Liturgy Alive, Models of Celebrations

Introduction

After the creation of inanimate beings comes the creation of living beings: fish, birds, land animals, and the crowning achievement, man and woman, made in God's image and likeness. They are special, for they are also put in charge of the whole of creation, for the task of working for the integrity of creation is heavy with responsibilities.

Opening Prayer

God, creator of all that is,
thank you for creating human beings
in your image and likeness.
Let it mean for us
that we are not only capable
of love and goodness, mercy and generosity,
but that in your image we can use
our hearts and imagination
to be creative and inventive
in loving and giving and forgiving
and in forming community,
like you, our living God, now and for ever.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading: Gn 1:20—2:4a

God said, “Let the water teem with an abundance of living
creatures, and on the earth let birds fly beneath the dome of the
sky.” And so it happened: God created the great sea monsters
and all kinds of swimming creatures with which the water
teems, and all kinds of winged birds. God saw how good it
was, and God blessed them, saying, “Be fertile, multiply, and
fill the water of the seas; and let the birds multiply on the earth.”
Evening came, and morning followed—the fifth day.
Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth all kinds of living
creatures: cattle, creeping things, and wild animals of all kinds.”
And so it happened: God made all kinds of wild animals, all
kinds of cattle, and all kinds of creeping things of the earth.
God saw how good it was. Then God said: “Let us make man
in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over
the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over
all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the
ground.”

God created man in his image:
in the divine image he created him;
male and female he created them.

God blessed them, saying: “Be fertile and multiply; fill the
earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea,
the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the
earth.” God also said: “See, I give you every seed-bearing plant
all over the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on
it to be your food; and to all the animals of the land, all the
birds of the air, and all the living creatures that crawl on the
ground, I give all the green plants for food.” And so it happened.
God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very
good. Evening came, and morning followed—the sixth day.
Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were
completed. Since on the seventh day God was finished with
the work he had been doing, he rested on the seventh day from
all the work he had undertaken. So God blessed the seventh
day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work
he had done in creation.

Such is the story of the heavens and the earth at their creation.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 104:1-2, 5-6, 10, 12, 24, 35

R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all
the earth!

When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you set in place—
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all
the earth!

You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all
the earth!

All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all
the earth!

Gospel Reading: Mk 6:53-56

When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from
Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of
his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed,
hands. (For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat
without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition
of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do
not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other
things that they have traditionally observed, the purification
of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.) So the Pharisees and
scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the
tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean
hands?” He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you
hypocrites, as it is written:

This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.

You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.”
He went on to say, “How well you have set aside the
commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition! For
Moses said, Honor your father and your mother, and Whoever
curses father or mother shall die. Yet you say, ‘If someone
says to father or mother, “Any support you might have had
from me is qorban” ’ (meaning, dedicated to God), you allow
him to do nothing more for his father or mother.
You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed
on. And you do many such things.”

Commentary

JESUS is engaged by the Pharisees on traditional points of practice-not the core elements of the law of Moses that sought to bind the people together in justice so that others would see the presence of The Holy One among them in their lives. Jesus condemns them (and us) "You even put aside the commandment of God to hold fast to human traditions." He uses the example of 'corban'-belonging to God, or the institutional structures of religion to excuse the commandment of caring for one's parents and family members-an insult to God's word of truth and justice. And 'we do many other things like that'. Things sadly haven't changed-what do we do that disobeys the commands of care for those in need, compassion and dignity for others and claim we ignore them because of religious ritual or spiritual practices? God, have mercy on us and convert us to obedience of the basics of being human before You.

General Intercessions

- That we may recognize and respect God's mage in those who fail in life and in those handicapped in body and mind, we pray:

- That we may work together to make our world a beautiful and pleasant place to live in, we pray:

- That our people, Christians and others, may not let senseless advertising lead them to consumerism but keep living in simplicity and moderation, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Creative God,
We are close to your creation
and you let us use bread and wine
to let your Son Jesus celebrate with us
his life and death and our life and death
and all our joys and sorrows,
our work and our thoughts
and our relationships with you and one another
as a response of love to you
and a joyful song of praise.
Accept all these through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

God, our loving Creator,
in your word of tenderness you have made us
your sons and daughters
and partners with you in your creation.
In answer to your word that said:
"It is very good,"
may the whole community of the Church
and all of humankind give you thanks and say,
"Yes, Lord, it is very good."
May we keep ourselves, our Church, our world
very good and pleasing to you.
Smile on us through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Blessing

We have been born of the love of God. Let us keep living in his love, with the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.