Harvest Festival of Faith

Harvest Festival of Faith 21 October 2013

Prelude Autumn – Four Seasons (Second Movement) (Antonio Vivaldi)

Procession (Procession of harvest produce such as breads and cakes as well as fruit, vegetables and flower)

Poem Ode To Autumn (John Keats)
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells

Song In You Creation Finds Its Joy (Ronan McDonagh)
All sing: In you creation finds its joy, you have clothed it in your beauty; Alleluia.

The scene is now set for our Harvest Celebration of Faith. We acknowledge the richness of God’s creation in this autumn season and the harvest of fruits of the earth all around us. We also look back on the Year of Faith now coming to an end as we harvest the fruits of that year and we look forward with hope to a time of renewal and new life in our communities.

‘For in every fall there is the rise whose sister’s name is spring.

Opening Prayer Let us pray,
All say: God of all life
from whose gracious hand all creatures are fed
humble our hearts in wonder of your creation
inspire in us praise for the good things you give
and lead us into peace with all that you have made. Amen.

Reflection Canticle of Creation (St. Francis of Assisi)
O Most High, all-powerful, good Lord God,
to you belong praise, glory,
honour and all blessing.
Be praised, my Lord, for all your creation
and especially for our Brother Sun,
who brings us the day and the light;
he is strong and shines magnificently.

O Lord, we think of you when we look at him.
Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Moon,
and for the stars
which you have set shining and lovely
in the heavens.

Be praised, my Lord, for our Brothers Wind and Air
and every kind of weather
by which you, Lord,
uphold life in all your creatures.

Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Water,
who is very useful to us,
and humble and precious and pure.
Be praised, my Lord, for Brother Fire,
through whom you give us light in the darkness:
he is bright and lively and strong.

Be praised, my Lord,
for Sister Earth, our Mother,
who nourishes us and sustains us,
bringing forth
fruits and vegetables of many kinds
and flowers of many colours.

Be praised, my Lord,
for those who forgive for love of you;
and for those
who bear sickness and weakness
in peace and patience
– you will grant them a crown.

Be praised, my Lord, for our Sister Death,
whom we must all face.
I praise and bless you, Lord,
and I give thanks to you,
and I will serve you in all humility.

Song Brother Son and Sister Moon (Donovan Leitch)
Brother Sun and Sister Moon
I seldom see you seldom hear your tune
Preoccupied with selfish misery

Brother Wind and Sister Air
Open my eyes to visions pure and fair
That I may see the glory around me.

I am God’s creature, of Him I am part
I feel His love awakening my heart.

Brother Sun and Sister Moon
I now do see you, I can hear your tune
So much in love with all that I survey.

When we live in harmony with creation a certain peace comes over us – a peace that affirms that we ourselves are part of creation – a peace that grows in us and flows over us.

Song The Peace Of The Earth (Guatamalan – Arr. John Bell/Marty Haugen)
All sing: The peace of the earth be with you,
the peace of the heavens, too.
The peace of the rivers be with you,
the peace of the oceans too.
Deep peace flowing over you,
God’s peace growing in you.

During the Year of Faith many parishes undertook initiatives that opened up the ‘door of faith’ and let the light of Christ shine in hearts that were hungry for nourishment and in places that were ripe for encouragement and renewal. We take a moment to recall any initiative that sparked our faith and give thanks for those whose inspiration, creativity, generosity and good work made this possible. (Pause)

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Interlude Autumn – Four Seasons (Third Movement) (Antonio Vivaldi)

Growing Faith

Song Increase our Faith (David Haas)
All sing: Lord, increase our faith, with all our heart may we always follow you. Teach us to pray, always.

Reading Luke 17:5-6
The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’ The Lord replied, ‘Were your faith the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it would obey you.

All sing: Lord, increase our faith, with all our heart may we always follow you. Teach us to pray, always.

Where do we go from here in terms of growing our faith? This a time for planting bulbs (hyacinths) that will blossom at Christmas time, it’s also a time to plant daffodils and crocuses and tulips in the garden that will blossom in spring. What bulbs of faith can we plant during the winter season that will bring flowers of hope and prayerfulness into our lives?

Procession Procession with Plants and Bulbs that will blossom during the winter and early spring

Song Ag Críost An Síol (Seán Ó Riada)
All sing: Ag Críost an síol, ag Críost an fómhar,
In iothlainn Dé go dtugtar sinn.
Ag Críost an mhuir, ag Críost an t-iasc,
I líonta Dé go gcastar sinn
Ó fhás go haois, is ó aois go bás,
Do dhá láimh, a Chríost, anall tharainn.
Ó bhás go críoch, ní críoch ach athfhás,
I bParthas na nGrást go rabhaimid.

Blessing The plants are then blessed with holy water

All say: God of new life,

Bless these symbols of new beginnings that we will plant in a spirit of hope. Bless all the faith initiatives of our diocese. May they enrich the lives of all they touch and draw them closer to their spiritual home where they can truly blossom. We ask this in the Spirit, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Renewing Faith

Song Spirit Of The Living God (Daniel Iverson)
All sing: Spirit of the living God fall afresh on me (2)
Melt me, mould me, fill me, use me
Spirit of the living God fall afresh on me.

Renewing our faith sometimes comes about by taking the initiative and starting afresh. At this time of year grass seed is sown that will even begin to grow now but after a hardy winter will grow towards the new light and warmth that springs brings.

What are the new beginnings in faith for us? What seeds are we ready to plant at this time? What does faith mean for us today?

Reading Luke 17: -19 (Chantelle/Garrett)
On the way to Jerusalem Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered one of the villages, ten lepers came to meet him. They stood some way off and called to him, ‘Jesus! Master! Take pity on us.’ When he saw them he said ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ Now as they were going away they were cleansed. Finding himself cured, one of them turned back praising God at the top of his voice and threw himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. The man was a Samaritan. This made Jesus say, ‘Were there not all ten made clean? The other nine, where are they? It seems that no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.’ And he said to the man, ‘Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.’

All sing: Spirit of the living God fall afresh on us (2)

Reflection Faith is … (Joan Chittester OSB)
Faith is belief that God is leading us to become in tune with the universe, however different we see ourselves to be.
Faith is trust in the unknown goodness of life without demand for certainty in the science of it.
Faith is belief that the God we call “our God” is either the God of all or cannot possibly be God at all.
Faith is confidence in darkness, it is the willingness to trust in the deep-down humanity of others – as well as our own – and this may be the deepest act of faith we can possibly devise.
Faith is the willingness to see God at work in others – in their needs and ideas, their hopes and plans – as well as in ourselves

All sing: Spirit of the living God fall afresh on all (2)

Spreading Faith

Song Come With Me Into The Fields (Dan Schutte)
All sing: The harvest is plenty, labourers are few,
Come with me into the fields
You arms may grow weary, your shoes will wear thin
Come with me into the fields.

Reading Luke 18:8
Jesus told his disciples a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart. ‘There was a judge in a certain town’ he said ‘who had neither fear of God nor respect for man. In the same town there was a widow who kept on coming to him and saying, “I want justice from you against my enemy!” For a long time he refused, but at last he said to himself, “Maybe I have neither fear of God nor respect for man, but since she keeps pestering me I must give this widow her just rights, or she will persist in coming and worrying me to death.”’
And the Lord said, ‘You notice what the unjust judge has to say? Now will not God see justice done to his chosen who cry to him day and night even when he delays to help them? I promise you, he will see justice done to them, and done speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?’

Many ask that question too – will he find any faith on earth? As we reflect on our celebration yesterday of Mission Sunday we keep in mind our responsibility to pass on the faith to others by word and example. Before his retirement Pope Benedict XVI wrote about mission and faith:
‘Faith is a gift that is given to us to be shared.
It is a talent received so that it may bear fruit.
It is a light that must never be hidden.
It is the most important gift that has been given to us
in our lives and which we cannot keep to ourselves.’

All sing: The harvest is plenty, labourers are few,
Come with me into the fields
You arms may grow weary, your shoes will wear thin
Come with me into the fields.

Reflection Seed of Wholeness (Mary Ferring)
Inside the core of each seed, no matter
How large or how tiny, a potential waits
For the life within to lift its face to the sun
And gift the world with a burst of freshness.
Such is your life within me, the potential
For wholeness, a seed of grace so vast
That each kernel of my latent goodness,
Whether it is unknown or undeveloped,
Can manifest its inherent greenness
And grow into a harvest of love.

Song Go Out and Tell (Bobby Fisher)
All sing: Go out and tell make disciples of nations,
Go out and tell the Good News.
Sing from your heart, sing to all of creation
Go out and tell the Good News.

Keeping Faith

We have so many examples of people who have kept their faith down through the years despite persecution or the scandal of division and abuse within the Christian community. We are called today to be courageous, generous and imaginative in fulfilling our responsibility to be bearers of the Good News. This calls for selflessness and a willingness pour ourselves out for the sake of the Gospel. We are challenged to nurture the seeds of faith in our own hearts and in the lives of others. How can each of us do that in our time and place?

Song Faithful is the Lord (Liam Lawton)
All sing: Faithful is the Lord our king
Let us all in glory sing.
Ever praise in song and word
Holy, holy, holy Lord.

Reading 2 Timothy 4:6-8.16-18
My life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on the Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his Appearing.

All sing: Faithful is the Lord our king
Let us all in glory sing.
Ever praise in song and word
Holy, holy, holy Lord.

Story The Sunflower and the Sparrow (ed. Margaret Silf )

Song Unless a Grain of Wheat (Bernadette Farrell)
All sing: Unless a grain of wheat shall fall upon the ground and die
It remains but a single grain without life.

Song Healing Light (Karl Jenkins)

Reflection Harvest Of My Heart (Edward Hays)
When I pause to gather
The produce of my inner garden
Everything that yields abundance
Holds your flavour, scent and shape.
The recognised fruits of daily effort,
The results of faithful discipline,
The increasing growth of healthy habits,
And the tender ripening of virtues,
All this comes from your grace,
From you, Harvest of my Heart.

As we come to the end of our service of reflection and celebration let us ask God’s blessing on all gathered here and all those joined with us through the internet that our faith may grow in strength, be renewed with openness, spread with enthusiasm and kept with courage in face of opposition and apathy.

Prayer
All say: God over me, God under me, God before me, God behind me,
I on your path O God
You, O God in my steps.

Oct 24, 2013 | Latest News |