Michael: Welcome to Mary Mother of Jesus, an inclusive Catholic Community where all are welcome. At these difficult times, it is more important than ever for us to gather together to support one another as companions on our journey.
Sally: We invite you to pray the liturgy and respond where it says “All.” Participants will be muted during the liturgy except for the presiders, readers, and music minister. During the shared homily please raise your hand if you want to contribute. Please have bread and wine/juice in front of you as we pray our Eucharistic prayer.
Opening song: God beyond all names, you have made us in your image;
we are like you, we reflect you; we are woman, we are man.
Refrain. All around us we have known you, all creation lives to hold you.
In our living and our dying we are bringing you to birth.
All: In the name of God our creator, Jesus our brother, and Spirit Sophia. Amen.
Michael: God is with you. All: And also with you.
Opening Prayer. Sally: We are grateful, Holy One, for this opportunity to gather as Christ’s Body. We pray for those who are isolated, worried, and lonely, for those who are sick from Covid-19, and for those who are grieving. All: Amen
Liturgy of the Word
A reading from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians.
If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.”
These are the words of the Apostle Paul, and we respond, “Thanks be to God!”
Excerpt From: Eugene H Peterson, The Message.
Response to reading. All sing: Ubi caritas et amor, ubi caritas, Deus ibi est. (x3)
A reading from Paul’s letter to the Philippians.
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. Christ Jesus had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, Jesus set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, Jesus stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. Jesus didn't claim special privileges. Instead, living a selfless, obedient life and then dying a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.
Because of that obedience, God lifted Jesus high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Teacher of all, to the glorious honor of Abba God.
These are the words of the Apostle Paul, and we respond, “Thanks be to God!”
Excerpt From: Eugene H Peterson, The Message.
Gospel antiphon. All: Praise to you, Oh Jesus Christ, you reign in endless glory.
A reading from the Gospel of Mark.
When they were nearing Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany on Mount Olives, Jesus sent off two of the disciples with instructions: "Go to the village across from you. As soon as you enter, you'll find a colt tethered, one that has never yet been
ridden. Untie it and bring it. If anyone asks, 'What are you doing?' say, 'The Teacher needs the colt, and will return it right away.’”
They went and found a colt tied to a door at the street corner and untied it. Some of those standing there said, "What are you doing untying that colt?" The disciples replied exactly as Jesus had instructed them, and the people let them alone. They brought the colt to Jesus, spread their coats on it, and Jesus mounted.
The people gave him a wonderful welcome, some throwing their coats on the street, others spreading out rushes they had cut in the fields. Running ahead and following after, they were calling out,
Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in God's name!
Blessed the coming kingdom of our father David!
Hosanna in highest heaven!
Jesus entered Jerusalem, then entered the Temple and looked around, taking it all in. By now it was late, so Jesus went back to Bethany with the Twelve.
These are Gospel writer Mark’s words, and we respond, “Thanks be to God!”
Excerpt From: Eugene H Peterson, The Message.
Shared Homily
Profession of Faith. All: We believe in God, the creator of the universe, the fountain of life, flowing through every being. We believe in Jesus the Christ who reflects the face of God and the fullness of humanity. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the breath of God in the cosmos, who calls us to loving service without counting the cost. We believe in our global communion with all in the circle of life. Amen to loving actions on behalf of justice, healing, compassion and equality for all in our world! We are called to be light to the world!
Prayers of the Community (Michael)
Aware that the Holy One is present within us and works through us, we bring to the table our intentions. Response: We remember and we pray.
For all health care workers who are bringing healing to the suffering. R.
For wisdom for government leaders in this world-wide pandemic. R.
For those who have lost their health, their relatives, jobs and homes. R.
We can do all things in the power of the Spirit working through us. All: Amen
Offering of gifts: Sing: Seed, scattered and sown; wheat, gathered and grown,
Bread, broken and shared as one, the living bread of God.
Vine, fruit of the land; wine, work of our hands,
One cup that is shared by all, the living cup, the living bread of God. (#356)
Eucharistic Prayer.
All sing: We are holy holy holy (x3) We are whole. You are holy… I am holy… We are holy
All, with hand extended in blessing: As we do in this place what you did in an upstairs room, send down your Spirit Sophia on us and on these gifts of bread and wine that they may become for us your body, healing and making us whole. And that we may become for you, your body, loving and caring in the world until your kindom comes. Amen.
All: On the night before he died, while at supper with his friends, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to them saying, “Take, and eat. This is my very self.” (Pause) Jesus then raised high the cup of blessing and offered them the wine with these words, “Take and drink of the covenant made new through my life for you and for everyone. Whenever you do this, remember me.”
All: Remember, gracious God, your Church throughout the world. Open us to welcome everyone. In union with all people, may we strive to create a world where suffering is diminished, and where all people can live in health and wholeness. Thru Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in union with the Holy Spirit, all glory is yours, gracious God. Amen (sing)
Let us pray as Jesus taught us:
All: Holy One, you are within, around and among us.
We celebrate your many names.
Your wisdom come; your will be done, unfolding from the depths within us.
Each day you give us all that we need. You remind us of our limits and we let go.
You support us in our power, and we act with courage.
Your wisdom come; your will be done, unfolding from the depths within us.
Each day you give us all that we need. You remind us of our limits and we let go.
You support us in our power, and we act with courage.
For you are the dwelling place within us, the empowerment around us,
and the celebration among us, now and forever, Amen.
and the celebration among us, now and forever, Amen.
Adapted by Miriam Therese Winter
Sign of Peace. Sally: Jesus, you said to your disciples, “My peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.”
All: Look on the faith of those gathered here and grant us your peace. Following the example of Jesus and with the strength of the Spirit, may we live in peace and harmony with everyone.
Sally: Let us wish peace to each other and to all members of our community!
Michael: This is Jesus, God with us, loving us forever. All are invited to partake of this sacred banquet of love. All: We are the Body of Christ.
All sing: Holy gifts for holy people, come you hungry and believe. Come receive Christ’s body offered, come and be what you receive. (x2)
Prayer of Thanksgiving (Didache, Instruction, 100CE)
All: For the thanksgiving, give thanks this way: First, for the cup: We thank you, Abba God, for the sacred vine of David your son, whose meaning you made clear to us through our brother Jesus, yours ever be the splendor.
And for the bread fragment: We thank you, Amma God, for the life and wisdom whose meaning you made clear to us through Jesus, yours ever be the splendor.
As this fragment was scattered high on hills, but by gathering was united into one, so let your people from earth’s ends be united into your single reign, for yours are splendor and might through Jesus Christ down the ages.
Prayers of Thanksgiving. Announcements.
Final Blessing. All sing, with hand extended in prayer:
Peace before us, Peace behind us, Peace under our feet
Peace within us, Peace over us, Let all around us be Peace.
Love before us, Love behind us, Love under our feet
Love within us, Love over us, Let all around us be Love.
Christ before us, Christ behind us, Christ under our feet,
Christ within us, Christ over us, Let all around us be Christ!
Presider. Go in the peace of Christ. Let us bring God’s reign of peace and compassion to all those we meet!
All: Thanks be to God.
Final Song: God beyond all words, all creation tells your story;
you have shaken with our laughter, you have trembled with our tears.
Refrain. All around us we have known you, all creation lives to hold you,
In our living and our dying we are bringing you to birth.
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St Andrew United Church of Christ
6908 Beneva Rd, Sarasota 34238
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