Sunday Homily 3-8-09, 2nd Lent

Readings: Acts 15, 1-29; Psalm 67; Revelation 21, 10-23; John 14, 23-29

Mother’s Gift

Some years ago after I had returned to Dallas in the 80’s and my mother was still alive, she had to go to the hospital for some procedure. The hospital was the one on LBJ near Webb Chapel, called Deadman in those days.

She was going to stay for at least a night, so we packed up some of her stuff. It was afternoon. I was driving her west on LBJ and we were talking. Suddenly she patted me on my right thigh and said, "I’m proud of you."

Now at that time I am probably 47 or 48, but her little compliment moved me. It was especially touching because she had never wanted me to go off to the Jesuits and she had gotten so mad I went to Africa that she did not speak to any local Jesuit for some years.

I talk about this on Mothers’ Day because of two reasons.

First, it shows how at whatever age we are, our mother’s compliments and affirmations remain powerful. My mom’s simple compliment touched my spirit. I can still remember it as if it were yesterday.

Secondly, it shows how you mothers have the touch. You can ignite people’s spirits into new life with just a movement or a word. It may seem so simple that it is of little value. This event with my mom exemplifies just the contrary, how valuable it is.

Whom do you touch into new life?

Download the homily as an mp3 file.

Readings:

Isaiah 25, 6-10, On this mountain the Lord will provide for all peoples a feast

Psalm 23, I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my  life.

Philippians  4, 6-9, I can do all things in him who strengthens me

Matthew 22, 1-14, The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast.

 

Thanks to the Team

Music,  Ben & Shonda 

Readers,  Tom & Mary  & Buddy, the candle blesser

Gospel,  Deacon Mike 

Homily,  Stack 

Eucharistic Prayer A & B, Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers, Mike, Ben, Richard, & Welcome Back, Hue 

Final Blessing, Rosemary

For hosting us at Legacy, Becky

 

 

 

 

Remember?  3 years ago, South Rim, Grand Canyon.

 

Isaiah observations:

Who:  Any idea which Isaiah this is, 1, 2, or 3?   We had Isaiah 1 last week talking about the vineyard.  That was chapter 5.  Pretty easy to guess, Isaiah 1.  But, this is chapter 25.

It seems out of character for Isaiah 1, who criticizes the people.  More like Isaiah 2, which John Cade loves and which we will read this Advent. 

Remember Isaiah 1 is pre-Babylonian Captivity, around 555 before Christ.  This selection is a marvelous vision of peace and sensual satisfaction, one of my favorites.

Yep, it is still Isaiah 1, all the way to chapter 39.  Basically he is saying that a great day will come, after you people have paid for your sinful, selfish ways. 

 

 

Remembering…..

 

Download Readings Week 28
 

 

Homily:

As a boy, Jesse was a chicken plucker.

He stood on a line in a factory and spent his days

pulling the feathers off dead chickens so the rest of us

wouldn't have to.

It wasn't much of a job, but at the time

Jesse didn't think he was much of a person.

His father was a brute of a man

thought to be mentally ill,

and treated Jesse roughly all his life.

Jesse's older brother wasn't much better.

He was always picking on Jesse and beating him up.

Yes, Jesse grew up in a very rough home in

West Virginia.  Life was anything but easy,

and he thought life didn't hold much hope for him.

That's why he was standing in this chicken line

doing a job that few people wanted.

Jesse was always sick.

Sometimes it was real physical illness,

but often it was all in his head.

He was a small child, skinny and meek.

That didn't help the situation.

 

 

Remembering….

When he started to school he was the object of every

bully on the playground.

He was a hypochondriac of the first order.

For Jesse, tomorrow was not always something he

looked forward to.

 

 

But he had a dream. He wanted to be a ventriloquist.

He found books on ventriloquism. He practiced with

sock puppets and saved his hard-earned dollars until

he could get a real ventriloquist dummy.

When he got old enough, he joined the military,

and even though many of his hypochondriac symptoms

persisted, the military recognized his talents and

put him in the entertainment corps.

That was when his world changed.

He gained confidence.

 

 

The Wizards Hue & Rich.

He found that he had a talent for making people laugh,

and laugh so hard they often had tears in their eyes.

Yes, little Jesse had found himself.

You know, the history books are full of people

who overcame a handicap to go on and make a success

of themselves, but Jesse is one of the few I know of

who didn't overcome it. Instead he used his paranoia

to make a million dollars and become one of

the best-loved characters of all time doing it!

That little paranoid hypochondriac, who transferred

his nervousness into a successful career, still holds the

record for the most Emmys given in a single category.

The wonderful, talented, nervous comedian

who brought us

Barney Fife (The Andy Griffith Show)

was

Jesse Don Knotts.

(July 21, 1924 – February 24, 2006)

There is a street named for him and his statue in

Morgantown, West Virginia, his home town.

At this stress filled time in our lives, how are you reaching out  to peace & beauty?

 

 

Remembering….

 

Please Remember these special people:

For Alan Stryker;  For John Doherty with back pain; For Becky's dad who has moved to the other side;  For Cindy is recuperated!!;    For David Dismore's bad shoulder from a biking accident;  For all the medical personnel struggling to treat the tsunami of sick people, in particular, locally, Cindy's staff at Presby, Dallas, and at Frisco Presby, the mother of Harper and Betsy, Kendle, working in labor & delivery;   For Mary & Dave Hall's g-daughter Allison Keller working at St. Lukes, Woodlands,  For Joe Hogan with cancer;  For Loretta's aunt Alicia;   For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom & Cody & Ben & Leo & all of Shonda's dear family;   for all the students and teachers and coaches returning to school, for Geri's sister with heart & circulation problems, 

Richard & Mike Zooming. 

 

For Jackie's mom, sister, & friend, Lynn;  For both Jean & Cliff Wright;  For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg; For Meredith, cancer free;    For Hue;  For John O'Donnell;   For Dee, and for her daughter, Lisa; For John Schanot's continued health;  For Anthony & Sabrina;    For a young man who is suffering from depression;  John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli and Lambrini, plus John's daughter, Joey, with cancer,  For the students, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

 

 

Birthdays: Bill Hammond, Celeste Colmanero, Rich Eschelbrenner

 

 

 

Hammond, you are so missed around here!

 

Community Finances, October 11, 2020

Expenses: $710.00 

Outreach   $180.00    (often for Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)

Thanks, Folks, for doing what you can.

Rosemary's Blessing:

 

 

Just in case you missed our new address, 7017 Helsem Way  75230.   (notice the same Zip Code as Tulip Lane?)

 

 

 

 

Leo says, "Welcome as long as you know the password" (e.g. You are The Best, Leo).

 

 

Readings:  

 Isaiah 50, 4-9,  The Lord opens my ear that I may hear.

Psalm 116,  I will walk before, in the land of the Living

 James 2, 14-18, What good is it if someone says he has faith but does not have works?

Mark 8, 27-35,  Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself

                   

 

 

Special Welcome to Barbara's sister from Germany, Gita.
 

 

Isaiah:  observations

What is it about: 1^st, 2^nd, & 3^rd Isaiah?

1^st Isaiah, Chapters 1-39: predict doom for the Hebrews because they have not been faithful to their one god.  

2^nd Isaiah, Chapters 40-55:  this & the remaining chapters are called The Book of Consolation.  They try to assure the people who are now in exile that God will restore them to their former glory & peace.  In fact, in chapter 45 the composer even mentions the name of Cyrus, the king of the Persians who defeats Babylon & sends the Hebrews back to Jerusalem.  So the composer knew of Cyrus and a date can be narrowed down.

 

 

 

 

Emma at work on here specialty, Lighting the Candles.

 

This 2^nd  Isaiah section presents 4 suffering servant songs, #2 being our selection today.  Jews see the servant to be the Hebrew people/nation.  Christians see the servant to be Christ. 

Isaiah 2 is considered maybe the most influential O.T. book.  On Isaiah 2 Mark built much of his gospel, especially the story of the crucifixion.

Handel's Messiah uses 2nd Isaiah for its lyrics.

3^rd Isaiah, Chapter 56-66: more assurances of a return to peace & glory.

 

 

 

 

Georgie backing up the Candle Lighting ritual with The Blessing.

 

 Mark: observation

I do not like the line in Mark where he says we have to take up our cross.  I have seen the negative result of this.  Which is not to imply that we do not have to struggle to reach goals, like, say, 175 lbs.  

 

 

 

Welcome in, Ron.  Thanks for bringing Gita. 

 

 

Faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead

This morning I would like to pick up on the line, faith without works is dead. 

First of all, to me the statement is simplistic & silly.  I know people who are unable to do anything for others, but they have faith, maybe in God, maybe in people, or in themselves.

Actually, we, I can look around and have greater faith in people because I see so many doing so many good things for others.  Actually, talking about this subject I feel like a fraud and that I am preaching to the choir, I see you people in our community doing so much.  Let me give you about 8 examples of people who inspire me.

 

 

 

 

 

A high level meeting of The Board.  A Brunch or not next week.

 

 

1^st, ever hear of the Cajun Navy?  Or the Baptist Men?  They are both over in the Carolinas doing rescue & recovery work right now.  On NPR yesterday morning, I heard the “Cajun Admiral” or “Captain” say he expected 1000 volunteers by Saturday afternoon.  They come with their fishing boats.  They were everywhere in Houston last year this time.

I’ve worked with the Baptist Men in Galveston and they come prepared with generators, a big kitchen, and showers installed in 18 wheelers.  I slept with about 20 of them in a dormitory in a church.  I wish I could be there.  Just have not got the stamina any more.

 

 

 

 

Georgie & Buddy, The Board has voted too double your stipends.

 

 

How could I ever forget Jim Mahar of St. Bonaventure, one of my patron saints, along with his local buddy, Bill Hammond.  The two of them have gotten me into so many projects.  It must even be close to the time Bill will be putting his sign up sheet out for the Love of the Kids Fall picnic.

Fifth, I am reminded that these first weekends of October are the weekends we used to plant trees.  How many did we have for our last big plant at Plano Senior High?,  I don’t know.  I do know, however, that we planted in an hour 400 trees.  Go see.

 

 

 

 

And another high level board meeting, this with dad & daughter.

 

 

Then, closer to home & me there is Brent with his marvelous work as director of Souls Harbor.  There  is Hue.  Do you realize that from 2005, when we started, Hue has been our sound man, Sunday after Sunday.  Then there is Jan, our faithful hostess.

And finally the picture takers like Rick, Connie, Mike, and even Rosemary on occasion.  Without everybody’s patience our blog without pictures would be pretty boring.

 

 

 

So, Leo, you are telling me that all these people knew today's password.  

 

 

So, even if you are like me and cannot do all the works you would like, who gives you inspiration and faith in the goodness of others?

 

 

 

Welcome back home, Dearest Harper.  It has been no fun without you while you were sick

Readings:

Acts 2, 14, 22-33,  Peter stood up and proclaimed.

Psalm 16,  Lord, you will show us the path of life.

1 Peter  1, 17-21,  Conduct yourselves with reverence..

Luke  24, 13-35,  The disciples were going to a village called Emmaus.

 

Mike's Homily

There was a short story written by Steve Blow in the Dallas Morning News on Easter morning.  It was about a young man who belonged to one of the United Methodist churches, here in Plano.   He was out walking some time before Easter on the east side of the church property when he found an old wooden cross in some deep brush leaning against a tree.  It had become badly weathered, but he recognized it as the one the youth group used in its sunrise Easter services. Now, a decade or so later, after he had repaired, sanded and varnished the cross, it stood that Easter morning at the entrance of the church; later to be surrounded by a group of faith filled friends.

In the beginning of the reading from the John gospel of last Sunday, the eleven disciples had hidden together in an upper room; they had no faith in Christ.  The crucifixion and death of Jesus had filled them with fear.   

It is terribly important for us to be reminded of two things.  The first is that the gospel stories are written as parables; the second is that after Christ returned to the Father in glory, the Church was given the Holy Spirit and the responsibility to be Christ in the world.  Empowered by the gift of the Holy Spirit, it was the Church who extended to the disciples in the upper room Christ’s words, ‘Peace be with you;’ as the Father sent me, now I send you;’ ‘receive the Holy Spirit.’

In faith, they believed!  When Thomas returned he did not believe that Christ had come to them. He wanted proof! ‘Unless I place my hand into his side I will not believe.’  A week later, what the Church offered Thomas was not proof, but the opportunity to have faith. ‘Place your hand into my side to receive the treasure of the good news’. 

In the Mark and Matthew gospels the disciples are told in like manner by the Church to follow Christ in faith by going after him to Galilee; for the beginning of the Mark Gospel, occurs in Galilee with the words, ‘The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ the Son of God.’   

The end of today’s parable from the Luke gospel complements last weeks reading from the John gospel, by also addressing the eleven in the upper room.  It begins with two men who are being led by the Church as they attempt to come to understand God’s plan of salvation.  Christ, through the Church, tells them that he is truly present to them in the liturgy of the Word and Eucharist. 

Visualize the likes of Clare, Barb, Maureen, Mary Ellen, Bernadette, Dee and Marilyn, for example, at the tomb when the sun rises on that first Easter morning, only to find the tomb empty.  ‘Didn’t he say that he would rise?’ ‘Don’t you feel his Spirit welling up within you?  It would have been a faith experience for them, too. 

Together they would have been the vision of angels rejoicing as messengers and teachers of the Word. If they had actually seen a bunch of angels singing and praising God, there would have been no faith. Their freedom to have faith would have been taken from them.  It is faith that enables us to become Christ in the world.

So, we have gathered here today in faith, believing that it is by the power of the Spirit that the bread blessed and broken has become for us Christ; that the good news becomes for us Christ; that gathered in his name Christ is present in us, so that we can be Christ in the world.  

Readings:

Isaiah, 56, 1, 6-7,  My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples

Psalm 67,  Oh, God let all the nations praise you.

Romans  11, 13-15, 29-32,  The gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. 

Matthew 15, 21-28,   Woman, great is our faith!  Let it be done for you as you wish.

 

The Netherlands

 

Thanks to the Team

Music,  Ben & Shonda

Readers,  Hue & Georgie , & Buddy, the candle blesser

Gospel & Homily,  John Cade 

Eucharistic Prayer A & B, Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers, Mike (on vacation) & Richard, Tom, Ben & Hue 

Final Blessing, Rosemary

 

 

 

Please Remember these special people:

For our Bill & his family,   For Becky's dad discovered with the virus;  For Cindy recuperating at home, finally!;    For Esparzas, Frank & Mary,  For all the medical personnel struggling to treat the tsunami of sick people, in particular, locally, Cindy's staff at Presby, Dallas, and at Frisco Presby, the mother of Harper and Betsy, Kendle, working in labor & delivery;   For Mary & Dave Hall's g-daughter Allison Keller working at St. Lukes, Woodlands,  For Joe Hogan with cancer;  For Loretta's aunt Alicia;    For Sydney;  & For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom & Cody & Ben & all of Shonda's dear family;   for Michelle;  for Bill Ekes' longtime buddy, Bobby Duncan, who just passed to the other side.

 

For Jackie's mom;  For a friend, a neighbor, & a doctor, Karen, with brain cancer; For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg; For Meredith, cancer free;    For Hue;  For John O'Donnell;    For Dee, and for her daughter, Lisa; For John Schanot's continued health;  For Anthony & Sabrina;    For a young man who is suffering from depression;  John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli and Lambrini, plus John's daughter, Joey

 

 

 

Look carefully, you may see Mike.  Buena Vista, Cascade Falls

 

 

Download Readings Week 8-16

 

 

Homily 08/16/20,    20^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Two things:

First, Readings 1 and 2 speak the same truth, that, whether you are an insider or an outsider, you are welcome as God’s people.                  Second, in the Gospel story, even if you are an outsider, you and your sorrow, your pain, are fully understood.  

The first two readings speak about insiders and outsiders.  First reading is from Isaiah Ch 56.  [Recall what

John Stack has said about the 3 authors of Isaiah Ch 1-39, 40-55, 56-64.]  Here Isaiah says, whether you are one of the chosen Jewish people (an insider), or a non-Jewish foreigner (an outsider), is not the point; it’s what you do, how you live your life, that identifies you as God’s people, “for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”

 

 

 

 

In Romans, Paul says: Neither the non-Jewish Gentiles converting to Christianity (outsiders), nor the Jewish people, including Jewish followers of Jesus (insiders)—neither had an advantage over the other.  God welcomes all.  It’s not where you come from but what you do, how you live your life, that identifies you as God’s people.

The second amazing Good News is in Matthew’s story of Jesus and the Canaanite woman (Canaanite, yep, that would make her an outsider).   It wasn’t so much what Matthew said about the disciples being such unhelpful dorks…is Matthew using sarcasm here? (See Gospel language).  This story is embedded in a whole string of stories about Jesus caring for people in need, in pain.  E.g. in the same Chapter Matthew says Jesus “was very deeply moved by the sick among them”, that he saw the hungry and fed them, that he saw the disciples’ fear in a storm and calmed them.

 

 

And immediately after today’s story of the Canaanite woman, Matthew tells how the crowds brought the lame, the blind, the mute; and Jesus said, “My heart goes out to them.”  Matthew strings all these stories together as one, to say God gets it, God gets you and me, understands our needs and pain. God’s Spirit is with us in our fear, our sorrow, our pain. 

Recently, I experienced some of what the Canaanite woman was going through.  We have a daughter, Joey (age 46), who gave her consent to speak about it.  She told us this past week that she has breast cancer and the initial treatment will be major surgery.  My family and I are in shock and pain.  I know from today’s readings that my part is not to be strong or aloof, but to be accepting, understanding and caring; most of all, to be present. 

 

 

Remember ……

 

All three Bible stories today have similar messages:  First, whoever we are and wherever we come from, we are God’s people—totally accepted, come-on-in accepted. 

And second, whoever we are and wherever we come from, we are understood, cared for and loved unconditionally.  God is present with us.  Every one of us.

 

My question: When did you last see and know that you are accepted, understood, loved unconditionally?  And when did you last accept, understand, love another unconditionally?                                       

 

 

 

A note from John Cade:

In the summer of 1956, when still in the seminary, I spent a week at the Trappist monastery north of Atlanta, outside Conyers Georgia.  I got to experience how Trappist monks end every single day, expressing their devotion to Mary, Jesus’ mother—a hundred men standing together and chanting in Latin, Salve Regina, Hail Holy Queen.  August 15^th is one of the days we have traditionally honored Mary.  I will chant this hymn in her honor at the end of Sunday Mass.

 

 

Birthdays:    Last Week,  Carrie Bieda, 62;   Stephen Farmer, 30; Marlene; Richard has a new grandbaby, Madeline, & Mom is Cary

This Week. Haya from the JCC , 6:00 A.M. Spin Class, 82, Rose Banzhaf

 

Anniversaries: 

Last Week.  Mary Hall & Dave, 60 years;   John & Jean O'Donnell, 62nd;  Ryan McClurg & Grace, 7th, 

This Week:  Bernadette & Gilbert  

 

 

From mountain stream to desert rock.

 

 

Community Finances, August 16, 2020

Expenses: $600.00  

Outreach   $100.00    (often for Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)

Thanks, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

 

 

 

As of September 1, Rosemary & I will have a new address,   7017 Helsem Way, Dallas 75230.   This enclave has TREES, unlike our poor, dear, tornado battered Preston Hollow neighborhood.

 

 

 

Cindy Cramer is home!  Hooray!

On Thursday, August 13, 2020, 12:52:06 PM CDT, Cathy Cramer <catcramer@gmail.com> wrote:

Great news, everyone — my mom is home!

She's tired and still has some recovery ahead of her. She asked that you hold phone calls for a few days until she gets back into some semblance of a routine.

This will be my last email to y'all. Thanks again so much for all your love, support, and prayers!

Love,

Cathy

 

 

Rosemary's Blessing:

To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty;

To find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed easier because you lived.

This is to have succeeded.

 

Success – Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

Readings:

Deuteronomy  18, 15-20,  Moses spoke to all the people.

Psalm 95,    If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

1 Corinthians 7, 32-35,   A married man is anxious about the things of the world.

Mark 1, 21-28,   In the synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit.

 

Introduction 

In our reading from the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses speaks to the Israelites about the coming of the Prophet, the Messiah, who is the Word of God. Our Responsorial Psalm states, ‘let us come into his presence to show our gratitude,’ for God will shepherd his people by feeding and guiding his flock. The expectation of these readings is realized in today’s reading from Mark.    

Our second reading is from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians on another subject altogether.  It is a good example of why one should always seek first to understand the context in which the text has been placed.  

 

Homily with Mike:

 Today’s reading from Mark needs to be understood in the context of where it was placed in the gospel.  John the Baptist has just told the people that he is baptizing in water; but when the Messiah comes he will baptize you in living waters; his words that pour forth the Holy Spirit. 

So, Jesus comes to Galilee and these are his first words: ‘The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe in the good news.’

‘The time is fulfilled,’ means that John the Baptist has fulfilled his purpose to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah who will baptize with the Spirit. ‘The kingdom of God is at hand;’ the Messiah, the light of the world, is in their very midst to enlighten those who are in darkness.

The word repent, metanoia, means to have a change of heart, a spiritual conversion. ‘Believe in the good news,’ is an invitation to welcome and live the good news that the Father has sent his Word to redeem us, his only begotten Son. So, Jesus enters the synagogue on the Sabbath.

Why did he do this?  He would teach how and why his good news would fulfill that day’s reading from the Law and/or Prophets.  As Jesus began to teach, the Holy Spirit flows forth from his words into the heart of a man who had been in darkness.  The man’s unclean spirit cries out, ‘I know who you are; the holy one of God.’ Jesus says, ‘Come out of him. Those present are amazed, ‘his words are spoken with authority not like those of the scribes.’ The man’s unclean spirit flees from the presence of the Holy Spirit, just as darkness always flees from the light.

Just before Christmas, Francis gave a spirited last minute Advent teaching to his Curia calling them to have a change of heart, a spiritual conversion from their complacency, petty squabbling, favoritism and gossiping.

To make his intention completely clear, he prefaced each teaching with a selection from the spoken Word of God.  The News releases informed us that a number of the higher ranking members of the Curia felt Francis was out of order for doing this.  The mere fact that some thought they were higher ranking members is reason enough for Francis to chastise them.

Christ taught his disciples to put themselves last and the people they were to serve first.  Don’t follow the hypocrisy of the Scribes who love their gold rings, the clothes they wear, the huge homes they live in, their praying in public places to seek attention, choosing the best seats at banquets…How did things get so out of order for the scribes?

Think about today’s reading from First Corinthians Chapter 7, Paul sets the stage by teaching what is from the Lord, the sacred bond of marriage.  He then says that what he is going to talk about, celibacy, is not from the Lord; it’s from his experience, saying that it was a gift to him; that everyone doesn’t have this gift; there are many gifts. 

However, the readings that we are given, like the one today, that come from Paul, not the Lord, have been understood by the Magisterium to be saying that celibacy is a higher spiritual gift than that of marriage. Not so!

But we have brought it hook, line and sinker.  When a priest celebrates Mass he recognizes himself as Christ.  We should celebrate that recognition!  What we have forgotten is this: in marriage when a husband and wife seek to have a child, they too are making Christ alive to one another and to the World. 

When they coach a child in some sport, or teach a child how to say grace before a meal, they too are being Christ to one another and to the world.  Don’t sell yourself short.  God has no favorites!  Recognize who you are called to be; the Body of Christ in the world during this week.  Being a celibate priest is not a higher spirit gift than being a husband or wife or—a child or a student—or whatever gift it is that you have been given to be.