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Saturday, February 1, 2020

Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community Presentation of Jesus in the Temple - February 1, 2020 Presiders: Janet Blakeley, ARCWP and Sally Brochu, ARCWP and Community: Music Minister: Linda Lee Miller Lectors: Mary Al Gagnon and Katy Zatsick, ARCWP

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Silence
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.
Gathering Song: “I Love You, God” X3
I love you, God, and I lift my voice, to worship you, O my soul, rejoice!
Take joy, my God, in what you hear: may it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear.

Sign of Peace: Presider: Before we begin our liturgy, please turn to one another and extend a sign of peace.
                           “Prayer for Peace” by David Haas - Instrumental

Opening Prayer:
(Pause briefly and reflect on the need to grow more in love with others and with creation.)
Presider:  God of all Goodness, we come to you today in prayer and thanksgiving, aware of your remarkable and unconditional love for us. Grant us the desire and wisdom to live each day in reaching out to all whom we meet, with compassion, love and acceptance. AMEN.
Gloria: Glory to God, Glory, O Praise God Alleluia. Glory to God, Glory, O praise the name of our God.
                                                             LITURGY OF THE WORD



First Reading: Book of Genesis – The first account of Creation – Ch 1: 26 – 31
This first reading of the first account of creation is taken from Chapter 1 of the Book of Genesis, verses 26 – 31. God created all the beauty of the universe: light, water, all vegetation, night and day, all living creatures and saw that God’s beautiful creation was “good”. Then God created humankind.

Then God said “Let us make humankind in our own image, in the likeness of ourselves, and let them be stewards of all the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven, the cattle, all the wild beasts and all the reptiles that crawl upon the earth.
God created humankind in their image, in the image of God they created them - male and female, God created them.
God blessed them, saying to them “Be fertile and multiply and fill the earth. Be stewards of the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven and all living animals on the earth. God said, “See, we give you all the seed-bearing plants that are upon the whole earth, and all the trees with seed-bearing fruit; and this shall be your food. And so it was. God saw all they created, and indeed it was very good. Evening came and morning followed: the sixth day. Thus, the heavens and earth were completed with all their array.
These are the inspired word from the Book of Genesis, and we affirm them by saying “AMEN”.


Responsorial Psalm: Psalm #24 – (As adapted by Nan Merrill)

Refrain: The earth is yours, O Giver of Life, in all its fulness and glory.
Who shall ascend your hill, O Gracious One?                                                                                                                 And who shall stand in your holy place?                                                                                                                                   All these will be blessed by the Heart of Love, and renewed through forgiveness.

Refrain: The earth is yours, O Giver of Life, in all its fulness and glory.
Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors!                                                                                 that the Compassionate One may come in.

Who is the Compassionate One? The Beloved, Heart of your heart, Life of your life, this is the Compassionate One!


Refrain: The earth is yours, O Giver of Life, in all its fulness and glory.


Second Reading:  Book of Malachi 3: 1-4
The Book of Malachi was written in the 5th century BC. Malachi is not the personal name of the writer, but a name that means “my messenger”.  This book is short and is the last of the Book of Prophets, Malachi being seen as a Minor Prophet.
Behold, I am sending my messenger
            to prepare the way before me;
            and the Sovereign One you are seeking
            will suddenly enter the Temple –
            the messenger of God’s promises whom you long for
            is surely coming, says Our God of Hosts.
Who will be able to resist the day of your coming?
            Who will remain standing when you appear?
For you are like the refiner’s fire,
            like the fuller’s lye.
You will sit like a refiner and purifier of silver,
            and you will purify the children of Levi,
            refining them like gold or silver
            to enable them to make offerings to God in righteousness.
The offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing offerings
            as in the days of old, as in years gone by.
These are the inspired words from the Book of the Prophet Malachi and we affirm them by saying “Amen”
                                                                                                                               

Gospel Acclamation: “Alleluia, Word of God” by Bernadette Farrell
 Gospel: A Reading from the Gospel attributed to Luke 2: 22-40  
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke.
When the day came for them to be purified, as laid down by the Law of Moses, the couple took Jesus up to Jerusalem and presented him to God.   For it is written in the Law of Our God, “every firstborn heir is to offer in sacrifice a pair of turtledoves to be consecrated to God.”  They must also offer in sacrifice two young pigeons, in accord with the dictate of the law of Our God.
Now there lived in Jerusalem a man named Simeon.   He was devout and just, anticipating the consolation of Israel, and he was filled with the Holy Spirit who had revealed to Simeon that he would not see death until he had seen the Messiah of God.   Thus, Simeon came to the temple; and when the parents brought in the child to perform the customary rituals of the Law, he took the child in his arms and praised God, saying: 
“Now, O God, you can dismiss your servant in peace, just as you promised; because my eyes have seen the salvation that you have prepared for all the people to see – a light of revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.”
As the child’s mother and father stood there marveling at the things that were being said, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, the mother, “This child is destined to be the downfall and the rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that is rejected so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.   And a sword will pierce your heart as well.”
A woman named Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, was a prophet.   She had lived a long life, seven years with her husband, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four.   She never left the Temple, worshiping day and night, fasting and praying.   Coming up at the moment, she gave thanks to God and talked about the child to all who anticipated the deliverance of Jerusalem.
When the couple had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the Law of God, they returned to Galilee and their own town of Nazareth.   The child grew in size and strength.   He was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was with him.  
These are the inspired words of the Gospel writer, Luke, and we affirm them by saying “Amen”
Gospel Acclamation:
Instrumental
Homily and Community Sharing

Statement of Faith:
ALL: We believe in our Creator who nurtures the earth, who resides in our expanding universe, who is one with us in all things.
We believe in Jesus, the Word Incarnate, who journeyed on the earth, blessing the sick, making whole the broken, healing many, instilling faith in his followers so that they may continue the work he began.
We believe in the Spirit of Life, the breath of Wisdom Sophia, who fills us with the breath of Life, who supports us and gives us strength to reach out to one another and build communities who search for truth on their journey.
We believe in the communion of saints, our heavenly friends and loved ones who walk with us in love as we continue our life journey.
We believe in the partnership and equality of woman and men in our church and our world. 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, bless all for which we pray”.
Presider: For what shall we pray?
Presider: We pray for these and all unspoken concerns that we hold in our hearts.   Amen.
Offertory Song: # 603 – “I Have Loved You” by Michael Joncas
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, 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
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!

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 all 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…”
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: What we have heard with our ears, we will live with our lives; as we share communion, we will become communion. We are both Love’s nourishment and Love’s challenge. Amen.
Presider: Let us share the Body of Christ with the Body of Christ. All are welcome at this table.
Communion song: #325 – In the Breaking of the Bread – Bob Hurd – all verses
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 and goodness, 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.
Closing Song: #646 – “You Have Called Us” – by Bernadette Farrell – verses 1,2,3


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