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| Bridget Mary and Peg Bowen bless palms |
Theme: The Call of Discipleship Today
Welcome
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: Brothers and sisters, today, we share the excitement of the people in the holy city of Jerusalem as they welcomed Jesus to be with them. And like them, we show our praise for him as they did with our display of palms.
All: As we bless the palms we commit ourselves to discipleship. We will follow Jesus from death to new life as we live as the Christ Presence in service of others each day. Like Jesus, we will challenge all dominator systems that oppress and marginalize our sisters and brothers. Yes, Amen, Yes!
Blessing of the Palms (Please hold your palms at an angle towards the middle aisle.)
Opening Song: Hosanna to the Son of David #138 (1 2 3 4)
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Communal Reconciliation Rite
Presider: We pause now to remember the times we have not loved and served our sisters and brothers. Recall one missed opportunity, one broken or damaged relationship. Now imagine this person or situation in the light of healing love as we ask for forgiveness.
(Pause briefly. Then Extend arm over community)
All: Please forgive me, I am sorry, I love you, I thank you.
LITURGY OF THE WORD First reading: Isaiah 50: 4-7
These are the inspired words of Isaiah, prophet and we affirm them by saying, Amen.
Psalm 22: (Nan Merrill, Psalms for Praying)
You are the One who took me from the womb;
You kept me safe from my mother’s breasts.
Upon You I was cast from my birth;
And ever since my Mother bore me,
You have been my strength.
Response: Amen. Truly I say to you, gather in my name, I am with you. (X2) https://youtu.be/2mTVGj0jVRY (Norine Ni Riain)
Come close to me for trouble is near;
I am poured out like water;
But, You O beloved, be not far off.
You who are my help, hasten to my aid.
For you promise to remain with those whose love is steadfast.
Your heart is our dwelling place forever.
Response: Amen. Truly I say to you, gather in my name, I am with you. (X2) https://youtu.be/2mTVGj0jVRY (Norine Ni Riain)
Second Reading: Philippians 2:6-11
These are the inspired words of Paul, apostle to the Gentiles
Gospel Acclamation: Spirit of the Living God by Daniel Iverson
https://youtu.be/G0_B0DpTbUI
Spirit of the Living God
Fall afresh on us
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.
Gospel: Luke 19:28-40
These are the inspired words of Luke, disciple of Jesus and evangelist. We affirm them by saying Amen.
Homily Starter: Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP
Homily Starter for Palm Sunday by Bridget Mary Meehan
ARCWP
As we enter Holy Week, I recall memories of Holy Week
from my childhood, holding green tightly woven palm crosses, smelling incense
wafting through the air during the procession of the Blessed Sacrament on Holy
Thursday, standing for what seemed like forever for the reading of the Passion
on Good Friday and finally, tasting a big fat chocolate Easter egg on Sunday to
celebrate Jesus’ resurrection an end my Lenten sacrifice of giving up candy.
Our readings today remind us that the call to
discipleship is to follow Jesus’ example of prophetic vision and loving service
which leads to rejection, suffering and in the end a new transformed life.
Like the prophets in the Hebrew scriptures, Jesus proclaims
God’s dream for justice for all especially for the oppressed and marginalized.
On Palm Sunday he is welcomed as God’s prophet by the people, but as the events
of Holy Week unfold, Luke portrays the confrontation between Jesus and imperial
authorities and religious leaders who are invested in domination and imperial
power.
In her commentary, entitled Abiding Word, biblical
scholar Barbara Reid writes: “Luke, more than the other evangelists, emphasizes
Jesus role as prophet, and interprets the death of Jesus as rejection of his prophetic
teaching and actions…He prepares his disciples for his own death, instructing
them at the Last Supper, and modeling for them how they are to act, as they
continue his prophetic mission. As at other points in his life, he feels God’s
reassuring presence with him, strengthening him for what lies ahead. At the
Last Supper Jesus interprets his impending death, saying to the disciples. This
is my body…given for you.” In Luke, this gift is not one act that is thought to
atone for sins but rather a life-long self-surrender in service to the least. In
our second reading Paul refers to Jesus as “obedient to his death. These words
do not mean that Jesus was obedient to a father who wills that his son die but
rather Jesus’ obedience is to God’s love for all people and to the prophetic
mission to liberate all who are bound by sin and suffering and bring jubilee
freedom to all. He manifested divine love for humanity in acts of healing and
forgiveness throughout his life. In his
final words, he forgave his executioners and surrendered his life in trust to God.
(Barbara Reid, Abiding Word, pp. 31-32)
As we begin Holy Week, we reflect on how we can offer
prophetic witness and healing acts as disciples of Jesus in our faith community
and world today. As we look around us at the crucified people today, the
hungry, the homeless, the excluded and marginalized, we find many opportunities
to listen, speak, invite, challenge and love as the Christ presence in our
communities and world.
As members of MMOJ we have joined Sarasota United for
Responsibility and Equity and sent letters to our Senators and Congressional
Representatives to advocate on global hunger.
As a faith community, we invite Catholics who feel marginalized and
excluded into an inclusive gathering where all are welcome to receive Eucharist
each week. As a faith community, we are called to celebrate our oneness in
Christ with our sisters and brothers of other denominations so we will gather
on Good Friday for an ecumenical service with the congregation St. Andrew UCC
at 6 PM in this sanctuary.
Holy Week for me is far more challenging in 2019 than
the ones I remember as a child. Perhaps,
you may feel the same way. I believe this is so because we know in our hearts
and souls that Jesus’ prophetic and healing mission is ours. From our sharing
in dialogue homilies and in the witness of our lives, we are the Christ
presence working to promote the kindom of justice, non-violence, love and
equality here and now. The challenges we face are immense but we trust in the
power of the Spirit moving through each of us to do immeasurably more than we
can imagine.
What did you hear in our readings today about
prophetic witness and discipleship?
Shared Homily/Community Reflection
Statement of Faith
Presider: Let us pray together our Statement of Faith
We believe in the Holy One, 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 the Divine Word, bringer of healing, heart of Divine compassion, bright star in the firmament of the Holy One's prophets, mystics, and saints. We believe that We are called to follow Jesus as a vehicle of divine love, a source of wisdom and truth, and an instrument of peace in the world. We believe in the Spirit of the Holy One, the life that is our innermost life, the breath moving in our being, the depth living in each of us. We believe that the Divine kin-dom is here and now, stretched out all around us for those with eyes to see it, hearts to receive it, and hands to make it happen.
Prayers of The Community
Presider: As we prepare for the sacred meal, we bring to this table our blessings, cares and concerns.
Our response is: Holy One, You hear us.
At the end of prayers:
Presider: We pray for these and all unspoken concerns. Amen.
Procession of Gifts and Song
“Jesus remember me when you come into your kindom.” (Taize)
(Presiders lift up the bread and wine and book of community intentions)
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.
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
Presider: God is within you, blessing the world through you.
All: And also within you.
Presider: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up in the Holy One.
Presider: O Holy One, the first passion of Jesus was his passion for you and his passion for justice, namely, to incarnate your justice by demanding for all, a fair share of a world belonging to and ruled by your covenant with Israel. In solidarity with the unnamed woman who anointed Jesus, the first to recognize the cost of his fidelity to you, and with all believers who have gone before us, we lift up our hearts and sing:
All: We are holy, holy, holy by Karen Drucker
https://youtu.be/J3r-3TFB6wI
Voice 1: Holy One, we celebrate the life of your son and our brother, Jesus. He lived his life and walked forward to his death knowing that you were leading him. We walk forward in his pathway and follow his teaching.
Voice 2: We pray for the grace to let go of money, possessions, pride and privilege, to become vulnerable and open to you, to accept poverty of spirit and reliance on you.
Voice 3: We pray for compassion for all human beings, to feel empathy and love for everyone, especially the poor, oppressed, and mournful. We remember all those who suffer and die each year from war, poverty and unjust disease. We mourn for them, and for all creatures we destroy, and for the earth itself.
Voice 4: We pray to be gentle, nonviolent, courageous and humble, like your saints. We pray to grow in awareness of our unity with all of creation and co-create with You our earth as a sanctuary of peace.
Voice 5: We pray for a heart that hungers and thirsts for justice for all people who live in poverty, imprisonment and war. We pray for the courage to carry on your struggle for justice for the world’s oppressed as we challenge the world’s domination systems.
Voice 6: We pray to be merciful, especially toward those whom the culture deems unworthy of your mercy and care. We embrace everyone with compassion and respect.
Voice 7: We pray for a pure heart, inner peace and holiness so that everything that comes from within us might be loving and holy. Opening ourselves up to your Spirit, may we see You everywhere, especially in every human being.
Voice 8: We pray to be Your peacemakers, to renounce violence and to serve your movement for the abolition of war and all oppression. We pray to make peace everywhere.
Voice 9: We thank you for your presence within, around and among us. We arise and walk forward even when rejected and persecuted while working for justice and peace. With you we will not retaliate but respond with love and compassion.
Voice 10: We rejoice, O Holy One, and we are glad as we join the lineage of Your prophets of justice and peace. We, Your daughters and sons, continue to work with your grace as we arise and walk forward in the footsteps of our brother, the nonviolent Jesus.
All: 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: (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: (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)
All: Let us share this bread and cup,
and welcome everyone to the Banquet as we live the gospel of justice and peace in our world.
Voice 11: We are called to do everything Jesus did, to be the living presence of a love that does justice, of a compassion that heals and liberates, of a joy that generates laughter, of a light that illumines right choices and confronts the darkness of every injustice and inequity.
All: So, we trust you, O Holy One, to continue to share with us your Spirit, the Spirit that filled Jesus, for it is through his life and teaching, his loving and healing all honor and glory is yours forever and ever.
All sing: Amen.
Presider: Let us pray as Jesus taught us:
All: Our Father and Mother ….
Sign of Peace
Presider: Let us hold hands and sing “Peace is flowing like a River” as we pray for peace and justice to spread through our world.
Prayer for the Breaking of Bread
Presider: Please join in the prayer for the breaking of the bread:
(Presiders break the bread)
All: 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.
(Presiders hold up bread and wine)
Presider: This is the bread of life and the cup of blessing. Through it we are nourished and we nourish each other. All are welcome to the Feast.
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.
Communion Song: Instrumental-
Communion Meditation: Janet Blakeley ARCWP
Presider: Prayers of Gratitude, Introductions and Announcements
Blessing
Presider: Let us raise our hands and bless each other.
All: May you be blessed with a restless discomfort about easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships.
May you seek truth boldly and love deeply within your heart.
May you continue to be the face of the Holy One to all you meet.
May your name be a blessing in our time.
Closing Hymn: We Are Called #628 (1 2 3)
(Liturgy written by Bridget Mary Meehan and Mary Theresa Streck. The Eucharistic Prayer was adapted from Beatitudes for Peace by John Dear.)
