5th Sunday of Lent, March 21, 2021

Readings:  Ecclesiastes 1, 2; 2, 21-23; Psalm 90, If Today You hear his Voice, Harden not your Hearts; Colossians, 3, 1-11; Luke 12, 13-21

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Intro to Readings

Our first reading is from the Book of Ecclesiastes, which makes up some of the Wisdom literature.   The book is concerned with the purpose and value of human life. While admitting the existence of a divine plan, it considers such a plan to be hidden from man, who seeks happiness without ever finding it here on earth. 

The authorship has been attributed to Solomon, but that was just to get the book some credence.  It was written long after Solomon, around 250-150 BCE.  One could easily conclude that the book is rather pessimistic, as in its opening which we read today, “vanity of vanities, all is vanity”, and it concludes in chapter 12 with the following:  “The last word, when all is heard: “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is man's all; because God will bring to judgment every work, with all its hidden qualities, whether good or bad.” 

This book is also the source of those well known lines from chapter 4:  “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.  A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.”

Our second reading is the last for some time from Paul’s Letter to the Colossians.

The Gospel continues with Jesus’ journey up to Jerusalem.  The opening verse, which is omitted from the start of today’s reading, is worth noting:  “Meanwhile, so many people were crowding together that they were trampling one another underfoot.”  Luke is introducing the sense that things are starting to get serious.  And the reality is that the topic today is a serious one.

Readings: 

2 Maccabees 7, 1-2, 9-14, 7 brothers with their mother were arrested.

Psalm 17,  Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full

2 Thessalonians 2, 16-3, 5,  The Lord is faithful.

Luke  20, 27-38, There were 7 brothers.

Leo welcomes you.

2 Maccabees Observatons :

What :  another reading  from one of those unique dozen extra books.  A history of the Maccabee family.   This is the only time in the 3 year cycle
this book is used.  Perhaps it is only
used to support in some way Luke’s gospel about the wife of the 7
brothers. 

Date :  around 200 before Christ.

Subject: In order to
emphasize how God appreciates faithfulness, the author describes in vivid
detail the torture and murder of 7 brothers who refused to eat pork.  I wanted to read the whole story, but it is
too brutal for public reading.  Check it
out for yourselves.  

Buddy also welcomes you.

 What to Die for

I want to talk this
morning about an event that took place 24 years ago, November 16, 1989.  This Friday is the date.  I was back in the States about 2 years at
this time. 

The event I’m talking
about happened in the early morning of November 16, on a Jesuit university
campus, called Universidad Centroamericana, UCA for short.  This is a Jesuit university just like many others
you know of, U. of San Francisco, St. Louis U. Fordham, Georgetown, Marquette,
and the Loyolas.  This university is in
San Salvador, El Salvador. 

Emma with her momma, Beth.

There were 6 Jesuits
home that night, plus a housekeeper and her daughter in a rear apartment.  All was quiet.

Suddenly about 12:00
there was a great commotion at the door of the residence, lots of yelling and
banging.  The, Jesuits, thinking the door
was going to be bashed in,   opened the door and in burst about 40 soldiers
in camouflage and heavily armed. 

Zoe and her friend also welcomes you.

Continuing to yell,
the soldiers went room to room, busting down doors, smashing windows, storming
around, and ultimately dragging the 6 Jesuits out into their interior
patio.  Even the housekeep and her daughter
were dragged into the patio.   Can you
imagine the fear?

For an hour the
storming around and the noise continued. 
Then, a bit after 1:00, witnesses outside said shots began.  Each of the 6 Jesuits and the two women had
to lie on the ground on their stomachs. 
One by one they were shot in the back of the head and left.

William hanging out with his granddad, Jerry.

9
years before this, on March 24, 1980, a similar event had happened in the same
country, El Salvador.  Archbishop Oscar Romero was shot by a single
assassin in the middle of his Mass in a chapel at a hospital in San Salvador.

The
same year three American nuns and a lay woman volunteer were all killed on
their way to the airport one evening.

Kara looking beautiful.

I talk about this this
morning because, first, it still moves me and the anniversary is coming this
Friday.   Secondly, I talk about it
in reference to the 7 brothers who died rather than eat pork. 

Question:
what would you die for? 

James keeping cool.

Two
observations.

First,
what these Jesuits died for is something really worth dying for.  I can imagine all of us doing this, dying for
people dear to us.  The people dear to the
Jesuits were the poor of El Salvador, especially those abused by the military
dictatorship. 

Secondly,
while the 7 brothers showed heroic courage along with their mother, that they
were going through this because they thought God told them they should not eat
pork is just sad.  The don’t eat pork law
did not come from God, but from Jewish elders and priests. 

At
the time it may have been a health instruction. 
But religious people set this instruction up, not God.   Watch
out.  Religious leaders lay lots of loads
on people and say that God demands this. 
 Remember the prohibition to eat
meat on Friday?  You could go to hell for
this.

"Harper, where did you find that cupcake??"

I
would propose that we all die, that is, give our life for something or
someone.   Teachers give their lives for
their students.  That is what the Jesuits
did.  Parents give their lives for their
kids.  Coaches, like my friend Frank,
give their lives for their kids. 

For
whom or what do you give your life?

Georgie, one of our special loves.

Readings:

Isaiah  40, 1-5, 9-11,  Go up to a high mountain, Zion, cry out at the top of your voice.   (another excellent  reading, this time from Isaiah II)

Psalm 104,  Bless the Lord My Soul.

Pope Francis, Laudato Si:

A Reading from Pope Francis’ Letter on the Environment:

When we speak of the “environment”, what we really mean is a relationship existing between nature and the society which lives in it.

Nature, the environment, cannot be regarded as something separate from ourselves, a mere setting in which we live. We are part of nature, included in it and in constant interaction with it. 

Zoe say, "Welcome, Everybody, it is sunny and warm here."

It is critical to seek comprehensive solutions which consider the interactions within natural systems themselves and with social systems.

We are faced not with two separate crises, one environmental and the other social, but rather with one complex crisis which is both social and environmental.

 Strategies for a solution demand an integrated approach: combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and protecting nature and our entire environment.

The words of Pope Francis.

Luke 3, 15-16, 21-22, The baptism of Jesus.

Angela, too, says, "Hi, "Everybody, welcome in." 

Baptism & Original Sin: traditional & contemporary theology 

Traditional theology on baptism & original sin: 

1. Why we baptized: purification & removal of original sin inherited by babies.  Baby was a sinner & would go to Limbo forever if not baptized before dying.     
2. Original sin: the 1 sin of Eve & Adam, the eating of an apple, ruptured the relationship between God & Humans. 

Two of our more studious community members, Brandon & Leo.

Contemporary theology on baptism & original sin: 

1. Original sin: (first) 
2. no original sin  
3. Genesis story of the fall is allegory, not fact  
4. from Darwin's Origin of the Species the idea has developed that in our human infancy, we needed certain behaviors to survive.  For instance, killing another person & stealing (like food), to survive.  As our ancestors formed communities, norms of social behavior emerged, for example, the 10 commandments.   
5. St. Augustine, ca. 400: 

–A major, if not the major influence on Christian/Catholic theology of original sin and human nature from his time to today 

–After conversion from a rather lusty life at 32, he had a pessimistic view of human nature, different from early Christianity.  This is part of the background to why priests were supposed to be celibate.

Leo & Brandon, the Candle Lighters of The Week.

–John Chrysostom, bishop of Constantinople (Istanbul), Pelagius, a British monk, & Julian of Eclanum, Italy, a bishop, all found nature good and fought against Augustine

–Augustine used all means to vanquish his opponents with their positive view that nature was good, even to sending a gift of horses to the pope to influence his decision.  Augustine won.  

 Why we baptize today: (using the contemporary theology)

1. To celebrate a new life
2. To ritually & formally welcome the new person into a family, a community, and to a God famous for love and acceptance
3. To cleanse after the journey

Anybody know who these characters are?  At Juliet's Restaurant?

The Beauty of Little Kids is for Real

I would like to continue to talk about why we baptize little kids, at least here in our community.    I mentioned that what we are celebrating is new life. Moreover, we are welcoming the child into a family, a community, and a God who loves that child and thinks the child is the best, as good as it gets. 

Sometimes we get distracted and don’t see this.  The child may be crying a lot or we may still think of the child as a sinner.  Appearances distract us and we judge negatively. 

The Best, Shonda, Bethany, Ray,  David.

This is pretty common and I have two examples, one of which you ladies who went to the luncheon will recognize.  Rosemary shared it.

It happened this way.  Rosemary was going to get something at Kohls this past week.  She gets out of the car in the parking lot and starts walking in.  Ahead of her a young guy with pants hanging low in the current fashion steps ahead of her. 

As they walk toward the store, he is working at putting on a belt. 

I admit that I don’t find this custom attractive when I see it in guys, which is exactly why young guys do it. 

The Team cleaning up after communion.

Anyway, he finally gets his belt on and they arrive at the entrance door about the same time, he in front, Rosemary behind. 

Guess what happened.  The guy opened the door.  Then he stepped back and invited Rosemary to go in.  As Rosemary told me and probably told you ladies at Urban Rio, she was humbled and grateful.  She had misjudged the guy.

A second event happened to us both this week.  We have a nice mail man, Doug, easy going, faithful, and friendly.  We are all on first name basis.

Elevation.

At Christmas we stuck a thanks note and a $20 in an envelope for him.  Guess what happened.  We get a hand written thank you note and card. 

I was so touched.  In fact, I felt pretty miserly giving him only $20.  I was touched because I did not expect him to show gratitude in such a formal way.  Rosemary said it is a sign that his mother trained him well.  I remember my mother repeatedly saying to me, “Always thank every person who gives you something.”

In one week here are two people who have caused Rosemary & me to misjudge them. 

Babies and little kids can be misjudged.  That kid cries too much.  That kid screams too much.  Maybe the child is hurting.

Offertory, Bill & Zaile, Lynda & Tom.

This is why here I try to make our community especially welcoming and loving.  I want all these kids, Genevieve & Leo, Brandon, Cole, Harper, Emma & Zoe, Buddy & Tori, all of these and the others who come occasionally to know & feel that they are loved, welcomed, and treasured.  They are good, beautiful, and a gift to me and all of us.

Misjudge anybody this week? 

Readings:  Ezekiel 33, 7-9; Psalm 95; Romans 13, 8-10; Matthew 18, 15-20.

Ezekiel:

• Place written: Jerusalem & Babylon

• Time written: 570's & 580's B.C.

• Audience: The Hebrews in exile in Babylon.

• Message: you are paying the price of your disobedience.  Reform and you will receive Yahweh's blessings again.

• Note: the Babylonians did not enslave the Hebrews like the Egyptians did.  Consequently, when they were given permission to return to Jerusalem, many remained in Babylon because they were peacefully settled.  They became the first of the Jewish Diaspora.

Our Marie Green

It was probably around the year 2000 when I first met Marie.  I was looking for someone with whom I could converse in Italian.  Jesuit was where I started searching and the teachers there put me in touch with the Italian Club in Dallas. I actually sat in on a few classes but wanted to move at a faster pace.  The teacher at the club gave me the numbers of a handful of people. 

As a result, one Sunday after celebrating the 10:30 at St. Marks I met two charming elderly ladies, Marie and Francesca.  We met in what used to be the old rectory across the parking lot and was then the house Rita used before she eventually moved into the house across Brentwood where she now lives.  We had an hour of fun conversation which was the beginningng of two delightful friendships for me.

A year or so later, Francesca had a stroke and returned to Padua, Italy, where her family lived.  From then on I visited with Marie at least once a week.  Every Thursday evening we had our hour to chat and often we met at socials & dinners.  She even became one of about a dozen of us who bought Dallas Summer Musical season tickets together.  She was always ready to go.

Let me talk about four things that I loved about her and that fascinated me.

1.  First, the story of her life.  It was marvelous. Marie was born in the north east of the U.S.  At an early age her father took the family back to Italy, in the region of Turin, the north western province of Italy, where they held the winter Olympics a few years back.  She grew up during the time of Mussolini, who came to power in 1922.

Her father, who worked with the railroad, became frightened by what he saw in Fascist Italy and moved the family back to the U.S. when Marie was about 16.  Marie did not speak English when she returned. 

Some years later, around 1950, a young man came into the place where Marie was working.  He was younger than Marie, Jewish, and had survived Hitler's death camps.  His name was Bart.  They married and had Stephen.  With Bart she lived in all sorts of places all around the world because of his work and language ability. Despite being younger than Marie, Bart died first. 

2.  Secondly, besides being fascinated by her history, I was touched by the courage she showed in life, especially in her relationship with Bart.  For example, imagine, she a Catholic married a Jewish man, and in fact, a man younger than herself by about a dozen years. 

Then, at a late age for having children in those days, Marie and Bart had the courage to conceive Stephen.  Catholics of that era were strongly discouraged from marrying those not Catholic.  In fact, the couple had to get all sorts of special permissions and make promises.

This did not deter Marie.  You know what the Catholic church demands even today of the partner who is not Catholic.  Kids, Catholic.  Marie seems to have been unintimidated by this demand and decided that for Bart & her it was better that Stephen be allowed to follow the Jewish tradition.  When I asked her how she could do this, she told me how they had talked it out together.  

3.  Thirdly, Carol Hogan, one of Marie's best & most faithful of friends, reminded me of another quality that I try to emulate.  Her generosity.  She coupled this with old world hospitality.  Never could I visit Marie that she did not want to share with me a glass of wine, usually some cookies.  Sometimes she would even want to give me something from the house. 

For me a special aspect of her generosity was her constant positive affirmation of my Italian.  I progress with positive strokes, and every time I talked Italian with Marie, I came away elated at how well I was doing, whether true or not.  With that elation I would return to my study with even more energy. 

4.  Finally, I would observe that Marie was always & justly proud of Stephen.  During our visits I always got the latest news of Stephen, whether he was in the U.S. or the three years spent in Korea. 

These are ways Marie blessed and enriched my life. 

How did Marie bless your life?

AUDIO:  http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-09-07.mp3

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.

Genesis 14:    "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who delivered your foes into your hand."

Corinthians   11:  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

Luke 9:  They all ate and were satisfied.  And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets.

Mary reads from St. Paul's Letter to the Corinthians

Thanks…     

Music,   Ben & Shonda

Janice & Mike get a cookie for their anniversary

Outreach: $   50.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

Rosemary's Blessing:

 

 

 

 

John Stack Ministries meets on Sunday for Mass at 9:30 at The ArtCentre of Plano, 902 E. 16th St, Plano,

Texas.

 

 

JSM Mission-Faith Statement  

 Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for & challenges spiritual & total growth.   Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged & make the world we live in a better place to live.