From John & Connie, "Welcome in, Everybody."

 

Readings: 

Deuteronomy 26, 4-10,   He brought us out of Egypt.  

Psalm 91,  Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.

Romans 10, 8-13,    No one who believes in him will be put to shame.

Luke 4,  1-23,  Jesus in the desert for forty days.

 

 

Likewise from Jackie, "Come on in, Folks, & welcome to Day- light Savings Time."

 

 

Sunday Homily, Mike Carrell, 3-10-19

 Lent is preparation for Easter, so the words spoken over those who desire ashes are more appropriately the choice given by the Church from the Mark gospel, ‘The time is fulfilled; the Kingdom of God is at hand; Repent and Believe in the Good News.’  

 

 

 

Welcome, Ana-Patricia & Alicia, from the old 10:30 cafetorium Mass at St. Marks.

 

Last Sunday, led by our musicians, we responded together from the Psalm 92, ‘It is good to give thanks to the Lord.’ That psalm reminds us to begin and end each day saying, ‘Thank you Lord for being with us, here and now.  Thank you Lord for the seed that you have sown into our hearts along with a the desire bear good fruit. Let us be led by your Spirit to be Love in this world.

 

 

And while we are at it today, welcome to more 10:30 cafetorium Mass goers, Cathy, her daughter, Katy, and Katy's marvelous fiance' Enza from Uganda, no less.  But he does not speak Swahili!

 

 

Here and now, in every moment of the day, we are the body of Christ in the world.  Our mindset should constantly be that we are meant to be Love, in everything we say and do.  So,‘In everything give thanks for that is God’s will for us in Christ, Jesus.’ 

 

Not to long ago, I was in a waiting room while Judy was being seen by a doctor. There were a hand full of children’s books among the magazines on a table there. They usually have a good intended meaning, so, I took the liberty of choosing Aunt Grace and her nephew about to give birth to a garden. I smiled, and said to myself, ‘With a name like ‘Aunt Grace,’ this is got to be good.

 

 

Hi, David, Hi, Caroline.

 

Before they took a step into what would be their garden, they started with a prayer. Then they began to remove the weeds, cans, bottles, sticks and rocks. When that was done, they broke open the soil and used a wheelbarrow to cover it with an abundance of new mulch, to provide the garden with good soil.

 

 

The Most Reliable Jan making sure everyone can go to communion.

 

 

This sounds a lot like Lent doesn’t it; with each of us refreshing our garden, and why John has a Sunday each year when we grant God’s loving forgiveness to each other.  Lent is a time to be more aware of the people we meet everyday.  With goodness and kindness, we can smile more; say thank you more; and you are welcome, more.

 

 

The Bona Responds Team on site in Wilmington, NC, to help people with recovery from the Hurricane Michael last Fall.

 

 

We can do lots of little things like letting the car and its occupant get in front of us without honking at them. Let’s be aware of the mother with small children. We can help her put her groceries in her car, and to push her cart back for them. Let’s have a neighbor or two, or three over for coffee.  Practice makes perfect.

 

 

From our community, Connie & John Bresson, David Dinsmore, and, of course, Bill Hammond.   From St. Bonaventure University, the man behind all the recovery work so many in our community have volunteered for over the years, Jim Mahar.

 

So, what was it that Aunt Grace and her nephew sowed in their garden? Of all things, Potatoes. She taught her nephew how cut up potatoes that were covered with eyes into pieces, so that the eye of each piece could and would be placed in an upright position within the good soil, looking up to the heavens with faith that this would bring forth a bountiful harvest, that they could share with their neighbors.

 

Our journey through Lent has just begun. Who might you invite to journey with you?

 

 

  What a Team!

Welcome to the beautiful colors of Advent & Fall in Dallas.

 

Readings:

Isaiah, 11, 1-10,  On that day the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb. (a beautiful reading)

 Psalm 72,  Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever.

 Romans 15, 4-9,  Welcome one another as Christ welcomed you.

 Matthew, 3, 1-12,   John the Baptist appeared preaching in the desert.

 

Welcome, Everybody.

 

Observations on the Isaiah and the Matthew selections.

These two reading today have a sort of ying & yang quality to them.  Isaiah is looking for peace while Matthew talks about John the Baptist, who does not specialize in peace.  

You will find the selection from Isaiah (this is Isaiah 1) to be a beautiful dream about peace.  He even looks at the animal kingdom for peace.  Watch how Isaiah enters into this theme when he talks about the wolf.

And what was John's message?  You better behave and repent or you are going to get it.

So how do you you reconcile the reading from Matthew with a
God who loves unconditionally? 

 

Happy Engagement, Carrie & Paul.

 

In place of our usual homily today we have invited one of the men from Souls Harbor so share his journey of recovery.  

 

Ha!  I caught you, Beth.  Swiping pastries before the kids and I can get there.  Sure, you think I believe that you brought those.

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.

 

 

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. 

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

Readings: Numbers 11, 25-29; Psalm 19, The Precepts of the Lord give Joy to the Heart; James 5, 1-6; Mark 9, 38-43.

The Book of Numbers

 

The fourth book of the Pentateuch.  It leaves us with the impression of a carefully structured and organized religious society moving through history under the sustaining and guiding hand of God.  It is a very complex collection of historical, legal and liturgical traditions spanning a period of about a thousand years!  

An outline would identify three broad divisions of the book: The sojourn at Sinai, chapter 1-10 covers the last 19 days the Israelites spent at Sinai. 

 

The second section deals with the journey from Sinai to Moab, chapter 10-22 and covers a span of about 38 years.  The third section, chapters 22-36, covers events in Moab over a period of 5 months.  Today's reading is from the beginning of the

second section, when the people are just starting out on their journey.  Moses is getting concerned with the responsibility of all of the people, so God shares the spirit, which is on Moses among 70 elders, even two who were not part of the group gathered around the Tent.

The Letter of Saint James

 

This is the final Sunday for the second reading to come from Letter of St. James, which we have listened to for the past five weeks.  In the reading today the mood is very stark!  “Your wealth has rotted away”.  The audience for this letter is the communities outside of Jerusalem.

Again remember the letter is a collection of moral observations and instructions, and in today’s reading James’ does not have much that is positive to say about the rich.  The bigger context is to encourage the Christians who are suffering at the hands of the powerful.  James reminds his audience that Jesus is coming again very soon!  Immediately following today’s reading he says “Be patient brothers until the Lord’s coming”.

Notes on the Gospel 

 

9:42 "it is better for him rather if the millstone of a donkey had been set around his neck and he had been thrown into the sea." The force of the two verbs indicate it would have been better that the person died before causing the scandal.

 

9:43 "It is better (that) you go into (eternal) life deformed . . . " Compare this statement with Leviticus 21:17-24, where only the undeformed could lead worship. Only the physically intact high priest could enter the Holy of Holies, the place the populace believed Yahweh definitely dwelt. In addition, self-inflicted wounds were forbidden in the Torah.

 

Now Mark stated the self-deformed could enter the kingdom. Ignore, for a moment, the fact that Mark used this extreme language symbolically. The weight of the statement was simple. Not only the sinners (the "deformed") could enter the Kingdom, the righteous (those with "two hands") could suffer eternal punishment! In addition, sometimes needed to "deform themselves" (i.e., leave the community of the "righteous" for the community of "sinners") to be saved

               

"unquenchable" in Greek is "asbeston," the root word for "asbestos."

                    

9:43, 45, 47 "Gehenna" The valley of Hinnom, south and west of ancient Jerusalem. This valley became infamous as the "high place" for idol worship among Judah's monarchs (including an oven for human sacrifice). Because of it reputation, "Gehenna" became metaphor for eternal damnation in the time of Jesus.

                                  

9:44, 46 "where the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched" Both verses are the same. Most scholars do not believe these verses are part of the original text, so they are deleted from most modern translations.

               

9:48 "where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched." Unlike 9:44 and 9:46, this verse is original. This verse was an adaptation of Isaiah 66:24

                          

Homily for Sunday September 27^th 

 

If ever there was a gospel passage which begs for the topic of the Pedophile Disaster it is today’s, but I am not going there!!  Instead I thought about getting some hacksaws and pliers and making them available for use here today!!  If you eye causes sin – pluck it out.  Chop off your hand or your leg!!!! What is this all about? 

           

For me, this is a classic example of why it is not too smart to take the bible literally!  No, God does not want us to be inflicting severe bodily harm to ourselves.  So what is going on in this reading?

        

The three readings today are a brilliant example of why we have readings at mass.  The Word of God is speaking to us thru the readings each Sunday.  Here is what I am hearing from today’s readings.

            

In the OT reading from Numbers, we are at the beginning of the journey, the people have just been given the Covenant with God…. But already they are starting to have a really bad attitude about the whole thing, and poor Moses is feeling overwhelmed.  I guess life does get to be overwhelming at times.  Too many things too little time.  In the reading, God helps Moses first by sharing the spirit with others, can I share whatever it is that overwhelms me with others… a problem shared is a problem halved.  Then God in the very next sentence after our reading has quail blown in from the sea to feed the people.  When I am open to allowing God to help me, he invariably does. 

            

The Second reading from James reminds me to keep things in perspective.  Not to get too attached to material things.  The real riches are for me found within family, within community.

            

The Gospel passage from Mark for me says that what we here in this community are doing is the right thing!!  “Whoever is not against us, is for us”.  If ever there was an example of not seeing eye to eye with the established religion, it was Jesus.  It was ultimately what set him up for crucifixion.  The established religious were too threatened by what he was saying and doing.

           

 

But back to what I said at the beginning, what are we to make of the chopping of limbs etc.?  It is a classical example of why it is important to fully understand the context of the scriptures.  Today’s readings ask me to take stock of my priorities.                      

          

Let's take a few moments of quiet to begin that process.

                 

You may be the only Bible someone reads, will they be able to find God?

 

Picture 1:  Tony celebrating with Kevin helping

 

Picture 2:  Altar helpers

 

Picture 3:  Mike Miller presents CCAC with $2000, Cathy, Ray, & Claire accepting

 

Picture 4:  The Froebes, Richard, Morgan, Alexandra (O.U. junior), & Monica

Readings:

Ezekiel  47, 1-2, 8-9, 12, I saw water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple.

Psalm 46,   The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High.

1 Corinthians 3, 9-11, 16-17,  You are God’s building

John 2, 13-22,  He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple.

 

 

Introduction and homily by Mike

Introduction:  The first reading is a prophesy from Ezekiel to the Jews in exile that they would return to Jerusalem, rebuild the temple, and when it was finished living water would pour forth from it.  Jesus Christ fulfills the yearning for his coming given by Ezekiel.  His living waters, his life giving words, pour forth the Holy Spirit to abide in living temples, the hearts of those who welcome and live the good news.

 

 

Homily: The inspired writers of the Scriptures were quite clear in telling us that God has no favorites.   In the Church, Greek and Jew, male and female, free or slave, all have been called to be together as one royal priesthood, the people of God, the Body of Christ in the world. 

The Vatican II documents of the Roman Catholic Church began the process of tearing down barriers between Catholics, other Christian denominations and other religions as well, teaching that all who seek God have been called to oneness in Christ.  As Vatican II began to wind down, Pope Paul VI asked for the formation of an advisory council to assist him; it would be called the Synod of Bishops. 

 

It became a permanent council that currently numbers 191 bishops; and they all met last month for two weeks at Francis’ request to address, as honestly as possible, the positions that each of them held on questions relating to marriage and divorce, ordination of women and married men, birth control and homosexuality.  

According to the news reports these bishops could not come to a consensus in their reply to Francis, for they failed to meet in a spirit of collegiality and collaboration.  The irony of course is that the synod addresses the family, and none of them are married or are women.  Needless to say, Francis was not impressed with the initial results.  

 

 

He has asked these bishops, again, to enter into a welcoming and listening position, a dialog, with one another and with the people they have been appointed to serve, together they comprise the Royal Priesthood.  Francis has asked his bishops to listen with hearts filled with goodness and justice, tenderness and compassion.  He has asked them to follow the commandment that Christ taught, ‘love one another as I have loved you.’   

Francis has given them 12 months to provide for him a group consensus to each of his questions.  Here’ are some of the consensus replies that I hope will be coming from Francis at the end of the Synod:

 

 

1) Since women in the Church have discerned that the Holy Spirit is leading them to seek ordination, they will be allowed to enter the formal discernment process for the diaconate.

2) Men and women who are divorced and have remarried have been seeking permission from the Church to receive the Eucharist.  The Church will invite the divorced and remarried to marriage enrichment; the completion of the workshop will include a celebration of forgiveness with the reception of the Eucharist.

 

3) Married men who have a calling to the ordained priesthood can begin the formal process of discernment to the priesthood.

4) If the personal conscience of a married couple is to use birth control during the marriage act, it must be for a serious reason associated with the well being of either party.  Both parties must first be well informed on the teachings of the Church on the sacredness of life; new life that they have conceived must never be aborted; their mutual love must always trump a desire for material wealth.

 

5) Homosexuals should have an opportunity to seek the sacraments and welcomed to share their gifts and talents within the Christian community.

6) Francis could eliminate the misnomer, ‘the laity,’ for all who welcome and live the good news are together the Royal Priesthood!  The Mass is the Prayer of the People of God.  Francis should invite us to pray the Eucharistic Prayer together, led by those we have ordained.  Together, in oneness, we ask that the Holy Spirit come upon the Bread blessed and broken for us to be the Body of Christ in the world.