Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community
Celebrating the Season of Creation, 2025
September 20, 2025
Liturgy team: MaryAl Gagnon, Joan Meehan, Jim Brandi, Seth Winners, Kathryn Shea, Cheryl Brandi IT,
Theme: Peace With Creation
Welcome and Gathering
Joan M: Welcome to our Zoom liturgy at Mary Mother of Jesus, an inclusive Catholic Community where all are welcome. The Creation 2025 theme is “Peace With Creation.” Please have bread/crackers and wine/juice for our celebration of the Eucharist.
Seth:
Whoever you are,
Wherever you are,
Just as you are,
You are welcome at this table. (Integral Christianity by Paul Smith)
MaryAl:: Let us now take a few moments to collect ourselves as we prepare to focus our minds and our hearts on our knowledge that we are all one, brought together at this time to transform ourselves and our world through love; love for our Holy One, love for our neighbors, love for ourselves, and love for our planet. Let us begin our liturgy by expressing this love through song.
Opening Song: Blue Boat Home by Peter Mayer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhsXl1_rEwI
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Opening Prayer
Kathryn: In the name of our Beloved, we gather to celebrate life in the fullest and our oneness with and in you and in all things. Oh, Holy One, we place our faith and trust in you and all aspects of Divinity. May we be the people you have called us to be, co-creators of a world that is yet unfolding. May we be the seeds that grow into a world of unconditional love, compassion, and embracement of all people, especially those living on the margins. May we be the change agents that speak truth to power. Let our ears hear, our eyes see, and our hearts receive as we work to expand the power of Your love and truth on this Earth. Amen.
Prayer of Lament and Repentance
Jim: God of our vibrant world,
You have given humans the responsibility to care for each other. Indigenous people have historical, spiritual, and personal ties to these lands on which we inhabit. But many of us have failed to recognize the presence of God in these traditions, and their voices have been silenced. We are thankful to Indigenous Nations for their continuing care and presence on the Earth. We all value the resilience and strength shown through the generations and today.
We turn to the Spirit who dismantles borders and celebrates life giving community.
Help us make a place where everyone is welcome and we acknowledge your grace at work in the ways of one another. Together, may we learn the spiritual richness of our relationships in the web of life.
Holy One, in your mercy
All: Hear our prayer.
Gloria: Glory to God by Marty Haugen - video by Bridget Mary Meehan and Mary Theresa Streck
https://youtu.be/udjH7EON5IY
Liturgy of the Word
Mary Al: First Reading: The Creation by James Weldon Johnson
And God stepped out on space,
And he looked around and said:
I'm lonely—
I'll make me a world.
And far as the eye of God could see
Darkness covered everything,
Blacker than a hundred midnights
Down in a cypress swamp.
Then God smiled,
And the light broke,
And the darkness rolled up on one side,
And the light stood shining on the other,
And God said: That's good!
Then God reached out and took the light in his hands,
And God rolled the light around in his hands
Until he made the sun;
And he set that sun a-blazing in the heavens.
And the light that was left from making the sun
God gathered it up in a shining ball
And flung it against the darkness,
Spangling the night with the moon and stars.
Then down between
The darkness and the light
He hurled the world;
And God said: That's good!
Then God herself stepped down—
And the sun was on her right hand,
And the moon was on her left;
The stars were clustered about her head,
And the earth was under her feet.
And God walked, and where she trod
Her footsteps hollowed the valleys out
And bulged the mountains up.
Then he stopped and looked and saw
That the earth was hot and barren.
So God stepped over to the edge of the world
And he spat out the seven seas—
He batted his eyes, and the lightnings flashed—
He clapped his hands, and the thunders rolled—
And the waters above the earth came down,
The cooling waters came down.
Then the green grass sprouted,
And the little red flowers blossomed,
The pine tree pointed her finger to the sky,
And the oak spread out her arms,
The lakes cuddled down in the hollows of the ground,
And the rivers ran down to the sea;
And God smiled again,
And the rainbow appeared,
And curled itself around hers shoulder.
Then God raised his arm and he waved his hand
Over the sea and over the land,
And he said: Bring forth! Bring forth!
And quicker than God could drop his hand,
Fishes and fowls
And beasts and birds
Swam the rivers and the seas,
Roamed the forests and the woods,
And split the air with their wings.
And God said: That's good!
Then God walked around,
And God looked around
On all that she had made.
She looked at her sun,
And she looked at her moon,
And she looked at her little stars;
She looked on her world
With all its living things,
And God said: I'm lonely still.
Then God sat down—
On the side of a hill where he could think;
By a deep, wide river he sat down;
With his head in his hands,
God thought and thought,
Till he thought: I'll make me a man!
Up from the bed of the river
God scooped the clay;
And by the bank of the river
He kneeled him down;
And there the great God Almighty
Who lit the sun and fixed it in the sky,
Who flung the stars to the most far corner of the night,
Who rounded the earth in the middle of his hand;
This great God,
Like a mammy bending over her baby,
Kneeled down in the dust
Toiling over a lump of clay
Till he shaped it in is his own image;
Then into it he blew the breath of life,
And man became a living soul.
Amen. Amen.
🎶 Alle, Alle, Alleluia Linda Lee and Rick Miller
https://youtu.be/gIHnZn3JjcM?si=aryXAqRivIZD6jpY
Seth: Gospel Reading: John 1:1-5 (adapted)
In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. God was with God in the beginning. Through our Creator all things were made; without God nothing was made that has been made. In our Holy One was life, and that life was the light of all humankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not, and will not, overcome it.
These are the Gospel writings of apostle, John, and we affirm them by saying:
ALL: Amen
Alle, Alle, Alleluia Linda Lee and Rick Miller
https://youtu.be/gIHnZn3JjcM?si=aryXAqRivIZD6jpY
Homily Starter/Community Sharing
Communal Statement of Faith
Jim and ALL:
We believe in one God, 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 God's Word, bringer of God's healing, heart of God's compassion, bright star in the firmament of God's prophets, mystics, and saints.
We believe that we are called to follow Jesus as a vehicle of God's love, a source of God's wisdom and truth, and an instrument of God's peace in the world.
We believe that God's 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.
Prayers of and for the Community
Joan M:
We now bring our prayer intentions to the Table, stating, “I bring to the table..”
Our response is: All: We are all called to be hearers in this world.
We pray for all the emotional and physical pain taking place in our country and our world as a result of human’s inhumanity.
Our response is: All: We are all called to be healers in this world.
We pray for the people in all war-torn countries, most especially the children, that they may live in peace without fear and that goodness and sanity will fill the hearts and minds of those that would cause them harm.
Our response is: All: We are all called to be healers in this world.
We pray that our government finds its right mind.
Our response is: All: We are all called to be healers in this world.
We pray for our MMOJ intentions on our community prayer list. (Joan shares)
Our response is: All: We are all called to be healers in this world.
For what else should we pray?
Our response is: All: We are all called to be healers in this world.
Joan: Holy Mystery may we respond to the needs of our sisters and brothers in loving prayer and solidarity. Amen
Presentation of the Bread and Wine
MaryAl: Gracious God, you have set the banquet table and have invited all of us to a feast of unending delight. Blessed are You, Holy One, through Your divine providence we have this bread, to share, the Bread of Life.
MaryAl and All: Blessed are You, Holy One, forever.
Jim: Blessed are You, O Loving One through Your divine providence we have this wine to share, our spiritual drink.
Jim and All: Blessed are, You, Holy One, forever.
Seth: Let us lift up our hearts.
Seth and All: We lift them up to the Holy One, living in us and loving through us.
Eucharistic Prayer
Kathryn:
Gracious Wisdom, you embrace us with your extravagant affection in our times of both blessedness and weakness. You are always with us…you living in us and we living in you. In this festive meal, your Spirit is poured out on each of us gathered in the circle of your friends and disciples, we also ask that your Spirit be spread to those of our community who are not with us today.
Let us rejoice as we sing:
All: Holy, Holy, Holy Linda Lee Miller
(adapted from Holy, Holy, Holy by Karen Drucker)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orKBBIj5LZA
Joan: We thank you for the gift of Jesus of Nazareth in history -- and the gift of Jesus in faith. On earth, his life burned with the vision of his mission on earth. Through the example of his life – his teachings and actions - he showed us not only how we should live, but also what was worth even dying for.
Joan and All: When his time on earth had come to an end, Jesus – aware of and accepting his destiny – gave us his life for the values that he deeply believed, lived and taught…his conviction that love is stronger than death. And then, in providing an example of this wisdom for all people in ages to come, he opened wide his arms…and died. And the spirit that lived in Jesus resurrected him to a new life, a promise made to all of us too who live the new story. Jesus is with us today and he will be through the end of time.
(With an outstretched arm, we pray the consecration together.
Kathryn and ALL:
We remember the gift that Jesus gave us on the night before he died. He gathered with his friends to share a final Passover meal. And it was at that supper that Jesus took bread, said the blessing and shared it with them saying: take this, all of you, and eat it. This bread is you; this bread is me. We are one body, the presence of God in the world. When you do this, remember me and all that I have taught you. This is the new and everlasting covenant.
[short pause]
In the same way, Jesus took a cup of wine, said the blessing and gave it to his friends saying: take this, all of you, and drink it. This wine is you; this wine is me. We are one blood, the presence of God in the world. When you do this, remember me and all that I have taught you. This is the new and everlasting covenant.
Jim:
Jesus, who was with God “in the beginning of the creation of the heavens and the earth,” is with us now in this bread. The Spirit, of whom the prophets spoke in history, is with us now in this cup. Let us proclaim this mystery of faith.
Seth and All:
Jesus has died. Christ is risen. The Divine Presence lives in us and through us in the world today.
MaryAL:
God, we know that you bless your church throughout the world. We, your people, ask for your grace that we may continually grow in our love and caring for Leo, our Pope, Bridget Mary, our Bishop and for everyone with whom we come in contact, especially those who live on the margins of church and society. They are all our brothers and sisters, members of your Blessed Family. We remember also all those, living and dead, who touched our lives and left their footprints on our hearts. We remember especially….(mention names here, if you would like to..)
Jim and ALL: We believe that the Spirit of God is at work in and among us and will do more than we could ever ask or imagine. We believe that it is through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, Creator God, forever and ever.
Great Amen: Linda Lee Miller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy76fpfkNsg
COMMUNION RITE
The Prayer of Jesus
Joan M and ALL: Let us pray as Jesus taught us.
Holy One beyond all names
Eternal Wellspring
May love rise again in us today
With food for every table
Shelter for every family
And reverence for every life.
Forgive us our failings in love
And free us from all falseness
That the light of our souls may shine
And the strength of our spirits endure
For Earth and all its people
This day, tonight and forever.
Amen.
(Celtic Version of Prayer of Jesus by John Philip Newell)
Sign of Peace
Kathryn:
Eternal wellspring of peace-
May we be drenched with the longing for peace
That we may give ourselves over
As the earth to the rain, to the dew,
Until peace overflows our lives
As living waters overflow the seas. (Marcia Falk)
Kathryn: Jesus said to his disciples, “My peace I leave you. My peace I give you.” Let us now extend a sign of peace to one another as we say,
Seth: “Namaste, Namaste, Namaste.”
MaryAL
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.
Kathryn: This is the bread of life and the cup of blessing. Blessed are we who are called to Christ’s table.
Joan and All: May we live as the Body of Christ in the world, serving all in need, especially those living on the margin.
Joan: Please receive/share Eucharist now, saying: “You are the bread of life.” And “You are the cup of compassion.”
Communion Song: Circle of Women by Nalini Blossom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkYshTVe1HU&list=RDRkYshTVe1HU&start_radio=1
Introductions/Thanksgiving/Announcements
Closing Community Prayer
Community Blessing and Commissioning
Kathryn: And together with our arms extended we say:
Spirit, be with us each and every moment of every day as we navigate these difficult times. Let our hearts be open to hear your message and give us the courage to act upon your messages, even when we are afraid. Keep us ever mindful of the powerful possibilities of love as we walk through all the seasons of creation in our lives. Amen.
ALL: Thanks be to God. Let it be so! And so it is! Alleluia!
Closing Song: We’re In This Together
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E7iddxhSEc&list=RD6E7iddxhSEc&start_radio=1
If you would like to add your intercession to our MMOJ Community Prayers 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.
