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Meeting ID: 519 315 8573

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Meeting ID: 519 315 8573

Advent - A Time Of Stillness. Preparation. Waiting. Contemplation.

Ed & Mary FitzGerald wrote this beautiful liturgy for us Here is the liturgy in PDF file format to download.

Ed: We will begin our liturgy with the lighting of our advent wreath. If you have one please light yours with us.

Also, we will have a candle lighting immediately following the Eucharist. If you can, we ask that you have a candle ready for the lighting. The idea is to light your candle, possibly from the advent wreath, then hold up for all to see. Imagine the gallery view with everyone holding their candle while we sing the closing song, The Song of Waiting. (Click on the link to hear it).

Welcome: Welcome and introduction of new or visiting people

Bell Ringing

Lighting of Our Advent Wreaths

In the Name of the Three-in-One and One-in-Three.

Response: Amen

Loving God, who sent into the world your Incarnate One

as a Light which the darkness cannot overcome,

invest our wreath, our Advent symbol,

with the power of your love and light.

With each of these candles that we light,

may we rekindle within ourselves the desire

to prepare a way for the birth of Christ within us.

With each new candle that we light,

may the flame of Christ’s coming

grow ever brighter

until the Feast of the Nativity brings with it

a fresh and ever-green coming of the Lord of Light

into each of our hearts and into our whole world.

Music: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Reading: John of the Cross

If you want, the virgin will come walking down the road

pregnant with the holy, and say

“I need shelter for the night, please take me inside your heart,

My time is so close”.

Then, under the roof of your soul, you will witness the sublime intimacy,

the divine, the Christ, taking birth forever,

as she grasps your hand for help, for each of us

is the midwife of God, each of us.

Yes, there, under the dome of your being

does Creation come into existence,

through your womb, dear pilgrim, the sacred womb in your soul,

as God grasps our arms for help;

for each of us is His beloved servant, never far.

If you want, the Virgin WILL come walking down the street

pregnant with light, and singing!

Response: Be still and know I am God

Reading: Meister Eckhart, O.P.

What good is it to me,

if this eternal birth of the Divine Son

takes place unceasingly

but does not take place within me?

And what good is it to me,

if Mary is full of grace

and if I am not also full of grace?

What good is it to me,

for the creator to give birth to the Son,

if I do not also give birth to Him,

in my time, and my culture?

This, then, is the fullness of time:

When the Son of God is begotten in us

Response: Be still and know I am God

Reading: Karl Rahner

A light is beginning to dawn in me.

I am beginning to understand

something I have known for a long time:

You, O God, are still in the process of coming.

Response: Be still and know I am God

Gospel: Mark 4:39

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them, just as he was, in the boat. And other boats were with him. And a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care if we perish?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” And they were filled with awe.

Response: Be still and know I am God

Introduction to Shared Homily

Needless to say, we live in an increasingly frenetic world. There’s the whole host of activities and responsibilities which prevent us from being still. When was the last time we scheduled or stopped simply to be still and know that God is God, learning and appreciating that she may indeed be found in stillness?

Mark tells us Jesus “rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” Jesus, God the Son, has the power of stillness. When we take time to be still with Jesus, we know God, we know peace, we know calm, and our lives begin to slow down, which, to say the least, is not nothing. Rather, it is healing and life-restoring.

And when the Mystery of the love of God breaks through into my consciousness, do I run from it? Do I ask of it what it cannot answer? Or… am I still enough to respond from my deepest, truest self, and say something new, a “yes” that will change me forever?

Would it be true to say that the questions God asks us are always questions of being, rather than of knowing? And that simply recognizing those moments of announcing - stopping for a moment because something or someone wants our attention - can matter. Chances are, we will not see or hear an angel. But it will be clear that we are being asked to say either “yes” or “no”– to embrace or ignore what God has set before us.

Shared Homily:

❖ What do you hold on to during dark and difficult times?

❖ Who has been the “keeper of the flame” for you when darkness has overwhelmed you?

❖ How are you living in such a way that others are drawn to the fire of God’s love they see and feel in you?

❖ Where are you finding joy in your life these days?

Externalizing Our Needs and Concerns

What do we bring from within our hearts to hold up in the Light?

Music: Jesus, You Fill My Soul

Jesus, you fill my soul with the fire of your love

And as you touch my heart, my soul is stirred within

Your love Lord brings healing, reaching, holding, freeing me

And as I feel its strength my soul is stirred within

Lord you long to share your heart, your touch, your love

And as I draw closer to you, your love grows strong within me, your love grows strong within.

Eucharist Prayer:

As this season of preparation continues, Holy God, who is with us, may we lean into every moment of our days to redeem the time, to make the most of our every moment.

May we prepare the visible Body of Christ, our community, to receive your eternal approach and your loving embrace.

With our faces turned to you, we await your holy descent, and ask, Lord, that you hear our prayer, offered in humility:

That despite the roar of our days, our hearts might grow still.

That glimpsing the quiet Cove, we may seek you in that stillness.

That resting in your presence, our hearts might be prepared to hear you.

That the angel of God might visit the chambers of our hearts.

That the angel of God might say to us, “Rejoice.”

That we might hear, and truly respond in joy.

That the angel of God might say to us, “Receive.”

That the servant of God might respond, “Let it be as you say.”

That our hearts might become fertile wombs in which new life begins.

That we may apprehend the infant life within.

That we might embrace that infant life.

That we may walk with care to bring about new birth.

That we may witness the seed of God bearing Holy Fruit.

Blessing of bread and wine - please unmute and when reading use | as a pause indicator

As the season of Incarnation approaches, as we prepare to receive Life itself, may we taste and see how our own lives, the life of the world, and the very breath of the universe flow to us from the Holy One made Flesh.

For we remember the night Jesus was at the table with his friends, and he took bread,

Gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his friends saying:

All: “This is my body | broken for you”

As supper was ending, Jesus took the cup of wine. Again he gave thanks, and giving it to his friends said:

All: “This cup is the New Covenant | of my lifeblood shed for you | and for all.

And as often as you do this | do this in remembrance of me.”

For it is | through Him | with Him | in Him

in the Unity | of the Holy Spirit

all glory | and honor | is yours

forever and ever. | Amen

Please take a moment to set your Zoom to Gallery View

Together, we offer to you O God, the prayer your beloved son and our brother, Jesus, gave us:

All:

Heavenly Father | heavenly Mother,

Holy and blessed | is your true name.

We pray for | your reign of peace to come,

We pray that | your good will be done,

Let heaven and earth | become one.

Give us this day | the bread we need,

Give it to those | who have none.

Let forgiveness flow | like a river between us,

From each one | to each one.

Lead us | to holy innocence

Beyond the evil | of our days

Come swiftly Mother, | Father, come.

For yours is the power | and the glory | and the mercy:

Forever your name is | All in One.

Kiss of Peace: Let us now offer one another a visual blessing of peace.

Eucharist: When finished, please light your candle and hold it up for all to see.

Music: Jesus Christ, Inner Light

Jesus Christ, inner light, let not our own darkness conquer us.

Jesus Christ, inner light, enable us to welcome your love.

Music: Song of Waiting

Quiet our hearts, as we await the Lord

The hope of our hearts, the hope of our hearts

Quiet our hearts, as we await the king

The hope of our hearts, Emmanuel.

Alleluia, Alleluia, we await the coming of the Lord

Alleluia, Alleluia, we await the coming of Emmanuel.

Joyful our hearts for we have heard

The promise of God, the promise of God,

Joyful our hearts for we have heard

The promise of God, Emmanuel.

Alleluia, Alleluia, we await the coming of the Lord

Alleluia, Alleluia, we await the coming of Emmanuel.

Thankful our hearts for we have seen

The light of our God, the light of our God,

The darkness of the night is clearing for us,

His reign shall come, Emmanuel.

Alleluia, Alleluia, we await the coming of the Lord

Alleluia, Alleluia, we await the coming of Emmanuel.

Alleluia, Alleluia, we await the coming of the Lord

Alleluia, Alleluia, we await the coming of Emmanuel.

SONG The Song of Waiting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THYCq6w7S7A&feature=youtu.be Here's a link to the liturgy in WORD format