Welcome:
Presider
: Welcome to Mary Mother of Jesus, an inclusive Catholic Community where are
all welcome to share Eucharist. We use inclusive language in our scripture
readings and prayers. You will be invited to gather around the Table to pray
the Eucharistic Prayer. We warmly welcome our newcomers to our liturgy and
invite you to introduce yourself at the announcement time after Communion All are invited to join us for supper after
liturgy.
Silence
Opening
Song: Spirit of the Living God
Spirit
of the Living God, fall afresh on me,
Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh
on me.
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me,
Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh
on me.
Spirit of the living God, move among us
all,
make us one in heart and mind, make us
one in love:
Humble, caring, selfless, sharing,
Spirit of the living God, fill our
lives with love.
Lighting of the Advent Candle:
Presider: Called to live God’s abundant generosity,
we dedicate ourselves on this
Second Sunday in Advent to imaging Christ together. May we live and
act in community, working to achieve justice for all
as Jesus did in his
life and works of compassion.
May this Holy Season bring
new life to our personal and communal ways of acting, and as we light this candle today, may our message of love and
compassion move out to comfort and renew hope in all who are hopeless,
abandoned and alone.
May the blessing of God’s
abundant love bring light to the dark places of
our world, calling us
to action as Christ’s presence.
ALL: During this holy time of waiting, renew our
hearts to recognize what it is
that blinds
us to your presence in others and in the events of our lives.
Give us the
light we need to accept all that you give as tokens of your
loving
care.
Opening
Prayer:
Presider We give you thanks, most loving and compassionate God,
for this time of
waiting when we search to find you present in our midst.
Open our hearts to
finding you in new ways during this time of waiting.
Plant the seed of your
presence deep in us and help us to nourish it into
new life.
ALL: Amen.
LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading: Baruch 5:1-9
ALL: Thanks
be to God.
Responsorial: Psalm 126 (Nan Merrill) (Spoken) – So great is
your presence among us
Second Reading: Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11
ALL: Thanks
be to God.
Gospel Response: #44 Litany of the Word (Bernadette Farrell)
Word of justice,
Alleluia, Come to dwell here,
Maranatha!
Word of mercy,
Alleluia, Live among us, Maranatha!
Word of
power, Alleluia, Live within us, Maranatha!
Word of
freedom, Alleluia, Save your people, Maranatha!
Gospel: Luke
3:1-6
ALL: Praise to you,
Jesus, the Christ.
Response: (1st two verses of Litany above)
HOMILY for the Second Sunday in Advent, Year C – December 8-9, 2018
Bar 5:1-9 God gives Jerusalem a prophetic name. Brings Israel home.
Ps 126:1-6 Song of the return of the exiles who went away weeping, come back singing
Phil 1:4-6,8-11 Paul misses and loves the people he taught in Philippi whom he hopes will grow in love and joy and ability to distinguish what is best. (footnote: “the ability to see what is morally good is one of the consequences of mutual love.”)
Luke 3:1-6 The word of God came to John. He went through the Jordan Valley proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As Isaiah 40:3-5
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Once again we light the Advent candles – each one named for a trait we absorb by living closely with the Spirit of God: Hope, Faith, Joy, and Peace. Last week we lit Hope and today we light Faith. You’ll notice that every one of today’s readings gives us an example of a person who acted on Faith, a trait that came from their living closely with the Spirit of God.
Baruch supposedly wrote from Jerusalem to exiles in Babylon that “they would return dancing and singing.” When 9/10ths of Jerusalem’s population had been sent into exile and the city was in bad shape, the voice of the prophet comes through in faith and hope. In spite of all the writer had seen and experienced, in faith he prophesied. Actually it took many years for this prophecy to be realized, but people heard God in the words and clung to them in faith.
Paul wrote to the community in Phillipi about his trust that they would continue to spread the gospel because he had faith in the One who began this good work in the them. This he wrote while being held in prison with no guarantee that he would live to be released. But he had formed his life to the risen Jesus and he had unshakable faith in God and in those whom God called.
Luke tells us about John the Baptist who heard the word of God – heard it, and believed it to such a degree that he proclaimed it. That took faith! How many of us would stand on a street corner in Sarasota and tell people they needed to repent and re-orient their lives?!? That conviction can only come to someone who is close to God, because a long-time closeness gives us the ability to recognize the voice of God, the Faith to believe it, and the courage to act on it.
In all of today’s readings we hear the word “faith” defined as an unshakeable trust in God. That definition has evolved over time, however, as theology evolves with increased experience and understanding. Today we can hear its meaning expanded in the words of the great Liberation Theologian of our day, Gustavo Gutierrez, who says “As disciples of Jesus, we are called to live our faith increasingly as love at the heart of the world.”
The longing we are invited to experience in Advent is not a longing for the baby Jesus or even the man, Jesus. Rather it is for a fullness of his Spirit. With this Spirit shining on our faces and expressed in love, we are truly equipped to show the salvation of God to all humankind.
How do you live your faith?
Shared
Homily
HOMILY for the Second Sunday in Advent, Year C –
December 8-9, 2018
December 8-9, 2018
Bar 5:1-9 God gives Jerusalem a prophetic name. Brings Israel home.
Ps 126:1-6 Song of the return of the exiles who went away weeping, come back singing
Phil 1:4-6,8-11 Paul misses and loves the people he taught in Philippi whom he hopes will grow in love and joy and ability to distinguish what is best. (footnote: “the ability to see what is morally good is one of the consequences of mutual love.”)
Luke 3:1-6 The word of God came to John. He went through the Jordan Valley proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As Isaiah 40:3-5
Once again we light the Advent candles – each one named for a trait we absorb by living closely with the Spirit of God: Hope, Faith, Joy, and Peace. Last week we lit Hope and today we light Faith. You’ll notice that every one of today’s readings gives us an example of a person who acted on Faith, a trait that came from their living closely with the Spirit of God.
Baruch supposedly wrote from Jerusalem to exiles in Babylon that “they would return dancing and singing.” When 9/10ths of Jerusalem’s population had been sent into exile and the city was in bad shape, the voice of the prophet comes through in faith and hope. In spite of all the writer had seen and experienced, in faith he prophesied. Actually it took many years for this prophecy to be realized, but people heard God in the words and clung to them in faith.
Paul wrote to the community in Phillipi about his trust that they would continue to spread the gospel because he had faith in the One who began this good work in the them. This he wrote while being held in prison with no guarantee that he would live to be released. But he had formed his life to the risen Jesus and he had unshakable faith in God and in those whom God called.
Luke tells us about John the Baptist who heard the word of God – heard it, and believed it to such a degree that he proclaimed it. That took faith! How many of us would stand on a street corner in Sarasota and tell people they needed to repent and re-orient their lives?!? That conviction can only come to someone who is close to God, because a long-time closeness gives us the ability to recognize the voice of God, the Faith to believe it, and the courage to act on it.
In all of today’s readings we hear the word “faith” defined as an unshakeable trust in God. That definition has evolved over time, however, as theology evolves with increased experience and understanding. Today we can hear its meaning expanded in the words of the great Liberation Theologian of our day, Gustavo Gutierrez, who says “As disciples of Jesus, we are called to live our faith increasingly as love at the heart of the world.”
The longing we are invited to experience in Advent is not a longing for the baby Jesus or even the man, Jesus. Rather it is for a fullness of his Spirit. With this Spirit shining on our faces and expressed in love, we are truly equipped to show the salvation of God to all humankind.
How do you live your faith?
Profession
of Faith:
O Holy One, Creator of this vast universe,
We
believe that you are not far from us,
and
that your loving care is shown
in
the life, ministry, death, and continued presence
of
Jesus the Christ, whom you sent
to
show us the way to your loving presence.
We
believe that each of us is called
to
continue your presence and your work
in
this world, by loving
and
caring for one another.
We believe that no one is beyond
the
reach of your love, and so
no
one should be beyond the reach of our caring.
We believe that you call us to be one with you
and
with one another.
We believe that we have in our hearts
the
grace and inspiration of the Holy Spirit
to
live fully in your love
when
we are open to you.
We believe that you pardon our weaknesses
and
use them to teach us how to come to you.
We
believe in the resurrection of Jesus in our lives,
and
life everlasting in your Divine Presence.
May
God, the source of all patience and encouragement,
enable
us to live as we believe,
in
harmony with one another
so
that with our hearts and voices and lives
we
may glorify the God who names us
and
calls us to live in the fullness of being.
Amen.
Prayer
of the Faithful:
Presider: Like Jesus, we seek to respond to the
desires deep within us, for our
hopes for a more just
and peaceful world. We bring to the Table these
desires of blessing,
cares and concerns:
ALL: We
awaken to your call.
Presider: For what else shall we pray?
Presider: Compassionate Presence, hear the prayers of your people. In your
tenderness and love embrace our petitions and hold
them and all our
unspoken desires close to your heart.
ALL: Amen.
Sign of
Peace:
Presider: O Life-giving God, we celebrate your
fruitful love as we embrace one
another with joy. May the peace that our brother, Jesus, offers
always
be with us!
ALL: Amen.
Presider: Before we prepare the Table and join in prayer with one mind
and heart,
let us extend a sign of
communion and charity to one another.
Offertory
Hymn:
Rejoice! Rejoice! (Tune: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel; words adapted from
the original by Diana Newrb)
O come, O come,
Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel.
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until a Liberator is near.
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Our freedom is at hand.
The Dawn of
Justice shines upon the land.
Come now, dear friends, for Advent time
is here;
It’s time to cast our doubt and
crippling fear—
For presently, before our wondering
eyes,
This season will bring forth its own
surprise. R
O come, O Wisdom sister of us all,
Prepare our ears to hear a wondrous
call.
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in your ways to go. R
Let us together
ponder how we may
Initiate a new and better day.
In numbers we are strong, our faith is
great;
No more delay lest justice come too
late. R
Presider: Blessed are you, God of all life, through
your goodness we have this
bread, this wine, all
creation, and our own lives to offer.
Through this
sacred meal, may we
become a new creation.
ALL: Blessed
be the Divine Presence forever.
Presider: Let us pray… O Holy One, in this bread and this wine you
give us food
for body and
spirit. May our strength be renewed by
your generous
blessings that will
bring us health in mind and body.
ALL: Amen.
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
(Please join us around our Eucharistic
Table. All are welcome to receive that which sustains us on our daily journey)
Presider: The Holy One is with you, abounding in
love!
ALL: And
also with you!
Presider: Open your hearts in Christ who lives and loves, heals and
empowers
through you!
ALL: We
open them up to the Holy Spirit dwelling everywhere.
Presider: Let us give thanks that we are co-creators in the miracle of
life.
ALL: It
is right to proclaim our oneness with All.
Presider: Wide and faithful God, you have birthed us in goodness, gifted
us with
life, and cherished us
in love. In the heart of our being, your
Spirit
dwells; a Spirit of
courage and vision, a Spirit of wisdom and truth. In
the power of that same Spirit, we lift our voices and
hearts in song,
invoking anew the gift of wisdom and enlightenment,
that we may
continue to praise and thank you.
ALL: (sing)
Holy, Holy, Holy One; Spirit of Love and Peace,
Heaven
and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed
are all who come in your Holy Name.
Hosanna in the highest!
Voice: Sending among us Jesus, our brother, you birth
afresh in our world the power of Sophia-Wisdom, and in the gift of the Spirit,
your creative goodness blooms anew, amid the variety and wonder of life.
Presider: That same Spirit we invoke now upon the gifts of this
Eucharistic Table,
bread of the grain and wine
of the grape, as they become for us the
body and blood of Jesus—to nurture afresh in us the
discerning gifts of
wisdom, light and
truth.
Voice: Gathering the disciples around the Table of
shared wisdom, Jesus took bread; blessed you, God of all good gifts, broke the
bread and handed it to those seeking nourishment, with these words:
ALL: Take and eat; this is my very self. (pause)
Voice: Then taking the cup of wine, Jesus gave thanks,
and shared the cup with those gathered at Table, with these words:
ALL: Take and drink of my cup of life, through
which the covenant is made
new again,
for you and for everyone, for liberation from every
oppression. Whenever you do this, re-member me! (pause)
Voice: As we celebrate this sacred meal, we recall
the wise and gracious gifts bestowed on us down through the ages; and we look
forward in hope, knowing that you, our wise and faithful One, will continue to
endow us with abundant blessings.
Voice: In the power of this Eucharistic meal, bless
us afresh with the gift of Spirit, that our hearts may be open and receptive as
you invite us into the fullness of life.
Voice: In union with all peoples living and dead, we
unite our thoughts and prayers, asking wisdom and courage to discern more
wisely your call to us in the circumstances of our daily lives; to act justly
and courageously in confronting the pain and suffering that desecrates the
Earth and its peoples; to take risks in being creative and proactive on behalf
of the poor and marginalized.
Presider: And
may we ever be aware and alert to the new things the Spirit makes
possible, as our world
unfolds amid pain and beauty, into the fullness of
life to which all are
called, participating in the wise and wonderful work
of co-creation.
ALL: (presider raises the bread and wine)
For it is
through learning to live as Jesus lived, and why he lived, and for whom he
lived,
that
we awaken to your Spirit within, moving us to worship you truly, Life-giving
God,
at
this time and all time and in all ways.
(sing) Amen!
Presider: Let us pray together the Prayer
of Jesus: (Miriam Therese Winter,
MMS)
ALL: 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.
Presider: Please join in our prayer for the breaking of the bread:
ALL: Loving
God, You call us to live the Gospel of peace and justice. We will
live
justly.
Loving God,
You call us to be Your presence in the world.
We will love
tenderly.
Loving God,
You call us to speak truth to power. We
will walk with
integrity
in your presence.
Presider: This is Jesus, the Bread of Life, and this is the Cup of the
New Covenant.
How blessed are we who are called to this Table.
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: Let us share the Body of Christ with the Body of Christ. All are
welcome
at this
Table!
Communion
Meditation: (song of
reflection)
Prayer
After Communion:
Presider: We rejoice in your amazing love, O God!
We rejoice in the
life-changing opportunities You open to us.
Out of that joy, we
offer our thanks and praise as we leave this place.
May we be challenged,
encouraged, and empowered
So that we may continue
to live as joyous partners in creating a world
Filled with love and
ruled by justice.
ALL: Amen.
Prayers
of Gratitude, Introductions and Announcements:
Closing
Prayer:
Presider: Gathered together,
ALL: We
wait for the light.
Presider: Standing together,
ALL: We
trust in the light.
Presider: Praying together,
ALL: We
hope for the light.
Presider: Seeking together,
ALL: We
step out with the light.
Presider: Singing together,
ALL: We
are blessed by the light.
Presider: All are invited to extend your hands for our mutual blessing:
ALL: May
vision and truth companion you.
May beauty
be in your eyes.
May
peace fill your being,
Love
hold you close.
Earth
give you guidance.
Stars
give you hope.
Blessings
of life to you! (Jan Novotka)
Presider: Go into this week, held together by the love of God,
Clothed with the nature
of Jesus our Companion
Reinforced by the
strength of the Holy Spirit.
ALL: Amen.
Presider: Let us go in faith to ponder in our hearts the mystery and the
wonder
of this holy season.
ALL: Thanks
be to God!
Closing
Song: “Come and Find a Quiet Center”
Come and find a quiet center in the crowded life we
lead,
Find the room for hope to enter, find the frame where
we are freed:
Clear the chaos and the clutter, clear our eyes that
we can see
all the things that really matter. Be at peace and
simply be.
In the Spirit let us travel, open to each other’s
pain.
Let our loves and fears unravel, celebrate the space
we gain:
There’s a place for deepest dreaming, there’s a time
for heart to care,
in the Spirit’s lively scheming there is always room
to spare
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