Source of all peace, we come together in the gathering darkness of this holy night in your name. We open our hearts and minds in your presence and allow your peace to fill us. We pray that we become vessels of that peace, to be poured forth in our homes, our communities, and our world. Amen.
Blessed is the dark, in which our dreams stir and are revealed. Blessed is the dark of earth, where seeds come to life. Blessed are the depths of the ocean where no light shimmers: the womb of all earthly life.
Blessed is the light into which we awake, the light that sparkles on the waters: that calls the tree forth from the seed, and calls the shadow forth from the tree.
Blessed are we as we move through darkness and through light.
PETITIONS
Reader: As our world darkens and grows cold we pray for our sisters and brothers who are without shelter; may they find peace and comfort in roof, walls and food, and may we find them as we search for ways pour forth your compassion.
All: Light in darkness, hear us.
Reader: For the creatures of our forests, marshlands and fields, as cold and darkness descend; may they live safely through the harsh months to come.
All: Light in darkness, hear us.
Reader: For our own hearts; may your peace be light and warmth for us, even in these shortening days.
All: Light in darkness, hear us.
Reader: At this time we invite you to add our own petitions. (Pause)
Reader: For these we pray.
All: Source of all peace, hear us.
CLOSING PRAYER
We praise you for darkness which calls us to rest. We praise you for the cold which calls us to reach out to those in need. We praise you for the soft, white, cold snow which awakens our senses to beauty and reminds us of the coming light. Oh Spirit of Seasons, Bringer of Peace, we praise you tonight and always.
Please join us between 9:30 and 9:55 am via Zoom Here is the Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82512159155 phone-in for (audio only) Phone Number: (646) 558-8656
Meeting ID: 825 1215 9155
Welcome and Intro: Jim
Opening Prayer: Deb
Like our ancestors, we honor the cycles and the seasons that remind us of the ever-changing flow of life. Ritual acts give life meaning—they honor and acknowledge the unseen web of Life that connects us all.
[as Steve lights the fourth candle, Deb continues]
We light this fourth candle and remember that we are called to create, share and be light in all our ways of relating to all of Creation and commit ourselves to work for peace and justice in our world. And so, we respond: Let us kindle the light of love!
Opening Song: O Come, O Come Emmanuel -Anna Hawkins(Hebrew & English)
First Reading:from the prophet Isaiah 7:10-14 [The Message Bible]
God spoke again to Ahaz. This time he said, “Ask for a sign from your God. Ask anything. Be extravagant. Ask for the moon!” But Ahaz said, “I’d never do that. I’d never make demands like that on God!”
So Isaiah told him, Then listen to this, government of David! It’s bad enough that you make people tired with your pious, timid hypocrisies, but now you’re making God tired. So, God is going to give you a sign anyway. Watch for this: A girl who is presently a virgin will get pregnant. She’ll bear a son and name him Emmanu-el (God-With-Us).
These are inspired words from the prophet Isaiah, and we affirm them by saying: Amen!
Gospel:Matthew 1:18-24[Inclusive Bible]
This is how the birth of Jesus came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her husband, an upright person unwilling to disgrace her, decided to divorce her quietly. This was Joseph’s intention when suddenly the angel of God appeared in a dream and said, “Joseph, heir to the house of David, don’t be afraid to wed Mary; it is by the Holy Spirit that she has conceived this child. She is to have a son, and you are to name him Jesus—‘Salvation’—because he will save the people from their sins.”
All this happened to fulfill what God has said through the prophet: The virgin will be with child and give birth, and the child will be named Emmanu-El—a name that means “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of God had directed, and they went ahead with the marriage.
These are inspired words from the evangelizer Matthew, and we affirm them by saying: Amen!
Homily Starter:Jim
Sung response to Word by community:Celtic Alleluia
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.
Liturgy of Eucharist
Deb: As bearers and birthers of hope, peace, joy, and love, let us bring to the table our blessings and cares as well as the concerns of our world, beginning with the words: I bring to the table…
[Deb will close with] We pray for these and all unspoken intentions. Amen!
Steve: With open hearts and hands, let us pray our Eucharistic prayer as one voice:
[written by Jay Murnane]
Source of all that is, we seek you in this season, when the earth is resting and preparing for new life. Like the earth, we long for new life and hopeful beginnings. This is the time of the pregnant woman, filled with life and hope powerful enough to topple structures of oppression. This is the time of her song of fidelity and celebration.
During this gentle season of Advent, we recognize that you have made us capable of bringing forth justice, like a rising sun. One with all who have gone before us, we sing a song of praise:
Holy, Holy, Holy:Here In This Place-Christopher Grundy
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 in this place.
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.
We thank you for those in times past who believed the good news, and lived what they believed.
Blessed is Isaiah and every visionary who insisted on a better future that would break through the deception, disaster and broken promises of the age in which they lived.
Blessed is John, in the stark desert of careful focus, inviting the people to be born again in your love.
Blessed is Miriam, who believed the words of Isaiah and opened herself up to the unbelievable.
And blessed is her child Jesus, who felt the sorrows of humankind in his soul, and responded with deep and tender compassion.
[extend hands in blessing]
We are grateful for your Spirit at our Eucharistic Table and for this bread and wine which reminds us of our call to be the body of Christ in the world.
On the night before he faced his own death, Jesus sat at 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.
[lifting bread plate]
When he 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]
[lifting the cup]
Then he 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]
As we share communion we will become communion, both love’s nourishment and love’s challenge. Be mindful as you receive that “You are (I am) the face of the Divine.”
Communion Meditation: Light Of The World (Lyric Video) by Lauren Daigle
O Emmanuel, strengthened by Word, Sacrament and your indwelling Spirit, may we
re-create the living presence of a love that does justice, of a compassion that heals and liberates,
of a joy that generates hope and a light that confronts the darkness of every injustice and inequity. By living this way, we give honor and glory to you, O Holy One, now and forever. Amen!
Let us pray as Jesus taught us:
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.
(Adapted by Miriam Therese Winter)
Blessing[extending hands in blessing]
As we go forth, may Emmanuel continue to bless us. May our living and loving this week be peaceful and filled with joy, bringing hope to all we meet. Amen!
Welcome to our Moment of Oneness in the Third Week of our ADVENTure.Each of the four candles in the Advent wreath represent an aspect of our relationship with the Holy One:Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace, with a fifth candle on Christmas represending celebrating remembrance of the birth of Jesus. In this “Moment” we will share brief prayers reflecting the candles, with special focus on the 3rd or “Gaudete” candle.We Jesus-followers know sometimes it is difficult to be joyful in our world today, but it is essential that we recharge our spiritual batteries for the road ahead.
“We light this third candle and remember that in the heart of every person on this earth, and in all of creation there burns the spark of luminous goodness – the presence of the Divine.Let us kindle the light of joy!”
Light of The World - Lauren Daigle (Christmas story)
In the midst of our exiles, O Spirit of Anticipation, your light is eclipsed by cynicism and despair. The wilderness continues beyond our expectations, and the probability of hope lasting in our souls seems unlikely.
The peace to which we seek is often covered by the fog of hopelessness. And yet, occasionally, even in the nighttime of our spiritual deserts, we are able to see the light in the distance.
Even when hope is small and the light is dim, we celebrate the moments that we detect possibilities ahead.
This candle is aflame with joy to optimistically announce the glow in life’s murkiness and the mirth that grows as we grow closer to the birth of the Christ.It will keep Hope alive in our minds and hearts.Amen.
GAUDETE PRAYER 2Light of Peace
Uneasiness stems from the unrest in our world.News echoes from our TVs and phones alerting us of turmoil around the globe. From what happens in our communities, schools, and world, it’s often tough to find harmony.
Words between neighbors reflect a dismal connection with fellow children of God.Bullies in schools, workplaces, and other institutions cloud our once happy souls.
Yet even as we stand in the midst of commotion and even when anxiety stirs within our hearts, God is with us. The buzzing of hatred will not be the final noises we hear as God’s song of serenity will rise above the clamor.
Our candle sings out a joyful flickering song of peace. Our eyes are drawn like a magnet to the flame that promises peace as we work for justice in our world, knowing that harmony will come.The turmoil of the outside world and the unrest in our souls will convert to peace that goes beyond all understanding.The light of peace and hope will transform our world to holy tranquility.And you will be with us in the peaks and valleys of our journeys, God of Placidness. Amen.
GAUDETE PRAYER 3 Prayer of the World in Waiting
All over the world, the frigid winds drive us back into our winter abodes nearly isolating us from our neighbors and capturing our uplifted spirits until Spring. As night arrives earlier than yesterday’s appearance, we ask that this season refuses to keep us from spiritual seclusion as we fight against our natural tendency to hibernate. At times in the midst of Winter, Spirit of Anticipation, your light is eclipsed by cynicism and despair. The peace to which we seek is covered by the fog of hopelessness.
And yet, occasionally, even in the nighttime of our spiritual deserts, a small light can be seen in the distance. Even when hope is small and the light is dim, we celebrate the moments that we detect possibilities ahead.
We light the candle of joy to optimistically announce the glow in life’s murkiness and the mirth that grows as we grow closer to the celebration of the birth of the Christ. May this season of long nights be filled with warm memories and inviting plans to follow the Light and be joyful again. Amen
Spirit of Strength who abides with us in the sparkles and shadows- in the midst of this glitzy season filled with every distraction known to people,
Give us the focus to finish what we’ve started. May Advent draw our attention to the sweetness of the journey- Not the saccharine superficial sentiments of cultural expectation.
May Advent enliven our spirits and energize our tired minds. May Advent drive us away from disturbances and give us the moxie to reach into the caverns of injustice to aid in the delivery of God’s holy righteousness.Amen
GAUDETE PRAYER 5A Prayer for Peace
Uneasiness stems from the unrest in our world.News echoes from our TVs and phones alerting us of turmoil around the globe. From what happens in our communities, schools, and world, it’s often tough to find harmony.
Words between neighbors reflect a dismal connection with fellow children of God.Bullies in schools, workplaces, and other institutions cloud our once happy souls.
Yet even as we stand in the midst of commotion and even when anxiety stirs within our hearts, God is with us. The buzzing of hatred will not be the final noises we hear as God’s song of serenity will rise above the clamor.
Today we watch and remember the Gaudete candle of peace to remember that harmony will abide.The turmoil of the outside world and the unrest in our souls will convert to peace that goes beyond all understanding.The light of peace and hope will transform our world to holy tranquility.
And you will be with us in the peaks and valleys of our journeys, God of Placidness. Amen.
GAUDETE PRAYER 6. Prayer for Love
Tensions rise between neighbors. Hate lurks in stores and on roads, in school hallways and political discussions. Humanity focuses more on its own individual well being instead of the well being of all.
Yet animosity isn’t the last word, and hate will never win because God’s love endures forever. Divine love dissipates all venom and sweetens all bitterness.
Even as we walk in the shadow filled valleys of toxic interactions, God’s love is lighting the path to the future. Through the Spirit of the Christ in our world, the vapors of hate will not last in our world. Love will spread from person to person, lifting the toxic fogs that linger between people.
We light the candle of love to clear the cloud of hate in our world and dissolve the mists of gloom as the Christ enters our world and brightness continues to grow.
