Reminder for Sunday, October 30, 2016, 31st Ordinary

A note from Becky concerning the Thanksgiving Food Drive at Legacy.

We are short about 49 turkeys.  The give away is this Sunday.  She (Becky) will be in town until mid afternoon on Thursday.  If anyone would like to donate a turkey,  she can meet people at the school from Tuesday through Thursday and store any turkeys in the school's freezers.   She can also take money donations.

Readings:

Genesis 15, 5-12,  17-18, To your descendents I give this land.

Psalm 27,  The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Philippians 3, 17 -4, 1,  Therefore, stand firm in the Lord

Luke 9, 28-36, Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain.

INTRODUCTION

You probably have heard the figure of speech, ‘They cut a deal.’  The origin of the Hebrew word for covenant was the Hebrew word cut.  As you listen to our First Reading from the Book of Genesis it will become apparent that God and Abraham have entered into a covenant.  A covenant was accompanied by sacrifices that were cut, halved.  [They were ultimately fulfilled for us by the Lamb of God.]

Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, encourages this early church to continue to be guided by the words of Christ, the Lamb of God.

Brandon with Leo looking over the edge.

HOMILY with Mike

Instead of Sarah being barren, the Luke gospel begins with the barren Elizabeth and her husband Zachariah.  They too are symbols, to teach the gentiles, the audience of the Luke gospel, about Judaism in what we call Luke’s Infancy Narrative.  [Recall that later she gave birth to John the Baptist, who prepares the way for the Lamb of God.]

Ray and Ben on music and on the stage this week because of a school play.

The Levite and priest, were the ruling classes of Judaism. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, both pass by the man who has been beaten, robbed and left to die along side the road. Zachariah, who is a priest, symbolizes the priest.

Elizabeth is a descendant of Aaron from the tribe of the Levites, symbolizes the Levite.  The story teaches us why Judaism is barren. Remember the Jewish law, ‘you must love your neighbor as yourself.’  Within Judaism, the word neighbor referred only to one’s fellow Jew.  The Religious leaders of Judaism could claim that they were still righteous [God-like], for they had not broken their law, when they passed by the gentile who had been left to die. 

Cowboy Cole arriving.

The words of Christ are not barren; they pour forth the Holy Spirit, the grace given by God to those who live Christ’s words. The voice from heaven to Peter, James and John in today’s transfiguration event is for them to live Christ’s words. 

Mike homilizing.

Immediately following the transfiguration there is a story in Matthew, Mark and Luke of a Father who brings his Son to Jesus to be healed from a sickness that has existed since the boy’s infancy.  The sickness began to take root with the father’s lack of faith in Christ’s words when he chose instead to have his son circumcised after his birth.  The father and his son are to live the words of Christ that do not abolish but fulfill the Law and Prophets.  What is it that we can take away from today’s gospel?  As parents or grandparents we are to teach our children and grandchildren to live the words of Christ by the way we live them.  Young children can do wonders when they receive a little guidance and encouragement. 

Emma arriving.

I shared a fond memory about our youngest child, who will be 40 this summer, with Judy a few weeks ago.   Judy had been assigned to take communion to a small nursing home when our youngest son was somewhere around the age of seven or eight.   The older children would often find reasons for not joining Paul when we went to the nursing home with Judy late Sunday mornings.

Cowboy Cole safeguarding The Cupcake of the Week for his grandmother, Diane.

At that time there were six Catholics for her to visit and give communion.  One was an elderly man who certainly seemed depressed about being there, and he didn’t look forward to us, or anyone else, coming to visit.  One day Paul, who loved to go fishing with his older brother and me, noticed a small picture on a bulletin board in his room.  I saw him looking at it. The two men, one younger than the other, had poles in hand and had definitely been fishing.

Brent, Soul's Harbor director, accepting from Tom the Community's support.

I gave Paul a little push and he asked the man about the picture.  A short time later Paul told him about an aquarium that was in the hallway at the entrance of the nursing home. The next week when Judy came to bring communion, we were surprised to find the man in a wheel chair waiting for us. From then on after receiving communion, Paul would push him down to the aquarium where they would talk about fishing.  The word of the Lord.

Communion Preparation, the individual cups.

One Great Granddad with Torri and Zoe.

Ezekiel 47:  This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah, and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh.  Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh.
1 Corinthians 3:  Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
 John 2:   He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.”

Thanks…     

Music,   Shonda & Ben
Readers,  Pat & Fred
Homily,   John Cade
Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade
The Magic Zoom makers,  Hue & Kevin
The Organization man,  Richard
Final Blessing,  Rosemary

Remember these special people:

For all the people affected by natural disasters like floods, earthquakes etc;  For the Ukraine and the Holy Land; For our new Pope, Leo XIV;  For John Stack;    For Adam, that the doctors may find a remedy for his seizures; For Meredith ;   For Tom  Quinn;   For Warren Wittek; For Tom Good; For Lambrini, John Cade’s wife, who is dealing with cancer ;  For Allen Stryker;   For Mike and Judy Carrell ; For Hue; For Jackie;    For Ron

Jackie’s sister, & friend, Lynn;  For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg.;   For Jean & Cliff Wright;    from Barbara, a little baby boy named Ford ;    for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

Birthdays:   John Anderlick 11/14
Anniversaries:  Connie & John Bresson 11/14

Expenses: $  890.00
Outreach: $  105.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

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!

Take up our quarrel with the foe!
To you from falling hands we throw
The torch, Be yours to bear it high!
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep tho’ poppies blow
In Flanders Field.

IN FLANDERS FIELDS
By Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae
Composed at the battlefront on May 3, 1915
during the second battle of Ypres, Belgium

 The Answer (One of many poems written in response to In Flanders Fields)

In Flanders Field the cannon boom
And fitful flashes light the gloom;
While up above, like Eagles, fly
The fierce destroyers of the sky;
With stains the earth wherein you lie
Is redder than the poppy bloom
In Flanders Field.

Sleep on ye brave! The shrieking shell,
The quaking trench, the startling yell,
The fury of the battle hell
Shall wake you not; for all is well.

Sleep peacefully, for all is well.
Your flaming torch aloft we bear,
With burning heart an oath we swear
To keep the faith to fight it through
To crush the foe, or sleep with you
In Flanders Field

The Answer, by Lt. J. A. Armstrong of Beloit.Wisconsin.

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.

Genesis 15:  To your descendants I give this land,  from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River, the Euphrates.

Philippians 3:   Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 9:  This is my chosen Son, listen to him.

Thanks…Music,    Ben 

Readers,  Jackie & Brent

Gospel,     John Cade

Homily,  John Cade

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,      Mike & Hue & Richard

Final Blessing, Rosemary

Sunset in Norway

Readings: Download 03-13-22 – Readings – 2nd Lent

Homily: Download 03-13-22 – Homily – 2nd Lent

Sod roofed homes at the Norwegian Nature Center

Remember these special people:

For John Stack having a hard time right now with a bad back;  For Sandra who has been diagnosed with Large B Cell Lymphoma;   For Rosemary's brother-in-law, Joe who is having a procedure on March 14th;  For Richard's grand daughter, Madeleine;    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 and for a friend Cadence still suffering from a serious medical condition;   For Sir Charlie & Jan;  All of Shonda's dear family;

Norwegian Fiord

            
              
                                                      

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 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 baby boy named Ford recuperating from an operation & friends, Annie, a mom of 3 kids and Michael ;    for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

Picturesque Norwegian town

Birthdays:   John O'Donnell 3/14, Ken Cramer 3/19

Anniversaries:   

Community Finances:   

Expenses: $ 1,020.00

Outreach: $  400.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

                                    


Stavanger, Norway

Rosemary's Blessing:  

May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others.

May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content with yourself just the way you are.

Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us.

St. Terese of Liseaux

Note: we are now meeting at Legacy Academy.  We will continue to post this map until after Christmas Eve. 

Welcome: Catholic Mass with coffee & juice, and pastries, some bought, some home-made.

Time: 9:30; Celebrate with the Community &  John Stack

Place: Legacy Charter School, Accent Drive, Plano, TX 75075

 Readings:  

Jeremiah 33:14-16,  The days are surely coming, says the LORD

Psalm 25:1-10,  To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13,  How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you?

Luke 21:25-36,  Then he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees . . .

Wisdom 6:  Resplendent and unfading is wisdom, and she is readily perceived by those who love her, and found by those who seek her.

1 Thessalonians 4:  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so too will God, through  Jesus, bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

Matthew 25:  At midnight, there was a cry, "Behold, the bridegroom!  Come out to meet him!" Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.

John getting ready to start Mass

Thanks…     

Music,    Shonda & Ben 

Readers,  Tom & Jackie

Homily,   John Cade

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,   Hue & Kevin

Final Blessing, Rosemary

John reading from the gospel of Matthew

Remember these special people:

For the family of Ron Senter;   For Meredith  whose cancer has come back;  For Tom Good;  For Tom  Quinn who had back surgery on November 21st; For Lambrini, John Cade's wife, who is dealing with cancer ;  For Allen Stryker;   For Mike and Judy Carrell ; For Madeleine, Richard Eshelbrenner's granddaughter;  For Hue; For Jackie;  For John's sister, Kathey recovering from a fall;   For Tom Good;   For Mary Hall's friend Cadence still suffering from a serious medical condition;   For Sir Charlie;  For Ron ;  For Teresa Quinn's niece, Maddie who has a brain tumor;

Jackie's sister, & friend, Lynn;  For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg.;   For Jean & Cliff Wright;  For Dee, and for her daughters, Lisa & Lauren;  For a young man who is suffering from depression;  John Cade's daughter, Joey, with cancer; from Barbara, a little baby boy named Ford recuperating from an operation & the families of Annie and Michael ;    for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

Paula

Birthdays:   John Anderlick 11/14, Diane McMahon 11/17, Frank Esparza 11/18

Anniversaries:  Connie & John Bresson 11/14

Community Finances:   

Expenses: $  480.00

Outreach: $  155.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

Richard sharing about the Love For Kids Picnic