Reminder for Sunday, July 22, 2012, 16th Ordinary Time B

Readings:  Isaiah 63, 16-19, 64, 2-7, We are the clay, you the potter; Psalm 80, Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved; 1 Corinthians 1, 3-9, I give thanks to my God always on your account; Mark 13, 33-37, Be alert, you do not know when the time will come.

Isaiah: One of the big 3 Prophets, mostly because of the size of the book.  At least 3 writers put this book together and this is number 3.

 

Thanksgiving History: Everyone knows about the first Thanksgiving in 1602 with the Pilgrims and the Indians eating together, the Mayflower, and Plymouth Rock.   Here are 5 facts that people do not hear about usually.

1.  When did Thanksgiving begin?  Our ancestors have celebrated end of harvest feasts of gratitude for centuries.  Lincoln first focused on a national feast; FDR established the national holiday in 1941.

2.  The pilgrims did not know they were pilgrims.  They called themselves saints, and strangers were called non-saints.  The word pilgrim came along in the 18 hundreds, 2 centuries later.  They were not even Puritans, but separatists.  They split off from the Church of England, old Henry VIII's church, and the Puritans did not split off.

3.  The Separatists did not come to establish religious freedom.  They came for religious freedom for their religion and only their religion. 

                                                                                   

4.  The Mayflower returned to England, was torn apart, and its beams were used to build a barn in Buckinghamshire (just north of London & east of Oxford).

5.  How did the Indians & Separatists communicate?   The Indians were Algonquians & one of them, Squanto had actually lived in England some years.  He returned to his tribe and taught his friend, Samoset English.  It was Samoset who communicated with the Separatists, & the Indians taught them to raise corn, to fish, and to hunt.  In the first winter half of the 100 Separatists died before the Indians taught them how to survive. 

 

How Prepare for a Marvelous Christmas

    When I returned to the States in the late 80's and began to work full time as a spiritual director & psychotherapist, I was struck every fall by a tension that I found in some people.  They were nervous about the coming Christmas season. 

    I remember people bringing this up as early as the beginning of the school year in September.  Certainly by October and most certainly by Halloween.  People were tense and anxious because of memories of bad Christmas seasons. 

    Because of this and because we are just beginning the season of Advent, the season of preparation for Christmas, I would like to review some ways to prepare ourselves for a marvelous Christmas.  I have 5 observations.

    1.  First, beware of fear and depression.  I read Mark's story about the man traveling abroad and I can  get spooked into thinking God is going to grab me when I'm not looking.  Nonsense.

    Depression seems to surface more during the Christmas season, because of at least one reason.  Expectations.  We expect more out of the Christmas season, peace, love, warm relationships, gifts.  When the reality comes in below the expectation I have, I get disappointed and maybe depressed.  Memories of disappointing Christmases can also depress me. 

    2.  Unlike Mark's warning about sleeping, I would propose that we need more rest at this darker time of the year.  Our ancestors used to sleep when it went dark.  Today we force ourselves to stay awake and lights keep us awake.  Doctors are saying we need more sleep in the dark days of winter and are recommending, get this, 9 hours.  Maybe try an extra hour.  Try a siesta.

    3.  Along with more sleep, try a little more exercise.  My internist tells me that he wants me to exercise every day.  I do.  Walk through the neighborhood.  Ride a bike.  Along the way look at the colors of the red oaks and Bradford Pear trees. 

    4.  Have you got anything special you do every year for Christmas, during Advent?  Something to get you into a Christmas spirit?  If not, what about finding something?  Two things I have got to do every year: take in a performance of Handel's Messiah and take in the Dallas Symphony Christmas concert.  I may get in an extra one or two of these, but I find this so touches my spirit.

    I know a few families who tour Christmas lights.  Here in Plano is Deer Park.  One of the best is Highland Park, Beverly Drive and Armstrong Parkway, both east and west of Preston.   In Deer Park, you may walk around.  In Highland Park there are horse drawn carriages. 

    5.  Finally, in line with Mark's gospel, watch, watch for the daily miracles and blessings.  Review your year for the biggest blessings, like I mentioned before Thanksgiving.  

    I hope you are not anxious about or nervous about the coming of Christmas.  If you are, even more relevent is my question, 'What are you doing to make  Christmas this year a beauty?'

Picture 1:    1st Sunday of Advent begins

Picture 2:    Mary & Nikki

Picture 3:    Advent candle lighting

Picture 4:    Barb & Ron after their 40th

Picture 5:    Norm

Picture 6:    Leo on the move

 

 

 

Thanks for bringing up our gifts this morning, Carrie & Paul & Mike.

 

 

Readings:  

 Isaiah 35, 4-7,  Be strong, Fear not.  (Isaiah at his best!)

Psalm 146,   Praise the Lord, My Soul.

 James 2, 1-5, Did not God choose those who are poor?

Mark 7, 31-37,  His speech impediment was removed.

 

 

 

Thanks, Dearest Zoe, for lighting our candles this Sunday morning.

 

 

Isaiah observations

 

This selection is from Isaiah 1.    It is a time when Judah, the southern kingdom, is threatened by a powerful neighbor, Assyria (ever hear of this place today?)  Isaiah saw that the real threat to the life of Judah was not simply the might of  Assyria, but the Kingdom's own evil ways.  Guess what is coming, the Babylonian Captivity. 

Today's passage is much more on the hopeful side.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading our Blessing of The Candles this morning, My Dearest Georgie.

 

Be Strong, Fear not.  He comes to save You.

I want to talk this morning about fearing not and being strong, because he comes to save us.

The summer of 1970 was the summer before I got ordained here in Dallas.  I had two more years of theology study in Toronto.  That summer of 1970 I was interning as a chaplain at Boston City Hospital in a Pastoral Counseling program run by Andover-Newton Theologate.

 

 

Welcome in, Natalie & Jim. 

 

 

I lived in the Jesuit  residence in Dorchester.  There were about 4 of us Jesuits.  Because a great Jesuit of the house worked with the kids of the neighborhood  our house was a total safe zone.  The younger kids would look through the windows of the dining room & living room during meals and when we had guests.  We told them your car will not be touched if you park here and they know you are friends.

Remember the Plow Shares 5 and the draft board burnings that Summer?  One of the guys lived with us.

 

 

 

I got The Best Team.

 

 

Every morning I would get up and walk to the hospital through the somewhat famous Roxbury area of Boston.  I never had a problem.  They knew who I was.

My day consisted of visiting patients, typing up interviews verbatim, and taking part in rather confrontational group sessions of 5 or 6 with a supervisor.  I think I came close to getting kicked out for refusing to redo one of my verbatims. 

My most favorite part of the day was visiting the patients.  I loved this dynamic.  There were some powerful sessions.

 

 

 

And we got The Best Music.

 

 

I remember especially one old tough white Bostonian, a former Catholic.  I asked him what became my favorite question, How do you feel about dying?

For a day or so he said, No problem.  Another day he tells me I’m going to hell when I die, but so be it.

You know why.   He and his first wife had divorced years ago.  He  married his recently deceased wife and had kids and a 25 year  happy marriage.  

 

 

 

For Hue our Total Community Blessing on your operation this Wednesday.
 

 

I could not believe it.  This may have been my first with this phenomenon.  I had already concluded that hell was a gimmick of the writers of the time and did not exist.  It was good for keeping in line the people of the tribe.

Would you have sent that guy to hell, for ever? 

What about you?  Where you going?

I think the old guy died peacefully.

 

 

 

Okay, Joe, can we trust you to get that birthday cupcake home to Marsha. 

 

On The Light Side:   (A little old, but still good)

 

On their way to the church to get married, a young Catholic couple 
were involved in a fatal car accident.

Being good Catholics the young couple find themselves sitting outside 
the Pearly Gates waiting for St. Peter to process them into Heaven.

While waiting, they begin to wonder: could they possibly get married 
in Heaven?

When St. Peter finally showed up, they asked him.

St Peter said "I don't know. This is the first time anyone has asked. 
Let me go find out" and he leaves them sitting at the Gate.

After three months, St Peter finally returns, looking somewhat 
bedraggled. "Yes" he informs the couple " I can get you married in 
Heaven".

"Great!" said the couple "But we were just wondering, what if things 
don't work out? Could we also get a divorce in Heaven?"

"You must be joking" says St. Peter, red-faced with 
frustration, slamming his clipboard on the ground.

"What's wrong?" asked the frightened couple".

"OH, COME ON!" St. Peter shouted "It took me three months to find a 
priest up here …..Do you have any idea how long it'll take me to find 
a lawyer?"

 

Blame Ken Cramer for this, not Me!