Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community 19th Sunday in Extraordinary Time August 10, 2019 Presiders: Elena Garcia ARCWP and Michael Rigdon Music Minister: Mindy Simmons

Elena Garcia and Michael Rigdon preside at Liturgy at Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community on Aug. 10th

Presiders: Elena Garcia and Michael Rigdon

Music Minister: Mindy Simmons

WELCOME to Mary Mother of Jesus…………….faith and promise are repeated in the readings.

Come be beside us.      Come be around us.      Come be within us.     Come be among us. 3x

OPENING PRAYER

Presider: Holy One, you challenge us to seek what eyes cannot see and ears cannot hear. Help us to keep our eyes on Jesus, to ponder his words, and to be serious about living his challenge of love. Open our eyes and ears to his teachings on the importance of believing His promises and of constant preparation for his coming.

OPENING SONG:  Gather Us In #303 (All Verses)

COMMUNAL RECONCILIATION RITE

Presider: Let us pause now to remember the times we have not asked for forgiveness. 

I am sorry. Please forgive me. I thank you. I love you.

GLORIA:  Glory to God glory, O praise God, alleluia. Glory to God, glory, O praise the name of our God  3x

LITURGY OF THE WORD

First Reading: Wisdom 18:6-9

These are the inspired words from the Book of Wisdom and we affirm them by saying “AMEN”

Responsorial:  Psalm #34—(As adapted by Nan Merrill)  When the Beloved speaks it comes to pass.

Second Reading: Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19

These are the Inspired words found in Hebrews and we affirm them by saying “AMEN”

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION:  All Sing: “Spirit of the Living God”   2x  (me, us)

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.

Gospel: A reading from the Gospel of Luke 12:32-48

These are the inspired words from the Gospel of Luke and we affirm them by saying “AMEN”

HOMILY BY ELENA GARCIA ARCWP AND COMMUNITY SHARING

The reading from the book of Wisdom starts us on a thought provoking journey to consider the importance of taking to heart the mandates of a just and compassionate God. In the passage from Wisdom, the “things” that would happen that night refer to the slaughtering of all first male babies and the steadfast offering of sacrifice by the upright, who believed God’s promises for their salvation and the destruction of their enemies. They believed that the promises of the Holy One would come to pass.

The author of Hebrews did some research and was aptly able to run a thread through the lives of Sarah and Abraham. The telling of the events and encounters during  their journey all pointed to their profound faith and belief in the promises made to them by the Holy One. And though they were never to experience first-hand the promised land, they persevered because of their faith.

The Gospel very likely conjured up memories of the messages handed down to us which instilled fear in our hearts of the grim reaper who would come, at the end the world.

Prepare, stay alert, follow the rules  and you will do well. So we went to church every Sunday, stayed awake during mass and learned our do’s and don’ts. We all know persons who live their lives here on earth, working hard to make a living and working hard to make points for heaven. So, what have we missed while concentrating on a journey that comes to an end when the “the owner returns from the wedding at any time of day or night” the end of the world for each of us? This picture appears dark and gloomy.

Now, let’s look at this passage through a different lens if we may. I can only hope that a positive take on this passage is what God had in mind for us rather than the doom and gloom picture of a God as an exacting owner who is not to be trusted and only rewards perfection. The positive concept that comes to mind is one of a loving relationship with God. I heard it as an invitation to union with The Holy One. When we are in love with someone we think about them all the time. Our energy level  adrenalizes us to engage in finding ways to please that person and eagerly anticipate that moment when we can again enjoy the presence of that person. Time with the beloved is never long enough. Days and nights are all the same. How eagerly we respond when the Beloved unexpectedly knocks at the door and we open it without delay. And we mutually feast on every word and exchange of ideas, all of which are internalized, resulting in a union of mind, heart and being. This passage reminds me that my Beloved  is never far away, is within me, around me, above me and is always waiting for me to respond to that invitation to union. A union that will culminate and confirm the reason for my existence! The Holy One has spoken and encourages us to prepare for that union. When the beloved speaks it comes to pass. So let us ask ourselves, how do we respond to the invitation in this passage to union with our Beloved, with fear and trepidation or with delight and positive anticipation? Take time to meditate this week on this passage and see how you hear this message.

Questions

~How did you hear this passage?

~How do you keep your lamp lit?

~Do you feel a desire to change the meaning of this passage in your life?

~What steps would you take to work on union with your God

STATEMENT OF FAITH      Taken from “The Friends in Faith” and shared by Joan Meehan

ALL: Gathered together as people of faith, we profess our belief in a God who is larger than we can name, unable to be contained, yet present in each one of us. We have come to know this God in the living of our lives, and in the holiness of the earth we share. ~We believe in a God revealed in all peoples—all genders, religions, and orientations. We embrace a compassionate God, who champions justice and mercy, and is always faithful when we call. Our God gives and forgives, patiently loving without conditions. ~We gratefully believe in a God who feels our deepest struggles, and celebrates our greatest joys. A God who both dances with us in celebration, and holds us when we cry. This God is not “other” to us, but shares our breath in every moment, and promises we are never alone.~ We believe in a God who believes in us- believes that we are precious and incredible gifts, worthy to claim image and likeness to the divine. We hold fast to our God who journeys with us, who continually calls us to choose the shape of our days through the choices we make. This God accepts us as we are, and shares each hope we have for our becoming. This is the God in whom we believe, our Creator, our Mother and Father who became human in Jesus, our brother. Our God is the Spirit of Life, the voice that continues to speak love, and asks us to answer. In this God we choose to believe.   AMEN

PRAYERS OF THE COMMUNITY

Each petition begins with: “I bring to the table……

Our response is  “Holy One, let us walk in your light” 

Presider: For what shall we pray?

Presider: We bring to the table all of these concerns and all those that we hold in the silence of our hearts. AMEN

 PRESENTATION OF GIFTS and OFFERTORY SONG:  ‘Faith Is” (From “I’m Going Home” By Mindy Simmons)   

PRESENTATION OF GIFTS:

Presider: Blessed are you O Holy One……….. service to our sisters and brothers. 

All: Blessed are you forever.

.

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

Presider: God who blesses the world through you, is with us.    All: And with all of creation.

Presider: Lift up your hearts.                                                           All: We lift them up to our God.

Presider: Let us give thanks to our loving God.              All: It is our joy to give thanks and praise!

Presider: In the power of the Spirit, ………..We join them in singing the ancient hymn of praise.

All: We are Holy, Holy, Holy  (you, I, we)   (by Karen Drucker)

All: We trust you to continue to share with us your own Spirit, the Spirit that filled Jesus, for it is through his life and teaching, his loving and healing that all honor and glory is yours, O Holy One, forever and ever.

All sing:  Amen! (Danish, i.e., a-men, a-men, a-a-a-a-men!

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: On the night Jesus reclined…………………..with these words: 

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

Presider: Jesus then…………………………………………… with these words:

All: Take and Drink of the covenant made anew through my life for you and for everyone. Whenever you do this you remember me.

All: Christ dies, Christ rises, Christ comes again and again and again.

Voice: Jesus who walks with us on the path to 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: As we celebrate the memory of Jesus, we remember our prophetic leader. We remember the communion of saints who have inspired and loved us and all who have gone before us leaving their foot prints on our hearts.(Names………..)

All: For it is through living as Jesus lived that we awaken to your Spirit loving through us to promote justice and equality in our service to our sisters and brothers.

Prayer of Jesus:   “Our Father and Mother…”

SIGN OF PEACE

“May God’s peace be with you”

PRAYER FOR THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD

 ~O God of Courage, You call us to live the Gospel of peace and justice. We will live justly.

 ~ O God of Compassion, You call us to be your presence in the world. We will love tenderly.

 ~ O God of Truth, You call us to speak truth to power. We will walk with integrity in your presence.

Presider: This is the bread………………………………………………………….. we nourish each other.

Chant before Communion:  “Sanctuary”

All Chant: God prepare me to be your sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true. With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living, sanctuary for you. 3x

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: Please pass the bread with the words “You are the Body of Christ”. Please dip the bread in the cup with the words: “You are the Face of God”.

COMMUNION MUSIC: INSTRUMENTAL

After Communion --Meditation Song: “I am the One Within You” (Karen Drucker)

PRAYERS OF GRATITUDE, INTRODUCTIONS, ANNOUNCEMENTS

COMMUNAL BLESSING

~May you be blessed with a restless discomfort about easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships.

~May you seek truth boldly and love within your heart.

~May you continue to be the face of the Holy One to all you meet.

~May you hold steadfastly to your faith and belief that when the Beloved speaks, it comes to pass.

Presider: As we close this liturgy……………………………………… now and in eternity. AMEN

Closing Song: “We Are Marching in the Light of God”

We are marching in the Light of God 4x

We are marching, marching  we are marching AHA

We are marching in the Light Of God

We are marching, marching we are marching AHA

We are marching in the Light of God.

We are living in the Love of God 4x

We are living, living we are living AHA

We are living in the Love of God

We are living, living we are living AHA

We are living in the Love of God

We are moving in the Power of God 4x

We are moving , moving we are moving AHA

We are moving in the Power of God

We are moving, moving we are moving AHA

We are moving in the Power of God.

Repeat verse 1 and end by repeating

We are marching, marching we are marching AHA

We are marching in the light of God -----(Twice)