Palm Sunday Procession begins.
Readings:
Entrance, Luke 19, 28-40.
Isaiah 50, 4-7, I give my back to those who beat me.
Psalm 22, My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?
Philippians 2, 6-11, God greatly exalted him.
Luke 22, 14-23, The Passion.
Holy Thursday & Good Friday, 7:00, Marlene's, 2017 Keystone, Plano.
Palm Sunday procession.
Palm Sunday continues.
Buddy reading The Blessing of the Lenten Candles, all 5 plus 1.
Readings:
Proverbs 8, 22-31, When the Lord established the heavens I was there.
Psalm 8, O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth.
Romans 5, 1-5, We have peace with God.
John 16, 12-15, I have much more to tell you.
Observations on Proverbs
What : basically a collection of moral and religious teachings. Pretty boring. Some amusing like—
“The lord hates people who use dishonest scales. 11, 1
If you don’t punish your son, you don’t love him. 13, 24
Better to eat a dry crust of bread with peace of mind than to have a
banquet in a house full of trouble. 17, 1
Children naturally do silly things, but a good beating will teach them.
22, 15
And my favorite….
Better to live on the roof than share the house with a nagging wife. 25, 24
Author:
Who knows. Not Solomon, as was thought for a long time.
A Trinity
Last Friday Rosemary & I made one of our usual morning bike trips around White Rock Lake. We come down the White Rock Creek Trail from the north and proceed south, clockwise along East Lawther Drive by the Arboretum, to the dam, where we take a vista stop.
The bike path running along the south shore of the lake and Garland Road is pretty high over the lake and the dam. There is an observation deck extending out over the lake and dam, which is about 20 feet above the lake and the spillway. We are looking north across the whole expanse of the lake at this observation point.
Friday when I rode up and stopped just ahead of Rosemary, there was a
young dad with his one or two year old little boy. Dad had a trailer for the boy and he towed the trailer with his bike.
When I arrived the little blond haired boy with about two teeth was
being held by his dad against the black wrought iron railing. The boy was throwing little sticks into the lake and watching them go over the spillway.
He was squealing with delight and when I applauded he was more
joyful. We talked a bit and I was enchanted.
I want to talk this morning about the marvelous Psalm 8 we have just read. It is talking about us and God’s work in us when it says,
You have made people a little less than the angels,
And crowned them with glory and honor.
You have given them rule over the works of your hands.
I looked at the nice dad and his delightful son and thought to myself, ‘What beauty.”
The psalm writer also talks about the work of His Fingers. Another striking image. I saw the work that Friday, also, in the beauty simply in the rich tones of green as we rode along the path in the woods.
Then he talks about the heavens and says,
When I behold
your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you set in place.
Have you ever done this? Lie down on the ground on your back and look up at the sky?
I do this when we are backpacking in the mountains and I find it
terrific. Whatever the sky is doing, clear blue, partly cloudy, or windy, it is
sensational. I come away feeling humbled, awe-struck, and blessed to be here.
Why I never do it except in the mountains, who knows. Every year I
intend to.
Take a look at that marvelous Psalm 8. When is the next time you will look at the sky? When look at the colors of nature. When look at a child, like the kids running around here, and say to yourself, 'What beauty!'?
Readings:
Isaiah 5, 1-7, Let me now sing of my friend, my friend’s song concerning his vineyard.
Psalm 80, The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
Philippians 4, 6-9, Have no anxiety at all.
Matthew 21, 33-43, There was a landowner who planted a vineyard.
Isaiah observations–
What: My favorite prophet again. When you note this is Isaiah, chapter 5, you can make some pretty educated guesses, like the following 3:
1. This is Isaiah 1, the first of the three major composers. Chapter 1-39 are Isaiah 1.
2. This Isaiah is writing before the Babylonian Captivity, which took place around 555 before Christ.
3. You might guess correcty, then, that he is criticising the Israelite people for their bad behavior.
Our passage: In fact, he is highly critical. He uses the metaphor or symbol of a vineyard. Just so you know ahead of time, the vineyard is the people. Watch what he says happens to the vineyard and why. This, of course, is setting the stage for the gospel, which is about, you guessed it, another vineyard. Even the responsorial Psalm is about the vineyard.
Guess what I just might talk about during the homily.
We, The Vineyard
Folks, Rosemary & I have been to the vineyard of the Lord. In fact, I have been twice during the month of September, Yosemite and now our boat trip on the Danube.
I am still so influenced by my years as a Jesuit and the desire to live a simple life that I am embarrassed to talk about this cruise. It cost money. And I feel squeamish about spending.
However, this trip was one of, if not the best of all the trips we have taken. Let me mention three aspects, the natural beauty, the beauty of the staff, and the beauty of the group of people we randomly formed up with.
The natural beauty. We certainly did travel through a section of Germany celebrated for its gorgeous vistas and its vineyards. We visited some of the villages.
However, for me it was the Danube. Especially at night. We would open the curtains of our room and the sliding glass door. 6 feet below me was the Danube moving by, quiet with the exception of the swish of water as we powered up stream. I would get up to visit the bathroom and return to just gaze.
Secondly, the staff. There were two in particular, the program director, Stein, and the concierge, Radi, a young woman with personality and glorious black hair. But also, the staff down to the girl, Carmen, who watched over our room. From the beginning when we walked on board and were welcomed with glasses of mimosas, to the end when there was a Viking agent waiting to help us at the Nuremburg airport at 3:45 A.M. Great cordiality and hospitality.
Thirdly, the people and especially our group. On perhaps the 4th night I noticed around 2:00 A.M. we were simply sitting in the river, not moving. Turned out, a barge ahead of us had troubles and was blocking our entrance into a lock. We spent that night and the next morning anchored in the river with other tour boats lined up behind us. Not one complaint from the group. In fact, we had a good time.
That good time was enhanced by the charm and cordiality of the group we ended up meeting and putting together, four couples. Chicago, Philadelphia, Ontario, and Dallas When it was discovered I was a former Jesuit priest, that led to many interesting conversations.
Isaiah says that the vineyard of the Lord is the House of Israel. The cruise ship the Viking Njord was the vineyard of the Lord. You, We are the vineyard.
I can see it. Can you see it?
Apologies to everyone and to John for putting into last Sunday's blog the wrong homily from John's Mass, September 28. Here is the correct homily, Download Cade Homily 9-28-14
Readings: From the Midnight Mass, the best–Isaiah 9, 1-6; Psalm 96, Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord; Titus 2, 11-14; Luke 2, 1-14.
Isaiah: author, date, subject–
Author: Isaiah is one of the three great OT prophets along with Jeremiah & Ezekiel. This is partly because of the size of the work, 66 chapters, but even more so because Isaiah is so beautiful and influential in the Christian story.
There are really three Isaiahs, chapters 1-39, 40-55, & 56-66. How do we know? Simple. Different styles of writing, different vocabularies, different slants to the message.
Date: 1 Isaiah, our selection is put together ca. 700 BCE. 2 Isaiah, ca. 500 BCE; 3 Isaiah, ca. 400 BCE.
Subject: As always, there has been predictions of doom & destruction. This passage, however, is the flip of this. Listen for words like rejoicing, making merry, joy, peace, a God-hero Child is born.
Source: Bishop John Shelby Spong
Where is the God-Hero Child?
This past fall Gloria Eshelbrenner got married in Seattle. She is Richard & Carol's daughter. Rosemary & I got invited to perform the ceremony, beautifully located over water at a yacht club.
Rosemary & I went on the Monday before the wedding so that we could visit the city, which was the first time for both of us in Seattle. A great city. Just do not look at the weather forecast today and for the past 4 weeks.
One morning we walked down hill into the center of town and went into a Starbucks, what else, just across the street from the Pike St. Market. It was a marvelous old corner location with a high ceiling, mirrors on the walls, and wood paneling. Must have once been a bar.
We got our lattes and went looking for a place to sit. There were the usual tables & chairs and also groups of four leather easy chairs squared before wooden topped coffee tables. All were more or less occupied.
One square, fortunately had only one person, a late middle aged woman. The woman wore bulky clothes without much color, a shawl over her shoulders, a stocking cap on her head, a coffee on the table in front of her, she was slouched and she was asleep. I thought she must be a street person come in to take a nap & a coffee.
There was no other place, so we decided we would give it a try, as long as she did not smell.
We sat and began to enjoy the lattes when the woman, now on my left side, stirred and reached for her coffee. I said something like, "Good Morning," and we began to talk.
Turned out she was far from being a street person. She was just getting off of work at an animal shelter, where she was the nighttime attendant. We had not chatted for more that a few minutes when out from under her shawl and coat a little head emerged. It was a little Chihuahua dog, very friendly and sleepy. We spent probably a delightful half an hour talking with this Seattle lady and her little dog.
I had done it again, folks, judged the book by the cover. Whatever I thought she was in the beginning, she turned out to be a special blessing and gift to me & us.
Where do you find these people blessings, these god-hero people?
Picture 1: Christmas Eve, 2009
Picture 2: Mass begins with Kevin helping
Picture 3: The Nativity Drama
Picture 4: The McGraths, Terry & Joy, Morgan & Tyler
Picture 5: The Community Rectory in Snow, Christmas
Readings: Exodus 19, 2-6; Psalm 100; Romans 5, 6-11; Matthew 9, 36-10, 8.
Exodus: The second book of the Torah or Pentateuch, following the book of Genesis. The book describes probably the greatest event in Israel's history, the departure of the people from Egypt under the leadership of Moses. Today's selection is simply Yahweh's reminder to the people that if they are faithful and good to him, they will prosper.
A Fathers' Day Story
When I was a Jesuit and lived in Tanzania about 10 miles west of the mountain, Kilimanjaro there was a small Jesuit house. I used it as a base, coming back to it after months traveling around the country giving seminars to nuns & priests.
One Sunday afternoon I wanted to go up the mountain about 7000 feet to a Capuchin monastery & convent where my team & I gave a lot of the seminars. I took my travel bag, walked to the town bus park, and boarded a rattle trap old bus just departing for a little village just below the monastery, a trip that would take me 90 minutes.
Half way down the road to the cut off to go up the mountain the old bus pooped out. Everybody gets off and stands around. Shortly, miracle of miracles, another old rust bucket of a bus headed up the mountain comes along. Most did not want to pay two fares, so they stayed. I, however, hopped on an already overloaded antique. We take the cut off and headed up the mountain. The bus huffs & puffs, the gears scream & groan, steam starts seeping from under the hood. You guessed it: the bus dies just as the road begins to seriously ascend.
It is now about 6:00 or 6:15. Because we are right on the equator and twilight always lasts just 20-30 minutes, I know I have only about half an hour to get to the monastery. I have a decision: stay on the switch back road and take an hour or take shortcuts which may get me there in 30 minutes. I chose the shortcuts.
30 minutes did not get me to the monastery. In fact, it got me into total blackness. I could see almost nothing. I know generally where I am but I cannot see even the trail. Somewhere amid the darkness through the forest of banana trees that are cultivated at this level, I see a dim light from a kerosene lantern and head toward it. It is a family's hut.
I walk up speaking the Swahili word for 'hello,' 'hodi.' A lady comes to the door and is very hospitable even though I must have scared her. However, she is Catholic like almost all the members of her Chaga tribe which lives on the mountain. She is used to white priests.
I tell her, of course, that I am headed for the monastery & cannot find the way because of the dark. She calls to one of her children, a little boy of probably 6 years. She tells him to take me to monastery and off we go up the trail.
I can hardly see this little kid and he just zooms silently along climbing all the time. We pass other little family huts with faint lights, we walk in total darkness, and eventually he brings me to a point from which I can see the lights of the monastery above.
I thank this shy little boy, hug him probably, and he disappears back down the trail while I walk up to the monastery. I never saw him or his mother again, and I could hardly find their house in the daytime.
For me this story has a metaphor quality. It is like a parable. College educated priest lost in the dark and guided to the light by a little boy.
Sometimes we are the guide, the nurturer. Other times we are the priest in the dark who needs guidance and the guide may be a small creature, a child.
I see the child guiding us to three things: to simplicity, to interdependence, and to play.
We celebrate Fathers' Day today, which is mostly a celebration of the nurturing side of dad. For this moment, you dads, how do you come to greater light through kids?
AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-06-15.mp3
In honor of Fathers' Day we have some helpful communication hints. Nobody ever gave me such valuable information before my marriage.
Download 9_words_women_use.doc
Readings:
Exodus 34, 4-6, 8-9, A God merciful and gracious, never gets angry, rich in kindness and fidelity.
Psalm, Daniel 3, Glory and praise for ever.
2 Corinthians 13, 11-13, Live in peace and the God of love and peace will be with you.
John 3, 16-18, Peace be with you; receive the Holy Spirit.
"Welcome in, Everybody," says Harper.
Exodus Story:
So the Israelite people have been wandering around in the Sinai desert for many years after escaping from old Pharaoh in Egypt. Moses has been invited up Mt. Sinai to receive the 10 Commandments.
He comes down all loaded with two stone tablets written on both sides and discovers that the people have become exasperated with him and the wandering in the desert. They have created a gold bull to celebrate with and to worship.
Old Moses, all angry, throws down the tablets and breaks them. He calls Aaron, his lieutenant, tells him to gather the Levite tribe, the priestly tribe, and he tells them to slaughter all the rest. They do.
Emma, too, says, "Hi, Everybody, come in."
At this point our reading begins. Yahweh tells Moses to make two more tablets and to return to the top of Mt. Sinai, where he will get another set of commandments. It is here where that marvelous line about the nature of God is mentioned again, "The Lord is gracious & merciful, never gets angry, and is abounding in love."
This is ancient folk tale literature at its best, like Aesop's Fables.
Ugh, oh, Tori is missing a tooth. Are you now a rich girl, Tori?
The Lord is Gracious and Merciful, never gets Angry, and is abounding in Love.
I want to talk about this line this morning. For me, of course, the line says it all. This is my understanding of who God is and how he acts. Consequently, this is a
You win, Buddy. Tori lost one, you lost TWO. Congratulations.
to do it talk. How to spot these qualities.
Of course, there are big ways, like visiting my beloved Yosemite, cycling Iowa & Hotter ’N Hell, and getting together Sunday mornings with all of you.
There are, also, smaller ways. Two examples this morning.
Rosemary, of course, rolls her eyes when I run my ideas past her.
Zoe, I think you are rich too. You got all your teeth.
The first took place Friday at 1:00, guess where. Yes, at Jason’s Deli. Our Romeo get together. There were 4 of us sitting in the very back of the bus, just in front of the doors to the restrooms, Tom & Mike & Andy Sokolowski and myself. At my left was an extra table & chair for other regulars who had not arrived yet.
About half way through our lunch one of the assistant managers, Patrick, a tall, nice looking guy, comes back to our area to bring food to a couple. He is usually really busy, even to bussing tables when the place is full. This Friday is lighter than usual.
Welcome home, Alexandra. Declin, you are a neat kid and you got a terrific mommy.
So instead of running back to work, Patrick comes over to our table, says hi to everybody, and accepts our invitation to sit. He is just to my left.
In the next 5-10 minutes Patrick shares a lot about himself, 28 years old, Plano resident since birth, almost got married once, but is peaceful. Then back to work he goes.
The trouble makers corner. You guys have too much fun every Sunday.
The second event took place in our living room Saturday morning. A couple came to talk about their wedding in August.
I find weddings almost always touching and beautiful happenings. This couple was especially a joy. First of all, the groom is Austin Goode, whom I have known since way back, since St. Mark’s days. Tom & Becky are his mom & dad. I am really touched by this.
The Anderlicks, John & Karen & Lisa.
If this was not bad enough, Austin introduces Rosemary and me to this delightful, pretty, and full of personality fiance’, Vika. Her story is so marvelous. Born in Belaruss, brought to the States at 4 with her whole family by, get this, the Jewish Community Center, which I loved even before hearing Vika’s story. She goes to private Jewish schools, public schools, and graduates from SMU. On top of all this Vika has this magnetic personality.
I can see the personality of our God in these two events. I can see that he is gracious and merciful, never gets angry, and is abounding in love.
Where do you see the personality of God?
Vika (in blue) with Austin and her parents, Ena and Alex Kuznetsova.
Readings:
Isaiah 60, 1-6, Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem, Your light has come.
Psalm 72, Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Ephesians 3, 2-6, The Gentiles are coheirs.
Matthew 2, 1-12, Magi from the east arrived.
Isaiah, a review
Here is another of those passages which make me love Isaiah so much. I have mentioned this before. He is my favorite.
Today we have Isaiah III talking again to the Jews who have returned to Jerusalem from the Babylonian Captivity, about 550 years before Christ. It helps to picture the mood of these people. Are you a Sooner Fan? How did you feel at about midnight Friday night? Multiply this by 10 and you have how the Jewish people felt after 50 years of slavery and their town destroyed like New Orleans or parts of NY & NJ.
When he says Jerusalem or Zion, he is talking to these beaten down people. Later centuries church leaders began to make these words have two meanings. Jerusalem, then, applies to us.
Sources: Good News Bible, The New Interpreter’s Bible
An Epiphany
I would like to talk this morning about the Epiphany in our every day lives or on special events. I define an epiphany as a new awareness, a new understanding, greater appreciation.
I did something Friday morning that I had never done before in my life and about which I have been curious. I did a route for Meals on Wheels.
This came about because next door to us lives an 18 year old girl who is a senior at Greenhill and getting ready to attend Colgate next fall. The girl, Sydney, texted me the other day inviting me to join her on her community service program. It is helpful for her to have an adult or companion on her runs, her parents were busy, and we have done these things before.
We picked up our food at the V.N.A., the Visiting Nurses Assoc. head office on Mockingbird near the entrance to Love Field. This was eye opening enough for another homily. We had 17 people listed on a page and they all resided in a high rise apartment building just east of Central going toward Fair Park. The building has 13 floors with about 15 apartments per floor.
Three observations:
First, she showed me long distance bike riding. She & some other girls rode down the west coast from like Seattle to San Francisco a few years ago. The idea was planted and when Dembney last winter mentioned Ragbrai and Iowa, even though I told him he was crazy at the time, look what happened to me last July.
Sydney next got me to serve meals at the Bridge. That led Rosemary and me to the Austin St. Shelter, and then to Soul’s Harbor with Brent, where we are really plugged in, even as a community.
And now what: Meals on Wheels, a marvelous phenomenon. This girl has been an epiphany for me.
3. Third observation: this extraordinary service program for high school kids. When I taught English & Latin & history at Jesuit in the mid-60’s, there was no service program. I come back to the States in 1990, and most private secondary schools all have the program.
Sydney told me the Greenhill program sets 24 hours a year. I noticed Jesuit has 100 hours for seniors.
The programs are terrific, not just for the high school kids, but also for old geezers like me who get invited along as adult companions and have such marvelous experiences.
Friday was an epiphany experience for me. It led to something unexpected and beautiful.
What is your recent epiphany?
For whom are you an epiphany?