Sunday Homily 5-3-09, 4th Easter

Readings: Isaiah 43, 18-19, 21-22, 24-25, In the desert I make a way; Psalm 41, Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you; 2 Corinthians 1, 18-22, He has put his seal upon us; Mark 2, 1-12, They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 

Laissez les bons temps roule!            Let the good times roll!

 This is Mardi Gras weekend. There’s lots of information online about Mardi Gras and its history. A few things:

• There was a mid-February celebration in ancient Rome in the 2^nd century honoring a Roman pastoral god. When Christianity arrived in a big way after the year 300 and Emperor Constantine, a Christian interpretation was given to that custom, gradually changing it to a festival prior to Ash Wednesday and the Lenten preparation for Easter.  As Christianity spread throughout Europe and the western world, Mardi Gras went with it.

• Centuries later, when the French explorer Iberville landed near the mouth of the Mississippi River, south of what is now New Orleans, it was on March 3, 1699, which was Mardi Gras Day in France. Iberville named the spot where they landed and set up camp “Point du Mardi Gras”, Mardi Gras Point.

                                                                                                                  

• Much more recently, in 1827, when some college students returned to New Orleans from France, they brought with them the Mardi Gras celebration with the elaborate costumes. In 1872 the Grand Duke Alexis Alexandrovitch Romanoff visited New Orleans and was given the honor of choosing colors for the Mardi Gras celebration. When he chose purple, gold and green, merchants purchased cloth and other merchandise in those colors. There is a story that LSU bought up most of the purple and gold cloth and that Tulane then bought up what was left, the green cloth. Today LSU’s colors are purple and gold and Tulane’s colors are green and white.

• The biggest celebrations today, outside of New Orleans, are in Lafayette Louisiana, the Cajun area I’m from, Mobile Alabama and Galveston Texas, and of course in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

 A traditional food in Cajun Louisiana is boudin sausage, traditionally made from rice, chopped liver and  hot pepper spices. I brought some boudin to share after Mass.

 We also have Mardi Gras beads (thanks to Chuck and Sandra) which are symbolic of the joy we share through-out the Mardi Gras season, which runs all the way from the 12^th day of Christmas (Jan. 6) to the day before Ash Wednesday. We will pass them out now for you to wear. I am wearing a fancy one given to me years ago.

 

A word about today’s readings.

The reading from Isaiah has the author speaking for God saying, “I am doing something new. ..It is I who wipe out your offenses, your sins I remember no more.”

The reading from 2^nd Corinthians is Paul telling the community that Jesus was not sometimes ‘yes’ and sometimes ‘no’; he is always “Yes” for us…and that is what we say Amen to when we come together in liturgy.

The Gospel of Mark is basically a Passion Drama with an extended introduction. The final 6 chapters out of only 16 are about Jesus’ last week in Jerusalem and his suffering and death. Today’s reading in Chapter 2 is one of those introductory stories that demonstrate the tension building between Jesus and the Pharisees leading up to the Passion Story.  It is also one of the stories about forgiveness freely given.

 

Sermon, John Cade

     I have a few thoughts as we celebrate Mardi Gras time and prepare to enter the season of Lent and Easter. My thoughts come from memories of myself and my classmates at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans in the early 50’s. I have memories of the life I was living in the seminary—mainly of study, prayer, silence and a sense of austerity and seriousness.

     I remember well the ‘examination of conscience’ we practiced together in the chapel every night. I remember how I, and my classmates, spent that time in self-examination and really self-judgment about our faults and weaknesses and our bads. This could easily turn into a habit of diminishing ourselves, of judging ourselves as ‘less than’. I have questioned how helpful this was in becoming more sensitive to the goodness and blessings touching us every day.

  

     I remember also how, on special occasions, we were allowed off campus. Believe me, this was BIG. We would put on our black suits, white shirts and black ties and black fedoras—the required outfit. Often I would visit my sister who lived nearby in uptown New Orleans. She and her husband had small children then and I remember my nieces and nephews as not just smart and talented, but fun and playful and full of life.

     Sometimes, when it was Mardi Gras weekend, I would join them on their own street, Henry Clay Avenue, or on Magazine Street or Carrollton Avenue, to view one of the many Mardi Gras parades. Those were exciting and fun times, full of festivity and life. When I returned to the seminary that evening, the contrast was tangible, almost like a time warp. 

    I have three thoughts that arose from those memories.

    First, there is a place for self-reflection and mindfulness and peaceful recollection that can enrich our lives and make for a deeper connection with our earth and universe and with God who calls us to forgiveness and connection. Of course, experiencing forgiveness and connection is more likely if I’m not stuck in negative judgment of myself. 

     Second, there is place for sharing our joy and peace, and our pain and struggles, as we live together in the circles of family and work and community. We can develop more sensitivity to our connection with others and with the Spirit moving in these circles of life. One ‘revelation’ is to discover, and hopefully accept, that the people in our lives are truly ‘other’; they are not me and need not become like me or what I want them to be.

     Third, these places are not separate worlds. Our inner lives with ourselves, and our relationships with all the others in the circles of our lives, are intertwined and always connecting. Forgiving and accepting myself, and bringing that forgiveness and acceptance to everyone in all the circles of my life, is a way of saying “Yes” to life itself.  Next week John will share some concrete ways we can say ‘Yes’ for others in our larger community. Today, as we come together around the table, we are called to say ‘Yes’ to the possibility of forgiveness and acceptance for ourselves and in all our relationships.

     The question I leave for us today is: As we move from Mardi Gras to the Passion Drama and Easter, in what ways will we say “yes” to ourselves and to those around us? 

 Picture 1:    Mass Begins, John Cade celebrating

Picture 2:    Offertory, Ray & Claire with CC & Kayla

Picture 3:    Lambrini & Caliope

Picture 4:    Chuck

Picture 5:    Mardi Gras in person, Cathy & Diane at brunch

Picture 6:    Brunch with Maureen & Fred, Joe & Sandra

Picture 7:    Gerald & Charlie

Picture 8:    Bethany & Ray

 

 

 

 

 

 

Says Rick, "You missed my birthday party yesterday, but I am still celebrating today.  Welcome in, Everybody."

 

Readings: 

Jeremiah 1, 4- 5, 17-19,   Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.

Psalm 71,  I will sing of your salvation.

1 Corinthians 12, 31-13 4-13,  As the body is one.

Luke 4,  21-30,  Today this passage is fulfilled in your hearing.

 

 This morning we will read the Gospel first, then Jeremiah, and finally Corinthians.  I want to highlight Corinthians, it is so special.   The homily will come after the first paragraph, before the special treatise on Love.

 

 

Good as it gets!

 

Jeremiah observations:

Who:  One of the Big 3 and my second favorite behind Isaiah, whom we will hear from next Sunday.  Why a favorite: because he shares his feelings with gusto. 

When:  you can guess it, before and during the Babylonian Captivity.  Notice how much prophetic energy is concentrated around this one event?  Shows how big it was in Jewish history.  Keep 555 before Christ as the beacon date. 

 

 

Suit up time.

 

What: you can guess this, too.  Criticism of behavior, warning of punishment from God, and eventually a better day.

What today: Jeremiah’s call by God to be his man, really Everyperson’s call to be God’s special.  This call theme carries through our next 2 readings, especially the next one, The Big One.

 

 

Can there be a better welcome than this from Cindy & Dee!

 

A Special Reading, 1 Corinthians

Years ago when I used to do a  lot of weddings, like at St Marks,  I would hear this treatise on Love and I would groan, ‘Not again.’

While still at St. Marks, all of a sudden at another wedding, I tuned in to the reading.  Love is patient.  Love is kind.  That applies to me.  I could be more patient and more kind.  I could be more loving.  (Don’t ask Rosemary)

 

 

Equally welcoming is Dear Jan who arranges communion for everybody.

 

Right around this time there was an instruction from the diocese or Fr. Smythe, ‘Don’t touch the kids.’  I thought about this and realized that I was not hugged enough when I was a little boy.  For one thing my mom was sick a lot and even had some operations.  I remember being taken in by some family friends and being homesick big time when I was a little guy, maybe pre-school.

 

 

Elevation Time.

 

So, once ordained & home from East Africa, I remember one Sunday standing in the entrance to the cafetorium ready to begin the 10:30 Mass.  I decided right then that I will continue to hug all these kids to show them they are loveable and good stuff.  Maybe they will think God really loves them.  A lot of those kids thought I was God once I suited up, so their parents said.

 

 

Having a  nice vision, Hue?

 

To send this message is also why I used to give kids, and, in fact everybody, two or three Hershey kisses whenever they came to me for reconciliation, especially for first confessions. 

The side effect of this, of course, was that my line went on forever and poor Deacon Mike had to stay late to shut down the church.  Everybody else was long gone.  I just wanted to say, ‘Kid you are not bad.  God thinks you are good and a neat kid.’  

 

 

Buddy reading our Blessing of The Winter Candles.

 

 

 

 

Emma lighting The Winter Candles.

 

I  have a handful of very special, positive Scripture passages.  They are like compasses.  This Corinthians passage helps me to continue to be patient & kind and to remind all of you that you are lovable.  (Well, maybe not Sir Charlie)

 

 

 

Teamwork!

Readings:  Ezekiel 2, 2-5; Psalm 123, Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his Mercy; 2 Corinthians 12, 7-10; Mark 6, 1-6. 

   

Introduction & Homily by Tony O'Donovan:

 

Ezekiel 2:2-5; the prophet wrote at a very traumatic time for the Jews.  In 595BCE the Babylonians had destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple!  The people were carried off into exile.  Their whole understanding of this event was punishment for their behavior.  The style of the book is what is described as Apocalyptic. Other books in this style are Daniel and Revelations in the New Testament.  Characteristic of this style is strange visions and prophesies about the future.  Ezekiel himself has been described as a strange one!

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Paul’s Second Letter to the community in Corinth.  In fact scholarship today is pretty much in agreement that what we have in first and second Corinthians are parts from four letters.  In the section today we have Paul what I would call ‘ranting’ about himself.

Mark 6:1-6:  Today’s gospel reading is early in Mark.  You will recall that last Sunday we had several miracles attributed to Jesus.  This Sunday we find Jesus showing up at home in Nazareth, and the people are unable to see him as anything but a carpenter.

How is your Eyesight!!

Today’s gospel strongly suggests that we take a moment to examine our eyesight!  In the gospel we find a whole town with poor eyesight.  They can only see Jesus as one of their own, a carpenter, and not as Mark has been presenting him, the Son of God. 

It becomes too easy for us to fall into traps about how we see people in our daily lives, and of course depending on how we see them affects how we treat them.

My mother used to have a saying about people, and I think she sometimes applied it to me.  “I was a house devil and a street angel”.  It can happen too easily.  We treat those closest to us perhaps not as well as we should, we take them for granted.  We go deaf to the things they say to us, and eventually the relationship becomes stale or worse, dead.  I guess another way of saying it is that “familiarity breeds contempt”.

 

 

 

Audio: Sorry, on vacation this week.

 

Picture 1  Mass with Tony concelebrating and T.J. helping

 

Picture 2:  Altar Servers

 

Picture 3: Tony celebrating after 33 years

 

Picture 4:  Tony receiving the community's blessing read by Rosemary with support from Reilly, Richard, Maureen, Ryan (hidden), and Ginny

   

Readings:    

Isaiah  53, 10-11,  The Lord was pleased to crush him in infirmity.

Psalm 33,   Lord, Let you mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Hebrews 4, 14-16,   Let us confidently approach the throne of grace.

Mark 10, 35-45,  Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant.

Isaiah:

A review:  

Authors: at least 3 because there are 3 distinct parts to Isaiah the book.    

Time of Composition: near the end of the Babylonian Captivity, i.e., ca. 550 BCE.

 Subject Matter: warnings about impending doom because of the badness of the people in part 1 up to chapter 39.  The remaining two parts are called the Book of Consolation, letting the people know that a more peaceful & prosperous time is coming. 

  

Today’s Selection:  (read all of chapter 53), Isaiah II,  4 observations—         

          A. This chapter in 2 Isaiah is not included as one of the 4 Suffering Servant Songs, though it presents the same theme.           

          B. The he, the servant that is talked about is

                    –for the Hebrews, the Jewish nation/people;

                    –for Christians, Christ.         

          C.  False Belief number 1?  The Jews thought Yahweh demanded suffering or sacrifice of valuable items ( e.g., sacrificial lamb, scape goat ) as payment for badness.   

          D.  False Belief number 2?  The Jews & Christians believed that an original great sin had been committed by our ancestors & that sin could only be paid for by a human-divine hero, Jesus.  He had to be sacrificed to this god.  Or as the first line of our official reading says, “The lord was pleased to crush him with infirmity.”  

Do you think God crushes people with infirmity?   Was there really an original sin?   Contemporary theology says no.

 

Harper's granny, Cathy.

If I don’t want to be 1^st, do I have to be a slave?

I want to talk today about being first and being a slave, or if I don’t want to be first, do I have to be a slave?  A story. 

You all know that Rosemary & I love to ride our bikes around White Rock Lake.  We go south on the White Rock Creek Trail from Royal Lane, then circle the lake clockwise with stops at the north bridge and the boat house at the south end, near the dam.  About 20 miles.

Homeward bound from the boat house we use West Lawther Drive, a beautiful little lane running between the lake and gorgeous mansions. Lots of bikers use this road and walkers and runners use the path meandering along closer to the lake.

There can be mini, spur of the moment competitions on this road heading north.

One day I come down the hill near the boat house and see ahead of me about 3 bikers.  That sight can give me motivation and adrenaline.  “I am going to take those people.”  And so I do, two of them.

The third guy, a young black man, I pull up behind him.  After hesitating a bit because he was moving pretty good, I pass him too.  And I kick on the gas expecting to leave him behind. 

 

About a mile later I look in my little helmet mirror to see if I can still see him way back there.  Where is he?  Right on my rear wheel.  I am stunned.  So 2-3 times more I go all out thinking I will get some distance.  Never.  He stays with me all the way under the Northwest Highway Bridge, where Rosemary had her accident, and all the way up the Creek trail to Royal Lane. 

As I prepare to turn off to the parking lot, I signal him to come along, and I thank him for an excellent ride.  He laughed and agreed.  We parted.  I have never seen him again.   

Anybody not want to be first once in a while?  Be best in something?  Absolutely normal.  Look at sports, academics, appearance.  Despite having long ago accepted the fact that I am not first in anything, and that is okay, even at 72 I find the competitive passion kicking in occasionally.

So does that mean I have to be a slave or servant?  Very tricky statement psychologically. 

3 Observations:

1.  It is normal and okay to want to be first.  Certainly kids without much experience in life have the desire.
2. When Mark says “servant” and “slave,” do you see Mark’s hyperbole, his exaggeration, and his use of infinite demand?   This is his literary tool to make a point.  Which does not mean we dismiss it straight off.
3. Here is where I have seen the danger.  A person who is religiously obsessed poorly trained, spiritually & psychologically insecure, or scrupulous, this poor person can take the servant idea literally.  The motto, “Always better to give than to receive.”  No way.

I have known & worked with people in this situation.  The person cannot allow anyone to do anything for them.  For that matter, I have some of that stuff.  I don’t always like to be on the receiving end.  Giving and serving can be quite satisfying.

Maturity does two things. It helps me to accept myself as I am.  It also challenges me to make a difference in our world.

How do you handle not being number one?  How do you make a difference? 

 

Readings:

Acts 15, 1-2, 22-29,  Unless you are circumcised, you cannot be saved.   

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

Revelation 21, 10-14, 22-23,  The angel took me in spirit to a great, high mountain.

John 14, 23-29,  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you.

 WHAT: Acts

WHO: same as author of Gospel of Luke

WHEN: late 60’s, before 70

WHY: To further Paul’s desire to make “The Way” of Jesus’ followers acceptable to people in the Greco-Roman world of his time.

Today’s reading from Chapter 15 of Acts gives us another example of how the followers of Jesus at that time were originally Jewish. We have no documents from the 20 years following Jesus’ death. Scholars conjecture that there were writings from that time that became sources for the authors of the gospels of Matthew and Luke.

Whether or not there were such documents, the focus of the Jesus movement was on the “kingdom of God.” The movement gathered around the belief that Jesus preached with urgency and intensity the need to establish God’s reign on earth. The movement was a way of life and was radical in its embrace of Jesus’ preaching.

It is highly likely that in this 20 year period Jesus was considered by members of the movement to be a Jewish prophetical figure. The movement’s concern was to change this world. The focus was on Jesus’ preaching a way of life that would express the Divine Presence in human living and loving.

It is also important to acknowledge that this was a Jewish movement rather than a new religion. There is no evidence to suggest that any members of the Jesus movement thought they were part of a new religion.

Then, beginning mid-century with Paul’s writings and culminating in John’s Gospel at the end of the century, a monumental shift in thinking occurred. The short answer is that Paul, himself a Jew, embraced the idea that Jesus’ preaching and message was intended for Jews and Gentiles alike. So, in his letters, Paul wrote about Jesus in a way that could be heard and would be acceptable to the Greco-Roman world of his time.

This raises many other questions for us, for another time.

 

 Homily: 

When Lambrini left for Baton Rouge 2 weeks ago for a week of business training, I thought my home job would be watching after and preparing meals for my mother-in-law, Kalliopi. That changes when we discovered on Wednesday morning she had some serious bleeding. I took her to the ER. Eventually she was transferred to a room in the hospital,  given 2 units of blood by transfusion, and several tests ordered.

A colonoscopy indicated that diverticulosis was the likely culprit. Kalliopi was in hospital till Friday, still in a lot of pain from the broken arm. I was moved by the peace with which she accepted all the questioning and poking and testing she endured along with the pain of her broken arm. She shared her gratitude for the treatment she received from the doctors and nurses and techs. She did not whine or demand special treatment.

 

When Kalliopi was moved from the ER to the room I met her roommate, Margaret. I spoke with Margaret off and on and actually asked about her story. About 5 years ago Margaret was bitten by a dog in the abdomen and she developed sepsis, a dangerous blood infection that is often fatal. In her case it led to the amputation of both legs and about half of her right hand. Her lungs were seriously affected. She is on oxygen all the time. Before we left Margaret told me she was to have a rib removed to facilitate being able to treat her lungs that need drainage and other treatment.

In talking with Margaret I observed how calm she seemed to be and how she did not complain about being in the hospital again for more surgery. The only time she complained was when we met her. She had been taken for tests and had not been given a meal. I offered to get food for her down on the 1^st floor, but she kept asking nurse at station for a meal and eventually got it. When they brought her food, it wasn’t great. When she heard me say I was going down to eat, she asked me for a favor, to bring her a Hershey bar with almonds, which I did.  

Eventually I asked Margaret how she was able to have peace in the midst of all her trauma.  Margaret replied, “I pray a lot.” She added that when she woke each morning, she gave thanks for her life. I told her she was an inspiration to me in the way she accepted her life just as it came to her, and in the way she received peace and shared that peace with others.

This past Sunday Lambrini and I were at Joey’s home for the 70^th birthday celebration of my former wife, Kay. Joey, as a surprise gift for her mom, had flown Kay’s granddaughter, Chyna, and Chyna’s 10 month old daughter, Catrina, from Florida for the weekend.

 

 

I mention this because I got to experience again the peace that Chyna, the new mother in our family, has. I won’t go into details, but Chyna has had plenty of trauma in her young life. Yet she displays so much peace in her life, in her mothering and in her relationships.

A few words about peace, inner peace. Although some people may live in a more-or-less constant state of peace, most of us experience moments of peace in our lives. For me it is most often close contact with nature and in special relationships that I experience peace. Sometimes we are surrounded by nature (trips to mountains or oceans eg) and sometimes we are struck by nature in our urban lives (sunset, cloud formation eg). Peace received in relationships sometimes comes with those we are closest to, and sometimes it is a chance moment like my meeting Margaret.

My question is how do you receive and experience peace? And how do you share this peace with others?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome Home, Alison & John.

 

 

Readings:

Proverbs 31, 10-13, 19-20, 30-31,   When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls.

Psalm 128,  Blessed are those who fear the Lord.  (No!)

1 Thessalonians 5, 1-6,  The Lord will come like a thief at night.  (No!)

Matthew 25, 1-13,  The parable of the man going on a journey and leaving talents with his servants

 

 

 

Says Rocco, "Good Morning, Everybody, welcome in."

 

 

Observation on the  psalm response and Thessalonians

Could there not be a better way to establish a relationship with the Lord than FEAR?  Like maybe LOVE?!

 

 

 

 

Wake up, Buddy.  Mike is coming on and he will fascinate you.

 

 

In honor of Thanksgiving we have invited Mike Kuklenski to share his experiences in Viet Nam and since.   

 

Nearly 50 years after Vietnam, a combat hero struggles to understand his war

 

The Link:

 

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/news/2017/11/11/fifty-years-vietnam-combat-hero-struggles-understand-war

 

 

 

 

Mike Kuklenski sharing his experiences in Viet Nam.

 

 

Mike, a ''67 graduate of Jesuit , was awarded two Purple Hearts and a Silver Star for his heroic time as a conscientious objector and corpsman (medic).

 

 

 

The Team.

 

 

 

The marvelous Music Team.