before he died, while at supper with his
friends, Jesus took the Bread,
spoke the blessing, broke the bread and offered it them saying: Take and eat,
this is my body. (Pause)
All: When
supper was ended, Jesus took the cup of wine, spoke the blessing and offered it
to them saying: Take and drink of the
covenant made new again through my life in you. Do this in memory of me.
Jim: Let us proclaim the mystery of faith.
All: Nurtured
by your Word, nourished by your food, called anew to be your people, we acclaim
your praise.
Bridget: Loving God, through
Jesus You entrusted this pledge of love to us. We celebrate the memory of
his life, death and resurrection, and bring to You the gifts You have given us:
reconciliation, justice, and peace.
All: You fill us with Your Spirit in the sharing
of this meal. You keep us in
communion
with one another and with all living beings. Your Spirit
makes
us a sign of unity, a model of equality and instruments of Your
peace.
Mary T: Inspire our leaders, both
religious and political, so that they act without fear to bring your justice.
All: May they become peacemakers who transform
our church and society
so that all
living beings and our planet thrive.
Jim: You have gathered us around
this table in friendship, with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, the apostles, and all
the saints.
All: May all who are suffering in
any way be strengthened and consoled
by your Presence. You bless all who have gone before us and bring
them into the
lasting joy and peace of your presence.
Bridget: You gather together women, men
and children of every race, language, religion and way of life to share in your
one, eternal banquet. In your presence, we give you glory with all
creation and with Jesus through whom your goodness flows.
Presiders
elevate the Bread and cup as the community prays together
All: Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ in
the unity of the Holy Spirit, may all glory and honor be Yours, all-loving God, forever and
ever. AMEN
Mary T: The
Holy One is always within, around and among us, giving us all we need… and so let us pray together the prayer
that Jesus taught us. All: Our Father
and Mother, …
SIGN OF PEACE
Jim: The
peace of Christ be with you always. All: And also with you.
As we share our joy, let us share
God’s abundant peace. Please share a sign of peace with
those closest to you.
Peace Prayer by David Haas (play during Kiss of Peace)
Peace before us. Love
before us…
Peace behind us. Light
before us…
Peace under our feet. Christ
before us…
Peace within us.
Peace over us.
Let all around us be peace.
COMMUNION RITE
Bridget: Please
join in praying our prayer for the breaking of the bread:
Lamb of God, you desire the healing of our world. All: We live the Gospel
through our
works of justice.
Mary T: Lamb of God, you desire the healing of our
world. All:
We are your presence in the world when we love tenderly.
Jim: Lamb of God, you desire the healing of our
world. All:
We speak with integrity when we share your Good News with the world.
Presiders hold
up the bread and cup
Bridget: This is Jesus, the Bread of Life. We are blessed to share this sacred
meal.
All: Jesus, you affirm our
goodness and worthiness by your word, and we will heal the world.
Presiders distribute
communion—be attentive to staff’s directions. Each resident may “intinct” in
the cup.
Communion Song: Holy
Is Your Name (Magnificat) by David Haas
My soul is filled with
joy
as I sing to God my
savior:
you have looked upon
your servant,
you have visited your
people.
Refrain:
And
holy is your name
through
all generations!
Everlasting
is your mercy to the people
you
have chosen, and holy is your name.
I am lowly as a child,
but I know from this
day forward
that my name will be
remembered,
for all will call me
blessed. Refrain
I proclaim the power
of God,
you do marvels for
your servants;
though you scatter the
proud-hearted
and destroy the might
of princes. Refrain
To the hungry you give
food,
send the rich away
empty.
In your mercy you are
mindful
of the people you have
chosen. Refrain
In your love you now
fulfill
what you promised to
your people.
I will praise you,
Lord, my savior,
everlasting is your
mercy. Refrain
Blessing and
Dismissal
Mary T: Together let us extend our hands and bless
each other
May we continue to be
the Face of God to each other. May the harmony of being connected across
culture, race, time and space create in us the yearning to love as One Body:
joyfully, extravagantly, even wastefully. May our living and loving this week
be a blessing to all we meet. Amen.
Closing Song: Hail Mary: Gentle Woman by
Carey Landry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9GlqPnI34U
Cantor Intro:
Hail Mary, full of
grace, the Lord is with you. Holy
Mary, Mother of God,
Blessed are you among
women and Pray for us
sinners now
blest is the fruit of
your womb, Jesus. And at
the hour of death. Amen.
Refrain: Gentle woman, quiet light, morning star, so
strong and bright,
Gentle Mother, peaceful dove,
teach us wisdom; teach us love.
Verse 1. You were chosen by the Father, you were
chosen for the Son. You were chosen from all women and for woman, shining
one. Refrain
Verse 2. Blessed are you among women, blest in turn
all women, too.
Blessed they with peaceful spirits.
Blessed they with gentle hearts. Refrain
Presiders: Our
celebration is over. Go in peace.
Thank
you for celebrating with us!
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