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Saturday, May 11, 2019

MMOJ Inclusive Catholic Community Liturgy, Ascension. June 1, 2019, Presiders: Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP and Dotty Shugrue ARCWP, Music Minister Linda Lee Miller




Theme: The Spirit fills is with power to be God’s witnesses to all.

Welcome and Greeting

Presider: Welcome to Mary, Mother of Jesus, an inclusive Catholic Community where all are welcome to share Eucharist at the Banquet Table.   We use inclusive language in our Scripture readings and prayers.   We invite respectful sharing at the homily that is related to our readings. We welcome all of you to share your intentions at the Prayers of the Faithful. In the Eucharistic Prayer we invite anyone to ‘voice’ one of the prayers if you are comfortable doing so and all pray the words of Consecration.   We welcome all newcomers and we are so pleased that you joined us today. All are invited to join us for supper after the liturgy.

Presider: In our Ascension liturgy we celebrate Spirit Presence clothing us with power to guide us so that we will be empowered to courageously witness the Gospel as we serve one another in mutual care as the face of God in our world.


Gathering Song: The Spirit is a’moving #447 (all verses)

Penitential Rite:
Presider: Let us pause now to offer forgiveness and pray for healing of all that blocks from opening ourselves relying on the power of God working within us, moving through us and loving others.
(Sing) Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on us, melt us, mold us, fill us, use us. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on us. ( sing 3 times)

Sing Gloria: Glory to God, glory, o praise God alleluia, glory to God, glory, O praise and alleluia. (3 times)

Opening prayer
All: We rejoice because the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Spirit of God dwelling within us. On this feast of Ascension, we celebrate your promise that we will be wrapped in a mantle of boundless love to serve our sisters and brothers each day in our world. Alleluia.

First Reading:  Acts 1:1-11
Responsorial: Psalm 104
Response: Veni-Sancte Spiritus

Bless the Radiant One, O my soul
O Heart of my Heart, you are so great!
You are clothed with justice and mercy
Arrayed in light as your fine attire
Response: Veni Sancte Spiritus

O you who know all hearts,
How manifold are your works
In wisdom you have created them all,
The earth is filled with your creatures.
Response: Veni Sancte Spiritus

The glory of the Radiant One endures forever,
for the works of love are sure.
You are ever present to us,
Even as the earth trembles,
Even as the mountains spew forth
Ashes and smoke.
Response: Veni Sancte Spiritus

May our meditation reflect Your glory.
For we rejoice and are glad in you.
Praise the Creator of the Universe!
Bless the Heart of our hearts.
As we light the flame of love everywhere we go.
Amen, Alleluia (Adapted from Psalms for Praying by Nan Merrill)
Response: Veni Sancte Spiritus

Second Reading:  Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey by Maya Angelou
Alleluia (eightfold)
Gospel: Luke 24:46-53

Homily Starter: Dotty Shugrue ARCWP
Shared Homily: How do you experience the divine power that clothes you in divine love to witness the Gospel?

Statement of Faith 
All: We believe in one God, 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 God’s Word, bringer of God’s healing, heart of God’s compassion, bright star in the firmament of God’s prophets, mystics, and saints. 
We believe that we are called to follow the Holy Spirit who comes with Her call to Holiness, our source of God’s wisdom and truth, and an instrument of God’s peace in the world. 
We believe that God’s kindom is here and now, stretched out all around us for those with eyes to see it, hearts to receive it, and willing minds and hands to make the kindom present in our time and place. May we become joyful saints in our times. Amen

Intercessions:
Presider : On this feast we celebrate the power of God to uphold us in our call to spread the good news of divine love healing and transforming us and our world.
Our Response is Holy Spirit, you clothe us with power to live the Gospel.
Presider : For what else should we pray? (Community prayers) 
Presider : Healing God, you faithfully accompany us as we reach out in love to those who need prayer, those we say aloud and those we hold in our hearts.  As always, we make our prayer in the names of Jesus the Christ, and Spirit Sophia, our Wisdom.  Amen.

 Offertory Song: Jesus, remember me when you come into your kindom  #408

Liturgy of the Eucharist
Offertory: Presentation of the bread and wine 
Presider: Blessed are you, God of all life, through your goodness we have bread, wine, all creation, these prayers of the heart, and our own lives to offer.  Through this sacred meal may we become your new creation as we respond to your call to use our gifts in loving service to our sisters and brothers.
All: Blessed be God forever.

Presider : All are welcome to join us around the table.

Presider : My sisters and brothers, these gifts give glory to the Holy One. All: Sophia Holy Spirit we remember your coming to us at baptism and confirmation and remember your presence enfolding us with spiritual power. May we all become one in love as we celebrate this holy meal.  We do this in memory of our brother, Jesus. Amen.

 Preface:
Voice 1: O Divine Flame of Love, your glowing embers dance in our hearts. Your passionate presence kindles our souls. You purify us with the searing truth that ignites our spirits. As the glowing embers of a fire penetrate the cold around us, so your tenderness sets our hearts aglow. We celebrate your nearness this day as we remember your Pentecost miracles. 

Voice 2: The wind of your life has blown across our world in the gentle breezes and thunder storms of your vision in your prophets and visionaries among us. We praise and exalt you forever with grateful hearts as we sing: 

Holy, Holy, Holy – Karen Drucker

We are Holy, Holy, Holy, we are whole; You are Holy, Holy, Holy, you are whole. I am Holy, Holy, Holy, I am whole.  We are Holy, Holy, Holy, we are whole.

Eucharistic Prayer:
Voice 3: Passionate God, you kindle your fire of enthusiasm for our mission within us. You speak to us with assurance and excitement and reveal to us the infinite, boundless, depths of your love for us.

Voice 4: You awaken us to your promises to be always present in our lives, no matter what the obstacles or setbacks we experience. Your Spirit fills us with such a hunger and thirst for holiness that our words and actions encourage others to become living signs of your love working for justice. You give us eyes to see human needs, hearts to care for our sisters and brothers and hands and feet to lighten others burdens.  In this way we walk our unique path to holiness and wholeness. 

 Invocation of the Holy Spirit (extend you hand in blessing)
All: You bless us O Holy One and you enliven all that exists. You transform these gifts of bread and wine, and our lives, by boundless grace that nourish and sustains us on our journey of our mission to be the face of God in our world.

Presider : On the night before he faced his own death, Jesus sat at the Seder supper with his companions. He reminded them of what he taught them and bent down and washed their feet. Jesus returned to his place at the table, lifted the Passover bread and spoke the blessing, and then broke the break with these words,

 All: Take and eat, this is my very self. 

Presider: Jesus then raised high the cup of blessing, spoke the grace, and offered them the wine with these words: 

All: Take and drink of the covenant made new again through my life for you and for everyone. Whenever you do this, you remember me. 

Presider: Let us proclaim the mystery of wonder in our midst: 

All: Jesus who walks with us on the path of holiness, you are the spark of love in whom we believe; the Wisdom of Sophia in whom we trust; and the desire for justice that consumes us. 

Voice 5: As we celebrate the memory of Jesus, we remember our political and religious leaders, especially Pope Francis, and our Bishop Bridget Mary. We remember the communion of saints who have gone before us and all who have inspired and loved us. 
(pause to mention names).  

Voice 6: May our hearts be joyful as we dream new dreams and see new visions on our path to holiness. May we recognize Christ present in every person we encounter. May we, like Jesus, become Spirit Fire, as we fan the flames of love in our families, communities, country and all over the world.  

(Co-Presiders hold up bread and wine.)
All: For it is through living as Jesus lived that we find our mission, that we awaken to your Spirit within moving us to glorify you through lives of holiness. Today at this time and in this place and always.  Amen

Communion Rite:
Prayer of Jesus
Presider : Let us join hands and pray together the prayer that Jesus taught us. “Our Father and Mother…” 

Sign of Peace  
Presider : Let us hold hands and sing “Peace is flowing like a river…, Joy is flowing…Alleluia. 

Prayer for the Breaking of the Bread 
Presider : Please join in praying the prayer for the breaking of the bread: 

All: Loving God, You call us to be the face of God in our world.
We will do so.    
Loving God, you call us to use our gifts to build inclusive communities.
We will do so.
 Loving God, you call us to speak truth to power.
We will do so.
 (Co-Presiders hold up bread and wine)

Presider : Our Eucharistic celebration is all-inclusive. We are a spark of the Divine and God’s love fills our hearts. 
All: We are the Body and Blood of Christ for the world. 

Communion Hymn/Meditation: Spirit Come, #453
Prayer After Communion: Spontaneous Thanksgiving
Introductions and Announcements

Final Blessing (all extend their hands in blessing)
All:
May Spirit Energy ignite us to be a flame of love in our world.
May Spirit Love reconcile and heal all divisions.
May Spirit Peace enliven us in prophetic obedience.
Together, we are one in Christ, loving and serving God’s holy people.
Amen Alleluia.

Recessional: We are marching in the Light of God 

Liturgy adapted from Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP and Mary Theresa Streck ARCWP


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