Sunday Homily 11-13-11, 33rd Ordinary Time & Last of the Year

Readings: 1 Samuel 16, 1-13; Psalm 23; Ephesians 5, 8-14; John 9, 1-41.

Samuel: Another huge jump from last week when we were in the desert with Moses after the exodus from Egypt, which itself was a big jump from the story of Abraham’s call in Genesis.  This book of Samuel is the first big book after the Pentatuch, the first 5 books of the Old Testament.  The book chronicles the shift among the Hebrews from a judge leader to a king.  The big characters: Samuel, the last great judge, Saul, the first king, and the fabulous King David.

Today’s selection tells how Samuel found and choose David to someday be The Man.

Marriage # 5: The Art of Giving

At the prospect of marriage, I was told by you can imagine whom, "Stack, you’ve had it easy all your life in the Jesuits.  You don’t know how hard marriage is and how much you will have to give up."   It was enough to scare me into bailing out.  It seemed like it was going to be all give and no get.  Now I’ve been married 3 years, that’s what it has been.

Actually, as you all know so well, it has been all gift.  Never the less, the event of giving is essential to the art of marriage.  I’m learning more about this every day.  I see at least three ways the giving takes place.  There may be more, but let me talk about words, listening, and touch.

I am surprised how easy it is to get out of the habit I was trained in as a kid and as a Jesuit to mention two simple phrases.  "Please," for one.  I can so easily simply say, "Would you do this," or "Would you get this for me?"  It seems polite to me, but it does not quite cut it.  It may be polite, but the "please" makes the difference.  It is courtesy.

Secondly, "thanks."  I am impressed in my dealing with couples how often "thanks" has fallen out of usage.  In my mind I assume Rosemary knows I am grateful.  Often it may be some small thing, like moving so I can pass by.  Temptation: walk by saying nothing.  A trap, a lack of courtesy. 

There is a third set of words that needs to be heard, therefore spoken a number of times a day.  How often do we hear of someone who has lost a loved one and regrets this was not said before parting, "I love you."  If it is not said, I don’t know it for sure.  My confidence & my security in my relationship is enriched by hearing "I love you."

Besides words playing a role in the art of marriage, the flip is true: listening.  This may be hard.  I’m reading the sports page, I’m listening to Garrison Keilor and Rosemary says something.  Curses.  I better listen up or I’ve had it.  Listening itself has verbal & non verbal parts. 

Verbal means more than hearing.  It means listeningto what is being said.  Very difficult sometimes.  Non verbal involves listening to the body language.  Some body language is obvious: a slammed door, a book thrown, silence.  Other body language is more subtle, a sadness, a distance, a reluctance to talk.  What’s up?  I notice–fill in the blank—.  If it is obvious, maybe some real listening is in order.  If it is subtle, ask an open ended question, like, "How are you doing."  Not, "You feel bad/good?"  Closed ended questions get off with an answer of yes or no.  Open ended questions involve explanation.

Finally, the art of marriage involves touch.  Hugs to start with.  I have a great hunger for hugs, as you all know.  Balm for the spirit.  Besides hugs, however, the gift of touch involves all sorts of little contacts, with hands, a finger, a foot, an elbow.  A hand on the arm.  Granted, some people don’t like this much touch.  Beware of the buddy, buddy arm around my shoulder.

Oh, there is a fourth.  Rosemary says to remind the guys, "Remember, diamonds are a girl’s best friend."  Can someone help me with this?  Who doubted I would be better off married?

How does word, listening, touch play a role in the art of your marriage (friendship)?

AUDIO:  http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-03-02.mp3

 

Readings:

 Wisdom  1,  13-15, 2, 23-24  God did not make death.

Psalm 30,    I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

2 Corinthians 8, 7, 9, 13-15,  You excel in every respect.

 Mark  5, 21-43, My daughter is at the point of death.  Please come.  Also, Who has touched my clothes?

 

                          Sienna says, "Hi, Folks, Welcome in.

 

Wisdom observations:

One of the 14-15 books of the deutero-canonical books of the bible.  Not part of the orginal Jewish bible, not part of the OT nor the NT, but in between and the subject of controvercy over the centuries.  Were they really part of the bible or not?  How do you know?  Catholic church accepts the books.

Author: not Solomon, but a Jew living in Alexandria, Egypt, who spoke and wrote excellent Greek.

 

             Our Dear Angela, too, says, "Welcome, Everybody."

 

Date: ca. 100-200 before Christ.  How do we know these facts?  Because of text analysis.  For example, while the author wrote in Greek, he uses phrases and expressions that have a Hebrew flavor.  Also, he mentions rulers and places that reveal date and locale. 

Sources: Catholic Encyclopedia on line

 

 

And Genevieve, too, not to be outdone, says, "Hi, Folks."

 

You can do it too

In the gospel today Jesus gives life to a little girl.  I would like to propose that you can give life, too. 

I have a story for you from my Dallas Morning News columnist friend, Steve Blow.  I saw his touching story Friday morning.

 

               Buddy says, "Tori, Did you take my cupcake?"

 

Ever hear of Fausta Twizerimana or Dolena Westergard?  Well, 8 years ago Fausta flew into Dallas and arrived exhausted one evening at the East Dallas Grace United Methodist Church.  She, her five siblings, and her parents were from a refugee camp in Tanzania.  Fausta was 4. 

The Church welcomes refugees and this particular evening Dolena Westergard was there.  Dolena met the family and picked up Fausta. She fell in love. 

 

        Says Brooklyn, "Happiness is being in my mom's arms."

 

The family continued to attend the church and fitted into the fabric of the community.  Dolena watched Fausta and noticed that the girl had a gift for dancing.  She was always doing it. 

After four years of watching the girl dance, Dolena, who was now really a god mother to the kids, enrolled Fausta in the Dallas Black Dance Theatre.  Fausta, now 8, fell in love, too.  Never did she miss a session for the next four years. 

 

  Harper at 4, says, "Happiness is a cupcake on my birthday."

 

Then, along comes 2015 and a notice goes up that the Dance Theatre of Harlem was coming to Dallas to audition for positions in their summer workshop. 

Fausta has been dancing now for 4 years, is 12, and Dolena thinks it would help the girl just to learn how to audition.  No expectations.

You guessed it, Fausta gets selected. 

 

Alison says, "Yes, Harper, I agree, especially now that I am officially an American citizen."

 

Fine, but who is going to buy plane tickets for Fausta and a chaperon, plus about $3,000 in expenses?  This is New York, after all.   

You guessed it again, Grace United Methodist.  Last night Fausta sat in a Broadway theatre to watch an African story, The Lion King.

 

               Gilbert and Michelle (father & daughter), the Great Kid Watchers.

 

Grace United Methodist gave life to Fausta, and, in particular, Dolena gave life to Fausta. 

This week the nine families of Charleston gave life to me and to our whole nation with their forgiveness. 

Just like Jesus gave life to that little girl and to the woman who touched him.

 

                       Rosemary, our best backup.

 

To whom do you give life?

Source: Dallas Morning News, Steve Blow, Metro section

 

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?

 

 

 

Readings: 1 Samuel 16, 1-13; Psalm 23, The Lord is My Shepherd; there is nothing I shall want; Ephesians 5, 8-14; John 9, 1-41. 

 

 

Fourth Sunday of Lent – Intro to Readings

 Our three readings today have to do with seeing.  In the first reading we have the account of Samuel being sent by God to find a successor to King Saul.  At this time, the succession of the kings was not by direct descendant, but they were chosen by God..  Recall that Saul was their first king, a king they demanded from God so that they could be just like every other people around them.  God gave them Saul.  Saul did not quite work out, and today’s reading is the account of God’s selection of his successor, David.  The account focuses on the fact that God sees people differently than we do.  You might say he shines a light through the cover of the book to see into the person.

 Paul’s letter to the Ephesians continues this theme of God’s light and introduces us to the well-known phrase “Jesus is the Light of the World”.  The Letter to the Ephesians is one of those letters where Paul’s authorship is strongly questioned.  The letter contains no references to companions, addresses no particular questions or issues in a particular community, and very closely resembles the Letter to the Colossians.  There is much reference to Baptism in the letter and it seems that some of the passages in the letter are taken from early Christian liturgies, particularly Baptism. 

 

Our responsorial Psalm today is the very beautiful Psalm 23 “The Lord is my Shepherd” and has two ideas: God as Shepherd and God as Host.  The psalm was probably part of a thanksgiving liturgy.

 Our gospel today is from St. John and originally I had intended to read the shorter version, but all of the commentators I read were so full of praise for the entire chapter and how it is one of the masterpieces of Johannine story telling, well what could I do!

 

 Homily

 Last Monday after work, I caught the DART train home.  When I got into the front carriage, there was a young woman at the front of the carriage speaking to everyone.  I sat down and immediately realized I was in for a sermon!!  Not what I needed at that moment.  I wanted the train driver to come out of his cab and toss her off the train!  But as she talked I listened.  She was telling us about how Jesus had come into her life and saved her, and Jesus would save us too, if we would only accept him.  In fact we were already saved. 

 As I listened, I started to do what the Pharisees did in today’s Gospel.  I wondered so what now, what is the big difference in her life, I wanted to know the “so what”.  Then I began to ask myself would I be willing to get up in front of a carriage full of people and share my faith in Jesus.  She was a very good speaker, she spoke clearly and calmly.  Then she sat down after thanking us for listening.  The man in the row behind her leaned forward and said something to her, I didn’t hear, but I could see that she wiped a tear from her eye.  The train rolled on and after a few stops she rose, turned to us all and invited us to have a “Blessed day” and got off. 

 

 Onto the train got a young man, who sat in her seat, about her age, dressed all in black, a black shirt with the word “neurosis” written across the front, long hair and a tattoo on his arm.  He had leather straps on his wrists with metal spikes on them, and a metal belt and chains around his waist, and a ring in his nose!!   Oh boy, did I have fun with the contrast as I thought about today’s readings!  I had jumped to all sorts of conclusions about the young man.  I was judging the book by the cover. 

 If I go back to my questions about what the young woman was saying.  So what difference was Jesus’ presence in my life?  I need to constantly be aware of my own blindness when it comes to other people.  I need to make sure I don’t fall into the trap of having a closed mind, which is what the Pharisees had in the gospel.  They were completely blind to the miracle, and only saw that Jesus broke the Sabbath law.

 

The blind man’s sight of who Jesus was is something that happened over time.  At first he saw Jesus as “the man Jesus”, then “he is a prophet” then finally as “Lord”.  So too for us, our sight, our faith, is a journey and we grow in our understanding of who Jesus is and what our response to Him is, as we live and allow Him into our lives.

Picture 1:   Mass begins with Tony & Kevin  

Picture 2:   Tony congratulating Bob

Picture 3:   Beth & Rob, Beth being today's photographer

Picture 4:   Cara & Sean with mom & dad, Christine & Ed  

Picture 5:   Leo joins the choir

 

       

Readings: Isaiah 49, 3-6; Psalm 40; 1 Corinthians 1, 1-3; John 1, 29-34.

Isaiah: Again we have one of Isaiah’s consoling messages.  This message focuses more on being called.  Remember, the writers of this book lived about 800 years before Christ.

I want to talk about Yahweh’s promise, "I will make you a light to the nations."

A Light to the Nations?  Me?

As many of you have noticed, after Mass & coffee a good percentage of our community reconvenes over at Costco on Central.  Where else can you get such a great free lunch?

When I am not watering trees after Mass, I normally drop Rosemary at the entrance, go fill the car with gas, and then wait for her in the parking lot while listening to Prairie Home Companion.  I love that program and almost always find myself laughing my head off.

Last Sunday Rosemary and I had gone to do our weekly shopping as usual.  I had filled the car with gas and was sitting in the parking lot.  At some point I noticed that an elderly man was wandering around the south side parking lot where I was sitting.  He had passed me already three or four times.  He would walk by me heading toward the Central side of the lot, then return.  Shortly he would do it again.  He had a couple of bags in his arms.  I’m watching him, thinking he must be confused, but I’m not doing anything.

Finally Rosemary arrives, I start up the car, and while we are pulling away I point out to her the man wandering around the parking lot.  I tell her I wonder if he is lost, confused, or suffering from dementia or worse. 

What does she say?  "Let me see if he needs some help."  So we turn around and she gets out.   They talk and together begin to walk around the parking lot.  I wait some more and finally she comes back.  She had helped him look for his car, which he said was a white Infinity.  Since together they still could not find the car, she informed the Cosco staff, who said they would help him.

This is it.  This is what Yahweh is talking about when he says, "I will make you a light to the nations."  It does not mean  lightning is going to strike.  It does not mean the other guy.   When I grew up the Christophers were a Catholic group that intended to light one candle instead of cursing the darkness.  Light one little candle was the theme.  I remember as a kid going with my dad to a rally in the Cotton Bowl, of all places.  It was evening, the lights were turned off, and everyone lit a candle.  I can still remember how beautiful it was.

Lighting the candle does at least two things.

1.  It touches the spirit of the person who receives the light.  That elderly man must have been touched when he saw Rosemary come across the parking lot to help him.  I was. 

2.  The effect is contagious.  When the person’s spirit is touched, he becomes a light and touches someone else.  So instead of the elderly man being angry and frustrated, he is peaceful and gracious.

I was rather confounded that I never thought about getting out and helping the elderly gentleman, but I was delighted that Rosemary immediately suggested she help him when she heard my thoughts. 

How are you a light to the nations?   

    AUDIO:  http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-01-20.mp3

 

 

Says Our Dear Emma, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome."

 

 

Readings:

Isaiah 56, 6-9,  Seek the Lord while he may be found. (Isaiah 2)

Psalm 145,   The Lord is near to all who call upon him

Phlippians 1, 20-24 &27,  Conduct yourself in a way worthy of the gospel.

Matthew 20, 1-16,  The vineyard owner and how he compensated his laborers, The last shall be first; the first last. 

 

 

And likewise from our dear Sophia, "Come in, Folks, it is fun here."

 

Isaiah 55  observations—

Who:  My favorite prophet.  In fact , Isaiah 2 is my favorite of the 3 composers of the Book of Isaiah, and our selection today is the very last chapter of Isaiah 2.

When: remember these 3 writers wrote more or less before, during, and after the Great Babylonian Captivity, ca. 555 before Christ.  So, we can guess that today’s selection from Isaiah 2 comes from the time during the Captivity.

What:  Isaiah 2 has some of the best and most beautifully consoling passages. Check out The Messiah. Unfortunately, our little selection today talks about scoundrels and the wicked, in other words, about us.   Maybe these people are mentioned in connection with the people who grumble in the Gospel today.  See what you think.  

 

 

And not to be outdone by her daughter and Sophia, our dear Beth says, "Better hurry up and get a seat before these two girls take over."

 

 

That is not Fair!

This morning, Folks, I would like to talk about these workers hired by the vineyard owner.  We hear how the workers who worked all day got the same wages as those who worked one hour and we want to yell, “Hey!  That is not fair!” 

Want to know what this parable is basically saying?  Two things.  First, it is all Gift.  Everything is Gift.  Secondly, negative comparison is poison.  “How come he got this and I did not?”  “How come I got sick and he did not?”  Our lives are all Gift.  Comparing myself with others poisons my spirit.

 

 

 

The Best Music, plus with good news.

 

A story about one of my best long time friends to illustrate. 

I think I asked this last week.  Anybody remember Myron & Chris Hubble from St. Mark’s? 

I first met Myron around 1995.  In those days I had a men’s group.  We met probably every other Wednesday or Thursday evening for an hour or two.  The question: what has been your blessing or gift since our last meeting?  Or whatever a person wanted to talk about. 

 

 

Sez Buddy, "Okay, let's get to the fun part (cupcakes)."

 

We had maybe 20 guys plus or minus.  Everybody sat on the carpeted floor of my little office in the Jesuit residence at Jesuit.   Myron was one of the first members.

I remember Myron as a really nice looking guy, soft spoken, very emphatic and  tuned into everyone who spoke.  He had a beautiful wife in Chris and two beautiful kids, Jon and Emily.  I did Emily’s wedding some years back, to a marvelous boy, who is Jewish. 

The family had a nice home in Plano and Myron had worked at TI.  He was probably in his 40’s.  He was retired. 

 

 

 

Our Candle Lighter of The Week in action.

 

 

Want to know why he was retired?  He had hepatitis C.

Want to know where he got it?  Maybe connected with Viet Nam.  Myron had been a medic during Viet Nam.  He worked with the wounded coming back when they arrived in Tacoma.  Want to know what it was like in Viet Nam?  Check out Ken Burns’ epic now half way through the two week event.  Tonight features the Tet Offensive of 1969 more or less.  Burns’ project is mind numbing & shocking. 

Let me tell you, Myron’s hepatitis ruined his beautiful life.  Not only could he not work.  But every morning he would painfully roll out of bed and throw up.  This went on for years.

 

 

 

Welcome in, Jim Shropshire.  You got a lot of courage to come visit your old teacher from Jesuit.  And this guy used to be a great athlete, a football player.

 

Recently Myron fell down on the front stairs of his house and broke numerous bones.  He went to the hospital where the bones cannot be dealt with because of the hepatitis.  He asked for me.  Chris called me and I went right away.  Myron tells me his liver is gone and his kidneys are going fast.  He will follow. 

Why not me instead of Myron?  I could have ended up in Viet Nam, if not for being in the Jesuits.  I’ll say it again.  It is all gift.  Gratitude is the response.

What are you grateful for?

 

 

 

Hey, Mike, this cupcake is guaranteed to help you heal your knee, your foot, your elbow, and all the other places you are falling apart.  Enjoy!