Readings:

Isaiah 7, 10-14,  Ask for a sign from the Lord

 Psalm 24,  Let the Lord enter, he is king of glory

 Romans 1, 1-7,  Grace to you and peace

 Matthew 1, 18-24,   Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a son.

 

 

Say Ray and Genevieve, "Welcome in, Everybody, to the 4th Sunday of Advent.  Next time, Christmas Eve, 4:00, in the gym."

 

Observations on Isaiah:

What: This is Isaiah 1.

When:  Isaiah 1 lived before the Babylonian Captivity and predicts the downfall of Jerusalem.

Our selection: Optimistic.  

 

Hi, Cody, Hi, Ben.

 

Finding The Presence

I would like to speak this morning on finding the presence.  What is this?  It is a feeling of consolation and peace of heart when something special happens.  Around the season of Christmas I tend to reach out for these events, many of which are repeats from former seasons of Christmas.  

 

 

Leo, our Candle Lighter of The Week.
 

 

I've had two of these moments this past week.

The first was our visit to the Meyerson to hear the Christmas presentation Friday night.  This event every year puts me in touch with the presence.

First, the concert hall itself is a visual feast, just beautifully decorated.  It takes my breath away almost every year when I walk in.  It was at its best this year.

 

 

Welcome home from college, Darbianne and Dana.

 

The concert itself is an auditory feast and presents so many of my favorite Christmas carols.  This year the conductor, Laurence Loh, was in rare form, teasing the audience, inviting participation, dancing on his podium, and just being congenial.

I was also surrounded by about 30 of my best friends.

So, I felt the presence in my friends, and the visual and auditory artistry.

 

 

"Yippee," says Victoria, "My mommy loves me."

 

Secondly, I had a wedding yesterday, Saturday, in Austin.  The presence was everywhere.  

First, the bride, Samantha, was the daughter of Charlie Fechtal, a student of mine at Jesuit when I was teaching there as an intern Jesuit priest in the latter half of the '60's.  Charlie and his wife, TJ, live in our neighborhood.  As I told him during the wedding, I love him as much now as I did then.  Even more tears of consolation during this wedding than usual.

 

 

Time to celebrate.

 

After the wedding I was talking with Charlie and a classmate, Mark Goedeke, another guy I have loved.  His wife Liz is with us and she reminds me that I had done their marriage also.  43 years ago!!   Talk about feeling the presence.  Very consoling and very humbling.

 

 

Dear old friend, Charlie Fechtel.

 

A footnote to this homily is that I took the special luxury bus from Dallas to Austin.  It has received rave notices from people like Beth & Rob.  It lived up to its reputation.  3 hour trip non stop, comfortable seat (19 only in a full sized bus), a stewardess who offer drinks and snacks on the house (or bus).  $99, heart of Dallas (Love Field) to heart of Austin (Congress & 2nd).

During this season of Advent, how are you finding the presence? 

 

 

 

Mark Goedeke and Charlie. 

 

 

 

Thanks so much John & Mike & Buddy for helping me out when I could not come in this morning.  It's been a long time since I came down with a chest cold like this one I picked up.

 

Readings:

Genesis 22, 1-2, 9, 10-18,  Yahweh tells Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac.

Psalm 116,  I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

Romans 8, 31-34-22,  If God is for us, who can be against us?

Mark 9, 2-10, The Transfiguration.

 

 

 

Good Morning, My Dearest Tori.

 

Our First Reading is about Abraham from the Book of Genesis. I will share something about it later.

 

 

Our Second Reading contains my favorite verse from Romans

 

 

 

 

Thanks, Emma, for always being ready to light our candles.

 

 

Homily:

In our Liturgical Calendar, the gospel on the second Sunday of Lent is always that of the Transfiguration.  In our three year calendar today’s gospel is according to Mark.  Last year it was from Matthew, and next year it will be from Luke.  The Church also chose, at some time in the past, to have similiar texts about Abraham as the First Reading on the Second Sunday of Lent

Today we listened to the messenger from heaven telling Abraham,  ‘Since you did not withhold from God your beloved son, He will bless you with descendants as countless as the stars of the sky.’

 

 

 

Mike homilizing.

 

With regard to this myth about Abraham’s relationship with God in the Book of Genesis, it touches not only upon Jews, but today’s Muslims and Christians as well.  One of our favorite VBS hymns is ‘Father Abraham.’

In today’s gospel reading, Elijah and Moses represent the expectation of the Prophets and the Law for the coming of the Messiah; His words fulfill theirs.

 

 

 

Thanks, Mike.

 

 

Today’s visually brilliant presentation of the Father’s beloved Son, reminds us of the many times in the Gospel where not only Jesus is called the Light of the World, we too have been given that name when the Spirit transforms us to be the Body of Christ in the world.  We are God’s sons and daughters.

Think about the story of Elijah where the bowl of flour and the jar of oil never run dry, it is fulfilled by the Bread blessed and broken who has come down from heaven, celebrated in our liturgy of the Eucharist for all time.

 

 

 

 

No wonder you are such a neat kid, Buddy.  You are a Longhorn.

 

 

The prophecy of Moses, is that God will send to us the New Prophet, who will speak the words of God.  It is fulfilled by his beloved Son, with this command to us, ‘Listen to him.’

This week when and where will we find a secret place to listen to him to transform us?

 

 

 

Sorry, Ben, I could not help you this morning.  I was totally in bed, a strange place for me in the daytime.

 

 

 

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.

Acts 14:  And when they arrived, they called the church together and reported what God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.

Revelation 21:  I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race.  He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God.

John 13:  I give you a new commandment: love one another.  As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.   This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

 

Connie reading from the Acts of the Apostles

 

Thanks…     

Music,   Ben & Shonda

Outreach: $      

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

 

Rosemary's Blessing:

…and life is still a constant surprise to me. 

We never know what will happen next, what we will see, and what important person will come into our life, or what important person we will lose. 

Life is change, constant change, and unless we are lucky enough to find comedy in it, change is nearly always drama, if not tragedy. 

But after everything, and even when the skies turn scarlet and threatening, I still believe that if we are lucky enough to be alive, we must give thanks for the miracle of every moment of every day, no matter how flawed. 

And we must have faith in God, and in the Universe, and in a better tomorrow even if that faith is not always deserved.

Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan

Readings: Deuteronomy 18, 15-20; Psalm 95; 1 Corinthians 7, 32-35; Mark 1, 21-28 

Deuteronomy:5th book of the Bible, the Torah, coming after Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, & Numbers.  The work is basically 3 lectures given supposedly by Moses to the Jewish people while they were still in the desert and preparing to enter the land of Canaan, where the Canaanite people lived. 

Author: For centuries people considered Moses to be the author, in fact, the author of the first 5 books of the Bible, the part called the Torah.  Today it is commonly held that Deuteronomy is a compilation by a number of authors.

   

Date: 7th Century BCE, with some parts coming from the period of the Babylonian Captivity, ca. 575.

Our selection: comes from the second lecture (chapters 5-26) which presents numerous dictates about how to behave in the new land.  For example, an every 7 years a jubilee year is prescribed when all debts are erased (chap. 15); if one's son is rebellious, take him to the city council, and stone him (chap. 21); and laws concerning slaves (chap. 23).  In our section from chap. 18 Moses is telling the people another prophet like himself will be raised up by Yahweh to lead them.  Guess why this prophet statement is chosen by the lectionary editor today?  Jesus is seen by people following Jesus' time as the prophet mentioned by Moses.

A note on Paul's comments in 1 Corinthians: jokesters like to say that maybe Paul was not happy in his marriage.  This is why he puts marriage in second place behind non-marriage.  It could, also, be because he was influenced by the dualistic philosophy of his time, flesh-spirit.   Spirit was good, flesh less good.  For the spirit to thrive the flesh needed disciplining.

   

Judging the Book by the Cover Again

There was a kid who was working as a stocker at a Home Depot.  One afternoon he heard a new female voice over the store intercom asking for help with packing at the check out.  Sort of reluctantly he stops his break and goes to help.  As he searches for the person asking for help he sees a beautiful woman who stuns him.  He had never seen her before.  He helps her out, then hangs around the time clock to see what her name is when she checks out. 

When she checks out, he watches where her card goes and takes a look at the name.  Brenda.  Then, as he walks to his car he sees her walking up the street toward home he guesses.  The next day he waits around just right and as she departs he asks if she would like a ride.  She accepts, figuring he can't be too bad since he works where she does.

He does the same thing another day and as she is leaving the car he asks if she would like to have dinner the next Saturday night.  She says she can't.  He continues to invite her and she admits that she cannot come because she has two little kids and cannot afford the baby sitter.   He offers to pay for the sitter and asks her to think about it.  Finally, another day she accepts, despite the fact that he is 22 and she is 26.

When he arrives at the door that evening, she says again she cannot go.   The sitter canceled.  He says, "So, let's take the kids."  She says it would be very difficult.  So, he asks to meet the kids and she grudgingly lets him in.  First to come in is a daughter about 8 who he thinks is cute as can be.  Then Brenda goes to the back and returns pushing  a wheel chair with a young boy.  A little child born a paraplegic with Down Syndrome.

"This is why I cannot go out," She explains.  "No problem," he says, "We can still take them with us."  Now it is Brenda's turn to be astounded.  Most men she knew would not come near her just because of having two children.  But one that is a paraplegic with Down Syndrome.  Adios!  But she accepts, they all go to eat, and then to a movie. 

When the kids need anything the guy is ready to help, even helping when the little boy needs to go to the potty.  Brenda continues to be astounded at the guy's helpfulness and consideration.

If you have not heard this story already, the guy's name is Kurt and you can see him on TV this evening playing quarterback for the Cardinals at age 37.  The story has a marvelous ending, because about a year later they married and have had at least two more kids.  Be fun to see Brenda on TV.

I talk about Kurt Warner because before I read this story I have not liked him for a little while.  He plays for a team whose owner I do not like.  But also, the maybe one time I have ever seen him on TV was when he played the last game against Carolina, he never seemed to be excited or animated, never congratulated anybody, or cheered on his team mates.  At least that was what I saw.  Then I get this story from Larry Thompson and think, "There I go, did it again."  Judged a book by the cover.  In fact, judged negatively.

I would like to apply this lesson to the Mark story about the man with the unclean spirit.  Traditionally when people were considered to have an unclean spirit they were considered possessed by a devil.  Do you believe in devils?  In this tradition we have all the melodrama connected with exorcisms.  Want to read about how this can go wako?  Read Heretic's Daughter  by a Dallas author, Kent. It talks about the Salem, MA witch hunts around 1690.

Today, with our much deeper psychological understanding of people's behaviors, their thinking and feeling, we would consider the man with the unclean spirit to most likely have a mental disorder or sickness.  It could even be an addiction.  You only have to visit psych wards in hospitals to run into what could be called people with unclean spirits.  You meet a homeless person on the street and you might be tempted to think that person is demonic. 

What did Jesus do?  I propose he first of all was not scared away by the man.  Secondly, he accepted him peacefully. 

The lesson for us?  Maybe two.

First, regarding the Bible, what is your belief system?  Believe in devils, in evil spirits, in demonic possession, in exorcisms?

Secondly, how many times a week do you judge the book by the cover? 

AUDIO:  sorry, missed connection

Picture 1:  Mass with T.J., Lorynne, & Lacee

Picture 2:  Birthday of John & Geri

Picture 3:  Jim & Dorothy

Picture 4:  Birthday of Gilberto

References:

• The Carmelite web site

• Christ in the Desert web site

• St. Raymond Catholic Parish, Dublin, CA web site

• Bishop John Shelby Spong, various works and articles in Mirabile Dictu, edited by David          Gawlik

 

 

Readings:

Isaiah 9, 1-6,  The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.

Psalm 96,  Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.

Titus,  2, 11-14,  The Grace of God has appeared.

Luke 2, 1-14,   In those days a decree went out from Caesar  Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled.

 

A Christmas Gift

I want to tell you about a Christmas gift this afternoon.  It is one of my biggest gifts of this season and it came to me yesterday afternoon by surprise.

In our neighborhood we have alleys behind the lots.  Garbage trucks and service vehicles us the alleys.

 

 

Once a week on Mondays we are visited by the trash trucks and the recycle trucks.  The trash trucks are all mechanized, so only a driver runs the show.  A mechanical arm grabs the trash can, empties it, and replaces it.

 

The recycle truck, however, has three people, one driver and two men who empty the recycles into their truck.  I often see the recycle guys because they start the day’s run at our alley and at our house.  We are on the corner.  We wave.

I got this idea from a guy I helped to do his memorial a few years ago.  He would give a small gift to his mail man and trash collectors.

 

So Monday morning I am watching at 7:00, hoping to give the recycle guys a gift of a few bucks.  They don’t come.  I am afraid I will miss them like I did at Thanksgiving.  So I place a note on the recycle bin.  And I continue to watch.  I can hear them usually, because their big truck makes noise.

 

 

Suddenly about 3:00 I hear the truck.  By the time I grab my coat and head out, one of the guys is coming in the back yard, because my note told them to come to the door.   They are friendly as ever.

I give them each $20.

This was when my present arrived. 

 

 

Their gratitude.  It was over the top.  They thanked me over and over.  One guy says, “I’m rich, I’m rich.”  They head off down the alley with more thanks and well wishes for a Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

I was so touched I got choked up when Rosemary asked me how it went.  So small a gift on my part, so great a gift to me on their part.

Want to receive a gift like this?  When are you going to do it?