Sunday Homily June 10, 2012, Corpus Christi

Readings: Isaiah 43, 18-25; Psalm 41; 2 Corinthians 1, 18-22; Mark 2, 1-12

Isaiah: Some reminders–

The Book of Isaiah is one of the Big 3, along with Jeremiah & Ezekiel, because they have a lot of chapters and therefore say a lot..  Isaiah has 66 chapters.

Author & Time: The book has at least 3 contributors.  Chapter 43, today's selection is from Isaiah 2, who seems to be writing  during the Babylonian Captivity of the Jews who lived in and  around Jerusalem.  The time was ca. 575 BCE.  Isaiah 1 wrote before the Captivity.  Isaiah 3's material might come from after the Jews returned to Jerusalem, the time after the Assyrians under Cyrus conquered the Babylonians.  Cyrus let the Hebrews return to Jerusalem.

Our Selection, Chapter 43: the writer has Yahweh speaking to his defeated and depressed people.  This is the Book of Comfort, and informs the Jews that times will get better, which they do, at least for these Jews' children & grandchildren. 

How Make Lent a Winner

There is a story floating around about this guy in Washington, D.C.  One cold morning in January he took his violin down into a subway station.  He set up his spot, pulled out his violin, and began to play for the throngs of commuters rushing to and fro.  He played for about an hour.

During the hour a few people paused and listened for a few moments, then hurried off to their train.  Another lady dropped in a dollar while she rushed by.   Others paused quickly and some tossed in a bill.  The people who most focused their attention on him & his music were kids.  They would stop dead in their tracks mesmerized.  Their parents would have to drag them on to their destination while the kids looked back over their shoulders.

After the hour the man had accumulated about $30.  Nobody cheered, nobody applauded at the end of his performance.  Nobody even noticed.  Not that the guy needed the money or the applause.  He was Joshual Bell, one of the best violin players in the world.  Two days before this, in fact, his concert in Boston had sold out with tickets averaging $100.  The violin he plays costs over 3 million.

The Washington Post had set up this event where Joshua Bell would perform in the subway station.  The goal was to see how people would respond to beauty in an ordinary place at a busy time.  Perhaps 1,000 people passed by Joshua Bell in that one hour during which he played 6 pieces of classical music.  No one actually stayed for the whole of even one piece.  Only a handful paused for no more than a couple of minutes.  Only the kids wanted to stay and listen. 

The wonder is, is this typical of us.  If I do not have enough time to pause 5 minutes and appreciate one of the best musicians in the world play some of the best music in the world, what other beauties am I missing?  And missing every day.

I tell this story because we are beginning Lent Wednesday.  I confess this is not one of my favorite times of the year, mostly because of the history I have with it being focused on sin and penance.  Give up this, give up that.  If you would like to take this as an occasion to become a better, more fully alive human, I would like to suggest two positives.

First, sensitivity.  Sensitivity to the beauty around me, like that music, to the beauty of people as a community and individually, and to the beauty of myself, my health, my gifts, my education.  It was not Lent, but last Wednesday I went to visit the new Trinity River Audubon Center in south Dallas.   Just the building I found  to be architectural poetry.  Maybe once a week something of this type is planned during the next five weeks.

The second positive has to do with the story in Mark about the four guys who brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus for healing.   I find this story so right on.  I love it.  The man could not get there on his own, but his friends could get him there.  Oops, when they get to the house where Jesus is, they find they cannot get through the crowd.  No problem.  They climb the roof, break a hole, and lower him down.

We had houses like this in Tanzania.  The roof is made out of tree poles laid across the house with about  1 to 2 feet of space between each one.  Other branches are placed on top.  Then a mud like clay is put on the branches.  Over the mud usually is a smoother clay.  We had a Jesuit house near the base of Kilimanjaro whose flat roof was cement and we would sit up there to watch the sunset against the mountain, every night 6:00 to 6:30.  Being on the equator sunset & sunrise takes place the same time every day and lasts 30 minutes.

So these guys cut a hole through the roof and lowered down their friend.  This is friendship and community at its best, me helping you when you need it and you helping me when I need it.  Hillary says it takes a village.  I would suggest it takes a community.

So the second positive to make myself a richer person in this Lent: service, help my neighbor with his roof.  Somebody needed to help Peter with the roof of his house.  I hope the four guys helped him.  Bill Hammond, Bob McGrath, & I are all going to work on housing in Galveston next week.  One small step, one small contribution.

So, if you want to make yourself a richer person in the next 5-6 weeks, if you don't want to pass by the Joshua Bells on your commute, and you like to help out, how about sensitivity and service?

AUDIO:  http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2009-02-22.mp3

Picture 1:  Mass with T.J. Helping

Picture 2:  Birthdays, Maggie & Chloe, Ron, T.J. Dana (17), Rosemary, & Diane

Picture 3:  Clare (mom) & Chloe dancing & Ron Kovatis

Picture 4:  Communion helpers, Patricia, Geri, Don, Ron, & Beth

Readings: Leviticus 13, 1-2, 44-46, The one who bears the sore of leprosy shall cry out, "Unclean."; Psalm 32, I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation; 1 Corinthians 10, 31-11, 1, Do everything for the glory of God; Mark 1, 40-45, If you wish, you can make me clean.

Leviticus: The book of the Levite tribe, the priestly tribe, one of the 12 tribes, a book of 27 chapters focused mostly on laws.  The third book of the Torah after Genesis & Exodus, before Numbers & Deuteronomy.

Author: a collection of many sources, but not Moses (impossible).

Date: some laws go back 1400 BCE., others from ca. 450 BCE.

Subject matter: laws for better living with Yahweh.  For instance in chapter 11, one may not eat pigs, camels, or rabbits, no animal with a divided hoof.  All winged insects are unclean, except those that hop.  In chapter 12, women are ritually unclean after giving birth, 7 days for boys, 14 days for girls.  Chapter 19, "love one another as one's self."  This morning's selection deals with how people with leprosy are to be treated.  Leprosy, of course, was considered a punishment for sin & disobedience.

Note: an interesting example of how academics better understand these texts.  They noted that both Leviticus 11 & Deuteronomy 14 have similar lists of clean and unclean animals for eating.  Deuteronomy 14, however, has 11 additional critters which are not mentioned in Leviticus 11.  These 11 dwell only in the Arabian desert, not in Egypt or the land of Canaan (Holy Land).   From this it can be deduced that the person (s) writing the laws in Leviticus had not wandered the desert and was writing before the Exodus.  The writer (s) of Deuteronomy, however, had wandered the desert. 

Source: The Book of Leviticus; Believe: Religious Information Source, Canon Tristam

Exclusion vs Inclusion

When I first lived in Kenya & Tanzania in the late 70's I spent time working on my Swahili in a Jesuit parish that was in a town called Tabora, Tanzania.  The town is in the middle of Tanzania with no paved roads leading to it.  Only a few roads in the town itself are paved.  The parish had about 3 Jesuit priests in those days, if I remember correctly, a French Canadian, an Irish, and an Indian.  Today the Jesuits have departed and handed it over to the diocese because of not enough Jesuit priests.

In those days the parish had 21 outstations, some of which even had other outstations further out.  These were located in small villages where little mud walled churches had been put up.  Occasionally I found a rather large cement block church left over from times when priests were more abundant.   Each Sunday we would all head out on motorcycles to the outstations. 

On the edge of Tabora there was a special community.  A community of men & women who had leprosy.  The exclusion of these lepers was similar to what we read in Leviticus, though they received better care.  Our parish used to help them a lot and I went to say Mass for them and spent time talking with them often individually, sometimes in a group.  Despite the effectiveness of modern medicine, many had significant scarring and were without hands or feet.  I remember being touched mostly by the quality of their spirits and sense of acceptance. 

I am reminded of this leper community when I read about the lepers in today's readings.  Leviticus lays down the directives.  Mark has Jesus dealing with a leper.   I've already discussed Leviticus.  Let me mention one main point relevant to Mark & his account.

It is inclusion.

Mark wants to convince Christians of Jewish & mostly Gentile background that they are included and that Jesus is the Messiah.  This community probably lived in Galilee, that is, around the Sea of Galilee or in Syria.  How do today's students of the bible know this?  Because they analyzed the text and noted that Mark used Greek rather than Aramaic.  Moreover, Mark describes geography typical of Galilee, not Jerusalem.

 The miracle Mark describes today aims at inclusion in the community.  Using the leper as a metaphor or symbol, he is telling especially the Gentile Christians, 'You are part of this community.  You belong here.  If Jesus can include a leper, then anyone and everyone is part of the community.  Nobody is excluded.'

What does Leviticus instruct?  What does Jesus do?  He welcomes him.  In fact, he does something that broke the law, and the people would be astounded, no, probably shocked and repulsed.  He touched the leper.  This was after Mark has the leper break the law by approaching Jesus.  People around are saying, "Wow!", when they read Marks story. 

This might be today's lesson for us.  Inclusion.  It may be easier for us to think of including a leper, because we know the virus is not that contagious and can be effectively treated.  But HIV?  What about other races, colors, religions, students from other schools?

Whom do I have trouble including in my community?

References: Austin Cline, Audience of Mark's Gospel (on line).

Picture 1:    Mass Begins

Picture 2:    The Community

Picture 3:    Brooklyn walks

Picture 4:    Charlie with Zoe & Georgie

Picture 5:    Georgie with Zoe & Sienna

Picture 6:    Torri with her granddad, Gilberto

Readings: Genesis 9, 8-16; Psalm 145, The Lord is near to all who call upon Him; 1 John 4, 7-16; John 15

Opening Prayer (Included will be some prayers composed by John because they are so good) 

Let us pray: O God, you are not far away, but with us wherever we are, calling us to live in unity and love, and accepting us as we are, with all our weaknesses. We acknowledge the blessings we experience each day. For the little ones who bring us joy in the present and hope for the future—Leo X 2, Freddie, (names of all the kids),    and for your presence always with us, we give thanks to you both now and forever and ever…   Amen. 

Intro to the Readings:

I chose the readings for today’s Mass, so they aren’t in the Missals for today’s date. Ray will tell you what page the Responsorial Psalm and Gospel acclamation are on. The first 2 readings will be read by my daughters, Joey and Sam. I put in the blog some information on the readings’ authors, the time and why the readings were written. Also go to Wikipedia.

The story of Noah is found in Chapters 6-9 of Genesis, the first book of the Torah, the Torah being the first 5 books of the Jewish Bible. Genesis was put together during the 5^th century BC. The story of Noah combined 2 sources of the story from the 10^th and 7^th centuries BC. That explains the differences in the details of the stories.

The Gospel of John, the 3 Letters of John and the Book of Revelation were traditionally attributed to the Apostle John.  According to recent scholarship, John was not the author of either and further, the Gospel, the letters and Revelation may have 3 separate authors. The First Letter of John was written in Ephesus between 100-110 CE. It seems to be written to counter ideas that Jesus was a Spirit only, not human with a body, and against a Gnostic, Cerinthus, who denied the humanity of Jesus. 

The first reading is from the story of Noah. It’s about the covenant God made with Noah and his offspring. This covenant is a promise of God’s presence and acceptance, symbolized in the story by a rainbow.

On Labor Day weekend I visited 2 of my sisters in Louisiana. One evening my sister Didi and I were driving from Jennings to Lake Arthur to eat at a lovely restaurant sitting right over the lake. There was just a slight mist or sprinkle falling when, off to the side, we saw the beginnings of a rainbow. Gradually the colors got brighter and brighter and became the most strikingly beautiful rainbow I have ever seen; a complete arch of color. We slowed down to take in its beauty. I had already chosen the readings for today; seeing that rainbow took my breath away.

The second reading is from John’s first letter. Both it and the Gospel reading speak words of challenge we are given from prophets throughout human history, even in our own time and, in this case, from Jesus who over and over challenged us to live in unity and love.

Now the first reading…..

FIRST READING  The Book of Genesis, Chapter 9(Verses 8-9, 12-16)

Psalm: 145: 8-9, 17-18 (Page 52 in Today’s Missal) Refrain: “The Lord is near to all who call upon him.”

SECOND READING  First Letter of John, Chap. 4  (Verses 7-8, 12-16)

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!  – John 13: 34 (Page 51 in Today’s Missal)

A Reading from the Gospel of John, Chapter 15.   

“I tell you this so that you can share my joy, and that your happiness may be complete. This is my commandment: that you love each other as I have loved you. You are my friends if you do what I tell you to do. This I command: love one another.”

      HOMILY:

For years this community has heard Stack saying that God is infinite demand, challenging us to live in all our relationships with love and forgiveness; and, on the other hand, that God is infinite acceptance, always receiving us just the way we are. -Please hold that thought-

Today we are remembering my ordination on Sept. 30,1961. Many centuries ago priestly ordination was made one of the 7 sacraments, and has traditionally been conferred selectively, and by the hierarchy. What evolved historically was the separating of ‘priests’ and people as if our basic callings were different. (Just look at us–we wear the clothing of 2000 years ago, back when you would have been wearing the same outfit.)  My take on the priestly role is this: whoever gets up each day and embraces the possibility of living in forgiveness and love, and of accepting oneself as one is and others as they are—these all share the priestly role in the community. Jesus didn’t draw lines of distinction among his friends. His words were the same for all.

Of course, as a community grows, there is an advantage in having structure, with distinct roles that help the community function well, like the role of organizational management or spiritual leadership. Jesus, however, was clear with his friends and with everyone he met: the demand to love is the same for all, and acceptance by God is the same for all. Even those 12 friends who were with Jesus all the time often didn’t get it, and were confused by his message to just love one another and accept everyone as they are. Their experience with the religious community of their time, the Jewish synagogue with the priestly caste, didn’t prepare them for such revolutionary thinking about what a community can be.

Much much later (fast-forward to our era) only about a year after my ordination, Pope John 23^rd called and inspired the Second Vatican Council. That Council opened the windows of the universal Christian community to fresh and new possibilities. Today, St. Vine’s is one example of a community living in those new possibilities. For me, this is completing a circle.

My desire to be a priest grew in my late teen years, but a pivotal point in my religious development happened after I finished theology studies. We were asked to attend a period of pastoral formation prior to ordination, which I did at a Benedictine monastery outside Kansas City in the summer of ‘61. Though I had had serious questions and ‘funny feelings’ about the traditional theology we got in the seminary, it was that summer that I was exposed to the knowledge and experience of several great minds from North America and Europe and Africa. That experience, along with Vatican II, changed the way I thought and lived as a priest for the next ten years. Those experiences also made it really difficult for me to live and function in the face of immense resistance to the new possibilities opened up by Vatican II. In 1971, I chose to be part of the exodus of priests leaving at that time.

So for me, it’s a real joy to be part of a community such as this. I am grateful for your openness, your caring for one another, and your acceptance of those who are other than you. I am grateful that you are not afraid of stepping outside the box and of stepping into new possibilities. Do you see now why I think of this community as completing a circle in my life?

Thank you for remembering with me that special day in 1961.

The question I leave with you today is: how do you respond to the demand to give forgiveness, love and acceptance in this community, in your own family, and with your own self?

Further Prayers:

 As we prepare the table with the bread, wine and grape juice, and sing the Offertory Song, I will go around with the sacrament of the sick which you are welcome to receive, whether your ailment or pain is big or small, physical or emotional, acute or chronic. Just stand near an aisle or give a sign and I’ll get to you.

PREFACE TO EUCHARISTIC PRAYER:

The Lord be with you. And with your spirit.

Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

O God, we have no word or name in any language to express fully who or what you are. We call you Father or Mother or Brother or Spirit or Lord. We make believe and speak as if you are like us, just bigger and better.  One thing we know: You are not distant from us; you are not hidden. You are experienced in all the workings of the known and the not yet known universe. Most of all You are known in and through others who touch us in some way as we journey together in time. And so, we raise our voices together and praise you with the words we long ago learned to use, as we sing:

HOLY HOLY HOLY LORD

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER:

In a special way we give thanks and praise for the one named Jesus, who proclaimed clearly and repeatedly that you are not far away, but here with us. He taught us to know you as present, as holding us in being, as nurturing and strengthening us in the midst of life’s difficulties and pain, as challenging us to grow in spirit and in truth, and as always accepting us just the way we are. 

As a sign and celebration of our sisterhood and brotherhood with him and with each other, Jesus, on the night before he died, gathered his friends together and shared with them the Passover meal. While they were at table, he took some bread, gave thanks, broke it, and passed it among them saying: “Take this, all of you, and eat. This is my body given up for you.” Then he took the cup and, giving thanks, gave it to them saying, “Take this, all of you, and drink from it. This is the cup of my blood, poured out for you. This is a new and everlasting covenant. Do this in memory of me.”

And so we repeat this remembrance today, and we recall Jesus and how he showed us a way to live gratefully with and for others. We remember the hope he taught so well, the hope of an always new, fresh and full life, a life we can live regardless of our situation or the circumstances of our lives.

As a community of family and friends, we proclaim this mystery of the fullness of life, as we sing:

Christ has died,

Christ is risen,

Christ will come again.

 May all of us who share in this meal be brought together in peace and unity by the Spirit that moves in us all.  We remember that we are united with the worldwide community, and that we are called to live with respect, acceptance and love for all, especially those nearest to us.

May we grow in this love, together with our spiritual leaders, with Benedict our Pope, Kevin our Bishop, with our community gathered here, with our families and friends, and with all who journey with us in time.

We recall those who have gone before us and yet remain with us in our hearts and minds. We remember our grandparents, our parents, our sisters and brothers, our children, our close friends and neighbors. We remember all our ancestors some of whose names were given to us at our baptism, such as Joseph and Mary and Peter and Kalliopi and Leo and Joanna and Daniel and Lambrini and Freddie and Hannah and John and Carol and Antony and Samantha and George and Catrina and Michael and Kathryn and Morris and Jane, and all those whose names we carry in our time.

We acknowledge them, and we remember them with love, respect and acceptance.  

Wth confidence we place before You all the yearnings of our hearts and minds, as we proclaim that it is…

Through him, with him and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, Forever and ever.

Picture 1:     The celebration begins   

Picture 2:     Leo

Picture 3:     Payton

Picture 4:     Chloe

Picture 5:     Sienna & Brooklyn with daddy, Payton

Picture 6:     Freddie

Picture 7:     John & family

"Welcome in, Everybody," say Alison.  She will take your order for communion.

Readings:

2 Kings 4, 8-11, 14-16,   This time next year you will have a baby son.

 Psalm 89,   Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

Romans 6,  3-4, 8-11,  You, too must think of yourselves as living for God.

Matthew 10, 37-42, Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Rocco, too, says, "Hi, Everybody."

July 4, 1776, Declaration of Independence signed.

50^th anniversary, July 4, 1826: two signers of the Declaration died, the only 2 to serve as presidents,  and mutual friends, Thomas Jefferson & John Adams (excellent source, David McCullough’s John Adams).

She's back, Folks, and better than ever.  Welcome home, Wendy!

Happy July 4

It is July 4 time and I would like to talk this morning about why I am happy to be an American.  I was sharing my ideas with Rosemary, an advantage to being a married priest (or maybe not), and she said, “Can’t you find reasons a little more dramatic, a little more universal?”  So, my reasons are just my own homey variety. 

I do claim a certain unique perspective because of living in East Africa for 10 years.  I admit there were a few occasions when I was grateful I had the American embassy as a refuge in case I got into some trouble.  I can certainly remember looking at the American flag flying over the embassy in Nairobi, Kenya and being grateful and thinking, ‘Yes, that’s my country.”

Wow, I forget how good and beautiful you are, Wendy.  

So, here are 3 reasons why I am delighted to be an American this summer.   Natural beauty and people beauty with two parts.

First, the natural beauty.  There certainly are beautiful places in East Africa, for instance.  Like Kilimanjaro, which I climbed 5 times & the Serengeti game park.  Likewise, in Italy, the Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre, even Rome. 

Welcome, Tim, so good to have you with us.

In the States we have the Rockies of CO, Grand Canyon, the beaches, like Hilton Head.  For me, there is nothing better than Yosemite.   But, you say, I live in Dallas.  Beware there is natural beauty here, too.  Try White Rock Lake, try the White Rock Creek trail.  Rosemary & I  ride this trail weekly and I wonder lately, ‘Am I truly in Dallas,’ it is so wild and wooded.   It has been especially beautiful the past couple of months because of the frequent rain.

I do believe trouble is brewing in that corner again.  Just look at her face.

In Plano what about the Oak Point Park.  Is this really Dallas?  I just discovered Oak Point last year when the Collin Classic bike tour began there.  

I love the natural beauty we have in America.

Healing and life for Sandra.

Then there is the people beauty.   Don’t laugh.  I propose the trustworthiness of people. 

Want to see an amazing phenomenon?   Park yourself on a corner of one of the small towns we will pass through in three weeks on the bike rally through Iowa.  You will see maybe more than a thousand bikes hitched to parking cables and lying on the ground, not one with a lock. 

I park in front of a grocery store, put my helmet on the handle bar, walk in, get what I want, maybe an all you can eat meal for $10 (like lasagna), and return to my unlocked bike. 

I love our ride through Iowa every July.  Only about 12 – 15 thousand riders.  Of all sorts.

Welcome home healing and life for Grace.

Want to see another phenomenon?  The hospitality of people.  Join me to ride the Hotter ‘n Hell Hundred the end of August.   There are 10 rest stops, like every 10 miles.  Each stop is loaded with bushels of volunteers overflowing with hospitality. 

I have my two favorites, 30 and 75.  At the 30 mile there is a group of elderly ladies (maybe many younger than I) who personally bake dozens of 6 varieties of cookies.  They positively blow me away and every year I tell them they are my favorite stop of all. 

Would someone please go and sit with Sir Charlie.  

I will meet new rest stops this August because last year after the 100 miles when I was dead tired, Rosemary got me to agree to ride the 50 miles with her and have a dinner together on the way home.  This spring I tried to renegotiate this deal with Rosemary, and she said, "Too bad, Cowboy, you agreed and you are stuck."

Offertory with Mike & Jean & Judy & John.

What are you proud about this year?

Happy July 4.

Readings:

Isaiah  5, 1-7,  Let me now sing of my friend, my friend’s song concerning his vineyard.

 Psalm 80,   The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

Philippians 4, 6-9,  Have no anxiety at all.

Matthew 21, 33-43,  There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. 

Shonda says, "Welcome, Folks, I can't sing today, but I want to be here."

Isaiah observations–

What:  My favorite prophet again.  When you note this is Isaiah, chapter 5, you can make some pretty educated guesses, like the following 3:

1.  This is Isaiah 1, the first of the three major composers.  Chapter 1-39 are Isaiah 1.

2.  This Isaiah is writing before the Babylonian Captivity, which took place around 555 before Christ.

3.    You might guess correcty, then, that he is criticising the Israelite people for their bad behavior.

Our passage:  In fact, he is highly critical.  He uses the metaphor or symbol of a vineyard.  Just so you know ahead of time, the vineyard is the people.  Watch what he says happens to the vineyard and why.  This, of course, is setting the stage for the gospel, which is about, you guessed it, another vineyard.  Even the responsorial Psalm is about the vineyard.

Guess what I just might talk about during the homily.

Celeste, home from France and Switzerland for the summer, says it is nice to be home.

We, The Vineyard

Folks, Rosemary & I have been to the vineyard of the Lord.  In fact, I have been twice during the month of September, Yosemite and now our boat trip on the Danube. 

I am still so influenced by my years as a Jesuit and the desire to live a simple life that I am embarrassed to talk about this cruise.  It cost money.  And I feel squeamish about spending.

Cathy & Harper getting ready for Halloween.

However, this trip was one of, if not the best of all the trips we have taken.  Let me mention three aspects, the natural beauty, the beauty of the staff, and the beauty of the group of people we randomly formed up with.

The natural beauty.  We certainly did travel through a section of Germany celebrated for its gorgeous vistas and its vineyards.  We visited some of the villages.

Kara says, "Time for Halloween yet?"

However, for me it was the Danube.  Especially at night.  We would open the curtains of our room and the sliding glass door.  6 feet below me was the Danube moving by, quiet with the exception of the swish of water as we powered up stream.  I would get up to visit the bathroom and return to just gaze. 

Secondly, the staff.  There were two in particular, the program director, Stein, and the concierge, Radi, a young woman with personality and glorious black hair.  But also, the staff down to the girl, Carmen, who watched over our room.  From the beginning when we walked on board and were welcomed with glasses of mimosas, to the end when there was a Viking agent waiting to help us at the Nuremburg airport at 3:45 A.M.  Great cordiality and hospitality.

The Danube at the Continental Divide (no strong current).

Thirdly, the people and especially our group.  On perhaps the 4^th night I noticed around 2:00 A.M. we were simply sitting in the river, not moving.  Turned out, a barge ahead of us had troubles and was blocking our entrance into a lock.  We spent that night and the next morning anchored in the river with other tour boats lined up behind us.  Not one complaint from the group.  In fact, we had a good time.

That good time was enhanced by the charm and cordiality of the group we ended up meeting and putting together, four couples.  Chicago, Philadelphia, Ontario, and Dallas  When it was discovered I was a former Jesuit priest, that led to many interesting conversations. 

Sunset on the Danube looking over the prow of the boat from the top deck.

Isaiah says that the vineyard of the Lord is the House of Israel.  The cruise ship the Viking Njord was the vineyard of the Lord.  You, We are the vineyard.

I can see it.  Can you see it?

Sunset looking over the prow from the top deck.

Apologies to everyone and to John for putting into last Sunday's blog the wrong homily from John's Mass, September 28.  Here is the correct homily,   Download Cade Homily 9-28-14

Readings:

Genesis 15, 5-12, 17-18     To your descendants I give this land.

Psalm 27,  The Lord is my light and my salvation

Philippians 3, 17-4, 1,   Their god is their stomach.

Luke 9, 28-36,   The Transfiguration.

Says Harper, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome in."

Genesis observations

What : book 1 of the whole Bible which includes

1. Origin of people, Creation, Adam & Eve, the apple tree,
2. Cain & Abel,
3. Tower of Babel,
4. The flood, Noah, and the arc,
5. Abraham, The Father of the tribe, Isaac, and Jacob

The stories are mythological and fun reading.

Author: numerous sources, at least 4 big strands. 

Leo, too, says, "Good Morning, Everyone, Come in."

When: guess.  Yes, compiled during the Babylonian Captivity, 555 before Christ, to build cohesion in the tribe because it has a history, especially the point that they are chosen to be special by God.

Our selection: The story about Abraham and how God made a pact with the tribe led by Abraham, considered the founder of the tribe. 

Amusing note: in our reading Yahweh promises a section of land to the Israelite tribe.  This genre of literature comes under the title of denial of responsibility, typified by ‘The dog ate my homework” or ‘God made me do it.’

The story is put together after the fact, after the event.  The fact is, the Israelite tribe had to remove the Caananite tribe from the land.  The Israelites slaughtered them all, men, women, and children, even the live stock.

Their observation years later, ‘Yahweh told us to do it.”  Such was the origin of the Holy Land.

And, of course, Genevieve says, "Wow, Folks, Look what I found and I got two of these things."

Philippians: another amusing observation

Paul says that his enemies and the enemies of the new Christianity have as their god their stomach.   That could apply to me, too.

Sam escorting his mom Wednesday afternoon.             

The Transfiguration Event

I would like to talk this morning about transfiguration events.  I would propose, as I think I have done in the past, that we all have these events in our lives, most likely every day.  Sometimes we plan them.  Sometimes we realize afterward, ‘That activity or experience or social event was marvelous.’

After a transfiguration event I suggest that we experience at least three special feelings, peace, joy, and gratitude.  Let me show you what I mean.

A Wedding Prayer for Stacie and Paul, Surrey House, Mckinney.  Laura, Stacie's daughter is on the left, Kevin, Paul's brother, on the right.

Remember last week I introduced and welcome a couple, Stacey and Paul?  I mentioned that we had a wedding planned for Wednesday afternoon. 

We had the wedding, outside, Wednesday at 2:00, at Surrey House in McKinney, a nice, simple place I had never been to before.  The weather was as good as it gets, clear blue sky, bright sunlight, perfect temperature, green grass.   All would have made for a transfiguration event, but there was more.

Stacie & Paul exchange vows and rings.

First, why Wednesday, you may ask.     Because exactly 4 years ago they had met on a airplane flight. 

Secondly, Stacey is a cancer survivor.  The last time I saw Stacey was one Sunday during her treatment when Rosemary & I brought her communion. 

This was enough.  But on top of it all, her two kids, Sam & Laura, had been altar servers for me at St. Marks for some years.  I loved them.

I came away from that event with great peace, joy, and gratitude.

A new life begins.                                

I know most of you don’t have the privilege of celebrating weddings, as I do.   So we look elsewhere.

For example, did you not come away from the home Mass at Marlene’s house with greater peace, joy, and gratitude?  I did.

What about our Sundays here together?  These are marvelous events for me.

It must be Friday.  Those are Romeos, Kerry, Bill, Matt, Paul, Andy, Ray, Bill, An Old Geezer, and Tom, while Mike takes the picture.   Who let them out??

I can even say a transfiguration event for me can be walking the dog, even like taking Aviana out at 4:15 in the morning and getting her to perform the double header.  What peace.  What a joy.  What gratitude. 

And you?  Where are you finding peace, joy, and gratitude? 

We offer provisions to Sandra who takes in the homeless, i.e., Mike & Geri.