WELCOME
Presider: Welcome to Mary, Mother of Jesus, an
inclusive Catholic Community where all are welcome to share Eucharist at our
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 at a
local restaurant after the liturgy.
Advent
Candle Lighting and Blessing Prayer
Presider:
Like our ancestors,
we honor the cycles and the seasons that remind us of the ever-changing flow of
life of which we are a part. Ritual acts give life meaning – they honor and
acknowledge the unseen web of Life that is within each of us and connects us
all.
ALL: We
light this third candle and remember that in the heart of every person on this
earth and in all of creation, there burns the spark of luminous goodness – the
presence of the Divine. Let us kindle the light of joy! Amen.
Gathering Song: “You Come, You Come,
Emmanuel”
You come, you come, Emmanuel,
You gathered all who stumbled and fell.
You share your life you share your love;
Your dawn breaks forth in wonderous light above.
Refrain:
Rejoice, rejoice, O people of the earth! In God’s great love we
comprehend our worth!
You come with grace, O Source of Light,
You teach us to find courage in the night.
Your way is justice, mercy and peace,
Your wisdom is the path to true release.
Refrain.
Rejoice, rejoice, O people of the earth! In God’s great love we
comprehend our worth!
Opening
Prayer:
(Pause
briefly and reflect on the need to grow more in love with others and with
creation.)
Presider: We give you thanks most loving and compassionate
God, for this time of waiting when we search to find you present in our midst.
Open our hearts and minds to finding You in new and unimaginable ways during
this Season of Advent. Plant the seed of your presence deeper in us and help us
to nourish it into new life. AMEN.
Communal
Reconciliation Rite
Presider: We
pause now to remember the times we have not asked for forgiveness or forgiven.
(Pause
briefly. Please extend your hand in
blessing and sing the Ho’oponopono Prayer)
I am sorry. Please forgive me. I thank you.
I love you.
LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading: Isaiah 35: 1-8a, 10
The
following words are attributed to Isaiah, who lived in the 8th
Century BC and who received his prophetic vocation while in the Temple of Jerusalem.
Some scholars say that this chapter of poetry was written later by one of Isaiah’s
spiritual descendants, who is referred to as a post exilic prophet known as
Second Isaiah. These are meaningful words
to be reflected upon in this time of Advent.
The wilderness and the dry lands will
be glad, the desert will rejoice and blossom.
Like the first flowers of spring,
they shall burst into bloom, and rejoice with joyous song.
The glory of God will be seen in the
barren land, the majesty of God revealed.
Strengthen shaking hands. Steady
trembling knees.
Say to those whose hearts are anxious
and fearful,
“Be strong, fear not! Here is your
God who comes with vindication.
With divine justice, God will come to
restore you.”
Then, the eyes of those who cannot
see will be opened,
and the ears of those who cannot hear
will be unstopped.
Those who cannot walk will leap like
a deer,
and the tongue that is speechless
will sing for joy.
Waters will gush in the desert, and
the streams flow in parched land.
The burning sand will become a pool
of cool water,
and the thirsty ground bubbling
springs.
A highway will appear there too, a
road called “The Holy Way”.
Upon it, God’s people, restored, will
return, and enter the Holy City with singing.
unending joy will be their crown.
Sorrow and sighing will take flight,
gladness and rejoicing will be their
escort.
These are the
inspired words from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah and we affirm them by saying
“Amen”
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm #146 – (As adapted by Nan Merrill)
O Divine
Lover, You gave birth to the universe, the heavens, the galaxies, the planets,
the earth, the seas and all that is in them. You are ever faithful, bringing
balance and harmony to Earth and nourishment to body and soul.
You secure justice for the oppressed, and give
bread to the hungry.
You set prisoners free. You give sight to the
blind.
You raise up those who are weighed down.
Refrain: May you live forever in our
hearts.
You love the righteous and protect the resident
alien.
You come to the aid of the orphan and the
widow.
You watch over those who journey, sending
guides and angels to lead them.
May you live forever in our hearts!
Loose the fetters of fear that bind us.
May we praise You with joyful song through all
generations:
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Refrain: May you live forever in our
hearts.
Reading from the Letter
of James Chapter 5:
7-11
Be
patient, beloved, until the coming of the Messiah.
Look how
the farmer waits for the precious fruit of Earth, patient with it until the
ground receives the early rains and the late rains. You too must be
patient. Make your hearts firm, for the coming of God is at hand.
Do not
grumble and complain against each other that you may not be judged. Behold, the
Judge is standing before the gates. The prophets who spoke in God’s name
exemplify perseverance and patience. We call blessed those who have persevered.
You have heard of Job’s endurance, and you have seen the desire of God’s heart.
How compassionate and merciful is our God!
Gospel
Acclamation:
Litany for Advent: (sung)
Right side: Word of mercy, Alleluia, Left side: Live among us, Maranatha!
Word of power. Alleluia, Live within us, Maranatha!
Word of justice, Alleluia, Come to dwell here, Maranatha!
Gospel:
A Reading from the Gospel attributed to Matthew – Chapter 11: 1-10.14-15 (John the Baptizer)
“When Jesus
had finished instructing his disciples, he moved on from there to teach and
preach in their towns.
John,
meanwhile had been locked up in prison. When he got wind of what Jesus was
doing, he sent his own disciples to ask, “Are you the One we’ve been expecting,
or are we still waiting? Jesus told them, “Go back and tell John what’s going
on:
The blind
see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised,
and the suffering of the earth learn that God is on their side. Is this what
you were expecting? Then count yourselves most blessed.”
When John’s
disciples left to report, Jesus started talking to the crowd about John. “What
did you expect when you went out to see him in the wild? A weekend camper?
Hardly. What then? A sheik in silk pajamas? Not in the wilderness, not by a
long shot. What then? A prophet? That’s right, a prophet! Probably the best
prophet you’ll ever hear. He is the prophet that Malachi announced when he
wrote, “I’m sending a prophet ahead of you, to make the road smooth for you”.
Let me tell
you what is going on here: No one in history surpasses John the Baptizer, but
in the kin-dom he prepared for you, the lowest person is ahead of him. If you
read the books of the Prophets, you will see them culminate in John, teaming up
with him in preparing the way for the Messiah of the Kin-dom. Looked at in this
way, John is the ‘Elijah’ you’ve all been expecting to arrive to introduce the
Messiah.
Are you
listening to me? Really listening?
A Reading of
the Gospel attributed to Matthew, as written in The Message, a New Testament
translation in Contemporary Language, by Eugene H. Peterson
Gospel
Acclamation:
Homily
and Community Sharing
Let’s
look at two elements of today’s Gospel reading: First, the person of John the
Baptist, and then, the people who listened to him.
John was
probably not what you would call an attractive man. He didn’t want to live “in society” – i.e.,
with his family or friends and neighbors.
For his own reasons, he chose to
live a solitary life in the desert.
That meant that when the sun was too hot, he sought shelter in a
cave. When he was hungry, he ate what
was as hand. (According to Scripture
that would have been locusts and honey - although a Lebanese guide taught us that
“locusts” did not refer to insects - a good source of protein! - but to a fruit
by the same name. When his clothes wore
out, he covered himself in animal skins.
Had he tried to come back to the city like this, people might have run
away, or thrown rocks at him. Still –
he had his reasons.
When I
spent some time with this strange man, as you would sit with your own shadow
side, I found something truly wonderful in him. It was an overwhelming desire to get down to
basics – to leave ordinary distractions and occupations behind – in order to be
able to recognize in this life the voice that spoke to him, the force that
moved him, the fire in his heart. That
same thing drives me to want to be unattached from everything in order to see
clearly, hear clearly, love singularly.
The difference between us is that he arrived at that in this life. It seems as if we must wait until God lifts us
out of this material world and brings us to a purely spiritual state. Not until then will we be able to see our
God face to face.
The
people who listened to John did not jump into their cars and take a Sunday
drive out to the desert to get a glimpse of this strange phenomenon. Instead, they rose well before dawn to
escape the heat of the day, and walked from wherever they were to the place where
John was to be found. It took a
sizeable effort to do that. But that
effort was commensurate with their desire to know if his message might be
true. The people of Israel had waited
generation after generation for the Messiah to come. Was this the one of whom the prophets
spoke? Of whom John was speaking? It mattered enough to trek out to the
wilderness to hear him.
We
realize that some heard the message and felt they recognized the one who was to
come, and others did not. At this point
we can all say, with gratitude, that God has never seemed overly interested in
our getting things “right” but more in wanting us to love him/her and each
other. And at that point of recognition
(or not), God went smoothly on loving each person there.
I did
wonder if the people sitting or standing around listening had any awareness of
the huge step they might or might not take.
Those who did see Jesus as the Messiah were unwittingly stepping off
into the unknown and starting what in time would become a paradigm shift in the
world! Those who did not were
maintaining the foundations of our faith so that we might not lose sight of its
essential elements. And God loved them
all!
Remembering
that might help us in our era. We, too,
stand at a stepping off place. Many of
us in this sanctuary have already taken the first big step away from the
institution that formed us. We are
looking at where to go next, and how far we dare to go. Some have suggested that we must throw it
all away in order to move on to what awaits us. But that seems not in keeping with the way
we have evolved, which is systemic – not throwing away the past but adding to
it, expanding it, enriching it. The
problem is in identifying what is essential to keep. We can test things by the seemingly eternal
signs of the presence of God, the symbols of Advent – does that which I am
considering bring Peace? Love? Joy?
If so, we can feel secure in moving ahead.
Questions
for reflection:
Can you
identify with the Jews who wondered if Jesus was truly the Messiah?
Do you
experience yourself as standing at a crossroads or “on the edge” of something
new?
What
guides you?
Statement of Faith (Taken from “The Friends in Faith” and shared by Joan Meehan)
Gathered together as people of faith,
we profess our belief in 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 deepest joys. A God who both
dances with us in celebration and holds us when we cry. This God is not the
“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 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
Presider: As we prepare for the sacred meal, we bring to this
table our blessings, cares and concerns.
All please feel free to voice your concerns beginning with the words “I bring to the table….”
Our response is “Holy One, may your love for all, help us to experience joy in our
hearts”.
Presider:
For what shall we pray?
Presider: We
pray for these and all unspoken concerns that we hold in our hearts. Amen.
Offertory
Song: “Holy Darkness” #472
Refrain: Holy darkness, blessed
night, heaven’s answer hidden from our sight,
As we await you, O God of silence, we embrace
your holy night.
1) I have tried you in fires of affliction;
I have taught your soul to grieve.
In the barren soil of your
loneliness, there I will plant your seed.
Refrain
4) In your deepest hour of
darkness, I will give you wealth untold.
When silence stills your spirit, will
my riches fill your soul
Refrain
Preparation
of Gifts (presiders lift up bread and wine and
book of intentions)
Presider:
Blessed are you, O Holy One, and blessed are we as we gather around this table. We bring this bread, this wine and our lives
to share at this banquet of love. 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
are You forever.
Presider:
All are welcome to join us around the table.
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
Presider: God is with us, blessing the world through
you.
All: And with all of creation.
Presider:
Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up in the Holy One.
Presider: O Holy
One, we lift up our hearts to You, You who gently invite us to enter into a
deeper relationship with you, a relationship that will affect how we live our
lives and decisions we make. This
transformation frequently comes through difficulties and pain, yet you are
there with us through all our days. Come Holy Spirit, Shekinah, be with us and
with all who have gone before us, as we lift up our hearts in praise and song:
All: We are holy, holy, holy (you,
I, we) by Karen Drucker
Refrain: (Sung after each verse)
Spirit Divine, Come to me
Feeling love, Healing me.
Open my heart, Allow me to see,
Beauty and love, Lives in me.
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.
Voice:
Holy One, You transform these gifts of bread, wine, and our lives, with
boundless grace that nourishes and sustains us on our journey.
Voice: 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 bread with these words:
ALL: Take
and eat, this is my very self.
Voice:
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
died, Christ rose, 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 leaders. We remember
now the communion of saints who have inspired and loved us and all who have
gone before us. ( Names………)
(Presiders
hold up bread and wine.)
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.
Presider:
Let us sing the Prayer, as Jesus taught us:
Prayer
of Jesus: “Our Father and Mother…”
Sign
of Peace: Presider: While remaining in your
place, please turn to the person on either side of you and extend them a sign
of peace and say: “May God’s peace be
with you”
Prayer
for the Breaking of the 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 the 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 join in the
Feast.
Presider:
Let us share the Body of Christ with the Body of Christ. All are welcome at
this table.
Communion
song: Instrumental: “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” - #90
Prayer
after Communion:
Presider: We
rejoice in your amazing love, O Holy One! We rejoice in the life-changing
opportunities You open to us. Out of that joy, we offer our thanks and praise
as we leave this place. May we be challenged, encouraged and empowered so that
we may continue to live as joyous partners in creating a world filled with love
and ruled by justice. Bless our families everywhere.
ALL: AMEN
Prayers
of Gratitude 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.
Presider: Go
into this week, held together by the love of God, clothed with the nature of
Jesus our Companion, and reinforced by the strength of the Holy Spirit.
ALL: Amen.
Presider:
Let us go in faith to ponder in our hearts the mystery and the wonder of this
Holy Season.
ALL:
Amen.
Closing
Song: “People Look East” #40, verses 1 & 4
People look East, the time is near of
the crowning of the year.
Make your house fair as you are able,
trim the hearth and set the table.
People look East and sing today, Love
the Guest is on the way.
Angels announce on this great feast:
Him who cometh from the East.
Set ev’ry peak and valley humming.
With the word our God is coming.
People look East, and sing today:
Love the Christ, is on the way.