Sunday Homily, November 19, 2017, 33rd Ordinary Time

Readings: Ezekiel 37, 12-14; Psalm 130, With the Lord there is Mercy and Fullness of Redemption; Romans 8, 8-11; John 11, 1-45.

The Fifth Sunday in Lent – Reflection on Readings

The first reading today from Isaiah comes from what scholars now refer to as Deutero-Isaiah, namely Isaiah part two, the time when the Israelites are in Exile in Babylon.  The mood is totally different from first Isaiah where the prophet is railing against the people living in Jerusalem for their wicked ways.  Jerusalem has been destroyed and the people are captives in Babylon.  Before the exile, Israel was relatively prosperous, overly self-confident and very material minded.  In second Isaiah, the prophet sees a people who must be consoled, not punished.  This is the tone of today’s first reading.  The prophet tells them basically to forget the past and look forward to the great things God will do for his people.

Just a few words about the second reading from the Letter to the Philippians.  Paul is writing from prison.  This letter is a very practical letter with advice on how the community needs to continue to stay focused on Christ.  There is personal news about various people the community would know of and some very specific words about those who continue to insist in circumcision for the gentiles who convert.  Again in today’s reading we have Paul also say “forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead” the same theme which we found in Isaiah, and will also see in the gospel when Jesus tells the woman “Go, and from now on do not sin any more”

The Fifth Sunday in Lent – Homily

Our gospel today is really not from St. John but most likely Luke.  For whatever reason this incident was dropped into the middle of the section of John’s Gospel dealing with Jesus in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles.  This feast is one of three in the year when Jews were expected to go up to Jerusalem.  The interesting thing about the feast was that the people erected tent like structures and lived in them for the week of the festival.  This put all of the people on an equal footing, as rich and poor alike lived in very similar structures. 

The feast was a celebration of the harvest and usually occurred in September or October.  It would have been equivalent to our Thanksgiving.  What I find interesting is the following from the book of Leviticus “On the first day you shall gather foliage from majestic trees, branches of palms and boughs of myrtles and of valley poplars, and then for a week you shall make merry before the LORD, your God.” Since next Sunday we celebrate Palm Sunday. 

But back to today’s reading.  Remember a common theme running through the gospels is the attempt by the scribes and Pharisee’s to trap Jesus into either breaking the Roman Law or the Torah Law.  This is what is really behind today’s reading.  It has very little to do with the woman and her situation.  But of course, I want to focus on the woman. 

Did you ever get caught doing something you shouldn’t be doing?  I remember as a kid helping myself to some apples in a neighbor’s back garden.  I was caught just as I was getting back over the wall to escape.  I can still remember the fear and my reaction.  Now can we imagine how this woman must have felt?  Not only was she caught in a very embarrassing situation, now she is made to stand in the middle of this group of "holy men".  She is very aware of what fate awaits her; she is to be put to death. 

There has been much wondering about what Jesus was writing in the sand.  I think I know.  Nothing.  He was just doodling so that he didn’t have to look at the woman and add to her shame and embarrassment.  He didn’t want to add to it!

Coming as this reading does as part of our Lenten readings, and so close to Easter, I see in this reading a better understanding of what Easter is all about.  Just as the woman’s past is put behind her and she is set free, so too the Resurrection puts our past behind us and sets us free.  It is the ultimate “I love you” from God.  I remember the cover of a book by Dom Eugene Boylan from years ago, which had a picture of the crucified Christ on the cover; the title of the book was “This Tremendous Lover”.  This is Easter; this is what we are getting ready for.

Picture 1:  Mass beginning with Tony & Kevin

Picture 2:  Bill Hammond

Picture 3:  Penny Morrow

Picture 4:  Coffee Shoppe, Mary Ellen Charlie, Warren, and Tony

Readings:

Proverbs 31, 10-13, 19-20, 30-31, When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls.

Psalm 128,   Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 5, 1-6,  You’re sons of Light, daughters of Day.

Matthew 25, 14-30,  A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.

Kevin says, "Welcome in, Everybody."

Intro and homily by John Cade

The Book of Proverbs was also called in earlier times the Book of Wisdom.  It is written in poetic verse form and its first verse lets us know it is intended to ‘teach wisdom’.  It is a compilation of several collections of such sayings about life both secular and religious.  The collections were written at various times and are one of the few Old Testament books not connected with the destruction of Jerusalem and Babylonian captivity.

"What's next," Says Leo.

About Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, he formed this community in Greece about 50 after Jesus’ time.  Apparently his preaching and gathering converts to the Jesus group caused quite a disturbance among the Jewish people living there, to the point that, to prevent further disorder, Paul left Thessalonica (Thessaloniki in Greek) and went on to Corinth where he wrote both letters to them.  I’ll speak more from this later. 

There is a parable of the talents in Luke similar to today’s in Matthew.  The word often translated as ‘talent’ actually referred to a goodly sum of money in Jesus’ time.  Some biblical studies say the parable wasn’t about how we use our ‘talents’ but was an attack on the scribes who were not fair in their treatment of the poor and marginalized, and not caring in their sharing the wealth of God’s mercy. 

John begins, celebrating his 80th.

Homily

For many years I didn’t like the Sunday readings at the end of the Church year, and the scary ‘you better watch out’ sermons.  It always seemed to be doom and gloom and scary judgment upon us.  Kinda like ‘you better not pout, you better not cry, you better watch out, I’m telling you why’ but much worse—not just Santa will punish you, we’re talking God.

Turns out we can find more hopeful and positive messages about us and what it means to be a follower of Jesus in the readings at this time of year.

I like the verses in Paul today to his community in Thessalonica: “Friends, you’re not in the dark…..You’re sons of Light, daughters of Day.  We live under wide open skies and know where we stand….So walk out into the daylight…dressed up in faith and love and hope….

Freddy, who loves to snuggle with his mom, Joey, who is John's daughter.

Last night I had a party celebrating my 80^th birthday. I want you all to know that, if it were possible, every one of you would have been invited.  The 70 or so people who were there are all friends and all mentors of mine in one way or another, including Leo and Freddie my grandsons, who show me a fresh look at everything in the world. 

All those friends have treated me as a son of Light and never tried to diminish me for any reason.  I have always felt received and accepted, as I do with you here.  My friends and I have not always completely understood where each other was coming from and that’s human and natural and OK.

Sam, John's second daughter, next to Cathy, John's sister.

What also stands out is their enduring connection with me through life and work and times of crisis and so many good times.  My three living sisters all traveled to Dallas to be with me and I find that very touching.  Even more so, because, like most families, my family too have had our share of hard times and hurt feelings and broken connection, a theme many of you have shared with me.

  Isn’t that what the Mass, the Eucharistic Meal, is all about?  Jesus took bread and broke it. We can see in this a symbol of our brokenness, and then we share the bread, a living symbol that we are indeed connected one with another. 

Harper says, "Cupcake time yet?"

I chose words from Paul’s letter today because I heard him talking about his friends in Thessalonica as sons of Light, daughters of Day, who demonstrated their connection with one another through acceptance and loving care. 

My question for us today is how do we show our connection with our friends and our family, and how do we appreciate and celebrate the connection with us from all the people we have had in our lives? 

"Yes, Harper, it is Cupcake time, but for your grandmother. Maybe you will get a bite."  (If not all of it.)

Readings:

Acts  5, 27-32, 40-41,  The Sanhedrin ordered the apostles to stop speaking in the name of Jesus

Psalm 30,  I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

Revelation  5, 11-14, I heard to voices of many angels.

John 21, 19-31,  Simon, do you love me more than these?   

Introduction: In our reading from Luke’s Acts we are told that the apostles are teaching, through the power of the Spirit, about the Lamb of God.  At this time they have in their possession the gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke. In the Book of Revelation, written later, we are told about the four living creatures that glorify the Lamb of God. They are the gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John; in these gospel stories Jesus is alive to us through the power of the Spirit.

The Offertory Procession – Tom, Teresa, Caroline and David

Homily by Mike:

Today’s gospel reading is not in the original John gospel. It was added later with two other parable-like stories.  Since the gospels complement one another, the inspired writers of the Matthew gospel prepare us for this reading with the words, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a net, thrown into the sea, that catches people of every kind,’ and that’s why Jesus had called his disciples to be fishers of men.

In Judaism, there was a net; it was called the Sabbath Synagogue Service.  Later the inspired writers initiated a net in which the Sunday gospel reading fulfilled the expectation of the Law and/or the Prophets for the coming of Christ.  We give thanks that the Holy Spirit moved the Church to re-institute the net during Vatican II, to be used in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. 

Kevin, John, Buddy, and Georgie

In today’s parable-like story, Peter and six others have gone fishing for gentiles, not fish.  We know their intention because seven disciples also began this mission to the gentiles in the Matthew and Mark gospels, and in Luke’s Acts of the Apostles.  We are told on the first day of their mission they caught nothing.  Jesus tells them in this parable story to use the net, and that even if they cast it to the worst possible place, the right side of the boat were the rudder would most likely tangle the net; they would still catch many gentiles. The success that the disciples have ignites John’s heart, and he tells Peter, ‘It is the Lord.’

Now, there are two synonymous fish in this story.   Each has the same Greek definition, ‘to be eaten along with the bread.’  Recall the gospel stories about the loaves and fish that anticipate the Lord’s Supper. After the Lord blesses the loaves and fish, or gives thanks over them, he gives them to his disciples to distribute to the Jews and to the gentiles.  So, what is it that we are to consume today along with the body of Christ, the bread blessed and broken that we are called to become daily in our lives?  It is this Sunday’s Liturgy of the Word where our parable story was first proclaimed and now being explained.

Hi, Genevieve

Many of you have or have seen other Christians whose cars or homes show the symbol of the fish, ichthus, one of these two words for fish in this parable story. Recall its Greek acronym stands for, ‘Jesus, Christ, God’s Son and Savior.’ Believers identify themselves with it. And they should! This Greek word for fish is found throughout Matthew, Mark and Luke; but in John it is only found there in today’s reading along with the other word for fish found only in John.

Shonda, Ray and David

If you study today’s reading carefully in Greek, you will realize that the net used by the seven to catch many gentiles was composed of the 153 parable-like stories written by the inspired writers of Matthew, Mark and Luke.  In our reading today, Jesus joins them with the original gospel stories of John, that were not yet in use but in these disciple’s possession, along with the additions to the John gospel on the grill, to form the one Gospel. The truth presented by this parable-like story is that the net that was formed will not be divided; there is one Gospel, one net, to be used to the ends of the earth.

Today’s parable-like story ends this way:  Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.  This is how the disciples knew that it was the Lord present to them in both the Liturgy of the Eucharist and the Word.

Leo, the Candle Lighter

2 Kings 4, They shall eat and there shall be some left over.

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

Ephesians 4, ..unity of spirit through the bond of peace.

John 6, Where can we buy enough food for them to eat.  

Music Magic with Shonda & Ben

Thanks……

Music,    Ben & Shonda

Readers,  Patricia & Fred, & Buddy, our candle blesser 

Gospel,     John Cade

Homily,   John Stack

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,     Richard, Hue, & Mike

Final Blessing, Rosemary

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

Patricia reading 2 Kings.

Readings:

Download 07-25-21 R1 – PatJansky – 17h Ord (1)

Fred reading from Ephesians.

Homily by John Stack

Download Homily by John Stack 7-25-2021. 17th Ordinary Time

Today's Team.

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, 

Who are these two beautiful girls?  How you have grown, Zoe, and, Wow!, Michelle, how you have really trimmed down.  Welcome home, Both of You!

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.

Happy Anniversary to you & David, Donna.  I wish I could be with David now beginning the first day of Ragbrai.

Birthdays:    Dawson, Cindy Ekes

Anniversaries:   Donna & David

Happy Birthday, Dawson.

Community Finances,   July 25, 2021

Expenses: $960.00

Outreach: $405.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

Rosemary doing her blessing of the week.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Rosemary's Blessing:

Life is not a journey to the grave

With the intention of arriving safely

In a pretty and well preserved body,

But rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke,

Thoroughly used up,

Totally worn out,

And loudly proclaiming

—WOW—What a Ride!

Hunter S. Thompson

Readings:

Samuel 16, 1-13,   Samuel anointed David.

Psalm 23,  The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.

Ephesians  5, 8-14,  You were once darkness, but now you are light.

John  9, 1-41,  As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth.

Harper is back, yippee! You have been missed, Dear One.

Mike's Homily:

Jesus perceived that a man who was begging had been blind from birth.  So, he replies to his disciples that they must do the work of the one who has sent him. The work that the Father has given his Son is to proclaim the good news, the Father’s plan of salvation. 

Jesus perceived by what the beggar has said or did not say, by what he was doing or was not doing, that the beggar was spiritually blind; he had never heard the good news of Jesus Christ that gives spiritual light to the world.

Toy Time with Cowboy Cole, Emma, and Tori.

Jesus makes some clay and anoints the beggar’s eyes to make us aware that the beggar is about to become a new creation.  Recall from the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah that God is the potter and that man is formed by Him.  Jesus says to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam which means sent.  

To understand this command, the reader must return two chapters, to the Feast of Tabernacles at the pool of Siloam where gushing, spring fed living waters flowed into and were sent out from of this pool.

Sir Charlie and Jan pretending to not be kids.

These living waters are a metaphor for the good news of Jesus Christ, for He had called out on the greatest, and last day of the feast, the only day when waters were not drawn from the pool, ‘Come to me if you are thirsty, for from my heart flows living waters.’  Jesus had sent the man to be baptized in the Holy Spirit, so that he could send him forth living and proclaiming the good news. 

So, the beggar returned to the temple no longer unclean; he had been enlightened and the Spirit dwelled within him.   Of course, the Pharisees who said that they could spiritually see, but reject the good news, remain blind. 

Buddy, You getting your hats from that Hat Lady?

Today’s reading purposely sends us back to the earlier reading of what happened at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles to another very similar parable.  The scribes and the Pharisees bring a woman who was caught in the act of adultery to Jesus, saying to him, ‘Moses commanded that such a woman should be stoned.  What do you say?’    The scribes and the Pharisees were the teachers of the Law.

They knew the oral and written tradition that required them to bring both the man and the woman accused of committing adultery, and at least two witnesses to Jesus, if they were seeking a judgment from him; but their intention was to discredit Jesus. 

Now, during the feast of Tabernacles, the oral tradition required the high priest, as he cleansed himself in the waters of the pool of Siloam, to say from the prophet Jeremiah, ‘those who reject the Lord, the fountain of living waters, will in shame have their names written in the earth. 

Best Buddies, Leo and John.

So when Jesus knelt down in front of them, he began writing the names, the most prominent first, of these scribes and Pharisees who had rejected the fountain of living waters, his life-giving good news.  Shamed, for they understood what Jesus was doing, they left the people, the woman and Jesus, the oldest to the youngest, when Jesus said to them, ‘Let the one among you who is without sin, cast the first stone.’  

After the woman acknowledges to Jesus that there is no one left to condemn her, he says to her, ‘go away,’ [better, go along the way believing the good news] and sin no more.  She too had been sent forth. 

In like manner each of us has been sent forth with and from the living waters. 

From whom did you receive or give a drink of that living water this past week?

Readings: Isaiah 6, 1-8; Psalm 138, In the Sight of the Angels I will Sing Your Praises, Lord; 1 Corinthians 15,1-11; Luke 5, 1-11. 

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Reflections on the Readings

A brief few words about our first reading from Chapter 6 of Isaiah.  This reading could in fact easily begin the book of Isaiah.  It gives us the call of Isaiah.  King Uzziah has died after reigning for over 40 years, 40 years of great security and prosperity. 

We are told of a vision, which the prophet sees of God, and notice the threefold repeating of the word Holy.  Only God is holy, all holiness.  The prophet proclaims that he is doomed because mere humans cannot look at God. 

In our second reading, from Paul, he reminds us that he too saw the Risen Lord, and his response, like Peter’s in our gospel reading, it is the same, unworthiness.

 The readings all show up the same response from humans when faced with God.  And in each case God is able to reach thru the response and draw the person into a relationship of discipleship.