Opening Ritual for the 2001 Liturgical Catechesis Convention

Opening Ritual for the Liturgical Catechesis Convention

October 19, 2001

Gathering

(The worship space is arranged with a clear place for proclamation of the word and with four water stations. All gather outside the main worship space. The rain stick calls people to attention. Four people with singing bowls stand on chairs. They ring their bowls as Miriam calls out the place names of the participants:)

Bowls sound.

Miriam: We gather from Wisconsin, Montana, Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa and Minnesota

Bowls sound.

Miriam: We gather from Colorado, Louisiana, Kansas, Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas and Ohio

Bowls sound.

Miriam: We gather from Indiana, Washington, Florida, New Jersey, Nebraska, and Illinois.

Bowls sound.

Miriam: We gather from Hawaii, Maryland, Michigan, Tennessee, California and Alaska.

Bowls sound.

Miriam: We gather from Colorado, Georgia, Mississippi, Virginia and New Mexico.

Bowls sound.

Miriam: We gather from Pennsylvania, Washington D.C. and New York.

Bowls sound.

Miriam: We gather from fear and terror, from patriotism and pain and pondering.

Bowls sound.

Miriam: We gather from weariness and wondering, from why and when and war.

Bowls sound.

(Miriam leads all in the sign of the cross in silence.)

(Miriam leads all in a profound bow in silence.)

(Diana leads the assembly in a sung or spoken chant – "You must to what you have been taught and know to be true, know to be true." [composed by the music skillshop participants]. The chant is accompanied by a drumbeat. All process chanting to the worship space. Once all are gathered in the place where the word will be proclaimed, the chant ends.)

Cantor: "Proclaim the message. Welcomed or unwelcomed, insist on it!" (Composed by the music skillshop participants; text from the JB version of the second reading.)

Liturgy of the Word

(All remain standing, and the lector immediately segues from the cantor statement.)

Reading: Based on readings from the 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Exodus17:8-13, 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2, Luke 18:1-8)

Lector 1: A reading from the inspired Word of God. You must keep to what you have been taught and know to be true;

Cantor: "You must keep to what you have been taught and know to be true, know to be true;"

(Cantor slowly raises her arms in one continuous motion throughout the proclamation.)

Lector 1: Jesus told his disciples a parable

Lector 2: -- from these you can learn the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith --

Lector 1: about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.

Lector 2: In those days, Amalek came and waged war against Israel.

Lector 1: I will be standing on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.

Lector 2: As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight.

Lector 1: ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’

Lector 2: But when he let his hands rest, Amalek had the better of the fight.

Lector 1: Will not God secure the rights of the chosen ones who call out day and night?

Cantor: "You must keep to what you have been taught and know to be true, know to be true;"

Lector 2: I tell you, God will see to it that justice is done.

Lector 1: All scripture is inspired by God and can profitably be used for teaching, for refuting error, for guiding people's lives and teaching them to be holy. This is how the one who is dedicated to God becomes fully equipped and ready for any good work.

Lector 2: I tell you, God will see to it that justice is done.

Cantor: "You must keep to what you have been taught and know to be true, know to be true;"

Lector 1: I put this duty to you, ­

Lector 2: I tell you, God will see to it that justice is done.

Lector 1: ­ proclaim the message and welcome or unwelcome, insist on it.

Cantor: "You must keep to what you have been taught and know to be true, know to be true;"

Lector 2: I tell you, God will see to it that justice is done.

Cantor: "The Word of the Lord." (free chant)

(All sit. As people are moving to their seats, the cantor sings:)

"Proclaim the message. Welcome or unwelcome, insist on it!"

Homily: Richard Fragomeni

Silent reflection.

Action Response

The Baptismal Covenant (adapted from the Book of Common Worship)

(Water ministers break the silence by filling the four water stations and continue throughout baptismal covenant proclamation; all stand.)

Miriam: Let us remember the commitment to justice we made at our baptism.

(The people’s response is sung.)

Miriam: Do you believe in God, creator of heaven and earth?

People: "We believe, we believe, we believe." (Bernadette Farrell, OCP Publications)

Miriam: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary?

People: "We believe, we believe, we believe."

Miriam: Do you believe he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. Do you believe he descended to the dead and on the third day he rose again?

People: "We believe, we believe, we believe."

Miriam: Do you believe he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the God? Do you believe he will come again to judge the living and the dead?

People: "We believe, we believe, we believe."

Miriam: Do you believe in the Holy Spirit the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and life everlasting?

People: "We believe, we believe, we believe.""Yes, we will, with God’s help, yes, we will." (adapted by Diana Macalintal Kaulback from Bernadette Farrell)

Miriam: Catechists, will you continue this weekend in the apostle’s teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?

Catechists: "Yes, we will, with God’s help, yes, we will."

Miriam: Catechists, will you persevere this weekend in resisting the evil of easy answers, and, whenever you feel trapped by the status quo, repent and return to the Lord?

Catechists: "Yes, we will, with God’s help, yes, we will."

Miriam: Liturgists, will you proclaim this weekend by word and sacrament the Good News of God in Christ?

Liturgists: "Yes, we will, with God’s help, yes, we will."

Miriam: Liturgists, will you persevere this weekend in resisting the evil of empty ritual, and, whenever you feel overwhelmed by personal ego, repent and return to the Lord?

Liturgists: "Yes, we will, with God’s help, yes, we will."

Miriam: All you people of God, will you this weekend seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?

People: "Yes, we will, with God’s help, yes, we will."

Miriam: Will you this weekend strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?

People: "Yes, we will, with God’s help, yes, we will."

(Following the Creed, Miriam invites the assembly to move to the water pools and bless each other. The cantor leads the assembly in the psalm of the day [Psalm 121: "My Help Is the Lord" by Diana Macalintal Kaulback - DMKaulback@cs.com] during the blessing. As each person is blessed, he or she remains near the water station. They do not return to their chairs. This should create four "clumps" of people, somewhat randomly dispersed. As the last people are blessed, Miriam moves to the center of the room and calls "order out of chaos" by proclaiming the dismissal.)

Dismissal

Miriam: All powerful God,

by water and the Holy Spirit

you freed us, your sons and daughters

from the darkness of injustice and corruption.

Send your Holy Spirit upon us now.

Give us the spirit of wisdom to understand your Word

the spirit of right judgment to see that justice is done

the spirit of courage to proclaim your message

the spirit of knowledge to keep to what we have been taught

the spirit of reverence for the least among us

And the spirit of wonder and awe in your presence.

Make of this night a priesthood of all the baptized.

(Adapted from the Rite of Confirmation)

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Miriam: May almighty God bless us,

the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

All: Amen.

Miriam: As we conclude our celebration with food, drink, and communion with one another,

we look forward to gathering again at 9:00 in the morning.

Come together in this space, and let us continue the good work which God has begun in us.

We go now in peace to honor one another and to love and serve our God.

All: Thanks be to God.

Closing Song: "Creation Litany" (Diana Macalintal Kaulback, see Simple Gifts 5:1)
 

(The closing song will include a ritual bow to one another.)