Christmas Eve Homily, 12-24-11

 

Sez Betsy, "Hi, Everybody, welcome in."

 

Readings:

Isaiah 2, 1-5, They shall beat their swords into plowshares (Peace based spirituality?)

Psalm 122,  Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord

Romans 13, 11-14  Let us throw off the works of darkness

Matthew 24, 37-44,  Stay awake!   You do not know on which day the Lord will come.  (Fear based spirituality?)

 

 

Wake up, John!

 

Homily by Deacon Mike

I think that John Stack has challenged all of us this Thanksgiving to visualize the abundance of the blessings that each of us have received. Today it’s my turn to share such a blessing that I received; it was a gift to me some time ago, but not forgotten.

 

 

What a Team!

 

But first, I am going to begin by having us recall the blessing that the Samaritan man had received in our gospel reading today. After he realized that his sins had been forgiven, he returned to give glory to God. Jesus then praises his faith, raises him up to newness of life, and gives him, and us, an invitation to follow him. A blessing doesn’t get any better than that!  

 

 

Bill, from now on you will be called "Candle Bill."

 

If you think about it; when we came through those doors this morning, each of us received an abundance of blessings; a smile, a welcome, a hug, or kiss. Some times those blessings are unexpected, and we smile and allow them to linger in our hearts.

 

 

In the spirit still of Thanksgiving, Mike homilizes an event he takes gratitude in being a part of.

 

45 years ago, one morning, when I was still in a discernment process to become a deacon; I was driving south down Greenville, and had just passed over LBJ.  Immediately I realized that on this particular day the stop and go lights were not working. It was then that I saw three young school boys, looking back and forth unprepared. I pulled off to the right, rolled up my windows and ran ahead down to where they were standing.  When I got a chance I held up my arms to the traffic coming both ways, and then led them arm in arm to the other side.

 

 

Offertory time with Rich, Cody, Tom, and Denni.

 

The slightly older boy said, ‘Thank you!’ And, they stayed there until I got back to the other side, then they shouted again, “Thank you!” When I finally got back to my car, it took me a while to ease back into the traffic. When I finally got back to where I had led the boys across, to my surprise they were standing beside each other eagerly waiting for me to drive by. I read their lips as they shouted, for the third time, ‘Thank you!’  I had been blind-sided by the unexpected gift; the boys had taken my breath away.

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving, John & Connie.

 

 

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 & prayers be offered for everyone.

Luke 16, 1-13,   The rich man and the dishonest steward.

 

 

Homily

A hint I’m taking from the Service of the Word is how do we, like Jesus, or like Mother Theresa, attend to the poor?

From the Responsorial we have the verse from Psalm 113, “He raises up the lowly from the dust; from the dunghill he lifts up the poor…”

From the Alleluia verse we heard, “Though Jesus was rich, he became poor for us.”

 

I heard about a new book by Patrick Phillips (on NPR, Terri Gross or Diane Rheem):  “Blood at the Root: A Racial Cleansing in America” by Patrick Phillips.  It’s about how the entire Black community of Forsythe County, who were also poor at that time in the early 20^th century, were forced to leave that county in Georgia.  The author moved there as a kid in the 50’s from outside Atlanta …..there were no Blacks at all….why….rape….lynchings, robbed of houses and land…

 

 

Abbeville (Louisiana where I grew up)– how protected and insulated we were from the poor, how very little we knew about the poor and the Black members of our community. 

Dallas – we still protect our image today.  Remember a few weeks ago the city made the many poor of tent city under highway bridges just East of down town move out; now we’re talking about moving the poor out of their new tent cities that are even closer to Fair Park (near Haskell and I-30), with the State Fair about to open. 

 

Ways this community has opened itself to the needs of the poor:

• Love for the children with Bill Hammond’s group—before Christmas is for disadvantaged kids, kids from poor families, to have a fun day and receive clothes and other presents
• Habitat for Humanity with Tom Fleming helping people build their homes, those who would probably no have a home otherwise
• Helping fix up and paint houses and do yard work for those needing this help
• Tornado damaged areas in Texas, in Oklahoma and beyond with Bill and Bona Responds
• I remember this community helping with the census of the homeless in Plano area of Collin Co.
• The generosity of community in providing financial outreach to Soul’s Harbor, and also giving items for their thrift stores.

 

 

This list of examples of your generosity of spirit is amazing. You are not slackers; you consistently attend to and care for the poor and needy.  We respond to the poor among us as a community and also as individuals.  E.g., Thursday evening on Abrams going to DARCC (Dallas Area Rape Crisis Center) event, car stopped, guy behind car with gas can….  Or greeting a new neighbor.

 

Today’s question: How do you challenge yourself to see the poor, and care for the poor?   Maybe you have other ideas for this community helping the poor?  Will you pass on your ideas? 

 

Say Cindy & Dee, "Welcome in, Everybody."

 

Readings: 

Acts of the Apostles, 5, 12-16,  Peter said, "we are witnesses of all."

Psalm 118,  Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his love is everlasting.

Revelation 1, 9-11, 12-13, 17-19, I, John, found myself on the Island of Patmos

John 20, 19-31, Jesus appears to the apostles in the upper room.

 

 

And guess who is also saying, "Come in, Folks," Tori & Harper.

 

 

Homily by Deacon Mike

The Father makes known to us, “He sent his Son into the world, not to condemn it; but rather, to redeem it; to grant it salvation through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

 

So, Jesus, in like manner, said to his disciples, “As the Father has sent me, I send you into the world, not to condemn the world but to grant it salvation through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

 

 

 

Emma with her Magic Touch lighting our Easter Candles.

 

Two Sundays ago the Church welcomed and empowered with the Holy Spirit tens of thousands of the Elect from all over the world to become a part of the Body of Christ; not to condemn the world; but to redeem it, to join with us to bring forgiveness to the world.

 

So, we ask you, the Church, to redeem itself. You have hurt yourself and us; for we are part of you, and we suffer, but we know that we must forgive you.

 

 

The Blessing of the Easter Candles read by Buddy who knows it almost totally by heart.

 

 

So, we forgive you for allowing predators to abuse our children.

We want to assist you, so we ask that you do the following: Pray over your plan of action.  Have you sought to realize that your plan must address predators who will seek to continue the abuse?  You must address who you choose to send to your parishes. Your plan must replace them with ordained married men, and women who seek to be deacons, priests and bishops.

 

 

 

Our Great Offertory Team, Cathy, Sandra, and Judy.

 

The Apostle Paul placed no walls or barriers between those who have received and are living the gift of the Holy Spirit; we are Jew or Gentile, slave or free man, male or female.  GOD HAS NO FAVORITES!  We are one body in Christ.

 

Welcome Home, Grace, from your visit to Amsterdam, the home of your ancestors.

 

 

Here he is, Everybody, the baby we have been waiting eagerly to meet.  Welcome in, Atlas, we are all so happy to meet you.  You are marvelous, just like you mom & dad.

 

 

Readings:  

 Wisdom 1, 13-15, 2, 23-24, God did not make death; God formed man to be imperishable

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

 2 Corinthians 8, 7, 9, 13-15,  As you excel in every respect

Mark 5, 21-43, Daughter, your faith has saved you.  Go in peace. 

 

 

 

Welcome back, Wendy & Brandon, and congratulations on a marvelous little boy.

 

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 cenuries.  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.

 

 

The Best Music with Wendy & Katie.

 

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

 

 

 

With Patricia reading the Blessing, Emma does her candle magic.

 

 

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 some years ago.  In fact, Steve is retired & I miss his thoughts..

 

 

 

Offertory with Mary & Sydney & Hugh.

 

Ever hear of Fausta Twizerimana or Dolena Westergard?  Well, 10-11 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, where I lived for about 10 years.  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. '

 

 

They are moving in, Folks, Beth & Rob, Sir Charlie & John

 

 

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. 

 

 

 

Wendy & Katie, you have been missed around here.

 

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. 

 

 

 

It is cupcake of the week time, 3 cupackes and 1 Bellvita.

 

 

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.  That night Fausta sat in a Broadway theatre to watch an African story, The Lion King.

Grace United Methodist gave life to Fausta, and, in particular, Dolena gave life to Fausta.   I even read that Prestonwood Baptist is giving life to the kids in the detention centers.

 

 

 

 

Congratulations again, Brandon, on such a marvelous kid.

 

 

This week families & people all over the country are trying to give life to the kids separated from their mothers and fathers.

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

To whom do you give life?

 

 

 

 

Wake up, Brandon, it is homily time, yeah. 

 

Source: Dallas Morning News, Steve Blow, Metro section, circa July 1, 2015

 

 

Readings: Genesis 2, 18-24; Psalm 128, May the Lord bless Us all the Days of Our Lives; Hebrews 2, 9-11; Mark 10, 2-16.

Genesis:

Date of Compilation: Most likely during the Babylonian Captivity, i.e., around 600-550 BCE.  But the material for the sources was coming together over 200 years.

Authors:  4 major sources–

The J or Y source (for Yahweh), coming from Judah, the southern half of the divided Jewish state after Solomon's death.

The E source (for Elohim), coming from Israel, the northern half of the Jewish state which was destroyed by the Assyrians ca. 700 BCE.

The D source (from Deuteronomy), coming from the revisions of the prophet Jeremiah's & his companions.

The P source (from the priests), which or who during the Babylonian time took the material from the first 3 sources, wove them together, edited them. 

How do you know: by text analysis, noting different styles of writing, place references (e.g. mention of the Tigris & Euphrates in our chapter 2, which says "Babylon."), event references, people references, and agendas behind the stories (e.g. Sabbath & Creation Story #1).

Subject Matter: A panorama stretching from the two stories of creation, through The Fall, Cain & Abel, Noah & the flood, the Tower of Babylon, the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob, Joseph and his jealous brothers, Joseph as governor of Egypt & his brothers' visit & eventual migration to Egypt. 

Our Selection: we will read the whole of creation story #2, chapter 2.  The story comes from the Y or J source, but note the mention of the Tigris & Euphrates, which a person in Babylon would appreciate  ( A clue that a priestly source has inserted a geographic reference.  Why would a Jewish high priest be familiar with Babylonian rivers?  Babylonian Captivity. ).

Hebrews: We will read from Hebrews for the next 6 weeks (excluding All Saints), right up to the feast of Christ the King, which marks the end of the liturgical year.  Then we begin Advent and a new liturgical year.

Author: unknown, but he wrote excellent Greek.  Not Paul.

When Written: 85-95 CE, i.e., 50 plus years after Jesus' death

Subject: superiority of Christ.  Rather convoluted.

Sources St. Louis U. Sundays, John Shelby Spong

Concerning Divorce, Remarriage, & Adultery

After hearing what was said about divorce and remarriage, I can imagine you are thinking, "Okay, Stack, what are you going to say about this topic?"  I intend to talk about it.  But first, a story.

The first week of September Rosemary & I went to Seattle to be part of Gloria Eshelbrenner's wedding.  Since it was our first trip to Seattle, we traveled there on Monday.  We had been told that we would not need to rent a car because our little B & B was close to the center of town.  Great. 

So I am looking at transportation from the airport, shuttle, Gray Line tour bus, or city bus for ca. $2.  Guess which I suggested to Rosemary.  It is not only the cheapest, but the most adventurous.  We took the Gray Line.  Which deposited us in the center of town, where we walked a block or so, having an ice cream along the way, to a city bus, which turned out to be an electric bus.  Great. 

Half way along the route our electric bus breaks down.  The overhead pulley disconnected from the electric cable and the driver could not reconnect it. 

We had been talking with people around us and when we stopped a number tried to help us find where we were going.  Finally a guy stepped forward, asked the address, said he thought he lived close to our address, and told us to follow him. 

We walked up hill, caught another electric bus, rode a mile or so, got off, turned up a street, and the guys said, "There is your house.  I live in that house across the street."  We were touched by the hospitality of the people on the bus and especially of this new neighbor. 

I remember this incident when I reflect on the words of Jesus, "whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."  Strong words.  Five comments: Jesus' words, hospitality, Mark's environment, Mark's intention, for us.

First, you may put your money on it that these words are not words of Jesus.  Students of the bible consider almost no words directly attributed to Jesus to be his exact words. 

Why?  Because Mark did not know Jesus and he is writing from oral sources 30 years after Jesus' death.  They had no recording machines in those days.  Can you remember what happened 30 years ago?  Super Bowl winner?  Pittsburg.  President?  Carter.  Big news?  Ayatolloh Khomeini held embassy hostages.  A prophet of that time?  MLK had been killed in '68.  We can remember his line, "I have a Dream,' because it has been repeated so often. 

Secondly, Jesus' main message about God: hospitable, like those people in Seattle.  He talks hospitality, inclusion, not exclusion, acceptance, not rejection.  E.g., Prodigal Son, to name only one.

Thirdly, Mark's environment.  Bible students think whoever put this booklet together wrote for Gentile Christians living in the Roman Empire, probably in Rome or Antioch, Greece.  He (she unlikely) wrote just after the destruction of Jerusalem & the temple by the Romans after a failed Jewish revolt, 70 CE.  More persecution was expected throughout the Empire.  (Note that the Jews never again had possession of Jerusalem until 1948 when it was granted them by the Allies after WW II & the Holocaust)

Fourth, Mark's intention: encourage these Gentile Christians living in probably Rome to remain faithful despite coming troubles.  One method: keep families united.  Don't break up.  Marriages were arranged by families at this time.  Kids did not choose their parent, kids did not choose their spouses.  Marriage strengthened bonds for self defense and economic survival.  Divorce ruptured these bonds, not just between the couple.  Remarriage caused even more contention.  Thus, divorce & remarriage is strongly discouraged for even survival reasons.

 

Fifth: for ourselves.  Context vs basic message.

A.  Understand the context of our passage, Mark's background and intention.

B.  Consider this the ideal, the infinite demand.

C.  Remember the basic Christian message: God's infinite acceptance &  hospitality, like the people in Seattle.

What have you gotten for yourself from these observations?

Picture 1:  The Choir, Shonda, Celeste, & Ray

Picture 2:  Birthdays & Anniversaries, Frank, Richard & Sheila

Picture 3:  Denni reading Genesis

Picture 4:  Tom Reading Hebrews

 

Readings: Isaiah 60, 1-6; Psalm 72, Lord, Every Nation on Earth will Adore You; Ephesians 3, 2-6; Matthew 2, 1-12

 Isaiah 60: 3 observations–

1.  This is Isaiah III who seems to have lived around the time of the Babylonian Captivity, i.e., 575 BCE., not at the time of Isaiah I (chapters 1-39) who lived ca. 800.   (& Is. II, chapters 40-50)

2.  Our passage from chapter 60 is addressed to Jerusalem as a symbol, which is in total destruction.          

3.  Isaiah is saying that your day is coming, Jerusalem, when you will return to being the most splendid city of all.

 
 

Epiphany, The Coming of the Wise Men on January 6: 3 observations–

1.  The word means an enlightenment, a WOW moment.

2.  Celebrated since ca. 300 & Constantine on January 6, 12 days from the birth, the 12 Days of Christmas.  Note 12^th Night.

3.  Considered a second Christmas, to the Gentiles.

 

The Epiphany, a Cornucopia of Symbols: 2 observations–

Where to begin, folks.  There is so much symbolism in this liturgy, in Matthew, for sure, and in the combination of Matthew with Isaiah and Psalm 72.  I'll touch 2 symbols, each with 3 subdivisions..         

1.  The Wise Men have a double & triple significance because they are

a. Gentiles

b.  They come from the east, considered the source of wisdom in the world of that time.  Where does the sun rise?  Where do stars rise?  A new son has been born and like the sun in the east or a star he will bring new light. 

c.  They also symbolize every man’s search for meaning in life.    Remember Matthew speaks to two audiences, his fellow Israelites, whom he is chastising for not searching, and the Gentiles. 

2.  The 3 gifts. 

 a.  Gold is given because it signifies royalty. 

 b.  Frankincense, or incense, signifies divinity. 

 c.  Myrra signifies medicine.  Myrra is for the human.  It comes from a bush like tree that has a yellow, sticky sap on its bark.  The sap was good for skin infections and acne, asthma, colds, and flu, and even herpes.  It is found in Saudi Arabia & Somalia.

 

A post script.  People in Europe used to write an inscription over their doors, e.g. 20+C+M+B+10.  The numbers are our year.  The letters are Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar.   Christians made it say, “Christ Bless our house or Maison the year listed.  

 Another post script.  In New Orleans Epiphany starts Carnival season, which leads up to Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.  The parades will be starting, folks.

 Sources: Reginal Fuller, St. Louis U. Liturgy; Biblical & Theological Resources, the Voice Institute, on line; Wikipedia; and other sources.

 

The Epiphanies around Us

 Recently Rosemary & I went to the exposition of some paintings of about six or eight artists. Among the artists and the reason we were there was my childhood buddy Ed Lamberty, who gave the homily here a year or so ago on alcoholism & AA. 

 As we were wandering around we ran into another couple who are old friends.  We ask what brought them to this exposition.  They pointed across the room to a middle aged,  middle class, blondish woman who was standing by some of her works.

 Here is the story the wife told me.

 The couple we know are both academics on the university level.  Some years ago the wife had been teaching and came to know one of her students.  The student was a mother with a son about 8 years old.  At some point in time the father had abandoned them and left them with nothing.  They were living in the mother’s car. 

 My friend says to me that this shocked her and she thought this cannot continue.  She described the situation to her husband and two sons who were about 10 & 12.  Guess what they did.

 They invited the mother & son to live with them until they got on their feet.  The two sons moved into one bedroom and the mother & her son took the other.  Here they lived for almost a year until the husband found the woman a job. 

 

 The woman now is successful and is developing as an artist, selling her works for significant sums.  The son graduated from Jesuit, graduated from college, and now is married with a couple of his own kids. 

 Obvious from the fact that they were at the art exposition, my friends are still quite close with the mother & her son. 

 I would propose that this is what epiphany is, a pointing to a presence among us and in us.  The presence is acceptance and care for others.  It points to something beautiful.

 Who is an epiphany for you?

 For whom are you an epiphany?

 Picture 1:    Emma 

 Picture 2:    Diane on her birthday with Jenny & Melissa

 Picture 3:    The Dinsmore family, David & Donna & their kids, Dawson, Darbianna, & Dana

 Picture 4:    Emily & her mom, Julie at the Offertory