Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/93473708926?pwd=VHFKZGJ5N3ljbzZtVU1qQVRZY1lodz09
Meeting ID: 934 7370 8926
Passcode: 552967
Theme: IS THIS A TEST?
Dotty: Welcome to our Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community Liturgy our “Church Without Walls.” Today we celebrate the Fifth Sunday in the Season of Lent.
Whoever you are.
Where ever you are. Just as you are.
You are welcome at our table
let us pray…
Opening Song: Who will Speak if we Don’t
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZ70EZqlCys
Dotty: Opening Prayer:
Holy One, you are within, around and among us.
Today we dare to listen to you, truly understand what you are saying to us, not what we think you said. Open our hearts and minds as we collectively listen and share the Good News!
Rite of Transformation:
Our world is surrounded by the forsaken, the mistreated, the sexually abused, the poor, the unloved, the deserted and so many more abuses ofhuman life. The ministry of Jesus calls us to find our way to service our broken humanity.
Transform us O Holy One
Liturgy of the Word
Jan R: First Reading: Excerpts from “God’s Moments” By Andy Otto:
Complex rules often represent an attempt to control and standardize rather than trust in people’s capacity for authentic spiritual growth and discernment. The irony Rohr points to is that by trying to protect people through complex rules, institutions can actually limit the very complexity and uniqueness that Jesus embraced.
Consider Jesus’ encounters with those on the margins. With the Samaritan woman at the well, he engaged her complex reality – her ethnicity, relationships, and spiritual seeking – not with judgment but with understanding that led to transformation. When faced with the woman caught in adultery, rather than enforcing the letter of the law, he challenged her accusers’ simplified view of justice and honored her dignity as a complex human being. Both women found new life not through rules but through being truly seen and trusted. In other words, Jesus trusts the individual to discern their way forward. Catholic tradition holds the conscience to be paramount in discerning the spirit of God moving us toward wholeness. Sadly, institutions don’t always trust that people have the capacity to make good choices.
These are the words of Andy Otto and the community responds;
Let it be so!
Gospel Acclamation: Spirit of the Living God by Dena Dean
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhhQACwrEFM
Spirit of the Living God
Fall fresh on me
Spirit of the Living God
Fall fresh on me.
Melt me mold me
Fill me use me
Spirit of the Living God
Fall fresh on me.
Joan P. Gospel Reading: John 8:1-11
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John
Jesus went out to the Mount of Olives. At daybreak, he reappeared in the Temple area, and when the people started coming to him, Jesus sat down and began to teach them.
A couple had been caught in the act of adultery, though the religious scholars and Pharisees brought only the woman, and they made her stand there in front of everyone. “Teacher,” they said, “this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. In the Law of Moses, the punishment for this act is stoning. What do you say about it?”
They were posing this question to trap Jesus so that they could charge him with something. Jesus simply bent down and started tracing the ground with his finger. When they persisted in their questioning, Jesus straightened up and said to them, “Let the person among you who is without sin throw the first stone at her.” Then he bent down again and wrote on the ground.
The audience drifted away one by one, beginning with the elders. This left Jesus alone with the woman, who continued to stand there. Jesus finally straightened up again and said, “Where did they go? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, Teacher,” came the reply.
I do not condemn you either. Go on your way---but from now on, do not sin anymore.”
These are the inspired words of the apostle known as John and the community responds by saying:
So Be It.
Dotty: Homily Starter and Shared Reflections
Statement of Faith
Den R: 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.
Jan R. Prayers of the Community
As we prepare for the sacred meal, we bring to this table our blessings, cares and concerns. Please feel free to voice your concerns beginning with the words “I bring to the table….”
Our response: Holy One, may we love and serve all.
Sacred Spirit, we bring to the table and we remember all those who are taken from work, from colleges and schools from their homes and forced to leave our country, those who indeed have Visas and who pay taxes on their earnings:
Response: Holy One, may we love and serve all.
We remember our immigrants, families, woman and children who are denied entrance into our county, who are returned to Mexico or sent to other countries:
Our response: Holy One, may we love and serve all.
We remember our veterans who are in danger of losing their benefits after serving our country with honor.
Response: Holy One, may we love and serve all.
We remember all women who have lost their right to make medical decisions with the Doctor because of unjust laws.
Response: Holy One, may we love and serve all.
We remember the tragedy of our countries lack of leaders, who we have elected make decisions for we the people they were elected to serve, who do not stand and challenge our democracy, and do not follow our constitution:
Response: Holy One, may we love and serve all.
We remember Pat (MacMillan) Lewis, who lived a life of witness to the needs of the poor, injustices by our government, and served our MMOJ community selflessly.
Our response: Holy One, may we love and serve all.
And for what else shall we pray?
Gracious and loving Spirit, we place our trust in your faithful love and presence within us and our entire universe.
All: So be it!
Liturgy of the Eucharist
Joan P. O Heart of Love, Your Spirit moves through the love within us, expanding in widening circles to embrace our world. United with all women and men who confronted the structures of oppression in their times with unique vision and compassion, we sing:
Holy, Holy, Holy: Here In This Place by Christopher Grundy
https://youtu.be/sgkWXOSGmOQ
Sacred Spirit, You are always with us. We are grateful for Your constant loving and unconditional presence. You give us life, and we live and breathe with your Spirit. You raise our consciousness to the blindness within us. We believe the Gospel message of healing those
we meet along the way.
Dotty: In blessing the gifts of this Eucharistic table, bread of the grain and wine of the grape, they become gifts of wisdom, light and truth which remind us of our call to be the body of Christ to the world.
Please join in praying the prayer for the breaking of the bread:
Ever Present Sacred Spirit, you call us to live the Gospel of peace and justice.
We will live justly.
Ever Present Sacred Spirit, you call us to be Your presence in the world.
We will love tenderly.
Ever Present Sacred Spirit, you call us to speak truth to power.
We will walk with integrity
On the night before he faced his own death, Jesus sat at supper with his companions and friends. He reminded them of all that he taught them, and to fix that memory clearly, he bent down and washed their feet.
(Together we lift our plate of bread as we pray)
When Jesus returned to his place at the table, he lifted the Passover bread, spoke the blessing, broke the bread, and offered it to them saying:
Take and eat the Bread of Life
Whenever you remember me like this
I am among you. (pause)
Jesus then raised his cup of blessing, spoke the grace, and offered the wine 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.
This is the bread of life and cup of blessing.
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.
Receive Bread and Cup now with the words:
“You are the face of Jesus in this world.”
Communion Song and Reflection: Quiet Place by The Many
https://youtu.be/hcq385i1kHE
Den R. Let us pray the prayer of Jesus:
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 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 (Miriam Therese Winter)
Jan R. We are called to do everything Jesus did, to be the living presence of a love that lives justly, of a compassion that heals and liberates, of a joy that generates laughter, of a light that illumines right choices and confronts us darkness.
So, we trust you to continue to share with us your own Spirit, the Spirit that filled Jesus, for it is through his life and teaching, his loving and healing, all honor and glory is yours, O Holy One, forever and ever. Amen
Before we leave let us offer one another as Sign of Peace:
Namaste, Namaste, Namaste
Introductions, Prayers of Gratitude, and Announcements
Joan P. Let us raise our hands and bless each otherwith the words:
May you be blessed with a restless discomfort about easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships.
May you seek truth boldly and love deeply within your heart.
May you continue to be the face of the Holy One to all you meet.
May your name be a blessing in our time.
Closing Song: Anne Wilson - Stand
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcedC8cR7cM\
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 to our website at marymotherofjesus.net
