Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive House Church Liturgy, Sun City, January 9 2020 Holy Family, Our Family, Our Human Family Katy Zatsick ARCWP, Elena Garcia ARCWP

“Mother of Light" by Sister Marie Pierre Semler, Maryknoll

All: Infinite God in whom I live and move and have my being (arms outstretched), Holy Spirit Sophia in every person and all Communities (hands in Namaste position, bowing to person across from you), Inner God, my brother Jesus: I am your light for the world (hands crossed over heart) Amen.

Presider: God is within us all. All: And also with you.

Opening Prayer.*  

All: Jesus, Mary and Joseph, in you we contemplate the splendor of true love, to you we turn with trust.  Holy family of Nazareth, grant that our families too may be places of communion and prayer, authentic schools of the Gospel and small domestic churches. Holy Family of Nazareth, may families never again experience violence, rejection and division; may all who have been hurt or scandalized find ready comfort and healing.  Holy Family of Nazareth, make us one more mindful of the sacredness and inviolability of the family, and its beauty in God’s plan.  Jesus, Mary and Joseph, graciously hear our prayer. Amen.

See Sheet for Readings

First, Psalm Response:

Second, Third Reading

Gospel reading

Shared Homily: What is your vision for our families, in our communities, in our country? For the families of the world? Where do you see persons taking actions for the Common Good of all families?

Profession of Faith. All: We believe in God who is creator, sustainer and nurturer of all families.  We believe in Jesus Christ our brother and Beloved Son of God who is our love, our hope, and our light for all families. Born in a stable, he now resides in our souls.  We believe in the Holy Spirit, the breath of Wisdom Sophia renewer of all families within America and the world. Sophia who energizes and guides us to rebuild caring families, communities and to challenge injustices. We believe in the Communion of Saints our heavenly friends and family, who support our families on life’s journey. We believe we are One with all the families of the world and in the community of creation. We believe that God calls us to live fully, love tenderly, and serve generously so that all families of humanity, plants and animals in the world may thrive. Amen.

Presider: Always mindful of God’s unconditional love and care for us, we bring the needs of God’s families across the world to our loving Creator and Sustainer.

Response: Jesus, Mary and Joseph, we trust in you, hear our prayer.   

Presider: May we work for peace for all families in the USA and across the world, we pray, Response.

Presider: In 2020 may we stand in solidarity with all families who are marginalized and work for justice and equality, we pray.. Presider: For what else should we pray…

Presider: We know you hear our prayers; those we speak and those we keep in our hearts. Energize our community as we begin our New Year, our gift from you. All: Amen

PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS

Presider:  Blessed are you, O God, Creator of all families. This bread is your MMOJ community living as the Holy Family with faith in your divine providence.  Through your love, we have this bread to offer, it will become for us the Bread of  life.   ALL:  Praise to God, center of the life of the Holy family.

Presider:  Blessed are you, O God, Creator of all.  This wine is our desire to follow your Way of Love, Joy, Peace, and Hope in 2020.  Through your divine providence, we have this wine to offer, it will become our spiritual drink.  ALL:  Praise to God, center of the life of the Holy family.

Presider: Divine Presence, we are united in this sacrament by the love of our Brother Jesus Christ and all families who seek to be the Compassionate presence of the Holy Family in our world and our time. ALL:  Amen.

All: Blessed are you, God of all life, through your goodness we have this bread and this wine and our own lives to offer. Through this sacred meal and the gifts of joy, peace and hope of Jesus, Mary and Joseph may we become your Presence for all families. Amen.

Eucharistic Prayer. All Sing: We are holy holy holy (x3) We are whole; You are holy holy holy (x3) You are whole; I am holy (x3) I am whole; We are holy holy holy (x3) We are whole.

All: Come Holy Spirit and settle on this bread and wine. Fill them with the holiness and wholeness of Mary, Joseph, and our Brother Jesus the Cosmic Christ born in a stable and living in the center of our souls today.

Remembering Jesus.   (hand extended in blessing):

All: On the night before he died, while at supper with his friends and family, Jesus took bread, broke it, and shared it with those present, saying, “Take this, all of you, and eat. This is my body which will be broken for you.” (Pause)

Then Jesus took a cup of wine and shared it with his family and friends, saying, “Take this all of you and drink. This is the cup of my life-blood. Do this in memory of me.”

All (2nd Invocation of Spirit, with hand on each other’s shoulder): Come Holy Spirit to rest on us. Refreshed from our worship together and joined with Jesus’ parents Joseph and Mary, and all our ancestors in faith; may we extend your Love, Faith, Joy, Peace, and Hope to all whom we meet this year.

Prayer of Jesus “Our Father and Mother”

Song of Peace Joy is flowing like a river, flowing out of you and me, flowing out into the desert, setting all the persons free. Peace is flowing...Hope is flowing…Alleluia

Litany for Breaking of Bread.

All: Loving God, you call us to speak truth to power. We will do so!

Loving God, you call us to live the Gospel of peace and justice. We will do

so!

Loving God, you call us to be your presence in the world. We will do so!

Presider: With Joseph and Mary his mother, and his parents tending his birth, Jesus was born in a humble stable. He came to liberate, heal and transform all families in our world. All are invited to partake of this banquet of love and to live as the Heart and Hands of our Cosmic Christ. All: With our families, we are the Body of Christ, in our place and time.

Prayer after Communion, “Family Prayer”

Men: God made us a family, we need one another, we love one another, we forgive one another.  We work together, we play together,

Women: Together we use God’s word, together we grow in Christ, together we love all women and men, together we serve our God.

All: Together we hope and live for the kin-dom.  These are our hope and ideals, help us to attain them, O God through Jesus Christ, Mary, and Joseph we pray. Amen

Prayers of Gratitude from community

Final Blessing.

All (hand extended over community):

May Sofia’s vision and joy companion you.

May peace and hope fill your being,

May Jesus who is Love hold you close.  

As we celebrate the beginning of our New Year with Jesus alive in our hearts each day. Amen

Individual Blessing, around the circle. Place your hands on head of person and say

“Remember that you are highly favored,

And Deeply loved,

And Greatly blessed”

Presider: Let us go in the peace, joy, and hope of our newly born Prince of Peace, let our service continue through all of 2020!

All: Thanks be to God.