FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME JANUARY 30, 2010 MICHAEL & MIRIAM Prayer Requests and Announcements 1. Opening Song: Gather Us In, #302 2. Call to Prayer A Prayer for Haiti by Rose Marie Berger Most Holy Creator God, Lord of heaven and earth, we bring before you today your people of Haiti. It is You who set in motion the stars and seas, You who raised up the mountains of the Massif de la Hotte and Pic La Selle. It is You who made her people in your very image: Their gregarious hearts and generous spirits, their hunger and thirst for righteousness and liberty. It is you, O Lord, who planted the rhythms of konpa, Twoubadou, and zouk in the streets of Cite-Soleil; You who walk the paths outside of Jacmel and Hinche. Your people, O Lord, cry out to you. Haiti, O Haiti: The world's oldest black republic, the second-oldest republic in the Western world. God, You are the One who answers the cries of the suffering. You are a God who sees, frees, and redeems your people. "I too have heard the moaning of my people," you spoke to Moses. Now, Lord, speak again to Chanté, Agwe, Nadege, and Jean Joseph.
Speak now, O Lord, and comfort Antoine, Jean-Baptiste, Toto, and Djakout. Raise up your people from the ash heap of destruction and give them strong hearts and hands, shore up their minds and spirits. Help them to bear this new burden. As for us, Lord, we who are far away from the rubble and the dust, from the sobbing and moans, but who hold them close in our hearts, imbue us with the strength of Simon the Cyrene. Help us to carry the Haitian cross. Show us how to lighten their yoke with our prayers, our aid, our resources. Teach us to work harder for justice in our own country and dignity in Haiti, so that we may stand with integrity when we hold our Haitian families in our arms once again. We ask this in the name of Jezikri, Jesus Christ. Amen 3. First Reading: Jer. 1:4-5, 8-19 The word of the LORD came to me, saying: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you. But do you gird your loins; stand up and tell them all that I command you. Be not crushed on their account, as though I would leave you crushed before them; for it is I this day who have made you a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of brass, against the whole land: against Judah s kings and princes, against its priests and people.
They will fight against you but not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD. 4. Responsorial Psalm: Ps 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15-17 The response is: I will sing of your salvation. In you, O LORD, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your justice rescue me, and deliver me; incline your ear to me, and save me. I will sing of your salvation. Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for you are my rock and my fortress. O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked. I will sing of your salvation. For you are my hope, O Lord; my trust, O God, from my youth. On you I depend from birth; from my mother s womb you are my strength. I will sing of your salvation. My mouth shall declare your justice, day by day your salvation. O God, you have taught me from my youth, and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds. I will sing of your salvation. 5. Second Reading 1 Cor 12:31 13:13 or 13:4-13
Brothers and sisters: Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts. But I shall show you a still more excellent way. If I speak in human and angelic tongues, but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, it is not pompous, It is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. For we know partially and we prophesy partially, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child;
when I became an adult, I put aside childish things. At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 5. Gospel Acclamation 6. Gospel Mk 4:35-41 On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples: Let us cross to the other side. Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Quiet! Be still! The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith? They were filled with great awe and said to one another, Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey? 7. Silent Reflection, then Dialogue 8. Intercessions
We are called to be seated at table and partake of food and drink of love and dignity. (pause) That we may accept God s invitation to also lead one another, we pray: TASTE AND SEE THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD That our lives may be a sharing of love with those who hunger and thirst for justice and peace, we pray: TASTE AND SEE THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD For all who are searching for tables where they may serve, we pray: TASTE AND SEE THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD 9. Gathering at the Table God be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to God. Let us give thanks to God our Creator. It is right to give God thanks and praise. Holy God, we have come to this table tempted to deny the pain of life, scarred from too many broken dreams, knowing that we are not immune to evil s lure. And you meet us at this table, embracing us in our brokenness, naming us beloved. Claiming us for an eternity. We thank you, living, loving God. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through the Word. God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God, we come to you in humble adoration and we remember the covenant you have made with your people in every time and place. We rejoice that you call us all creation to return to this table of broken wholeness.
At this table, we remember Jesus with these gifts of bread and wine. Bless all who share them, that our eyes might be open to see the risen Christ in our midst in each other. These are the gifts of God for the people of God. Come, for all things are ready. Our Loving God, in whom is heaven: The hallowing of your name echo through the universe! The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world! Your heavenly will be done by all created beings! Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth. With the bread we need for today, feed us. In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us. In times of temptation and test, strengthen us. From trials too great to endure, spare us. From the grip of all that is evil, free us. For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever. Amen. We recall how Jesus disciples journeyed to the town of Emmaus. On the way they encountered Jesus, who opened their minds and hearts to the meaning of Scriptures. But they did not know who it was until they came to their destination and extended the invitation to eat with them. Then Jesus took bread and blessed it and broke it and gave it to the disciples. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him in the breaking of the bread. 10. Breaking and Sharing of the Bread Song: Pan de Vida, # 340 11. Silent Reflection
12. Closing Prayers and Blessing And, May the sun bring you new energy by the day. May the moon softly restore you by night. May the rain wash away your worries. May the breeze blow new strength into your being. May you walk gently through the world and Know its beauty all the days of your life. (Traditional Apache Blessing) May God bless us and keep us. May God s face shine upon us. May God be gracious to us and grant to us, and to all our broken world, peace. May the blessing of Almighty God--the Creator, the Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit--come upon us and remain with us forever. Amen. 13. Closing Song: How Can I Keep from Singing? #446 Happy Birthday David! Happy Birthday Lee!