Theme: Waiting… to Receive
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LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH--Prayer
Elena: Holy One, help us focus on you during this busy season. May we stay aware of the joy you bring into our lives. We want to find you in the everyday moments and come with hearts of gratitude to your manger on Christmas.
Amen
WELCOME AND GATHERING:
Dotty: Welcome to our Church without walls, Mary Mother of Jesus, an inclusive Catholic Community, where all are welcome. At these difficult times, it is now more important than ever to gather together to support one another as “companions on this journey,” a journey of the unknown. For “wherever two or more of you are gathered in my Name, there is love.”
Today our Gospel is about waiting: Isaiah is waiting, John the Baptist is waiting and perhaps, more importantly during this Season of Advent is Mary’s waiting. Advent is really all about Mary’s waiting.Mary’s “Yes” kept her waiting with some trepidation. Surely, as a child bearing a child, her waiting had manyscary moments. Mary has been presented to us as a humble maiden who accepted an extraordinary responsibility without knowing what was before her on her journey. The acceptance of all the waiting that occurred in her life has had a profound influence on humanity.
Mary Al: 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 worldthrough 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.
Gathering Song: “Let it Be”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8IdkKvuEfI
Ann Cooke: We gather together as a community of love, caring, concern and support. O Spirit of all that is perfect and good, we pray the words of this song as a message of comfort and hope.
This joy that I have the world did not give to me
This joy that I have the world did not give to me
This joy that I have the world did not give to me
The world did not give it to me therefore, THEWORLD CANNOT TAKE IT AWAY!
TRANSFORMATION PRAYER:
Mary Al: The suffering being experienced by the people of the world is greater than ever before in our lifetimes. We commit ourselves to lift our hearts in prayer as often this concern comes to mind.
ALL: Transform us Christ of the Cosmos to respond to this
need
It is difficult today to keep our focus on the Divine Presence within in us and within everyone around us. Peaceful protests are interrupted needlessly. Racism and white supremacy infiltrate all our structures. We commit ourselves to speak truth to power.
ALL. Transform us Christ of the Cosmos to respond to this
need
The divisions among our leaders of government work against the needs of our people. We commit ourselves to support the needs of others in whatever ways we can and to share our faith that goodness will prevail.
All: Transform us Christ of the Cosmos to respond to this
Need
We are the Body, the Hands and the Feet of the living Christ,
GLORIA
Beth P: Glorious is the Cosmic Christ ever expanding in our Universe.
Glorious is the Cosmic Christ creating the beauty of our earth.
Glorious is the Cosmic Christ breathing life into all the birds of the air, the fish of the sea, the animals of the earth.
Glorious is the Cosmic Christ filling human life with insight, vision, wisdom and love.
Glorious is the Cosmic Christ the energy and presence that is within our very self and all people of the earth.
Glorious is 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
Joan M.: First Reading is from the Prophet Isaiah chapter 61: vs 1-2 and 10-11
The Spirit of Exalted YHWH (Ya-way) is upon me,
For YHWH has anointed me:
God has sent me
To bring good news to those who are poor;
To heal broken hearts;
To proclaim release to those held captive;
And to those in prison;
To announce a year of favor from YHWH.
I will joyfully exalt in YHWH.
Who is the joy of my soul.
My God clothed me with a robe of deliverance
And wrapped me in a mantle of justice,
The way a bridegroom puts on a wreath
And when a bride bedecks herself with jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots,
And a garden brings its seeds to blossom,
So exalted YHWH makes justice sprout, and praise springs up before all nations.
I am waiting for YHWH to come in glory.
These are the inspired words of the prophet Isaiah and together we say: LET IT BE SO
Psalm: Psalm 73 by Hangad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSlmlI4p-9E&list=PLm0o3GtwBvmp7b2pzo_IKhbDlowjqt
Joan P.:Second Reading is from The Reed of God by Caryll Houselander
Mary said yes for the human race. Each one of us must echo that yes for our own lives.
We are all asked if we will surrender what we are, our humanity, our flesh and blood, to the Holy Spirit and allow
Christ to fill the emptiness formed by the particular shape of our life.
The surrender that is asked of us includes complete and absolute trust; it must be like Mary’s surrender, without condition and without reservation.
We shall not be asked to do more than Mary; we shall not be asked to become extraordinary or set apart or to make a hard and fast rule of life or to compile a manual of mortifications or heroic resolutions; we shall not beasked to cultivate our souls like rare hothouse flowers; we shall not, most of us, even be allowed to do that.
What we shall be asked to give is our flesh and blood, our daily life—our thoughts, our service to one another, our affections and loves, our words, our intellect, our waking, working and sleeping, our ordinary human joys and
sorrows—to God.
To surrender all that we are, as we are, to the Spirit of Love in order that our lives may bear Christ into the world—that is what we shall be asked.
These are the inspired words of Caryll Houselander and
together we say: Let it be so
Celtic Alleluia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1rc7ojQtJU
Mary Al: Gospel: The Gospel written by the apostle called John Chapter 1. vs. 6 thru 8 and 19 thru 28
Then came one named John, sent as an envoy from God, who came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through his testimony everyone might believe. He himself was not the Light; he only came to testify about the Light---the true Light that illumines all humankind.
Now the Temple authorities sent emissaries from Jerusalem, priests and Levites to talk to John. “Who are you?” they asked.
This is John’s testimony: he did not refuse to answer, but admitted, “I am not the Messiah.
“Who are you, then?” they asked. “Elijah?” “No, I am not,” he answered. “Are you the Prophet?” “No,” he replied. Finally, they said to him, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you have to say for yourself?” John said, “I am, as Isaiah prophesied, the voice of someone crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight our God’s road!’”
The emissaries were members of the Pharisee sect. They
questioned him further: “If you are not the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, then why are you baptizing people?”
John said, “I baptize with water because among you stands
someone whom you do not recognize, the One who is to come after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy even to untie.”
This occurred in Bethany, across the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.
These are the words of the one called John and together we say…
Let it Be So
Dotty: Homily Starter:
David: Statement of Faith
We believe in the Cosmic Christ, 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.
Ann Cooke: Prayers of Petitions:
As we prepare for this sacred meal, we are aware that like John we await the one who will come and set the direction of peace and unity for all who will commit to follow him. We voice our intentions today as we pray….
We bring to the table War-torn countries, that hearts of stone will become hearts of clay and the molding of a peace that is fair and just will become the goal..
We bring to the table our country leaders that they will take responsibility to build a strong America and stop their narrow and selfish perspectives and work together so they may accomplish their responsibility to govern fairly without prejudice, working together for the better and best good. Of our country where all persons are treated with respect and dignity.
We bring to the table the children of the world who live in fear and terror, who are hungry and have no place to rest, who have lost parents and family members. We pray that violence around them will cease and selfish, bitter men and women will lay down their guns and seek peace rather than power and control, to work toward solutions of fairness through compromise so the world will return to sanity.
We place these intentions on our home altar as we remember the power of Spirit that through us will break through the darkness and bring us into the Light.
We bring to the table all of the intentions in the MMOJ Book
of Prayer Requests.
And together we say,
May the Christ Presence heal us and give us peace during this time of waiting.
All: LET IT BE SO
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
Mary Al: As we prepare for this sacred meal, we are aware that just as Jesus is anointed, so is each one of us. We are the body, the hands and the feet of the living Christ in our World.
With open hearts and hands let us pray our Eucharistic prayer as one voice:
Source of All That Is, we seek you in this season, when the earth is resting and preparing for new life. Like the earth, we long for new life and hopeful beginnings. This is the time of the pregnant woman, filled with life and hope powerful enough to topple structures of oppression. This is the time of her song of fidelity and celebration. This is our time to awaken to You among us. (Adapted by Jay Murnane.)
During this gentle season of Advent, we recognize that You have made us capable of bringing forth justice, like a rising sun and a star in the sky. Together with all life we sing a song of praise:
We are Holy, Holy, Holy (Karen Drucker)
https://youtu.be/kl7vmiZ1YuI
Dotty: We thank you for those in times past who believed the good news, and lived what they believed.
Blessed is Isaiah and every visionary who insisted on a better future that would break through the deception, disaster and broken promises of the age in which they lived.
Mary Al: Blessed is John, in the stark desert of careful focus, inviting the people to be born again in your love.
Blessed is Mary, who believed the words of Isaiah and opened herself up to the unbelievable.
And blessed is her child, Jesus, who felt the sorrows of humankind in his person and his soul, and responded with deep and tender compassion.
Dotty: Please extend your hands over your bread and cup as we pray:
We are grateful for your Spirit at our Eucharistic Table and the blessing of the Cosmic Christ on our bread of grain of the fields and wine, grape of the vine. We are once again reminded that we are the body of Christ in the world.
On the night before he faced his own death, Jesus sat at the Seder supper 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.
Lift up your plate of Bread:
When he returned to his place at the table, he lifted the bread, spoke the blessing, broke the bread and offered it to them saying:
Take and eat, this is my very self.
(pause)
Lift up your cup of wine:
Then he took the cup of the covenant, spoke the grace, and offered it to them saying:
Take and drink.
Whenever you remember me like this,
I am among you.
Let us share this bread and cup to proclaim and live the gospel of justice and peace, remembering that we are bearers of light and hope.
What we have heard with our ears,
we will live with our lives.
As we share communion,
we will become communion
both love's nourishment and love's challenge.
Please receive the Bread and Wine with the words “You are the Christ alive today.”
Communion Meditation: Wisdom Speaks to the Heart by The Monks of Weston Priory
https://youtu.be/PJtmmhJpU58?si=PNnnsfXaHdKkbnEm
Beth P. We give thanks for our tradition, which is a living history of your love for all creation. We join ourselves with that tradition, as the visionaries and healers and peacemakers of our own time in history.
We celebrate the many creative traditions which guide and form us and we are grateful that there are many paths to wisdom and life.
David: Each Advent we make a place in our prayer for all those who are oppressed and marginalized in so many places throughout this earth, and right here among us.
We are grateful for the gift of your Spirit, always drawing beauty and balance out of chaos. And like Jesus…
Standing where he stood,
and for what he stood,
and with whom he stood,
we are united in your Spirit,
and worship you with our lives,
Amen.
Ann Cooke: Let us pray as Jesus taught us:
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.
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
MaryAl: As we live this time of waiting we find comfort and strength in the knowledge and belief that the Christ is born again and again in us.
Introductions, Prayers of Thanksgiving, and Announcements
Blessing: Let us raise our hands and bless each other.
May we seek truth boldly and love deeply.
May we welcome opportunities to birth the Christ in all those we meet.
May we live join Mary during this Season of Preparation and Waiting. May we reach out and and travel the distance to assist those in need of our support., and our love.
May we continue to be the face of the Christ and may our names be a blessing in our time.
Dotty: Before we leave our celebration today let us pause and reflect on the gift of each person with us and extend a silent virtual greeting of peace as we listen to this beautiful Song.
Namaste, Namaste, Namaste
Closing Song: I’m Listening by Chris McClarney
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crRh-N9n0jA
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Third Sunday of Advent