Optional Inclusive Liturgies

World Day of Prayer for Women’s Ordination

Women of Vision and Courage

March 25, 2012

(1) One: Come, Holy Spirit, breath divine

All: Open us for your presence

(1) One: Refresh and give life to what is exhausted and tired

All: Drive away fear out of our hearts

(1) One: Come, Holy Spirit, Wind Divine

All: Wake up our longing, create new beginning among us

(2) One: God, our mother and father, creator of women in your own image, loving foundation and heart of all beings, we are gathered here before you. Let us pray for all women around the world so that they may be blessed with:

All:
The strength to persevere,
The courage to speak out,

The vision to seek a renewed ministry,

The faith to believe in you beyond
All systems and institutions,
so that your face on earth may be seen in all its beauty.[i]

(3) One:

We call on the holy and courageous women who went before us, to intercede for us so that we might be given the grace and vision to follow in their footsteps as we work together in solidarity for the ordination of women as priests, deacons, and bishops into an inclusive and accountable Catholic Church.

One (in turns):
Saint Esther, who pleaded against power for the liberation of the people, Pray for us.

Saint Deborah, lawwoman and judge, who led the people of God, Pray for us.

Saint Mary Magdalene, minister of Jesus, apostle to the Apostles, Pray for us.

Saint Clara of Assisi, who confronted the pope with the image of woman as equal, Pray for us.

Saint Julian of Norwich, who proclaimed for all of us, the motherhood of God, Pray for us.

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, who felt God’s call to become priest, prophet, and king, Pray for us.

Saint Catherine of Siena, to whom the pope listened, Pray for us.

Saint Teresa of Avila, who brought women’s gifts to the reform of the church, Pray for us.

Saint Edith Stein, who brought fearlessness to faith, Pray for us.

Saint Dorothy Day, who led the church to a new sense of justice, Pray for us.

Saint Rosa Venerini, whose entire educational mission was to announce the love of God, Pray for us.

Saint Theodore Guérin, who abandoned herself to the will of God in generous service to others, Pray for us.

Saint Hildegard of Bingen, who sought creativity to express her visions of women’s leadership in our Church, Pray for us.

Mary, mother of Jesus, who heard the call of God and answered, Mary, mother of Jesus, who drew strength from the woman Elizabeth, Mary, mother of Jesus, filled with God’s Spirit, Pray for us. Amen.[ii]

(4) One:

Today to especially honor those women whose gifts are best suited to serve your Church as ordained deacons and priests we gather with our sisters and brothers from around the world, seeking justice and an end to discrimination.

Loving God, empower these women with courage as they answer your call and strengthen them for humble service, great compassion, and insightful wisdom. Support them through their ministries and enlighten the leadership of your Church to practice the equality that Jesus modeled to embrace all women and men whom you have gifted for sacramental service.

(5) One:

Strengthen your Holy Spirit within those you have chosen for ordained ministry. May they answer your call and follow you with generous hearts, knowing they are supported in the arms and hearts of those who believe in the justice of your work. May they find hope in the prophetic work of those who speak from conscience.

(All: Feel free to speak your intentions here)

(6) One:

We ask this in the name of Jesus, who called Mary Magdalene and Phoebe – as well as Peter and Paul – to be ministers in the early Christian communities.

All: Amen.

All:

May the fire of God’s love warm our hearts. May the courageous and visionary women whose shoulders we stand, on continue to inspire us in our work.

May God grant our prayers for justice and equality in our church and world. May the love of Christ fill us and radiate through us forever. Amen.[iii]

One (7): Let us go in the peace of Christ. Let our service for justice and equality continue.

All: Thanks be to God.

[i] Source: Adapted from the Women’s Ordination Worldwide opening prayer July 2011, Irmgard Kampmann, Germany.

[ii] Source: Excerpted from: “A Litany of Women for the Church,” by Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB, Benetvisionhttp://www.msjc.net/Lists/Praying%20for%20Social%20Justice/DispForm.aspx?ID=22

[iii] Source: Adapted from Living Gospel Equality Now, Liturgy to Celebrate Justice, Partnership and Equality for Women in Church and Society. Bridget Mary Meehan, ARWCP, Association of Roman Catholic Womenpriests.

Prayer Service for Women’s Ordination on the

Annual World Day of Prayer

Created by Women’s Ordination Worldwide, Liturgy Committee

Opening Prayer

God of Surprises,

you call us

from the narrowness of our traditions

to new ways of being church

from the captivities of our culture to

creative witness for justice

form the smallness of our horizons

to the bigness of your vision

Clear the way in us, your people,

that we might call others to freedom and renewed faith

and that all might know the beauty and power and danger of the gospel, especially through the ministerial witness of women who, with their many gifts, can bring healing to a suffering church and people. [1]

Scripture Reading

The Inclusive Bible – Romans 16:1-7

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church at Cenchrea. Welcome her, in the name of our God, in a way worthy of the holy ones, and help her with her needs. She has looked after a great many people, including me.

Give my greetings to Prisca and Aquila; they were my coworkers in the service of Christ Jesus, and even risked their live for my sake. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. Remember me also to the congregation that meets in their house….

My greetings to Mary, who has worked hard for you, and to Andronicus and Junia, my kin and fellow prisoners; they are outstanding apostles, and they were in Christ even before I was.

Reflection

Space to share your own thoughts.

Closing Prayer

Ever present God; open the hearts and minds of all people, and inspire us all to use the unique gifts you have given us for loving service to each other. We pray especially now, for those women whose gifts are best suited to serve your Church as ordained deacons and priests. Empower them with courage as they answer your call and strengthen them for humble service, great compassion, and insightful wisdom. Support them through their ministries and enlighten the leadership of your Church to practice the equality that Jesus modeled to embrace all women and men whom you have gifted for sacramental service. Strengthen your Holy Spirit within those you have chosen for ordained ministry. May they answer your call and follow you with generous hearts. We ask this in the name of Jesus, who called Mary Magdalene and Phoebe – as well as Peter and Paul – to be ministers in the early Christian communities. Amen

Founded in 1996, Women’s Ordination Worldwide (WOW) is an international network of groups whose mission is the admission of Roman Catholic women to all ordained ministries. WOW is founded on the principle of equality and therefore opposes any discrimination. ‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus’. (Galatians 3:28)

[1] (Drawn from a prayer written by Gwen Cashmore and Joan Puls in 1992. It is based on ‘Hanta Yo’, a Lakota Sioux invocation meaning ‘Clear the Way’. With additions from Sue Williamson.)

PRAYER FOR MARCH 25^TH, 2010

IN THE YEAR OF THE PRIEST,

OUT OF EXILE, TOWARD AN INCLUSIVE PRIESTHOOD

Created by Gloria Ulterino

"God Has Done Great Things for Us"

Gathering Rites

Welcome and Introductions:

Invite people to greet one another. Then offer an introduction along these lines. It’s Lent. A time of preparation… of tilling the soil… of awakening to sprouts of life in what otherwise might seem deader than a doornail. It’s a time of enlightenment… of reconciliation and healing… of entering ever more deeply into covenant relationship with our Maker. It’s a privileged time to listen deeply to any divine nudges… and to re-affirm our "Yes" to God’s call upon our lives… even if our church leaders keep on saying "No."

The question is: What do we do with such deeply rooted challenges? Sr. Marilyn Lacey, in her new book, This Flowing Toward Me, (p. 180) addresses our seemingly impossible challenges. "The answer," she says, "lies in the graciousness of our God, who never issues a call without also extending a gift. In other words, along with every ‘hard saying’ or prophetic challenge there is also given the grace to live that way, joyfully." And I agree, wholeheartedly. We must live into our Yes’s. Even now. Even today. Believing, with everything in us, that God has already done great things for us.

Call to Worship, based upon Psalm 85

One: "Let me hear what God… will speak,"

All: Peace, to all the faithful ones…

and a share in God’s promises.

One: "Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;

All: Righteousness and peace will kiss each other,

One: Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,

All: and righteousness will look down from the sky."

Our God "will give what is good."

Prayer of Confession (of "Believing"): All

I believe in a God-beyond-imagining…

a God of mercy and justice-seeking, of compassion and challenge,

a God who lives at the depths of our being…

and beyond the farthest reaches of an unending universe.

I believe in a God who has cradled us in love from the very beginning,

gifting each with more-than-enough to respond to every divine nudge,

with a heart staunch enough to match every divine call.

I believe that God sees endless possibilities,

in us and through us.

I believe that God never gives up on us,

working in and through our "Yes’s," to birth that future now!

The Word of God

First Reading: Isaiah 55: 3a, 8-12

Psalm 126: "God Has Done Great Things for Us," text by Marty Haugen, based

Second Reading: Philippians 1:1-6

Gospel Acclamation: "Glory to you, O Word of God, Lord Jesus Christ!" text

Luke 1:26-38

Reflection on Our "Yes" to God

Do you have trouble, as I do, relating to Mary, mother of Jesus? Have you, like me, seen one too many plastic statues? Have you, like me, been turned away from… rather than drawn to… a woman who has been placed upon a pedestal? A woman whose virginity is prized above all else? Whose presumably silent, passive demeanor has been named as model for all women? If so, let me introduce you to another Mary, one I am beginning to know. One to whom I can relate.

I first encountered her in Israel, on a prayer/ pilgrimage/ tour there not quite two years ago now. In a statue, outside the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth. Gabriel is speaking to Mary. And the look on her face is priceless! It is nothing less than total astonishment! Bewilderment! "What on earth are you saying!" Now, this is a believable Mary! Then, just down the block, inside the smaller church dedicated to St. Joseph is another statue, known as the Millennium Mary. She’s young, dark-skinned, confident, striding with purpose and conviction. Put them both together, and I realized… now this is a Mary I can really engage with.

After all, she’s a young teenager when Gabriel first appears to her. Poor, by the world’s standards. Nothing to set her apart, by the world’s standards. Though undoubtedly a young woman of faith, as are a few teens I’ve encountered. Probably well enough versed in her own Scripture to recognize the enormity of what she’s being asked to do. "Favored one," Gabriel said. Did she want to say back to him, "What’s the matter with you? Don’t you know that all the favored ones have been men? Men who have asked by God to do some serious liberating of our people? Men like Noah and Moses. What can that possibly have to do with me?" Then, of course, we have the words attributed to her. "How can this be?" A most practical question. A question perhaps fraught with fear, as well, since she could be stoned to death for becoming pregnant out of wedlock. In any case, as both Luke and Matthew tell the story- though in very different ways- she is presented with the vast surprises of God. Will she- a seemingly most unlikely candidate- work for the liberation of her people? Will she- a seemingly most unlikely candidate- give birth to hope rather than despair? Give birth to love rather than hatred and division. Give birth to the eternal Word of God in human flesh… in her flesh… and thereby become the first to honestly say, "this is my body… this is my blood."

Now, doesn’t her "Yes" resound in our own hearts? Doesn’t her "Yes" seem as impossible as our own? Doesn’t her "Yes" resound down through the centuries in so many woman who question… and doubt… and search for God’s assurances… in the face of continual "No’s" from so many in human authority. Indeed, this is a Mary with whom we can relate. This is a Mary who can offer us strength, courage, and conviction as we, too, live into God’s future right here, and right now.

Responding to the Word:

Anointed for Co-Creating God’s Future

Litany of Women’s "Yes’s," moving us toward an Inclusive Priesthood

Leader: So many women, age after age, have responded wholeheartedly to God’s call upon their lives. Despite doubts, despite questions, despite feeling out on the margins or in exile. While only a miniscule number of women are named here, each has placed her stamp on the inclusive nature of God’s call. Twelve women are named, for obvious reasons. Just as the Synoptic Gospel writers named Jesus’ choice of twelve men, as symbolic of a new Israel, so this list of twelve women symbolizes a movement over centuries toward an inclusive priesthood. (A different person might read each one.)

"Behold, behold I make all things new, beginning with you and starting from today.

Behold, behold I make all things new, my promise is true, for I am Christ the way."

Miriam of the Red Sea, older sister of Moses. Oh, how she danced and sang and praised God on that night that was different from every other night! The night of Passover, the night that set God’s People free, the night that began their journey toward becoming God’s "treasured possession"… "a priestly kingdom and a holy nation."[1] Surely, she was a priest! In fact, some scholars believe that the entire prayer of Exodus 15, attributed to Moses, is Miriam’s. [2] We know that Miriam was much loved by her people. For, when she contracted leprosy during the wilderness wanderings, "the people did not set out on the march" again, until she was healed and restored to the community.[3] We know that even the earth mourned her death, at Kadesh, for "there was no water for the congregation."[4] Finally, we know that Micah names her a prophet.[5] What can we say, then, about Miriam of the Reed Sea, Miriam of the Exodus, Miriam, sister of Moses? Indeed, she was priest, prophet, and strong leader of courage.

Woman who anoints Jesus on his head before the Passion. Mark is first to tell her story, just as some of the religious leaders are intentionally plotting to kill Jesus, just as Judas sets off to betray him.[6] What a contrast she presents! Without being told who she is, we discern that she must be a disciple. She knows Jesus well, and she’s aware of what is about to take place. Besides, the male disciples don’t question her identity… only point fingers in anger, that she has dared to break into this all-male dinner party… and "waste" her precious nard on Jesus! But Jesus defends her…gratefully. "Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her."[7] What has she done? She’s anointed Jesus on the head, like priests and prophets of old. Poured out her abundance on him, as Jesus has continually done on so many. Therefore, as Mark tells it, Jesus does not need to say, "Do this in remembrance of me," at the Last Supper. For she has already pointed the way.

Mary of Magdala, apostle to the apostles. The Scriptures cannot deny it. She was there… at the Cross… at the Empty Tomb. She was the first to know of Jesus’ resurrection. And, in three Gospels, the first apostle (meaning one who is sent) to preach the Good News of Easter! All the tales of her prostitution are wrong! Despite the assurances of St. Jerome and Pope Gregory the Great. Can we imagine her courage, in the face of male privilege? Can we imagine her faithfulness to the Good News, because she knew Jesus so well? Yes, we can; and yes, we must.

Mary, mother of Jesus, at Pentecost, flooded with the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room. Yes, Mary was there in the Upper Room… with about 120 others, women included.[8] And, yes, the Holy Spirit hovered once again, over her and all the rest. It was like a second birth, this time the birth of a much larger body, the Body of Christ. Think of the possibilities! Remember the words of Jesus at the Last Supper! "Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father…. If in my name, you ask me for anything, I will do it."[9]

Sung Refrain, "Behold, I make all things new," as above.

Prisca, leader of house churches in Rome, Ephesus and Corinth, with her husband, Aquila. Paul names her co-worker and partner in ministry with her husband, Aquila.[10] Called Priscilla in the Acts of the Apostles, Prisca was such an outstanding leader that her name is most often mentioned first, before that of Aquila’s. At the very dawn of Christianity- in the 50’s- she and her husband were leading house churches. Isn’t it likely that she presided at Eucharist, at least some of the time… and preached, on a regular basis? For we know that Paul chose them both to instruct the brilliant, but youthful, Apollos. Why, then, do our leaders still try to keep women invisible at the altar and silent at the ambo?

Phoebe, deacon of the church at Cenchreae. Paul names her a deacon and benefactor.[11] His intention is clear. When he uses the word same word "deacon" eleven other times, always referring to men, he means that they are charismatic leaders of their communities, and gifted preachers. So was she. As benefactor, she would have been a prominent person in her community, enough to be of assistance to Paul, as often as he needed her help. Doesn’t it raise the question: how many other women served as trusted leaders, in the beginning?

Junia, named by Paul as "prominent" among the apostles, along with her husband Andronicus.[12] To be an apostle, according to Paul, one must have experienced the risen Christ and proved willing to suffer on behalf of the Gospel. Relatives of Paul and very likely members of the original Jerusalem community, Junia and Andronicus went to prison with Paul, for the sake of the Good News. But a scribe in the Middle Ages, a man named Aegidius, could not believe that a woman could be an apostle! So, he put a male ending on her name; and she remained a "man" until scholars in the 1980’s discovered her true identity. Now, we know, indeed, that this woman was "prominent among the apostles!"

Lydia, leader of a house church in Philippi. It is said that she was Paul’s first European convert. A "dealer in purple cloth," originally from the Turkish province of Lydia, it is now believed by some scholars that she was a freed slave.[13] Of this we can be certain. She was a seeker, often worshiping with a group of Jewish women. Her heart caught fire on the day that Paul first spoke to this group of women. So much so, that she begged Paul to baptize her… and her entire household. Then, not unlike the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, she urged Paul to stay at her home. What happened next was the beginning of Paul’s favorite community, his beloved community of joy, at Philippi. And Lydia, great woman of courage, presided over that house church, despite the many threats of persecution, in those days.

Sung Refrain: "Behold, I make all things new," as above.

Hildegard of Bingen, 12^th century Rhineland mystic, abbess, artist, writer, musician, and preacher. After ignoring God’s nudges, and thereby becoming ill, Hildegard finally responded in her 39^th year to a powerful mystical experience. God commanded her to write! To share her God experiences with others! She had doubted. Questioned. Why would God call her… an unlettered woman… into service! And yet, a veritable fountain of spiritual gifts, Hildegard became a highly regarded religious leader and artist in her day. In fact, bishops in her native Rhineland invited her on preaching tours when she was in her 60’s.

Ludmila Javorova, ordained a priest in Communist Czechoslovakia in 1972. It was the Feast of the Holy Innocents: December 28, 1970. The question was put to her, once again, "Do you want to receive it?" "She answered, ‘Yes, I do.’ With his brother Leo as witness, in the Moravian city of Brno in Czechoslovakia, Bishop Felix Maria Davidek ordained Ludmila Javorova a Roman Catholic priest."[14] It was done in secret. It had to be done in secret, because the harsh Communist rule outlawed the practice of any religion. And Felix Davidek, with whom Ludmila ministered, strongly believed in the need for women to minister to women, in prison. Ludmila believed in her call, as well. Of those hours immediately following her ordination, she says: "A space was opened up in me and I entered into it. Its depth, its beauty, are perceived without words. I go toward it. I do not know what it is, but I go." She ministered tirelessly. Courageously. But, after Czechoslovakia was released from Communist rule, the Vatican refused to recognize her ordination. And she has agreed to serve only in ways acceptable to the official church. But she has been ordained.

Bishop Patricia Fresen and Roman Catholic WomenPriests. Beginning in 2002 on the Danube, women have been ordained as Roman Catholic WomenPriests. Faith-filled, courageous Patricia Fresen, originally from South Africa and trained in the struggles there against apartheid, is outstanding among them. Now ordained a bishop in apostolic succession by an anonymous bishop in good standing with the Roman Catholic hierarchy, she has been instrumental in the rapid growth of women’s priesthood in North America. At this time there are 46 priests and six bishops ordained in this movement on our continent, with more to follow this year, both in May and October. Their web site, www.womenpriests.org, proclaims the call of God upon their lives: "We love our family, the Catholic Church. We fully accept the authority of the Pope. We respect his personal integrity as an outstanding spiritual leader. But we are convinced that the Pope and his advisors in Rome are making a serious mistake by dismissing women as priests. We feel obliged in conscience to make our carefully considered reasons known, fulfilling our duty to speak out as our present Pope has repeatedly told us to do.

Women we know, who live out God’s call to the priesthood in a host of ways: we name them now, honoring their faithfulness, their giftedness, and their courage.

Sung Refrain, "Behold, I make all things new," as above.

Ritual of Anointing

Leader: In our baptism, we have been immersed into the power of the Holy Spirit and anointed with chrism. From early on, the followers of Jesus believed, as Paul proclaimed: "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus."[15] In this, we also believe. And we remain convinced of God’s call upon our lives… despite every doubt, despite every moment of discouragement, despite every effort of others to keep us from our call. Therefore, we have persisted on our path, like our courageous ancestors in faith. Today, then, we come forward, once again. Wholeheartedly claiming our call, once again. Wholeheartedly seeking the hope… courage… and joy to continue living into that call.

Please come forward, then, to one of the leaders (this would include the Prayer Leader and any of the readers), answer the questions put to you, and be anointed with holy oil.

Question: Do you believe in the power of God’s call upon your life?

Response: I do.

Question: Will you continue to live into this call, for the good of our church and our world?

Response: I will.

Anointing: Be sealed with the power of the Holy Spirit.

(Some appropriate taped music might be played at this time. Suggestions include the following music from the Taize community: "Veni, Sancte, Spiritus" or "Ubi Caritas.")

Sending Forth

Blessing: Please turn to the person next to you and bless one another in the way that seems most fitting.

[1] See Exodus 19:5 and 6.

[2] See Exodus 15:1-18. This is one of the most ancient texts in all of Scripture.

[3] See Numbers 12:15.

[4] See Numbers 20:1-2.

[5] See Micah 6:4.

[6] See Mark 14:1-11.

[7] See Mark 14:9.

[8] See Acts 1:12-14; 2:2-4.

[9] See John 14:12, 14.

[10] See Romans 16:3.

[11] See Romans 16:1-2.

[12] See Romans 16:7.

[13] See her story in Acts 16:11-15, and 40.

[14] See Miriam Therese Winter, Out of the Depths, (New York: The Crossroad Publishing Company, 2001), p. 9; hereafter referred to as Depths.

[15] See Galatians 3:28.

World Day of Prayer for Women’s Ordination

Feast of the Annunciation

Inclusive Liturgy

Please note: The inclusive liturgy below is intended simply as a guide. Please feel free to adapt the liturgy to meet the needs of your community gathering. For example, you may wish to break up the "celebrant" text among all members of your community, use alternative readings, or shorten the liturgy for a prayer service. In addition, we recommend you choose songs that are familiar to your community.

Greeting

Welcome to the family of God, where all are truly welcomed and honored! Today, we gather in solidarity with those who prophetically speak out publicly in support of women’s ordination. This year’s World Day of Prayer calls us to join in community and prayer on the feast of the Annunciation, so like Mary, we can prophetically and publicly proclaim "yes" to breaking the silence on women’s ordination and speaking out against injustice, sexism, racism, classism, and homophobia in our Church and world.

Opening Song

Celebrant: Let us begin in the name of God, Source of All Being, Eternal Word and Holy Spirit,

All: Amen.

Celebrant: May our God be with you.

All: And also with you.

Greeting of Peace:

God, grant us the peace and unity of your dwelling place as we gather in the name of the Christ who left your peace among us. Let us share that peace with one another.

Opening Prayer

From Praying with Celtic Holy Women by Bridget Mary Meehan and Regina Madonna Oliver.

Mary, Blessed Mother of Jesus,

Reflection of God’s warm mothering love,

Embrace us this day with the strength, peace, and healing we need

To reflect the presence of the Holy One in our world.

May we be prophetic voices for people of the world

Who suffer poverty, hunger and oppression,

Assuring them that they are God’s beloved people.

May we work for justice and peace around the globe.

Flower-garland of the ocean,

Flower-garland of the land,

Flower-garland of the heavens,

Mary, Mother of Jesus,

We praise you, we thank you, we love you.

All: Amen.

First Reading: Isaiah 7: 10-14

10 Once more YHWH spoke to Ahaz and said, 11 "Ask for a sign from YHWH your God; let it be deep as the netherworld, or high as sky!" 12 But Ahaz answered, "I will not ask! I will not put YHWH to a test!" 13 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?" 14 Therefore the Holy One will give you a sign: This young woman will become pregnant and will give you birth. You will name the child Immanu-El."

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm: Either 40:5-10 or 45

Psalm 40:5-10

5 How many wonders you’ve worked for us,

YHWH, my God!

How many plans you’ve made for us;

You have no equal!

I want to recount them again and again,

but their number is too great.

6 You don’t desire sacrifice or oblation,

Instead you made my ears receptive to you;

You asked no burnt offering

or sacrifice for sins for me.

7 And so I declare,

"Here I am! I have come!

8 In the scroll of the book

it is written about me."

I desire to do your will, my God,

And your law is written in my heart.

9 I’ll proclaim your justice

in the Great Assembly,

and I won’t keep my mouth shut,

and you well know.

10 I have never kept your generosity to myself,

but announced your faithfulness and saving action;

I have made no secret of your love and faithfulness in the Great Assembly.

Psalm 45

1 My heart is stirred with this sweet melody;

I serenade you with my verse, my leader:

My tongue is like the pen of a skillful writer

2 Over all the earth, you are the most stately in manner,

and the most charming of speakers,

because God has blessed you forever.

3 Gird your sword upon your thigh, my champion,

triumph by your splendor

and subdue by your grandeur!

4 In your majesty ride forth

for the cause of truth and the defense of the just.

Let your right hand proclaim your awesome deeds!

5 Your arrows are sharp;

They pierce the hearts of your enemies

and make the nations cower before you.

6 For God has enthroned you forever and ever,

and your royal scepter is a rod of justice.

7 And because you love justice and hate corruption,

God, your God, has set you above your companions

and anointed you with the oil of gladness.

8 Your robes are all fragrant with myrrh, aloes and cassia.

Stringed instruments entertain you in ivory palaces.

9 Daughters of dignitaries are in your retinue,

and at your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir.

10 Listen, my daughter! Give this your full attention:

forget your country and ancestral home,

11 for the ruler is enthralled by your beauty;

give honor as you would to your sovereign.

12 A Tyrian robe is among your gifts,

and great dignitaries will court your favor with jewels.

13 You, my daughter, will be gloriously dressed

in a gown woven with gold.

14 Adorned in splendid robes you make your way to the ruler,

and arrive with your friends as your attendants.

15 With joy and gladness you go in procession

as you enter the palace of the ruler.

16 Your children will take the place of your ancestors,

and you’ll make them rulers throughout all the earth.

17 And I will make your name remembered

from one generation to another,

so that the nations will praise you

forever and ever.

Second Reading: Hebrews 10:4-10

4. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

5 And this is what Jesus said, on the coming into the world:

"You who wanted no sacrifice or obligation

Prepared a body for me,

6 In burnt offerings or sacrifices for sin

You took no pleasure.

7 Then I said, just as it was written for me

In the scroll of the book,

‘God, here I am! Check on quotation marks here

I have come to do your will.’" ? And here

8 In saying that God doesn’t want burnt offerings and sacrifices-which are offered according to the Law- 9 and then saying, "I have come to do your will," Jesus abolishes the first Covenant in order to establish the second. 10 By God’s will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all.

Gospel Acclamation

Celebrant: Our God be with you.

All: And also with you.

Celebrant: A reading from the holy gospel according to John:

All: Glory to you, O God.

Gospel Reading: Luke 1:26-38

26 Six months later, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a young woman named Mary; she was engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. 28 Upon arriving, the angel said to Mary,

"Rejoice, highly favored one! God is with you! Blessed are you among women!"

29 Mary was deeply troubled by these words and wondered what the angel’s greeting meant. 30 The angel went on to say to her, "Don’t be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God. 31 You’ll conceive and bear a son, and give him the name Jesus- "Deliverance." 32 His dignity will be great, and he will be great, and he will be called the Only Begotten of God. God will give Jesus the judgment seat of David, his ancestor, 33 to rule over the house of Jacob forever, and his reign will never end."

34 Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have never been with a man?"

35 The angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you-hence the offspring to be born will be called the Holy One of God. 36 Know too that Elizabeth, your kinswoman, has conceived a child in her old age; she who was thought to be infertile is now in her sixth month. 37 Nothing is impossible with God."

38 Mary said, "I am the great servant of God. Let it be done to me as you say."

With that, the angel left her.

Celebrant: The holy gospel of Jesus, the Anointed One

All: Praise to you, O Christ.

Homily: Shared homily on the theme "Break the Silence on Women’s Ordination. Shatter the Stained Glass Ceiling." (The community shares their thoughts on the theme.)

Prayers of the Faithful:

(The following prayer can be read as an alternative intersession response. Or you may develop more traditional intercessions)

Response: Out of our depths we cry to you.

Sophia Wisdom: Our world community today, broken, unhealed and full of suffering, cries out for women’s voices and leadership.

We need women priests…to witness daily for nonviolence in a world gone mad with the power of weapons and guns and greed.

We need women priests…to put their bodies on the line and witness to the Powers that Be to stop bloodshed.

We need women priests…to name our government’s squandering of the people’s money.

We need women priests…to call our government, church, and all institutions to transparency, conversion, and accountability.

We need women priests…to speak up to the government and voice the basic needs of the grassroots — which have gone unmet for so long.

We need women priests…to preach the Good News to the poor, the oppressed and exploited, and to empower them mightily.

We need women priests…to boldly proclaim the Gospel so that it afflicts the rich and comfortable — who need shaking up.

We need women priests…to name the injustices-which are many-that take us away from the fullness of our humanity.

We need women priests…to demand respect for our Earth and her life-giving waters.

We need women priests…to restore us and our lives to wholeness/holiness-and to recreate us as community.

We need women priests…to celebrate the holy passages of our lives, the sacraments, including the Eucharist.

Offertory Song:

Celebrant: Blessed are you, God of all creation, through your goodness we have this bread to offer which earth has given and human hands have made. It will become for us the bread of life.

All: Blessed be God forever.

Celebrant: Blessed are you, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this wine to offer, fruit of the vine and work of human hands. It will become our spiritual drink.

All: Blessed be God forever.

Celebrant: My sisters and brothers, let us pray together that these our gifts may be acceptable to God our Creator.

All: May God accept these gifts from our hands, for the praise and glory of God’s name, for our good and the good of all the church.

Celebrant: Ever gentle God, Christ washed the feet of the disciples as an example for us. Accept our gifts and our worship. By offering ourselves, as a spiritual sacrifice, may we be filled with the spirit of humility and love. We ask this through Christ, our brother.

All: Amen.

Eucharistic Prayer

Celebrant: May our God be with you.

All: And also with you.

Celebrant: Lift up your hearts.

All: We lift them up to God.

Celebrant: Let us give thanks to our gracious God.

All: It is right to give God thanks and praise.

Celebrant: Blessed are you, compassionate and faithful God. We do well always and everywhere to give you thanks. You have no need of our praise, yet our desire to thank you is itself your gift to us. Our prayer of thanksgiving adds nothing to your greatness, but makes us grow in your grace, through Jesus, the Anointed One, our brother. In our joy, we sing to your glory with all the choirs of angels:

Holy, holy, O holy God. Spirit of Love and God of Peace. Heaven and earth are filled with your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is the One who comes in the name of our God. Hosanna in the highest.

Celebrant: How wonderful the work of your hands, O God! As a mother tenderly gathers her children, you embraced a people as your own, and filled them with longing for a peace that would last, and for a justice that would never fail. Through countless generations, your people hungered for the bread of freedom. From them, you raised up Jesus, the Living Bread, in whom ancient hungers were satisfied. He healed the sick, though he himself would suffer. He offered life to sinners, yet death would hunt him down. With a love stronger than death, he opened wide his arms and surrendered his spirit. Loving God, let your Holy Spirit move in power over us and over our earthly gifts of bread and wine, that they may become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.

All: On the night before he met with death, Jesus came to table with the women and men he loved. He took bread and praised you, God of all creation. He blessed and broke the bread, and gave it to his disciples saying: Take this, all of you, and eat it: This is my body which will be given up for you.

All: When supper was ended, he poured a final cup of wine, and blessed you, God of all creation: He passed the cup among his disciples and said: Take this, all of you, and drink from it. This is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in memory of me.

Celebrant: Let us proclaim the mystery of faith.

All: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

Celebrant: Ever gentle God, we commemorate Jesus, your son. Death could not bind him, for you raised him up in the spirit of holiness, and exalted him as the first of creation. May his coming in glory find us ever watchful in prayer, strong in love, and faithful to the breaking of the bread. Rejoicing in the Holy Spirit, your whole church offers thanks and praise, together with Benedict, our pope, with all our bishops, men and women, and all whose lives bring hope to this world. Awaken to the undying light of pardon and peace those who have fallen asleep in faith, and those who have died alone unloved, and unmourned. Gather them all into communion with Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with all your saints. Then, at last, will all creation be one, and all divisions healed, and we shall join in singing your praise through Jesus Christ, Eternal Word.

All: Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, All-Loving God, forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer of Jesus

Celebrant: Let us pray together as Jesus taught us:

All: Our father/mother in heaven

Hallowed be your name

Your kin-dom 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 all evil.

For yours is the kin-dom, and the power and the glory

Now and forever. Amen.

Celebrant: The peace of God be with you all.

All: And also with you.

Celebrant: As we share our joy, let us take one another’s hands and wish our neighbors peace.

The bread is broken.

Celebrant: This is the Lamb of God, who takes away the brokenness of our world. How blessed are we who are called to this supper.

All: Jesus, you make me worthy to receive you. By your word, I am healed.

Celebrant: This is the table of Jesus Christ. All are welcome to participate in this feast.

Communion Song

Closing Prayer

Celebrant: Let us pray, All-Sustaining Mother, Gracious Father, you renew us with food and drink from heaven. Bless and strengthen your people. May they remain faithful to you and always rejoice in your mercy. Grant this in the name of Jesus, the Christ.

All: Amen.

Final Blessing

Celebrant: Our God be with you.

All: And also with you.

Celebrant: Let us pray for God’s blessing. May God bless all gathered here in the Spirit as we minister to one another as the People of God.

All: Amen.

Celebrant: May God bless the church and move her forward in prophetic obedience to the Spirit.

All: Amen.

Celebrant: May God bless all creation, and set us free in Her love. We ask this in God our Creator, in Jesus in whom we share the Good News, and in the Holy Spirit who sets us free.

All: Amen.

Celebrant: The Mass is ended. Go in the peace of Christ and bring compassionate presence to all the world.

All: Thanks be to God!

Closing Song

* Liturgical Readings for the Feast of the Annunciation from the Inclusive Bible by Priests for Equality

Erin Saiz Hanna created the 2009 World Day of Prayer for Women’s Ordination Inclusive Liturgy with input from Roman Catholic Womenpriest, Bridget Mary Meehan.

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