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Theme: Living the Christ Presence as Love
in the World
Gathering Chant: Come Be Beside Us by
Jan Phillips
Come be beside us.
Come be around us.
Come be within us.
Come be among us.
Welcome
Presider 1:
Welcome to our concluding liturgy. We are grateful for each other and for Dawn’s
presence with us this weekend. Our theme today is Living the Christ Presence as
Love in the World. Let us begin now with our opening prayer.
Presider 2: Holy One, we celebrate You within us and within
creation as we live your loving presence by working for justice, equality and
inclusivity each day in the world.
Please join in singing our opening song: We
are Called.
Opening Song: We Are
Called by David Hass
Come, Live
in the light!
Shine with
the joy and the love of our God!
We are
called to be light for the kin-dom,
to live in
the freedom of the City of God.
Refrain
We are
called to act with justice,
We are
called to love tenderly,
We are
called to serve another;
To walk
humbly with God!
Come, open
your heart!
Show your mercy
to all those in fear.
We are
called to be hope for the hopeless,
So all
hatred and blindness will be no more!
(Refrain)
Sing! Sing a
new song!
Sing
of that great day when all will be one!
God will
reign, and we’ll walk with each other
As sisters
and brothers united in love!
(Refrain)
First Reading:
Micah: A Reading from the Prophet Micah (6:8)
My people, you struggle blindly to know what the Holy One wants,
and you act as if you remember nothing from your history, as if you know
nothing. From the beginning of time, there has been one message from the Holy
One, ONLY this: That we live
justly, that we love tenderly, that we walk with integrity in the Holy One's
presence!
These are the inspired words of the prophet Micah and we affirm
them by saying: AMEN.
Responsorial: Psalm 34 as
interpreted by Nan Merrill
Sung
Refrain: Your Spirit, O God, is upon me. You have
anointed me.
I will bless the Beloved at all times;
a song of praise will I sing.
My soul speaks to the Beloved continually;
let all who suffer hear and be glad.
O, open your hearts, friends,
that your pain and loneliness
be turned to love;
and then, we shall rejoice in the Beloved together!
Refrain
Refrain
When I searched for Love, the Beloved
answered within my heart,
and all my fears flew away.
Look to the Beloved, and your emptiness
will be filled,
your face will radiate love.
One with love, you are never alone!
Refrain
Refrain
Second Reading
A reading from the Universal Christ
God loves things by becoming them. God loves
things by uniting with them, not by excluding them. Through the act of
creation, God manifested the eternally outflowing Divine Presence into the
physical and material world. Ordinary matter is the hiding place for Spirit,
and thus the very Body of God.
As the New Testament dramatically and clearly
puts it, “Before the world was made, we have been chosen in Christ… claimed as
God’s own, and chosen from the very beginning.” Christ is a good and simple
metaphor for absolute wholeness, complete incarnation and the integrity of
creation.
Jesus is the archetypal human just like us
(Hebrews 4: 15), who showed us what the Full Human might look like if we could
fully live into it (Ephesians 4: 12–16). Frankly, Jesus came to show us how to
be human much more than how to be spiritual.
The whole of creation—not just Jesus—is the
beloved community, the partner in the divine dance. Everything is the “child of
God.” No exceptions. When you think of it, what else could anything be? All
creatures must in some way carry the divine DNA of their Creator.
These are the inspired words of Richard
Rohr, author of the Universal Christ, and we affirm them by saying, AMEN.
Alleluia (eightfold)
Gospel: Mark 14:3-9
(Woman who anointed Jesus head, as example of our
prophetic call to be love poured out in our world today.)
A Reading from the Gospel of Mark with Commentary
While Jesus was in Bethany reclining at table in the house of
Simon, a woman entered carrying an alabaster jar of perfume made from expensive
aromatic nard. After breaking the jar, she began to pour the perfume on his
head.
Some said to themselves indignantly, “What is the point of this
extravagant waste of perfume? It could have been sold for over three hundred
silver pieces, and the money given to those in need!” They were infuriated with
her.
But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you criticize her? She
has done me a kindness. You will always have poor people among you, and you can
do them good whenever you want, but you will not always have me. She has done
what she could. She has anointed my body and is preparing it for burial. The
truth is, wherever the Good News is proclaimed throughout the world, what she
has done will be told in her memory.
These are
the inspired words of Mark, disciple of Jesus, and we affirm them by saying,
AMEN.
Commentary: Bridget Mary Meehan
The passion narrative of Mark’s Gospel provides the context for
the story of the woman who anoints Jesus’ head. It is evident from Mark’s
perspective that the male disciples don’t comprehend that suffering is part of
the mission of Jesus. They reject the suffering Messiah and, in the end,
abandon or betray him. However, the female disciples who have journeyed with
the Messiah from Galilee to Jerusalem become the true disciples of Jesus.
It is a sad testimony to patriarchy’s influence that in spite of
Jesus’ words, Christians throughout the ages have forgotten this courageous
woman. Ordinarily, in the customs of the day, it would be unheard of for anyone
besides a priest or prophet, usually male, to preside at a public anointing.
This prophetic woman challenges us to risk everything in order
to share our gifts. She also challenges us to listen to the urgings of the Holy
Spirit in our lives, for the Spirit does at times move us to the unpopular, more
daring public action. Like her, we do what we can do—but whatever it is, it
amounts to pouring out the extravagance of our love on others. Like her, we can
break through the arrogance and fury of those who don’t understand, and anoint
Jesus, the Christ who dies and rises each day in women and men everywhere. We
can reclaim for woman her position in the tradition as Christian ministers and
witnesses. In prayer we can dialogue with these powerful icons of the faith.
Then, when the gospel is proclaimed, we will remember and celebrate woman-strength,
woman-passion, woman-wisdom, woman-truth and, woman-courage! Praying with
Women of the Bible, pp. 95-97.
https://bridgetmarys.blogspot.com/2019/07/do-it-for-christs-sake-do-it-in-memory.html
Statement of Faith
All: We believe in the Holy One, who is love
poured out in creation.
We believe in Jesus, who showed us how to live,
who prayed that “All may be one.”
We believe that we are called to follow the
Spirit, the source of wisdom and truth within, around and among us.
We believe that we are the Christ Presence evolving
here and now as we live justly, love tenderly and walk with integrity.
AMEN.
Prayers for the Community
Presider 1: We bring to the table the
challenges and struggles of our sisters and brothers. Please feel free to voice your concerns
beginning with the words “I bring to the table….”
Spontaneous intentions
from assembly
Presider 2: Healing God, you faithfully
accompany us as we reach out in love to those who need our prayers and those we
hold in our hearts. Amen.
LITURGY OF THE
EUCHARIST
Presentation of the bread and wine
Presiders hold up bread, wine and book of intentions
Presiders 1: Blessed are you, O Holy One, and
blessed are we as we gather around this table. We bring this bread, wine and
our lives to share at this banquet of love.
All: Blessed are you, forever.
Eucharistic Prayer
Presider 2:
Our God is with us.
All:
And with all of creation.
Presider 2: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up to our God.
Presider 2: Let us give thanks to our loving
God.
All: It is right to give thanks and praise.
All: Passionate God, you kindle your fire of enthusiasm in us as we
contemplate the boundless, depths of your love.
In the power
of your Spirit, we lift our hearts in prayer, invoking anew the gift of wisdom
and enlightenment, that we may continue to praise and thank you, in union with
all who sing the ancient hymn of praise:
Holy, Holy, Holy
by Karen Drucker
We are Holy, Holy,
Holy…3x
We are
whole.
Spirit
divine, Come to me
Feeling
love, Healing me .
Open my
heart, Allow
me to see,
Beauty
& love, Lives in me.
You are Holy,
Holy, Holy…
All: Sending among us Jesus, our brother, You birth afresh in our
world the power of Sophia-Wisdom within us. You give us eyes to see human needs, hearts to
care for our sisters and brothers and hands and feet to lighten their
burdens.
Presider 1:
Please extend your hands in blessing.
All: Holy One, You transform these gifts of
bread, wine, and our lives, with boundless grace that nourishes and sustains us
on our journey.
Presider 2: On the night 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 1: 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 2: 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.
Presider 1: As we celebrate the memory of
Jesus, we remember our prophetic leaders. We remember the communion of saints
who have gone before us and all who have inspired and loved us.
Presider hold up bread and wine
All: For it is through living as Jesus lived
that we awaken to your Spirt loving through us to promote justice and equality
in our service to our sisters and brothers.
Great Amen (Lilies of the Field)
Presider 2: Let us pray as Jesus taught us.
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 (Miriam Therese Winter)
Presider 1: Let us hold hands as we pray for peace
in our world.
Song: Peace is flowing like a
river by Carey Landry
Peace is flowing like a
river,
flowing out of you and me.
Flowing out into the
desert,
setting all the captives
free.
Love is flowing like a
river, …
Healing’s flowing like a
river, …
Alleluia, alleluia…
Presider 2:
Please join in the prayer for the breaking of the bread:
Presiders break the bread
All: 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 lift the 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.
Presider 2: Our Eucharistic celebration is all-inclusive. All
are welcome to receive at this friendship table. Please pass the bread
with the words: You are the Body of Christ. Please pass the cup with the words:
You are the Face of God.
Communion Meditation: Song of Thanksgiving by The
Dameans
Refrain
Love that’s freely given
wants to freely be received.
All the love you poured on
us
can hardly be believed.
And all that we can offer
you is thanks
All that we can offer you is
thanks.
Creation tells the story
That began so long ago
A love that longed to share
its life
In hope that love would
grow.
The sun repeats each
morning.
The story is retold.
And just in love’s retelling
New chapters yet unfold.
Refrain
Your care called other
people
Your love made them your own.
You freed their hearts and
calmed their fears,
And finally brought them
home.
It is when our trials are
ended,
We most easily forget.
But your friendship never
ceases;
Your love shows no regret.
Refrain
Final Blessing
Presider 1: As we leave this retreat, let us extend
our hands and bless each other.
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.
: Please join in singing our
closing song: Companions on the Journey
By Carey
Landry
We are
companions on the Journey
Breaking
bread and sharing life.
And in the
love we bear
Is the hope
we share,
For we
believe in the love of our God
We believe
in the love of our God.
No longer strangers
to each other.
No Longer
strangers in God’s house.
We are fed
and we are nourished
By the
strength of those who care,
By the
strength of those who care.
Refrain
We have been
gifted with each other,
And we are
called by the Word of God,
To act with
justice to love tenderly,
And to walk
humbly with our God,
And to walk
humbly with our God.
Refrain
Liturgy prepared by Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, and Mary Theresa Streck, ARCWP
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