Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community Liturgy
Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, June 28, 2025
Liturgy Team: Elena Garcia ARCWP, Jeanne Schmitt,
Andrea Seabaugh, Jane Shugrue, Cathy Alexander
I Team: Cheryl Brandi, Michael Rigdon, Jerry Bires
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/93473708926?pwd=VHFKZGJ5N3ljbzZtVU1qQVRZY1lodz09
Meeting ID: 934 7370 8926
Theme: Peter and Paul honored as two among the Chosen
GREETING
(Elena)
This year, we celebrate the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul on a Sunday. These two very different men have been regarded as pillars of the early Church. Despite their imperfections both were chosen by Jesus and each had a passionate commitment to their calling. The Gospel reading today reminds us that we are asked at different points in our faith journeys to reflect on “Who Jesus Is.” Our spiritual journey often resembles that of Peter, Paul and all humans. It is rarely a straight path without any serious questions, doubts and even crisis.
And so, we welcome everyone to our Zoom liturgy at Mary Mother of Jesus, an inclusive Catholic Community, where all are welcome:
Whoever you are, Wherever you are, Just as you are, you are welcome here.
We ask you to please have bread/crackers and wine/juice near you so that you may conveniently consecrate them for your Communion in the service.
We begin this and every liturgy In the name of God our Creator, Jesus our Brother and Holy Spirit Sophia, our Wisdom. All: Alleluia
OPENING PRAYER
(Jeanne) O Holy One, You nourish and challenge, call and direct, forgive and comfort ---- sheltering us in your presence every moment of our lives. Enkindle in us the faith of our prophets, the courage of your martyrs, and the Love that led your son, Jesus, to live and to die for us.
May our hearts respond in joy and trust to your call for spiritual transformation, as we gather today in the Name of All that Is. Open our minds beyond structures to the truth of the Gospel, and guide us in living sacramental equality. Let our lives continue the revelation of your goodness, you who are God forever and ever. AMEN
GATHERING SONG
In the Name of All That Is -by Jan Novotka
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR38ZBpAXZ8&sns=em
In the name of all that is we come together.
In the name of the stars and galaxies;
In the name of the planets, moons and the sun;
In the name of all that is… we come.
In the name of all that is we come together.
In the name of the ocean and the sea;
In the name of the mountain, desert and plain;
In the name of all that is… we come.
In the name of all that is we come together.
In the name of the buffalo and bear;
In the name of the turtle, eagle and whale;
In the name of all that is ….. we come.
In the name of all that is we come together.
In the name of the cactus and the fern;
In the name of the flower, tree and the herb;
In the name of all that is…. we come.
In the name of all that is we come together.
In the name of the elements of life;
In the name of the soil, water and air;
In the name of all that is …. we come.
In the name of all that is we come together.
In the name of the children of earth;
In the name of the Spirit breathing in all things;
In the name of all that is….. we come.
RITE OF TRANSFORMATION
(Elena) We pause now to remember the times we have failed to love one another and all beings on earth, when we have not born fruit in caring for self, others, and our planet Earth. Let us take a moment to recall one missed opportunity, one broken or damaged relationship.
(Pause briefly and extend your hand over your heart)
(Elena and All) As we ask for and receive forgiveness, we open our hearts to Infinite Love embracing and healing us. Let it be so! Alleluia!
THE SIGN OF PEACE
(Andrea)
It is fitting that, having asked for Divine and mutual forgiveness, we now extend an expression of Peace to each other.
(Andrea and All): Grant us Your peace O Loving God, that following the example of Jesus and with the strength of the Spirit, we may be eager to spread that peace to everyone, everywhere, with no exceptions. Amen (Andrea): May the peace of our gracious and loving God be always with us. Let us turn to each other and with praying hands offer each other a sign of peace. NAMASTE 3x
Gloria: Glory to God
https://youtu.be/udjH7EON5IY
by Marty Haugen - video by Bridget Mary Meehan and Mary Theresa Streck
LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading “We Who Are Alive Today” by Jan Phillips
(Jane) We who are alive today are the eyes and ears,
the hands and feet of the Creative Force.
We are Thought Incarnate, Word made Flesh, Love materialized.
We are the consciousness of the earth:
the universe knowing itself, seeing itself, singing to itself.
We are prophets of a new time, makers of a new myth,
where our Source dwells not on some heavenly throne
but in the very breath of living things: among us and within us.
We are made of heaven and earth, starlight and clay,
minerals and meteor dust.
We are the Infinite Wave transformed into finite particles,
spacetime compressed into the spec of a lifetime.
As the Cosmos multiplies and expands forever outward
so does it expand forever inward evolving us into beings of higher consciousness.
We who are alive today came here with a purpose,
are in service to a mission: to extend mercy, to bring forth justice,
to re-member ourselves and converge as one.
We are creating tomorrow with our thoughts and words.
We are shaping ourselves and families, our communities and cities,
our cultures and civilizations by what we do and fail to do.
We are ascending into our potential, evolving into our God-ness,
co-creating the Whole that is the sum of our parts.
We who are alive today; let us sing out that the heaven we seek
is already around us, that wherever we look,
the Holy One is there, looking right back.
No matter what storms batter and buffet us, let us not lose heart,
for we are One with All and Life holds us firmly in the palm of its hand.
These are inspired words shared by Jan Phillips, and we respond: Thanks be to God!
(Cathy ) Psalm 113: 1-9: God restores joy and gladness of heart.
Sing praises to the Beloved of all hearts!
Sing praises all you who would honor Love,
Sing praises to the Architect of the universe!
RES: God restores joy and gladness of heart.
Bless the Holy One from this time forth and forever more!
Aspire to know the unknowable, to enter fully into the Great Mystery
To be fertile ground to the Heart-seed of Love.
Aspire to gifts of the Spirit, be open to grace and express gratitude!
RES : God restores joy and gladness of heart.
Who is like the Blessed One, the One who is Infinite Love, Power, and Wisdom,
Who enters into human hearts and brings comfort to those in need?
Yes, those who call upon the Merciful One, are lifted up and blessed with new life
They wear a crown of joy, as they recognize their oneness with Spirit.
RES: God restores joy and gladness of heart.
Come, all who suffer and are heavy-laden, open your hearts to Love
Sing praises to the Heart of all hearts!
RES: God restores joy and gladness of heart.
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 4: 13-5:1
(Andrea )
We are not keeping this quiet, not on your life. Just like the psalmist who wrote. “I believed it, so I said it,” we say what we believe. And what we believe is that the One who raised up the Master Jesus will just as certainly raise us up with you, alive. Every detail works to your advantage and to God’s glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise!. So we are not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without God’s unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today and gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever. For instance we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven- God-made, not handmade—and we’ll never have to relocate our ‘tents’ again.
Inspired words shared by St. Paul, the Apostle. And we respond: Amen
Gospel acclamation: Celtic Alleluia by Christopher Walker
https://youtu.be/4cs8NDVM3Vk
Gospel: Matthew 16:13-19
(Jeanne S)
When Jesus arrived in the village of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “What are people saying about who the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some think he is John the Baptizer, some say Elijah, some say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”
He pressed them, “And about you? Who do you say I am?”
Simon Peter said, “You’re the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus came back, “God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn’t get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am. And now I’m going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.
“And that’s not all. You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is a yes in heaven. A no on earth is a no in heaven.”
He swore the disciples to secrecy. He made them promise they would tell no one that he was the Messiah.
These are inspired words found in the Gospel of Matthew. And we all respond: Alleluia!
Homily for the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
Shared Homily
What did you hear in today’s readings? Please share your wisdom with the community.
Profession of Faith
(Jane and All) We believe in you O God, Creator of the universe, whose divinity infuses all that exists, making everything sacred. Jesus, we believe in You, messenger of the Divine Word, the bringer of healing and the heart of Compassion. We believe in you Holy Spirit, the breath of our innermost life, and the Sustainer who heals and energizes us when our spirits grow weary in our journeys.
We believe that You are here with us today in this gathering, calling us to be a loving and just people. We believe the poor have a priority in your plans and we are called to do our best to serve them in your name. We believe you are offering us freedom and grace to become our true selves, so that we can turn from false, worldly securities and look to you for our true identity as your children. We believe that as You were anointed by God to do God’s will, through our baptism, we too are called to be a sign of God’s Kingdom on earth where we are all sisters and brothers.
Prayers of and for the Community
(Andrea) We now bring our prayer intentions to the Table, saying, “I bring to the Table…”
Our response is: By Your grace we cast aside fear and embrace trust.
~ We bring to the table all those suffering as a result of the natural disasters taking place on our planet.
Response: By Your grace we cast aside fear and embrace trust.
~ We bring to the table all who are suffering, lonely, and without faith or hope.
Response: By Your grace we cast aside fear and embrace trust.
~ We bring to the table all those living in the conditions of war and fear.
Response: By Your grace we cast aside fear and embrace trust.
~ We bring to the table the intentions of all our brothers and sisters who would appreciate our prayers for their unsolicited special intentions.
Response: By Your grace we cast aside fear and embrace trust.
~ We bring to the table all the intentions that remain in the silence of our hearts.
Response: ~ Response: By Your grace we cast aside fear and embrace trust.
~ We bring to the table the intentions in our MMOJ community prayer book. (Joan shares)
Response: By Your grace we cast aside fear and embrace trust.
~And, for what else should we pray?
Response: By Your grace we cast aside fear and embrace trust.
(Andrea) Holy Mystery, grant us the wisdom to respond in the form of a radical transformation from fear to trust as heralded by your angels on so many occasions All: Amen
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS
(Jeanne S) Blessed are you, God of all life, through your goodness we have bread, wine, all creation, and our own lives to offer. Through this sacred meal may we become your new creation.
All: Blessed be God for forever.
(Elena)
Although we come from diverse backgrounds, we are one body, for we all share in this one bread. And so, let us sing along with Joe Wise as he leads us in song to bring ourselves with gratitude and humility, just the way we are, to the celebration of Eucharist.
Song: We offer our gifts. 🎶 “Here is My Life”
by Joe Wise
https://youtu.be/Ao5VnopCP-Y
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
(Jeanne) The Holy One dwells within you.
All: And loves through you.
(Jeanne) Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up to the Great Spirit dwelling in all creation.
(Jeanne) Let us give thanks that we are co-creators of a new heaven and earth.
All: It is right to proclaim our oneness with All.
(Jane)
God of amazing surprises, Creator of tiny bugs and awesome planets, Designer of earth's wonders, Giver of life and laughter, we praise your passionate love hidden, yet revealed, everywhere in the cosmos.
(Andrea)
Source of being from the beginning, all creation joins in, in the holy dance of life in your Divine Presence. In you, with you and through you, we jump for joy in an explosion of grace that resounds through the universe. We join with one another in the cosmic dance, Creator God, as we celebrate your holy presence in every living thing.
Holy, Holy, Holy: Here in this Place by Christopher Gundry:
https:.youtube.com/watch?v=V9LZURdBJxE
Holy One, may your presence here open our minds
may your Spirit among us help us to find
you are rising up now like a fountain of grace
from the holy ground here in this place. Here is this place. (x2)
Holy, holy, holy God of love and majesty
the whole universe speaks of your glory
from the holy ground here in this place. Here in this place. (x2)
( Jeanne) Sacred Spirit we cannot grow in the darkness of this world without Your Light. Our desire is to be Your light with compassion and love for all those whose path we cross on our journey together. Help us keep our hearts and minds open to You through our love and care for each other and all creation.
Please extend your hands in blessing of bread and wine.
(Jeanne and All) We call on Your Spirit, present in these gifts - bread that satisfies our hunger and wine that quenches our thirst – to make us more deeply One, living in the fullness of holy compassion and Sophia wisdom.
(Elena)The disciples, women and men, were gathered together with Jesus for the Seder meal.
Anticipating the likelihood of betrayal, arrest and pain, Jesus wanted more than anything to be with his friends, to share a meal, exchange stories and create memories.
On that night before he died, while gathered with the people closest to him, Jesus once again, showed us how to love one another, by leaving his place at the table and washing their feet, like the least of household servants.
(Elena and All) Jesus then took the Passover Bread, spoke the grace, broke the bread, and offered it to them saying, “Take and eat, this is my very self. Whenever you remember me like this I am among you.”
Pause
(Jeanne and All) 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.”
Please join in praying the Litany for the Breaking of the Bread
(Andrea and All)
Holy One, you call us to speak truth to power; we will do so.
Holy One, you call us to live the Gospel of healing and justice; we will do so.
Holy One, you call us to be Your presence in the world; we will do so.
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.
THE PRAYER OF JESUS
(Cathy and ALL)
Eternal Spirit, Earth maker, Pain bearer, Life giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be,
Father and Mother 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 heavenly will be done by all created beings.
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom
sustain our hope and come to earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In the times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trial 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
(Elena) Like Jesus, we are inspired and come before this altar with open hands and open hearts. We will live a life rooted in compassion, as it is living as Jesus lived, that we awaken to your Spirit within, moving us to glorify you, O Holy One, at this time and all ways.
Let us share the Body of Christ with the Body of Christ! All are welcome. All: AMEN
Communion Meditation
Believe by Andrea Bocelli and Katherine Jenkins
https://youtu.be/OwHuUueUw7k?si=t85XncPeBgumJo5t
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
(Jeanne ) Creator of the cosmos, divine dancer, you have lifted us up and swung us around to see your beauty in nature's awesome gifts everywhere and in everyone. May we continue to move together to the divine rhythm of harmony and peace, Justice and equality, dancing joyfully in love with all created beings forever. You guide us to new life and inspire our work and play with creativity and joyful enthusiasm. We walk in the footsteps of those on whose shoulders we stand. All: Amen
INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS, THANKSGIVING, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
CONCLUDING RITE
(Elena) The Holy One is within you ;
All: And within all people and all creation everywhere.
BLESSING
(Elena) O Holy One, You nourish and challenge, call and direct, forgive and comfort ---- sheltering us in your presence every moment of our lives. Enkindle the faith of our prophets, the courage of your martyrs, and the Love that led your son, Jesus, to live and to die for us. Let our lives continue the revelation of your goodness, you who are God forever and ever. AMEN
(Everyone please extend your hands in mutual blessing)
(Jeanne and All) Oh Holy One, as we step into each new day, we humbly place ourselves under Your loving care. Surround us with Your shielding presence and let Your grace be our armor. Guide our steps and lead us along paths of righteousness. Keep us safe from the unforeseen dangers of the day and guard our minds against negative thoughts. Following the example of Saints Peter and Paul and all those on whose shoulders we stand, may we be a beacon of Your love and peace, reflecting Your goodness in all that we do, for You, and You alone, are the Truth, the Faith, and the Way. In the name of all that is Holy, we pray. Amen.
DISMISSAL
(Elena) Go in the peace of Christ. Let us live fearlessly in the joy of God’s Love !
All: Thanks be to God. Alleluia!!
CONCLUDING HYMN Standing on the Shoulders by Joyce Johnson Rouse
https://youtu.be/elh77GtHWPU
I am standing on the shoulders of the ones who came before me I am stronger for their courage, I am wiser for their words
I am lifted by their longing for a fair and brighter future
I am grateful for their vision, for their toiling on this Earth
We are standing on the shoulders of the ones who came before us. They are saints and they are humans, they are angels, they are friends We can see beyond the struggles and the troubles and the challenge When we know that by our efforts things will be better in the end
They lift me higher than I could ever fly Carrying my burdens away
I imagine our world if they hadn't tried We wouldn't be here celebrating today
I am standing on the shoulders of the ones who came before me I am honored by their passion for our liberty
I will stand a little taller, I will work a little longer
And my shoulders will be there to hold the ones who follow me
They lift me higher than I could ever fly Carrying my burdens away
I imagine our world if they hadn't tried We wouldn't be so very blessed today
I am standing on the shoulders of the ones who came before me I am honored by their passion for our liberty,
I will stand a little taller, I will work a little longer
And my shoulders will be there to hold the ones who follow me
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If you would like to add an intercession to our MMOJ Community Prayer book, please send an email to jmeehan515@aol.com
If you would like to invite another person to attend our liturgy please refer them to www.marymotherofJesus.org where the day’s liturgy is found. Zoom instructions are also included there.
