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Blessing of Relationships Liturgy
GATHERING PRAYER
Presider:
Sisters and brothers, trusting the promise of our brother Jesus Christ, “Where two or more are gathered together in my name, I am in their midst,” we pray † In the Name of our Loving God who is Mother/Father, Brother Jesus Christ and Sister Spirit.All:
Amen.Presider:
God be with you.All:
And also with you.Presider:
Brother Jesus, when you assumed our humanity and lived your redeeming ministry, you taught us to love by word and example.There were significant others and close friends in your life whom you cherished. You wept at the news of the death of Lazarus before restoring him to life. We refer to John as the Apostle whom You loved. After your resurrection, you first appeared to Mary of Magdala.
At the supper with your friends the day before you died, you told your friends and us, “As my Abba has loved me, so I have loved you. Live on in my love.
“I tell you all this that my joy may be yours, and your joy may be complete.
This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you.1Therefore, we ask you be present with us as we celebrate long term living partnerships, or newfound and developing relationships with significant others in our lives.
All:
God of All Creation, as a member of your family on earth, I thank you for your loving presence. I pray that the Spirit of Truth, Hope and Courage assist me to be honest and loving towards the special person you have entrusted to my care as friend and loved one.Help me to understand that to whatever level the relationship may grow, it is part of my relationship with you who is God and Lover of All.
Those in Committed Relationships:
Loving God, help me to be a truly loving person towards my partner-in-life and honor the personal commitment we freely exchanged.All:
This we pray through our brother Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
LITURGY OF THE WORD:
Reader #1:
A reading from the First Letter of John.Beloved, let us love one another because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten of God and has knowledge of God. Those who do not love have known nothing of God, for God is love.
God’s love was revealed in our midst in this way: by sending The Only Begotten into the world, that we may have faith through the Anointed One.
Reader #2:
Love then consists in this: not that we have loved God, but that God has loved us and sent the Only Begotten to be an offering for our sins.Beloved, if God has loved us so, we must have the same love for one another.
Reader #3:
No one has ever seen God. Yet if we love one another, God dwells in us, and God's love is brought to perfection in us.The way we know that we remain in God and God in us is that we have been given the Spirit. We have seen for ourselves, and can testify, That God has sent the Only Begotten as Savior of the world.
Reader #4:
When anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Only Begotten, God dwells in them and they in God. We have come to know and to believe in the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God and God in them.Reader #5:
Love will come to perfection in us when we can face the day of judgment without fear — because our relation to this world is just like Christ’s. There is no fear in love, for perfect love drives out fear. To fear is to expect punishment, and anyone who is afraid is still imperfect in love.Reader #6:
We love because God first loved us. If you say you love God but hate your brother or sister, you are a liar. For you cannot love God whom you have not seen, if you hate your neighbor whom you have seen. If we love God, we should love our sisters and brothers as well; we have this command-ment from God.2The Word of God.
All:
Thanks be to God.
A REFLECTION ON LOVE:
Presider:
This reading is from the poem, "Spectrum of Love" © by humanist and poet Walter Rinder."I love you."
There is a much greater motivation than simply my spoken words.Reader #1:
For me to love, is to commit myself, freely and without reservation. I am sincerely interested in your happiness and well-being. Whatever your needs are, I will try to fulfill them and will bend in my values depending on the importance of your need. If you are lonely and need me, I will be there. If in that loneliness you need to talk, I will listen. If you need to listen, I will talk. If you need the strength of human touch, I will touch you. If you need to be held, I will hold you. I will lie naked in body with you if that be your need. If you need fulfillment of the flesh, I will give that also, but only through my love.Reader #2:
I will try to be constant with you so that you will understand the core of my personality and from that understanding you can gain strength and security that I am acting as me. I may falter with my moods. I may project, at times, a strangeness that is alien to you which may bewilder or frighten you. There will be times when you question my motives. But because people are never constant and are as changeable as the seasons, I will try to build up within you a faith in my fundamental attitude and show you that my inconsistency is only for the moment and not a lasting part of me. I will show you love now. Each and every day, for each day is a lifetime. Every day we live, we learn more how to love. I will not defer my love nor neglect it, for if I wait until tomorrow, tomorrow never comes. It is like a cloud in the sky, passing by. They always do, you know!Reader #3:
If I give you kindness and understanding, then I will receive your faith. If I give hate and dishonesty, I will receive your distrust. If I give you fear and am afraid, you will become afraid and fear me. I will give to you what I need to receive.To what degree (amount) I give love is determined by my own capability. My capability is determined by the environment of my past existence and my understanding of love, truth and God. My understanding is determined by my parents, friends, places I have lived and been. All experiences that have fed into my mind from living.
Reader #4:
I will give you as much love as I can. If you will show me how to give more, then I will give more. I can only give as much as you need to receive or allow me to give. If you receive all I can give, then my love is endless and fulfilled. If you receive a portion (part) of my love, then I will give others the balance I am capable of giving. I must give all that I have, being what I am.Reader #5:
Love is universal. Love is the movement of life. I have loved a boy, a girl, my parents, art, nature. All things in life I find beautiful. No human being or society has the right to condemn any kind of love I feel or my way of expressing it, if I am sincere, sincerity being the honest realization of myself and there is no hurt or pain intentionally involved in my life or any life my life touches.Reader #6:
I want to become a truly loving spirit. Let my word, if I must speak, become a restoration of your soul. But when speech is silent, does [one] project the great depth of his [or her] sensitivity. When I touch you, or kiss you, or hold you, I am saying a thousand words.
RITE OF RECONCILIATION
(NOTE : Each person in a couple is asked to turn towards his or her partner. You are invited to hold hands.)
Presider:
Dear God, Source of Life, you have a special relationship with us. We know you as Our Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier. You have chosen us to be your own.Time and again you have admonished us that whatsoever we do to our sisters and brothers, we also do to you. You taught us that when we separate ourselves from you we are reconnected by reconciliation. You also admonish that before coming to you we first seek reconciliation with our brothers and sisters.
Therefore, gathered in your presence, we seek your special blessing on our evolving relationship with you, as well as a significant other in our lives. We prayerfully ask you and our loved one’s forgiveness:
Reader #1:
For the times I have failed to listen, been inattentive to my companion’s needs, or not been present in times of sorrow, loss, misfortune or distress.Reader #2:
For the times I have been short-tempered and expressed my anger with enmity or disrespect, or assaulted her or him verbally, emotionally or physically.Reader #3:
For the times I have been less than honest with, wrongfully mistrusted or questioned the integrity of my companion.Reader #4:
For the times I have not upheld my promises or commitments.Reader #5:
For the times I have hurt my companion by my silence or failure to engage in conversation to reconcile or address areas of conflict.Reader #6:
For the times I have failed my companion in any way by acts of commission or omission.Presider:
As part of our reconciliation, we also acknowledge those things that draw us closer to God and each other and pray in thanksgiving:Reader #1:
For the times I am lonely and my companion becomes present and affirming by voice, expression, touch or deed.Reader #2:
For the times I am brought reassurance, support, joy, hope and happiness to my life.Reader #3:
For the thoughtful things done to express love, affection, commitment, care and fidelity.Reader #4:
For the times I suffer loss or pain and my companion offers solace, compassion, and comfort, and holds me close in reassuring, caring, and loving embraces.Reader #5:
For the times we have set things aside in order to carefully address grievances or items of concern with mutual trust and respect to reach amicable solutions.Reader #6:
For the times we freely give of ourselves sharing in intimacy of word and touch that we may grow in our personal and shared lives.
RITE OF BLESSING
Presider:
Throughout human history we find God as Provider and Nurturer with such examples as the manna and water for the nomadic chosen people in the desert and Christ feeding the hungry in soul and body.It was with water that we were initiated into our life with Christ at baptism. We now ask God send our sister Spirit to enrich and nourish our lives with water.
(Please extend your right arm with your palm facing downward towards the container of water as together we pray.)
All:
Beloved God, your gift of water brings life and freshness to the earth; it nourishes and refreshes us and brings us eternal life.Bless † this water and give us your protection all the days of our lives. Renew the living spring of your life within us.
Protect us in spirit and body that we may live the fullness of life now and in eternity. We ask this through our brother Jesus Christ. Amen.
(NOTE: Sprinkling water on those gathered, presider says:)
Presider:
May the blessing of God, Who is † Mother/Father, Brother Jesus Christ and Sister Spirit remain with us always.(NOTE: Following the sprinkling of water, companions are invited to come forward to bless each other with water.)
Presider:
God be with you.All:
And also with you.Presider:
God, we thank you for that special person in our life as an extension of your loving creation and living presence. Help us to recognize and appreciate our role in perpetuating that divine love and presence.Let us recognize and celebrate the good in our partners, ourselves and all of God’s children.
As we leave, we ask you to be our loving mentor that we may act responsibly towards each other with love, compassion, respect and dignity. This we pray in the presence of our brother Jesus Christ.
All:
Amen.
1 and 2 New Testament references taken from “The Inclusive New Testament,” Priest for Equality, W. Hyattsville, MD, a project of the Quixote Center.
Liturgy developed and produced by Bill Welch, Director for Spiritual Development, Dignity/San Jose (CA), Feb 2000, Modified Jul 2003, Jan 2007.
