Sunday Homily, January 12, 2014, Baptism, Cycle A

Guess who is back, Everybody, Wendy!  And she is expecting. 

Readings

Isaiah 22, 19-23,    I will pull you down from your station.

Psalm 138,   Lord, your love is eternal; do not forsake the work of your hands (one of the best psalms on gratitude)

Roman s 11, 33-36,  How unsearchable his ways.

Matthew 16, 13-20,  You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church.  

Not only is Wendy back, but also her parents, her sisters, and their kids.

Matthew observations–

Biblical scholars agree that Jesus did not say what is in this little story.  Rather, the Matthean community shaped a highly stylized scene that attempted to establish Peter's position as leader of the new community.  The writer, because he wants to authenticate Peter, creates a scenario where Jesus makes Peter The Man.

Like, Sheena and her Rocco.

Isaiah observations—

1. Notice the chapter, number, 22.  Students, as you are, of Isaiah, my favorite, will immediately know this is Isaiah 1.  Chapter 1-39 make up Isaiah 1.  Isaiah 2 and 3 follow.
2. Since it is Isaiah 1, you will know that the composer lived before the Babylonian Captivity, which took place around 555 before Christ.  Isaiah 2 is composed during the Captivity.  Isaiah 3, whom we had last week, works after the Captivity.
3. Knowing that things were not good before the Captivity, you can guess that Isaiah 1 is critical of Israeli life.  You would be correct.
4. Our selection today is both critical, “I will pull you down.”  But it is also talking about a better day.  

Emma, our Candle Lighter of The Week in action.

I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with all my heart ;

In the presence of the angels I will sing you praise

When I told Rosemary a day or so ago that I wanted to talk about thanksgiving and did she have any ideas, ( She often has good ones.)  she says to me, “Why do you want to talk about thanksgiving ?  This is August, not November.” 

“You love this Psalm 138 almost as much as I and I can’t be grateful enough,” I responded.  Consequently, I have 4 delights I am grateful for this morning, and Rosemary reminded me of all 4.  They are an unexpected delight, a seasonal delight, a nocturnal delight, and a constant delight.

Says Tori, "Hi, Everybody."

The first delight, then.  Parakeets, wild parakeets.

When Rosemary & I ride our bikes around the jewel of White Rock Lake, we begin at Royal Lane & Greenville, we ride south on the White Rock Creek path to NW Highway, and then we pass along the eastern shore of the lake to the very southern edge, where we stop for a break at a shady boat house.  Not always, but occasionally we are welcomed by a whole bevy of green parakeets.  These parakeets are famous in Dallas

This past week they welcomed us raucously every day.  It was especially a delight because we introduced Carrie to our little friends.   For this unexpected delight,  I give thanks.

Hi, Carol, you look great, along with Richard and Bernadette.

 Secondly, the delight of a landscape.  The seasonal delight took place on the White Rock Creek path.  Rosemary & I are going north on the path back to our car.  We have passed under the Skillman St. Bridge and passed over a small scenic, steel & wood bridge heading for the tunnel under Abrams Rd. 

I glance up from watching the cement path and what I see was so touching, about 300 yards of the path winding ahead of me through dark woods, the rich green grass recently mowed, and, framed by the forest in a V image, the  sky so blue it took my breath away.  I wanted to stop.   For a seasonal delight, I give thanks.

The Minor Elevation.

The nocturnal delight took place after I had gone to sleep Thursday night.  Rosemary comes into the bedroom and whispers that the movie event for Souls Harbor came off really well and that the best part for her was that a whole bunch of our community was all there together.  I went back to sleep proud of you people. For a nocturnal delight, I give thanks.

The constant delight is the non-stop generosity and the always ready to help presence of John Cade and Mike Carrell.  What would we all do when Rosemary wants go on a cruise or go visit her sister in Hilton Head, if it were not for you two guys?

For you two constant delights, I give thanks.

What delights you are grateful for?

Say Harper and Victoria, "Wow, that  was really good."

Readings: Acts 4, 32-35; Psalm 118, Give Thanks to the Lord for He is Good, His Love is Everlasting; 1 John 5, 1-6; Luke 24, 35-48.

Acts:  Just a reminder–

Author: Luke who is writing a continuation of his Gospel.  Much of his Gospel material is copied from Mark's Gospel.

Date: maybe 40 years after the death of Christ, or ca. 70-100 A.D.

Subject:     

•    First, the spread of the Christian movement in Jerusalem

•    Second, the spread of the movement through Palestine, i.e., the Holy Land

•    Third, the spread of the movement throughout the known world

Our selection:  Peter & John have just healed a cripple at the temple door.  Peter has told the gathered Jews that he did not do it.  Jesus gives them the power.   And, moreover, Jesus has risen from the dead.  Peter & John get arrested for this talk and then are released with a warning to not go around talking about Jesus Christ as risen from the dead.  The men return to the local group of believers where they share their adventures.  At this point Luke sets aside a couple of paragraphs to describe the local group of believers. 

You will note that the believers live a communal life.  This is what I lived as a Jesuit and it was comfortable.  It is also why I knew I was taken care of as long as I was a member.  Leave and I depart with nothing.

To Obtain that Peace, Face that Fear

A couple of years ago when I did the wedding in Scotland, I was hosted graciously by Katie McGrath, Bob & Jackie's daughter, who lives with her Scotch husband in Edinburgh.  I arrived a couple days early so I could look around a bit.  One beautiful day Katie took me to a huge book fair in the center of town.  While there we took in a couple lectures.

In one of these lectures there were three people discussing something which I have no memory of.  However, during the course of the lecture one of the people quoted one line from a poem that I had noticed and started to memorize.  As the lecture wound down I got this crazy idea.  I could show my appreciation for what these three people had done so well.  I might stand during the question time and recite the whole poem. 

Folks, I hate to get these ideas.  Where do they come from?  They can come up as questions, too. 

I'm sitting there thinking to myself, I don't want to get up in front of all these people and recite a poem, which I may not even remember.  I was pretty fearful.  At the same time, I am thinking, "Stack, you will be disappointed in yourself if you do not do this."  I have been in this place often.

Guess what I did.  Yes, I stuck my hand up, was called upon, stood, and recited the poem, stumbling a bit on only a couple of words.  People even helped me when I stumbled, which showed me that I was not the only person who appreciated the poem.  I told the panel I dedicated it to them and they seemed appreciative.  Even more grateful was I, however, that I could overcome my initial fear.

Which leads me to our Gospel story today.  Here we have the followers of Jesus, 8 or 10 of them, petrified and hiding behind locked doors.  Jesus comes in and says, "Peace."  I would like to say a couple of things about fear and peace and their relation.

I would propose that there are three types of fear.  One is therapeutic, one is non therapeutic or unhealthy, and the third sort of hits in the middle.  Therapeutic fear is when I meet a bear in Yosemite.  The adrenalin pumps and I want to run rather than getting mauled.  Good idea.  The apostles had this fear in that room, because if they went out maybe they too would get crucified. 

Another type of fear is of the ultimate, the fear of dying.  The response to this is just the opposite.  I may take numerous appropriate measures to cure myself, but in the long run we all will walk the path.  The response to the walk is acceptance. 

My little hero, a Dominican monk whose statue is in the Campo di Fiori in the heart of Rome, Giordano Bruno, seems to have accepted his fate to be burned at the stake one winter morning in 1600.  This was despite the fact that he spent 8 years in two inquisition prisons, Venice & Rome, defending his thinking and writing, fighting for his life.  He was brilliant little man ahead of his time by a few centuries.

The third type of fear was what I experienced when that crazy thought entered my mind.  Fear of humiliating myself, fear of looking like an idiot in front of those people, the old fear of talking in public which fortunately I seldom am cursed with any more.  The reason why Thomas in this gospel is a hero of mine is that he had the courage to say I don't believe this until I see with my own eyes.  He questioned. 

How do you deal with these types of fears.  Sorry to tell you for those who have it, face it and overcome it.  Join toastmasters like a number of people I know, including Rosemary's sister, Claire, volunteer to talk or read before people, ask questions at lectures. 

The result of dealing with these three types of fear?  Peace.  The Peace He is talking about in the Gospel.  Obviously, when I run from that bear in Yosemite, I will have peace. 

Especially I will experience peace when I accept my death, whatever form that may take.  And I will experience peace when I face my non therapeutic fears, like the fear of humiliating myself in front of others. 

I think this is what God created us to experience.  Inner peace.

The poem?  By W.H. Davies, Leisure

What is this life if, full of care, we have not time to stand and Stare?

No time to stand beneath the boughs and stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see when woods we pass, where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance, and watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this, if full of care, we have no time to stand and stare.

How are you dealing with your fears? 

AUDIO:  http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2009-04-19.mp3

Picture 1:  Mass begins with T.J. & Lorynne & Lacee

Picture 2:  Emily & Lindsay bring up the bread & wine

Picture 3:  Genny Holcolm

Picture 4:  Barb Wittek, Teresa & Doug Read

John shares his Homily.

Readings:  

 2 Kings 4:42-44,  They shall eat and there shall be some left over.

 Psalm 145,   The hand of the Lord feeds us;he answers all our needs.

 Ephesians 4: 1-6, One body and one Spirit.

John 6: 1-15,  The miracle of the loaves and fishes.

The Consecration. 

Homily:

From the prominence of the miracle stories of feeding multitudes with so little, and the importance given to the Passover meal by the Jewish followers of Jesus, it’s no surprise that they didn’t take long after he died to make a remembrance of his last Passover meal the centerpiece of their gatherings.

By 325 A.D., with Constantine as Emperor of the Roman Empire, the Eucharistic meal was recognized as a central part of Christian practice.  Earlier, about 150 A.D., Justin Martyr, an early Christian apologist, wrote to explain Christianity to the Greek world, how the followers of Jesus had the practice of celebrating a remembrance of the Lord’s Supper when they gathered.

The Offertory with Hugh, Sydney and Mary.

Earlier still is the Acts, written between 80 and 90 A.D. In Ch. 2, is the statement, “They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful.”

Perhaps the earliest written mention of the Eucharistic meal is in First Corinthians, Ch. 11. Scripture scholars agree that the letters of Paul were written around 50 A.D., about 20 years after Jesus’ death. Paul alludes to irreverent behavior at “the Lord’s Supper.” He was criticizing the followers of Jesus in Corinth about turning the meal into “a family squabble”, instead of coming to the “Lord’s Table” with reverence and courtesy.”

The Kiss of Peace.

The Lord’s Supper, the Mass, as it evolved, has had different understandings. Is the Mass primarily a ‘sacrifice’ being remembered and somehow offered again for a people cut off from God? Or is the Mass primarily a shared ritual meal of remembrance, celebrating a people’s thankfulness for Jesus’ Good News that we are already connected with God and always have been?           

What do you think?

Shonda and Ben.

Genesis 14:    "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who delivered your foes into your hand."

Corinthians   11:  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

Luke 9:  They all ate and were satisfied.  And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets.

Mary reads from St. Paul's Letter to the Corinthians

Thanks…     

Music,   Ben & Shonda

Janice & Mike get a cookie for their anniversary

Outreach: $   50.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

Rosemary's Blessing:

 

 

 

 

John Stack Ministries meets on Sunday for Mass at 9:30 at The ArtCentre of Plano, 902 E. 16th St, Plano,

Texas.

 

 

JSM Mission-Faith Statement  

 Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for & challenges spiritual & total growth.   Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged & make the world we live in a better place to live.

You ready to read, Buddy?

Readings:  

 Jeremiah 31, 7-9,  The Lord has delivered his people.

Psalm 126,  The Lord has done great things for us, we are filled with joy

 Hebrews 5, 1-6,  Every high priest is taken from among the people.

 Mark 10, 46-52,   Bartimaeus, the blind man.

While Emma lights the candles, Buddy reads the Blessing of The Candles, a first time ever for Buddy.

Jeremiah observations:

Who:  one of the Big 3 Prophets, 52 chapters, the “broken hearted prophet,” because he hated being so unpopular and having to condemn so much. 

Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe seems to be who put down the prophet’s message.   Jeremiah probably died in Egypt.

When: put together before & during the B.C., Babylonian Captivity, say 555 before Christ  (reminder, Babylon is near present day Bagdad, Iraq).

Remember, too, that time before Christ is counting downward or backwards.

Our Belief.

Interesting Side Note: (another reminder) can you guess when the Genesis story of creation in 7 days was composed?  Biblical research reveals that the creation story was put together during the Captivity, this same time, i.e. ca. 555.

Why?  The priests & prophets (e.g., Ezekiel) of the Jews in captivity determined that the people would not be assimilated into the local gene pool as their cousins in the northern kingdom had done when made to live with the Assyrians.  They decided they would establish customs & religious practices that would make the Jews so different they would not intermarry.  Three special laws were established: 1.  male circumcision; 2. dietary laws and laws about not touching menstruating women; and 3. the Sabbath.

The Healing Touch

The priests put together the 7 day creation story to suggest that Yahweh approved of their Sabbath law.  They had Yahweh rest on the 7th day to bolster their demand that all Jews take a day off every 7 days.  Before the Babylonian Captivity there was no legislated Sabbath and no myth of Yahweh creating the world in 7 days with the 7th being a day of rest.  So, now you know when the story was created & by whom, the priests, and why, to keep the Jews united vs the Babylonians.  It worked, even down to today.

Subject of the work: the usual prophet message—condemn, pay, peace.

Today's subject: Beautiful message of peace and consolation.  It is coming.

Sources: Bishop John Shelby Spong, The sins of Scripture; Wikipedia

The Healing Touch for Emma.

Homily:

Rosemary's Blessing:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks still bravely singing fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead: Short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved: and now we lie
In Flanders fields!

Taken from IN FLANDERS FIELDS
By Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

Composed at the battlefront on May 3, 1915 
during the second battle of Ypres, Belgium

Thanks to the Team

Music, Shonda & Ben

Readers, Richard & Brent, Deacon Mike, & Buddy, the candle blessing

Eucharistic Prayer, John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers, Mike & Ben & Becky 

Final Blessing, Rosemary

Readings:

Acts of the Apostles, 1, 12-14, All devoted themselves to prayer

Psalm 27, I believe I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

1 Peter  4, 13-16,   Rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ.

John 17, 1-11, I pray for them. 

Remembering……….        This was taken in Yosemite ca. 2003-2004.   A bunch of convicts on a week parole.   The good old days.  Quality went south after this trip: we went co-ed.  We were invaded by sorts like Rose, like Beth, & Nicole.

See pix of new rectory at bottom of blog.

 Reading 1

A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles       

When they were together for the last time they asked, “Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now?  Is this the time?”  He told them, “You don’t get to know the time.  Timing is the Father’s business.  What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit.  And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.”  These were his last words.  As they watched, he was taken up and disappeared in a cloud.

So they left the mountain called Olives and returned to Jerusalem.  It was a little over half a mile.  They went to the upper room they had been using as a meeting place.  All of them agreed they were in this for good, completely together in prayer, the men and women alike.

Our word for today.

Across Camellia from our house on Tulip Lane 3 homes have been bulldozed including the big one owned by the hockey player, Tyler Sagan.  We should be out of our house in two months and into our new house (see below).  Our old house will be visited by the bulldozer.

Reading 2

A Reading from the First Letter of Peter

Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job.  Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced.  This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner. 

If you’re abused because of Christ, count yourself fortunate.  It’s the Spirit of God and his glory in you, that brought you to the notice of others.  If they’re on you because you broke the law or disturbed the peace, that’s a different matter.  But if it’s because you’re a Christian, don’t give it a second thought.  Be proud of the distinguished status reflected in that name!

Our word for today.

3 homes demolished on this one corner of Tulip Lane & Camellia.

The Lord be with you.       A Reading from the Gospel of John  

Raising his eyes in prayer, Jesus said: 

Father, it’s time; display the bright splendor of your Son,

So the Son in turn may show your bright splendor.

You put him in charge of everything human,

So he might give real and eternal life to all in his charge.

And this is the real and eternal life:

That they know you,

The one and only true God,

And Jesus Christ, whom you sent.

I glorified you on earth, by completing down to the last detail,

what you assigned me to do.

And now, Father, glorify me with your very own splendor,

The very splendor I had in your presence

Before there was a world.

I spelled out your character in detail

To the men and women you gave me.

They were yours in the first place; then you gave them to me,

And they have now done what you said.

They know now, beyond the shadow of a doubt,

That everything you gave me is firsthand from you,

For the message you gave me, I gave them;

And they took it, and were convinced that I came from you.

They believed that you sent me.

I pray for them, not for the God-rejecting world;

They’ll continue in the world, while I return to you.

Holy Father, guard them as they pursue this life

That you conferred as a gift through me,

So they can be one heart and mind, as we are one heart and mind.

The Good News of John.

Observations by Deacon Mike

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the words and actions of Jesus Christ come alive to us within the written gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

It is there that we become aware that the gift of the Holy Spirit, who dwells within our hearts, calls us to forgive others as we have been forgiven; to bring love to others as we have been loved.

In our gospel from last Sunday, Jesus invited his disciples, and us, to follow his way, his truth and his life; so that we can come to be in him as he is in his Father. 

We celebrate the Holy Spirit coming upon the Church

In the Feast of Pentecost; to begin the Church’s mission to the whole world; to Jew or gentile, slave or freeman, male or female, Catholic or Methodist, Baptist or Lutheran.

The Church today places a different emphasis in its selection of readings; they will now begin to come from primarily Luke’s Acts of the Apostles.

So we end our readings this morning that we have taken from primarily the John gospel during this past Easter season this way: “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent me so I send you.

Jesus said to his disciples: “If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you. 

I will talk to the Father, and he will provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone who dwells with you and in you.  This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. 

The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him; but you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will continue to do so! 

Then, Jesus said to his disciples, “I will not leave you orphaned.  I’m coming back for you.  In just a little while the world will no longer see me, but you’re going to see me, because I am alive and you are about to come alive with me.

At that moment you will know absolutely that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.  

The Good News according to John

Please Remember these special people:

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 Frank having hernia surgery this week;  For Joe Hogan with cancer,  For Loretta's aunt Alicia;   For Ryan, Rosemary's nephew, who had surgery; For Bill Hammond,    For Sydney;  & For Sir Charlie;  Shonda's mom;   For Gilberto:  for Michelle;  For a friend, a neighbor, & 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; 

Birthdays: Ray (80), Christi Occhipinti (45), Zaile Ekes, Shonda, Brent (13, AA), & Mabel (88!)

Community Finances, May 24, 2020

Expenses: $230.00

Outreach:  $120.00  (often for Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)

Thanks, Folks, for doing what you can.

Welcome!  Our New Home, the New Rectory

Address 7017 Helsem Lane, same zip code, 75230,  Hillcrest Villas,

2.2 miles from 6107 Tulip Lane (to be bulldozed by the present owner, a former SMU student & basket ball player), S. of LBJ, north of Churchill, rustic motif in the whole subdivision (ca. 120 homes), car ports rather than garages. 

We are blessed with a corner lot, slab vs pier & beam, ca. 2000 sq. ft. (1900 at Tulip Lane, & so much for downsizing). 

The couple selling us their house said that Rosemary' personal letters letting people know we were interested in buying their house really decided them to call us.  A very  nice couple with 3 grown kids.

Happy Memorial Day from Helsem Way!