Sunday Homily, December 8, 2019, 2nd Advent

 

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Having a vision, Aggie?

 

Readings:

Isaiah 11, 1-10, The wolf shall be a guest of the lamb…(beautiful, poetic?)

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

Romans 15, 4-9  Let us throw off the works of darkness

Matthew 3, 1-12,  John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert  (Fear based spirituality?)

 

We have noticed that people discover that the Blog has not been coming.  Typepad tends to drop people for no reason.  So if this happens to you, just sign up again by going to www.johnstackministries.com

 

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Welcome in, Chip & Cathy.

 

Curtis Jenkins, December 15

This morning I have my first Christmas homily of the season.  I want to introduce you to Curtis Jenkins, a  school bus driver for about 70 kids from Lake Highlands Elementary, Richardson West Junior High, and J.J. Peace Senior High.  Jenkins is a 46 year old black guy who married his 8th grade girl friend.  They have 3 daughters all in their 20’s. 

 

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Teamwork.

 

Jenkins has been driving the school bus for 7 years.  Initially he gave up his career as an electrician/ plumber so he could be more present to his mother, who is not well.

What is special about Curtis is taking place right now, this very week  All the 70 kids who ride his school bus may make a request for a Christmas present.  Last year apparently when Curtis had bought, wrapped, and loaded all the gifts into his bus, there was hardly room for the kids.  He does this every year.

 

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Candle lighting with Tori.

 

Plus, during the year he gives birthday gifts (Sound familiar?  Maybe cupcakes?).   As the kids prepare to disembark, Curtis gives them a little pep talk, like a hope talk.  Maybe a quickie homily or final blessing?  He even develops community responsibility by creating clean up teams, safety teams (like bigger kids helping smaller kids, and helper kids (like for gift distribution).  Parents say their kids wake up eager and excited that they get to ride Curtis school bus.

 

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He's got it memorized, Folks.

 

Curtis was featured in the April 20, 2019 edition of the Dallas Morning News. 

You know what this makes me want to do?  Pick up on Cathy’s idea last Sunday where we would give a Christmas gift to every kid in this school.  Are these not our kids?  A possibility?  How many kids are here?

 

Ladies 1

Juliets' Christmas luncheon.   Table 1 of many.

 

Ladies 2

All these ladies do is have parties!

 

 

 

 

 

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  • Sunday Homily June 24, 2012, Birth of John the Baptist

    Readings:  

    Isaiah 49, 1-6, I will make you a light to the nations.

    Psalm 139, I praise you, for I am wonderfully made.

    Acts,  13, 22-26, To us this word of salvation has been sent.

    Luke 1, 57-66, 80, John is his name.  

     

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    Beginnings

    Isaiah observations:

    What:   Remember last week we had Ezekiel, one of the Big 3 Prophets.  This week we have The Big Prophet, Isaiah.   Because of its 66 chapters this work is a long one.  And a rich one.  Remember, also, that at least 3 writers contributed to the book. 

    The first 39 chapters, Isaiah 1, present a strong criticism of the rampant corruption of the ruling class with their oppression of the ordinary people.  This Isaiah lives around 750 years before Christ.  He knows how the Assyrians destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel.  He predicts the same for the southern kingdom, Judah. 

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    Communion helpers

    Our selection: Isaiah 2 begins at chapter 40 and is called The Book of Comfort.  You will see why.  Picture the people now enslaved by the Babylonians.  Isaiah 2 consoles the people with visions of a second Exodus & a return to Jerusalem 

    Isaiah 3 speaks to the people now resettled in Jerusalem in chapters 55-66.  Emphasis is on justice, Sabbath observance, sacrifice, and prayer.  In other words, behave now that God has resettled you.   

     Resources: Good News Bible 

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    Leo preparing to sing

     

    John the Baptist Figures

    After five weeks, folks, of extraordinary events, I expected that for a while Rosemary & I would have a period of relative quiet, less emotional activity.  Not so. 

    Yesterday she, John Cade, and myself, we went to the Corpus annual meeting.  Corpus is the national organization of married priests.  Corpus in this context means body and, in particular, we are the body.   We married priests are still the body of Christ.  The conference took place at the American Airlines Training Center, an excellent venue.

    Brooklyn 6-24-12

    Brooklyn

    Three observations.

    First, these married priests and their wives are John the Baptist figures.  That is, like, John, they are pointing the way to the Lord.  They are pointing to a better way.  If Jesus was living today, I could easily see him being a member of Corpus.

    Secondly, these men and the wives have spent time in the desert.  This is at least because they have been rejected and not allowed to share their charism as priests.  Folks, these are beautiful people.  They make marvelous priests, but they cannot officially share their gifts.

    Harper 6-24-12

    Harper Bambanek, Welcome!

    These men & their wives are also walking in the desert today.  The last time I met with these people was two years ago and there was optimism and hope everywhere in the people.  Both John & I sensed less optimism about the Catholic Church this year.  It was brought up now & then.

    One of the great men of this group is Anthony Padovano and he, an eternal optimist, constantly affirms that in the reform of Catholicism history is on our side.  Many of us who were at the conference see the reform and the principles of Vatican II going nowhere if not backwards. 

    Thirdly, want to know where these people tell me they find hope and optimism?  You will never guess.  In You!  You who make up this community.  You who come every Sunday to a cafetorium instead of a pretty church, you who are so generous, you who support so many outreach projects.  Look at your Habitat involvement these weeks.  You are a John the Baptist symbol for these priests and their wives. 

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    Corpus prayer moment

    I even had a married priest from Ontario, Canada come across the room to me and say what inspiration he takes from you. 

    How does it feel to be considered an inspiration and a John the Baptist symbol?

    How are you doing it? 

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    Corpus prayer moment, including John & Rosemary

  • Sunday Homily, July , 2007, 16th of the Year

    Readings: Genesis 18, 1-10; Psalm 15; Colossians 1, 24-28; Luke 10, 38-42

    Genesis: the word means "origin," and that is what the book details.  Our selection today comes after the creation, Cain & Abel, Noah & the flood, & the tower of Babel.  The big three patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob. 

    In our reading Abraham is now old, as is Sarah, his wife. They have no son. After their hospitality to two strangers, guess what happens?

    Activist or Contemplative?

    The years I lived in Tanzania I used to travel constantly giving retreats & seminars.  When I finished a stretch, I would return to our little Jesuit house near Kilimanjaro to catch up on perhaps 2 or 3 months of mail, to work up more seminar material, and to relax. 

    One morning I was working at some task at my desk next to a front window when I saw the car of one of my best friends coming in the gravel drive.  He was a French Canadian priest who, when he was not working with me on one of our programs, lived in Dar es Salaam, the capital of the country.

    As soon as I saw him I remember feeling uncomfortable.  As Rosemary says, I can get anal about projects. I am sure that morning I had my time all mapped out with various projects.  My friend’s arrival meant he had driven up from Dar es Salaam and I was going to have to go be hospitable for a while. Maybe he wanted to spend the night.  We did not have phone service, so you could not communicate.  You just showed up and the African custom was hospitality above all, day or night.

    Somehow I must have managed, and I can’t even remember how long he stayed. 

    All the people in the world are divided into one of two categories: activist or contemplative.  Today we call it Type A or Type B.  We are born into our group, like being right or left handed.  Both groups have their positive characteristics and their negatives. 

    Type A, for example, is efficient, economic with time, likes to start on time and finish on time. As you know, I am Type A.  When I notice we are running over an hour with our Mass, I get antsy.  Type A people get energy from projects and love to tackle problems and challenges.  The energy enables these people to work long hours, even without breaks. Work schedules are established and followed. When you were in school, did you turn in term papers early or start work the night before they were due? Type A’s turn in early.

    The down side is summed up in the slogan, "Projects over People."  Whatever I was doing that morning was more important than greeting my good friend.  It is hard for me to stop and chat with a neighbor when I am mowing the grass.

    The contemplative, on the other hand, is laid back.  Projects can be postponed for suitable reasons without stress. Starting & ending on time is easy, no stomach knot if late. A day off can begin without any schedule other than waiting to see. Type B’s can focus on whomever they are with in a very complimentary way. Being over doing. 

    The weak side of the Type B, of course, is accomplishment.  That term paper may not get in on time because it was begun just last night. Meetings can start late and go on without limit. 

    We have cultures that lean one way or the other.  Tanzania was more contemplative.  People were patient.  Hospitality, a prize. 

    What about U.S. culture?  Obviously Type A. This, of course, makes it more difficult for a contemplative to live happily in the U.S.  Want to be a young lawyer, a CPA, go to SMU’s MBA program?  Total Type A life style. 

    So which types do you think Martha & Mary were?  And the writer, what type was he? Of course, one type can drive the other type crazy. My sympathy goes out to Martha because I’ve been in her shoes.  The writer obviously thinks the contemplative Mary is better. But really? I admire Martha for voicing her complaint, even though she gets shot down.

    Actually, self redemption and maturity involves me as a Type A moving more into the contemplative side of the continuum. And vice-versa. The unredeemed Type A turns into a driven obsessive.  The unredeemed contemplative spends life doing nothing.

    One of the things I have learned to do is take time off during which I do nothing.  Funny thing, even during this time, I will find myself setting a goal to read, say, fifty pages of a book today. I have to say to myself, "No, Stack, stop that." I can pull this off in Mexico or Italy or at Clare & Joe’s in Hilton Head.

    It would be fun to bring in someday the Myers-Briggs Personality Indicator and offer it to the whole community, then explain it for a few Sundays.  I taught this in Tanzania. You might find out more about yourself, and see how your type is good, whatever it is, Martha or Mary.

    What type do you think you are? How do you know?

    AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2007-07-22.mp3

  • Sunday Homily, January 29, 2017, 4th Ordinary Time

    Readings:

    Zephaniah 2, 3; 3, 12-13,   They shall do no wrong and speak no lies.   

     Psalm 146,  Blessed are the poor in spirit, the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

     1 Corinthians 1, 26-31,   God chose the foolish of the world.

     Matthew 5, 13-16,    You are the light of the world.

     

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    Welcome in, Everybody.

     

    Zephaniah observations:

    What:  a tiny book of only 4 chapters.

    Who: a prophet in the typical mode, criticism of current bad behavior, promise of punishment, a better day after repentance and purification.

    When: about 600 years before Christ.

     Today's selection: A promise of better days in the future.

     

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    And from Kevin, too, "Come on in, Folks."

     

    The Lord will give Sight to the Blind (Psalm 146, verse 8)

    I have talked the past two Sundays on how I was given light to find my way by various people.  I would like to continue this theme this morning because I am struck by the line in the Psalm that says the Lord will give sight to the blind.   Another story.

    When I was ordained at St. Rita’s in ’71, I returned from Toronto where I had been studying theology to my mother Jesuit province, called the New Orleans or Southern Province.

     

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    Hi, Kara, Hi, Denise, daughter & Mom team.

     

    For about 4 years I gave spiritual retreats mostly to nuns and priests, retreats which were individually directed instead of preached to large numbers.  To do this I established a base and a team at St. Charles College in Grand Coteau, LA, a beautiful place where Jesuits were trained for the first 4 years of their times as a Jesuit.

    There was another center like ours in Wernersville, PA.  I would go there once a year to consult with their team and director, George Schemel.  He was maybe 20 years older than I and a sage in my eyes. 

     

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    Hi, Cole, Hi, Erin, son & mom team.

     

    At some point on one of my visits there, George asked me to be part of a team he wanted to send to East and West Africa to give these directed retreats to the religious over there.  Would I go? 

    I was stunned that he believed in me so much.  I was both scared and honored.  What does this guy see in me that he would ask me to be part of this team?

     

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    We are loaded with great Candle Lighters, this week Brandon.

     

    I checked with my home province, got the okay, and went off for a year with another young Jesuit, Bob Hamm.   While there I got asked to come back after the year to set up a permanent spiritual center.    Guess what I did.  Yep, I came back.

    As a result of George Schemel believing in me, a number of things took place.

     

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    The Offertory Team, Mike & Geri, Connie & John

     

    I spent ten years in East Africa, mostly in the country of Tanzania, where I coordinated a team going to about 4 centers in the country to give seminars and retreats, some lasting a month. 

    I also had the privilege of setting up a spiritual center in Nairobi, Kenya, and working there for about 4 years.  I found a plot of 39 acres & two houses on the edge of town.  On one side was the town, on the other, the Nairobi game park.  One night we came home and a giraffe was walking casually across our yard. 

     

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    Hi, Zoe, you look beautiful.

     

    While doing this, I discovered I had a talent hidden up to then.  I learned Swahili and discovered through the language I could really enter into the cultural fabric of the people. 

    Once when I was at the little town of Moshi, near Kilimanjaro, I went to the local market.  I knew an old man who sold fruit and veggies.  I loved the old guy and we would chat up a storm when I was in town.  I could also leave my motor cycle near him, so he would keep thieves away. 

     

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    The Play Station.
     

     

    At one point after chatting with him, I was picking up some fruit while he talked with a little old lady.  She asks my friend about me, “Is he one of us,” using a word I would never presume to use for myself, ndugu, meaning brother, but more than that.  She had overheard me talking Swahili with my old friend.  He responded, “Yes.” 

     

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    The Best, Bethany (plus 1 soon to arrive) & Ray

     

    Talking about Kilimanjaro, I climbed that old mountain 5 times

    After all this, I finally returned to the States, and what did I encounter? Two more lights who, incredibly, believed in me.  Who? Bernadette and Carol.   Because of them we are here this morning.  What a Blessing!

     

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    I think, Ray, we may have another understudy here.

     

    George Schemel believed in me and showed it.  Because of his believing, I was able to accomplish things I never would have dreamed about.  Plus, I lived a marvelous 10 year adventure.  George was a light to me.  As are  Bernadette, Carol, and you people.  

    Who has believed in you?

    Whom do you believe in? 

     

    CIMG7066

    Yeah!   It is Girl Scout Cookie time again and Harper is ready to supply all your favorite flavors.  Good work, Dear Harper.

  • Sunday Homily 12-18-11, 4th Advent

    Readings2 Samuel 7, 1-5, 8-16, The Lord said to King David, 'Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever;' Psalm 89, Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord; Romans 16, 25-27, To him who can strengthen you be glory; Luke 1, 26-38, The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a virgin.   

     4th Sunday of Advent

    Mary is told in our gospel reading that she is to give birth to the Messiah, the Christ. She asks the messenger from God how this could possibly happen. ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.’ With astonishing faith she replies, ‘May it be done to me according to your word.’

    Concelebrants 12-18-11

    As John the Baptist (the messenger of the past two Sunday liturgies) baptized the people in water, they acknowledged their sins. Then he tells them, ‘Christ will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’ So that the Holy Spirit will come upon us.

    How will this happen?  When we welcome and put into practice Christ’s words we are bathing in the Holy Spirit.  The inspired writers of the John gospel tell us that Christ’s words are living waters that satisfy our spiritual thirst by filling our hearts with the Holy Spirit. 

    Candles 12-18-11

    It is through the power of the Spirit, Christ is alive in the hearts of those who live his words!  Then, all Christians together, Jew or gentile, man or woman, free man or slave, in union with Christ become what the Apostle Paul calls the body of Christ.  As one body we all share in the mission of Christ in the world.

    In the Mark gospel we are told that together with Christ we are the one loaf that is blessed and broken, for we have become the word and bread we have consumed.  The acceptance of being broken is the tough part; but there is no other way to feed the other unless we give of ourselves in and with Christ.

    A few weeks ago Judy and I watched a DVD she had ordered from Netflix. It was a French film in black and white with captions in English.  The film came out in 1987 and was directed by Louis Malle [Louie Mall].  The title of the movie in English was ‘Goodbye Children,’ however after watching the film I realized the title really was to be understood as ‘Goodbye Childhood.’  

    Penitential 12-18-11

    The basis of the film was what Louis Malle experienced when he was eleven years old while he was attending a Provincial Catholic Boarding school on the grounds of a Carmelite monastery during the German occupation of France. It was 1944.  When France was liberated in December of that year the children had been pushed out of their childhood into adulthood.

    The film begins with the children returning from their wealthy French families after Christmas vacation to the boarding school.  Soon after, Fr. Jacob the Carmelite priest at the school introduces three new pupils to the boys.  The boys are unaware that the three new students are Jews, that Fr. Jacob is the leader within the faculty who are joined to an underground network of Christians across France to save the Jews.

    Penitential B 12-18-11

    Fr. Jacob has given the three boys gentile names hoping that he can keep them hidden and alive until the Germans are pushed out of France.  A few months now pass with the three new boys fitting in rather well.  A classmate from the school, Julien, befriends one of the Jewish boys.  A few things unexpectedly happen, including Julien hearing his friend praying in Hebrew one evening.  (The Jewish boys do everything the Catholic boys are doing, including going to Mass.)  

    The school has a parent day in the fall at which Fr. Jacob gives a homily on social justice directed toward the rich parents attending Mass with their boys.  The three Jewish boys are in attendance by themselves.  The friend of Julien is moved by the Priest’s words (from the spoken Word) and enters the line with the Catholics to receive communion.  Julien is next to him as the Jewish boy sticks out his tongue waiting for the priest to place a host on it.

    Cole 12-18-11

    I am as intent on seeing what happens as is Fr. Jacob, Julien and the young Jewish boy.  (The Jewish boy has a different understanding now of why Fr. Jacob and other Christians are risking their lives for the Jews…at any time Fr. Jacob could literally become ‘bread broken’ for him…taken and killed by the Germans by hiding him.  

    Fr. Jacob does not place the host on his tongue, but his mere presence to the Jewish boy is bread blessed and broken. The boy seems a bit surprised not have received the host but peaceful in his presence among these Christians. There is a moment of quiet as the priest moves on to Julien who will only later become aware of what has really happened.  Julian, however, is now aware that not only is the boy is a Jew, but that Fr. Jacob is well aware of it.

    Sean 12-18-11

    Another icon of the Church in the world that you are probably not aware of might now become apparent to you as the season of Advent is about to end: the Christ child in swaddling clothes lying in a manger.  For the strips of linen are burial attire—As Church we are the Suffering Servant and Lamb of God to which we show our gratitude believing through the sacraments of Christ’s words and actions that our sins have been forgiven…and our responsibility to also forgive the contrite of heart. The manger is a feeding trough.  Blessed, we gather together in thanksgiving each week to consume the essence in the Liturgy of the word and Eucharist with conviction to become the bread we eat.

    A kitchen worker is fired by Fr. Jacob, after the priest becomes aware that the worker was selling some of their food in the black-market. (Those watching the film can sense a coming betrayal.) The Germans have somehow become aware of the three additional students in the school.  Julien had seen his friend’s name partially erased from the inside cover of one of the books that he had brought with him. When one of the German’s asked for that person to stand, Julien glanced at his friend.  The German had noticed what he had done.

    Emma 12-18-11

    Later, the courtyard was filled with the boys standing in lines facing the Germans, who take with them their Science teacher and his family, Fr. Jacob and the three boys who are Jews.  The boarding school boys tearfully called after Fr. Jacob, ‘Goodbye Fr. Jacob.’  Fr. Jacob calls back to them, ‘Goodbye Children.’ 

    The children had been pulled from childhood into adulthood in the tragic awakening of man’s inhumanity toward one of their teachers and his family, their priest and three of their classmates.  Later they would come to know what it means to become the Bread we eat…It is in dying to self by showing goodness and justice to others that one is born to eternal life.

    The Science teacher and his family and the three boys were gassed to death upon arriving at Auschwitz.   Fr. Jacob was sent to a concentration camp in Austria where a few months later he died after the Americans forces had taken control of the camp.

    The Gang 12-18-11

    When we see some of the children of this community wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger on Christmas Eve, recall the significance of what that represents: We have been baptized in the Holy Spirit to be Word and Bread, blessed and broken.

    Picture 1:    The Team, John, Mike, & Kevin

    Picture 2:    Ryan lights the candles with Jim & Michelle, his dad & mom 

    Picture 3:    Penitential Rite, people, "Please forgive me."  Jan & Charlie

    Picture 4:    Penitential Rite, minister, "I forgive you.  I accept you. Peace." Mabel & Mike

    Picture 5:    Cole with his mom & dad, Erin & Chuck

    Picture 6:    Sean 

    Picture 7:    Emma

    Picture 8:    The Gang, Judy, Marilyn, Chuck, Sandra, & Geri

     

     

     

     


     

  • Sunday Homily, January 3, 2016, Epiphany

     

    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.

     

    Emma 1

    Emma says, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome in."

     

    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 to the Jews who have returned to Jerusalem from the Babylonian Captivity, about 555 years before Christ.  It helps to picture the mood of these people. 

     

    Cole 3

    "Hi, Folks, Welcome in, they are going to win today," says Cole, our Cowboy fan.   Sorry, Cole.  It has been a tough year.

     

    Are you a Cowboy Fan?  How do you feel at about this year?  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, the city and us Christians.  Jerusalem, then, applies to us.

    Sources: Good News Bible, The New Interpreter’s Bible

     

     

    Gen 5

    Does the Lord not shine on this little girl?

     

    Upon you the Lord shines, because of 3 Magi

    This morning I would like to propose that we have Magi in our lives and because of them the Lord shines on us, like it says in Isaiah.  

    I want to limit the selection to 3, like the guys in Matthew’s story.  This was a bit difficult, because I see lots of Magi in my life.  Magi for me are the wise ones, the good ones, the compassionate ones.  I could start right here with you people in the community.  I could easily mention Rosemary. 

     

    Gen 6

    Ugh Oh, She has learned how to motor, like crawl.  Beware, Everybody.

     

    However, I chose 3 guys who are not quite as present in my life, but are wise, good, and compassionate.  Here they are. 

    The first guy is Harold.  I don’t even know his last name.  I do know that he is going to be 90 shortly.  I see him most mornings, Monday through Friday.  He is in the shower change room when I come into the J (Jewish Community Center) ca. 5:30 to do spin class. 

     

    Gen 7

    So, the questions is, 'Where is she going?  To help with the singing (see podiums) or to help with the Mass?"  Tune in next week for the answer.

     

    He is quiet and understated.  Despite working out 5 days a week, he is pretty plump.  What he is, is friendly and congenial.  He knows Rosemary & I go dancing Monday nights.  He always asks if we are going and Tuesday he asks how dancing was. 

    The second person is my old coach & Scout Master from Christ the King, Frank Hart.  Frank is 90.  Notice how these 90 year olds are getting my attention.  Rosemary & I visit Frank every Sunday after we leave Sigler.  He lives in a house with about 8 other elderly people, all of them women except Frank.   The house is on Northhaven near Hillcrest.

     

    Emma - Zoe 1

    Emma and Zoe solving our world problems.

     

    If I get to Frank before their lunch at 1:00, I usually find him in bed and asleep.  He has his clothes on.  He just sleeps a lot.  I wake him up and  despite his memory not being too good, he certainly remembers us and makes a big deal out of us coming by. 

    Frank was one of the more significant persons in my life as a grade school kid.  He helped me get over being home sick when I went to Boy Scout camp, a story I've told here more than once. 

     

    Buddy

     Hi, Buddy, are you a frog today?

     

    While Frank touched me when I was in grade school, the third guy touched me when he was in grade school and I was at Jesuit.  His mother came by one day with her son and basically said, “Help!”  This is Michael, about whom you have heard me talk before.

     

    DAvid 3

    After doing a zillion Masses together at St. Marks in the cafetorium, an old friend, David has joined us in Sigler.  Welcome David!

     

    Last Saturday he came by to visit Rosemary & me.  He has his gorgeous wife, Lydia, and now two neat kids, Barrett and Abby.  Michael is in the Air Force and I think the last time we met was in Aviano, Italy, when Beth & Rob were with us.  He flies these little F-16 jets.  

     

     

    Gerwers

     

    Genevieve, See these cool kids.  Someday you will grow up to be as marvelous as they.  The Gerwers.

     

    Michael touches me because he overcame a number of blocks to, first, get into Jesuit, and then to have a great career at Tech after failing to get into A & M.  

     

    Vines

    Remember our old friendly venue, Vines?  With the Nativity drama and 300 folks, we will return to reminisce maybe twice a year.

     

    What are the gifts they give me?  Wisdom, goodness, and compassion.  

    Who are the 3 magi in your life & what gifts do they give you?

  • Sunday Homily 8-24-08, 21st, Ordinary Time

    Readings:  Isaiah 22, 19-23; Psalm 138 (nice); Romans 11, 33-36;  Matthew 16, 13-20.

    Isaiah: Just a reminder that the book of Isaiah is one of the big three prophetic books, Jeremiah & Ezekiel being the other two.  Three writers of the book can be discerned by their characteristic writing styles.

    Rob w mountain background_1

    Bringing Out the Best

    When I was a little kid growing up in Christ the King parish I remember being put off by the negativity, the clericalism, and the apparent dislike of me by the formal pastor and the assistant priests.  When I went to Jesuit, however, I found that the Jesuits seemed to like me and brought out the best in me.

    In today's gospel by Matthew we have the story of Peter being made the head of the new church.  How marvelous it would be if that church community had retained the characteristic of bringing the best out in people, instead of focusing on control, punishment, and fear.  Two comments about this reading.

    First biblical scholars agree that Jesus did not say what is in this little story.  Rather, the Matthean community shaped a highly stylized scene that attempted to establish Peter's position as leader of the new community.  The writer, because he wants to authenticate Peter creates the scenario where Jesus makes Peter The Man.

    Secondly. This past week Rosemary's brother Peter McGinn sent me an article he was publishing about bringing out the best in corporate leadership.  I thought, he is talking about what we are trying to do here in this community.  And how marvelous it would be if the Catholic church brought out the best in people.  He uses the word best as a memnotic, focusing on behavior, emotion, spirit, and thinking in this way.

    1. Behavior.  Build on the person's strengths.  Bill Hammond knows that I can't run because of the couple of compressed disks in my back.  He knows, however, that I have a modicum strength in biking because I work out daily on an air-dyne bike.  He invites me to ride the Hotter 'N Hell, something he did not know I had dreamed about doing for probably about 15 years.  Initially I declined, but his confidence in me as well as my dream combined to help me overcome my fear of the risks.    Build on a person's strengths.

    2. Emotions.  I remember seeing one of the girls in the Olympic gymnastics blow a dismount.  As she walked to the side all the girls on all the teams as well as the coaches hugged and consoled her.  Affirmation even in failure.

    3. Spirit.  Mercenary vs. Marine.  Part of a team or a community.  I was envious Saturday when I would see a large group of riders blow by me en masse.  How fun it is to be part of.  How I take spirit from the group.  I watch the Plano Senior High band practicing while I am filling my tank with water occasionally.  One of the fun things about being a Jesuit was imbibing and sharing the spirit.

    4. Thinking.  Establish and share goals.  I think of the Boy Scouts.  When I was a Scout, we just got together for fun, which was good enough.  Few of the guys were challenged to become Eagles.  In the past years I have seen troops where the leaders help numerous boys to become Eagle scouts.  With help such as that my fun experience in Scouting would also have resulted in me being an Eagle Scout.  Thinking is education & training.

    Sabrina

    Peter McGinn intended this article for corporate and hospital executives.  It also has value for church, for community, and for each of us in our dealing with others. 

    Who has brought out the best in you?  In whom are you bringing out the best?

    AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-08-24.mp3