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Welcome:
Sometimes things don’t work out the way we expect them to. Today’s readings point that out, encouraging us to see ways to think of these experiences in a different way.
Let us pray: Holy One, you are forever showing us who You are. We were born to co-create with You and every day You give us a chance to grow into who we are meant to be. We are always becoming.
Opening song:
Deep Peace, Sara Thomsen, Video by Denise Hackert-Stoner
LITURGY OF THE WORD
A Reading from the book of Luke 6:20-23
Jesus said “You who are poor are blessed, for the reign of God is yours.
You who hunger now are blessed, for you'll be filled.
You who weep now are blessed, for you’ll laugh.
You are blessed when people hate you, when they scorn and insult you and spurn your name as evil because of the Chosen One.
On the day they do so, rejoice and be glad:
Your reward will be great in heaven, for their ancestors treated the prophets the same way.
These words are attributed to Luke, and we affirm them by saying “AMEN.”
Celtic Alleluia by Christopher Walker
https://youtu.be/o1rc7ojQtJU
A Reading from the Gospel of Matthew 5:3-12
Blessed are those who are poor in spirit:
the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
Blessed are those who are mourning:
They will be consoled.
Blessed are those who are gentle:
They will inherit the land.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice:
They will have their fill.
Blessed are those who show mercy to others:
They will be shown mercy.
Blessed are those whose hearts are clean.
They will see God.
Blessed are those who work for peace
They will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of their struggle for justice:
The kingdom of heaven is theirs. You are fortunate when others insult you and persecute you, and utter every kind of slander against you because if me,
Be glad and rejoice, for your reward in heaven is great:
They persecuted the prophets before you in the very same way.
Blessed are those who work for peace”
They will be called children of God.
These words are attributed to Matthew, and we affirm them by saying “AMEN.”
Brief Homily:
The first thing I did when I saw the gospel reading for this weekend… sounded like a quiet gasp! I’ve never been fond of the Mathew story. I missed that Luke had a little bit of a different take on it….still…what did it all mean?
I googled the word BEATITUDE. It sprung from the latin word “beatus” Did you know that means happy or fortunate? I didn’t. Seems that it refers to a state of deep happiness or joy. Many think these 2 writers were pulling together what they thought were the most important ideas Jesus taught.
He taught that exemplifying gentleness and self control, yearning to know what is right and just, and do it as best we can, working to restore broken friendships and help others to do so, living a life of forgiveness, kindness and compassion,
daring to love so deeply, living love so openly no matter the cost…
Here we will find our lives radically blessed.
What do you hear in these readings?.....
Thank you for sharing your words of wisdom. Let us now share our statement of faith
Statement of Faith
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 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.
Eucharistic Prayer of Belonging
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….”
We pray for these and all unspoken prayers and blessings. Amen.
Pause.
We are a priestly people. We are anointed. With open hands let us pray our Eucharistic prayer as one voice:
All: O Nurturing, Mothering One, You are always with us. We are grateful for Your constant loving and unconditional presence. At times we forget that You are holding us, attending to us. We fall and You pick us up. You send strangers, friends and family to our aid. We are never without Your Light and Spirit.
We experience great joy and we experience great pain and suffering. You are with us in the joy and the pain and suffering. When we experience Your presence we long to sing our hymn of praise:
Holy, Holy, Holy: Here in this Place –by Christopher Grundy
All: Creator and Lover of all beings, we cannot grow in the darkness of this world without Your Light. Our desire to be in Your light is a gift from You. 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
All: This bread and wine is a sign of Your nourishment and a sign of Your great love. Your Spirit is upon us and we belong to You and one another.
We thank you for Jesus, simple servant, lifting up the lowly, revealing you as God-With-Us, revealing us as one with you, and all creation.
On the night before he died, Jesus gathered for the supper with the people closest to him. Like the least of household servants, he washed their feet. Once again he showed us how to love one another.
(All lift the bread)
All: Back at the table, he took the bread, spoke the grace, broke the bread and offered it to them saying, Take and eat, this is my very self.
(All lift the cup)
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.
Bread and wine are transformed by Your Spirit and we are transformed when we open ourselves to Your Spirit. Every time we share this bread and wine we choose to be transformed. We choose to love as You love us.
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 and cup with the words: I am called
Communion Song:
Creation Calls – Are You Listening by Brian Doerksen
Communion prayer:
Loving Source of our being, you call us to live the Gospel of peace and justice. We live justly, we love tenderly, we walk with integrity in Your Presence Amen.
Let us pray together the prayer of Jesus:
All: O Holy One, who is within, around, and among us, we celebrate your many names. Your wisdom comes. Your will be done, unfolding from the depths within us. Each day you give us all that 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.
The Prayer of Jesus as interpreted by Miriam Therese Winter
BLESSING
Please extend your hands and pray our blessing together
All: May we hear Jesus calling. May we do our part to bring justice into the world. Where there is justice there is peace. May our gathering ignite us to love more fully. And like Jesus may we be a shining light and a blessing for all.
All: Amen.
Closing Song
Blessing Song by Jan Phillips
--
"Be the change you want to see in the World"
Mahatma Gandhi
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