The 50th Wedding Anniversary Liturgy for Tony and Veronica Nitko July 25, 1964—July 25, 2014

“The capacity to care is what gives life the deepest Significance.” Rumi    

Announcements:

Opening Prayer: Loving God, behold our extend family here assembled. We thank you for this place in which we dwell, for the love that unites us, for the peace accorded us this evening, for the hope with which we expect tomorrow, for our health, our work, our food, and the bright skies that make our lives delightful; and for our friends and family in all parts of the earth. Amen

Opening Hymn: Our God is Here #305

Reading 1:“To Love is Not to Possess” (Very Rev. Dr. James B. Kavanagh DD, Irish Priest (1800-1886)

To love is not to possess, to own or imprison; Nor to lose one's self in another. Love is to join and separate; To walk alone and together. To find a laughing freedom that lonely isolation does not permit. It is finally to be able to be who we really are, no longer clinging in childish dependency nor docilely living separate lives in silence. It is to be perfectly one's self and perfectly joined in permanent commitment to another and to one's inner self.

Love only endures when it moves like waves, receding and returning gently or passionately, or moving lovingly like the tide. In the moon's own predictable harmony, because finally, despite a child's scars or an adult's deepest wounds, they are openly free to be who they really are, and always secretly were, in the very core of their being where true and lasting love can alone abide. Amen

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33: The Lord Fills the Earth with His Love.

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Reading 2: 1 Corinthians 13:4-13

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails... When I was a child, I talked like a child... I reasoned like a child... When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me... And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. The Word of God. Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation: “As the Father has loved me; so I have loved you.”

Gospel: God be with you. And with your Spirit.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (15:9-12):

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Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in God’s love. I have told you this so that my own joy may be in you, and your joy complete. This is my commandment: Love one another, as I have loved you.

Listen to what the Spirit is telling the Church. Glory and Praise.

Silent Reflection/Discussion

Intercessions:

With confidence in our God, let us pray for the needs of the world.

For the church: [pause] for all God's children, known and loved before their birth; for prophets reviled and ignored by their own people; for all Christians who stand up for the Gospel. We pray to God. O God, Hear Our Prayer.

For our government leaders: [pause] for even-tempered discourse; for cooperation and unity; for love above all other things. We pray to God. O God, Hear our Prayer.

For those in love: [pause] for long-time married couples and the newly engaged; for those who strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts; for those with broken hearts and broken promises. We pray to God. O God, Hear our Prayer.

For the sick and the dying: [pause] for those crushed by physical, spiritual, or mental pain; for God to deliver them from their suffering, including those we now name...[pause]. We pray to God. O God, Hear our Prayer.

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For the dead: [pause] for victims of war, poverty, and violence; for friends and loved ones who have died, including those we now name...[pause]. We pray to God. O God Hear our Prayer.

God of life, your perfect love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Hear our prayers and strengthen our faith in you, that through our words and deeds, we may learn to love as you love. We ask this through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Eucharist Prayer:

God be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to God. Let us give thanks to God our Creator. It is right to give God thanks and praise.

God of all creation, we gather together and give you thanks for all the wonders of your love. We thank you for all the signs of your love in our lives. But especially we thank you for speaking your Word, Jesus Christ, to us, and so we sing:

Santo, santo, santo es el Señor. Hosana en las alturas. Bendito es el que viene en nombre del Señor.

Glory and honor and praise to you, holy and living God. Your word of peace has been active from the beginning; your justice has sought incarnation in every age. In the fullness of time, you looked with favor upon Mary, your willing servant, that she might conceive Christ through the power of your Holy Spirit. Expecting his birth, she sang of your purpose: the mighty shall be cast down and the humble lifted up; the promise of mercy to Abraham and Sarah and all their children shall be fulfilled in the birth of Jesus.

Living among us, Jesus loved us. He broke bread with outcasts and sinners, healed the sick, and proclaimed good news to the poor. He pronounced the blessedness of peacemakers, all those who are willing to seek first your kindom and your justice.

On the eve of his death, while at table with those he loved, Jesus took bread and gave you thanks; he broke the bread, gave it to his disciples and said: Take this, all of you, and eat it: This is my body which will be given up for you.

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When supper was ended, he took the cup; again he gave you thanks and, handing the cup to his disciples, he said: Take this, all of you, and drink from it: This is the cup of my blood of the everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all, so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in memory of me. God most holy, we celebrate the memory of Jesus, of his suffering and death and the glory of the resurrection. Through the power of your Spirit of love, include us now and forever among the members of Christ, whose body and blood we share.

Open our eyes to the needs of all; inspire us with words and deeds to comfort those who labor and are burdened; keep our service of others faithful to the example of Jesus.

Let your Church be a living witness to truth and freedom, to justice and peace, that all people may be lifted up by the hope of a world made new.

Be mindful of our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep in the peace of Christ, and all the dead whose faith only you can know. When our pilgrimage on earth is complete, welcome us into the fullness of your kingdom where we shall dwell with you forever. There, with Mary, the prophets, the martyrs and all the saints, we shall praise you and give you glory through Jesus Christ.

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

In the Gospel of Luke, we read the Easter story of disciples who walked along the road with Jesus without recognizing him. Then they entered the inn of the village of Emmaus, where Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it and gave it to the disciples. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him in the breaking of the bread.

Our Father (sung) Cordero de Dios, que quitas el pecado del mundo, ten piedad de nosotros, ten piedad. (2) Cordero de Dios, que quitas el pecado del mundo, danos la paz, dánosla.

Communion Hymn: Pan De Vita (345) (in memory of Bernie and Charles’ 50th) Closing Reading: An Intimate Heart, by Joan Chittister A Friend is more than an Acquaintance. A friend is a soul-partner at every age, the one who looks at us and says, “I know exactly who you are and I love you

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for it. I know what all the others do not know and I love you, because of it and despite it.” There is nothing closer or more meaningful in life than intimacy. The way to cultivate a friendship is to be prepared both to talk and to listen for the rest of you life. “Good talk is pure gold and it is what lovers need from each other”, wrote Garrison Keillor... There are moments of loneliness in every life, moments when what needs to be said has no one to say it. For the one who simply understands us well, it’s not necessary to say much at all. [Friendship] is a gift of rarest beauty, of deepest meaning, of the truest love. The Words of Sr. Joan. Thanks be to God.

Blessing on Tony and Veronica: Ricardo

God, our Father, you created man and woman to love each other in the bond of marriage. Bless and strengthen Tony and Veronica. They have known the gift of a good and happy marriage for 50 years. They enjoy the affection of their family and continually praise you for your goodness. Their lives have been rich, full of good works and friendship. During these mature years of their marriage, bless

them with health and enable them to provide for all their needs. May they enjoy many more years of each other's companionship and may they know the fullness of your love for them. We ask this through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Final Blessing: (St Matthews in the City, NZ)

Spirit of Power and Blessing, we ask you to rekindle your fire in our hearts. Burn away complacency and inertia and set us aflame with a vision of what is possible with your blessing and your power. May the blessing of Almighty God, Creator, Redeemer, and Holy Spirit come upon us and remain with us forever. Amen.

Closing Hymn: Peace is Flowing like a River (507

Leo and Rosa

Happy Anniversary

Sharing of the Peace