Mary, Mother of the Universal Cosmic Christ Holy Family
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/93473708926?pwd=VHFKZGJ5N3ljbzZtVU1qQVRZY1lodz09
Meeting ID: 934 7370 8926
Passcode: 552967
Dotty: Welcome: Let us greet one another with this song of Peace: “Shalom”
https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=i8_KZ-mvWNA
Traditionally we have called this weekend after Christmas “The Feast of the Holy Family.” Today, I think an interesting approach to this Feast is to put it in the context of what we have been listening to, reflecting on, and reading about the Universal Cosmic Christ and pray, in faith, the possibility of the Christ of the Cosmos Holy Family. This may open us to a perspective of the Holy Family that reflects the Universal Reality of a Cosmic Christ embracing all life in our world and beyond.
As we share this Liturgy, let us be calm, be still in the truth knowing that the Cosmic Christ is consistently and always present in our broken world through us and through all creation and in the entire Universe. Let’s be aware of our own times of waiting and how they have influenced our lives.
Whoever you are,
Wherever you are,
Just as you are,
You are welcome at this table
Opening song: The Stars Still Shines by Jackie Pajo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UonqyxgkwY
Joan P: Opening Prayer
O Holy One, we are embraced in Your boundless love. We, in turn, look for strength and purpose as we live the ministry of Jesus and live as he lived ministering to the needs of others, embracing each and every one we pass by each day, every race and culture including those we do not understand and whose actions we cannot acccept. We hold all in Divine love as part of our Family through the power and Presence of the Universal Cosmic Christ.
Let it be so
Transformation Rite
For the times we have forgotten to pray for those we have promised we would
ALL: Transform us, Christ of the Cosmos
For the times, when given the opportunity,we have not taken the opportunity to speak truth to power.
ALL: Transform us, Christ of the Cosmos
For the times we have not kept our focus the Divine Presence when we are overwhelmed by the tragedies in our world.
ALL. ALL: Transform us, Christ of the Cosmos
Help us Sacred Spirit of Light to never walk in darkness but to remember we are the Body, Hands and Feet of the living Christ.
Andrea S: Glory to the Cosmic Christ ever expanding in our Universe.
Glory to the Cosmic Christ creating the beauty of our earth.
Glory to the Cosmic Christ
breathing life into all the birds of the air, the fish of the sea, the animals of the earth.
Glory to the Cosmic Christ filling human life with insight, vision, wisdom and love.
Glory to the Cosmic Christ, the energy and presence that is within our very selves and all people of the earth.
Glory to the Cosmic Christ everywhere, within us, around us, below us, beyond us.
For these things and more, we give Glory to the Cosmic Christ
LITURGY OF THE WORD
Ann Cooke: In this Reading the theologian Ilia Delio considers recent reflections offered by Richard Rohr on the Cosmic Christ.
We cannot know this mystery of Christ as a doctrine or an idea; it is the root reality of all existence. Hence, we must travel inward, into the interior depth of the soul where the field of divine love is expressed in the “thisness” of our own, particular lives. Each of us is a little word of the Word of God, a mini-incarnation of divine love. The journey inward requires surrender to this mystery in our lives, and this means letting go of our control buttons. It means dying to the untethered selves that occupy us daily; it means embracing the sufferings of our lives, from the little sufferings to the big ones; it means allowing God’s grace to heal us, hold us and empower us for life. It means entering into darkness, the unknowns of our lives, and learning to trust the darkness, for the tenderness of divine love is already there. It means willing to sacrifice all that we have for all that we can become in the power of God’s love; and finally, it means to let God’s love heal us of the opposing tensions within us. No one can see God and live and thus we must surrender our partial lives to become whole in the love of God. When we can say with full voice, “you are the God of my heart, my God and my portion forever,” then we can open our eyes to see that the Christ in me is the Christ in you. We are indeed One in love.
These are the inspired words of Ilia Delio and the community responds:
Let It Be So
Hallelujah Chorus by Handel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jvsK798Lbs
Gospel
Jerry Bires: A reading from the Gospel of Luke (Luke 3: 12-21)
When it came time 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 be consecrated to God.” They likewise came to offer in sacrifice “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons” in accord with the dictates 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. She had revealed to Simeon that he would not see death until he had seen the Messiah of God. Prompted by her, 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 which you have prepared for all the peoples 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.”
There was a woman named Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, who was also a prophet. She had lived a long life, seven years with her husband, and then as a widow to the age of 84. She never left the Temple, worshipping day and night, fasting and praying. Coming up at that 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 Luke, a disciple of Jesus. The community affirms these words with AMEN!
Shared Homily
Luca: Please join in praying our Statement of Faith
We believe in the Holy One, 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 the Divine Word,
bringer of healing, heart of Divine compassion,
bright star in the firmament of the Holy One's
prophets, mystics, and saints. We believe that We are called to follow Jesus as a vehicle of divine love,
a source of wisdom and truth,
and an instrument of peace in the world.
We believe in the Spirit of the Holy One,
the life that is our innermost life,
the breath moving in our being,
the depth living in each of us.
We believe that the Divine kin-dom is here and now,
stretched out all around us for those
with eyes to see it, hearts to receive it,
and hands to make it happen.
Prayers of the Community
Joan P: As we prepare for our sacred meal, we bring to our eucharistic table the prayerful intentions of the community.
For those all in some many places in our world whose lives are surrounded by war and destruction:
R: May Christ be born anew each day
For families who suffer from hunger during this season of giving:
May Christ be born anew each day.
For healing for the sick and comfort for the grieving, we pray:
May Christ be born anew in us each day.
For our loved ones who transitioned int the fullness of Christ, we pray:
May Christ be born anew each day.
For all the lonely and hungry we pray:
May Christ be born anew each day.
For our dear Kathryn during this difficult time of grieving we pray:
May Christ be born anew each day.
Joan Meehan shares Prayer Intentions in MMOJ book
and for what else do we pray?
Now let us pray for your concerns:
May Christ be born anew each day
Eucharistic Prayer
Joan P: With open hands and grateful hearts,O Holy One, you are continually creating the universe, continually giving birth to all of us. We sense the need to do the same, to set ourselves free from a sense of emptiness and barren hopelessness.
We celebrate you as the Source of light and life and love, and we celebrate that we are all members of the Cosmic Christ Holy Family. We are one with you and all of Creation. We are one with you in the complete total Energy of the Universe.
Here in This Place:
https://youtu.be/sgkWXOSGmOQ
Dotty: Please extend your hands in blessing.
As we recognize your Spirit here at ourEucharistic table, send forth your Spirit to bless and make holy this bread of the grainand this wine of the grape made by human hands.
We invite everyone to place their plate of bread and cup of wine on
their table of plenty.
We are called to live the Gospel of peace and justice. We will live justly.
We are called to be Your presence in the world. We will love tenderly.
We are called to speak truth to power. We will walk with integrity.
On the night before he faced his own death, Jesus sat at the table with his companions and friends. He reminded them of all that he taught them, and to fix that memory clearly with them, he bent down and washed their feet.
(All lift the bread before you)
When he returned to his place, he took the bread, spoke the grace, broke the bread and offered it to them saying, Take and eat, this is my very self.
(All lift cup before you)
Then he took the cup of blessing, spoke the grace and offered it to them saying: Take and drink of the covenant, made new again through my life in you. Whenever you remember me like this, I am among you. (pause)
What we have heard with our ears, we will live with our lives. As we share communion, we become communion, both love’s nourishment and love’s challenge.
Receive and share with whoever is celebrating with you
with the words “I am/you are the living Christ”
Communion song: Universal Oneness by Galenus Counseling LLC
https://youtu.be/kM6Tw_z0wlc?si=i6wJlQ243KJyXNP4
Andrea: O Holy One, we dare again to dream the ancient dreams and open ourselves to marvelous visions. There are mountains of arrogance to lower, valleys of fear and separation to fill in, to create a community and communion that stretches throughout our consciousness and around our world.
In this way, working to renew the face of the earth, we are opened up to your Spirit, the Spirit of light and life and love born in Jesus.
For it is standing where he stood, and for what he stood that we are united in your Spirit, blessing you with our lives. Amen
Luca: LET US PRAY THE WAY JESUS TAUGHT US:
O Holy one who is 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.
For you are the dwelling place within us,
the empowerment around us,
and the celebration among us,
now and forever, Amen.
Adapted by Miriam Therese Winter
INTRODUCTIONS THANKSGIVINGS ANNOUNCEMENTS
BLESSING
Dotty: Let us pray together our blessing:
May we come to know the reflection of the Divine in ourselves and in our global family. May we nurture and grow the Divine seed in ourselves so that love, steadfast kindness, and wisdom will find a home in all human hearts. Amen!
Please join us in the singing of: Sound Forth the News That Wisdom Comes by words written by Jann Aldredge found in the Inclusive Hymns for Liberating Christians.
We are the Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community.
If you wish to add an intercession or Thanksgiving to our MMOJ Community Prayer book, please send an email to Joan Meehan jmeehan515@aol.com
To support our community, please send your check to:
Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community
5342 Clark Road #3079, Sarasota, FL 34233
