Sunday Homily, February 21, 2016, 2nd Lent

Our Dear Chloe says, "Happy Easter, Everybody."

Readings:

Acts 10,  34, 37-43  You know what has happened all over Judea.

Psalm 18,    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, 11-18,  Mary Magdalene

Charlotte, too, Chloe's sister, says, "Welcome, Everybody, and Happy Easter."

Acts observations:

This book with 28 chapters basically tells the story of what happened to and in the Christian community after Jesus died.  

Keven, also, says, "Welcome in Folks."

Resurrection

Want to know what Resurrection looks like?  Let me give you a couple of pictures. 

As you heard me mention at the beginning of our celebration this morning, I went to the Circle R Ranch in Flower Mound Saturday morning for a picnic titled, For the Love of the Kids.  There are two of these picnics a year.  One takes place around Thanksgiving when busloads of kids come for a picnic with horse rides, hay rides, bounce houses, face painting, dancing on a stage, and visits from Superman, Batman, Santa, and others.  It is enormous, a couple of thousand kids.

Zoe lighting the Easter Candle with the help of her sister, Georgie.

In April the picnic is for handicapped kids.  They come with their families, maybe a hundred or more yesterday.  It is wheelchair friendly.  I have my favorite job.  I stand at the entrance, usually with Beth, and welcome everybody.  I am always touched by something special, some resurrection moment.

So here I am yesterday registering an hour before the kids arrive.  I walk into the big pavilion and unexpectedly the first resurrection moment hits me.  You will never guess what it is.  It is The Community.  I’ve already seen Kevin, Kerry, and Joe at the registration desk.  But when I enter the pavilion I see brown shirts of Bona Responds everywhere.  The first Resurrection moment.  I was so proud to be part of this community.

Just take a guess. Yep, our beloved Gerwer gang at 7, believe it or not.

Later, Beth, I, and another lady named Lindi are at the welcome lane into the pavilion.  Families are starting to come in, many pushing wheel chairs, but all with kids handicapped in some way.  Along comes a family with a little blond girl about 5 or 6.  I am saying hello and welcome to everyone.  The little girl comes right over to me and holds up her arms.  I gulp, pick her up, and hold her.  I did not want to ever let her go.  Another Resurrection moment.

A little later a Hispanic mother comes up pushing her son in a wheel chair.  We chat and I look closely at the boy, who is about 12 years old and very nice. What I see is that he has a white sweat shirt that says “Jesuit.” 

Some of The Community Team at the Circle R Ranch Love for the Kids picnic, Saturday.

 Well, of course, that starts a conversation, while I hold the boy’s left hand in my left hand.  I’m on his left.  He is tuned in but not speaking, just watching me sort of fondly.  Finally, I reach over with my right hand and caress his soft cheek.  He gives me the most beatific, gentle smile that I was almost in tears as we parted.  A third Resurrection moment. 

I left Circle R in a zone of greater peace, gratitude, humility, and awe. 

Your most recent Resurrection moment?

Who let that Wild Rabbit in here?

                   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."

Leviticus 13, 1-2, 44-46, If the man is leprous and unclean…

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

1 Corinthians 10, 31-11, 1, Do everything for the glory of God.

Mark  1, 40-45,  A leper came to Jesus.

Spring Dreaming….

Welcome to The Team this Sunday, Mike.

Readings:

Exodus 17, 8-13,  Joshua mowed down Amelek and his people.

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

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

Luke 18, 1-8,  The persistent widow & the ornery judge.

Georgie helping Leo with the candles.

He is beside you at your right hand: In praise of Pete Wacks

It often strikes me as disappointing when I hear or give a eulogy.  Why?  Because the person has no say, like ‘He’s lying,’ or ‘Why did you not tell me all those good things while I was alive?!’

Pete Wacks was one of my best buddies at Christ the King grade school and at old Jesuit.  Moreover, he is alive and most of this story I have told him. 

Ben, I'm envious of your Zeke Elliott do.   Maybe if I could do that with my hair Rosemary might love me a little bit.

When we were adolescents Pete was the guy I would like to have been.  He was well built without even working out.  This was the age of flat tops.  His was the best.  He was one of the guys we all hung around together.  Which scared me when Msgr. Bender thundered one Sunday, “If your friends are going to hell, you will too.”  One story why: the German Shepherd event.

It was a Friday night football game at Highland Park, our junior year.  As we walked out of the stadium early we saw a friendly German Shepherd on a chain under the north stands.  We, the three of  us, got into my dad’s black & white ‘54-‘55 4 door Chevie.  I used it for my morning paper route. 

Welcome home, Kevin.

Going east on Lovers Lane we got the red light at Preston.  Lo and behold, right in front of us was the German Shepherd in the University Park dog wagon.  We did not think twice.  Pete seated next to me and Jerry in the back both jumped out and let the Shepherd out, he jumped into the front seat next to me, and off we headed north onto Preston.  We had not gone 20 yards when, bam, we are engulfed in the red lights of the University Park police.

It takes a community to get suited up around here.

The cop told us to follow him to the station and there we were asked to get the dog out, which we did.    After grilling us we spent 3-4 hours in a jail cell.  Meanwhile Jerry had been begging them not to call his parents.  His mom was just on the verge of delivering her 9^th or 10^th child.  About 12:30 they released us.

The police never called our parents.

This is just one of the episodes that characterized our adolescent years.  See why I joined the Jesuits?

Welcome in, David.  When I was a young Jesuit teaching at Jesuit in the '60's, David was one of our star assistant principals. 

Guess what: I recounted this story to Pete last Monday when we visited him in Chicago.   He could not remember it!  Instead of joining the Jesuits, Pete joined up with the F.B.I. & worked for 35 years.  He also got into running, doing the Chicago Marathon ca. 12 times, plus the Boston, N.Y., and some others.

Pete retired in “97 .    He is now bedridden and has amyloidosis, plus a few other conditions. I know our loving God is waiting to embrace him.

Welcome in, Catherine, Becca, and Grace.

The Brain Trust.

Readings:

Habakkuk,  1, 2-3, 2,2-4, I cry for help, but you do not listen

Psalm 95,  If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

2 Timothy 1, 6-8, 13-14, Stir into flame the gift  of God.

Luke 17, 5-10,   We are unprofitable servants.

You see this Buddy!  He has the whole Blessing of The Candles memorized!

Where is the spirit these days?

I never know from where or why suddenly something or someone will really touch me.

On floor #1 on board the Viking Sea there is a grouping of 2 small & one larger room with workout equipment.  6 to 7 every morning I used to work out.  Get this, even Rosemary joined me.  Then at 7:00 we would head down to the atrium on the same floor where there is a small bar that serves the best lattes on the ship.

The Candle Lighting Girls, Tori & Zoe.

About the third morning out I am working out on a stand up elliptical when I hear the clear and friendly voice of a guy on a treadmill behind me.  It seems like he enjoys talking with everyone. 

The room has three elliptical & 4 stationary bikes in one line and a second line of maybe 6-7 treadmills, all facing the big windows outside of which the sea is going wild.

The Offertory Team, Bill, Fred, and Martha.

I chat up the guy when he finishes and we are both drying off.  This goes on maybe 4 more days when one morning we all 3 get talking at the water fountain in the corner.  In answer to his question, whatever it was, Rosemary & I share the story of our marriage.  He goes crazy.  I tell him he is welcome to share it with others and he does.

Maybe 2-3 days later I realize the guy is working out twice a day.  I am impressed and see why he looks to be in such good shape, being in his late 50’ or 60’s.

Tara, where did you get that megawatt smile??!!

We go on for another 2-3 days until we arrive at L’Ance au Meadow in Newfoundland, a fairly recently discovered area where a Viking village existed some hundreds of year ago.  To get from the village where the ship moored to the former Viking village Viking Cruises had to requisition 10 or more buses, school buses no less.

Lo and behold, at the Viking village we meet up with our new friend and get talking.  It was a delightful sunny day, mild temperature.  We asked him more about his life.  We already knew he was a university professor.

Fred & Martha, So good to see you both in town and with us.

Turns out he had to watch both of his parents slowly deteriorate one from Alzheimer's & one from Parkinson's.  Because of this he tries to stay in the best shape possible.  This news really stunned me.  Just that he shared it meant a lot.  No wonder he works out so faithfully, something I certainly appreciate and emulate. 

When was the last time your spirit was touched?

(What about Izzi’s baptism last Sunday!)

The Best Music with Shonda, Ben, & David

Readings:  

 2 Kings, 4, 42-44, Give it to the people to eat.

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

Ephesians 4, 1-6, I a prisoner for the Lord.

John 6, 1-15, They filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments.

The Team

Introduction to the readings: 

To set the stage for todays readings, the Jewish religious feasts were celebrated in conjunction with harvest festivals.  For example, the feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread and First Fruits occur over a period of eight days when the barley was in the fields waiting for its first sheaves to be offered in thanksgiving to God. 

The Offertory Team, Charlotte, Harry, & Geri

Seven weeks later the Jews celebrated Pentecost at the beginning of summer when the wheat in the fields was waiting for its sheaves to be offered in thanksgiving to God. The feast of Tabernacles was the last feast of three feasts celebrated in the fall when the dates, figs and olives were harvested.  The thanksgivings given to God for the harvests were from the heart!

Cole

Our first reading from 2^nd Kings is an event in the life of Elisha, the prophet. The prophets Elijah and Elisha did not write books; they proclaimed the one god of all, Yahweh. They chastised the Jewish Kings who called themselves Jews but worshipped idols. 

Leo

Elisha is the head of a brotherhood of 100 prophets who are sitting with him in this first Reading.  Our second reading is a letter from Paul to the Ephesians addressing all those who welcome and live the good news of Jesus Christ. They are, with Christ, one body.

Emmett with his mom & dad, Amanda & Ben

The Gospel of John: 6:1-15    

If you have a reference Bible and looked up our first reading in 2^nd Kings 4:42-44 you would find in the margin, John 6:1-15, our gospel reading. Recall that the good news of Jesus, the Messiah, fulfills the expectation of his coming given within the Law, Prophets and Psalms [hence our Liturgy of the Word].  A non-descript man brings twenty barley loaves and a few ears of corn as first fruits to Elisha the prophet, a man of God.

Mike

There was a famine in the land; the man is giving thanks to God through Elisha.  Elisha welcomes the gift and tells a servant to set it before his 100 pupils.  His servant says that he can’t, for it won’t be enough to feed them. Elisha replies that the gift is from god. They will be able to be filled and have some left over.  The 100 have heard this, and they accept in thanksgiving this man’s gifts and their teacher’s wisdom.  They will eat each bite slowly, with continuing thanks, saving enough for Elisha and his servant to eat also.

Jean with John, the July coffee team

In our gospel reading Jesus, too, receives a gift of first fruits—five barley loaves and two fish. We know that it’s a gift of first fruits for we are told that ‘Passover is near,’ the grain is still in the fields. Andrew is like the servant in the reading from 2^nd Kings, saying, ‘What good are these for so many?  I’ve told you before that the stories within each of the four gospels that seem to be about a multiplication of loaves or fish, aren’t what they seem to be.

The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: Chris cuts the Ragbrai identification bracelet worn by riders. It gives the wearer discounts and free entrance to venues.

These parables anticipate what will happen much later, and they do happen. The loaves in these parables are symbols for the twelve apostles.  We are told here, that from the 5 loaves, 5000 are going to be fed; from five of the twelve to whom Jesus gives this mission, as Church, to feed the Jews with the good news. But, more importantly, there are 12 baskets filled with leftovers—indistinguishable from the anticipated twelve, who will have received the Holy Spirit! The church has grown by leaps and bounds.  It happens just this way in Luke Acts 3-4 after the twelve receive the Holy Spirit!  In thanksgiving we are called to recognize with one another, through the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ present within and among us.   We are his body!

Early morning heading south amid glorious countryside. Ragbrai: Register's Annual Grat Bike Ride across Iowa, this year about 450 miles over 7 days with ca. 12,000 riders. A Norman Rockwall painting, a parade of color & spirit through quaint & beautiful Iowa towns filled with people overflowing with hospitality.