Readings:
Wisdom 9, 13-18, 28-29, Who can know God’s counsel?
Psalm 90, In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Philemon 1, 9-10, 12-17, I, Paul, an old man…
Luke 14, 25-33, If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother.
Sorry no Homily today.
We had a Communion Service and discussion of the readings today. Thanks to all who attended and contributed to our discussion.
Welcome, Everybody, to our new home. And thanks, Becky, for all you have done to welcome us.
Readings:
Exodus 24, 3-8, This is the blood of the covenant
Psalm 116, I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord
Hebrews 9, 11-15, He is a mediator of a new covenant.
Mark 14, 12-16, 22-26, The Eucharist
John with his long awaited arm operation done.
Exodus: 8 points on the readings, including 2 on Exodus, 4 on points from the other readings, 2 more on Exodus
1. This is the 2nd book of the Torah/Pentateuch, the first section of the Old Testament. Deuteronomy, which we visited last week, is the 5th & last book.
Emma doing her candle Magic.
2. Story: This is a fabulous and edifying fable that tells how the Israelites got out of slavery in Egypt with the leadership of Moses.
3. Passover: the night the angel passed over the first born male children of the Jews because they had smeared lamb blood on their door posts. But the angel killed all the Egyptian first born sons to make Pharaoh let the people go. Remember, this is not history, rather like a fable, like Aesop's Fables. There is a story about the burning bush in the Holy Land, for tourists. Tourists are told this bush was the bush that burst into flame and from which Yahweh spoke to Moses.
Welcome in, Harper. I cannot wait to meet your new little sister, Betsy.
4. Covenant vs Contract: in a contract two parties agree to do something. If one fails, the contract is often null. In a covenant two people agree, and even if one party fails, the other party honors the covenant. The Covenant between Yahweh & the People: the people will honor Yahweh as their only god; Yahweh will protect and care for them as his chosen, and bring them into a new land.
5. Sacrifice & holocaust: ancient tribal belief that I must offer to my god (s) things precious to me to appease the god's anger or win his favor, for example, animals, prisoners, and the most beautiful girl in the community. Jesus was seen as this sacrifice to appease the god, and also as the high priest who usually performed the sacrifice. Thus the emphasis on blood & death. Today scripture scholars as well as ordinary folks don't believe in a God who was so angry that he demanded special sacrifice. We do not have a vengeful, angry God.
Sandra reads our Blessing of the Candles.
6. 12 tribes: the 12 sons of the patriarch Jacob (or Israel; the 3 patiarchs were Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob-Israel).
7. Author & Date of Exodus: not Moses. Rather a compilation of material from different centuries, that was mostly put together after the Babylonian Captivity, e.g., ca. 550 BCE.
8. Our Selection from Exodus: the people have been wandering in the desert and are now being given laws and customs they must observe. The Covenant is being sealed.
The Best, Shonda & Ben.
A Banquet of Joy
In honor of it being the feast of Corpus Christi, which is a celebration of our relationship with someone who totally loves us and accepts us as we are, I want to tell you a banquet of joy story.
These banquets take place morning, noon, and night. It does not matter. In fact, my dad was part of a morning banquet every week day at Christ the King parish, as I mentioned last week.
Rita & her admirer at the JCC gym, Jewish Community Center.
The banquet I was part of was in the morning about 6:00, at the Jewish Community Center, in the second floor gym, in fact.
There is a little lady named Rita. She is black, about 60, big hair, somewhat round, and walks slowly into the gym with a walker. She arrives with a DART bus, the small type bus that picks up individuals.
She comes maybe twice a week and settles on a recumbent bike which she pedals easily for 30-40 minutes.
If that crazy Parkinson won't let the right hand behave, Jackie makes for a great substitute right hand.
I noticed her because she was unique in the gym. And I really admired her for doing it. So I started greeting her and we exchanged names sometime during the past year. Last April I told her that I would be gone for a couple of weeks. Rosemary & I were going to France.
She was so excited and asked me to bring her a little key chain statue of the Eiffel Tower.
Want to know why Rosemary played hookey from Juliettes Friday? These two little critters, great nieces Rosemary (how about that!) and Alice, flew into Dallas with their mom, Kristine.
I told Rosemary and, lo and behold, one afternoon in a tiny town curio shop in the Perigord region we found just what she wanted.
It was a week or two until I saw her come in one morning. I got the Eiffel Tower key chain, went to her bike, bowed, and gave her the gift.
She went so crazy over that little token of my affection for her that I was almost in tears. Her delight was my Banquet of Joy.
Coming up, Cupcake of The Week Time, everybody's favorite part of our celebration.
When was the last time you had a Banquet of Joy?
Sez Leo, "Cupcake time yet??"
Says Emma, "Welcome in, Everybody."
Readings:
Genesis 11, 1-9 The whole world spoke the same language.
Psalm 104, Lord, send down your spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
Romans 8, 11-16, The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness.
John 7, 37-39, Let anyone who thirsts come to me.
And from Jan, our communion hostess, "Bread and Grape Juice?"
Seven weeks ago on the Sabbath, the day before Easter, Judaism celebrated their feast of Passover. Recall how the Israelites were set free from being slaves in Egypt when the angel of death had passed over their homes marked by the blood from their lambs. Seven weeks ago on Easter, the Passover feast of Judaism was fullfilled by the Lamb of God who set us free from sin and death.
Yesterday, Judaism celebrated their feast of Pentecost when the Israelites pledged themselves to live the Ten Commandments of the Law. Today, we fulfill the Jewish Pentecost celebration by pledging, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to welcome and live the the Good News of Jesus Christ.
And from Tori & Zoe, "Welcome to our play station."
Those who welcome and live the Good News are likened to the man who builds his house on rock. We do not store up our treasures on earth; rather we seek to bring dignity to the poor, the sick, the hungry, the stranger, and those in prison.
We are called to be Jesus of Nazareth throughout the Good News, therefore we speak in his name. We have the responsibility to treat each person with goodness and kindness; tenderness and compassion.
Candle lighting time with Emma lighting the candle and Georgie reading the blessing of the candles.
It is important that we witness the oneness of our faith in the Good News, to our children and grand children. There are those among us who have the responsibility for watching over their grandchildren. Vacation Bible School can be your best friend during the the coming summer months. Sign them up early, get in a car pool, and have them attend with their friends. Remember, we are one in Christ!
Encourage these children to carry their Bible, or Bible story book, when they come with you to Mass; enjoy watching them tap their feet when we sing together our stories of God’s love for us and our love for others.
Hi, Rookie, great to see you and your grandmother, Carrie.
When you are ready to give a Bible or Bible story book to a child or grandchild make sure that it is age appropriate and that it contains some of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Wrap it with love. Mark your favorite verses for them to get to know you better. Make that day a celebration that the child will not forget.
Ben working the solo shift. It's Summer Vacation time.
"Welcome in, Everybody," say Cody & Richard.
Readings:
Isaiah , 42, 1-4, 6-7, Here is my chosen one.
Psalm 29, The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Acts of the Apostles 10, 34-38, I see that God shows no partiality
Matthew 3, 13-17, Jesus came to John to be baptized
Welcome back out of the hospital, Bill. So good to see you here.
Mike's Homily
Jesus of Nazareth came from Galilee to John at the Jordan River to be baptized by him.
John tried to prevent him, saying,
“I need to be baptized by you,
and yet you are coming to me?”
Wire that old guy up, Hue.
Jesus said to him in reply,
“Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us
to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John allowed him.
After Jesus of Nazareth was baptized,
he came up from the water and behold,
the heavens were opened for him,
and he saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove
and coming upon him.
And a voice came from the heavens, saying,
“This is my beloved Son, the Messiah, with whom I am well pleased.”
The communion table.
Homily
We are to become the words and actions of the Messiah in our everyday lives; recognizing with joy his presence with us.
Want to know who runs this celebration here?
Chicago is a special place to Judy and I; we spent our honeymoon among our visits there. I still have a story in mind that a Chicago woman wrote when she daily used a bus route getting to work and then returning home. Walking to the bus stop each day allowed her to get to know some of people she would say hello to. She got to know a baker who placed in his window each day donuts and her favorite bear claws. Occasionally she would purchase a small sack of them carefully wrapped.
The Best Music with Shonda & Ben & David.
One such day, on the way home from work all of the seats were taken. She began taking off her coat, her hat, her brief case and her bear claws just as someone got up to depart from the bus. She and the young man reached the empty seat at the same time. He let her enter first after he had taken off his coat, hat, scarf and what he had been carrying.
The Celebration team.
Four or five minutes later he opened the sack of bear claws, smiled at her, and began to eat one of them. She was stunned, and began to give him the evil eye. Having finished the first one, he licked his fingers, of all things, and took a second one from the bag. He nodded at her to join him. She gave him another evil look.
The Candle Ritual.
Not wanted him to take advantage of her again, she took out two of them, and saying nothing ate them rather quickly while he licked his fingers and smiled at her. She knew that there was only one left, so she tore it in two and gave him the smaller piece, and smiled back at him.
Mike homilizes.
The bus came to a halt, and he departed, without her having said anything during the whole time they had sat together. She was angry, especially at herself for having stuffed herself and said without words, “Good Riddance.” A few minutes later she stood to get off the bus. As she did so she put her hat back one, followed by her coat, lifted up her brief case and then her scarf.
The last thing she took from her seat was her neatly folded, and carefully wrapped bag of five bear claws. The messiah had been in her midst, and she had not greeted him with a single word.
"It is Girl Scout cookie time," sez Our Dearest Harper.
Readings:
Wisdom 2, 12, 17-20, Let us condemn him to a shameful death.
Psalm 54, The Lord upholds my life.
James 3, 16-4, 3, Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder.
Mark 9, 30-37, Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me.
Victoria and her dear little friend say, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome in.
Wisdom observations:
What:One of the 14-15 books of the deutero-canonical books of the bible. Not OT nor NT, but in between and the subject of controversy over the centuries. The “in between books.” Were they really part of the bible or not? How do you know? Catholic church accepts the books.
Subject matter: the book makes use of traditional Jewish material, as well as ideas borrowed from Greek philosophy, in order to teach that God rewards those who are faithful to him.
Emma, joining her pal Tori, also says, "Hi, Everybody."
Author: not Solomon, but a Jew living in Alexandria, Egypt who wrote and spoke excellent Greek. The book is sometimes called “The Wisdom of Solomon.”
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.
Our Selection: what a wicked person thinks should be done with a good person–beat & kill. This links up with the suffering servant poem from 2 Isaiah last week. Jews think the good person getting beaten is the Jewish race/nation. Christians think the person is Christ.
James: presents a pretty negative image of people. What would be a compassionate image?
And of course, Genevieve, not wanting to be left behind, says, "Welcome, Folks. It's fun here."
Says the child, “Numero uno or last??”
This morning I would like to talk about receiving the child. In particular, I would like to focus on the inner child, the child inside all of us, even in old geezers like myself.
I also want to say a word about the notion of being first or last.
To exemplify the points, a story. I have used the story before. It is too good to bury. The story, the musical play Most Happy Fella.
Zoe, the beautiful candle lighter, at work.
The play is about a guy named Tony, middle aged Italian American, successful wine maker from Nappa Valley, and a bachelor.
He eats in a restaurant one evening in, say, Chicago. He likes the waitress and leaves her a note with his tip, despite his shyness. They begin a long distance correspondence and start to get close. Both are looking for partners.
"Zoe, what is everybody laughing at?"
They decide to exchange photos. Tony, who has been taking a lot of risk because he is so shy, is afraid to show her his picture. He thinks he is too old & too ugly. So he sends her the photo of his handsome young farm foreman. The foreman has already told Tony he is planning on moving on anyway.
So Tony and his girl decide to wed at the farm. On the day of her arrival and the big wedding, Tony discovers that the foreman decided to hang around for the wedding & party. Tony loses it. He goes out, rolls his pickup, and almost kills himself.
Leo and Kevin welcoming a new member to the community. How many elementary schools have a gorilla just outside of the cafeteria?
Meanwhile, girl arrives and thinks the nice foreman is the groom. In fact, they get rather enamored of each other. Then Tony is brought in on a stretcher. Guess what happens then. I’ll tell you at the end.
Let me make 2 observations about Tony.
Two Greats, Shonda & Mike.
First, Tony might have had ambitions about being numero uno, but he really thought he was the last, a loser, ugly, and old. His challenge: get away from thinking best or worst. Both are traps. Just accept Tony as okay.
Secondly, when Tony let himself leave the note for the waitress, he was letting his inner child out for a minute. In his correspondence he was letting that child play. The child wants to be loved and to play. Trouble was, the child was not used to getting out and was afraid. So he tries the picture trick.
"Don't shoot me, Leo, shoot that gorilla."
I can resemble Tony. Thinking I am first, numero uno in anything, or last, both are traps. I would propose it is irrelevant. I am okay just as I am.
Like Tony I have an inner child. Want to know what the child wants? Just watch our kids here. To be loved and to play. I think this is what I am doing when I ride my bike across Iowa or in the Hotter N' Hell Hundred, and when I hike around Yosemite. These are great times for my inner spirit, that is, my inner child.
The Team
So, two questions today:
First, where do you think of yourself, first, last, or just okay?
Secondly, how do you let your own inner child out to play?
What happened to Tony? He eventually became a most happily married fella.
Secrets.
Readings:
Isaiah, 55, 6-9, As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways.
Psalm 1, The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
Philippians 1, 24, 27, Conduct yourselves in a way worthy
Matthew 20, 1-16, The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner…
Thanks to the Team
Music, Ben & Shonda
Readers, Mary Jane (Happy Birthday!) & John & Buddy, the candle blesser
Gospel, Deacon Mike
Homily, Stack
Eucharistic Prayer A & B, Stack & John Cade
The Magic Zoom makers, Mike, Ben & Hue, Richard & Tom & David
Final Blessing, Rosemary
For hosting us at Legacy, Becky
When did you last see God?
Next Sunday after our Sunday morning celebration of life I have a baptism. Remember the Braun family from St. Marks? It was easy to see them because both Debbie & Don were tall. In fact, Don must be about 6'10" and they were visible. They have three grown kids, a boy & two girls. I've done backyard baptisms for them. Heather, one of the daughters has a baby daughter.
Mary Jane reading Isaiah.
For a long time I have always asked the people gathered together for the baptism, when was the last time you saw God. This can be very touching. Of course, probably everybody there says they saw God and see God now when they behold the little baby being baptized.
Reflecting upon this in my own life, I am stunned. Two events have left me speechless and humbled. Almost exactly a year ago, October 20 to be exact, Rosemary & I were visited by that tornado. I cannot say I saw God's presence in the tornado. No, it was the aftermath and especially the next morning. Neighbors whose houses were not damaged came in waves to clear downed tree limbs, clean up all the junk dumped in our yard, and to offer us food. Boys from St. Marks Boys' School brought bottled water & food.
John Schanot reading Philippians.
Doug LeBlanc & Grace came with some of their friends, coming with plywood & tools which they used to board up the smashed bay window on our house. Connie and John Bresson, Mike Moran, Andy, Tom Good, Tom Froelich and others moved tree limbs, cut branches down and generally cleaned up. Just that day was overwhelming itself. But people continued to come every day, some of which were community members. One day Loretta Garcia Williams fed a whole group of our community. I still am humbled and grateful. I saw God those days.
Deacon reading the Gospel.
A few days later a tall junior from St. Marks School and a neighbor kid from a big delightful family 4 doors down came to our front door and knocked. It was a mild & sunny afternoon. He said he wanted to simply tell us that he admired us and was happy we're his neighbors. You know me, I was in tears.
It was hard to leave the neighborhood, as you can imagine. So I was not expecting anything special when we moved into our new neighborhood. Dream on. We took possession of the keys about 1:00 on Monday, the 31st of August from the delightful couple who had fixed the place all up. Before long while we were bringing stuff in with Grace LeBlanc's help, neighbors began coming over to welcome us. With welcome gifts. We got food & wine. We got a home made chocolate cake with chocolate chips! It was so rich! I saw God in those people, especially in the lady who brought the chocolate chip chocolate cake.
And you? When was the last time you saw God?
The brains of our team, Hue, Richard, and Mike.
Please Remember these special people:
For Alan Stryker; For John Doherty with back pain; For Becky's dad who has moved to the other side; For Cindy recuperating at home; For Esparzas, Frank & Mary, For all the medical personnel struggling to treat the tsunami of sick people, in particular, locally, Cindy's staff at Presby, Dallas, and at Frisco Presby, the mother of Harper and Betsy, Kendle, working in labor & delivery; For Mary & Dave Hall's g-daughter Allison Keller working at St. Lukes, Woodlands, For Joe Hogan with cancer; For Loretta's aunt Alicia; For Sydney; & For Sir Charlie & Jan; Shonda's mom & Cody & Ben & all of Shonda's dear family; for all the students and teachers and coaches returning to school.
Shonda & Ben making the best music.
For Betty from Helsem; For Jackie's mom, sister, & friend, Lynn; For a friend & a doctor, Karen, with brain cancer; For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg; For Meredith, cancer free; For Hue; For John O'Donnell; For Dee, and for her daughter, Lisa; For John Schanot's continued health; For Anthony & Sabrina; For a young man who is suffering from depression; John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli and Lambrini, plus John's daughter, Joey, with cancer, For the students, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.
Our Anniversary kids, Tom & Becky, 41 years!
Birthdays: Mary Jane Stevenson, Sophia (12), Ben's daughter
Anniversaries: Tom & Becky, 41
David double checking the out put.
Community Finances, September 13, 2020
Expenses: $ 580.00
Outreach $ 200.00 (often for Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)
Thanks, Folks, for doing what you can.
A new member of our community?
Rosemary's Blessing:
… May God bless you with enough foolishness
to believe that you can make a difference
in this world, in your neighborhood,
so that you will courageously try
what you don't think you can do, but,
in Jesus Christ you'll have all the strength necessary.
"Troubadour: A Missionary Magazine," published by the Franciscan Missionary Society
Sister Act, while Zoe lights our candles for the celebration, Georgie reads the blessing for the candles.
Readings:
Acts of the Apostles 4, 32-35 , The community was of one heart & mind
Psalm 118, Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
1 John 5, 1-6, Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by Bod.
John 20, 19-31, Thomas doubts.
Father & Son Act, Cody and Ben.
Acts of the Apostles observations:
Again like was explained last week, this work is basically the story of the development & growth of the Christian community after the death of Jesus up to Paul's arrival in Rome.
It is considered more idealistic than factual. This passage is a good example of this idealism. The socialistic life style presented is what we lived as Jesuits. Any money we earned went into the community. Any needs we had for money came from the community. Some communities I lived in had a cash drawer. You took what you needed. Other communities I went to the brother. He may be on a tractor pulling a gang mower on the football field. I would wave to him & he would pull a wad of cash out of his pocked and give me whatever I needed. There was a mutual trust.
Offertory Act, Bill & Ron, Richard & Carol, & Barb.
Today's homily was a reading by Beth of The Fall of Freddie the Leaf By Leo Buscaglia.
Is not the worker worthy of a reward? Ask Beth. Thanks, Beth, for the touching reading of The Fall of Freddy the Leaf.
Ugh, ogh, Folks, She is back. Watch out, You Girls.