Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community All Saints Day Liturgy, November 1, 2025 Presider: Mary Theresa Streck Prayer Readers and Leaders: Joan Pesce Andrea Seabaugh Jane Shugrue Internet Technology. Michael Rigdon

                                                          

Zoom Link:

 https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84062571379?pwd=yBMlF5ZAdiBVQau9BkorTCq7Kltwiw.1

Theme: We Are All Called to Be Saints

 

Welcome  

Mary Theresa:  Welcome to Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community. We are happy that you are here to celebrate with us! Today is All Saints Day, a day when we remember those beautiful people who used the gifts given to them by the Holy One to make the world a better place. It is also a day to remember that “we are all called to be saints” and so we pray:

Opening Prayer

Andrea S: Source of All Being, Holy One, You call us in every age and every place to reveal your love in the world. On this feast of All Saints, we remember those whose lives have shone with your light—mystics and prophets, poets and healers, and the quiet saints who walk beside us each day. 

May we hear your call to holiness as a call to deep engagement with the sacredness of all life. Like the saints who have gone before us, may we bring mercy to the brokenhearted, justice to the weary, and hope to the world you love.
Amen.

Opening Song: All Saints Day

 https://youtu.be/GQefafxbS9E?si=m6q7_1_aT6sjKxDW

 

 

LITURGY OF THE WORD

 

First Reading

Jane S: From The Love of Thousands by Christine Valters Paintner 

St. Paul writes that we are all “called to be holy” (1 Cor 1:2). We all know people in our lives who are loving, kind, generous and patient. They are the visible presence of the Holy One in our world. These are the everyday saints we honor. They may be our neighbors, our coworkers, our aunts, or our brothers or sisters, and their lives show us another way of being in the world. They may have passed on or may still be walking this earth. So we honor the saints, we remember saints such as Francis, Hildegard, Augustine and Teresa.  But we also want to include those in our lives who have shown us what it means to love generously in a world that is often hard to love. These may also be people we have not met, but they inspire us through their poetry or music, through their commitment to social justice and the poor, or their love of creation.  The saints have both love and humility.  Saints are able to set aside their own plans and what they think is the best path forward and listen in their heart to the Holy One. They take risks and follow the Divine’s lead into new ways of serving others. 

These are the thoughts of writer and mystic Christine Valters Paintner, and we affirm them with Amen.

Alleluia:

Alleluia by Christopher Walker

 https://youtu.be/o1rc7ojQtJU

 

GOSPEL: 

Mary Theresa: A Reading from the Gospel According to Matthew (5:1-12) and The Beatitudes for the 21st Century by Jan Phillips

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the mountainside, and after he sat down and the disciples had gathered around, Jesus began to teach them:

 

Mary Theresa: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Joan C: Blessed be the story-tellers, music-makers, and artists at life, for they are the true light of the world.

 

Mary Theresa: Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Joan C: Blessed be the tender-hearted who mourn and grieve the wars we've fought, the lives we've lost, may peace ride in on the river of their tears.

 

Mary Theresa: Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.

Joan C: Blessed be the Earth and those who tend her, for she is the source and sustenance of our lives.

 

Mary Theresa: Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. 

Joan C: Blessed be the children who hunger for food, learning, and homes that are safe, for their future is shaped by our choices today.

 

Mary Theresa: Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Joan C: Blessed be the persecuted and wrongly judged, for theirs is a sorrow lessened only by mercy and human kindness.

 

Mary Theresa: Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.

Joan C: Blessed be the prophets who speak and write of a world beyond war, for theirs are the words becoming flesh.

 

Mary Theresa: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Joan C: Blessed be those who are calling for freedom, resisting oppression and risking their lives in the struggle for justice, for they are the shapers of a brighter world.

 

Mary Theresa: Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Joan C: Blessed be the refugees fleeing the violence of war and poverty may they find shelter, peace, and work that sustains them.

 

Mary Theresa: Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great right now in the Kin-dom.”

We affirm these words with, Amen

 

(Pause for silent reflection)

 

Homily Starter: (Mary Theresa)

Today we celebrate All Saints Day — a feast not only of those canonized by the Church, but of all who have lived lives of love, courage, and compassion. Sainthood, then, is not a title bestowed after death. It is a way of living now — a call to awaken to the divine spark already within us.

In her beautiful book The Love of Thousands: How Angels, Saints, and Ancestors Walk With Us Toward Holiness (2023), Christine Valters Paintner invites us to expand our understanding of holiness. She writes that the saints are not distant, unreachable figures, but companions — “the great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1) who remind us of our own potential to embody divine love in our unique way.

Paintner encourages us to see the communion of saints as a “community of presence” — the living and the dead, the ancestors and the angels, all interwoven in love. She writes, “The call to holiness is not about escape from the world but deep engagement with it. Each of us is invited to become a saint in our own way, through our own passions, wounds, and gifts”(Paintner, 2023, p. 27).

This is profoundly hopeful. It means sainthood is not reserved for those who pray all day or perform miracles, but for those who love deeply — who live with awareness and compassion in whatever sphere of life they inhabit.

One such modern saint is Dr. Jane Goodall, who died one month ago. Her life exemplified the call to holiness through deep engagement with creation. In Krista Tippett’s On Being interview, Jane reflected on her lifelong relationship with the natural world. She speaks of the wonder she felt as a child, watching a hen lay an egg, and how that wonder led to a lifetime of scientific discovery and spiritual reverence.

Jane Goodall carried a “quiet moral authority,” rooted not in doctrine but in presence — the kind of presence that listens to the earth as sacred text. In this way, Jane Goodall lived the Beatitudes from today’s Gospel (Matthew 5:1–12): she was pure of heart, merciful, a peacemaker. Her holiness was expressed through care for the web of life.

The Gospel today invites us to see the world upside down — or perhaps, right side up. Blessed are the poor in spirit... the meek... those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. The Beatitudes show us what sainthood looks like: not triumphant, but tender; not powerful, but peace-making. To be a saint is to live with the humility of those who know they belong — to the earth, to one another, to the Holy One. It is to act with compassion in a fractured world.

On this All Saints Day, let us remember that the saints are not distant heroes — they are companions on this life’s journey. They are our ancestors, our mentors, our neighbors, and sometimes even our own quiet, faithful selves. We are all called to be saints — not by doing extraordinary things, but by doing ordinary things with extraordinary love. And as Christine Valters Paintner reminds us, “The love of thousands surrounds you.”

Let us live, then, as those surrounded and upheld by that love — called, like all the saints, to let divine light shine through us.

I welcome your thoughts on today’s liturgy.

References

Paintner, Christine Valters. The Love of Thousands: How Angels, Saints, and Ancestors Walk With Us Toward Holiness.Ave Maria Press, 2023.

 

On Being with Krista Tippett. Jane Goodall, In Memoriam: What It Means to Be Human

https://onbeing.org/programs/jane-goodall-what-it-means-to-be-human/

 

 

Statement of Faith 

 

Andrea:  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. 

 

Prayers of the Community

 

Mary Theresa: As we prepare for this sacred meal, we are aware of our call to serve, and just as Jesus is anointed, so is each of us. We bring to this table our blessings, cares and concerns. 

 

Intentions shared

 

We bring these and all deeply held blessings, cares, and concerns to the table of friendship and peace. 

 

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

 

 

Eucharistic Prayer

 

Mary Theresa: Please join in praying our Eucharistic prayer together: 

 

Andrea S: Blessed are You, Source of All Being,whose love calls creation into life and fills it with the music of your Spirit.
From the beginning, you have surrounded us with the wisdom of the ancestors,
the courage of the prophets, and the compassion of the saints.

We thank You for those who have gone before us —
for the thousands who loved fiercely and faithfully,
whose prayers, actions, and dreams
still ripple through time and bless the earth.

We remember all the saints —
known and unknown, ancient and new,
the mystics, the healers, the justice-seekers,
and those who reveal holiness in daily acts of love.

With all the saints and angels,
with ancestors and with creation’s great choir,
we join in the song of praise:

Holy, Holy, Holy: Here in this Place by Christopher Grundy

https://youtu.be/sgkWXOSGmOQ

 

Joan P: We give grateful thanks for those who came before us, for all those who gave from their hearts, who gave from their lives, that there might be a better world, a safer world, a kinder world, we pray for peace in their name. 

Blessed is our brother, Jesus
who walked among us as mercy made flesh,
blessing the poor, healing the broken,
welcoming the stranger,
and teaching us that the way of love is the way of life.

Joan P: Please extend your hands in blessing)

 

Your Spirit is here in us and in the gifts of this Eucharistic table. May we become gifts of wisdom, light and truth which remind us of our call to be the body of Christ to the world.

 

On the night before he faced his own death and for the sake of living fully, Jesus sat at the Seder supper with his companions and friends.  He reminded them of all that he taught them, and to fix that memory clearly within them, he bent down and washed their feet.

All lift plate

When he 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; this is my very self.

All lift cup:

He then raised high the cup of the covenant, spoke the grace, and offered it to them saying: 

Take and drink.

Whenever you remember me like this, I am among you.

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.

 

Please receive the bread with the words: I am surrounded by the love of thousands.

 

Communion Song: Behold Now the Kingdom by John Michael Talbot

https://youtu.be/TWd0OE5jaoA?si=J861_Iph8VpLrw

 

 

Prayer After Communion

 

Jane: Loving Source of All, we have looked for others to save us and to save our world. Yet, we are called and consecrated and sent into the world to establish justice and show the blessed fulfillment that comes with simplicity and the giving of ourselves in love.  We will make new our commitment to the harmony of the original vision of creation. 

 

We will open wide all that has been closed about us, and our small circles. Like Jesus, in all openness, we will be filled with your own Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

 

For it is through learning to live as he lived,

And why he lived,

And for whom he lived,

That we awaken to your Spirit within,

Moving us to worship you truly,

O Holy One,

At this time and all time and in all ways.

And we say yes to You!

 

Andrea: Let us pray together the prayer of Jesus:

 

All:    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)   

Mary Theresa:  Intentions   Gratitudes and Announcements

 

BLESSING

 

Mary Theresa: Let us now bless each other.

Go forth in peace, beloved of the Holy One,
surrounded by the love of thousands —
the saints who walk with you,
the ancestors who bless you,
and the Spirit who breathes through you.

May your life shine with compassion
and your heart stay rooted in wonder.
May you listen deeply to the earth,
live gently with all creation,
and awaken to the holiness already within you.

Go now as saints-in-the-making,
bearing light for the healing of the world. Amen

Closing Song: When the Saints Go Marching In(shortened)

https://youtu.be/YRyEsjfzi68?si=NDvnBMSjuTfVUtw8

 

 

 

 

1

 

MMOJ Liturgy: St. Teresa of Avila, Oct.25, Presiders Andrea Seabaugh and Bridget Mary Meehan, Prayer Leader/Readers: Jeanne Schmitt and Mary Al Gagnon, IT: Cheryl Brandi

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/93473708926?pwd=VHFKZGJ5N3ljbzZtVU1qQVRZY1lodz09

Meeting ID: 934 7370 8926 Passcode: 552967 

"Courageous Love and Mystical Wisdom: Walking with St. Teresa of Avila"

This liturgy celebrates St. Teresa of Avila as a contemplative mystic, fearless reformer and spiritual guide whose life invites us into a deeper relationship with God and a bolder commitment to justice. 

Welcome and Gathering

Welcome to our Zoom liturgy at Mary Mother of Jesus, an inclusive Catholic Community where all are welcome.

Please have bread and wine/juice nearby as we pray our Eucharistic prayer.

Opening Song: Courageous Women by Jan Novotka, Video by MT Streck

https://youtu.be/x8YdXUl4ZsQ

                                  Rite of Transformation

Andrea S:  We pause now to remember the times we have been consumed with worry in caring for self and others. Take a moment to recall one missed opportunity.

(Pause briefly and extend your hand over your heart)

ALL: As we let go and let God, we open our hearts to Infinite Love embracing and healing us. Let it be so, Yes, Alleluia!

A Joyful Gloria: Linda Lee Miller and graphics by Rick Miller

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lA5I0nODZI

Opening Prayer

Bridget M:  

God of Fire and Friend of the Soul,
you breathed courage into Teresa of Avila,
a woman of strength, laughter, and mystical insight.
Open our hearts as you opened hers—
to silence that speaks,
to prayer that burns,
to a love that reforms what is broken
and lifts up what is holy.
May her spirit walk with us as we gather. 

All: Amen

Liturgy of the Word

Jeanne S: First Reading:  A reading from Praying with Visionary Women by Bridget Mary Meehan

In her best-known writing, Interior Castle, Teresa used the image of a castle to describe the seven “dwelling places” or stages of prayer. According to Teresa, the first three “dwelling places” show us how to let go of distractions, and how to encounter the Holy One in meditation, spiritual reading and good works. The fourth dwelling place is like a bridge between the natural and supernatural, where we can “center” in the divine presence. The fifth is the prayer of union, in which the soul experiences life in Christ. The sixth is one of purification and transformation in preparation for total oneness with the divine. The seventh is complete communion with divine love.

An Excerpt from The Interior Castle by Teresa of Avila:

“Perhaps we don’t know what love is.  It wouldn’t surprise me at all to learn that this is true, sad but true. Love doesn’t exist-as we like to think- in the degree to which we are happy. No, love exists in the strength of our determination to try to please God in everything that we do, each and every day.  The important thing is not to think much but to love much.  So, start doing whatever most stirs you to love.”

These are the inspired words of Teresa of Avila, We affirm these words by saying AMEN

Responsorial Psalm: Healer of my Soul – John Michael Talbot

https://youtu.be/5FISm9JfmTA

Second Reading: Mary Al:

Today’s second reading for us is from Praying with Visionary Women by Bridget Mary Meehan

St. Teresa of Avila born on March 28, 1515 in Castile, Spain. Teresa was the apple of her father’s eye and a confidant of her mother. She wrote: “I was the most loved of my father.” At the age of eleven, she experienced a heart-breaking loss when her mother died.  She described her sorrow: “when I realized what I had lost, I ran to the statue of Our Lady and begged her to be my mother.”

As an adolescent, Teresa was quite beautiful, charming and often in love. She went out regularly with young suitors without her father’s knowledge or permission. Teresa lied to her father about a man she hoped would marry her. Teresa recalled that her integrity was damaged when she was no longer a virgin. She wrote; “they put me in a convent in the neighborhood where they took care of girls like me, only not so evil in their ways.”

Nineteen months later, Teresa became ill and was diagnosed with heart problems and rheumatoid arthritis. At that time, her father took her home. She began reading writings of St. Jerome and grew to fear if she did not enter the convent, she was destined for hell!

When she pleaded to be allowed to enter the convent, her father initially refused but later changed his mind. Teresa explained leaving home was a devastating experience: I can remember completely what it was like, and in sober truth, I don’t think that the pain will be more when I die, than when I walked out of my father’s house, for I felt as if my bones were being pulled apart.”

After entering the convent of the Incarnation in Avila in 1536, at the age of twenty, Teresa continued to care for her beloved father until his death. She wrote: “When I saw coming to the end of his life, it seemed my soul was being wrenched from me, for I loved him dearly.”

When Teresa was forty years old, Teresa saw an image of Jesus in agony that changed her life. “The vision of Christ left on me an impression of his most extraordinary beauty, and the impression remains today, one time is sufficient to make this imprint.”

From that time on, Teresa grew closer to Christ and developed a way of practicing the presence of God, which Teresa described as  an intimate sharing between friends. (Autobiography 8:5)

These are the sacred words of St. Teresa of Avila, Doctor of the Church. And we respond to them by saying: Amen!

 

Celtic Alleluia:  

https://youtu.be/o1rc7ojQtJU

Andea S:Gospel

Luke 18:9-14

Jesus addressed this parable
to those who were convinced of their own righteousness
and despised everyone else.
"Two people went up to the temple area to pray;
one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself,
'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity --
greedy, dishonest, adulterous -- or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.'
But the tax collector stood off at a distance
and would not even raise his eyes to heaven
but beat his breast and prayed,
'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.'
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;
for whoever exalts himself will be humbled,
and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

These are the sacred words of the evangelist known as Luke.

ALL:  LET IT BE SO!

Homily: St. Teresa of Avila, Mystic and Reformer
By Bridget Mary

Beloved community, today we remember and celebrate a towering figure in our Christian story—a woman who was as grounded as she was visionary, as practical as she was mystical: St. Teresa of Avila.

Teresa was no ethereal, otherworldly saint. She was fiercely alive. Passionate. Determined. Earthy. She laughed, she struggled, she spoke truth to power, and she poured her life out for God and for her sisters. She lived from the depths of her soul, and in doing so, she teaches us what it means to live with courage, compassion, and holy desire.

Though she was a cloistered Carmelite, Teresa was no passive contemplative. In the final twenty years of her life, she traversed the breadth of Spain, founding 17 new convents and reforming her religious order from within—a bold and dangerous mission in a Church and world where women’s voices were often suppressed. But Teresa knew something the powers couldn’t touch: that true authority comes not from titles or thrones, but from intimacy with the living God.

And Teresa loved life. She made time for laughter and friendship, and she understood that what matters most is not our accomplishments, but the love with which we live. As she once wrote, “What value God places on our loving and keeping peace with one another! The good Jesus places it before anything else.”

Like all mystics, Teresa had her moments of raw honesty with God. When her wagon got stuck in the mud during a river crossing and her supplies floated away, she heard the divine voice say: “This is how I treat my friends.” To which she replied, “No wonder you have so few!” That boldness, that intimacy, that holy humor—that’s the Teresa who invites us to speak freely with God.

Yet her freedom came at a cost. In an age of suspicion and repression, Teresa’s visions and raptures brought her under the scrutiny of the Inquisition. Had she been found guilty of heresy, she could have faced torture or even death. Her interior life—her direct experience of God—was seen as a threat to the male-dominated Church hierarchy. As Joan Chittister notes, the Inquisition may have feared Teresa not only for her spirituality but for her reform agenda, her Jewish ancestry, and her refusal to be silenced. She was too bold, too independent, too alive.

But thanks be to God, her voice was preserved—and it sings to us across the centuries. Her "Bookmark Prayer" remains a lighthouse in our storms, a mantra of trust, a gentle call to release our fears and return to the still center where God dwells.

This is the gift of Teresa: she reminds us that holiness is not perfection—it is friendship with God. It is the long, often messy journey of inner transformation. It is the willingness to let go of control, to walk with God in love, and to rise—again and again—in hope.

We, too, are called to be reformers and mystics in our time. We, too, are invited to speak our truth, love deeply, challenge systems that exclude, and root our lives in the presence of God. Teresa walks with us still, companioning us into courage and communion.

Let us now pray her beautiful prayer together, with hearts open to the Spirit who makes all things new:

All:
Let nothing disturb you.
Let nothing frighten you.
Everything is changing;
God alone is changeless.
Patience attains the goal.
Who has God lacks nothing.
God alone fills all our needs.

Amen.

Community Sharing

Communal Statement of Faith

Jeanne: 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 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 in the Holy Spirit,

The life of God that is our innermost life,

The breath of God moving in our being,

The depth of God living in each of us.

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

Mary Al: We now bring our prayer intentions to the Table. With Teresa of Avila and all the saints, we pray:

Response: All: God of love, walk with us.

For mystics, prophets, and all who listen deeply to the Spirit…

For the devastated families of all the undocumented who are imprisoned and awaiting deportation 

For the people of Israel and Palestine, Ukraine and Russia, India and Pakistan and the Sudan that they may live in peace

For world leaders that they may put children and the needs of people who are suffering in the world above guns, power, and greed

For those silenced or scrutinized for speaking truth from the margins…

For reformers working for justice in the Church and the world…

For the intentions in our MMOJ prayer book (Joan shares)

For what else shall we pray?

Mary Al:
Gracious One, receive our prayers and guide us on the path of love and transformation. Amen.

                                        

                                                          Offertory

Presentation of the bread and wine

Presider: Bridget Mary

 God of all life, through your goodness we have bread, wine, all creation, and our own lives to offer. Through this sacred meal we become your new creation.

 Presider : Andrea S

O Holy One, You dwell in all of us, and you accept our gifts that we offer in service to our faith community. We do this in memory of our brother, Jesus. Amen.

                                                       Eucharistic Prayer

Preface:

Prayer Leader: Jeanne

The Holy One is with you.

Prayer Leader Jeanne and All: 

And also with you.

Prayer Leader: Mary Al:

We lift up our hearts.

Prayer Leader: Mary Al and All

We lift them up to the Holy One, the Love of our Hearts. 

Prayer Leader: Jeanne:

 We give thanks and praise to our compassionate God.

Prayer Leader Jeanne  and All: 

It is right to give the Holy One thanks and praise.

 Prayer Leader: Mary Al:

 We join with the angels and saints as we sing this joyful song of praise:

  

Holy, Holy, Holy…

https://youtu.be/orKBBIj5LZA

Presider: Andrea S

Rooted in Teresa’s unwavering trust in Divine Love and her tireless passion for renewal, we too are called—to listen with open hearts, to speak truth with boldness, and to live with holy courage. Through prayer, laughter, and sacred action, we help shape a Church that is contemplative, inclusive, and vibrant with the Spirit.

During his life on earth, Jesus stood with the marginalized, healed the broken, and challenged the systems of injustice that oppressed the people. Because of his radical love, he was feared by the authorities—and ultimately crucified. Yet his Spirit lives on. His embrace of all people continues through our prophetic witness and loving service. We are the hands and feet of Christ in our world today—called to embody the compassion, courage, and justice of Jesus- in every act of love.

Invocation of the Holy Spirit (extend you hands in blessing)

 

Presider and All:  Bridget Mary

You bless us O Sacred Spirit and you enliven all that exists. You transform these gifts of bread and wine, and our lives, by boundless grace that nourish and sustains us on our journey. 

 On the night before he faced his own death, Jesus sat at the Seder supper with his companions and friends.  He reminded them of all that he taught them, and to fix that memory clearly with them, he bent down and washed their feet. 

 

(All lift your bread and pray) 

When Jesus returned to his place at the table, he lifted the bread, spoke the blessing, broke the bread, and offered it to them saying: 

Take and eat, this is my very self.  (pause) 

 

Preside and All: Andrea S:

(All lift your cup and pray) 

Then Jesus took the cup of the covenant, spoke the grace, and offered it to them saying:

Take and drink.

Whenever you remember me like this,

I am among you.   (pause) 

Presider: Andrea S

Let us proclaim and live the gospel of justice and peace, remembering that we are bearers of light and hope.

All: Christ of the Cosmos you are the spark of love in whom we believe; the Wisdom of Sophia in whom we trust; and the desire for justice that consumes us.

 Presider: Bridget Mary

Sacred Spirit, we remember Mary, Mother of Humanity, who birthed Jesus into our world. We rejoice that the Universal Christ remains always and ever present within and around us. We remember Teresa of Avila and all the great saints, prophets and martyrs. 

 Presider: Andrea S

We remember all the members of our MMOJ Community, our family members and friends who have transitioned into New Life. We give thanks for all those who have blessed our lives and whose memory continues to inspire us.  

… (Pause and remember the names of your loved ones in silence…)

  

Prayer Leader: Bridget Mary

 We pray that the Holy One renew in our hearts our commitment to journey always in faith and hope as we reach out and support our religious and political leaders, comfort and love those closest to us, those who live in our country and all the people of the earth.

And we respond together by singing the Great Amen. 

https://youtu.be/0sDDgwZlijc

                                          Communion Rite:

Prayer Leader: Jeanne 

Prayer of Jesus:

Let us pray as Jesus taught us:

Jeanne and All: 

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) 

      

Prayer Leader Mary Al

Sign of Peace: 

Let us offer one another a sign of peace.

Namaste! Namaste! Namaste

Prayer for the Breaking of the Bread

Presider: Bridget M:

Please join in praying the prayer for the breaking of the bread:

All: Loving God, You call us to live the Gospel of peace and justice. 

We will live justly.   

Loving God, You call us to be Your presence in the world.  

We will love tenderly.

Loving God, You call us to speak truth to power.  

We will walk with integrity. 

(Presiders hold up bread and wine) 

Andrea S:Let us share the bread and cup as we say to each other: You are the Body of Christ

Communion: St. Teresa’s Prayer by John Michael Talbot

https://youtu.be/tF7Yb9fobCg?si=R82Tb2WQrxMRTqKN 

Prayer After Communion: Presider: Andrea S:

Ever-living God,
you lit a fire in the heart of Teresa of Avila,
and it has not gone out.
May we burn with that same flame—
a love bold enough to challenge injustice,
a peace deep enough to silence fear,
a joy strong enough to carry us through the muddy roads of life.
Keep us faithful, keep us humble, keep us free. Amen.

May it be so. Amen

Presider Bridget Mary: Introductions, Prayers of Thanksgiving and Announcements

Final Blessing:

Presider: Andrea S

We together raise our hands as we bless one another.

All: May the wisdom of Teresa guide us
May the courage of the mystics fill our bones.
May the joy of the Spirit lift our hearts.
And may the God of Love bless us and keep us—
in our prayers, in our dreams, and in our every step.
Amen.

Closing Song; We Go Forth by Jan Novotka – shortened video

https://youtu.be/jtSAZp5hdME

Liturgy created by Bridget Mary Meehan with permission given to share with communities of faith. 

Website: marymotherofjesus.net