Walk on Holy Ground- Lead with Love
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https://zoom.us/j/93473708926?pwd=VHFKZGJ5N3ljbzZtVU1qQVRZY1lodz09
Meeting ID: 934 7370 8926
Passcode: 552967
GREETING AND WELCOME:
:
Welcome:
We warmly welcome you to the inclusive Catholic Community of Mary Mother of Jesus on Zoom. We invite you to pray the liturgy where it says “All.” Whoever you are, wherever you are, you are welcome to celebrate Eucharist at our open loving table.
Opening Song: Let Justice Rain by the Many
https://youtu.be/RORyLr9y2Y0
Transformation Rite:
Bridget M: Called out of slavery to freedom and abundant life,
we pray:
All: May we walk on holy ground and lead with love.
Bridget M: Called to see negative behaviors and unloving actions in ourselves that harm others, we pray:
All: May we walk on holy ground and lead with love.
Bridget M: Called to respond to the cries of the exploited in our areas, we pray:
All: May we walk on holy ground and lead with love.
(pause)
Bob: Opening Prayer:
Holy One, We walk on holy ground today as we let go of own negative behaviors that support a world invested in greed, exploitation and competition. We walk on holy ground as we challenge unfair policies and unjust laws that impoverish communities, nations and our earth. We walk on holy ground as we live our compassionate care for all who are suffering and in need of liberation from injustice. We walk on holy ground when we lead with love. ALL: So be it. Amen.
LITURGY OF THE WORD
Luca: First Reading: Reading I
Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro,
the priest of Midian.
Leading the flock across the desert, he came to Horeb,
the mountain of God.
There an angel appeared to Moses in fire
flaming out of a bush.
As he looked on, he was surprised to see that the bush,
though on fire, was not consumed.
So Moses decided,
“I must go over to look at this remarkable sight,
and see why the bush is not burned.”
God called out to him from the bush, "Moses! Moses!”
He answered, “Here I am.”
God said, “Come no nearer!
Remove the sandals from your feet,
for the place where you stand is holy ground.
I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham and Sara, the God of Isaac and Rebekah, the God of Jacob and Rachel.”
Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at the Holy One.
But God said,
“I have witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt
and have heard their cry of complaint against their slave drivers,
so I know well what they are suffering.
Therefore I have come down to rescue them
from the hands of the Egyptians
and lead them out of that land into a good and spacious land,
a land flowing with milk and honey.”
Moses said to God, “But when I go to the Israelites
and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’
if they ask me, ‘What is God’s name?’ what am I to tell them?”
God replied, “I am who am.”
Then the Holy One added, “This is what you shall tell the Israelites:
I AM sent me to you.”
“This is my name forever;
thus am I to be remembered through all generations.”
These are the sacred words in the Book of Exodus and we respond to them by saying:
All: So be it. Amen
Responsorial Psalm: Anthem: Tom Conry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP2gwC5TGFs
Susie: Reading II
A reading from “Standing on Holy Ground” by Kristin Heyer
God calls us to set captives free… God’s message to Moses is one of compassionate liberation for those who suffer…We too are invited to join in this mission of freeing captives for abundant life. It is in light of the Israelites’ own experience of suffering that God frames laws for the treatment of outsiders. “You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien; for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.” Indeed, after the commandment to worship only one God, no moral imperative is repeated more frequently in the Hebrew Scriptures, than the commandment to care for the stranger.
Across our globe in unprecedented numbers, women, children and men cross borders. They flee gang violence, food insecurity and proxy wars. Too often we become numb to statistics or cynical in the face of politicians’ manipulative rhetoric. Yet, God’s clear summons interrupts: Who is crying out in our midst, and what insulates us from their cries? As modern forms of empire continue to exploit, what idols prevent us from showing hospitality? How are our own lives bound up with deaths in the Mediterranean or the Sonoran Desert?
These are the sacred words of Kristin Heyer in Catholic Women Preach and we respond to them by saying;
All: So be it. Amen
Gospel Acclamation: Spirit of the Living God by Michael Crawford
https://youtu.be/xoJN0owUoWA
Bob: Gospel
A Reading from the Gospel of Luke 13:1-9
Some people told Jesus about the Galileans
whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way
they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!
Or those eighteen people who were killed
when the tower at Siloam fell on them—
do you think they were more guilty
than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem?
By no means!
But I tell you, if you do not repent,
you will all perish as they did!”
And he told them this parable:
“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard,
and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none,
he said to the gardener,
‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree
but have found none.
So cut it down.
Why should it exhaust the soil?’
He said to him in reply,
‘Sir, leave it for this year also,
and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it;
it may bear fruit in the future.
If not you can cut it down.’”
Bridget Mary: Homily Starter:
Responding to God’s prophetic call in Exodus invites us to walk on Holy Ground and lead with love.
In today’s Gospel reading, Kristin Heyer writes, “Jesus reminds us that God’s justice is marked not only by justice but by mercy. His parable of the fig tree reveals how God is patient with us, even when we turn away, even when our lives do not immediately bear fruit. Lent offers us a time to reflect on the ways in which we must repent, and prune in order to grow…we are called not only to resist empire and release the captives, but also to bridge-build and to forgive.”
Community Sharing: What did you hear in the readings, songs, or homily today that inspires or challenges you?
Luca and All: Statement of Faith:
We believe that God is love and that Divine Presence is beyond anything we can imagine.
We believe in Jesus, prophet and teacher, who journeyed on the earth, proclaiming good news, healing the sick, liberating those bound by fear, and inviting everyone to an open table.
We believe in Sacred Spirit, Wisdom Sophia, breathing in us and loving through us.
We believe in the communion of saints, our heavenly friends who, help us on our journey.
We believe in the partnership and equality of women and men in our Church and our world. Here we live our prophetic call of Gospel equality.
Susie: Prayers of the Community:
We now bring our prayer intentions to the Table.
Our response is: All: May we lead with love.
We pray for the devastated families of those still suffering from fires, and all the natural disasters in our world.
All: May we lead with love.
We pray for the people of Ukraine and Russia and Israel and Palestine, Syria and Sudan that they may live in peace without fear and that justice will prevail for all.
All: May we lead with love.
We pray that our political leaders will put the flourishing of all people before power and greed.
All: May we lead with love.
We pray for our MMOJ intentions on our community prayer list. (Joan shares)
All: May we lead with love.
For what else should we pray?
All: May we lead with love.
Susie: Holy Mystery may we respond to the needs of our sisters and brothers in loving prayer and service. Amen
PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS
Bridget Mary: Blessed are You, Holy One, through Your divine providence we have this bread, to share, the Bread of Life.
Bridget Mary and All: Blessed are You, Holy One, forever.
Bob:Blessed are You, O Loving One through Your divine providence we have this wine to share, our spiritual drink.
and All: Blessed are, You, Holy One, forever.
Bridget Mary: Nurturing One, we are united in this sacrament by the love of Jesus, whose presence draws work for justice and lead in love.
Bridget Mary and All: Amen, may it be
PREFACE:
Luca: God loves through us
Susie and All: And energizes our work for justice.
Luca: Lift up your hearts.
Susie and All: We lift up our hearts and embrace all.
Luca: We are blessed when our passions guide us to take action to alleviate wrong and correct wrongs in our suffering world.
Susie and All: Amen
Luca: In the pondering of our deepest desires right wrongs, and serve our sisters and brothers in need, with the angels and saints, we sing:
Holy, Holy, Holy: by Karen Drucker
https://youtu.be/orKBBIj5LZA
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER:
Bob: Like Jesus, may we walk the prophetic path to which God calls us, and choose love in every step. May we discover the path to wisdom in times of chaos and struggle. May we act to right wrongs and speak truth to power on behalf of all who are outsiders in our world today. May we savor the loving presence of the One as we walk together on holy ground. May we nourish one another at this welcome table.
(Please extend your hands in blessing.)
Bridget Mary and All: As we bless this bread and wine, we celebrate the outpouring Spirit within us, around us and among us liberating us and empowering us to be the face of love in the world..
(Community holds bread and prays together)
Bridget Mary and 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 this, all of you, and eat. This is my body. Do this in memory of me.”
Pause
(Community holds cup up and prays together)
Bob and ALL: In the same way, Jesus took the cup of wine. He said the blessing, gave the cup to his friends and said, “Take this all of you and drink. This is my blood. Do this in memory of me.”
Bob and All: Let us proclaim the sacred presence dwelling among us:
Like Jesus- we will speak truth to power;
Like Jesus- we will promote justice.
Like Jesus- we will love with passionate hearts.
Luca: We walk in communion with Mary, mother of Jesus and all the saints in heaven and on earth who triumphed over evil, loved tenderly, did justice and served generously. We remember our loved ones in the Communion of Saints.
(pause for silent prayer)
(Community members hold their plates and cups during Doxology)
Susie and All: Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in union with the Holy Spirit, may holy anger move us to action in responding to exploitation and injustice in serving God’s people and all creation.
The Great Amen. Linda Lee Miller
https://youtu.be/Dy76fpfkNsg
Bridget Mary : THE PRAYER OF JESUS
and All:
We pray together the prayer of Jesus:
O Holy One, who is within, around, and among us,
we celebrate your many names.
Your wisdom comes.
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.
(The Prayer of Jesus as interpreted by Miriam Therese Winter)
THE SIGN OF PEACE
Bob. Let us share a gesture of deep peace with everyone in the circle of life as we bow and pray:
All: Namaste! Namaste! Namaste!
LITANY FOR THE BREAKING OF BREAD
Bridget Mary and ALL:
Loving God, You call us to speak truth to power. We will do so.
Loving God, You call us to live the Gospel of peace and justice. We will do so.
Loving God, You call us to prophetic action. We will do so.
Bridget Mary: This is the Bread of Life and Cup of Blessing. How happy are we who are called to this Table.
Let us share the Bread of Life and Cup of Blessing saying:
You are the Body of Christ.
COMMUNION Song: I Am Ready for Change by Carrie Newcomber
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG3DdY5r8uk
Bob: Prayer after Communion:
May the Holy One, who called us to lead with love, fill us with holy energy to take action on behalf of justice. May this Lent be a time of pruning in order to grow spiritually in our personal lives and in our communities.
All: Amen, May it be so!
Bridget M.: Introductions/Thanksgivings/Announcements
Community Blessing:
Bob: Let us raise our hands and bless each other.
As we go forth,
May we care for the suffering and needy.
May we free captives, and serve outsiders,
May we bridge-build and forgive as together we walk on Holy Ground and lead with love.
Our Closing Song is: Lead With Love by Melanie DeMore and video by Mary Ann Matthys
https://youtu.be/wAeCRk3ahpU?si=E9FRFlMjYZJacjTi
If you want to add a prayer intention to our MMOJ Community Prayer book, please send an email to Joan Meehan. jmeehan515@aol.com
If you want to invite someone to attend our liturgy, please refer them our website :
To support our community, please send your check to:
Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community
Please support our community, send your check to:
Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community
5342 Clark Road #3079
Sarasota, FL 34233
Liturgy written by Bridget Mary Meehan https//:arcwp.org
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