Sunday Homily 11-1-09, All Saints

Readings:

Exodus 17, 3-7,  Moses: “What shall I do with this people?”

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

 Romans 5,  1-2, 5- 8,   The love of God has been poured out into our hearts.

 John 4, 5-42,    The Samaritan Woman at the well.

Say Brandon and Mary, his mom, "Welcome in, Everybody."

Exodus observations :

What: After two weeks in the first book of the Bible, today we move to the second. The book basically tells the heroic struggle of Moses to get the Hebrew people out of Egypt, where they had gone because of the drought in their land some decades or centuries before. 

Author: The book is about Moses, but he is not the author, as was thought for centuries. Instead, it is a compilation. 

My Dearest Genevieve, are you playing for us this morning?

When:  Take a guess.  Yes, during and after the Babylonian Captivity, 555 before Christ.  Why now?  To help the Jewish tribe stay together.  Biblical commentators will say this is the most important book in the Bible.  Why?  Cultural history gives identity, especially one that goes from tragedy to triumph.  Plus, the writers, the priests-Levites, emphasized that God considered this tribe to be The Tribe.

Today’ selection: an amusing story about how the Jewish people are bummed out with Moses for taking them out of the so called cushy slave life of Egypt into a desert with no water and no food.  

Recommendation for Lent: Read Genesis and Exodus.  Interesting stories.

The best Music, Shonda & Ray.  Anybody know why Bethany is not with us this morning?  Yep, she finally had her baby!
 

Life Giving Water

This morning I would like to mention 3 comments about John’s gospel that contemporary Bible scholars make.  Then, proceeding from the general observations, I would like to look at today’s gospel and especially the play on water.  Is it symbolic maybe?  Of what?

Hi, Kevin, thanks for all your help.

Observation 1: 3 writers can be identified as contributing to the gospel of John.  The 3 authors worked over a period of 25 to 30 years, up to around 90.

 Secondly, the figures in the stories are literary creations, perhaps built around certain people.                                                                                                         

Thirdly, the words that Jesus uses are not just recordings, but words composed by the writers to convey a message or a symbol, like water. 

Hi, Georgie, thanks, also, to you for all your help.

Which leads to our selection from John this morning, the Samaritan woman at the well. 

She is talking about ordinary well water.  Jesus is talking about symbolic water, living water that gives life to the spirit.  

I would propose this life giving water takes all sorts of forms.  For example.

And thanks to you, Buddy.  It is so nice to have you with us.

Remember the first time we had our penitential rite?  When Mike proposed the idea at a team luncheon I confess I was a bit skeptical.  I was thinking, ‘Nobody is going to want to do this.  More focus on sin.’  This is why I don’t like Lent, the endless focus on sin.  What does the ordinary Mass always begin with?  Focus on me a sinner. 

 Was I pleasantly surprised!  In fact, that penitential rite was pure water to my spirit.  I was humbled and touched. 

Let us begin.

So, events can be life giving water, people can be life giving water.  Put them together and my spirit is moved. 

Last week in Hilton Head we had Rosemary’s two sisters and husbands.  We celebrated a little Sunday Mass in the living room.  I was moved to tears.  I could hardly talk. 

Brandon, our Candle Lighter of The Week.

Another event: our own Mass right here at Sigler.  You people are living water for me.

What event brings living water to you?

Who brings living water to you?

And You?

Sources:  Raymond Brown and John Shelby Spong

 Our Candle Lighter at work, three whites and one purple.

Welcome in, Everybody.  Abrasos for todos.

Readings:

Genesis 9, 8-15,  Never again shall all creatures be destroyed by the waters of a flood.

Psalm 147,  Your way, Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.

 1 Peter 3, 18-22,  God patiently waited in the days of Noah.

Mark 1, 12-15, The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert.

Hi, Harper.  How many Girl Scout cookies you going to sell us today?  (Lots!)

Genesis:  observations–

What:  First book of the Bible, starts with creation & ends with the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob (Israel).  Any reading from this book should start with Once upon a time.   Why?  Because we have here a literary genre that is like myth or a fairy tale in our language.

Thanks for bringing up the bread & grape juice, Joe & Brent & Cheryl.
 

Author: Not Moses as was thought for centuries before people began to study the work.  At least 3 sources: 

• a Y (or J) source for the group that addressed God as Yahweh;
• an E for the group who addressed God as Elohim (Like two historians calling NYC The Big Apple or New York City, or Denver by its name or Mile High City);
• and a P group that focused on the priestly class, activities, & customs, the Levite tribe.

Time: compiled and put together from 950 to 500 BCE.

Today's Selection: the flood has just receded and Noah is receiving a promise (called covenant) from Yahweh that never again will people be wiped out by a flood.  Guess what the sign of the promise is.

Hey, You People, did not your mommas tell you not to go out on a cold and rainy morning?!

A Happy Lent

I want to talk this morning about having a happy Lent.  Why?  Because God created us to be happy. 

I admit again that this is my least favorite season of the year.  I always look for something positive to do and am never really satisfied with what I come up with.

Getting bored?  Join the kids in the playroom.

Some years ago Diane McMahon recommended to me a facebook article by a lady named Karen Ehrman.  She says, “For this Lent don’t give something up, take something up.”  She has 4 positive suggestions for taking something up.  I add a 5^th.   I like her suggestions.

Get your Wednesday ashes at Marlene's comfy house.

1.       Take up note writing to people with whom you don’t communicate that often, but who are friends.  She says she buys 40 cards, envelopes, and stamps.  Each morning she sends one out to a friend, just saying that she likes the person.

2.       Take up the phone and call someone every day or once a week and tell them you are calling just to tell them thanks for being a good friend.  

People come from the north.

3.       Take up a simple gift for a friend or family member.  Like bring flowers to someone, bring a Starbucks, offer to wash the dishes, or clean or dust the house, mow the grass (welcome to Tulip Lane).  Invite someone to lunch.  This is a once a week or occasional take up.

People come from the South. 

4.       Take up a simple gift for a stranger.  Like the recycle men, the garbage men, the checkers at the grocery.  Compliment the checker on her finger nails, give $10 to each of the garbage men (watch out for their over the top gratitude). 

5.       Take up visiting someone in retirement or in a hospital.  (This is my addition, not Karen’s)  We got lots of people you may choose from.

Ashes for Debbie & Bobby.

As you can see, some of these suggestions are occasional or once a week ideas.  Plus, what we have here are only seeds.  Even while you were listening to the five I put forward, you may be been thinking about other possibilities.

How can you have a happy Lent?

Source: Karen Ehman, on line.

Ashes for Cindy.  A good Ash Wednesday gathering.

Happy Mother's Day, Cathy, and Happy Grandmother's Day, too.

Readings: 

Acts of the Apostles, 13, 14, 43-52, The Gentiles were delighted.

Psalm 100,  We are his people, the sheep of his flock. (excellent stanzas)

Revelation 7, 9, 14-17,  I, John, had a vision of a great multitude.

John 10, 27-30, My sheep; hear my voice.

It's a Family Affair, Zoe & Tori lighting our Easter candles with the help of their big sister Georgie.  And Buddy reading the Easter Blessing of the Candles.

Observations on Acts

Date: Sometime before the year 70.  Why?  No mention of the destruction of Jerusalem, which took place the year 70, an enormous date in Jewish history.

Who: The same person who wrote the Gospel of Luke.  How do we know.  Similarities of style, language (Greek), and theological themes.

Subject: the story of the expansion of the Jesus story in 3 areas, first, Jerusalem, then, Palestine or the Holy Land, and finally, into the Mediterranean and, ultimately, Rome. 

Sources, Good News Bible, The New Interpreter's Study Bible, Wikipedia

Another Family Affair for the Offertory, John & Connie & Kevin.

Mother's Day History:

1905-08: Anna Jarvis of West Virginia began this celebration for her mother, Ann, who cared for wounded Civil War soldiers of both sides.  She campaigned to make it a national day and in 

1914:  Woodrow Wilson made it national.

The spelling: always singular, according to Anna. 

Hallmark Cards: Anna hated them because she felt you know what.  

The Communion Team,  Lynda & Tom, Claire & Denni.

The Lord is Good, Psalm 100, Today’s second stanza

In honor of Mother’s Day, I would like to share two stories about my mom and our relationship.  Or why she was probably glad to see me get on that train taking me to the Jesuit Novitiate in Grand Coteau. LA.

Both events took place in the delightful Spring of 1957.  I was 17 and a junior at Jesuit.  Both involve my mom’s car, a light blue, low slung probably ’55 Pontiac sedan. 

Sez Buddy, "I'm worn out, Georgie."

So I came home from school one afternoon, wanted to go for a ride, and found that my mom had taken her car keys, which meant she did not want me driving around in her car.  I was allowed to drive my dad’s Chevy when it was home.

In those days a person could hot wire a car’s ignition and drive off.  Guess what I did.  I got all the way on my street, Stanford, to the corner with Preston, a block & a half.  Then the tin foil fell off of the ignition and the car died.

While I am trying to rectify this operation, a car turns off of Preston onto Stanford.  Guess who was in it.  Yep, my mom with one of her bridge buddies.   I gave up the idea of going for a ride and returned home to a chilly reception.

The Special Mother's Day Blessing.

The second time I had been given the keys to mom’s car and I went to hang out at a cleaners shop on Preston just south of NWST Highway.  A buddy, Jerry, worked there afternoons providing curb service to customers.  

Shortly after I arrived a University Police car pulled up next to me and asked me to come with them to the station to be questioned about another of our friends who stole neighborhood  cars.  I got into the squad car and the other cop brought my mom’s car.

Mother's Day Blessing.

I was questioned about what I knew about my friend joy riding in stolen cars.  That was not as scary as it sounds.  University Park in those days was a small, middle class village on the northern edge of Dallas.  Since grade school we had known the cops by name and they knew us by name occasionally.

The thing that really steamed my mom was that the police had come to the door to ask where I was.  She happened to be hosting the afternoon bridge club, the other ladies mostly being moms of my buddies.  She was so embarrassed and ashamed.  Moreover, what she was mad about was the fact that the cop drove her car to the station.

The Blessing.

I never found out what happened to my car thief buddy.  He was with us at Christ the King grade school, but did not go on to Jesuit.  I do know he is still alive, living outside of Dallas. Want to know why I thought I was surely going to hell?  By  your friends shall you be known.  But, God is good.

Where are you going?

Bona Responds again, Tom & Bill & Richard, Michelle & Georgie & Bernadette.

Readings: Acts of the Apostles 6, 1-7; Psalm 33, Lord, let your Mercy be upon Us, as we place our Trust in You; 1 Peter 2, 4-9; John 14, 1-12 

Acts observations & review—(Author, Date, Place, Subject) a repeat from Easter

 Author: This is Luke, the physician, the companion of Paul, the Gentile writing for Gentile Christians, and the same Luke who wrote the Gospel of Luke.

 Date: Around 65 years after Christ.  Probably just before the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple (70 C.E., a big date in Jewish history), or Luke would have probably mentioned it. 

Place: probably Ephesus, today a ruin on the west coast of Turkey south of Constantinople.  Once this town was a major Christian center.

 Subject: the material works like in concentric, expanding circles, beginning in Jerusalem and ending in Rome after touching Judea, Syria, Ephesus, & Europe.  It treats activities in the early Christian community, some of which may describe they way they wished things were. 

 Sources: Good News Bible, New Interpreter’s Study Bible, St. Louis U. Jesuits’ Liturgical web

Homily

 This past week four of our community, Bill Hammond, Bob McGrath, Charlotte Gelineau Katner & her husband, Harry, all went to Tuscaloosa, AL to help with the tornado clean up. 

Bill took the homily time to share how he was touched by the students from St. Bonaventure College in Buffalo, NY, by their faculty moderator, and by the people of Tuscaloosa. 

The fifteen boys and fourteen girls who made the trip from Buffalo worked tirelessly cleaning up people's property, sawing up fallen trees, and consoling the victims of the tornado.

One of the kids even found the lost wedding ring of a lady.  It was found under a piece of trashed wall board.

Everyone spent nights on the floor of the all purpose center of the Methodist Church in Tuscaloosa.  The community housed all the volunteers and fed the whole group. 

Bill said he returned with sense overload and a marvel at the good will & generosity of so many people.

Picture 1:   Mass begins

Picture 2:   Bill Hammond talking about Tuscaloosa

Picture 3:   Offertory, Melissa, Jenny, & their mom Diane Holcomb 

  
Picture 4:   Chloe & Emma

Picture 5:   Leo joins the music with his dad, Ray, and Wendy.

Readings: Jeremiah 17, 5-8; Psalm 1; 1 Corinthians 15, 12-20; Luke 6, 17-26.

Jeremiah – Picture this: all the students & faculty are assembled.  You go before them and tell them that they are all lazy, selfish, egotistical, and fat.  Change or you will fail in life. They boo you.  The principal, too, gets up and says the same.  You and the principal love these people.

After school you pass through the parking lot & the kids curse you, trash you, throw rocks at your car, and spit on you.  Same with the principal.  The atmosphere in the school and attitude of the students goes down. 

This is where we find Jeremiah and Yahweh.  They have warned the people and the people have rebelled.  Both Jeremiah and Yahweh are downhearted.  What we read is Yahweh’s response while he is in this depressed mood, in the eyes of the writer.

Corinthians – Paul continues to address the people of Corinth, this time about the resurrection.

Trust No One?

When I first came home from East Africa, I spent the winter at the Jesuit church in downtown Houston until I could get a program in Dallas.  One early evening after visiting my mom here in Dallas, I was returning to Houston.  I had my airline ticket and went to Love Field.  I stood in that Houston line, got to the counter, gave the attendant my ticket, and she says to me, “You are at the wrong airport.” 

Talk about feeling like a fool.  I had an A.A. ticket instead of Southwest.  To compound my feelings, when the girl asked if I would like to buy a ticket, I realized I had about $20 in change, no more.  No credit or debit card yet.  I was just back from Africa.  Plus, now I was alone, because my mom had gone back home.  No cell phone naturally. 

Despite the desire I had to crawl in a hole and disappear, I figured I had to do something dramatic quickly.  So I turned around, faced the long line of afternoon commuters, addressed everyone, and asked if someone could loan me the fare, which was only about $35 those days. 

Guess what happened.  Yes, a lady from Victoria stepped up and loaned me the money.  What would I have done if everyone had just ignored me?   Wow, it scares me to imagine it.  She was very cordial and I sent her the money later from Houston. 

“Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings.”  Remember what I said about Yahweh being depressed and hurt by his people’s behavior.  The writer of Jeremiah is imagining what Yahweh’s response would have been.  The writer might have just been hurt by his best friend. 

Trouble is, the person who trusts not one single person, that person is poverty stricken, truly poor.  You hear occasionally of people whose attitude toward others is that everyone is out to get you.  Pretty pessimistic.  Probably a sentiment resulting from hurts earlier in life.   

Today with our gift of the New Testament, we might modify this.  I would suggest that we arrive at the Kingdom today by trusting in God and by trusting people.  We enter the Kingdom more easily with a community, like we enjoy here. 

If I did not trust people, I would not have asked the crowd for air fare.  If the lady from Victoria did not trust, I would not have received a gift.  As it was, we both arrived in the Kingdom—Houston Hobby.

When was the last time you were blessed by trusting?

Click here to download the homily as an mp3 file.