Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community: Fourth Week of Easter, May 10, 2025 Liturgy Team: Cheryl (IT) & Jim Brandi, Mary Al Gagnon, Jane Shugrue, Michael Rigdon

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Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community

Jane: Welcome to Mary Mother of Jesus,

our inclusive Community,

our church without walls.

“Whoever you are, wherever you are,

you are welcome at our table.”

Michael & All: Let us begin together ✝️

in the name of God our creator,

Jesus our brother,

and Spirit Sophia. Amen.

We welcome each other with a sign 🙏 of Christ’s peace:

All: May Christ’s peace be with us! Namasté, Namasté, Namasté!

Theme: Conversion

Gathering 🎶🎵 I Believe, Andrea Bocelli &Katherine Jenkins 4:25

https://youtu.be/OwHuUueUw7k?si=1Cm0mf4rWIXIzW1M

Opening Prayer. Mary Al. Holy One, you commissioned Paul to make his first missionary journey just 10-15 years after Jesus died and was resurrected to new life. In the name of Jesus the Christ, we celebrate this wildly successful introduction of the Good News of Jesus not only to Jews in the region, but also to Gentiles, to non Jews—to All nations.

ALL: Amen

We Break Open God’s Word. Excerpts FromThe Message by Eugene H Peterson

Map of Paul’s first missionary journey. Stop at 1:40.

https://youtu.be/eCMmmGMJTD0?si=zFXtb4Auur-O4rO_

Jim. A reading from chapter 13 of Luke’s Acts of the Apostles.

The Spirit calls Paul and Barnabas to preach the Good News.

From Paphos, Paul and company put out to sea, sailing on to Perga in Pamphylia. That's where John called it quits and went back to Jerusalem.

From Perga the rest of them traveled on to Antioch in Pisidia.

On the Sabbath they went to the meeting place and took their places.

When the service was over, Paul and Barnabas were invited back to preach again the next Sabbath. As the meeting broke up, a good many Jews and converts to Judaism went along with Paul and Barnabas, who urged them in long conversations to stick with what they'd started, this living in and by God's grace.

When the next Sabbath came around, practically the whole city showed up to hear the Word of God. Some of the Jews, seeing the crowds, went wild with jealousy and tore into Paul, contradicting everything he was saying, making an ugly scene.

But Paul and Barnabas didn't back down. Standing their ground they said, "It was required that God's Word be spoken first of all to you, the Jews. But seeing that you want no part of it—you've made it quite clear that you have no taste or inclination for eternal life—the door is open to all the outsiders. And we're on our way through it, following orders, doing what God commanded when he said,

‘I've set you up as light to all nations.

You'll proclaim salvation to the four winds and seven seas!’”

When the non-Jewish outsiders heard this, they could hardly believe their good fortune. All who were marked out for real life put their trust in God—they honored God's Word by receiving that life. And this Message of salvation spread like wildfire all through the region.

Some of the Jews convinced the most respected women and leading men of the town that their precious way of life was about to be destroyed. Alarmed, they turned on Paul and Barnabas and forced them to leave. Paul and Barnabas shrugged their shoulders and went on to the next town, Iconium, brimming with joy and the Holy Spirit, two happy disciples.This is our inspired message from Luke, and we all respond, Thanks be to the Holy One!

Jane. A reading from the book of Revelation made known to John, servant of Jesus Christ.

I saw a huge crowd, too huge to count. Everyone was there—all nations and tribes, all races and languages. And they were standing, dressed in white robes and waving palm branches, standing before the Throne and the Lamb and heartily singing. Then he told me, "These are those who come from the great tribulation, and they've washed their robes, scrubbed them clean in the blood of the Lamb. That's why they're standing before God's Throne. They serve him day and night in his Temple. The One on the Throne will pitch his tent there for them: no more hunger, no more thirst, no more scorching heat. The Lamb on the Throne will shepherd them, will lead them to spring waters of Life. And God will wipe every last tear from their eyes.” This is our inspired message from John, and we all respond, Thanks be to the Holy One!

Gospel acclamation 🎶

https://youtu.be/ID5UGWcS6Ws?si=YwHzJ_j_KYZFTGkl

Mary Al. A reading from the Good News attributed to John.

Jesus said to them, “My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand. The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and Thief. No one could ever get them away from him. I and the Father are one heart and mind.”

Shared Homily. Michael & Community

Jim & All. Profession of Faith.

We believe in God, the creator of the universe,

the fountain of life, flowing through every being.

We believe in Jesus the Christ

who reflects the face of the Holy One and the fullness of humanity.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy One’s breath in the cosmos,

who calls us to loving service without counting the cost.

We believe in our global communion with all in the circle of life.

Amen to loving actions on behalf of justice, healing,

compassion and equity for all in our world!

We are called to be light to the world!

Prayers of the Community

Jane: Aware that the Holy One is present within us and works through us, we bring to the table our intentions.

Response: We remember and we pray.

We bring to the table the many hundreds of thousands whose health and very lives are threatened by the disruption in USAID funding, R.

We bring to the table the many families and children who suffer due to unending war in the Ukraine and in Gaza and Israel, R.

We bring to the table the hundreds of thousands of displaced, starving women & children in Gaza. May love drive us to provide for so many who are suffering and dying. R.

We bring to the table all who are suffering the effects of severe storms and fires that have devastated their homes and cities, R.

We bring to the table the seriously ill, particularly members of MMOJ and our family and friends. R.

Joan M. We bring to the table the petitions in our MMOJ prayer book, especially….

Jane. And who/what else do we bring to the table today? R.

We can do all things in the power of the Spirit of love working through us. All: Amen

We offer ourselves 🎶 Here is my Life, Joe Wise

https://youtu.be/jsHM7_XZT5A?si=1KeWJn518jtpisQ2

Offering of Our Gifts at the table Have bread and wine on your table

Michael. O Holy One, we bring you our gifts from creation,

bread of the grain and wine of the grapes.

We recognize that they are holy in you their creator.

And we know that they will make us holy,

one with you and one with each other.

Please join in song for our Eucharistic Prayer:

🎶 Here in This Place

https://youtu.be/sgkWXOSGmOQ 1:14

Mary Al & All, with hand extended in blessing:

As we do in this place what you did in an upstairs room,

send down your Spirit Sophia on us

and on these gifts of bread and wine

that they may become for us your body, healing and making us whole. And that we may become for you, your body,

loving and caring in the world until your kindom comes. Amen.

Jim & 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 and eat. This is my very self.” (Pause)

Jesus then raised high the cup of blessing

and offered them the wine🍷with these words,

“Take and drink of the covenant made new

through my life for you and for everyone.

Whenever you do this, remember me.”

Jane & All:

Remember, gracious God, your Church throughout the world.

Open us to welcome everyone.

In union with all people,

may we strive to create a world where suffering is diminished,

and where all people can live in health and wholeness.

Thru Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in union with the Holy Spirit,

all glory is yours, gracious God. Amen

Michael. This is Jesus, God with us, loving us forever.

All are invited to partake of this sacred banquet of love.

All: We are the Body of Christ.

Communion Instrumental 🎶 Sentinel Meadow, Mars Lasar

http://youtube.com/watch?v=B9JFOEcq1GA&fea 2:33

Mary Al: We pray our common prayer that Jesus taught us:

All: Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be,
Abba and Amma of us all,

Loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echoes through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world!
Your will be done by all created beings!
May your beloved community of peace and freedom

sustain our hope and come on earth.

With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever. Amen

Adapted from The New Zealand Book of Prayer | He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa.

This version of the Lord’s prayer was influenced by Maori theologians

Final Blessing. Michael With hand extended in prayer