Sunday Homily, December 8, 2019, 2nd Advent

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.

And now to begin….

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.

Olivia and Amelia with their grandparents, Sandra and Chuck.

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. 

Buddy and Torri.

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.

Zoe and Emma with her sling from breaking her collarbone falling out of bed.

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.  

Cupcake of The Week for Emma to welcome her back after a bad week.

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.”

Cupcake of The Week to Harper for being so pretty and bringing her grandmother, Cathy.

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? 

Volunteers to help with communion.

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.

Toy World with Emma, Zoe, Buddy, and Torri.

 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!'?

The Butterlies, Jim, James (being strangled) Denise, and Kara.

Readings:

Isaiah 60, 1-6,  Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem.  Your light has come.  (Nice reading)

 Psalm 72,    Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

Ephesians 3, 2-3, 5-6,  The Gentiles are coheirs & members of the same body.

Luke 1, 26-28,   When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, magi from the east arrived.

Georgie says, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome into the New Year."

Isaiah 60:  observations–

1.   Who:  Can you guess which Isaiah this is, 1, 2, or 3?  Yes, this is Isaiah III who seems to have lived after the Babylonian Captivity, that is, 555 Before Christ

2.  Today’s passage: chapter 60 is addressed to Jerusalem as a symbol, which is in total destruction.    Isaiah  is trying to lift the spirits of the people who are depressed at seeing the mess that is Jerusalem.   He is saying that your day is coming, Jerusalem, when you will return to being the most splendid city of all, and by extension, the tribe.

Isaiah 3 should get a commission from the Jerusalem chamber of commerce.  

Hannah, Zoe, and Emma, also, say, "Happy New Year."

The Epiphany, a Cornucopia of Symbols:

2 observations & 2 postscripts–

Where to begin, folks.  There is so much symbolism in this liturgy, in Matthew, for sure, and in the combination of Matthew with Isaiah and Psalm 72.  I'll touch 2 points, each with 3 subdivisions.. 

The Picture of Delight, Leo with a Cupcake of The Week.

1.  The Wise Men have a double & triple significance because they are

a. Gentiles

b. They come from the east, considered the source of wisdom in the world of that time.  Where does the sun rise?  Where do stars rise?  A new son has been born and like the sun in the east or a star he will bring new light. 

c. They are searchers & symbolize every person’s search for meaning in life.    Remember Matthew speaks to two audiences, his fellow Israelites, whom he is chastising for not searching, and the Gentiles. 

Jan with another Cupcake of The Week.

2.  The 3 gifts. 

 a.  Gold is given because it signifies royalty. 

 b.  Frankincense, or incense, signifies divinity. 

 c.  Myrra signifies medicine.  Myrra is for human health.  It comes from a bush like tree that has a yellow, sticky sap on its bark.  The sap was good for skin infections and acne, asthma, colds, and flu, and even herpes.  It is found in Saudi Arabia & Somalia.

 A post script.  People in Europe used to write an inscription over their doors, e.g. 20+C+M+B+10.  The numbers are our year.  The letters are Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar.   Christians made it say, “Christ Bless our house or Maison the year listed.

Richard and Carol, celebrating their 40th, receive two Power Bars of The Week, because they got more sense than to eat cupcakes and keep themselves in great shape.

Another post script.  In New Orleans Epiphany starts Carnival season, which leads up to Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.  The parades are starting, folks.

 Sources: Reginal Fuller, St. Louis U. Liturgy; Biblical & Theological Resources, the Voice Institute, on line; Wikipedia; and other sources.

And Tom, too, who receives a Power Bar of The Week for his birthday and because he is our official Marathon Maniac.

The Epiphanies around Us

A while back Rosemary & I went to the exposition of some paintings of about six or eight artists. Among the artists and the reason we were there was a childhood buddy, who after a career as a lawyer now does oil paintings.  And he sells them for mucho. 

 As we were wandering around we ran into another couple who are old friends.  We asked what brought them to this exposition.  They pointed across the room to a middle aged, middle class, blondish woman who was standing by some of her works.

Offertory with John & Karen, Judy and Dick.

 Here is the story the wife told me.

 The couple we know are both academics on the university level.  Some years ago the wife had been teaching and came to know one of her students.  The student was a mother with a son about 8 years old.  At some point in time the father had abandoned them and left them with nothing.  They were living in the mother’s car. 

 My friend says to me that this shocked her and she thought this cannot continue.  She described the situation to her husband and two sons who were about 10 & 12.  Guess what they did.

Communion (bread, wine in small cups, and grape juice) helpers.

 Yes.  They invited the mother & son to live with them until they got on their feet.  The two sons moved into one bedroom and the mother & her son took the other.  Here they lived for almost a year until the husband found the woman a job. 

 The woman now is successful and is developing as an artist, selling her works for significant sums.  The son graduated from Jesuit, graduated from college, and now is married with a couple of his own kids. 

The Delgado Corner missing most of the gang.

 Obvious from the fact that they were at the art exposition, my friends are still quite close with the mother & her son. 

 I would propose that this is what epiphany is, a pointing to a presence among us and in us.  The presence is acceptance and care for others.  It points to something beautiful, a wow experience.  I received a wow experience just from meeting that woman and hearing her story.

 Who is an epiphany for you?

 For whom are you an epiphany?

Elevation.

January 25, 2015, 3rd Ordinary Time B

Readings:

Jonah  3, 1-10,  The word of the Lord came to Jonah, saying…..

Psalm 25,    Teach me your ways, O Lord.

1 Corinthians 7, 29-31,   Let those having wives act as not having them.

Mark 1, 14-20,   Come after me and I will make you fishers of people.

"Hi, Folks," says Charlotte, "Welcome."

Jonah: This little book of 4 chapters is a gem and tells a delightful short story.   It is so good I would like to read it all, but will read only chapter 1 and most of chapter 3. 

Background: Jonah has been asked by Yahweh to go to Nineveh in Assyria to tell the people & leaders that they are evil and will be punished shortly by Yahweh.  Trouble is, Nineveh is the enemy, like me going to Houston or Philadelphia. 

So he runs away, catches a boat headed for Spain, is blamed by the sailors for causing a big storm on the sea, and is dumped overboard.  The whale swallows him and for three days Jonah is constrained to reflect on what he is doing.  When, after 3 days, the whale dumps him on shore, Jonah is more willing to listen.  We arrive at this point and I will have most of chapter 3 read.

Chloe, too, with her sister, says, "Welcome, Everybody.

Author: For centuries, while people took this story as factual, Jonah was considered author of his own story.  Once it was seen as a fable or allegory, it is accepted that the story probably has some unknown ancient as the author.

Date of composition: no one really knows, but educated guesses put it ca. 800 before Christ.

Note: the story of Jonah and the story of Jesus' interaction with his future apostles are both about The Call.   1 Corinthians is really bad.  Just like last week.  Who in Rome chooses these readings?

And Emma, too, "Hi, Everybody."

Reminiscing at 75

This morning I would like to reminisce on the theme of call at 75.  I propose that calls can be blessings or gifts.  For example. 

I see three big calls in my 75 years.  The first came when I was in high school at the old Jesuit on Oak Lawn.  I felt drawn to be a Jesuit & a priest. 

Kevin arriving ready to cover anything, Georgie, his partner, participating in a swim meet.

I admit there was a lot of scare in this decision, scare that I was going to hell because of my sinful ways and the guys I hung around with.  I remember clearly one of the sermons commonly used with us guys.  You go out with your girl friend, you neck a little bit, you head home, you are hit by a train, and killed instantly.  You go straight to hell. 

I remember the pastor at Christ the King telling the people that where you go will depend upon the people you hang out with.  Good people, you go to heaven.  Bad people, you know where.  I looked around and thought to myself, ‘I know where I’m going.’  I look around now and see some of my best friends, one a lawyer, another a banker, and my friend in Chicago, FBI.  On second thought, I still don’t know where we all might be going.

Leo and Brandon, buddies.

Trouble is, now I don’t think there is a hell thanks to my Jesuit training. I grew up in the Jesuits.  We simply had to.  I used to look at some of my classmates in the military and thought they were lucky.  We entered the Jesuits in those days and never went home for anything, weddings, special events, maybe funerals of parents.

With all this, my decision to follow this inner call to be a Jesuit was an enormous blessing.

Cupcake of The Week to Doug for entering a new decade.

It led me to a second momentous blessing in my life, my years in East Africa, especially Tanzania.  I really had to learn how to adapt.  I learned Swahili and in the process discovered I have a gift for languages.

A high moment for me during maybe my 8th year came one afternoon when I went to a market in a big shed at my base near Kilimanjaro.  I had an old Tanzanian who was a buddy.  He sold fruits and veggies.  I always chatted with him when I was in town.  One day after we had chatted, a little old lady asked him, while I was to the side picking fruit, was I one of them, their people. 

Cupcake, really a power bar of the week to Sir Charlie in another decade.

I used Swahili so good she thought I was an ndugu, which means something like a brother, something I would never had used for myself.  The old guy told me and I was floored.

Then I was somewhat unpleasantly invited to go back to the States, which led to the third most incredible call and blessing, Rosemary and marriage.

Emma and Cole signing a birthday card.

  Looking back I returned to the States with a loneliness that I picked up in Tanzania and a much different perspective on marriage that I also picked up from the people, the priests, and even the bishops and a particular cardinal.  Tanzanians deep inside think not getting married is contrary to the laws of the universe.  I came home with this and I now could not be a happier person.

Finally, a side effect call and gift: you people, our community, the gift and the fun I receive from you every week.

Calls can be marvelous gifts and blessings.  I have had three and a half marvelous ones. 

And you?

Peace is Emma with Aviana.

Says Rick, "You missed my birthday party yesterday, but I am still celebrating today.  Welcome in, Everybody."

Readings: 

Jeremiah 1, 4- 5, 17-19,   Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.

Psalm 71,  I will sing of your salvation.

1 Corinthians 12, 31-13 4-13,  As the body is one.

Luke 4,  21-30,  Today this passage is fulfilled in your hearing.

 This morning we will read the Gospel first, then Jeremiah, and finally Corinthians.  I want to highlight Corinthians, it is so special.   The homily will come after the first paragraph, before the special treatise on Love.

Good as it gets!

Jeremiah observations:

Who:  One of the Big 3 and my second favorite behind Isaiah, whom we will hear from next Sunday.  Why a favorite: because he shares his feelings with gusto. 

When:  you can guess it, before and during the Babylonian Captivity.  Notice how much prophetic energy is concentrated around this one event?  Shows how big it was in Jewish history.  Keep 555 before Christ as the beacon date. 

Suit up time.

What: you can guess this, too.  Criticism of behavior, warning of punishment from God, and eventually a better day.

What today: Jeremiah’s call by God to be his man, really Everyperson’s call to be God’s special.  This call theme carries through our next 2 readings, especially the next one, The Big One.

Can there be a better welcome than this from Cindy & Dee!

A Special Reading, 1 Corinthians

Years ago when I used to do a  lot of weddings, like at St Marks,  I would hear this treatise on Love and I would groan, ‘Not again.’

While still at St. Marks, all of a sudden at another wedding, I tuned in to the reading.  Love is patient.  Love is kind.  That applies to me.  I could be more patient and more kind.  I could be more loving.  (Don’t ask Rosemary)

Equally welcoming is Dear Jan who arranges communion for everybody.

Right around this time there was an instruction from the diocese or Fr. Smythe, ‘Don’t touch the kids.’  I thought about this and realized that I was not hugged enough when I was a little boy.  For one thing my mom was sick a lot and even had some operations.  I remember being taken in by some family friends and being homesick big time when I was a little guy, maybe pre-school.

Elevation Time.

So, once ordained & home from East Africa, I remember one Sunday standing in the entrance to the cafetorium ready to begin the 10:30 Mass.  I decided right then that I will continue to hug all these kids to show them they are loveable and good stuff.  Maybe they will think God really loves them.  A lot of those kids thought I was God once I suited up, so their parents said.

Having a  nice vision, Hue?

To send this message is also why I used to give kids, and, in fact everybody, two or three Hershey kisses whenever they came to me for reconciliation, especially for first confessions. 

The side effect of this, of course, was that my line went on forever and poor Deacon Mike had to stay late to shut down the church.  Everybody else was long gone.  I just wanted to say, ‘Kid you are not bad.  God thinks you are good and a neat kid.’  

Buddy reading our Blessing of The Winter Candles.

Emma lighting The Winter Candles.

I  have a handful of very special, positive Scripture passages.  They are like compasses.  This Corinthians passage helps me to continue to be patient & kind and to remind all of you that you are lovable.  (Well, maybe not Sir Charlie)

Teamwork!

Readings: Isaiah 2, 1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13, 11-14; Matthew 24, 37-44

Isaiah: One of the great O.T. prophets, Isaiah lived ca. 800 years B.C.  The work itself is composed by at least three contributors.  The writer of the first part talks about two dangers to the community, external attacks from enemies and, even more, internal corruption and infidelity.

Our section in chapter 2 talks about a happy day when all will be peaceful on Yahweh’s holy mountain, that is, Jerusalem.

Three weeks to Prepare Myself for Christmas

Last Tuesday Rosemary, Naomi, & I were all flying back from Hilton Head to Dallas on a small, two engine Delta special.  The terminal at Hilton Head accommodates all of two planes at the same time.  We went through the single line for security and walked out on the runway to get on the plane, dropping Naomi on a patch of grass for one last trip to the potty before boarding.

When we climbed the steps into the tail of the plane a flight attendant greeted us with enthusiasm & warmth.  Along with so many other people in the 3 airports we visited, she was all excited about the puppy Naomi on board, the puppy who was celebrating her 15th birthday.

We walked up the aisle toward our seats in the third row and prepared to get settled.  Another flight attendant was standing at the top of the aisle just watching people come on board, saying really nothing.  When she saw us with Naomi in her little carrier with her head sticking out, she barked, "The dog has to go all the way in the box."

Hospitality.

Want to know a good way to prepare for the coming of Christmas?  Try hospitality.  What a difference between the welcome of these two flight attendants.  And what a difference it makes to those who experience the hospitality.  You can practice this not just when someone comes to visit you or phone you.  You can do it in Tom Thumb, in the parking lot, with the check out person.  You can do it on the streets in traffic.  Your hospitality can help create an atmosphere of peace.

I would propose another healthy way to prepare for the coming of Christmas.  No fear.  Matthew’s story about the thief coming in the night is not God’s way.  So, if you have it, get rid of your fear of God this Christmas. 

The idea of the story can be seen as an invitation to watch, not watch out.  I watch for those visits of God that transform my life.  Perhaps moments of hospitality. 

While you are at getting rid of fear of God and practicing hospitality, try one other thing.  Compliment someone one time a day.  A compliment can be affirmation, encouragement, even asking someone how they are, not in the more superficial way we do when greeting people.  But in a the more significant way, the way that says, "I am listening."

I knew I had been hit by some special insight when the two flight attendants welcomed us in such contrary manners.  I personally can attest to how much better I felt about the first girl’s hospitality.  Maybe as Christmas comes closer we can all be more hospitable like she was.

What are you doing to prepare yourself for Christmas?

AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2007-12-02.mp3

Readings: Jonah 3, 1-5 & 10; Psalm 25; 1 Corinthians 7, 29-31; Mark 1, 14-20  

Jonah: This little book of 4 chapters is a gem and tells a delightful short story. 

Background: Jonah has been asked by Yahweh to go to Nineveh in Assyria to tell the people & leaders that they are evil and will be punished shortly by Yahweh.  Trouble is, Nineveh is the enemy, like me going to Houston or Philadelphia.  So he runs away, catches a boat headed for Spain, is blamed by the sailors for causing a big storm on the sea, and is dumped overboard.  The whale swallows him and for three days Jonah is constrained to reflect on what he is doing.  When, after 3 days, the whale dumps him on shore, Jonah is more willing to listen.  We arrive at this point and I will have all of chapter 3 read.

Author: For centuries, while people took this story as factual, Jonah was considered author of his own story.  Once seen as a fable or allegory, the story obviously has some unknown ancient as the author.

Date of composition: no one really knows, but educated guesses put it ca. 800 BCE.

The Call, again

 You hear the story about the young boy returning home one afternoon?  He lived in a rural area and was taking a short cut through a field he knew of.  Suddenly a coyote started following him.  He ran.  The coyote ran faster.  The boy knew the coyote was going to catch him before he got home and was going to eat him.

So he stopped.  He turned to face the coyote, and said, "I know you will catch me and eat me.  But before you do so, please sing me a song in your beautiful voice."  The coyote agreed and began to howl his song to the boy.

At home the boy's beloved dog heard the coyote's howl, knew his master was in danger, raced to the sound, and scared away the coyote.  Moral of the story: in times of danger, use your head. 

Ever hear this story?  It is one of Aesop's fables. 

I tell this story about the boy and the coyote to exemplify what the story of Jonah & the whale is.  A fable.  It has a moral.  What is it?

Before answering, let me highlight something.  Jonah & the whale has humor all through it.  Even after the episode we read today, Jonah's behavior continues to be amusing.  Jonah goes to Nineveh to tell them to repent or the Lord would punish them.  Lo and behold, they repent, and quickly.  Is Jonah delighted and congratulating them?   On the contrary, he throws a snit and in a huff goes outside of the town and sits under a small tree.  He and Yahweh converse.  Yahweh asks Jonah what right has Jonah to be mad at Yahweh for showing mercy to the people of Nineveh.

The moral of the story: listen to God's call in your heart if you want to be happy, despite the amusing ending. 

For contemporary example, here's a story that relates to Tuesday's marvelous event.  I have a friend who went to U.T. in the early 60's.  He came up from Plainview.  This was in the middle of the civil rights activity and he and his buddy decided to join the campus NAACP, an organization I, too, worked with from '65-'68, even living one summer with a hero black lady friend of mine in south Dallas.  Dead now unfortunately, her name was Wanita Kraft.

The goal of the university chapter of the NAACP that year was the integration of the Texas and the University theaters on "The Drag," Guadalupe Street across from the University.  The university chapter was fairly large and they had volunteers who would parade in circles in front of each theater every evening.  My friend and his buddy would get assigned about once a week.  Before they went they changed into old clothes that they would not miss if they got torn up or bloody. 

Torn up and bloody they did.  People would come by not just to yell and curse them.  They would not just throw trash, tomatoes, eggs, and beer bottles.  They would come out of their cars and trucks, come up to them, and flail away.  The policy of the group was non-violence, following the example of Martin Luther King who followed Ghandi among others.  So what do you think they did?  Punch them out?  Knock them down?  They would drop to the ground and cover their heads.  My friend says that was the hardest thing.  To accept getting kicked, punched, spit on, and trashed while not responding.

Eventually the punchers would tire and drive away.  Then a rescue team of some girls would emerge to help them up, clean their wounds, and take to the hospital those hurt more seriously. 

Wonder what happened?  One year of nightly demonstrations and the theaters integrated.  My friend remembers the night they lined up to buy tickets, one white, one black.  Like I did, my friend had a lot of tears watching the inauguration Tuesday morning.

Jonah had the call, the four had the call, my friend had the call.

What is your call?

AUDIO:  http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2009-01-25.mp3

Some of my references:

• Aesop's Fables: The Boy & the Wolf

• The Carmelite web site

• The Dominican web site (Spanish only)

• St. Raymond Catholic Parish, Dublin, CA web site

• Bishop John Shelby Spong, various works and articles in Mirabile Dictu, edited by David          Gawlik

Picture 1:  Mass with Sabrina & Anthony

Picture 2:  Communion distributors–Gerri, Ron, Jan, Patricia, John, Beth & Rob

Picture 3:  Communion–Ron & Marilyn Ackerman, Nina Waldron, Jerry Weiss

Picture 4:  Carl reading Jonah