EASTER VIGIL: FOLLOWING JESUS, FROM DEATH TO NEW
LIFE
Welcome to our celebration of the New Life we have chosen
in Jesus.
Our liturgical style is highly inclusive and you
are invited to participate in the words of consecration. We are happy you are
here with us today. All are welcome to share in our simple Eucharistic meal
around this friendship table. We ask you to please place your stole on the back
of the chair you will be seated in. Then, we begin our liturgical celebration
today by lighting our Easter Candle and our individual candles – a symbol of
Jesus, alive and with us in this world.
As our individual candles are lighted from the
Easter Candle, we sing three times, each time on a higher note
Cantor: RISING SUN OF JUSTICE
Cantor: RISING SUN OF JUSTICE
All: Thanks Be to God!
Opening song: Morning Has Broken by Cat Stevens
Morning has
broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has
spoken, like the first bird
Praise for
the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for
the springing fresh from the world.
Sweet the
rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the
first dewfall, on the first grass
Praise for
the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in
completeness where his feet pass
Mine is the
sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the
one light, Eden saw play
Praise with
elation, praise every morning
God's
recreation of the new day.
Renewal of Baptismal Promises
Presider
2: (Presider asks the following questions and the
assembly answers: We promise)
Do you
promise to see what is good for your sisters and brothers everywhere, rejecting
injustice and inequity and living with the freedom and responsibility of
children of God?
All: We
promise.
Do you promise
to work for the realization of God’s vision of harmony and right relations
among people and peoples, rejecting the idols of money and property and color
and sex and position?
We
promise
Do you
promise to seek peace and live in peace in one human family, rejecting
prejudice and half-heartedness in every form, and all barriers to unity?
We
promise
Do you
promise to cherish the universe, and this precious planet, working creatively
to renew and safeguard the elemental sacraments of air, earth, water?
We
promise
Do you
believe in God, the great Spirit of Creation, in Jesus, the simple servant of
justice and love who lived among us so that all might live with abundant
fullness; in the breath of God’s center, the Spirit who continues the work of
forgiveness and reconciliation, birthing and blessing, challenge and hope, so
that together we can continue the work of creation?
We
promise
Please bring your candle and place it on the
friendship table, and as you go back to your seat, place your neighbor’s stole
on him/her, using these words:
Jesus led the
way, now it is your turn to love as he loved.
An Invitation to Grace, Isaiah, 55.
All you who are thirsty, come to the water!
You who have no money, come, buy food and eat;
Come, buy wine and milk without money, without price!
Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages
for what fails to satisfy?
Bend your ear and come to me; listen, that you may have
life.
I will make an everlasting Covenant with you ---, in
fulfillment of the blessings promised to David.
See, I have made of you to be a witness to the peoples, a
leader and commander of the nations,
See, you will summon nations you never knew, and a nation
that never knew you will come hurrying to you---
For the sake of YHWH, the Holy One of Israel, who will
glorify you.
Seek me, YHWH, while I may still be found, call upon me
while I am near.
“As high as the
heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways, and my
thoughts above your thoughts.
For just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down
and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and
fruitful, giving seed to the sower and bread for food,
So will my word be that which goes forth from my mouth; It
will not return to me empty, but will carry out my will, achieving the end for
which I sent it.
The mountains and hills before you will break into cries
of joy, and all trees in the countryside will clap their hands.
The cypress will grow in place of the thorn bush; the
myrtle will replace the briers. And they will stand in memorial to YHWH, an
everlasting sign never to be destroyed.
These
are the words from Isaiah, and the community affirms them by saying: AMEN.
A
reading from a letter of Paul to the Ephesians. 2:1-10
God, rich in
mercy and loving us so much, brought us to life in Christ. God gave us a place
in the heavenly realm, to display in ages to come how immense are the resources
of God’s grace and kindness. This grace is not a reward for anything that you
have done, so nobody can claim the credit. We are God’s work of art, created in
Christ Jesus to do the good things God created us to do from the beginning.
These are the
words of the servant, Paul, and the
community affirms these words by saying: AMEN.
A
Gospel reading from the Book of Mark.
When the
Sabbath was over, Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James and Salome brought
perfumed oils to the burial tomb so that they could anoint Jesus. Very early,
just after sunrise on the first day of the week, they came there.
They were
saying to one another, “Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance
to the tomb?” When they looked, they
found that the huge stone had been rolled back.
On entering
the tomb, they saw a young person sitting at the right, dressed in a white
robe. They were very frightened, but the
youth reassured them. “Do not be amazed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth,
the One who was crucified. He has risen,
he is not here. See the place where they
laid him. Now go and tell the disciples and Peter, ‘Jesus is going ahead of you
to Galilee, where you will see him just as he told you’”
They made
their way out and fled from the tomb bewildered and trembling, but they said
nothing to anyone because they were so afraid.
This is the
Easter story from the Gospel of Mark, and the community affirms this reading by
saying: AMEN.
Debra
Trees’ Easter Vigil Homily Starter
It
was dark. As they walked through the narrow streets and paths, they were
crying. They were in shock. They were grieving women, doing the job that was
allocated to women, because it was dirty, smelly and uncomfortable. And of
course, it made them “unclean”. On top
of all of that, they were very afraid. They feared for their lives. But they
did it anyway. Because they loved.
Usually
at Easter, we do not read this version of Easter morning and the Resurrection.
It is not pretty. It is not Jesus walking out of the hewn rock, radiant and
determined to bring his message to the world, as depicted in Mel Gibson’s
movie, The Passion of the Christ. But coming from Mark, it is the
closest we have to the reality of the day. Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan
note in their book, The Last Week, “For Mark, as well as other early
Christians, the story of Good Friday is incomplete without Easter.”
For
those of us who follow Jesus, there are all different levels of believing in
the Resurrection. How could it be that this man who was alive, rose from the
dead?!? People just don’t do that. But “Thinking” this way brings us back to these
women, and their witness; the very first Disciples of Jesus and the Way.
Something
happened to them. It was unnerving and frightening and real. It was awe
inspiring and unexplainable. Down this corridor of two thousand years, we are
still talking about it. Whether we believe in a full body resurrection or not,
Jesus Christ is here with us today!
And
so my friends, I ask you. What did you hear? What will you do about it? And What
will it cost you?
Liturgy of the Eucharist
(Written by Jay Murnane)
Presider 1: As we prepare for the sacred
meal, we wear our stoles and remember that we have chosen to follow Jesus. Let us 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 to give
thanks and open our awareness to the goodness of all of creation. You invite us
to co-create with you and we remember our responsibility to serve.
We open this
circle to the memory of all of the joyful troubadours and faithful servants who
have gone before us. Joined with all that is alive, we lift up our lives and
sing:
Blessed be our God!
Blessed be our God!
Joy of our hearts, source of all life and
love!
God of Heaven and Earth!
God of Heaven and Earth!
Dwelling within, calling us all by name!
Alleluia, sing!
Alleluia, sing!
Gift of love and peace!
Gift of love and peace!
Jesus Christ, Jesus our hope and light!
A flame of faith in our hearts!
A flame of faith in our hearts!
Proclaiming the day, shining throughout the night!
Alleluia, sing!
Alleluia, sing!
(Alleluia Sing by David Haas)
All: 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: We are willing to do everything Jesus did, to re-create the living
presence of a love that does justice, of a compassion that heals and liberates,
of a joy that generates hope, of a light that illumines people and confronts
the darkness of every injustice and inequity.
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.
Please pass the Bread and Cup
with the words: You are the Face of God.
Communion Meditation Song:
God Beyond All Names (Bernadette Farrell)
God, beyond our dreams,
you have stirred in us a
memory,
you have placed your powerful spirit
you have placed your powerful spirit
in the hearts of humankind.
Refrain: All around us,
we have known you;
all creation lives to hold you,
In our living and our dying
we are bringing you to birth.
all creation lives to hold you,
In our living and our dying
we are bringing you to birth.
God, beyond all names,
you have made us in your
image,
we are like you, we reflect you,
we are like you, we reflect you,
we are woman, we are man.
God, beyond all words,
all creation tells your
story,
you have shaken with our laughter,
you have shaken with our laughter,
you have trembled with our tears.
God, beyond all time,
you are laboring within us;
we are moving, we are changing,
we are moving, we are changing,
in your spirit ever new.
God of tender care,
you have cradled us in
goodness,
you have mothered us in wholeness,
you have mothered us in wholeness,
you have loved us into birth.
Blessing
Presider 1: Let us raise our hands in blessing and pray
together:
All: May we continue to be the face of God to each
other. May we call each other to extravagant generosity! 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! AMEN.
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