Sunday Homily 4-12-10, 4th Easter

Mike helping us with the persistent widow.

Readings: 

Exodus 17, 8-13  Joshua mowed down Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

Psalm 121,  Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

2 Timothy 3, 14-4, 2,  Remain faithful to what you have learned.

Luke 18, 1-8, Because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her.  

Grace enters, sans bike.

Introduction to Exodus:

 Recall that the Book
of Genesis ends with the Israelites still in Egypt.  When the Book of Exodus begins, a new Pharaoh
ordered that all newly born Hebrew males were to be thrown into the Nile River
to die, for he feared the sheer number of the Israelites. The Egyptian men
would continue to take their young women and use them as slaves, the older
would die, and the Israelites would vanish from the face of the
earth—genocide.  

Cole ready to take off.

The inspired writers tell us that God had something else in
mind.  He used Moses, who had been hidden
at birth, to have Pharaoh change his mind and set the Israelites free.  The ensuing journey of the Israelites to
receive the Law, a covenant with God, and finally their own land is presented
in the rest of the first five books of the Bible.

That journey would take forty
years.   Our First Reading from the Book
of Exodus is from the first month of that journey.  

The reading from Second Timothy is also part
of today’s theme of having faith in God.

Georgie ready for service.

Homily

 Jesus presented a
parable to his disciples to teach them to pray always. Widows, along with the
orphans, are the poorest of the poor.  The
widow who had been ripped off in our gospel was from apparently a very small
village.   The judge is her worst
nightmare!  He does not respect God or
neighbor. He’s unwilling to even listen to her.

 However, we are told
that she doesn’t lose heart.   Why?  Because Jesus’ words have taught her that
women do have rights and power, and that ‘one with God is a majority.’  In faith she perseveres; and her prayer is
answered.  

Cupcakes of The Week to Bill and CC (on opposite edges of the age spectrum).

I visualize her using a walking stick as she comes to the
gate of the village where this judge arrogantly resides for business.  Each day she stands a little closer to him as
she speaks; and each day, to the judge, the size and appearance of her walking
stick becomes a little larger and more ominous. 
Finally, standing very close to him one day, he decides that he will
deliver her a just decision so that she will not strike him! 

Harper accepting Cathy's Cupcake of the Week.

Jesus states that his Father will bring justice to those who
put their faith in him.  But today’s
parable story ends with the question, ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory
will he find faith on earth. 

Offertory, Brent and Meredith.

The answer was given by the poor widow of the parable.  His faithful bride, who prays without ceasing,
who listens to, and obeys his words, will be waiting for him when he comes in
glory.

Harper happy with that Cupcake.

Today, as always, we have come together to be united in
prayer. We have come to pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks,
for that is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus.’  

Robyn and Brian .

This Liturgy is the Prayer of the People of God, and it
joins us at this moment with people celebrating it all over this world as we
ask the Spirit to come upon us through the Gospel and the Bread about to be
blessed and broken. 

Mr. Leo, the photogenic.

We are Christ’s body
especially when we join our hands and raise them toward God in prayer with the
words that Christ taught us to bring about his kingdom by forgiving others,
like the unjust judge, as we have been forgiven.

Rosemary with her blessing.

Guess who is back, Everybody, Wendy!  And she is expecting. 

Readings

Isaiah 22, 19-23,    I will pull you down from your station.

Psalm 138,   Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands (one of the best psalms on gratitude)

Roman s 11, 33-36,  How unsearchable his ways.

Matthew 16, 13-20,  You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church.  

Not only is Wendy back, but also her parents, her sisters, and their kids.

Matthew observations–

Biblical scholars agree that Jesus did not say what is in this little story.  Rather, the Matthean community shaped a highly stylized scene that attempted to establish Peter's position as leader of the new community.  The writer, because he wants to authenticate Peter, creates a scenario where Jesus makes Peter The Man.

Like, Sheena and her Rocco.

Isaiah observations—

1. Notice the chapter, number, 22.  Students, as you are, of Isaiah, my favorite, will immediately know this is Isaiah 1.  Chapter 1-39 make up Isaiah 1.  Isaiah 2 and 3 follow.
2. Since it is Isaiah 1, you will know that the composer lived before the Babylonian Captivity, which took place around 555 before Christ.  Isaiah 2 is composed during the Captivity.  Isaiah 3, whom we had last week, works after the Captivity.
3. Knowing that things were not good before the Captivity, you can guess that Isaiah 1 is critical of Israeli life.  You would be correct.
4. Our selection today is both critical, “I will pull you down.”  But it is also talking about a better day.  

Emma, our Candle Lighter of The Week in action.

I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with all my heart ;

In the presence of the angels I will sing you praise

When I told Rosemary a day or so ago that I wanted to talk about thanksgiving and did she have any ideas, ( She often has good ones.)  she says to me, “Why do you want to talk about thanksgiving ?  This is August, not November.” 

“You love this Psalm 138 almost as much as I and I can’t be grateful enough,” I responded.  Consequently, I have 4 delights I am grateful for this morning, and Rosemary reminded me of all 4.  They are an unexpected delight, a seasonal delight, a nocturnal delight, and a constant delight.

Says Tori, "Hi, Everybody."

The first delight, then.  Parakeets, wild parakeets.

When Rosemary & I ride our bikes around the jewel of White Rock Lake, we begin at Royal Lane & Greenville, we ride south on the White Rock Creek path to NW Highway, and then we pass along the eastern shore of the lake to the very southern edge, where we stop for a break at a shady boat house.  Not always, but occasionally we are welcomed by a whole bevy of green parakeets.  These parakeets are famous in Dallas

This past week they welcomed us raucously every day.  It was especially a delight because we introduced Carrie to our little friends.   For this unexpected delight,  I give thanks.

Hi, Carol, you look great, along with Richard and Bernadette.

 Secondly, the delight of a landscape.  The seasonal delight took place on the White Rock Creek path.  Rosemary & I are going north on the path back to our car.  We have passed under the Skillman St. Bridge and passed over a small scenic, steel & wood bridge heading for the tunnel under Abrams Rd. 

I glance up from watching the cement path and what I see was so touching, about 300 yards of the path winding ahead of me through dark woods, the rich green grass recently mowed, and, framed by the forest in a V image, the  sky so blue it took my breath away.  I wanted to stop.   For a seasonal delight, I give thanks.

The Minor Elevation.

The nocturnal delight took place after I had gone to sleep Thursday night.  Rosemary comes into the bedroom and whispers that the movie event for Souls Harbor came off really well and that the best part for her was that a whole bunch of our community was all there together.  I went back to sleep proud of you people. For a nocturnal delight, I give thanks.

The constant delight is the non-stop generosity and the always ready to help presence of John Cade and Mike Carrell.  What would we all do when Rosemary wants go on a cruise or go visit her sister in Hilton Head, if it were not for you two guys?

For you two constant delights, I give thanks.

What delights you are grateful for?

Say Harper and Victoria, "Wow, that  was really good."

Readings:

Acts  12, 1-11,   The chains fell from his wrists.

Psalm 34,   The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.

2 Timothy  4, 6-8, 17-18,  The Lord stood by me and gave me strength.

John  21, 15-19,  Simon, son of John, do you love me.

Cowboy Cole and his mom, Erin, say, "Welcome, Everybody."

Acts, a quick review–

Luke wrote this and his gospel, around 65, covering the time after the resurrection and onto Rome.

Our selection describes Peter's imaginative escape from jail.

John: I want to use the gospel passage from the Vigil Mass, the story about Jesus asking Peter, "Do you love me?"  Watch how this story can be unpacked from something fairly simple to something  with more finesse.

Emma and her mom, Beth, say, "Come, Folks, it's fun here."

Do you love me?

I want to talk this morning about the little dialogue between Jesus and Peter.  It looks pretty simple and straight forward.  Jesus says, “Do you love me?”  Peter responds, “You know I love you.” 

You have probably heard the simple explication that it is a triple statement of love after a triple denial.  It ain’t so simple.  You may have heard me talk about this in the past, but it bears repeating. 

By way of an introduction, let me tell a little story.

Cupcakes of the Week to Cowboy Cole and Emma (for just being neat kids) and Candice on her birthday.

Last Monday I am at the “J” for the 6:00 A.M. spin class, the Jewish Community Center near our house.  There are about 20 people there, all ages, males and females, some in pretty good shape, some not.  The instructor or coach or whatever he is, is a tall slender, in shape black guy.  He knows everybody’s name, calls you out during the class, like, “Come on, John, you can do better than that,” when I am already putting out so much I am about to faint. 

Most of all he has the mouth, the language.  He’s beautiful.  He says a lot of crazy things to get us going, and if I was not going so flat out, I could enjoy him even more.  So, I love to tease him.  He asks everyone how they’re doing 5 minutes before the end of the session and after all the others have said they are doing great, I say I am dying and I say I know that makes him happy. 

Jack & Sophia, Candice and Ben's kids.

So after dying in Monday’s class and while I am cleaning up the stationary bike, I say to him, “Hey, Ben, if you really love me like you profess (he’s never told me he loves me, rather the contrary), in three weeks you would come with me to ride across Iowa in the Ragbrai bike tour.”

You can imagine what he says.  He does not deny that he loves me.  But he says that he is not the stud biker like I am.   Pretty slippery.  Of course, I make some smart response like, “So much for your love for me.”

This story exemplifies a bit how the dialogue between Jesus and Peter can be seen.

Barb, the bearer of Charm.

There is play on the word love here that is totally lost in the English.  Two Greek words are used for love, agapo and phileo.  Let’s say that agapo means love, but phileo means, say, care for.  Watch what happens with the 3 back and forths.

The first time, Jesus says, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these others do?”, he uses agapo, do you love me?  

Peter responds, “You know that I love you.”  Guess what.  He uses the word phileo.  I care for you.  Does that not make a significant difference?

The second time, Jesus only says, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”  Again he uses agapo.

Offertory, Kerry and Nina, fellow bikers.

Peter responds exactly the same, “You know that I love you.”  Guess which word he uses.  Phileo.  I care for you.

Third time, Jesus says, “Simon, son of John, do you care for me?”  Jesus switches word.  This time he uses phileo, care for.   

Peter responds, “Lord, you know everything.  You know that I care for you.”

So what is the author John trying to convey by crafting this little vignette?  Who knows really?  Apparently Peter has become a more humble, less braggadocio person.  Look at where it begins with Jesus asking about loving more than the others.  What would the old Peter have said?  And look at where it ends, Jesus lowering his expectations and Peter sticking to his first statement.  Beyond that, who can say? 

Question this week: how do you deal with the mystery that is this bible?

Wendy and Ben charming the community.

Readings:   Malachi 1, 14-2, 8-10, Why do we break faith with each other?; Psalm 131, In you, Lord, I have found my Peace; 1 Thessalonians 2, 7-13, We were gentle among you; Matthew 23, 1-12, Whoever exalts himself will be humbled.

Observations on Malachi:

 Interesting notes, a review:

                   1.  This is the last book of the Old Testament.    

                   2.  A little book, only 4 chapters.

                   3.  Last of the 12 minor prophets ( minor because of their small content )

 Author: Malachi means “my messenger.”  The writer’s real name is unknown.

 Date: 400-500 years before Christ.  This is deduced from the emphasis on the temple and the priesthood, and the word “governor” used one time.  Governors ruled after the Babylonian Exile, ca. 590-550, kings before.    

 The temple was rebuilt ca. 520 after the Israelites came back ca. 550 from the Babylonian Exile.  The Persian ruler Cyrus let them return & rebuild the old walls & temple. 

 Message:  Beware, you priests and people, because you are lax, corrupt, and cheating god of his rightful offerings.  

Today’s Message:

                   1.  Yahweh is speaking, actually to the priests, though in the official reading this reference is edited out.  I printed off the more complete reading. 

                   2.  You priests, I will curse you if you do not honor my name.

                    3.  I have made you contemptable because you don't follow my ways.  Again, note the Prophet's message: 1. condemn behavior, 2. promise punishment, 3. consolation after the conversion.

                   Sources:  Good News Bible; New Interpreter’s Study Bible; The Minor Prophets by Al Maxey (on line); & Wikipedia

All Souls Day

Let me give you bit of history and the thinking behind this All Souls' Day.  Five observations: the theology, purgatory-limbo, a legend, pre-Christian practices, and today.

1.  The Theology.  All Souls' Day is part of a package with All Saints.  The idea is: on All Saints' Day we honor all those who are enjoying the beatific vision, that is, heaven, the saints.  On All Souls' Day we honor those who have died but have not reached heaven because they had penance to do. 

What if we think they are all already in heaven?  Then we could pray to them rather than for them.

The old theology is talking mortal & venial sin here.  If the person died with mortal sin, they are you know where. Those with venial sins have to go through purification and purging, which brings us to All Souls' Day and purgatory.

2.  Purgatory & limbo.  People ended up in purgatory to purify themselves with suffering, before being allowed into heaven.  Limbo was for whom?  It was for people, especially children who died without being baptized.  They remained there how long?  Forever.  Can you imagine a baby there or even in the old purgatory?

At least the Catholic Church this year or last acknowledged that the limbo idea was bogus.  The pope said it does not exist and never did.  Though many consider purgatory to be in the same class, it still exists.  Want to know how we know?  The pope is offering indulgences.  The indulgence is for the soul in purgatory.  It speeds up the process.  There are partial & total indulgences.  We can win them for these souls and get them out or we can win them for ourselves. 

For instance, on the last feast of Peter & Paul, Rome offered an indulgence if you visited a church named after one or both of these two, and you recited a prescribed menu of prayers. 

3.  The legend.   It happened around 1000 A.D. that a monk, St. Idolo, from the French monastery of Cluny was shipwrecked on a desolate island as he returned from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, i.e., Israel.  On the island he met a poor hermit.  The hermit told him that among the rocks was a crevice from which came the anguished voices of the many suffering in purgatory.  Likewise, listening carefully you could hear the devils cursing that living people were speeding up the sufferings of these souls by praying and doing penance for them. 

Some time after this, i.e., 1000 A.D., the Cluny Monastery established an All Souls' Day.  Ca. 1300 Rome followed suit.  

4.  Pre-Christian times.  There is evidence that at least in Mexico numerous tribes had a day or period when the departed ancestors were honored.  The purpose was to honor them, remember their example, and to communicate with them.  Today in Mexico & in Hispanic families the Day of the Dead is still celebrated.  This custom has been celebrated for 3,000 years.

5.  Today.  Limbo has been discarded by Rome and many scholars consider purgatory a dinosaur idea from antiquity.  Consequently, All Souls' Day celebrates Samantha, my mom & dad, Rosemary's mom & dad, and all our loved ones pictured on the stage.  All Saints' Day handles the canonized and, I would suggest,  these people, too.    

What special blessing did you receive from one of these people pictured or whom you remember in your heart?

Picture 1:    Special altar & special display for All Saints & All Souls

Picture 2:    Mass Begins

Picture 3:    Sienna with Rosemary & Brian & Payton

Picture 4:    Leo & mom, Shonda

Picture 5:    Shonda, Bethany, Ray, & Jon

Picture 6:    Some of the Ekes, Marlene, Mabel, Cindy, Zaeli, & Bill

John shares his Homily.

Readings:  

 2 Kings 4:42-44,  They shall eat and there shall be some left over.

 Psalm 145,   The hand of the Lord feeds us;he answers all our needs.

 Ephesians 4: 1-6, One body and one Spirit.

John 6: 1-15,  The miracle of the loaves and fishes.

The Consecration. 

Homily:

From the prominence of the miracle stories of feeding multitudes with so little, and the importance given to the Passover meal by the Jewish followers of Jesus, it’s no surprise that they didn’t take long after he died to make a remembrance of his last Passover meal the centerpiece of their gatherings.

By 325 A.D., with Constantine as Emperor of the Roman Empire, the Eucharistic meal was recognized as a central part of Christian practice.  Earlier, about 150 A.D., Justin Martyr, an early Christian apologist, wrote to explain Christianity to the Greek world, how the followers of Jesus had the practice of celebrating a remembrance of the Lord’s Supper when they gathered.

The Offertory with Hugh, Sydney and Mary.

Earlier still is the Acts, written between 80 and 90 A.D. In Ch. 2, is the statement, “They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful.”

Perhaps the earliest written mention of the Eucharistic meal is in First Corinthians, Ch. 11. Scripture scholars agree that the letters of Paul were written around 50 A.D., about 20 years after Jesus’ death. Paul alludes to irreverent behavior at “the Lord’s Supper.” He was criticizing the followers of Jesus in Corinth about turning the meal into “a family squabble”, instead of coming to the “Lord’s Table” with reverence and courtesy.”

The Kiss of Peace.

The Lord’s Supper, the Mass, as it evolved, has had different understandings. Is the Mass primarily a ‘sacrifice’ being remembered and somehow offered again for a people cut off from God? Or is the Mass primarily a shared ritual meal of remembrance, celebrating a people’s thankfulness for Jesus’ Good News that we are already connected with God and always have been?           

What do you think?

Shonda and Ben.

Readings:    

 Wisdom  7, 7-11,  I prayed, and prudence was given to me.

 Psalm 90,   Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy.

 Hebrews 4, 12-13,   The word of God is living and effective.

Mark 10, 17-30,  Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.

Mass begins

Wisdom:

Date of Composition: 100-200 BCE, which is why it is considered significant.  It provides a glimpse into the cultural & social milieu which prevailed just before & during the time of Christ.   We had Wisdom for our first reading 3 weeks ago.

Place of Composition: Alexandria, Egypt.

Communion helpers, Sandra, Richard and Carol, and Geri

The Composer: a Jew who wrote educated Greek.

Unique Quality: Wisdom is one of a set of 12 (or 14) books written in Greek considered not part of the original 39 books of the Hebrew Bible, the O.T.  This blew up around 350 CE when St. Jerome, one of the Fathers of the Early Church, i.e., a church leader who influenced a lot of church dogma, said the books were not genuine.   He was opposed by St. Augustine.  It was the Council of Trent (ca. 1550), that declared the 12 books okay.  Another person doubting the validity of the books was Martin Luther. 

You probably won’t find these books in the Protestant Bibles.

Communion helpers, Lynda, Denni, Patricia, and Sandra

Our Selection in Chapter 7: the book of Wisdom generally says that good guys get rewarded by God, bad guys don’t.  This selection personifies the virtue of wisdom, using the feminine pronoun she, and praises her as above all other values & pleasures.  I loved her even more than health or beauty, the composer declares.

 Sources: The Good News Bible, Got Bible Questions on line.

Kayla

Sell what I have, give it to the poor, and follow Him?

This morning I want to talk about two things:

1.  Selling everything I have and giving it to the poor, then following the Lord;
2.  It being easier for a camel to pass through a needle’s eye than for the rich to enter the kingdom.
   

   Zoe with her mom, Michelle

I  in no way mean to boast, folks, but I have been there, done that.  Three times, in fact. 

The first time was 1958, when I joined the Jesuits to become a priest.  I was all enrolled at Notre Dame.  I went instead to Grand Coteau, LA, the Jesuit novitiate.  I did this out of fear that if I did not, I was going straight to hell. 

Georgie with Buddy and Zoe

The other two times I was not afraid.  Anxious, yes, but not afraid.  I went to East Africa in ’76 and Rosemary & I married  05.05.05.    Paradoxically one of the riches of that hundred fold that came to me was a lack of fear.   I was not afraid to leave the States and go to East Africa.  I was not not afraid to leave the Jesuit security and marry Rosemary.  This came about because of exposure to good thinking, good people, and rich experiences. 

I gave it all up to go to East Africa and I gave it all up when Rosemary & I married, an unfortunate lack Rosemary had to accept in marrying me.   What I did not give up these two times was inner peace and inner freedom.   In fact, it has deepened with each choice.

Leo

3 observations on Mark’s message. 

1.  Go sell what you have and give it to the poor is for real.  We are always challenged to do this.  This is also Mark’s infinite demand in plain view.  This is not an ‘and  follow the Lord.’  This is following him. 
2. Why give it up?  Yes, to help others and to follow him.  But, moreover, this is a ticket of admission into the kingdom.  You know what I mean by kingdom, a here and now, present event of peace and freedom.   The peace & freedom of this kingdom is a result, a consequence of my detatchment.
3. It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich person to enter the kingdom, the place of peace and freedom?   Hyperbole, Mark?  Yes. 

Leo

We are all rich, all of us.  Take our education alone.  In East Africa I could have given every material thing I had away, and I still would have been rich because of my education.

However, don’t discount Mark’s message.  It is difficult to detatch myself from my money & things, so that I can follow the Lord, help others, and arrive today in the kingdom of peace and freedom.  Do you see freedom or peace in people obsessed with money or work? 

The Man on the monkey bar

 I have been truly blessed with my 3 give it all up events.  Yes, I have personally received the hundred fold promised.

Where are you on the spectrum of giving it all up, following the Lord, and entering the kingdom of peace and freedom?