Saying the Holy Rosary is a special focus of prayer and meditation that provides for each of us a state of contemplation and mystical connection.
When aligning to the Grace of Mary, we can have a sense of purpose in praying for others and ourselves. It can be a singular and private prayer or a community endeavor.
For those of us who are becoming steeped in Original Blessing Theology, the traditional prayers of the Holy Rosary can be daunting. When changing the wording to better reflect the concepts of Blessing Theology, it seems important to keep a sense of the timing and inflection of the prayers as we have learned them.
The Companions' Rosary is an attempt to combine the prayers of the rosary within present-day theology of original blessing.
To all whom feel called to pray in this way, prayers and blessings to you. May we all continue to connect, in whatever way we can, to the Holy One, to Mary and to each other.
And so it is.
The Sign of the “Cross”. A Shield of Protection and Love.
The sign of the cross can impress on us the concept of a theology of sacrifice and atonement. The sign of the “cross”, here, building on the trinity and St. Paul's greetings, can also be a Shield of Protection and Love.
In the name of Peace (hand at the forehead)
And Love (hand at the heart)
And Grace (The Infinity sign across from one shoulder to the other, and back to the heart.)
AMEN.
Rose Aglow,
DETrees, 2017
THE COMPANIONS’ ROSARY
Praying the Holy Rosary
In Original Blessing Theology
The Sign of Protection and Love
In the name of Peace and Love and Grace. Amen.
A Simple Companions’ Creed
I believe in the Holy One, Lover, Creator, Enhancer, WHO IS Infinite and Present all at the same time.
Our Field of PEACE in all things.
I believe in Jesus, Friend and Companion, who shows us the Face of God in our human form.
Our Sign of LOVE in all things.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, Our Heart and Soul, moving within and among us.
Our Show of GRACE in all things.
I believe in this, our creed, in our communion of angels and saints and in life everlasting. Amen.
The Prayer of Jesus
(From Miriam Therese Winter)
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 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 Hail Mary
Hail Mary, Full of grace, Our God is with you.
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother and Friend,
Be with us now, at our hour, and beyond. Amen.
The Glory Be
Glory and Joy Be to Peace and Love and Grace.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,
World without End. Amen.
Hail Holy Mary
Hail Holy Mary, Mother and Leader, Our Life, our Sweetness and our Hope. You show us how to live with Courage in our convictions. You teach us to stand by each other with unending support and love.
Thank you for being with us now. Walk this path with us as you did with your son, Jesus. May we follow his example of inclusive love, as you taught him.
O Clement, O Loving, Sweet Mary of Nazareth. Be with us as we look to you.
Praying the Companions’ Rosary
1.Make the Sign of the Protection and Love.
2.Say the Simple Companions’ Creed.
3.On the first bead, say The Prayer of Jesus.
4.Say The Hail Mary on each of the next three beads.
5.Say TheGlory Be on the fifth bead.
6.For each of the five decades, announce the Mystery or a special intention then say The Prayer of Jesus
7.While fingering each of the ten beads of the decade, say ten Hail Marys while meditating on the Mystery or Intention. Then say a Glory Be.
8.After saying the five decades, say the Hail, Holy Mary.
Diagram from USCCB, Accessed 9-29-19
A PRAYER FOR YOU
For all who say the Companions’ Rosary, a special Blessing from our Lady and Above. The Angels watch over you in Peace, Grace and Love.
In loving places, O Beloved, are You known, your love extends to all on earth.
Your home has been established in our soul, your dwelling place in our heart.
For You fill us with wonder!You, who know our innermost being, You forgive us and raise us up.From the depths of our soul You call us to Awaken, to grow in harmony and wholeness.
You well up in our hearts with the inward call to liberate and free all of creation.
The community affirms these words with AMEN!
Gospel Acclamation: More Light by Christopher Gundy video by MTStreck
Gospel: A reading from the anonymous author known as John (Jn1:1-5 adapted)
In the beginning, before there was anything, there was a Word.
And that Word was from The Holy One.
And that Word WAS The Holy One.
Through this Word everything came to be, each in its own time, each in its own way.
In this Word was life; a life that is light for all of creation.
This light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it.
Homily Starter:
Many of the members of the Upper Room have read or are familiar with Valerie Kaur
and her message of Revolutionary Love. The first reading today is the same message
of Revolutionary love but for youngsters, or each of us who are young at heart.
We call this a family liturgy for a reason…family members are all ages…and we are all
family.
Wonder is our theme for today. In our book world of wonder…there is a line that is
repeated several times. WOW! WHOA! You are a part of me I don’t know. The second
line that is repeated is “I choose to love everything alive.”
Let’s start with the phrase You are a part of me that I don’t know. If we look at the
leaves, birds, shells and sand, the sky and the stars, or pretty much anything in
creation we might realize there is so much to learn from everything we see. For me,
flowers are so amazing, they have so many beautiful and important parts. Or maybe
you have watched ants scurry around carrying pieces of sugar or other kinds of food?
The pieces are sometimes bigger than they are.
And also very important is what happens when we look at people? Do we really know
all about them? Today right after our celebration we will be singing, “Getting to know
you” and three people will be telling us things about themselves we might not know.
Once we get to know each other including all creatures and creation, we may “choose
to love everything alive.” Can you imagine what our world would be like if we each
loved everything that is alive? Maybe there would be an end to bullying or fighting.
We would all get along because we would see we are all so much alike. If we recognize
ourselves in each other and all creation we would choose to love everything. What a
wonderful world we would have!
So maybe now we can share times when you noticed something important in creation,
or something special about a friend, or neighbor, or even something about a stranger
that you never knew. We would love to hear from all our family members, young and
young at heart!
Statement of Faith
We believe in the Holy One who is in everything we see
And even in everything we cannot see.
As far away as the most distant star and as near as the air we breathe
The Holy One is there, creating everything out of Love.
We believe in Jesus, who showed us the Holy One
In how he lived his life, He showed us that the Holy One is
In our lives too.
We believe that we are called to live like Jesus.
We are called to bring peace, and light, healing and kindness,
We are called to be brave and speak up, and help out when
Others are suffering or things are not right.
We believe that the Spirit of the Holy One
Lives in us and in all of creation.
We feel the Spirit in the wind, the warm sun,
The cold snow, and we see it in the faces of other people.
We believe that if we live in the Spirit of the Holy One,
If we remember to act with kindness and courage,
We will make the family of the Holy One larger and larger
Until the whole world is at peace.
Prayers of the Community
There are many things we are thankful for, and there are many things that make us feel sad or scared.Now is the time to bring these things to this table, so that all of us can pray with one another.We begin our prayers with the words: “I bring to the table.”
We pray for all these things, and for all the prayers that we hold silently in our hearts.Amen.
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
Next we will pray our great prayer of Thanksgiving, called our Eucharistic Prayer:
O Holy One, you have made us in goodness, given us life and held us in love. Your Spirit lives within each of us; each of us has been given your Spirit of courage and vision, your Spirit of wisdom and truth.
In the power of that same Spirit, we ask that once again your gifts come upon us as we sing your praise:
(Invite the children, and anyone who would like to, to join in a circle at the table).
Holy One, we see around us all of your creation.The trees, flowers, birds, animals and insects sing with joy for your creative power.We are your creation too, and we thank you for our lives.
We thank you for sending Jesus, our brother, to show us how to live so that your love can show through in the world.We thank you for your Spirit, which showers your love and wisdom on the earth like rain, and which opens our eyes in wonder.
Please hold your hands out like this… (demonstrate) as we bless the bread and juice.
Holy One, you blessed the grain in this bread and the fruit in this juice as they grew on the earth. The people who baked the bread and made the juice blessed them with their work.Today, with your Spirit, we bless them again, as they become gifts of love, light and truth and remind us that we too are blessed with your Spirit.
(lifts bread):Jesus gathered his friends around a table like this.He took the bread, and said a prayer of thanksgiving.Then he broke the bread and shared it with his friends, saying:
Take and eat this bread. Go, share and love one another.
(lifts the cup): After the meal, Jesus took the cup of blessing.He said another prayer of thanks, and then he offered his friends the cup saying:
Take and drink of the loving agreement
Made new again through my life in you.
Whenever you remember me like this,
I am among you.
We are one today with all people who have ever lived, all the people and animals we have loved.With them we ask you, Holy One, for the wisdom to know what is right and the courage to do what is right.
- Help us to be kind to one another.
- Help us to take care of the earth.
- Help us to reach out to people who need our help.
And as we grow, help us to see where your Spirit leads us as our lives unfold in this world of pain and beauty so that we may become wise co-creators of the future.
Like Jesus, we will open up wide all that has been closed about us, and we will live loving lives, for it is through living as Jesus lived, that we awaken to your Light within.
Amen.
We will pass the plate around the circle.When the plate comes to you please take a piece of bread and eat it.As you receive Communion remember the words, “You are a part of me I do not know”
Communion song:Creation Calls – Are You Listening by Brian Doerksen
O Holy One, You call us to live in peace and justice.We will live justly. You call us to be your presence in the world.We will love tenderly. You call us to speak truth even when it is difficult.We will be courageous in your presence.
Let us pray the prayer of Jesus:
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)
BLESSING
Please stand, and hold out your hands in blessing:
Holy One, we ask your blessing on all the children and adults gathered here today, and on all of your creation.May we walk with joy in the world as we know that you are always walking with us, and thankful for your many gifts.
All: AMEN
Closing Song:What a Wonderful World by Playing for Change
