Sunday Homily, July 14, 2019, 15th Ordinary Time
THE CUPCAKE!! Here I thought I would get to raz John & Connie for eating the cupcake I entrusted to them to take on the plane to visit Bill Hammond in Pagosa Springs. I knew they would waste no time in eating it. Wrong. I got snookered!
Readings:
Deuteronomy 30, 10-14, If only you would heed the voice of the Lord.
Psalm 69, Turn to the Lord in your need and you will live
Colossians 1, 15-20, Christ is the first born of all creation.
Luke 10, 27-37, What must I do to inherit eternal life
Welcome home from teaching in Beirut, Lebanon, Our Dearest Celeste. Nice to have your daughter home, Filipita.
The Good Samaritan
This morning I would like to talk about two subjects, being a good Samaritan and and an old Red Sox fan who thought he was going to hell.
When Rosemary & I return to Northwood Park from riding the White Rock Creek trail, we get on west bound Royal Lane and usually catch the red light at Central. Almost always, summer or winter, at the base of the light is a guy & sometimes a woman, frequently young, holding a sign asking for help. I find this uncomfortable, especially is they come over to my window, me in air conditioned comfort.
They are home, Folks, Buddy, Tori, Zoe, and Georgie. It is so much more fun when you all are here.
The problem is that I know they can get aid, food, and shelter at numerous places in downtown Dallas, especially like The Bridge. In the company of a girl from Hockaday, a next door neighbor I have served dinner at the Bridge numerous times. And you know what I am told often? Don’t give handouts to those begging at stop lights. I know, the word is that some don’t like sleeping in dormitories.
Patricia, too, says Welcome Home!
So how do I handle m discomfort? First, I can help at The Bridge and I was donating platelets at Carter Blood once a month until I got rejected for low iron. But equally important for me is the support I give and our community gives to the Food Pantry and, the best of all, Souls Harbor. Brent & his team are doing it, not just with food and shelter, but also with guidance, education, and AA programs. Souls Harbor is a harbor for me & my guilt.
Thanks, Connie, for your pix.
The summer of 69 or 70 I spent 3 months working as an intern priest chaplain. I loved it. One afternoon I walked into a room of a Red Sox fan. Despite that he was a really good guy,probably younger than I am now, like in his early 70”s. He had the Boston lingo. And I teased him about it.
After a visit or two the old guy let me know that he knew he was dying, it was coming fairly soon, and he was okay about it. Kids? None. Wife? Yep. Still alive? Nope. Next, I do not know how it happened. Maybe I said, “Well you will see your wife pretty soon.” His response was that he was going to hell.
What?? I almost croaked.
Says Sir Charlie, "John, see this note? It is a special message, John, from the Pope to you.
Turns out he married once when he was like 19. It lasted a while, then they separated. A few years later he met his second wife and they had a happy 40 or more years together, until she died fairly recently.
You know what doubly blew me away. He was peaceful about his imagined fate. He loved his real wife.
Leo, you are growing up to be one great Kid.
Well, you know what I said to him. Even 30 or more years ago I knew that there was no hell. It was a concept created by the Jewish elders to keep the troops in line. And we inherited it.
Can you believe it? There is no hell, no conditional love.
The Best Music with Shonda, Ben, & David.