Fourth Sunday of Advent

            Fourth Sunday of Advent

 

 

 

Responder: Lucia

Presider: Penny

Zoom Link

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87935930592?pwd=qZlKA506MIS9okXQQxBkaKsyhsZJDV.1

 

Introduction

Pat: As we prepare to welcome Jesus, the ultimate love, may we find ways that love defines who we are and what we do. As we anticipate the birth of Christ and center ourselves in love one more time, may we find inspiration in these words from Bell Hooks: “If I were really asked to define myself, I wouldn’t start with race; I wouldn’t start with gender. I would start with stripping down to what fundamentally informs my life, which is that I’m a seeker on the path. Where I stand spiritually is, steadfastly, on a path about love.”

 

Opening Song Hope Waits for Us

https://youtu.be/qp80wPEc20E?si=aNAlbiwZ_Kn1dOzJ 

32 ADVENT CANDLE LIGHTING 

Patti: A long time ago, a baby was born in a town called “House of Bread.” His name was Jesus. After his birth, Mary, his mother, was amazed at all that was being said about him and the community’s outpouring of love. 

Jay Cee: First, we light the candle of hope. Hope is believing things can get better with compassion and imagination. 

Patti:: Next, we light the candle of peace. Peace is what happens when everyone treats each other, themselves, and the world kindly. 

Jay Cee:: Then, we light the candle of joy. Joy is when you feel so thankful you could burst with excitement and gratitude. 

Patti: Today, we light the candle of love. Love is the care and connection binding us together with each other and God. 

Jay Cee: As we light this candle, we are reminded that, from the manger, love is growing...growing to be God with us. His name is Jesus, Bread of Life.

 

Opening Prayer Nick

Come, Emmanuel, and make a dwelling place among us. May we welcome you into our midst when your presence is most discomforting, inconvenient and threatening. May we give birth to you despite our doubts and fears, our timidity and weakness. Come, Emmanuel, make your dwelling pace in our hearts and homes always! R] Amen

 

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION 

Rita: Loving God, as we approach the sharing of the good news in the word proclaimed, open our hearts and minds to your message to us today. Here we listen and learn so we might mature in loving you and others, just as Jesus did. 

R] Amen

 

First Reading   Kathy N

A reading from the prophet Isaiah  

 Once more Yahweh  spoke to Ahaz and said, “Ask for a sign from Yahweh your God; let it be deep as the netherworld, or high as the sky!”  But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask! I will not put Yahweh to a test!”  Then Isaiah said, “Listen, O House of David! Is it not enough for you to weary those around you, must

 you also weary my God?  Therefore, the Holy One will give you

 a sign: This young woman will become pregnant and will give 

birth. You will name the child Immanu-El.

The Word of our God.  R] Thanks be to God

.

Responsorial Psalm 24  Gina

R] And the Holy One will come in Our God, the glorious one.

Verses:  

1.The Earth and everything on it, the world and all who live in it, belong to God. God built it on the deep waters,

 laying its foundations in the ocean depths. R]

2. Who has the right to ascend God’s mountain? Who is allowed to enter YHWH’s holy place?  Those whose hands are clean and whose hearts are pure, who do not worship idols, or make false promises. R]

3. YHWH will bless them; God their savior will declare them innocent. 6 Such are the people who seek YHWH, who seek your face, God of our ancestors. R]

 

 

 

Second Reading  Chrys 

A reading from the letter to the Romans  

From Paul, servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart to proclaim the Good News, which God promised long ago through the prophets, as the holy scriptures record, the Good News concerning God’s Only Begotten, who was descended from David according to the flesh, but was made the Only Begotten of God in power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Savior. We have been favored with apostleship, that we may bring to obedient faith all the nations, among whom are you who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ; To all in Rome, beloved of God and called to be holy people: Grace and peace from our Abba God and our Savior Jesus Christ.

The Word of our God.  R] Thanks be to God

 

Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia Misa Delgado 

https://youtu.be/uilfwfd-U_g 

 

 

 

Gospel   Penny

A reading from the Good News attributed to Matthew

 

This is how the birth of Jesus came about. When Jesus’ mother, Mary, was engaged 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 Immanuel” — 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.

The Gospel of Jesus the Christ. R] Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Homily

 

Affirmation of Love

Cathy P: Let us affirm our commitment to and belief in the Christian discipline of love.  We believe love was born into this world as a tiny child, bringing freedom and salvation to all people. 

R: We believe love embraces us in our joy and our sorrow, holding us closely and never letting go.

 

Cathy P:: We believe love is expansive and inclusive, guiding us to see the humanity in each other. 

 

R: We believe love empowers us to provide nourishment for the hungry and hospitality for the stranger.

Cathy P:: We believe love calls us to act with compassion, even when it is difficult and costly. 

All: We believe love inspires us to build a community where every person is valued, their dignity affirmed, and their worth celebrated. 

Cathy P: We believe love challenges us to confront systems of injustice that cause hunger and inequality. 

 

R: We believe love compels us to advocate for change, seeking justice and equity for all people. 

 

Cathy P: We believe love teaches us that when we give of ourselves, we reflect the heart of God. 

Rl: Let the people be loving, not just in words, but in actions that transform lives and systems. 

 

Cathy P:: Let the people be loving, creating a world where God’s love is made visible in every act of kindness, justice, 

and advocacy. 

 

R: Let us love boldly, working together to ensure that all have what they need to thrive. Amen.

 

PASSING OF THE PEACE 

: We pass the peace of Christ because the love of God compels us to create peace among ourselves, our families, and in this world. When peace feels impossible, we dedicate ourselves to demonstrating peace from within. So, let us create peace here and now. 

May the peace of Christ be with you. Let us offer each other a sign of peace.

 

Margaret: With faith in God’s desire to work with us, we bring our prayers: For what or whom shall we pray? 

 

  

(At conclusion of petitions)

 

Margaret: Most loving God, please hear and answer the prayers we have brought before you, as well as those which remain in our hearts, unspoken. We also pray for those who have no one else to pray for them, and we do this in Jesus’ name. Amen

 

Offertory

 

Gerry: Blessed are you, God of all creation! Through your goodness we have this bread to offer. Fruit of the Earth, work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of life.

R] Blessed be God forever

Marita: Blessed are you, God of all creation! Through your goodness we have this wine to offer. Fruit of the vine, work of human hands, it will become for us the cup of life.

R] Blessed be God forever

 

10 PRAYER FOR THE OFFERING 

Juanita: God, our Loving Parent, 

your love compels us to give because you gave. 

We give to our loved ones, to our neighbors, to people we will never know, and to our church. 

We trust you will give us the wisdom to use these offerings to grow seeds of love in the world. 

Show us how best to steward the resources you have so graciously given us. Amen.

 

 

Eucharistic prayer

Linda : Holy and merciful God, in Bethlehem—in the “House of Bread”—you gave us Jesus Christ. He was born and laid in a humble manger and is the Bread of Life—the One who satisfies our deepest hunger. 

 

Kathy N: Your love, shown to us in Jesus, is sufficient to fill the hungry places in our hearts and minds. You are enough for everyone, and there will always be enough bread and wine for all who come to the table with sincere hearts. We lift our voices to join in unending praise for you:

 

Holy, Holy Here in This Place – Christopher Grundy, video by MT Streck

https://youtu.be/uXyu57tR2gk

Karla: Holy and merciful God, as we look to the City of David and anticipate the birth of Jesus once again, 

we are filled with gratitude for the boundless love he demonstrated. 

We approach the bread and the cup, reminded of the story that begins in the manger and continues through Christ’s compassionate ministry. 

Our hearts are filled with the assurance of your enduring love. Meet us at the table where we will encounter the great mystery of lovingkindness.

 

Juanita: Holy and merciful God, we approach this table with a spirit of peace, trusting that the troubles of our minds and bodies will find compassion under your loving gaze.

The gifts of communion are sufficient to remind us

of your presence with us and the peace that dwells within us. While the world can be a violent and hostile place, at this communion table, we are safe at home.

Please extend your hands in blessing over your bread and wine.

 

Penny: 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. We call upon the Holy Spirit to come upon these gifts of bread and wine that they may become the + Body and Blood of Christ.

 

Janet: 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. 

 

All lift their plates and pray the following:

 

Penny: 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: 

 All: Take and eat, this is my very self.

(pause) 

 

 

All lift their cups and pray the following:

 

Penny: Then he took the cup of the covenant, spoke the grace, and offered it to them saying:

All: Take and drink. Whenever you remember me like this, I am among you.

(pause) 

 

Karla: The gifts of communion are sufficient to remind us

of your presence with us and the peace that dwells within us. While the world can be a violent and hostile place, at this communion table, we are safe at home.

 

 

Galen: Sisters and brothers in Christ, 

the baby born in Bethlehem came to restore 

and redeem the whole world. 

The bread he broke was broken for all. 

The wine he poured was poured out for all. As we enter a time of remembrance and celebration for the life of Christ, all are welcome to the feast.  

Let us share this bread and cup to proclaim and live the gospel of justice and peace.

 

 

Communion song Come Lord! Maranatha

https://youtu.be/sOGE1Z15tP8?si=wodsVc-2Wx5ikQNQ

 

 Dave: Let us pray with the words that Jesus gave us:

 

Our Father, Holy Mother, Creator of the Cosmos, Source of Life You are in my mind, in my garden, in my cup of wine and loaf of bread. Blessed be Your names” Mother, Allah, Beloved, Great Spirit, Yahweh, Radiant One. Your presence has come, your will be done on Earth as it is in the heavens.

May we give each other strength, mercy, tenderness, and joy and forgive each other’s failures, silence, pettiness, and forgetfulness as we ask to be forgiven by those we’ve hurt.

Lead us home to ourselves and to each other, to clarity, to oneness and decliner us from the darkness of our ignorance and fear.

R] So we pray, and so we receive.   Amen

 

Blessing   Penny

May Christ, the Bread of Life, 

whose mission was love and whose compassion knew no bounds, guide you on the journey. 

May the love of our Creator, 

who calls us to care for the hungry and oppressed, surround you. 

And may the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, 

who empowers us to imagine a kindom where all needs are met, strengthen you, now and always. 

Go in hope, peace, joy, and love to feed the hungry, comfort the afflicted, and share the good news of Christ’s coming.

 

Dismissal:  Margaret

 

Closing song Waiting in Silence

https://youtu.be/bg8XCxUtKec?si=Mbpdo35ZseWu7UuZ