All
we know is that periodically, some situation or event
deflects us from the path that we thought we were on and,
in so doing, ends the life-chapter we were in. In
order to continue our journey, we are forced to let go of
the way we got that far. Having let go, we find ourselves
in the wilderness for a time, and not until we have lived
out that time can we come back around to a new
country.
- Wm. Bridges
(A
short reflection on life's journey - how there are no maps
especially made for each person - how we have models for us
(saints) but we can not follow what they did with their
lives. We need to create our own map for our own
journey. Importance of moments that cause us to
pause, and possibly shift ourselves in our journey.
Edmund is a wonderful example for us. The model he
had chosen for his life was thrown off balance and needed
to be reshaped after his wife's death. Her death -
and the long time he had in the 'wilderness' (see Bridges
statement above) offered him tremendous opportunities for
the direction his life would take. Such moments in
our lives afford us similar opportunities as well.)
Let us remember that we are in
the holy presence of our God.
In the name of our God who is three in
one --
The Creator who
called us into existence,
The Christ who calls us to be of service to one another,
The Holy Spirit who calls us to new life,
We
pray . . .
We ask that, from the riches of
God's glory, we be strengthened with power through the
Spirit to be strong in our inner selves, and that, through
faith, Jesus Christ will dwell in our hearts. We pray that
we may have our roots and foundations in love, and that,
together with all God's people, we may have the power to
understand how broad and long and high and deep is Christ's
love. Yes, may we come to know the love of Jesus and be
filled with the perfect fullness of God. Amen. (Ephesians
3:16-19 adapted)
READING:
Proverbs 30: 5-9
The
believer replied, "Every promise of God proves true; he
protects everyone who runs to him for help. So don't
second-guess him; he might take you to task and show up
your lies." And then he prayed, "God, I'm asking for two
things before I die; don't refuse me– Banish lies
from my lips and liars from my presence.
Give me enough food to live on, neither too much nor
too little.
If I'm too full, I might get independent, saying, "God? Who
needs him?' If I'm poor, I might steal and dishonour the
name of my God." The Word of the Lord ...
PAUSE
RESPONSE:
PSALM 1
R/ Blessed are they who hope in the
Lord.
Happy those
who do not follow
the counsel of the wicked,
Nor go the way of sinners,
nor sit in company with scoffers.
R/
Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Rather, the law of the LORD is their joy;
God's law they study day and night.
They are like a tree planted near streams of water,
that yields its fruit in season;
Its leaves never wither; whatever they do prospers.
R/
Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
But not the wicked!
They are like chaff driven by the wind.
Therefore the wicked will not survive judgment,
nor will sinners in the assembly of the just.
R/
Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
The
LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.
Glory be to you ...
R/
Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Reading: Luke 9: 1-6
Jesus
now called the Twelve and gave them authority and power to
deal with all the demons and cure diseases. He commissioned
them to preach the news of God's kingdom and heal the sick.
He said, "Don't load yourselves up with equipment. Keep it
simple; you are the equipment. And no luxury inns--get a
modest place and be content there until you leave. If
you're not welcomed, leave town. Don't make a scene. Shrug
your shoulders and move on."
Commissioned, they left. They travelled from town to
town telling the latest news of God, the Message, and
curing people everywhere they went. The
Word of the Lord ...
QUIET REFLECTION / SHARING
INTERCESSIONS
Let us pray to the Lord who is the origin, companion, and
goal of our life’s journey.
R/
Stay with us, Lord.
Lord Jesus, you accompanied your doubting disciples on the
road to Emmaus; sustain your Church in our daily journey of
faith.
R/
Stay with us, Lord
You do not disappoint those who hope in your mercy:
remember that we are slow to believe, and strengthen our
faith.
R/
Stay with us, Lord
You guide those who walk in darkness: teach you paths to
all those who seek the road of life.
R/
Stay with us, Lord
"We look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for
what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal."
(2 Cor 4:18)
Amen
Communion
HYMN: Companions
on the Journey (C
Landry)
1 Loving God
of pilgrims, we gather together to praise and bless you.
Your name is
faithful one and your love is everlasting.
We have come to experience your love in many ways as
life’s pilgrims.
2
We thank you for
the Spirit you breathe into us, a wandering Spirit - for
eyes that guide us - for feet that plod the paths - for
occasional signposts when we have lost our way.
3
We thank you for
your love which gives our journey meaning and direction.
You bless us with your
divine restlessness. You urge us down roads we do
not feel strong enough to travel. You support us with
companions who bolster us when we despair.
4
For all those
pilgrims who have gone before us and pointed the way to
you, for Abraham, Moses, for David, for Mary, our Mother,
for Blessed Edmund and all the saints who have led the way
before us, we give thanks, Loving Creator.
1
But most of all we
thank you for your greatest pilgrim, Jesus Christ. He is
the way, the truth and the life.
He lights our path. He opens our
eyes.
He does not abandon
us in our need. His journey led him to Jerusalem. There he
strengthened us with a meal to follow in his footsteps.
L
On the night before
he died, Jesus took bread and blessed you, God. He gave it
to his friends with these words:
Here is food for the journey.
Later he took a cup of wine.
Again he blessed you and gave it to his friends with these
words:
Here is drink for the journey.
Take
this and share it.
PAUSE
2 And so
loving God, we thank you for the words and example of your
pilgrim, Jesus. By his life he teaches us to believe in you
and life’s journey. By his death he shows us the
meaning of hope when we lose everything.
3 And by his
resurrection he proclaims your love which makes all weary,
wrinkled pilgrims new.
So let
us proclaim the mystery of our faith:
Dying you destroyed our death,
Rising
you restored our life.
Lord
Jesus, come in glory.
PAUSE
4 Loving
Creator, send us your Spirit, so that we, your pilgrims,
can have light for our eyes, strength for our limbs, and
companionship on an otherwise lonely journey.
L
Help us accept the
gifts you have given us. Teach us to use them as we
struggle with the journey, the mystery of your presence in
us and our world. May we seek you, meet you and know you as
we travel along the way. All this we ask through Jesus
Christ who is our way to you.
Through Christ,
with
Christ, in Christ,
in
the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all
glory and honour is yours,
almighty
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Adapted
from Michael Moynahan, S.J.
Lord's
Prayer
Closing Prayer
A
PRAYER FOR PILGRIMS AND JOURNEYERS
A journey once taken alone
we now choose to take together.
Moving forward as one body
into a future filled with possibility,
we walk without maps,
but we walk confidently,
and we walk with hope,
because we have chosen to be lights
for each other, while on the way.
We travel forward along a way
we have not gone before;
we travel as one who is led,
arms outstretched,
as one who is called forth to life.
We travel in need,
dependent on the Lord
for strength, for assurance;
dependent on each other,
God's instruments, for love.
Leaving known paths behind us,
we choose to journey forward
in faith and service.
As the journey brought us here,
so now we begin it anew,
in company.
- Edwin Hays