Katy served Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community in Sun City as a priest for nine years.
Today they met for a final farewell liturgy at the home of Paddy Cooney. Mary Al Gagnon and Patricia MacMillan and I drove up from Sarasota for this celebration.
Katy served MMOJ Community in Sarasota for 10 years. They are having a special liturgy on May 15th in thanksgiving for Katy's prophetic priestly ministry.
We will miss Katy and send her off with prayers for every blessings in her new ministry in Michigan. Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP
Mary Mother Of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community At SCC
Thursday, 5/6/2021
LIVE IN THE JOY OF BEING LOVED
GATHERING SONG:
This is the day, this is the day that Our God has made, that our God has made, let us rejoice, let us rejoice and be glad in it, and be glad in it.
This is the day that our God has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.
This is the day, this is the day, that our God has made.
Presider: Let us begin in the name of our God source of all being, Jesus our Living Eternal Word and Spirit Wisdom who heals us and calls us to create and build peace. All: AMEN
OPENING PRAYER:
Presider: Gracious and Gifting God of Extravagant Love.
Help us to be aware of your presence among us as we gather again in this Spirit Wisdom Community much like the first followers of Jesus, Your Beloved, after the Resurrection. May our ears, eyes, and hearts be opened to your truth in the words and stories we will share this day. May the sharing of this simple meal of bread and wine strengthen us to stand tall with conviction and courage as “daughters and sons of Sarah and Abraham.” And may the sacred sacrament of our time together make us aware of your extravagant love poured out daily and inspire us to live in the Joy of that Love. We ask this in communion with Jesus, our brother, and in the power of Your Spirit. AII: Amen
PENITENTIAL EXPRESSION AND COMMUNITY FORGIVENESS
ALL: (with outstretched arm) God, Mother and Father, lover of all, throughout his life Jesus revealed that nothing can separates us from your unconditional love. You sent Holy Spirit Sophia to give us the understanding, willingness and courage to love one another. We ask you to grant us the grace of pardon and peace so that we may in turn forgive each other our failures to care for one another and for our Earth. We ask this in the name of Jesus our brother and Holy Spirit, our healer and comforter. Amen
LITURGY OF THE WORD
FIRST READING: THE MANY FACES OF JOY
The joy of life reveals itself in many forms.
At its most basic, joy is that special pang of pleasure that springs from happiness.
It is that excitement from unrestrained abandon as well, from being free.
It is that thrill that comes from love.
It is that peace that can descend when the spirit is moved.
It is that extraordinary feeling that is triggered by the expectation of good.
It is that jubilation that wells up when miraculous things occur.
It is that awe when the size and scope of the world are felt.
It is that arrow of delight that hits its mark when fulfillment is achieved.
Joy is contagious.
It can spread like a forest fire, whipped by a high, hot wind.
Joy can be shared in a crowd. Or it can be savored all alone. Joy can bellow. Or it can fall soft as a kitten’s tread. Joy can excite. Or it can comfort. Joy can be sensuous. Or it can spring from intellect. Joy can bewitch. Joy can be sweet. Or it can be zesty, euphoric, giddy.
It can teach. It can heal. It can lay to rest old pain.
In a world darkened by suffering and uncertainty, joy can brighten our heaven and make life worth living again. THESE ARE WORDS WRITTEN BY PHILIP B. KUNHARDT Jr.
All: Thanks be to God.
PSALM: Holy is Your Name Taken from “MIRYAM OF NAZARETH” (BY Ann Johnson)
My soul rejoices in you, Yahweh,
and my spirit dances within your presence, my God,
because you who love mightily look upon me,
one who stands with arms stretched out toward you.
Holy is Your Name
From this day and forever all who come to life,
One after one, shall remember me and shall pray,
“Blessed are we when we open our hearts and
receive in joy the seed of the Everlasting One.”
Holy is Your Name
You are the gentle one who reaches out in tenderness
from age to age to caress with your hand the heads of those
who bend their necks.
With powerful arms you embrace each of us.
Holy is Your Name
The proud hearts that we hold out to you,
You break and scatter.
You pull down the structures and fantasies with which we fortify ourselves,
And you teach us the simple things.
When we are hungry you fill us with good things.
When we are glutted you teach us patience
That we may come hungry again to your table.
Holy is Your Name
This day and forever you stand with your people,
Those who remember your tenderness,
…. having given us your word, your promise….
we remember your tenderness as we walk in safety.
For you are Yahweh in whom we trust. All: Thanks be to God
GOSPEL Acclamation: Glory to God, Glory, O praise God Alleluia, Glory to God, Glory, O praise the name of our God!
GOSPEL Reading: JOHN 15:9-15
As my Abba has loved me, so I have loved you.
Live on in my love.
And you will live on in my love if you keep my commandments,
Just as I live on in Abba God’s love and have kept God’s commandments.
I tell you all this that my own joy may be yours
and your joy may be complete.
This is my commandment:
Love one another as I have loved you.
This is the good news of our Brother Jesus.
All: We praise you O God for time and eternity.
SHARED HOMILY/ COMMUNITY REFLECTION
PROFESSION OF FAITH We believe in one God, 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 God's Word, bringer of God's healing, heart of God's compassion, bright star in the firmament of God's prophets, mystics, and saints.
We believe that we are called to follow Jesus as a vehicle of God's love, a source of God's wisdom and truth, and an instrument of God's peace in the world.
GENERAL INTERCESSIONS
Presider: With hearts filled with loving trust and in humility, we lift up the needs of our community at this time. (After each intercession please respond)
All: God of extravagant love hear our prayer.
Presider: That all hatred, hostility and violence end in our country and throughout the world, we pray. R.
Presider: That the sick may be healed in body, mind and soul, we pray. R.
Presider: That all who have died dwell forever in God’s presence. R
For what else shall we pray?
Presider: We lift up to you O God these and all the unspoken intentions we hold in the silence of our hearts as we gather around your Banquet Table today.
PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS
Presider: Jesus who has often sat at our tables, now invites us to partake at his family table.
All: O God of extravagant love we, your people who live in the joy of that love, are united in this sacrament by our common love of Jesus. We are in communion with everyone everywhere, who shares your gift of love, especially all those who are marginalized and oppressed. May we love tenderly, do justice, and walk humbly with you in solidarity with our sisters and brothers everywhere. May we live as prophetic witnesses to the Gospel of Jesus, supported by the vision that directed him, and the wisdom of the Spirit who enkindles in us the fire of your love. Amen
Presider: Blessed are you God, Source of all being, through your goodness we have this bread, wine, all creation, and our own lives to offer. Through this sacred meal may we become your new creation.
All: Blessed be God forever.
Presider: God is with us, loving and healing through us. All: Namaste
Presider: Lift up your hearts. All: We lift them up in tender love, open to serve.
Presider: Let us give thanks to our God. All: It is our joy to give God thanks and praise
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
VOICE ONE: Gracious Wisdom, You embraced us with extravagant affection in our blessedness and brokenness. We thank you that in this festive meal of unending delight, your Spirit continues to be poured out among this circle of disciples. Yes, we are gathered here to give, receive forgiveness, and offer each other the gift of your peace/shalom. Filled with the joy of being loved by you we join with the angels and saints and people of every race, faith and nation to glorify your presence as we sing:
All SING: WE ARE HOLY, HOLY, HOLY…3X WE ARE WHOLE (YOU, I, We)
VOICE TWO: Gracious God, in this moment we celebrate your indescribable love for your evolving cosmos. Here your divine compassion connects us to the young, the old, the least and the last, to everyone everywhere on our journey into your heart of mercy.
(Please all extend hands as we recite the epiclesis and consecration together)
All: May your spirit, present in these gifts and in us, fill us with a new outpouring of love that makes us more deeply one body in the cosmic Christ living the fullness of your compassion.
Presider: On the night before he was betrayed, Jesus gathered with his friends for a meal. He took bread into his hands broke it and said:
All: Take this all of you, and eat it. This bread is you; This bread is me. We are one body. Do this in memory of me.
Presider: In the same way after supper, Jesus took the cup, raised it with love beyond all telling, gave thanks, and sharing the cup with those at table he said:
All: Take this all of you and drink from it. This is the cup of my life blood of the new and everlasting covenant which will be shed for everyone. Every time you drink of it, remember me.
Presider: Jesus who was with God “in the beginning of the creation of the heavens and the earth” is with us now in this bread and this cup. Now then, in sacred memory let us proclaim the mystery of our faith.
All: In every creature that has ever breathed, we see your tenderness; In every living being that has passed on before us, we see your goodness; In everything yet to be, Christ will come again! In our breaking of the bread of earth, Christ of the cosmos is being re-membered! We live in the joy of being loved by our extravagant god!
All: Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in the unity of Spirit Wisdom, all praise and glory are yours, loving God forever and ever. Sing: Amen 2x
All: Our Father and Mother who are in heaven, blessed is your name, your kindom come…
All: Loving God, we have just prayed that your kindom may come upon us. Grant that we may open our ears to hear it, our hands to serve it, and our hearts to make it real.
THE SIGN OF PEACE
Presider: Jesus, you said to your disciples, “My peace I leave you, my peace I give you. “ Look on the faith of those gathered here and…….
All: …. Grant us your peace. O God, following the example of Jesus and with the strength of the Spirit, help us spread that peace throughout the world, to everyone, everywhere, no exceptions. Amen
Presider: May the peace of God be always with us, and now let us turn to each other and acknowledge God’s presence in each one with a bow and Namaste.
LITANY FOR THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD
Presider: Loving God…. All: You call us to spirit-filled service and to live the gospel of non- violence for peace and justice. We will live justly.
Presider: Loving God….All: You call us to be your presence in the world and to be bearers of understanding and compassion, forgiveness and healing everywhere in your name. We will love tenderly.
Presider: Loving God---All: You call us to speak truth to power. We will walk humbly with you.
Chant : “Sanctuary” God prepare me, to be your sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true. With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living, sanctuary for you. 2x
Presider: This is Jesus, who calls us to open doors that are closed and share our bread on the altar of the world. Jesus invites all of us to eat and drink at this sacred banquet of love.
All: Jesus we are worthy to receive you and to be your compassion in our world. We are the body of Christ.
Presider: Let us share the Body of Christ with the Body of Christ! All: Amen
COMMUNION
Prayers of Thanksgiving
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Presider: O God of Extravagant Love, Jesus showed us how to love one another and heal our hearts. Through the power of your liberating Spirit at work within us, we will give and receive forgiveness, live joyously, and work for healing, justice and equality for our earth and for all God’s holy people. All: Amen
CONCLUDING RITE
Presider: Our God is with you. All: And also with you.
COMMUNITY BLESSING (EVERYONE PLEASE EXTEND YOUR HANDS IN MUTUAL BLESSING) All: May the God of Sarah and Abraham, the blessed one of Jacob and Rachel, and Sophia Holy Wisdom, walk with us and all created life on our journey into mystical union with the heart of our God of extravagant love.
DISMISSAL Let us go and live in the joy of being loved. All: Thanks be to God
Closing Song: Immaculate Mary
Immaculate Mary Your praises we sing
You reign now in heaven with Jesus our king
Ave Ave Ave Maria
Ave Ave Maria
In heaven the blessed your glory proclaim
On earth we your children invoke your fair name
Ave Ave Ave Maria
Ave Ave Maria
