Sunday Homily, March 18, 2018, 5th Lent, B cycle

Readings: Acts of the Apostles 1, 12-14 (post Ascension, Wednesday), Psalm 27  (good), I believe that I shall see the Good Things of the Lord in the Land of the Living;

also verse 4, One thing I ask of the Lord, to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that I may gaze on the loveliness of the Lord and contemplate his temple.  

1 Peter 4, 13-16; John 17, 1-11

Acts:

Observations & a final review—(Author, Date, Place, Subject)

 Author: This is Luke, the physician, the companion of Paul, the Gentile writing for Gentile Christians, and the same Luke who wrote the Gospel of Luke.

 Date: Around 65 years after Christ.  Probably just before the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple (70 C.E., a big date in Jewish history), or Luke would have probably mentioned it. 

Place: probably Ephesus, today a ruin on the west coast of Turkey south of Constantinople.  Once this town was a major Christian center.

 Subject: the material works like in concentric, expanding circles, beginning in Jerusalem and ending in Rome after touching Judea, Syria, Ephesus, & Europe.  It treats activities in the early Christian community, some of which may describe they way they wished things were.

Today's selection in chapter 1 takes place just after the Ascension of Jesus, which was officially celebrated this past Thursday.   

 Sources: Good News Bible, New Interpreter’s Study Bible, St. Louis U. Jesuits’ Liturgical web

That I may gaze on the loveliness of the Lord

 It may have been a year ago when I talked about Rosemary having a breakdown on her bike riding around White Rock Lake.  To refresh your memory, she had ridden around about half of the lake.  She is down at the south end near the dam.  Her chain fell off and she did not know how to fix it. 

 So she starts walking it in.  She may have phoned me, but I did not answer because I was riding.  People go by.  She walks.  Finally a guy asks if she needs help.  She says yes, he stops, and he puts her chain back on.  Simple.  But significant.

 I was so touched by this guy’s action, that I had decided that I would always ask people if they need help when I see them stuck beside the road.  I talked about it here and somebody special in our community actually assisted a woman whose car had broken down.

 This stopping can be hard, folks, especially for us obsessive compulsive bike riders.  I got to maintain my 16 or 17 or 18 miles per hour average.  Or I have to finish up and run home.  Whatever, for the past year I have pretty faithfully checked with people as I pass, often hoping they don’t need help.  And they did not.

Until this past Wednesday morning about 7:00.  We had already gone around the lake and were heading north on the White Rock Trail, which runs from the Lake all the way up to Valley View and Hillcrest.  I was passing just north of the Greenville Avenue bridge, going behind a building on Royal Lane, when I come around a bend and see a guy working on his bike in the grass. 

 I yell out, “Need any help?”  And he responds, “You got any air?”

Yes, I did have my emergency air pump and I knew how to work it.  So I stopped. 

 He had repaired a front flat tire with a new tube, but had no air pump.  So we pumped it up.  I took off the pump.   The tire went back down.  Whoa, bad news.  I think he pinched his tube when he put it and the tire back on the rim of the wheel.  The tubes are so skinny & fragile. 

 So I had to leave him.  He said he could call his wife and she would pick him up.  His car was at Valley View & Hillcrest.

 Folks, even though my efforts did not get the guy going again, I was so happy I had had enough resolution to stop.

 I talk about this because of the line in Psalm 27, which says, “One thing I ask of the Lord, to dwell in his house all the days of my life, to gaze on the loveliness of the Lord, and to contemplate his temple.

Two comments:

          1.  To be aware that we are dwelling in the house of the Lord, we are challenged to do what is mentioned in the last line, contemplate.  We are invited to be contemplative people, that is, to reflect, to stop and look, to appreciate.  I think this is what I was doing when I appreciated what the guy did for Rosemary.

 Contemplation focuses on the loveliness of people as well as the loveliness of the lake, the mountain, the flower. 

          2.  Secondly, when I was a Jesuit we were educated to be contemplatives in action, that is, appreciating the loveliness of the Lord and helping others to do likewise.  Comptemplation of my blessings leads to gratitude.  Gratitude leads to sharing.

 We are invited to appreciate the beauty of the lake and the bike ride, and to help others do the same.  It may mean simply stopping to fix a chain or pump up an inner tube.  

 When was the last time you contemplated the beauty of the Lord?  And helped someone do likewise? 

Picture 1:   Beginning, with Leo in Jackie McGrath's arms, Shonda & Ray

 Picture 2:   Offertory, Tom & Lynda

 Picture 3:   Leo joining the music team

 Picture 4:   Tom & Theresa Quinn with their daughter, Colleen & her kids, Quinn and Shannon

 Picture 5:   Alison is back!  With her husband John and Cliff

Readings:   2 Chronicles 36, 14-23, Whoever among you who belongs to any part of his people, let him go up; Psalm 137, Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget You; John 3, 14-21, Jesus said to Nicodemus, “the light came into the world.”

Chronicles:

Author (s): Unknown

Date:  ca. 450-350 BCE, at least after The Babylonian Captivity.  You will see why. 

Ryan lighting The 4 Cancles

Subject:  a summary of the entire span of history to the time the people returned to Jerusalem, i.e., from Adam to the end of the Babylonian Captivity, 450 BCE.  Therefore, it begins with Adam & a genealogy up to King Saul and King David, through David's son Solomon & the building of the temple to the Babylonian Captivity with Nebuchadnezzar to Cyrus the leader of the Persians who defeated Nebuchadnezzar (what a fabulous name, 5 syllables)  and allowed the Hebrews to return to Jerusalem.  Note that Babylon was near Baghdad in Iraq, while Persia was Iran.

Our selection: this is the very last chapter of ca. 60 chapters, including Chronicles 1 & 2.  A bit of a summary chapter, it says that Yahweh was so mad he got Nebuchadnezzar to defeat the Hebrews and cart them off to captivity in Babylon.  Then some 50 years later he gets Cyrus to defeat Nebuchadnezzar and free the Hebrews to return to Jerusalem, which they do. 

Sources: Catholic Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

4 Candles representing Week 4 of Lent

The Nature of God

Anybody here know Bartholomew Granger?  Or who he is?  I’ll tell you.  He is from Beaumont and 41 years old.  Last Wednesday morning he was waiting outside the Beaumont courthouse where he was on trial for abusing a member of his family. 

At some point he reached into his pickup, pulled out his gun, and started shooting.  He killed a 79 year old lady just passing there.  He wounded three others including his daughter whom he also ran over with his pickup truck in an attempt to flee the scene.

Ryan with his dad, Jim

 Anybody hear about the 22 kids from Belgium on a spring break ski trip to Switzerland?  Killed in a bus that simply ran into a bridge returning to Belgium.  22 kids plus some adults.

Which, taking into account our readings today, leads me to ask you two questions.

First question, does God get angry and punish bad people?  The Bible certainly seems to say so. 

• For example, Chronicles says today that the "anger of the Lord was so inflamed that there was no remedy."  As a result he had the Hebrews killed, burned out, and carried away as slaves in Babylon.  For a symbolic 70 years, which seems to suggest that the Hebrews had neglected to rest on the Sabbath, 7 being a special number.
• For example, Yahweh got so mad at his earlier creation that he sent the great flood, killing everybody except Noah, his wife, and the animals.  
• For example, in John this morning you find out that you will be condemned if you do not believe in the name of Jesus. 
• For example, it is held that Jesus had to come and die on a cross and he did so to take away the Father's anger at us for our ancestors' sins.  Thus, the gates of heaven, closed up to that time, would be reopened.  True?

 Were the kids on the bus bad?  Is Granger bad?  The little 79 year old lady?   What about Sargeant Robert Bales, who allegedly massacred a handful of women & children this week in Afghanistan.  Are they all such sinners that they must be punished like happened to the Hebrews in Jerusalem?

So, what do you think, what do you believe?  Does God get angry and punish bad people as we see repeatedly mentioned in the Bible?  What we are dealing with here is what you think the nature of God is.  Which leads me to my next question:

John & Connie

Second question, who are the bad people?  Or who are the good? 

Obviously the man who killed the old lady and injured three including his daughter whom he ran over is bad.  He deserves what?  Sargeant Robert Bales?   Be condemned?  Forever? 

From my experience as a priest and as as psychotherapist, I have discovered two things. 

First, that nobody is bad, and nobody is good.  Everybody is both bad & good.  But what about Granger?  Bales   Are they not bad?  John says, "He who does wicked things hates the light."  They must really hate the light.

Robyn & Bryan at the Offertory

Secondly, I discovered that if I had grown up in the environment of many of these so called bad people and I had been forced to live in the horrible surroundings they saw daily, I probably would have done the same things.  I do not know how many times I have talked with people who have done similar things and discovered that they were horribly wounded people.  Inside they were deeply hurt.  Outside they vented their hurt through anger and, watch out, through violence.  

And look what we are finding out about Bales, on his 4th mission, 3 of them in Iraq.

Sandra & Denni 3-18-12

As a balance to this negativity and tragedy, let me remind you that we likewise see beauty in people.  I saw it in Ermy, the check in lady at the Jewish Community Center who greeted us cheerily Friday morning at 5:45 when we came for a spin class.  And the 20 or so friendly class mates.  I saw it in the courage of Michael Morwood yesterday who shared with us his own faith and understanding of the nature of God & Jesus. 

So, reconsidering Granger & Bales & the kids from Belgium and all the Bible stories about God being angry and punishing people, what do you think about the nature of God?

Georgie & Zoe with their dad, Randolph

Sources: The Center for Liturgy, St. Louis U.  Online Ministries, Creighton, U.  All on line.

Leo with his daddy, Ray

Readings:

Genesis  18, 1-10,  Sara will then have a son.

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

Colossians 1, 24-28,  It is He whom we proclaim.

Luke 10, 38-42,  “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?  Tell her to help me.”

Bethany, Shonda, Wendy and Ray. Our Choir.

Introduction  

As Abraham gives, showing hospitality to the strangers in our first reading from the Book of Genesis, Abraham receives. In like manner, Paul addresses the Colossians in our second reading to show mercy, kindness and pardon to others for they are Christ in the World.

Homily 

 When I would go on retreats with young people wanting to celebrate the Church’s sacrament of Confirmation they would receive a booklet with songs, prayers but also some blank pages.  I would say to them, ‘You will always receive the desire of your heart,’ and I would ask them what they thought this meant. 

It was not unusual to get a response like this, ‘The desire of my heart is to win the lottery; but since the odds of me doing that are slim to none, I do not believe that statement is true.’ ‘Before I give you an answer,’ I would say, ‘I want all of you to write down in your booklet what you would do if you actually won a lottery… say, a 100 million dollars.’

 They were to take their time and not share with others what they had written.  ‘What’s in your notebook is yours and yours alone today.’ When I perceived that they had all written enough, I would say, ‘What you have just written down is the desire of your heart!  Wanting to win a lottery is not a desire of your heart, rather it is a desire of the flesh. I hope that all of you shared your desire to show goodness and justice; tenderness and compassion to those less fortunate than yourselves.’

 To the degree we desire to give from our heart will be the degree to which we do give and receive.  Life-giving relationships are precious! To the degree that we are in relationship with one another, we are in relationship with God. Those who welcomed the stranger and visited the sick are those who inherited the kingdom of God.

 Often we informally invite others over to our home; other times we have a birthday or anniversary gathering.  We have family and friends over for Thanksgiving, Easter or Christmas. But sometimes we might find ourselves getting caught up in all the details, decorations, and preparations, so much so that sometimes, when we don’t even expect it, you might hear or even say, ‘I’m glad that’s over and I won’t have to do that for another year.’

 When that happens our priorities weren’t in the proper order.  We forgot listening to, affirming, enjoying, and making friends. It happened to Martha in our reading from Luke today.  Picture Jesus saying to her softly and in private, ‘Martha, Martha, you worry about many things, Mary has chosen the better portion and it shall not be taken from her.’

 It wasn’t that Mary hadn’t been helping her.  She had.  But when Jesus came through the door that day, Mary made him the priority of her life. It was time to begin a lasting and loving relationship.  
 

Martha’s priorities had been which tablecloth should she use, should we
eat at the table inside or outside, should I sweep the floor again, should I
put all of the food out at once. Would Jesus recognize that the vegetables were fresh? 

 These things had become more important to her than Jesus’ presence.  Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to his words that he wanted equally to share with Martha.  We have come to sit at table with God and each other. 

How have you been building relationships with one another since you entered here this morning.  Take a moment to welcome someone near you
that you didn’t acknowledge and embrace when you arrived.

Readings: Isaiah 43, 18-19, 21-22, 24-25, In the desert I make a way; Psalm 41, Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you; 2 Corinthians 1, 18-22, He has put his seal upon us; Mark 2, 1-12, They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 

Laissez les bons temps roule!            Let the good times roll!

 This is Mardi Gras weekend. There’s lots of information online about Mardi Gras and its history. A few things:

• There was a mid-February celebration in ancient Rome in the 2^nd century honoring a Roman pastoral god. When Christianity arrived in a big way after the year 300 and Emperor Constantine, a Christian interpretation was given to that custom, gradually changing it to a festival prior to Ash Wednesday and the Lenten preparation for Easter.  As Christianity spread throughout Europe and the western world, Mardi Gras went with it.

• Centuries later, when the French explorer Iberville landed near the mouth of the Mississippi River, south of what is now New Orleans, it was on March 3, 1699, which was Mardi Gras Day in France. Iberville named the spot where they landed and set up camp “Point du Mardi Gras”, Mardi Gras Point.

• Much more recently, in 1827, when some college students returned to New Orleans from France, they brought with them the Mardi Gras celebration with the elaborate costumes. In 1872 the Grand Duke Alexis Alexandrovitch Romanoff visited New Orleans and was given the honor of choosing colors for the Mardi Gras celebration. When he chose purple, gold and green, merchants purchased cloth and other merchandise in those colors. There is a story that LSU bought up most of the purple and gold cloth and that Tulane then bought up what was left, the green cloth. Today LSU’s colors are purple and gold and Tulane’s colors are green and white.

• The biggest celebrations today, outside of New Orleans, are in Lafayette Louisiana, the Cajun area I’m from, Mobile Alabama and Galveston Texas, and of course in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

 A traditional food in Cajun Louisiana is boudin sausage, traditionally made from rice, chopped liver and  hot pepper spices. I brought some boudin to share after Mass.

 We also have Mardi Gras beads (thanks to Chuck and Sandra) which are symbolic of the joy we share through-out the Mardi Gras season, which runs all the way from the 12^th day of Christmas (Jan. 6) to the day before Ash Wednesday. We will pass them out now for you to wear. I am wearing a fancy one given to me years ago.

A word about today’s readings.

The reading from Isaiah has the author speaking for God saying, “I am doing something new. ..It is I who wipe out your offenses, your sins I remember no more.”

The reading from 2^nd Corinthians is Paul telling the community that Jesus was not sometimes ‘yes’ and sometimes ‘no’; he is always “Yes” for us…and that is what we say Amen to when we come together in liturgy.

The Gospel of Mark is basically a Passion Drama with an extended introduction. The final 6 chapters out of only 16 are about Jesus’ last week in Jerusalem and his suffering and death. Today’s reading in Chapter 2 is one of those introductory stories that demonstrate the tension building between Jesus and the Pharisees leading up to the Passion Story.  It is also one of the stories about forgiveness freely given.

Sermon, John Cade

     I have a few thoughts as we celebrate Mardi Gras time and prepare to enter the season of Lent and Easter. My thoughts come from memories of myself and my classmates at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans in the early 50’s. I have memories of the life I was living in the seminary—mainly of study, prayer, silence and a sense of austerity and seriousness.

     I remember well the ‘examination of conscience’ we practiced together in the chapel every night. I remember how I, and my classmates, spent that time in self-examination and really self-judgment about our faults and weaknesses and our bads. This could easily turn into a habit of diminishing ourselves, of judging ourselves as ‘less than’. I have questioned how helpful this was in becoming more sensitive to the goodness and blessings touching us every day.

     I remember also how, on special occasions, we were allowed off campus. Believe me, this was BIG. We would put on our black suits, white shirts and black ties and black fedoras—the required outfit. Often I would visit my sister who lived nearby in uptown New Orleans. She and her husband had small children then and I remember my nieces and nephews as not just smart and talented, but fun and playful and full of life.

     Sometimes, when it was Mardi Gras weekend, I would join them on their own street, Henry Clay Avenue, or on Magazine Street or Carrollton Avenue, to view one of the many Mardi Gras parades. Those were exciting and fun times, full of festivity and life. When I returned to the seminary that evening, the contrast was tangible, almost like a time warp. 

    I have three thoughts that arose from those memories.

    First, there is a place for self-reflection and mindfulness and peaceful recollection that can enrich our lives and make for a deeper connection with our earth and universe and with God who calls us to forgiveness and connection. Of course, experiencing forgiveness and connection is more likely if I’m not stuck in negative judgment of myself. 

     Second, there is place for sharing our joy and peace, and our pain and struggles, as we live together in the circles of family and work and community. We can develop more sensitivity to our connection with others and with the Spirit moving in these circles of life. One ‘revelation’ is to discover, and hopefully accept, that the people in our lives are truly ‘other’; they are not me and need not become like me or what I want them to be.

     Third, these places are not separate worlds. Our inner lives with ourselves, and our relationships with all the others in the circles of our lives, are intertwined and always connecting. Forgiving and accepting myself, and bringing that forgiveness and acceptance to everyone in all the circles of my life, is a way of saying “Yes” to life itself.  Next week John will share some concrete ways we can say ‘Yes’ for others in our larger community. Today, as we come together around the table, we are called to say ‘Yes’ to the possibility of forgiveness and acceptance for ourselves and in all our relationships.

     The question I leave for us today is: As we move from Mardi Gras to the Passion Drama and Easter, in what ways will we say “yes” to ourselves and to those around us? 

 Picture 1:    Mass Begins, John Cade celebrating

Picture 2:    Offertory, Ray & Claire with CC & Kayla

Picture 3:    Lambrini & Caliope

Picture 4:    Chuck

Picture 5:    Mardi Gras in person, Cathy & Diane at brunch

Picture 6:    Brunch with Maureen & Fred, Joe & Sandra

Picture 7:    Gerald & Charlie

Picture 8:    Bethany & Ray

Welcome in, Dearest Emma.  So nice to see you.

Readings: 

 Ezekiel 2, 2-5,  Son of Man, I am sending you to the Israelites, rebels.

 Psalm 123,   Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy

 2 Corinthians 12, 7-10, A thorn in the flesh was given to me.

Mark 6, 1-6, A prophet is not without honor except in his native place 

The Best Music thanks to Katie and David.

Ezekiel observations:

Who:  Ezekiel is one of the Big 3 prophets.  Why?  48 chapters.  The other 2: Isaiah & Jeremiah.  These 3 have lots of chapters & material.

Ezekiel was born into the priest class.  He later was considered a prophet.  He got The Call from God.  When he was about 25 he was swept up in the Babylonian captivity, around 590. 

When: It covers the period of the Captivity, 600-550 before Christ, which Ezekiel lived personally.  But the work is composed toward the end of the Captivity, around 550.  This is Ezekiel’s material, but it has been saved and edited by his fellow priests.

Thanks, CC, for lighting our candles and thanks, Georgie, for reading the Blessing of the Summer Candles.

Message:

1. Ezekiel criticises the people and warns them that their bad ways will be punished, for example, by being defeated and led into slavery and the Captivity.
2. He promises comfort and a brighter future for the captive people, especially envisioning a restored temple (which then lasted until when?  The year 70, when the Romans finally destroyed the temple & the priestly cast ceased to function, to this day).
3. An amusing vision: The Dry Bones, chapter 37.

Today’s selection:   Ezekiel gets The Call or invitation from God to go tell the Israelite people that God sees what is going on.  Which means, tell them they are behaving horribly and they will pay dearly for their misbehavior. 

The Dinsmores at work, David with the music, and with the offertory, DarbiAnna, Dana, Donna, and Dawson. 

4 Reasons why I am (still) proud to be an American

I am still celebrating July 4^th this week.   And I’m still proud to be an American.  What got me reflecting on this was what happened in our neighborhood July 4 morning.  But, as I reflected, other events came to mind.  Let me give you 4 quick stories.

The first took place when I first went to work in Africa on a one year contract.  I was directing spiritual retreats mostly for nuns, often with another Jesuit friend from PA.

July 4, let the Parade begin

Before I went over to East Africa I was scheduled to give a number of programs in Nigeria.  There was an old veteran Jesuit who had a house in Lagos, the capital at that time, Joe McKenna from NY.   I used that house as my base.

I used to fly out of Lagos, give a number of programs, and fly back.

Every time I returned I had to take a taxi to get to his house in the suburb of  Sirulere.  He would ask me how much I paid.  It was always too much.  “5 Naira only,” he would say.

Training wheels welcome.

So, I’m returning one day determined.  I walk into the terminal where there are numerous taxi driver, beginning with the richest.  I pass them all and pick a raggedy guy outside the terminal.  “5 Naira to Sirulere,  “ I say.  Okay.

Hanging onto my bag I get into the back seat of this old contraption.l  I could see through the floor to the street.

The annual Preston Hollow parade is on.

By going over medians and across sidewalks we arrive in like no time.  I give him 8 Naira.  “No,” he says, “We agreed on 15.”

We go back & forth until I get out.  We are in a cul-de-sac, fortunately in my mind.  He gets out.  We argue. 

Suddenly he grabs my bag and attempts to jump back his taxi.  We have a physical tussle right there in the street.  He is a big guy, but no muscle I discover.  No contest.  I take my bag and walk to the door of the house.  McKenna is inside chuckling away.  It is dinner time. “I am going to kill you for this, McKenna,” I think to myself.

If you are nice you might find space in a wagon and somebody will pull you.

The guy follows me and is screaming.  I don’t know what more to do and am nervous that he will gather a group of fellow Nigerians and they will join him.  In fact, the contrary takes place.  The little guy who is the house cook comes from around the back of the house , screaming himself that this guy has insulted a guest.  Neighbors gather and all say the same. 

Finally, a young Nigerian Jesuit novice rides up on his little motor scooter and takes the guy off.  I think he actually give the guy 15 Naira.  By now I could care less.  It was not worth all the drama.

That day I was proud to be both a Jesuit and an American.

The Refreshment Committee in action.  Want to know how success is measured?  22 dozen donut holes were consumed in an hour and maybe two more dozen could have found takers.   This is  plus cookies, grapes, lemon aide, and bottled water.

Three more quickies.

In the Metro section of the newspaper this week, a lady from NY, Claire Scoville, late thirties, attractive, a film producer, dropped everything and flew into S. TX to help nurture the little kids.  Claire Scoville gives me reason to be proud to be American.

Happy Birthday, Paul.  Does Paul look like a man of 57 years?  Looks more like 59 to me.

Secondly, one afternoon this  week I am northbound at the stop light at Preston & Royal, going to give blood platelets at Carter Blood.  3 northbound lanes,  2 left turn lanes.  I‘m about 3 cars back. The light goes green for all of us.  Everyone   accelerates, when suddenly in front of us from the right comes an SUV slowly making a left turn.  Everyone had to brake.  In fact, I thought that SUV is going to get hit.  It made it, but, get this, not one northbound car honked.  No rage, no critical parent, Kindness. 

Thanks for coming to visit us again, My Dearest Kayla.

Finally, why I am proud to be an American: our annual neighborhood parade.   So many delightful young families.    Rosemary & I are the refreshment team, so you know it was good.    It was 22 dozen donut holes good.  Yes, I am proud to be an an American.

It is scary when former Jesuit students show up at the parade and say this year is 50 years since graduation.  Meanwhile, for me it is 60 years since graduation and entrance into the Jesuit order.  Scary??  Yes!!

Readings: Acts 10, 34-43; Psalm 118 (This the Day the Lord had made; let us Rejoice and be Glad); Colossians 3, 1-4; Mark 16, 1-7 (from Saturday night readings)

Acts: 

Author: Most likely Luke, who wrote the Gospel with his name and who followed and copied some of Mark's material. 

Date: ca. 70-100 A.D., therefore ca. 40 years after the death of Jesus. 

Subject: the ministry of Paul & the 12 Apostles after the death of Jesus.

        Chapters 1-8 deal with the Resurrection, Ascension, & Pentecost (Holy Spirit)

        Chapters 8- 28 deal with Paul's conversion & ministry.

Today's selection: Two visions/dreams have just occurred:

        1. Cornelius, a captain in the Roman army and a Gentile, has a vision in which he is instructed to go to a town called Joppa and talk with a man named Peter.

        2.  Peter has a vision in which a sheet held by its 4 corners comes down and is full of all kinds of animals.  A voice says, "Eat."  Peter refuses because of the law of ritual impurity, i.e., some animals are ritually impure and it is prohibited to eat them.  But the voice insists.  At this point three of Cornelius' people arrive and invite him to come to Cornelius' house.  This vision symbolizes that even Gentiles who are ritually impure are invited to the new Christian community.

Our selection takes up just after Peter arrives are Cornelius' house, finds a group of Cornelius' friends, is invited to speak to them, and he begins.  The following is what he says to the group of Gentiles gathered in Cornelius' house.

Meaning of the Word Easter: the origin of the use of Easter seems lost in history.  Probably not from Latin, which uses pasqua.  Probably not coming from a German goddess of spring, which some have suggested.  May have emerged from early Celtic converts (British Isles), who wanted to use their own words for Christian feasts, rather than Latin words.

The Easter Event Today

I think it was last Tuesday morning.  I had come out into the yard in front of our house to let Aviana do her business.  Suddenly around the corner comes a little black Prius which I recognize.  The window comes down and one of Aviana's favorite neighbors stops to give her a little loving. 

The neighbor who is so friendly asks how we are all doing and was I getting the spring weddings going.  I said that, yes, we had weddings for all the weekends of May except one and that one weekend we had two weddings.  I also mentioned that I was looking forward to a fun Easter Sunday with an Easter egg hunt for the kids.

She then mentions that Lent has passed by in a flash and that she has paid no attention to it and really did nothing special.  Am I hearing maybe some minor Catholic guilt?  I'm also thinking to myself that this woman is just terrific as she is.  She does not need to do anything special for Lent.  I mean she loves Aviana and she is friendly to me.  That in itself is extraordinary.  But she also goes back & forth in front of our house it must be a dozen times a day ferrying her 4 kids to numerous events.  On top of that, she teaches at SMU. 

I thought about this friendly lady as I started looking around in my daily life for a recent Easter event.  You know what I think an Easter event is.  It is something or someone which gives me greater peace and life. 

Initially as I looked back over the past six weeks since we started Lent, I thought of the week I spent in Galveston with the 50 kids from St. Bonaventure U. in Buffalo, NY.  That was a dramatic Easter event for me. 

Way back I had talked about making Lent a time of service and greater sensitivity.  I hit the jackpot with the Galveston trip.   The generosity and desire of those kids to donate their spring break to service gave me a ton of peace and life.  I still feel the effect of them in my life.

I am aware that I lucked out with the Galveston trip.  Just to be able to get away for the week.  Like Rosemary who is working now in downtown Dallas, the majority of you cannot walk away from your job for a week.  However, if Lent has passed you by quickly and you look back with any guilt, I would say, "Get rid of it." 

The sensitivity begins now. 

What is the Easter event in your life today?

AUDIO:  ttp://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2009-04-12.mp3

Picture 1:  Easter Mass with Noah helping

Picture 2:  Guess Who Made it!

Picture 3:  Second time ever!

Picture 4:  Good Friday Stations

Picture 5:  Good Friday Stations at the Robinson's house