Readings: Acts 5, 27-41; Psalm 30, I will Praise You, Lord, for You have Rescued Me; Revelations , 11-14; John 21, 1-14

 

Third Sunday of Easter – Introduction to the Readings

 

 

All of our readings during the Sundays after Easter until Pentecost Sunday come from the same three books, Acts of the Apostles, The Book of Revelation and John’s Gospel.  In today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles the apostles are again brought before the elders of the Jewish community and told to stop preaching.  What we skip over in our reading is an interesting section. 

 

 

The Sanhedrin wants to put the apostles to death, but one of their members, a Pharisee called Gamaliel dissuades this action by reminding the group that there had been other ‘apparent prophets’ whose followers had dissipated after the prophet was put to death and he argues that either of two things will happen:  the apostles will disappear soon, since Jesus has been put to death, or Jesus was the real thing and they had better leave the apostles alone!! 

 

 

Then our reading today resumes just after the apostles are flogged instead of being put to death.

 

 

A few words about the Book of Revelations, since we will be reading from it for the next several Sundays.  The book was probably written about the year 95 to 100 CE, by John, though not the same John who wrote the Gospel.  It is addressed to the seven churches in Asia, namely the whole community at that time, and the churches are enduring harsh persecutions under the emperor Domitian.  The style is mainly apocalyptic, which is a highly stylized form of writing  which is not one we are accustomed to these days.

 

 

Third Sunday After Easter

 

My daughter Rosheen loves to read- it always amazed me how quickly she could get through a book.  A few years ago an old family friend was ill and Rosheen was visiting her and offered to read to her.  Later I remember her telling me how beautiful the language was in the book, something she had not appreciated until she had to read aloud.  Some books are so well written that the language is indeed a joy. 

 

 

Our gospel today is one of those books.  We cannot begin to appreciate how much thought has gone into each and every word in the gospel.  I am not sure how many of you said to yourselves as I was proclaiming today’s gospel and said the word “charcoal fire” now haven’t I heard that recently!!  In fact you did hear it on Good Friday when we proclaimed the “Passion”.  Let me remind you of the piece.   

 

“Now the slaves and guards were standing around a charcoal fire that they had made, because it was cold , and were warming themselves.  Peter was also standing there keeping warm.”   In today’s gospel we read that Jesus was preparing breakfast over a charcoal fire.  The two events are linked.  In the earlier event, Peter denies even knowing Jesus, three times.  In today’s gospel, Jesus helps Peter get past that denial.  “Peter, do you love me?” Three times Jesus asks Peter, sort of a parallel to the three times Peter had earlier denied Jesus.

 

 

This is another example of the point we discussed on Easter Sunday.  The fact that God always gives us second chances.  Think about what Peter had done.  Jesus had just been arrested, all of the disciples had scattered, Peter had not run away, but was in the courtyard where Jesus was being held.  Remember that earlier that evening Jesus had even foretold Peter that he was going to deny him three times. 

 

 

This denial was no spur of the moment thing.  He had been forewarned, and still he denies even knowing Jesus.  Pretty serious stuff – and still God gives Peter a chance to repent.  God wants Peter back and God wants each one of us back too.  Never let anything cause us to stay away, there is no sin too great.  Remember Peter.

 

Picture 1:  Mass Begins

 

Picture 2:  Altar Helpers

 

Picture 3:  Offertory

 

Picture 4:  John & Anthony

 

 

"Welcome in, Everybody," says Zoe, and welcome to you, too, Dearest Zoe.  Who is that  peeking around the edge?!

 

 

Readings:  

 Joshua 24, 1-2, 15-17, 18,  Far be it from us to forsake the Lord.  

Psalm 34,   Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.  (Wow, 3rd week in a row, terrific)

 Ephesians 5, 21-32,  Wives should be subordinate  to their husbands as to the Lord.   (Yipee, sounds good to me.  Make sure Rosemary is listening to this!)

John 6:60-69,  This saying is hard; who can accept it.

 

 

 

And Welcome to you, too, Dearest Tori.

 

Joshua:

Who is Joshua and what is this booklet about:  Joshua was Moses' assistant, his lieutenant when the the Israelites wandered in the desert.  The booklet is the story of the Israelite invasion of Canaan under Joshua's leadership. 

Author: somewhat amusingly, the fundamentalists say that Joshua wrote most of the booklet.  More scientific scholars say the work is a compilation of a number of sources. 

 

 

 

 

Our Magic Candle Lighter of The Week at work.

 

Date of composition: again fundamentalists state that the booklet was composed 1400-1370, i.e., while Joshua lived.  Scholars of a broader vision suggest that even if a Joshua existed the work was put together 800-700 BCE. 

The work combines a number of traditions about battles & destruction of cities to create a nationalistic narrative that justifies the Israelites' taking another peoples' land for their own.

 

 

 

 

 

So from where did we get this group of characters to bring up the bread and grape juice.

 

Ethical Question: genocide.  This is a bloody book.  Yahweh commands that the Israelites exterminate every breathing thing, including women & children & livestock.  

The battle of Jericho is characteristic.  For 6 days the Israelites marched around the city, blowing horns and menacing the people.  On day 7 they marched around 7 times and the walls came tumbling down, as in the spiritual.  Then every person except one woman & her family were slaughtered.  Lots of debate and rationalization over these events.

Our Selection: The last chapter of the booklet.  Joshua, who is dying, calls the people together at a place called Sechem and puts it to them.  Stick with Yahweh who has done all these things for you (which are mentioned in the text but are long & tedious) or choose another path of your own.

Sources: Good News Bible, Got Questions.org, Wikipedia

 

 

 

Play Station Number 1.  Sir Charlie, how come you are not here also?

 

 

Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord

Sounds good to me, Folks.   However, when I bring this up to Rosemary, what do I get?  “Want to start sleeping in the back yard dog kennel tonight?  Even my mom was not impressed with this little statement of Paul.  Just ask my poor dad. 

And guess what: I married my mom.  So much for the joy of being a married priest. 

 

 

 

The Best Team.

 

 

Some years ago while I was waiting in a line to ride the roller coaster at 6 Flags I overheard a husband telling his wife to obey him because of this passage, he was the head of the house and the Bible says it.  I almost dropped my teeth. 

The family, mom, dad, and two young girls were trying to decide something.  Finally, even the wife says to the girls that they have to obey the man.  He is the head.

So, how do we handle this, especially when we are repelled by the idea.

 

 

 

 

The Best Music with Ben & David.

 

 

Perspective!   Traditionally there are three types of family relationships.  This is fairly simple.

1. Matriarchal: the woman/wife is the head of the family.  Culturally this has been established occasionally and in some places.
2. Patriarchal: the husband is the head.
3. .Equality: both are partners, husband and wife. 

 

 

 

 

Shall we dance?

 

 

 Paul's place:  guess which paradigm Paul comes from?  Paul lives in a culture which considered women & children little more than domestic animals.  In Tanzania I found the same paradigm among the ordinary people.  This paradigm has been followed more probably  because men are physically stronger and don’t hesitate to maintain control with physical violence.

Even though today Paul can sound wako & chauvanistic, what he says about husbands loving their wives as they love their own bodies, this was pretty radical.

 

 

 

 

Yes, I would love to dance.

 

Today: all three of the paradigms are valid.  Among most educated people, however, equality between husband & wife, men & women is the more healthy.    Besides, as we know, women just won’t let us guys get away with it. 

Certainly with education for both men and women, there is equality.  

So, again, beware of taking the Bible literally.   Like beating your kids.

 

 

 

 

The Terrible Ekes, Cindy, Marlene, Mabel, Billy, & especially Mabel.

 

What paradigm do you prefer???

 

 

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

 

 Readings: 

 Amos 8, 4-7,   Never will I forget a thing they have done!

Psalm 113,  Praise the Lord who lifts up the poor.

1 Timothy 2, 1-8, I ask that supplications be offered for everyone.

Luke 16, 1-13, A rich man had a steward who was reported for squandering his property.

 

 

Amos observations :

What : 
One of the 12 minor prophets, only 9 chapters.

Who:  the book
presents the thoughts and observations of Amos, who was a sheep herder and a
fig farmer.  He was born in the southern
kingdom of Judah in a little town south of Jerusalem, but he is condemning the
people, especially the rich, of the northern kingdom, Israel.

Time:  Amos was
active around 755 before Christ, but his words and message were revised and
edited down through the years, especially during the Babylonian Captivity,
around 555 before Christ.  He lives just
before the Syrians destroy the northern kingdom of Israel, around 700 before Christ.

Message:  prayer and
sacrifice don’t make up for social injustice and oppression of the poor by the
rich. 

Today:  God will
punish you rich and prosperous for your abuse of the poor.  Amos may have seen the threat coming from the
Syrians. 

Sources:  Good News Bible, New Interpreter’s Study Bible,
Wikipedia

 

 

The Wiley
Steward

Anybody get any rain Thursday night?   We got 3 whole inches, an amazing gift.  We also got a surprise. 

It was just time for the sun to come up Friday morning.  I wanted to take my first cup of coffee on
the back porch where I could watch that special rain.  I go out and sit down with Aviana beside me. 

I look toward the street and I see a huge tree branch lying half way
across the street, Camellia, and half in our parkway.  I immediately look at the front yard of my
neighbor, hoping to see where it came from his red oak.  Nope. 
It did not come from there.  Oh,
Lord, it must be from one of our trees. 
And in fact it is a pecan branch. 
We have three large pecan trees on that side of our yard.  It is our branch. 

What to do?  It is still raining seriously.  I decide that I will wait until the rain
stops, even though cars are having to negotiate around the branch. 

I must then have gone in for a minute. 
When I come out I see a boy from St. Mark’s School a block away out
in the rain, trying to lift the trunk of the branch out of the street and pull
it into our parkway.  I am embarrassed
that I am still on the porch while he is working in the rain.

He can only barely move the trunk to the edge of the street, although
many branches are still lying in the street. 
At one point he looks over at me and I thank him, saying I am planning
to tackle the branch when the rain stops. 

He finishes up what he can do, looks back, I thank him again, and I tell
him he did great work.  He says, “Sure,
it is really heavy, have a nice day,” and takes off for St. Mark’s.  I could not see whether he was on foot or got
back in a car.  He had no rain gear
on.  So I sent a note to St. Mark’s,
complimenting the boy and them for helping to train a kid like that.

Moral of the story: we got lots of good kids out there, and good people,
too.

I tell this story as a bit of a contrast to our parable today, the
parable of the wiley steward.  It is
quite coincidental, but this parable is also explained by Francis Vanderwall in
one of his books.   

The steward was in charge of collecting promissory notes from the owner
of the farm.  Here is where the customs
and culture of the times open it all up. 

The steward made his living by adding a little sur-charge, a commission
on each transaction.   The charge went to
the steward.  Francis points out that all
the steward did was call the debtors in and cancel his commission.  Granted, he was also cheating a bit, and
cheating the farmer. 

There are some other crazy statements at the end of the story, but I
will leave them to Francis to explain. 
Watch out for that either/or stuff at the end, either God or mammon,
hate one master/love the other.  Life is
not either/or, it is both.

The moral of the two stories?  Not
either/ or, but sometimes you got to use your wits like the wiley steward, and
other times you just pitch in and help some poor guy (like me!).

When did you last pitch in and help?

Source: The Liberating Stories of Jesus, Francis
Vanderwall

Leo and Cowboy Cole at work.

Readings:  Isaiah 9, 1-6; Psalm 96; Titus 2, 11-14; Luke 2, 1-14 (Nativity Drama by the kids)

A Small Nativity, Missed

On the corner of Preston & Forest down in Dallas there is a restaurant that I go to occasionally, PeiWei.  It is on the same corner as Whole Foods.  One day last week I was standing outside the restaurant about 1:30 waiting for my sister to show up. 

While I was waiting I saw coming up Forest from the Central Expressway side a man probably about my age.  Coming very slowly.  His legs were crippled and he was dragging them along with the aid of aluminum crutches.  He was a white guy with gray hair, docker pants, a dark polo type shirt, and a navy blue sport coat.  Black shoes that had been shined.

I watched him for about five minutes as he labored up the slight incline of the street and then as he came up the ramp into the shopping center.  He was heading straight toward the corner sidewalk where I awaited my sister.

I was going to greet him, but before I could say anything he says to me, "So you like Chinese, eh."  I agreed, and then he asked if he could ask me some directions.  "Sure," I said.  He drops his crutches literally on the sidewalk and leaning over he pulls out of his pocket a card which he shows me and asks if I know where Dougherty's Pharmacy is. 

Sure I know where Doughtery's Pharmacy is.  Everyone who lives in that general area of Preston Hollow and beyond knows where Dougherty's is.  It is an independent pharmacy and a years old landmark in the neighborhood.  The man's business card has a hand drawn map on the back showing accurately where the pharmacy is.  I think, "This guy must be from out of town."

Because the trouble is, Dougherty's is not at the busy intersection of Preston & Forest, but at the equally busy intersection of Preston & Royal, one mile south down Preston Road.  Moreover, there are no sidewalks and the bumpy path is rather close to the speeding traffic.  I know about the lack of sidewalks because on Sabbath days I see Jewish families struggling along the paths on foot on their way to or from the temple.

So I tell the man where the pharmacy is and how to get there.  I also tell him that it is a rather daunting walk even for a person able to walk with ease.  He says it is no problem, leans over, picks up his aluminum crutches, hitches them to his his upper arms, and struggles down the sidewalk.  I say, "I would be happy to take you over to the pharmacy, but I am waiting for my sister."  He responds with, "No problem, the walk will be good for me."  "Walk,", I think, "He can maneuver only with great effort."  And off he goes down the sidewalk and eventually around the corner & out of sight while I continue to wait for a few more minutes.

Later I am kicking myself.  "I could have helped him," I think, "driving him the distance and coming back in 5 minutes."  I could have phoned my sister I would be 5 minutes late.  Instead, I just stood there like a dummy. 

I look back on this now as a small nativity moment.  And I missed it.  I want to be more alert and ready for the next one. 

This evening we celebrate the Big Nativity.  We are privileged to have this knowledge.  However, it is the little ones that slip by me.  These little ones sensitize me to the bigger one.

What little nativity has slipped by you recently or slips by you all the time?

AUDIO:  http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-12-24.mp3

Picture 1:  Wendy, Shonda, Ray, & Celeste

Picture 2:  Nativity Drama with the Kids

Picture 3:  Angels and Shepherds

 

 

Wisdom 2, Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious

Psalm 54, The Lord upholds my life.

James 3,  Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder.

Mark 9,  If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last.

 

 

John Simari reads the first reading.

 

Thanks……

Music,    Ben & Shonda

Readers, John & Brent & Buddy, our candle blesser 

Gospel,     John Cade

Homily,   John Cade

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,     Richard & Hue & Mike

Final Blessing, Rosemary

For hosting us at Legacy for all these years & will miss you enormously, Becky

 

 

 

Brent reads the second reading.

 

Homily by John Cade,  

Download Homily John Cade 09-19-21

 

 

Welcome home, Sir Charlie & Jan.  So good to see you.  It has been too long!

 

Remember these special people:

For John & Karen Anderlick's unborn grandson;   For Rosemary's great niece, Rylie;  For Richard's grand daughter, Madeleine;   For Esparza's new great grandson  & Frank;  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, and for Hue & Linda's daughter, Doctor Rosemary Beavers;   For Mary & Dave Hall's g-daughter Allison Keller working at St. Lukes, The Woodlands,   For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom & Cody &  Leo & all of Shonda's dear family; For Ursuline Sr. Mary Troy,

  

John shares his interesting insights into today's readings.

Jackie's mom, sister, & friend, Lynn;  For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg.; For Meredith, cancer free & John Schanot;    For John O'Donnell & Jean;   For Jean & Cliff Wright;  For Dee, and for her daughters, Lisa & Lauren  ;  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; from Barbara, a little 12 month old baby boy named Ford recuperating from an operation; for David McKeon's brother, Hugh; For Beth's friends & brother;   for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

 

 

Welcome Home, Patricia & Fred!

 

Birthdays:   Ben's daughter, Sophia, 14

Anniversaries:  

Tom & Lynda Fleming

Rob & Beth

 

 

Peace, Everybody!

 

Community Finances,   September 19, 2021

Expenses: $ 745.00

Outreach: $ 255.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

 

Rosemary's Blessing:

How we see ourselves has everything to do with how we see God and how we see others. Let us make sure our God is the kindest, most loving and forgiving person we know. We become our image of God.

 

Taken from We Become Our Image of God by Sr. Jean Amore, CSJ, Principal Sacred Heart Academy, Hempstead, New York

 

 

Happy Anniversary, Beth & Rob, and welcome home.