Sunday Homily, February 21, 2016, 2nd Lent

Mike helping us with the persistent widow.

Readings: 

Exodus 17, 8-13  Joshua mowed down Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

Psalm 121,  Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

2 Timothy 3, 14-4, 2,  Remain faithful to what you have learned.

Luke 18, 1-8, Because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her.  

Grace enters, sans bike.

Introduction to Exodus:

 Recall that the Book
of Genesis ends with the Israelites still in Egypt.  When the Book of Exodus begins, a new Pharaoh
ordered that all newly born Hebrew males were to be thrown into the Nile River
to die, for he feared the sheer number of the Israelites. The Egyptian men
would continue to take their young women and use them as slaves, the older
would die, and the Israelites would vanish from the face of the
earth—genocide.  

Cole ready to take off.

The inspired writers tell us that God had something else in
mind.  He used Moses, who had been hidden
at birth, to have Pharaoh change his mind and set the Israelites free.  The ensuing journey of the Israelites to
receive the Law, a covenant with God, and finally their own land is presented
in the rest of the first five books of the Bible.

That journey would take forty
years.   Our First Reading from the Book
of Exodus is from the first month of that journey.  

The reading from Second Timothy is also part
of today’s theme of having faith in God.

Georgie ready for service.

Homily

 Jesus presented a
parable to his disciples to teach them to pray always. Widows, along with the
orphans, are the poorest of the poor.  The
widow who had been ripped off in our gospel was from apparently a very small
village.   The judge is her worst
nightmare!  He does not respect God or
neighbor. He’s unwilling to even listen to her.

 However, we are told
that she doesn’t lose heart.   Why?  Because Jesus’ words have taught her that
women do have rights and power, and that ‘one with God is a majority.’  In faith she perseveres; and her prayer is
answered.  

Cupcakes of The Week to Bill and CC (on opposite edges of the age spectrum).

I visualize her using a walking stick as she comes to the
gate of the village where this judge arrogantly resides for business.  Each day she stands a little closer to him as
she speaks; and each day, to the judge, the size and appearance of her walking
stick becomes a little larger and more ominous. 
Finally, standing very close to him one day, he decides that he will
deliver her a just decision so that she will not strike him! 

Harper accepting Cathy's Cupcake of the Week.

Jesus states that his Father will bring justice to those who
put their faith in him.  But today’s
parable story ends with the question, ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory
will he find faith on earth. 

Offertory, Brent and Meredith.

The answer was given by the poor widow of the parable.  His faithful bride, who prays without ceasing,
who listens to, and obeys his words, will be waiting for him when he comes in
glory.

Harper happy with that Cupcake.

Today, as always, we have come together to be united in
prayer. We have come to pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks,
for that is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus.’  

Robyn and Brian .

This Liturgy is the Prayer of the People of God, and it
joins us at this moment with people celebrating it all over this world as we
ask the Spirit to come upon us through the Gospel and the Bread about to be
blessed and broken. 

Mr. Leo, the photogenic.

We are Christ’s body
especially when we join our hands and raise them toward God in prayer with the
words that Christ taught us to bring about his kingdom by forgiving others,
like the unjust judge, as we have been forgiven.

Rosemary with her blessing.

Readings:  

 Deuteronomy, 4,1-2, 6-8,  What great nation is there that has gods so close?

 Psalm 15, The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.

James, 1, 17-18, 21-22,  Be doers of the word and not hearers only.

Mark, 7, 1-8, 14-15, 21-23, From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts.

Ryan

Observations on Deuteronomy

What is it about: Moses is addressing the people just before they are to enter into the Promised Land, the land of the Canaanites.  They have escaped from Egypt and have been wandering around in the desert for about 40 years.  Moses is dying and knows he will not go into Canaan.

The theme of the staged talk is that God has saved and blessed his beloved people.  To help them live better he has given them the 10 commandments and a whole bunch of other laws.  This is a book on the laws.

This is the 5^th book of the whole bible and the fifth of the Big 5, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, & Deuteronomy

The Dancer, Sienna

Authors:  Inferring from the work, it is obvious that the judges and teachers of the people compiled the material.

Time composed: as with so much else, after the Babylonian Captivity, around 500 before Christ.

Zoe

Observations on James

1.   We have James for 5 Sundays
2.   James was not an apostle, but head of the community after Jesus.  He gets stoned in 62.

 Sources: The New Interpreter’s Bible Study; The Good News Bible

Emma arriving and with all her charm

A Labor Day Story (accompanied by slide show)

I would like to tell you a story this morning about a special event that happened to Rosemary & me a week ago Wednesday morning about 8:00 A.M.   It all happened on the corner of Northwest Hwy. and West Lawther Drive, which is the western border of White Rock Lake, the side opposite to the Arboretum.    

We had just finished riding around The Lake twice and were packing up the Sienna with the bikes.  It is very rare that we park at this corner instead of at Royal Lane near Greenville.  We did it this morning because we knew the White Rock Creek Trail leading to The Lake from our neighborhood would be muddy & wet.  It had rained the day before. 

Bailey, Bivona's granddaughter

This corner has special meaning for Rosemary & me.  It was here January 6, where Rosemary missed the turn coming off of a detour that is no longer there.  This is precisely where she fell and broke her left elbow on a beautiful, sunny January afternoon.

On this Wednesday morning we are parked not right on this southwest  corner, but up and behind a store called Dallas Bike Works.  Rosemary had sat on the stairs of this bike store in January, while I raced back to get our car and take her to Presbyterian.

Delaney with her grandmother, Sydney

So here we are in the parking lot behind the store.  I am storing the bikes in our Sienna.  I notice that a man is slowly driving up from Lawther Lane in a large yellow tractor with a back hoe and a front end scooper.  I wave at him as he passes me at the rear of the car.

He proceeds along the right side of the car at a little distance.   Rosemary is preparing to get into the car.   He stops his tractor, slides to the left toward Rosemary, gets down off his tractor, and walks toward Rosemary with a smile on his face.  He is a stocky Hispanic in yellow hard hat and work clothes for the heat, long sleeved shirt and long pants. 

Leo

He says to Rosemary, “How are you?”  Instantly Rosemary knows who he is.  She runs to embrace him.

It is the same workman who was right there when Rosemary broke her arm.  He was the first to her, because she almost landed at his feet.  It was under his pick up that Rosemary slid and his little bumper apron that she cracked with the front of her helmet. 

He bathed her road rash with water and towels.  He even offered to drive her to the hospital and would take nothing for the crack in his bumper apron, even though the truck was pretty new. 

His name is Max and he saw Rosemary from the area where he was working.  So, he drove over to see how she was.   We talked for about 10 minutes and he was so happy that she had recuperated.

John and Cathy

We left there astounded and so touched. 

Two lessons:

First, there are some really good hearted people on those street work crews.

Secondly, a little distinction on Mark’s statement that “from within people, from their hearts, comes evil.” 

I would propose that the human heart comes good and gentle and loving.   It is the heart hurt that becomes the heart that hurts. 

Celeste qui parle Francais

Senor Max has touched our hearts with his gentle caring. 

Who has touched your heart lately?

Readings:

Acts 4,  8-12,  In his name this man stands before you healed.

Psalm 118,    The stone rejected by the builders has become the corner stone.

1 John 3, 1-2,   See what love the Father has bestowed on us.

 John  10, 11-18,  I am the good shepherd.

Genevieve says, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome. Nice to see you for the first time."

Acts reminders:

Author: Luke, the same who wrote the gospel.  He was an educated, urbane Jew.

Date: the years 75-80 

Subject: This is a travel log, detailing the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Rome and the Mediterranean in between.

Today: Peter is talking to the elders and leaders of the people, aiming to convince them about Jesus.

Genevieve welcomes the Whole Community, and, in turn, the Whole Community welcomes Genevieve.

The Good Shepherd

I would like to talk this morning about the good shepherd.  Two proposals.  

First, we have shepherds all around us.

Secondly, the good shepherd has three characteristics.

1. The shepherd gathers people.
2. The people the shepherd gathers are richer and happier because of being called.
3. The shepherd, likewise, is richer and happier because of inviting all these people. 

Vivian says, "In two more weeks I will get to say hi to everybody, too."  Hey,  is there something in the water around here?

Four examples.

I mentioned that this past weekend Rosemary & I attended both a Jesuit class reunion and an alumni reunion of 50 years at Spring Hill College in Mobile.  The shepherd who called us together and made all the arrangements was my classmate and good friend, Bill Dowie.  To me this was extraordinary because the last time we all met two years ago, over twenty of us, Bill was still mourning the love of his life, whom he had cared for the last years of her life.

Not only did he gather those who could make it somewhat at the last moment, but he shared with us that he was introduced to someone with whom he sees a special relationship developing.  Rosemary & I were most touched, doubly so by the charming woman he brought.

I left that reunion richer and happier.

The Spring Hill Jesuit reunion group on the Fairhope pier, eastern shore, Mobile Bay.   Bill is third from left, Keqi is first on the left. Others, (l-r), Jim Raymond, Rosemary, an Old Geezer, Carl Castille, and Jack Podsiadlo. Joe Reardon taking the picture.

The second shepherd is in our very midst.  This guy invites with open arms and open heart guys who have hit bottom.  We, too, have accepted his invitation to nurture these men by our help with Souls Harbor, of which he is the director, a 24/7 job. 

Brent, Thanks for being a good shepherd for over 60 men and a shepherd for me and the community.

Our class in '65 in front of Assumption Hall.

The third shepherd, every Thursday at least, loads up 16 meals.  With her friend, Barbara, they deliver Meals on Wheels to homebound men and women, whites and a rainbow of races.

Rosemary and Barbara gather their people by bringing meals to their door.  The people are richer and happier because of their visit, as I am by their example.

Over 100 of us Jesuits lived in Assumption Hall, Spring Hill College, Mobile in the 60's. After expecting that the building would be finally designated as a historical monument, how deflating to find the building demolished and in its hallowed place two student residences. No appreciation for old age!

Finally, there is a lady in our neighborhood named Patty Cody.  She is our neighborhood shepherd.  She organized the neighborhood association.  She has set up a security patrol for us, and a neighborhood communication network.  You can find your lost dog or cat and you can put on line a picture of a lost dog you find in your yard.  All this, plus other conveniences.  But her biggest bringing together takes place on July 4, when everyone is invited to a neighborhood parade, a picnic at the playground of a grade school, and a time when we see each other, maybe the first time since last July 4.

Rosemary & I are the refreshment Czars and each year I come home richer and happier with what Patty has helped us celebrate.

Guess what, Victoria. You were once little, too, just like Genevieve.

Let me add an extra and a special Good Shepherd, Genevieve.  Does she not call us all together?  Do we not feel richer and happier just be in her marvelous presence.  And from my vantage point, I think she, too, is richer and happier because we are all responding to her.

Harper is pretending to be sleeping through another masterpiece homily.

Good shepherds are all around us.  

Who is a good shepherd in your life and for whom are you a good shepherd?

Cupcake of The Week to Paul and Carrie for acing the Boston Marathon last week.

Readings:

Acts 10, 34, 37-43, He went about doing good.

Psalm 118,  This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. 

1 Corinthians  5, 6-8,  A little yeast leavens all the dough.

John 20, 1-9,  Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning.

The Team, Mike and John, Georgie and Kevin.

Welcome, artwork by Rosemary.

Acts observations:

Date:  sometime before the year 70.  Why?  No mention of the destruction of Jerusalem, which took place the year 70, a Big Date in Jewish history.

Who:  The same person who wrote the Gospel of Luke.  How do we know?  Similarities of style, language (Greek), and theological themes.

Subject:  The story of the expansion of the Jesus story in 3 areas, first, Jerusalem, then, Palestine or the Holy Land, and finally, into the Mediterranean and ultimately, Rome.

Sources: Good News Bible, The New Interpreter’s Study Bible, Wikipedia

Patty and Bill.

Our Ms. Roberts.

Resurrection Life

I would like to talk about two things this Easter Sunday.

First, Resurrection is what for me and for us?   I would suggest that it is at least one thing, new life. 

Secondly, I would like to exemplify what I mean with a little story from France.

Sabrina back home.

The Princess Emma.

As many of you know, Rosemary & I spent about ten days in France the first two weeks of March.  We spent some of the time in the eastern province of Alsace.  The province is a vertical, north-south valley bordering the Rhine River, which marks its border with Germany. 

The last few days we spent in Paris, a favorite city of ours.  We have a small hotel in the region of the Eiffel Tower.   Near the hotel is a coffee shop.  It is on the corner of Rue Grenelle and Rue de l’Exposition, and it is one of our most favorite places in Paris with all its other wonders.  Two reasons.

Payton and Erin picking up Joanie's Cupcake of the Week for her birthday. Our Dear Joanie could not come today because of her MS.

First, it is warm and cordial.  This warmth we especially appreciated our last visit because the days in Paris were not only cold.  But all of the Tuesday before we flew home on Wednesday it snowed and snowed.  So it was magic to walk the city.  It was equally charming to walk in from the cold and snow and have a hot café au lait, or latte in Starbuck’s terms. 

Cupcake of The Week to Sydney and Hugh for 6 years.

Even more delightful was the reception we two Americans received when we walked in.  It was ‘Bonjour’ and ‘Bonjour’ yelled to us as we got in the door.  The place reminded me a little of the bar in the TV series Cheers.  So friendly.

 Secondly, after two days, they remembered not only us, but what we wanted.  We did not even have to order.   They knew we wanted the first of two cafes and would simply begin preparing when we got to the bar.  And then we would converse, me with my learner’s French.  I am sure that in two more days we would all be on first name basis.

Casey and Robbie with guess who at 5 years old.

Two women in their late 20’s or early 30’s ran the place or should I say ‘hosted’ the place, and they greeted everyone with same friendliness.  Many of the people who came in, naturally they knew.

This small café in Paris gave off life, folks.  Occasionally I hear people say that Parisians are unfriendly and rude.  I have never found that.  They even cheer my efforts at speaking French.  The café, however, the name of which I don’t even know, was an exceptional fountain of positive vibes.  I looked forward every morning to absorbing that life and left feeling more alive. 

Sir Charlie and Jan having too good a time.

This for me is one example of resurrection life.

Where do you find this life? 

How & where do you create it?

Welcome in out of that 26 degree cold, Dear Emma and Dear Beth.

Readings:

Leviticus 13, 1-2, 44-46,  If a  man is leprous, the priest shall declare him unclean

Psalm 32,  I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble.

 Corinthians 10, 31-11, Whatever you do, do for the glory of God.

Mark 1, 40-45, A leper came to Jesus

I bet I can guess why Ben & Olivia are not here today.   Like 26 degrees!

On the readings:

• The book of Leviticus is the third book of the Hebrew Bible. Most of Leviticus is written as God’s speeches to Moses on Mt. Sinai which Moses repeated to the Israelites. It’s almost all about rituals and moral practices to follow in order to live in ritual purity. It describes the many ways you can be ‘unclean’; today’s reading is one example. Leviticus describes many rituals and rules to be followed. Like the stories in Genesis and Exodus these rules were created to give the Israelites a special identity, to help hold them together during the Babylon captivity in the sixth century B.C. And it worked.

Our dearest Candle Lighter of The Week in action.

• In First Corinthians Paul tells the early Christians in Corinth to not be obsessed about Jewish food laws when eating with others. In this same letter before today’s passage Paul said, “I’m not going to walk around on eggshells worrying about what small-minded people might say; I’m going to stride free and easy, knowing what our large-minded Master has already said. If I eat what is served to me, grateful to God for what is on the table, how can I worry about what someone will say?”
• Mark’s Gospel reinforces that caring for another is more important than rituals and rules. I’ll talk more later about how this might relate to how we practice Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday this week.

Who let these characters in here, Joe (Geri's brother), Geri, and Mike?

Homily:

Mark’s story of Jesus and the leper is a good example of how Mark used stories to highlight the Good News Jesus preached. From Leviticus we know a leper could neither approach nor talk to Jesus. As a leper, he was unclean and would have to stay totally apart from others in out-of-the-way places and speak only to cry out ‘Unclean’. So, already, Mark is telling Jewish followers of Jesus that the old rules no longer apply.

Hi, Leo.  You are looking terrific this morning.

This Gospel story turned Leviticus on its ear concerning the idea of being ‘unclean’. [Leprosy was incurable then, so their best survival practice was a strict quarantine. Since about 1880 we have known leprosy is caused by a particular bacteria; for over 60 years now it is treatable and curable with antibiotics.] The old rules said: lepers were ‘unclean’ and had to stay out of the way of others, and they were not to touch or be touched. In Mark’s story he has the man with leprosy not stay out of the way away and has him dare to speak out; and he also has Jesus talk to and touch one known to be ‘unclean’. So, in Mark the rules are changed, and Jesus is approachable by anyone.

The Best.
 

In Paul’s letter to Corinthians he turns the rules in Leviticus upside down by questioning the rules about food and the eating habits of Jewish Christians. Paul said they should relax and “eat your meals heartily.”  

So, considering these teaching stories from Leviticus and Mark and Paul, what do you do for Lent to prepare for Easter?

Somebody finally gave that man a job.  

1) Some may give up sweets or do something else healthy. In the 60’s every Lent I would say “I’m giving up watermelon.” (I even used to get a laugh, since back then everyone knew watermelon wasn’t available till summer.)

2) Some will go to south Texas to work with victims of Hurricane Harvey—people struggling to get their houses and lives back in order. You are the community sending those who go; they represent us and this community’s caring for those in need. They will come back to our community members with stories of fun and comradery. They may also have stories about primitive lodging. (Ask Bill what he’s taking ‘just in case’.)

Peace, Angela and Cathy. 

3) A third possibility is to consider a teaching quoted in Ash Wednesday’s Mass from the prophet Joel 2:13—a favorite Bible verse of Stack’s: “God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in kindness.” Why on Ash Wednesday?     This verse is also found in Psalms 86, 103, and 145; and in the books of Exodus 34:6; and Jonah 4:2; and Nehemiah 9:17.

Bill, updating the plans for a dozen or so of our community heading to Dickenson, TX to join Professor Jim Mahar of St. Bonaventure U. & his 50 or so students, to help with the clean up after the hurricane.  There is still lots to do.

What if everyone prepared for Easter by imitating that verse?—withholding acts of anger; performing acts of mercy and kindness.   What will you do for Lent?

An old geezer taking the Sunday off thanks to John Cade.

Readings: Isaiah 6, 1-8; Psalm 138 (a favorite); 1 Corinthians 15, 1-11; Luke 5, 1-11 (Call Themes). 

Isaiah – Last week we heard the story of the prophet Jeremiah’s call by Yahweh.  This week we have Isaiah’s call.  These are the two biggest O.T. prophets. 

1 Corinthians 15 – In last week’s Corinthians’ reading Paul described his vision of love.  Today he continues talking to the people of his church in Corinth, focusing on how he was called by God.

My Call

Today I have a story just for you kids.  Parents and old folks can take a nap.

Ever hear of the story of Miss Rumphius?  Miss Alice Rumphius? 

A long time ago in the age of sailing ships, little Alice Rumphius used to visit her grandfather at his cottage in a village near the sea.  He was an artist and a carver who created figures to place on the prows of the sailing ships.

Alice loved to visit her grandfather because she got to help him carve the figures, some of which she later saw in front of cigar shops in the village.  Also she loved to hear her grandfather tell of the many adventures he had experienced in lands all over the world. 

One evening, Alice told her grandfather that what she wanted when she grew up was to be like her grandfather, sailing to far off exotic lands and to have a home near the sea. 

Her grandfather congratulated her and told her he was flattered that she wanted to be like him.  There was one more thing important to him that she might consider if she truly wanted to follow him. 

“I’ve always tried to make the world more beautiful.”

Alice liked this principle and promised her grandfather she would truly make her world more beautiful.

Soon her Grandfather passed away, Alice grew up, and she began to travel.  She roamed the world experiencing marvelous adventures. 

At one place, Egypt, I think it was, Alice hurt her back and had to return to the house she had built near the sea.  She had accomplished her first two goals.  Her third goal, the call her grandfather held most important, she had really forgotten in her adventures.

Until one spring day when she was gazing out of her kitchen window.  There she saw some flowers.  Beautiful, she thought, realizing she had done nothing to make the world more beautiful. 

Consequently, she walked to the nursery, bought some seeds she was told would grow next spring if she planted them now, and returned scattering seeds along the way.  This she did all over the hills and roadsides of the region. 

The next spring Miss Rumphius’ village and its environs were a riot of colorful flowers.  All the people were delighted.  Miss Rumphius, too, was delighted.  She had responded finally to her third and most important call to be like her beloved grandfather.

How come we talk about this?

Today we are focused on personal calls.  Miss Rumphius got one, and so did Isaiah, Paul, and the apostles on the lake. There are calls to help make the world more beautiful and calls to help make people more beautiful. 

What is your call? (Please feel free to post your call.)

Click here to download the homily as an mp3.