May 3-9, 2020: An Feast for the Fourth Week of Easter Page 1 of 7

An at Home: Keeping the Lord’s Day during the Outbreak

Did you know that the early began worshiping on Sundays in small groups in their homes, after the command of Jesus to “do this in memory of me?” The Greek word “agape” means compassionate love for others, and is the way early Christians described their love for one another.

We have suddenly been cast into that situation in order to protect the health of the most vulnerable people, and, indeed, that of our own. In faith and hope, we can look ahead to the time when all this is over and when we gather in our beloved parish church to celebrate the . But that may be some time.

We have developed some helpful resources for viewing online each day. Visit www.olih.org/daily-mass for a video of Mass at the click of a button. Visit www.olih.org/mass-at-olih, our usual Sunday Mass page, for enhanced resources for Sunday worship.

But we might still be missing the tangible and connected experience of worshiping together. It is, after all, what Jesus commanded. The short worship service that follows isn’t Mass, but it does help us to continue to ritualize a time for scripture and a simple meal together. It’s called an Agape (ah-GA-pay) Meal or “feast of love” that households can do any day of the week, but it is especially suited to the Lord’s Day—Sunday.

Many thanks to Abby and Randy Henderson for providing an outline for this service. Households of one can consider doing this over a video or even an audio call with someone else. You are free to modify this as suits your household’s needs. Depending on participation, this service typically lasts about 10 minutes.

Set-up  Invite everyone in advance to set aside time for the meal. Invite assistance in making preparations.  Clear the main or formal dining table.  Arrange a cross or crucifix, a lighted candle, and on the table.  Prepare a small plate with one slice of bread (store-bought or make your own) and a cup of juice or wine.  Begin standing around the table where each person will be seated.  Choose one or two people to lead the service. Perhaps a parent at first; at their discretion parents can share the leadership with each other and/or children.  Choose one or two people to read scripture.  Note: if you don’t have access to a printer and don’t want multiple screens at the table, one person can lead the whole service.

May 3-9, 2020: An Agape Feast for the Fourth Week of Easter Page 2 of 7

Outline for May 3, 2020: Fourth Week of Easter Keeping the Lord’s Day at Home (especially appropriate on Sunday)

A suggested full text follows if you wish to use it, including the text of readings from the Children’s .

1. Invocation: All gather at the table and begin with the 2. Psalm: Someone reads Psalm 23 3. : Someone reads the Gospel: John 10:1-10 4. Reflect on the Word: A leader shares a few words about the readings; asking questions for children to help them understand. 5. Prayers for one another and the world: The leader invites each person, one-by- one, to offer a prayer or ask prayers for something. 6. The Lord’s Prayer: All join hands and say the Lord’s Prayer. 7. Agape Meal: The Leader breaks off a piece of bread and give it to another person, and may say, Jesus rose from the dead, just as he said he would. May his resurrection we celebrate scatter the darkness! 8. That person eats it and, taking the bread, in turn breaks a piece of bread and gives it to the next person. This continues until someone has given a piece to the leader. 9. Share the cup: The same is observed with the cup. The leader may say, We feast together in God’s love and compassion. 10. Commitment to reach out: Consider a making a commitment to our poor, lonely, or the work of the church. Some suggestions: write a card or letter to a loved one or neighbor who might especially be struggling, or make a donation (emergency food or health care relief, parish contribution, etc). Decide what to do as a household and agree upon a time to do it later that day or week. 11. Concluding blessing: The leader gives a Final Blessing, with all making the sign of the Cross: May the love of God, the peace of Christ, and the of the Holy Spirit be with us and remain with us forever. Amen.

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Outline for May 3-9, 2020: Fourth week of Easter (any evening this week) Keeping the Lord’s Day at Home

Suggested Full Text for those who wish (including readings from the Children’s Lectionary)

Sign of the Cross

Leader Stay with us, Lord, for it is evening. All And the darkness fills this hour.

Leader Let your light scatter the darkness. All And illumine your Church.

Pause for recollection. All make the sign of the cross as the leader says:

Leader In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

All Amen.

Leader Why do we gather at this table [this Sunday]?

All This is where we gather together [as a family] at home. It reminds us of the at church, the table where we gather as community, where we remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Leader God gave us each other and all that we have as gift. Now let us be seated to be nourished by God’s word.

All are seated.

The Good Shepherd (1973, Cameroon, Jesus MAFA Project)

JESUS MAFA is a response to the readings from the Lectionary by a Christian community in Cameroon, Africa. Each of the readings were selected and adapted to dramatic interpretation by the community members. Photographs of their interpretations were made, and these were then transcribed to paintings.

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Psalm 23 (use your Bible or use the children’s lectionary text below)

All The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Reader You, Lord, are my shepherd. I will never be in need. You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water, and you refresh my life

All The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Reader You are true to your name, and you lead me along the right paths. I may walk through valleys as dark as death, but I won’t be afraid. You are with me, and your shepherd’s rod makes me feel safe.

All The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Reader Your kindness and love will always be with me each day of my life, and I will live forever In your house, Lord.

All The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Gospel Reading: John 10:1-10 Use your bible or use the Children’s Lectionary below. Use a shorter passage if that makes this more usable.

Reader ! A reading from the holy Gospel according to John All Alleluia! Glory to you, O Lord.

Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you for certain that only thieves and robbers climb over the fence instead of going in through the gate to the sheep pen. But the gatekeeper opens the gate for the shepherd, and he goes in through it. The sheep know their shepherd’s voice. He calls each of them by name and leads them out. May 3-9, 2020: An Agape Feast for the Fourth Week of Easter Page 5 of 7

“When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice. The sheep will not follow strangers. They don’t recognize a stranger’s voice, and they run away.” Jesus told the people this story. But they did not understand what he was talking about.

Then Jesus said: “I tell you for certain that I am the gate for the sheep. Everyone who came before me was a thief or a robber, and the sheep did not listen to any of them. I am the gate. All who come in through me will be saved. Through me they will come and go and find pasture.

“A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

All Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflection The leader gives a brief explanation of the Gospel reading and the season of Easter. With children, consider asking a question to help them understand.

Praying for One Another and the World Each person is invited, one by one, to offer a prayer or share a need that others can pray for. After everyone who wishes has offered a prayer, the leader continues:

Leader Gathering our prayers into one, let us join hands and pray as Jesus taught us:

All Our Father…

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Simple Agape Feast 1. Someone brings the plate and cup to the table. 2. The Leader breaks off a piece of bread and gives it to someone, saying,

Leader Though in this meal we do not share the body and in the Eucharist, we remember his love.

Jesus rose from the dead, just as he said he would. May his resurrection we celebrate scatter the darkness! 3. That person eats it and, taking the bread, in turn breaks a piece of bread and gives it to the next person in silence. This continues until someone has given a piece to the leader. 4. The same is observed with the cup. The leader says: Leader We feast together in joy, knowing that Jesus came to give life to the fullest!

Commitment to reach out Consider a making a commitment to our poor, lonely, or the work of the church. Some suggestions: write a card or letter to a loved one or neighbor who might especially be struggling, or make a donation (emergency food or health care relief, parish contribution, etc). Decide what to do as a household and agree upon a time to do it later that day or week. Concluding blessing The leader gives a Final Blessing, with all making the sign of the Cross: Leader May the love of God, the peace of Christ, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us and remain with us forever. Amen.

We conclude in peace, remembering our poor brothers and sisters. All Thanks be to God. Someone extinguishes the candle. May 3-9, 2020: An Agape Feast for the Fourth Week of Easter Page 7 of 7

A Simple Bread Recipe INGREDIENTS (may be halved for smaller households) (3/4)  1½ Cups White Flour  ½ Cup Wheat Flour  1 tsp. salt  1 tsp. baking soda  3 Tbsp. sugar  2 Tbsp. softened butter or Crisco  ¾ Cup water

DIRECTIONS 1. Mix first five ingredients together. 2. Cut in butter/Crisco. 3. Add ¾ cup water. Stir with fork to make a sticky dough. 4. Roll out on a board generously floured with whole wheat flour. 5. Cut into square pieces, or cut into rounds using the rim of a bowl or plate. Press a small cup or glass in the center. 6. Score several times so all will have a piece. 7. Place on a foil-lined cookie sheet. 8. Bake at 350 degrees for 11 minutes.