The Call Of The First Disciples (fresco by Michelangelo).
The word “light” is featured very
prominently in the scriptures for this weekend. We hear from Isaiah, “The people who walked in darkness have
seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a
light has shone.” (Isaiah 9:1) In
the psalm for this week we hear, “The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?” (Psalm 27:1). The quote from Isaiah is featured in
Matthew’s Gospel, as Matthew relates the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, then
follows with Jesus calling Peter and Andrew, James and John to follow him.
Anyone
who has gotten up in the night and whose feet are bruised and injured from stumbling over dog bones and
stepping on their kids’ Lego pieces on the floor will attest that light is a
very important element in human life. Had we turned on a light, the frequency
of stubbed toes and sore feet would be greatly reduced. Light illuminates the
obstacles that are in our paths, helping us to avoid that which may hurt us.
What is
said about the necessity of physical light in our lives can also be said about
the necessity of spiritual light in our lives. We all need spiritual light in
our lives. Each and every one of us has places of darkness in our lives. That
darkness can impede and injure us just as readily as being physically injured
by stumbling over objects in a darkened room. Some of that darkness is of our
own doing. Our egos all like to invent a false sense of self stripping us of
our authenticity as people. There is also the darkness that is imposed upon us
by others. I think of the many people to whom I have ministered who lived in
domestic violence. As evil and dangerous it is to be physically abused, the
emotional and spiritual abuse is far more insidious and inflicts greater evil
upon the person being abused.
Into that
abyss of spiritual darkness comes Jesus. Jesus, the human personification of
the God who created us in love, lights up the darkness we carry about within
illuminating the parasitical falsehoods that have attached themselves to us.
Is it any wonder that Peter and Andrew, James and John left their livelihoods to follow Jesus at the mere calling of their names? In that minimal command to “come and follow me”, Jesus revealed something to these men they never knew about themselves, so much so, that they immediately dropped what they were doing to follow him. As has been related to us in the Gospels, Jesus continued to illuminate the obstacles that were spiritually in the way in the lives of his followers. Exposed to the light of God in the person of Jesus, his followers, in turn, were able to spread God’s light to all the world.
Today,
Jesus is calling us to the light. Jesus is commanding us to drop everything we
are doing so we may follow him. Along the way, Jesus’ light will illuminate
within us the obstacles that clog our pathway to God, so that we may avoid them
and grow stronger in God’s light. As with the early followers of Jesus,
illuminated and bathed in God’s light, we are to carry God’s light into our world.
On this 2nd Sunday
in Ordinary Time, we hear from John’s version of the baptism of Jesus in which
John the Baptist relates his reaction to his encounter with Jesus. John the
Baptist tells his disciples that Jesus is the reason for his ministry of
baptism. It was the mission of John the Baptist to prepare the way for the
world to encounter Jesus and be transformed by that encounter. John relates how
the Holy Spirit anointed Jesus as Jesus rose from the waters of the Jordan. Following
this accounting, John the Baptist willingly diminishes and fades away, so that the
salvific mission of Jesus may grow.
In this wonderful pericope
from the prophet, Isaiah, we can see the words spoken about the prophet
projected onto the person of Jesus who will come.
The LORD said to me: You are
my servant,
Israel, through whom I show my glory.
Now the LORD has spoken
who formed me as his servant from the womb,
that Jacob may be brought back to him
and Israel gathered to him;
and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD,
and my God is now my strength!
It is too little, the LORD says, for you to be my
servant,
to raise up the tribes of Jacob,
and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a
light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the
earth. (Isaiah 49:3, 5-6, NAB)
Jesus is the glorious servant of God, who made God his strength. Though Jesus’ earthly ministry was isolated to his Jewish brothers and sisters, it took his ascension into heaven for his light to reach all the nations. Jesus planted his divine light in the hearts of his disciples, and it was his disciples that carried the light of Jesus to the ends of the Earth. The light of Jesus has been passed on from heart to heart to the present.
We are reminded on this 2nd
Sunday in Ordinary Time, that the light of Christ we carry in our hearts was
given to us from Jesus at our baptism. Christ’s divine light grew in us through
the love, the example and the instruction of our parents, our friends, and our
community. As disciples of Jesus, we are called to carry the light that God has
given us and spread that light to all we encounter.
On this final day of the Christmas Season, let us take reflect on the number of “theophanies” with which this Season has given us. A Theophany is a manifestation of God.
On the liturgies of Christmas Eve, the first theophany is that of the Angels to the shepherds in the field and later manifested in the person of the infant Jesus to them in the stable at Bethlehem.. On the Epiphany, God is manifested in Jesus to the Magi. In the presentation of Jesus in the temple, God is manifested in Jesus to Simeon and Anna. In the finding of the 12 year old Jesus in the Temple, God is manifested in Jesus as he conversed with the scribes and teachers of the Temple. Today in his baptism in the Jordan, God is manifested in Jesus to John the Baptist and those at the river.
The Baptism of Jesus raises two questions for us who have been baptized. Baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus are we a living theophany of God in our world? Do our lives manifest God in our world?
The mystic/contemplative and doctor of the Church, Teresa of Avila says this particularly well.
“Christ has no body but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours, Yours are the eyes with which he looks Compassion on this world, Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good, Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, Yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours, Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.”
Or, as Edwina Gately writes so wonderfully from, There Was No Path So I Trod One (1996, 2013):
Called
to Become
You are
called to become
A perfect creation.
No one is called to become
Who you are called to be.
It does not matter
How short or tall
Or thick-set or slow
You may be.
It does not matter
Whether you sparkle with life
Or are as silent as a still pool.
Whether you sing your song aloud
Or weep alone in darkness.
It does not matter
Whether you feel loved and admired
Or unloved and alone
For you are called to become
A perfect creation.
No one’s shadow
Should cloud your becoming.
No one’s light
Should dispel your spark.
For the Lord delights in you.
Jealously looks upon you
And encourages with gentle joy
Every movement of the Spirit
Within you.
Unique and loved you stand.
Beautiful or stunted in your growth
But never without hope and life.
For you are called to become
A perfect creation.
This becoming may be
Gentle or harsh.
Subtle or violent.
But it never ceases.
Never
pauses or hesitates.
Only is—
Creative force—
Calling you
Calling you to become
A perfect creation.
So, on this Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, how well are we living our baptismal call to manifest God in our lives to our world? What do we need to change in our lives to manifest God finer in our lives?
The scriptural text upon which this song is based is Isaiah, 52: 7-10, the first reading on Christmas Day.
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices,together they sing for joy; for in plain sight they see the return of the Lord to Zion. Break forth together into singing, you ruins of Jerusalem; for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. (Isaiah 52: 7-10, NRSV)
It is little wonder that this passage
from Isaiah is chosen as the first reading on Christmas Day morning? For
Christians, it encompasses much of what is heard in the Christmas narratives,
from the Angel’s announcement to the shepherds to the visitation of the Magi.
However, is this merely about Christians projecting the birth of Jesus upon the
sacred texts of Isaiah, or is what Isaiah saying impacts the presence of God in
our world, regardless of whether one is Christian or not?
For those of us who live in the
northern plains of Minnesota, the notion of shouting anything from mountain
tops is very remote, especially in an area that is, by and large, fairly flat.
For the Jewish people of Isaiah’s time and Jesus’ time, anything important to
say is proclaimed from atop a mountain. From the covenant of Moses on Mount
Sinai to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, important proclamations were made from a
place of geographical height.
However, it is not the place of
proclamation that is emphasized in this text. Rather, it is about what is
proclaimed. The joyful news of God’s Reign cannot be confined to only the
mountainous regions of our world. This joyful news needs to be borne upon the
feet of all of us who hear the news. As it has been passed to us, so much more
must we pass this Good News to all we encounter.
We are entrusted as messengers of God
to 1) announce peace, 2) announce salvation, and 3) announce that the Good News
of God’s Reign is here and now and supplants the rule of petty humanity with
all our human monarchies, dictators, and false semblance of governments that
have largely turned our world into one great ruin.
The one consistent message of most
Religions is that God reigns over all the Earth and will ultimately restore our
Earth to what God intended at Creation. As messengers of God, we are to use our
voices, our gifts, our lives to announce this Good News of God’s Reign to all
throughout our lives.
Of all the Christmas motets I have
composed, this is my favorite. Of all the reimagined piano arrangements of my
Christmas motets and psalms, this piano arrangement is closest to what I
composed for four-part choir. The only difference is I added a little Coda to
end the song.
I composed this motet initially in
1986 for my choirs at St Hubert Catholic Church. I added a third verse with a
soprano descant in 1987 and submitted the motet to the Association of
Liturgical Musicians (a professional association in the Archdiocese of St Paul
and Minneapolis) in a contest they held for local liturgical music composers.
While it did not get first prize, it came in third. ALM did record all the
winning music on tape at a massive concert. Sadly, the cassette tape of that
concert has been lost over the ensuing years.
The motet is composed in the key of A major and is in two part, AB, form with a Coda. I originally scored the motet for both piano and organ accompaniment.
I present two versions of this hymn. The first is a simple arrangement I recorded for voice and guitar (found on my album “Through Jesus”. The second is the version for piano only on my album, “Songs of the Refugee Christ at Christmas.”
How Beautiful The Mountains, from Through Jesus (c) 1986 by Robert Charles Wagner. Al rights reserved. How Beautiful The Mountains, from Songs of the Refugee Christ at Christmas, Psalm Offering 10 Opus 11 (c) 2018 by Robert Charles Wagner. All rights reserved.
Here we are on the 17th day and second to last day of the Christmas Season. Epiphany has come and gone. Many Christmas trees have either been placed outside (if they are real) or dismantled and stored for next year (if they are artificial). The multi-color outdoor lights and displays that decorated homes are now turned off. I remember Ruthie telling me about her Uncle Bill Burg, who had an artificial Christmas tree all decorated which he would pick up in its entirety at the end of the Christmas Season and place it in a closet, awaiting the next Christmas.
My son Luke, who loves the lights, colors, and sounds of Christmas, despondently said, as he took down the Christmas tree, “Now all we got left is a long, cold winter.” With Winter in Minnesota lasting often through the middle of April these days of Climate Change, January and February are just months that drag along slowly, going from weather that is sub-zero for weeks, to ice storms, and blizzards. I remember canceling weekend Masses in the middle of April last year because of a late winter blizzard.
Of course, Christmas had to end for Jesus too. The song I present for this 17th day of the Christmas Season is based on Luke’s account of Jesus staying behind in Jerusalem following a major religious festival that he and his parents had attended.
“Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.” He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor. (Luke 2:41-52. NRSV)
This song is a musical representation of the 12 year old Jesus in the Temple. The anxiousness of Mary and Joseph in seeking out their lost son is reflected in the quickness of the 3 over 2 motif in melody A. The calm, quiet of melody B is indicative of the adolescent Jesus asking questions from and also teaching the scribes in the Temple. Melody A returns as the Holy Family returns from the Temple to their home in Nazareth.
I composed this as a present for Blanche and Ivo Schutrop. Blanche and Ivo were longtime parishioners of St. Hubert. Blanche served as a volunteer sacristan, tutor for the school, and trained communion to the homebound volunteers and organized and matched those volunteers to those who were homebound. Blanche never got beyond an 8th grade education, but was probably the finest pastoral care minister I have ever known. She was the heart of St. Hubert. She and Ivo were married many years. I often remember them on a hot summer night, sitting in the screened in front porch of their simple home across the drive from the old church listening to the Minnesota Twins game on the radio and drinking a couple bottles of beer.
The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple, Psalm Offering 8 Opus 3 (c) 1990 by Robert Charles Wagner. All rights reserved.My then, 5 year old daughter, Beth’s Christmas drawing.
Today is Beth’s birthday. As I recall, we were expecting her on Christmas Day and I was ready to drop all the music at all the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Masses I was directing at St Hubert at a phone call from Ruth. As it turned out Beth decided to wait a little longer before she entered into our world. Always a singer, I believe she emerged from Ruth’s womb singing a song. I was just to preoccupied at that moment to notice. Because Ruthie was experiencing gestational diabetes, Beth was our fourth and last child. As with all our children, she has and continues to be a great blessing to us and to those she serves at Hennepin County Medical Center.
Beth and Ruthie at Beth’s wedding last year.
What follows is a set of three poems I have written for Beth and a song I composed for her in 2016. The poems are from a second collection of poems I have written for my wife Ruth, entitled, “The Book of Ruth: Courting In The Minnesota River Valley Of Tears.” Happy birthday, my love!!!
THREE POEMS ON THE BIRTH OF BETH
NOT QUITE AN AFTERTHOUGHT
Not quite an afterthought, but like all her other siblings, a surprise. Is it any wonder, my beautiful Ruth, you are pregnant again? So wonderfully beguiling, our fertility such that undressing at the same time in the same room, your chances of pregnancy increase tenfold.
Together, a fourth time, we make this familiar journey, praying for an easy pregnancy, a safe birth, and a healthy baby. Expecting a Christmas Day birth, some trepidation accompanies Christmas Eve and Christmas Day liturgies, the birth of Jesus taking on a new level of anxiety. The Christmas Holidays come and go, till the eleventh of January arrives, and with it our lovely daughter.
The moment arrives, and we take our familiar positions. I watch our child be born, the doctor exclaiming, “Nurse, weigh this kid. I almost dropped it!” Your eyes silently command, “Follow her.” In silence, I follow the green gowned nurse holding our child. As the doctor is applying sutures to you, your eyes engage mine. “What is it?” “A girl.” “How much did she weigh?” “Eleven pounds.” A pause, comprehension settles in, followed by, “That’s it!”
Beth at 3 years of age.
TWO MOTHERS
Four children, a family of six, our finances strained, I swap a job two blocks away for one twenty-five miles away, a compensation paid for increase of salary. Survival, our constant companion, compels you to don your nurse’s uniform and work night shifts to keep food on our table, a roof over our heads, and doctor bills paid.
You sleep, when you can, Between children’s naps And school day schedules. Our three year old, Meg, wearing the mantle of surrogacy, mothers our new born, Beth, when your eyelids feel heavy, teaching her the needed child skills, potty training, kitchen utensils, walking. Under Meg’s tutelage, Beth thrives and excels, a sisterly bond still in place today, though, not often publicly acknowledged.
Beth and Meg at a party … close as ever.
SUMMERTIME
The auditorium lights dim, the hall encased in shadow. A spotlight draws our eyes to an elegantly dressed girl, standing in a long, flowing, black gown. The opening strains of Gershwin’s “Summertime” play and she begins to sing. Her beautiful tones soar drawing our souls to the height of the auditorium to gently float, descending in graceful arcs, an aural caress of our senses.
Darling daughter, born with a song in your heart. Strains of “Mommy Good Girl,” rendering “Somewhere Out There” in keys normally out of vocal reach for mere humans. Your life has been an opera, singing what most normally say, a recitative of your life. Early morning duets with sister, Meg, chasing your older brothers to school, your combined voices following them to classes. Fearlessly independent, not afraid to defend your family with words and fist. Your Aunt Mary’s tenacity, a part of your DNA, always persevering in spite of obstacles known and unknown.
This night your reveal your heart to me, your poor father, my heart moved and melting with each sung word, remembering when I held your infant body close to my heart and pledged my life to yours forever. The closing strains of Gershwin’s masterpiece sound. A pause, the musical silence Of a half note’s length, then thundering applause as I weep openly with joy.
Beth’s High School graduation picture, with our Great Pyr, FloydRMoose.For my daughter, Beth, Psalm Offering 8 Opus 6 (c) 2016 by Robert Charles Wagner. All rights reserved.Happy Birthday, my darling daughter!
I composed the choral motet,
“Incarnation” in the year 1992. In composing the text for the motet, I used the
following themes that are expressed in the Christmas narratives of Matthew and
Luke. The first theme is that of messenger, as represented by the angels. The
second theme is peace, as felt by the shepherds as they received the angel’s
message. The third theme is that of awe and wonder, as experienced by Mary, Simeon,
and Anna. The fourth theme is that of light, as represented by the Star of
Bethlehem, leading the Magi to the birthplace of Jesus. The fifth theme is that
of Incarnation, God taking on our humanity, and we in response incarnating
God’s Divinity within our own lives.
Here is the text I wrote for the
motet.
Your birth, O Lord, moves the Angels to sing and stirs the hearts of all on earth. May we, sweet child of Beth’lem be messengers of your wondrous birth.
Yours is the peace the shepherds know which calms the fear within their hearts. May we, Good Shepherd, always feel the peace, the joy that you impart.
Your birth makes Simeon and Anna rejoice, and makes sweet Mother Mary ponder. May we, O Lord of the stable, be as filled with hope, awe, and wonder.
Your Star made all darkness bright and filled the Magis’ hearts with light. Shine forth within our lives so we may be your light for all to see.
How wondrous your love, O Christ Divine, to share our human heartaches and strife. May we, Incarnate brother, be living signs of your love and life. Jesus our hope, our love, our life.
“Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord
appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother,
and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to
search for the child, to destroy him.” Then Josepha got up, took the child and
his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of
Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the
prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.” (Matthew 2:13-15. NRSV)
This Psalm Offering is a
musical representation of the flight of the Holy Family to Egypt. When the Magi
returned to their homes, each going their separate ways, King Herod was greatly
angered. He, very much aware of the prophecy around the Messiah, was eager to
kill the newborn Jesus. He ordered his soldiers to go to Bethlehem and
slaughter all male children 3 years of age and younger. Melody A is Joseph,
warned of Herod’s plans by an angel in a dream, quickly roused his young family
to escape. Melody B is the Holy Family journeying through strange land to
Egypt. Melody A returns as the Holy Family arrives in Egypt, safe from all
harm.
I composed this as a Christmas present for Sharon Olejnicak, a piano accompanist for St. Hubert. Sharon and her family were only parishioners of St. Hubert for a couple of years. By the time that Sharon was there, the number of “old St. Hubert families” began to dwindle and new families began to flood into the parish. Some put down roots and settled in the parish, others, like the Olejnicak family, would be only in the parish for a short period of time before job relocations would move them on to another place and another parish. I am very grateful for the time Sharon devoted to St. Hubert as a musician while she and her family were there.
Flight Into Egypt, Psalm Offering 7 Opus 3 (c) 1990 by Robert C Wagner. All rights reserved.
The song I present to you today is from my collection of piano music, “Songs for the Refugee Christ at Christmas.” The song is entitled, “In the Beginning Was the Word.” This is what I wrote about the song after its completion in 2018.
The scriptural reference for this newly composed Psalm Offering
is the Prologue of John’s Gospel. John’s Prologue is the Gospel for Christmas’
Mass during the Day. Of all the Christmas narratives, this Gospel has always
been my favorite. However, like the Genealogy of Matthew or Luke Gospels read at
the Vigil Mass, it is one of the least heard Gospels on Christmas (everyone
would rather hear the Baby Jesus story from the Christmas Eve, Mass at
Midnight.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-14, NRSV)
Resting
in John’s Prologue is an experience of being completely enveloped by Mystery.
To be able to rest in the Mystery of the Incarnation of Christ, the starting
place is not the Presentation of Matthew’s Gospel, nor the Visitation of Luke’s
Gospel. The starting place is John’s Prologue. It is the Christian Testament’s
Genesis. Much like the first sentence in Genesis, “In the beginning was
Creation,” John’s Gospel starts with the phrase, “In the beginning was the
Word,” the moment in which God entered into relationship with Creation.
John
reveals that the baby who rests in the arms of Mary is the Logos, the Word of
God, through whom all life was created. The baby that Mary cradles is the very
light of God which will pierce the darkness that began at the fall of humanity
and covers human life as a shroud. John admits that there will remain a part of
humanity that will always seek darkness and will flee from the light of God.
For those who are bathed in the light of God, they will find themselves
transformed into becoming Children of God.
In John’s Prologue, we encounter what God intended as human nature at Creation with what human nature became at the fall of humankind. The Child in Mary’s arms asks us to answer the question of whether we are to be people who seek Light or darkness, God’s life or eternal death. The Child tells us that in the Reign of God there is no place for human complacency. We are confronted with our own humanity and must either choose to be human or subhuman. It is far more pleasant to be dazzled and distracted by Christmas lights and music than to confront our humanity.
The music is really rather simple, in spite of all the music decoration in the higher register. The melody is simply what is called an ostinato pattern, a musical pattern repeated over and over (e.g. a boogie woogie pattern is an example of an ostinato pattern), beginning with it doubled in both hands, and then sustained in the left hand while the right hand provides a musical decoration on top of the ostinato. A second ostinato is created in the middle section of the song, and then to complete the song, the first ostinato pattern returns with a coda. What is different about the song is its meter. It is in 7/4 meter (7 beats to a measure), a meter that is rarely heard in music. Why 7/4? The number 7 has been considered the perfect number in ancient thought and has been used to described perfection e.g. “7th heaven” or Jesus whose name in numerology is “777” the perfect number.
The song is meant to be a peaceful meditation on the mystery of the Incarnation described in the Prologue of John’s Gospel. As with all the songs from this collection, they are dedicated prayer songs for all refugees fleeing political and economic violence throughout the world.
In the Beginning Was The Word, Psalm Offering 8 Opus 11, from Songs for the Refugee Christ at Christmas (c) 2018 by Robert Charles Wagner. All rights reserved.
As explained in my blog for morning prayer, the Catholic Church has no common prayers in the Liturgy of the Hours for married couples (deceased or living). What I am posting here is an Evening Prayer I have put together to be prayed in memory of a married couple who are deceased, or for, or by a living married couple on their wedding anniversary. Most of the language can apply to either. There are two final prayers one for a couple who are deceased and one for a couple who are living. The scripture readings, psalms, and canticles have been taken from The Inclusive Bible, and prayers and adaptations of prayers have been taken from the Liturgy of the Hours done by the International Committee on English in the Liturgy. Copyrights are found at the conclusion of the prayer.
EVENING PRAYER ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF A MARRIED COUPLE
INTRODUCTORY VERSE O Adonai, come to my assistance.Lord, make haste to help me.Glory toGod our Abba, to Jesus the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning is now and will be for ever. Amen.
HYMN:
We have been told.
We’ve seen his face
and heard his voice alive in our hearts.
“Live in my love with all your heart.
As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you.
1. I am the vine; you are the branches,
and all who live in me will bear great fruit.
2. You are my friends, if you keep my commands,
no longer slaves; I call you friends.
3. No greater love is there than this: to lay down one’s life for a friend.
If Yahweh doesn’t build the house, the builders work in vain; if Yahweh doesn’t guard the city, the sentries watch in vain.
In vain you get up early and stay up late, sweating to make a living, because God loves us and provides for us even while we sleep.
Children are the heritage God gives us; our descendants are our rewards. Having children when you are young is like equipping an archer with wonderful new arrows.
Happy are those who have filled their quiver with such arrows! When they argue with their enemies at the city gate, no one will be able to make them feel ashamed.
Glory to …
Antiphon
1: God
loves us and provides for us.
Silent prayer
Antiphon
2: Blest
are those who go to the House of the Lord!
Psalm 122
How I rejoiced when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of Yahweh!” And now our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem.
Jerusalem restored! The city, one united whole! Here the tribes ascend, the tribes of Yahweh.
They come to praise Yahweh’s Name, as God commanded Israel— Here, where the tribunals of justice are, the judgment seats of David’s house.
Pray for peace within Jerusalem: “May those who love you prosper! May peace be in your walls! May your citadels be always secure!”
For the sake of my family and friends, I say, “Peace be within you!” For the sake of Yahweh our God, I will seek your good.
Glory to …
Antiphon
2: Blest
are those who go to the House of the Lord!
Silent prayer
Antiphon
3: Let
us clothe ourselves in God’scompassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
CANTICLE
– Colossians. 3:12-17
Because you are God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with heartfelt compassion, with kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Bear with one another; forgive whatever grievances you have against one another— forgive in the same way God has forgiven you.
Above all else, put on love, which binds the rest together and makes them perfect. Let Christ’s peace reign in your hearts since, as members of one body, you have been called to that peace.
Dedicate yourselves to thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ, rich as it is, dwell in you. Instruct and admonish one another wisely. Sing gratefully to God from your hearts in psalms, hymns and songs of the Spirit.
And whatever you do, whether in speech or in action, do it in the name of Jesus our Savior, giving thanks to God through Christ.
Glory to …
Antiphon
3: Let
us clothe ourselves in God’scompassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
All holy couples are led into presence of God amid gladness and joy. All holy couples are led into presence of God amid gladness and joy.
They are led into the presence of God, Amid gladness and joy.
Glory to God our Abba, to Jesus the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. All holy couples are led into presence of God amid gladness and joy.
CANTICLE OF MARY
Antiphon: We praise your holy
name, my God, those who hearts seek you will rejoice (alleluia).
My soul proclaims your greatness, my Lord, and my spirit rejoices in you my Saviour; because you have looked upon the humiliation of me, your servant. Yes, from now onwards all generations will call me blessed, You, the Almighty, have done great things for me. Holy is Your name, Your faithful love extends age after age to those who fear You. You have used the power of Your arm, You have routed the arrogant of heart. You have pulled down princes from their thrones and raised high the lowly. You have filled the starving with good things, sent the rich away empty. You have come to the help of Israel the servant of God, mindful of God’s faithful love, according to the promise God made to our ancestors, of Your mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.
Glory
to …
Antiphon: We praise your holy name, my God, those who hearts seek you will rejoice (alleluia).
INTERCESSIONS
We
experience the Lord’s presence in the exchange of a couple’s vows in marriage,
we ask you, O Lord, to listen to us, and to bless our words of prayer which we
offer for the people
of
the world as we say; may we experience the fullness of your love, O Lord.
For N and N, who, every day renewed their desire to grow in
love for each other,may
they experience the fullness of your
love, O Lord.
For
N and N, who turned to Christ in all their joys and sorrows and helped each
other throughout life to discover their personal gifts and used them to serve
you, Lord, may they experience the fullness of your love, O Lord.
For
N and N, who received the abundant gifts of the Holy Spirit to make their
marriage an ever-more powerful sigh of Christ’s love for the world, may they
experience the fullness of your love, O Lord.
For
all married couples, may they renew their commitment to love and to share with
the world the mystery of God’s friendship and love, may they
experience the fullness of your love, O Lord.
For
all God’s holy people, may they grow in their desire to serve those in need and
love in our world, O Lord.
For
our World, in its hunger for love may it turn to Christ and acknowledge him as
Lord, may
our World experience the fullness of your love, O Lord.
For
our relatives and friends, all who walk with us on life’s journey, and for
those who have gone before us to the other side of Life, may they
experience the fullness of your love, O Lord.
THE PRAYER OF JESUS
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, for the Kingdom, the power, and the glory, is Yours, now and forever. Amen.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
(for deceased couple)
God, source of all happiness and love, You created man and woman in your own likeness. We humbly pray to you for N. and N. they both praised you when they were happy and turned to you in their sorrows. May they rejoiced that you help them in their work and knew that you are with them in their need. They prayed to you in the community of the Church, and gave witness to you in the world. as they came together to your table on earth, so may they have the joy of sharing your feast in heaven. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
(for
living couples)
God, source of all happiness and love, You created man and woman in your own likeness. We humbly pray to you for N. and N. We (they) praise you when we (they) are happy and turn to you in our (their) sorrows. We (they) rejoice that you help us (them) in our (their) work and know that you are with us (them) in our need. We (they) pray to you in the community of the Church, and give witness to you in the world. As we (they) come together to your table on earth, so may we (they) have the joy of sharing your feast in heaven. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
DISMISSAL
May God bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us into everlasting life. Amen.
*Psalms,
Canticles and Scripture passages from
The Inclusive Bible: The First Egalitarian Bible (2007) by Priests
for Equality, Published by Sheed &
Ward.
