Readings: Entry Reading, Matthew 21, 1-11; Isaiah 50, 4-7; Psalm 22, My God, My God, why have You abandoned me?; Philippians 2, 6-11; Passion, Matthew 26. 

 

Palm Sunday/Passion Sunday 2011    

Intro to the Readings

 Today we will be celebrating both Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday – two extremes – the one an occasion of great joy and celebration with the palms, when Jesus comes riding into Jerusalem being hailed as King, the other is our reading of the Passion of Jesus from Matthew’s Gospel.  Each of the evangelists gives us an account of Jesus’ last days.  It might help to put it into perspective by considering, particularly for those of you who were alive and can remember the assassination of President John Kennedy, the time lapse between the event and the writing of the gospel narratives.  Our views of president Kennedy have been affected by time.  So too the account of Jesus’ death is influenced by the events taking place when these accounts were written.

 

 In brief, Matthew and Mark are very similar and present a Jesus who has been abandoned by all!  The disciples do not come off too well, they fall asleep on him three times, Peter denies him three times, and Jesus’ last words from the cross are “My God, why have you abandoned me. 

For Luke, Jesus is not abandoned, the disciples appear in a much more sympathetic light.   The people are not against Jesus, three times Pilate declares Jesus innocent, and in Luke, Jesus heals the soldier whose ear is cut off.  He prays for the women of Jerusalem, he forgives those who persecute him, promising the good thief heaven and finally prays, ”Into your hands I commend my spirit”. 

 John has a Jesus who is able to declare “I lay down my life and I take it up again, no one takes it from me”.  On the cross his royalty is proclaimed in three languages, Pilate declares him King of the Jews, his Mother and beloved disciple are with him at the foot of the cross, and his final words are “it is finished”. 

 How are we to understand these different presentations?  Not as contradictions but as different sides of a diamond, because we will need Jesus differently in our different circumstances, at different times in our lives.  Sometimes we will feel abandoned, sometimes in need of comfort and other times assured of God’s infinite power.

 

 Homily

I want to use this time for the homily, very briefly.  A question I would have you consider as we listen to the gospel reading today – who are you in those readings? 

Are you one of the crowd on Palm Sunday cheering wildly as Jesus rides into Jerusalem?  Are you one of the disciples who abandoned Jesus when things got tough, or Peter who denied him three times, or Judas who betrayed him?  Are you Pilate, who declares his own innocence by washing his hands of the whole thing? 

 
This may seem a bit of an extreme question, but remember, the way the gospel story is presented by each of the evangelists is colored by the circumstances in which their account has been written.

Picture 1:   The Passion with Claire Occhipinti helping

Picture 2:   The Kiddos, Georgie, Natalie, J.E., and Kendall

Picture 3:   Offertory, Tom & Teresa Quinn

Picture 4:   Communion helpers, Rob & Beth Robinson and Mike Carrell

Picture 5:   Communion helpers, Joanne, Tom & Lynda Fleming 

 

 

Amos 7,  The lord took me.

Psalm 85, Lord, let us see your kindness and grant us your salvation 

Ephesians 1, Blessed be God who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing.

Mark 6, He began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits.

 

 

Who let these Juliettes out in public!

 

Thanks……

Music,    Shonda 

Readers,  Mary Hall & Sandra Pratt, & Buddy, our candle blesser 

Gospel,     John Cade

Homily,   John Stack

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,     Richard

Final Blessing, Rosemary

For hosting us at Legacy for all these years & will miss you enormously, Becky

Mary arrives ready to read from Amos.

 

Readings:

Download Readings 15th Ordinary 07-11-21

 

Homily by John Stack

Download Homily by Stack 7-11-2021 15th Sunday of Ordinary time

 

 

Sandra reading from Ephesians.

 

Remember these special people:

For John & Karen Anderlick's unborn grandson;  For Alan Stryker;   For Candice Taht, friend of Mary Hall;   For Rosemary's great niece, Rylie ;  For Richard's grand daughter, Madeleine;   For Esparza's new great grandson baby, son of Monique, & Frank with shingles;  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, and for Hue & Linda's daughter, Doctor Rosemary Beavers;   For Mary & Dave Hall's g-daughter Allison Keller working at St. Lukes, The Woodlands,   For Loretta's aunt Alicia;  For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom & Cody &  Leo & all of Shonda's dear family; For Ursuline Sr. Mary Troy, 

 

The Team, John & John.

 

Jackie's mom, sister, & friend, Lynn;  For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg.; For Meredith, cancer free & John Schanot;    For John O'Donnell & Jean;   For Jean & Cliff Wright;  For Dee, and for her daughters, Lisa & Lauren  ;  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; from Barbara, a little 4 month old baby boy named Ford recuperating from an operation; for David McKeon's brother, Hugh; For Beth's friends & brother;   for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

 

 

Peace, Everyone.

 

Birthdays:  John Schanot & Caroline Grattifiori 

Anniversaries:  Ron & Marilyn, 68th

 

Happy 58th Anniversary, Ron & Marilyn.

 

Community Finances,   July 11, 2021

Expenses: $560.00  

Outreach: $210.00  

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

 
   
                                                                                                                           

Welcome home, Monique.                                                                                                                                      

Rosemary's Blessing:

I just finished a marvelous book, The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan.  It is the story of a young couple and 2 young sons making their way from the Ukraine westward at the end of WWII.

At the end of the mother’s life many years later when she was 80+ years old a friend asked the woman, Adeline to describe the most important things she learned over the course of her long and remarkable life.

Adeline thought about that for a little while before saying, “Don’t chew on the bad things that happen to you, dear.  Try to see the beauty in every cruelty. It sets you free.  Forgive hurt if you want to heal a broken heart.  Try to be grateful for every setback or tragedy, because by living through them, you become stronger.  I see the hand of God in that.”

 

 

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

 

Readings:

 1 Kings 19 4-8, Elijah prayed for death.  Plus Chapter 18, it is so good.

Psalm 34,    Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Ephesians 4, 30-5, 2,   All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you.

John 6, 41-51, I am the bread of life. 

 

                       Hi, Genevieve, Welcome in to You.

 

Kings:  a review–

Subject: The kings of Israel.  The Big 3 kings were Saul, David, & his son Solomon.  The 2 Books of kings follows the 2 Books of Samuel, which describe the lives of the the kings up to the death of the Great King David, my favorite.  1 & 2 Kings takes up the life of Solomon, David's son, his building of the temple, his death, and the fate of the kingdom following his death, that is, it divides and is conquered. 

Time Period:  from ca. 900 – 555 before Christ, or from Solomon to Nebuchadnezzar & Cyrus.

 

                          Zoe says, "Wow, it is fun to be here."

 

Authors: a compilation of many sources that was put together at the end of the Babylonian Captivity, ca. 555 before Christ. 

Our Selection: focus is on one man, the prophet Elijah.  The kingdom has already been split.  Our story takes place in the northern state, Israel.  Time of severe drought.  The king is Ahab; his queen, the famous Jezebel.  The prophet Elijah has scolded them for turning to false gods to end the drought.  

 

Cole & Angela holding hands during the Our Father.  Cole says to his mom, "Mom, she needs me to hold her hand…She doesn't have anyone."  Wow, Cole, you are The Best.

 

There has been a contest in chapter 18: Elijah vs the 450 prophets of Baal, ultimately to see which side would be more effective in bringing rain.  2 bulls were slaughtered.  Naturally, Elijah wins when Yahweh answers his prayer, sends down fire, and consumes the bull Elijah has slaughtered.  When he wins, he slaughters the 450 prophets of Baal.   

We enter at a point where Jezebel is furious with Elijah for killing her favorite prophets and aims to kill Elijah.  He is going to run away all depressed.   

We will read an expanded chapter 19, from 1-13.   

 

Cole's grandmother, Diane, one of the numerous                             positive influences in Cole's life.

 

Kind, Compassionate, and Forgiving

I would like to talk about what Ephesians brings up, being kind, compassionate, and forgiving.  It happened to me.

Folks, I unexpectedly had another one of those special weeks.  Not on the Kilimanjaro level of my Ragbrai week, but still special.

I don’t know if you saw in the news that this past week the Jewish Community Center was hosting the Maccabi games.  There are two or three places where these games take place every summer for Jewish kids from, say, 12 to 16.  Kids come from all over the world.  Some games are even scheduled in Europe and Israel. 

 

Linda and Hue at 40 years today.  Give that marvelous couple a cupcake!

 

Dallas hosts the games every 5 or so years and it is big.  9 venues are involved where the events take place.  Kids came from Australia and Israel, to name only two that I saw, plus from cities all over the States.  26 programs were involved with over a thousand kids playing soccer, basketball, volleyball, and even ping pong, to name just some . 

How did I get mixed up in the show?  You know I do spin classes at the Jewish Community Center every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings at 6:00.  Two of the women in the class whom I like a lot are part of the organizing team.  They were looking for volunteers among even non-Jewish people, not to host the kids, but to volunteer.  So I volunteered. 

 

 

Would you trust this man to give Carrie her birthday                       cupcake?   Mr. Paul  has been known… 

 

The first thing I noticed when I came on board was that, despite the fact that there was a tsunami of kids at the J, which was ground zero, that same spirit of trust was there that I noticed in Iowa.  Backpacks were lying around all over, inside a lot, but outside everywhere.  I was again moved by this trust atmosphere.

Secondly, I noticed the security.  My car had to be tagged, I had to be tagged, photo ID at all times.  Guess why.  Remember the Munich games?  These kids are potentially a target.  About that, I am sad.  These kids were beautiful and charming.  And there are people who would be happy to kill them.  I am reminded of the Holocaust and I always have a hard time getting my mind around that. 

 

 

A Cupcake for you on your Birthday, Marlene.

 

 

My role in the event?  I was involved Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, mostly in being a score keeper and line judge in girls’ volley ball and in being a timer in swimming.  I was at the Sportsplex on Alpha Road behind the old Valley View center.  This was where I met kindness, compassion, and forgiveness.

I met it because I messed up the score at least 5 games out of the 10 or so I scored and even flubbed being a line judge.  At least three times the volleyball games had to be stopped so the score could be made right.  For me it was not so simple because the scoring is different today.   Plus I would get emotional and cheer a spike or some wicked serve and forget to flip the score. 

 

 

The Team.  No white alb this morning.  The alb got left at the wedding venue the night before.

 

 

And you think being a line judge is simple.  No way.  It goes against all my Jesuit training and psychological formation.  My training was don’t judge the book by the cover, no black or white, no right or wrong.  So I had to think about what I saw.  On the one had, this shot could be in.  On the other, maybe it was out.

One time I even judged a ball out, which favored the team I was closer to.  The main line judge, however, over ruled me and then the girls on the team said to him, “But he said it was out!” 

Despite all my dufus mistakes, all these people were kind, compassionate, and forgiving. 

 

The Offertory Team  John & Connie, Marsha & Joe.

 

 

Moreover, I even fell in love with the Dallas girls’ volleyball team.  I had watched them so much.  Trouble was, they lost the final.  I could not stay to watch after they had lost the first 2 out of 5 to L.A.. 

The week was special for me.  What was special this week for you?

 

 Says Genevieve, "Wake me up, please when that old                         geezer stops talking."

 

Readings:  

 Amos, 7, 12-15, The Lord took me from following the flock, and said to me, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.  (Expanding the reading)

Psalm 85, Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

Ephesians 1, 3-14 In love he destined us for adoption to himself.

Mark 6, 7-13, Take nothing for the journey but a walking stick, no food, no sack, no money.

 

Amos:   

Author: Amos or his scribe.  He was a shepherd of sheep & tended sycamore trees.  One of the 12 minor prophets of the OT, minor because of smallness of the works.  Amos has only 9 chapters.  Usual pattern of prophets: 1.  condemnation of the people’s behavior;  2. predictions of severe punishment for the behavior; 3. promises of better times in the future. 

Date: Ca. 777 (a memory help), after the kingships of David & Solomon, time of King Jeroboam of the northern kingdom, called Israel vs the southern kingdom, called Judah (where Jerusalem is).   

Geography: Note the two kingdoms, Judah in the south, Israel in the north.  Amos tended sheep in a little town called Tekoa, 10 miles south of Jerusalem, in Judah, the south.  He is sent by Yahweh to Bethel, a small but important town in the northern kingdom, 10 miles north of Jerusalem, to warn the people of Israel & their king Jeroboam that Yahweh was mad at them.  The wicked high priest of Bethel, Amaziah condemns Amos for his interference.

The Setting: a time of prosperity.  But Yahweh is mad at the greed of the wealthy and their oppression of the poor (which ties into our gospel talking about walking lightly through life).  We know the people of this kingdom of Israel are headed for annihilation by the Assyrian nation.  And they will disappear as a significant body, around 700 before Christ.

Our Selection, chapter 7: (reading all of chapter 7) Amos describes three visions or dreams he has.  Amaziah gives it to him for spreading these visions around.  Then, Amos responds and socks it to Amaziah with a hammer.

 Mark:  a couple of reminders–

 

    1.  Mark is the first of the 4 gospels written, ca 70 C.E.  Note: Jerusalem & the Temple were smashed by the Romans in 70, after a Jewish rebellion.  In 73 the famous Masada battle took place.  More about this event another day.  Just think, from this date until 1948 a Jewish state did not exist.

    2.  The first written documents were by Paul, his letters.

Sources: Grace Institute of Biblical Leadership; Catholic Encyclopedia; Wikipedia

 

Want to be free?  Travel lightly.

Ever been to The Bridge?  Know what it is?  The Bridge is one of the homeless shelters in downtown Dallas, just south of City Hall.  It was built by the City.  It serves 3 meals a day and houses about 350 people overnight. 

Rosemary & I have been there about 6 times this year to help serve meals.  My favorite job is the tray collector.  What I do is stand in a corner near the exit and a window into the dish washing area.  As each person finishes they walk up, give me their tray, and exit.  I empty into trash bins leftover food, pour leftover water down a sink, send the utensils through the window, and, this is why it is my favorite, I chat up each person, thanking them for coming in and wishing them a good afternoon or night. 

Frequently as the people depart they pick up bundles they leave by the door.  These bundles contain their earthly possessions.  I often ask them what they got inside.  Extra clothing, extra pair of shoes, toilet articles, maybe a momento.  That’s it.

I thought about these men and women when I read the instruction to take nothing for the journey.  Wow.  I can feel guilty.  I certainly cannot fit all I have into a bundle, let alone take nothing for the journey. 

I’ve touched upon some of this before, but let me remind you.   Three observations.

First, we have here another example of the spirituality of infinite demand vs. infinite acceptance.  This is hyperbole.  It is not meant to be taken literally.  We don't have to live like the people in The Bridge, one bundle with all our belongings

Secondly, having said this, there comes along the danger to discount the principle.  Spiritual & physical freedom is involved here. 

I confess I normally do not have much trouble with this principle.  By nature and by Jesuit training I do not like too much stuff in my life.  I can drive Rosemary crazy.  If I don’t use something for a year, clothes or book, whatever, I want to hand it over to charity.  Not always provident.

There is the cynical statement going around that he wins who ends up with the most toys.  Delusion.  This reminds me of the monkey & banana story.  The monkey is holding on to a banana in a cage.  He cannot get his hand out without letting loose of the banana.  He won’t let loose.  He is trapped.  We can be trapped by our stuff. 

Thirdly, the journey mentioned by Jesus is a metaphor.  It is not a journey like riding a bike across Iowa, which Rosemary & I will do next Sunday.  It is the journey of life. 

The challenge: travel lightly the journey of life.

What do you need to toss overboard to lighten your journey of life?

 

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:  Isaiah 45, 1-6; Psalm 96; 1 Thessalonians 1, 1-5; Matthew 22, 15-21

Isaiah: This selection comes from what is probably Isaiah 2, written some centuries after the first 39 chapters.  Isaiah speaks from Yahweh's perspective and He is calling someone by name.

Thessalonians:

• Time written: ca. 52 A.D.  Considered Paul's first letter.

• Place: Paul was writing in Corinth, Greece to the town in northern Greece, Thessalonica, at the northern corner of the Aegean Sea.

• Purpose of writing: to comfort and encourage the new Christians of Thessalonica, most of whom were Gentiles.

Picture 1: Beginning of Mass

Picture 2: Choir, Wendy, Shonda, & Ray

Called to Caretake

Last Tuesday Rosemary went to visit a woman named Robin Reddick.  Robin is Kay Reddick's daughter and it was Kay who visited us last January around the time of my birthday.  Robin, who is 50, has never spoken a word in her life, has a severe case of Down's Syndrome and has lived in special homes for the majority of her life. 

To celebrate Kay's 80th birthday Rosemary & I went to visit her in Lindsay, Ontario, a little town about 2 hours north east of Toronto.  I've known & had a special relationship with the Reddicks & their 6 kids since I studied Theology in Toronto from '68-'72.  When I visit them I almost always visit Robin. 

We found Robin in the dining room of the center.  She was asleep at the table semi-reclining in a wheel chair that tilts back.  Next to her right was Irene, a little lady asleep with her head almost touching the edge of the table.  Across the table was Gladys who said repeatedly, "I'm a graduate nurse," and referring to Robin sleeping in her wheel chair, "She is never a problem." 

I always have the question, "Why," when I visit Robin.  Kay says that without saying a word, Robin has profoundly effected her life for the better.  Robin lives in this facility now because she is declining in health, sleeps most of the time, and frequently does not eat.   For the first time ever Robin had tears in her eyes while we were there.  What is the feeling behind the tears?  What is going on inside Robin?

While I was humbled by my time with Robin as usual, I was equally struck this time by the staff.  Ontario does a terrific job with such services.  There must have been about 5 women serving lunch to ten tables of four persons each.  These women humbled me.  They laughed, they played, they knew the names of all the elderly & handicapped people, and they teased them.   I got up once and served tea to Gladys and the ladies were all appreciative.  They were hand feeding some people and all the while talking to them. 

These care taking ladies came to mind when I reflected upon today's readings.  In Matthew we hear about giving to the state and giving to God.  In Thessalonians, Paul says they are chosen.  In Isaiah, Yahweh says, "I have called you by your name."  That confounds me when I think about Robin.  Does Yahweh call her by name?  Does Yahweh choose her?  To do what?  To what kind of life? 

I can see the care taker ladies being called by name & chosen to nurture those people in their charge.  In fact, I see all of us who are not like Robin to be called to care take.  This is how I understand the Matthew reading about rendering to Caesar.  We care take in ever wider circles, beginning with those closest to me physically, perhaps my family.  Then as a Christian I am called to care take my village, my town, my state, my country, my globe?  

I remain confounded by Robin's life.  However, I have no doubts that I am called to care take people in ways similar and dissimilar than the ladies at the center. 

Name three people you care take in your life.  Whom do you care take in the beyond, like nationally?

AUDIO:  http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-10-19.mp3