Reminder for Sunday, March 19, 2017, 3rd Lent, A cycle

Some of our Community members  are in need of special prayers:

 

Jan Keszler  is in Chicago with her Mom who will be 101 on 6/31.  Her Mom  is now in Hospice Care and Jan asks for prayers for her and the family.

 

John Cade's Mother-in-Law, Kaliope, who is 96, fell and broke 2 vertebrae and is in the hospital.

 

Tom and Teresa Quinn were on a  river cruise on the Danube and the second day Tom tested positive for Covid.  They are now in a hotel room in Vienna and Tom is quarantined for 5 days and can't leave the room.  Teresa just hopes she doesn't get it.

 

Isaiah 40:  Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.

2 Peter 3:  But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Mark 1:  Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way.  A voice of one crying out in the desert: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths."

 

Mass:  Plus coffee & donuts & specials on the house.  Welcome!

 

Place: Vines High School, Plano, 15th between Custer & Independence, west of Central Expressway.

Time: 9:30

 

Readings: Isaiah 60, 1-6; Psalm 72, Lord, Every Nation on Earth will adore You; Ephesians 3, 2-6; Matthew 2, 1-12

Santa visited the Christmas Eve Community:

 

Community Bulletin Board: 

Heritage Farm renovation:  On hold for a while

   

 

True?

One kind word can warm three winter months.
— Japanese Proverb 
 
 

 Picture 1:  Santa arrives

Picture 2:  Vivian's brother

Picture 3:  Vivian's sister

Picture 4:  Wendy, Shonda, Ray, & Celeste

   
   

  

  HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

     

See you Sunday, January 3  

 J.S.   (214-783-0443) 

 

2 Chronicles 36: Whoever, therefore, among you belongs to any part of his people, let him go up, and may his God be with him!”

Ephesians 2: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; . . .

John 3: For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

 

Readings: Isaiah 7 10-14; Psalm 24, Let the Lord enter, He is King of Glory; Romans 1, 1-7; Matthew 1, 18-24 

Isaiah, a quick review:

Author: remember there are 3 contributors.  This is Isaiah I, composer of chapters 1-39.

Date: ca. 700 before Christ and before the Persians blotted out the northern kingdom, Israel. 

 
 

Today's material: as a sign to the unfaithful people, Isaiah predicts a virgin will conceive, will bear a son, and he shall be named Emmanuel.  Isaiah I is speaking to the Israelites who are going to get annihilated shortly by the Persians.  Matthew uses this passage to authenticate Jesus, saying it refers to him.  The virgin conceiving a god person goes way back in history, at least to the time of the Pharaohs in Egypt.

 

 

Home 

 The afternoon of the second or third day Rosemary & I spent in Hilton Head with her sister & brother in law I was finally rested out.  I decided I got to get some exercise. 

 So I grabbed my favorite bike in the garage, an old American style bike with no gears and a big white wall tires.  It is a sight, but it is great conditioning and much easier to ride than I expected. 

 I took off at about 4:30 knowing that I needed to be home by 5:30 when it would be dark.  And on Hilton Head Island, folks, it is dark at night.  No street lights.  Know why.  Turtle habitat.  Turtles use the beaches to hatch their young and the lights get them disoriented.  Therefore, you can easily see the stars at night, but perhaps not your hand in front of your face when there is no moon. 

 

 The circle ride I make takes about 40 minutes, probably 8-10 miles.  I had gone 15 minutes when I had that sensation.  Something was squishy.  Yes, I had a flat on my rear tire. 

 So I decided to walk it in, instead of calling home for a lift.  I had passed already the more open part of the trail, and had ahead of me the more forested part.  No problem, I know the trail well and light from the houses would guide me.

 Consequently, I’m walking along this long path through the woods and on both sides of me are the forested back yards of houses.  It was chilly, but comfortable.  As I walk along I can see into the kitchens and dens of all these houses, warm, inviting, and homey.

 

 Suddenly I am reminded of other nights walking along behind other houses that were warm, inviting, and homey.  Certainly in Tanzania & Kenya when I lived there.  But also, when I studied the four years in Toronto. 

 At the college in Toronto we had a half mile meandering drive to the main road.  On the right or north of the drive a line of nice middle class homes backed up.  I would walk there in the snow often and long to have a similar house, warm, inviting, and homey.  However, I thought it was not for me as a priest.

 Walking along that path in Hilton Head, I realized I am not lonely or homesick any more.  I am grateful that I do have what I was longing for, thanks to Rosemary and our marriage.  I went home and told her, again.

 

 As we approach one of the more home focused celebrations of our year, we might find that we are more homesick or we might be grateful that we have a place that is warm, inviting, and homey. 

 Where is home for you this Christmas season?

 What do you do to create a home that is warm, inviting, and homey?

 Picture 1:   Ryan lighting the Advent Candle

 Picture 2:   Done!

 Picture 3:   Communion preparation

 Picture 4:    Communion helpers

 Picture 5:    Margarita & Ashley

 

 

                              Says Emma, "Hi, Everybody."

 

 

Welcome: Catholic Mass with coffee and juice and pastries, both bought and home-made, after Mass.

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

Place: Vines High School, Plano, 15th between Custer & Independence.

 

 

 

                      Says Harper, "You got any extra cupcakes?"

 

Readings:

 Exodus 16, 2-4, 12-15 You had to lead us into this desert to make the whole community die of famine.

Psalm 78,    The Lord gave them bread from heaven.

Ephesians 4, 17-24,   You must no longer live as the Gentiles do.

John 6, 24-35 I am the bread of life. 

 

 
Says Leo, "Be nice to me and I bet I can get you a cupcake, Harper."

 

Community Activities:  

1.        ROMEO MEET: Friday, July 31, Jason's Deli, Collin Creek Mall, west side of Central, 1:00.   Ragbrai stories for cookies.

 2.      LADIES' LUNCHEON,  August 6, Thursday, 1:00 P.M.,  Big Shucks, 103 S. Coit, Richardson, between Beltline and Spring Valley.

Everyone, please forward to anyone you think would be interested.  If you let me know I will add their email to the list. 

Carol 

 

                          Zoe looks at The Gang with awe.

 

 3.  Ray and Shonda have some new Mass responses (Mass of Glory) that they would like for us to practice for a few weeks before Mass before we sing it during the Mass proper.  You can check out these utube sites to hear them: 

http://youtu.be/mGlpu6_c3gQ

http://youtu.be/wYAikjow24E

http://youtu.be/k6Qjsxq8dU4

 

 

                                Brandon and his momma.

 

What is going on in our Catholic World:

1.       Francis fires two more bishops, National Catholic Reporter, July 15, 567 words,   Download Francis dumps two bishops 7-30-15    

 2.      Phillippine Church embraces Francis' environment vision, National Catholic Reporter, July 25, 765 words,       Download Philippine Church 7-31-15

 

Genevieve says, "Wanna bet I don't weigh 5 pounds any more." 

 

True?  

This is my simple religion.  There is no need for temples.  No need for complicated philosophy.  Our brain, our own heart is our temple.  The philosophy is kindness.

Dalai Lama

 

                     I think I see a philosophy of kindness.

 

 See you this Sunday.

J.S., 214-783-0443

 

 "Okay, let's get serious.  Enough of this having a good time."

 

JSM Mission-Faith Statement

Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for and challenges spiritual and total growth.

Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged and make the world we live in a better place to live.

 

 

 

              Our temple is filled with music, beautiful music.