17th Sunday, Ordinary time, 7-25-2021

 

 

"Welcome in, Everybody," says Cody with Olivia and Ben.

 

Readings:

Job 7, 1-4, 6-7,  Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery?

Psalm 147,  Praise the Lord who heals the broken hearted.

 Corinthians 9, 16-19. 22-23,   I have become all things to all.

Mark 1, 29-39, They brought to him all who were ill.

 

 

 

And, Welcome in to you, Judy.  So nice to see you.  You look beautiful.

 

 

Job 0bservations:

What: A comment on The Universe.  No book in the OT or NT has less known about it.  Called the most profound book of the OT.    It deals with the problem of evil, personal justification, and why bad things happen to good people.   Job himself could be historical, a literary creation, or a combination of the first two.

Author: Unknown. 

Date: It is guessed to be before the time of Moses and Egypt, i.e., earlier than 1300 before Christ.

Structure: 3 poetic dialogues preceded by a prose introduction and ending with a prose conclusion, an epilogue judged to have been added sometime later by another person or group of persons.

 

 

 

 

Emma, your smile makes my day.  Thanks to you and your little friend.   By the way, your other little friend that you loaned us still rides in our car above the mirror.

 

 

Psalm 147 observations:

 

The message is beautifully optimistic.   Is it naive?   We all die.  What about the Jews who entered Auschwitz?   My JCC friend from Poland?  85 members of his family liquidated.  

 

 

 

 

Want to go to communion?  See Jan, she will fix you up.

 

 

The Story of Job

I would like to tell you this morning the story of Job.

Once upon a time there was a good man named Job who lived in the land of Uz.  He had 7 sons and 3 daughters, a sign that he was especially blessed.  He not only had sons, but he had the special number of 7. 

One day Yahweh was walking around heaven talking with his buddies when he ran into the devil.  "What have you been doing?" he asked.  "I have been walking around here and there," the devil responded. 

"Have you noticed how good my man Job is?"  "Yes,' says the devil, "but I bet he will curse you to your face if you stop protecting him and take away all his goodies."  "It's a bet," says Yahweh, "Just don't hurt him."

 

 

 

 

Leo, our Candle Man of the Week, at work.

 

 

So a few days later while all of Job's 7 sons and 3 daughters where having a feast with their families, a storm blew up killed them all.  A messenger runs to tell Job of the horrible news. 

Another messenger had raced in and saying lightening has just killed all his sheep and the shepherds.   Other messengers likewise run in saying Job's livestock have been rustled by robbers who killed all the farm hands.

Job is devastated, of course, but responds with the famous statement: "I was born with nothing, and I will die with nothing.  The Lord gave, and now he has taken away.  May his name be praised." 

 

 

 

 

Jackie reading the Blessing of the Candles.

 

 

So Yahweh wins his bet.  But, when Yahweh and the devil meet up to settle their bet, the devil raises the stakes by saying that he bets Job will curse Yahweh if the devil is allowed to hurt his body.  Not death, just hurt.  "Bet," says Yahweh.

The next day Job comes down with sores all over his body, like leprosy, and he has to go outside of town where the lepers go.  He sits in the town dump.  His wife now comes and his friends.  They all grieve. They also encourage Job to see what he has done bad.  Has he cursed Yahweh?  Confess and repent.  Job proclaims his innocence.  But he is depressed and discouraged. 

Note the cosmic vision here: God punishes the evil and blesses the good.  So, Job, what bad thing is God punishing?

 

 

 

 

So sorry, Brent, not even a cupcake for you this week.

 

(In East Africa I used to celebrate Mass for a small community of lepers

Finally, while not cursing Yahweh, he cries out his anguish saying (chapter 3): 

"Oh, God, put a curse on the day I was born; put a curse on the night when I was conceived!  Turn that day into darkness, God." (verses  2-4) 

"I wish I had died in my mother's womb or died the moment I was born.  Why did my mother hold me on her knees?" (verses 11-12) 

"Why let men go on living in misery?  Why give light to men in grief?" (verse 20) 

"Everything I fear and dread comes true.  I have no peace, no rest, and my troubles never end." (verses 25-26)

 

 

 

The Offertory Team, Nina & Kerry, Judy & Mike.

 

 

After some time in this situation, Yahweh comes along and speaks with him:

"Who are you to question my wisdom with your ignorant, empty words?  Stand up now like a man and answer the questions I ask you.  Were you there when I made the world?" (verses 2-3)

"Job, have you ever in all you life commanded a day to dawn?" (verse 12)

"Have you been to the springs in the depths of the sea?  Have you walked on the floor of the ocean? "(verse 16)

"Have you been to the place where the sun comes up or the place where the east wind blows?" (verse 24)

 

 

 

Communion Team ready to begin.

 

 

After hearing all the numerous ways Yahweh reminds him of how insignificant he is, Job apologizes to Yahweh and promises to be a good boy and not complain from now on. 

In an epilogue, which is considered a late addition, Yahweh restores his wealth and gives him 7 more sons and 3 more beautiful daughters.  He lives another 140 years a prosperous and happy man.

Ever feel like Job?  How do you handle the feeling?

 

 

 

 

Lynda & Tom getting ready to run Hilton Head next week end and Jan is blessing them on their way.   I am envious.

Readings:

Isaiah 49, 1-2, 14-15,   Even should your mother forget you, I will never forget you.

Psalm 62,  Rest in God alone, my soul.

1 Corinthians 4,  1-5,  Do not make any judgment.

Matthew  6, 24-34,  Why are you anxious?

 

 

 

Isaiah observations and reminders—

Who, This is 2^nd Isaiah.

When, This is during the Captivity in Babylon, ca. 555 before Christ. 

Subject, The writer, the prophet, is trying to lift the spirits of his fellow slaves.  He gives them exquisite news, using God’s words, “I will never forget you.”  A short but touching cameo of consolation and hope. 

 

 

Matthew observations–

Who,  unknown really.  A bishop about 100 years later indicated that the apostle Matthew was the author, though no reference is made in the gospel.

When, around 80-90, meaning around 50 years after Christ's death.

Subject, I can hear you laughing when we read this.  The message is, 'Why worry?'  Good enough.  However, the message has an unreality about it.  Like it says to imitate the birds.  They don't worry, they don't stockpile, but God feeds them.   Imitate the birds.  

 

 

 

I will never forget you

I have another story for you this morning.  Ever hear of a guy named Kenny Thompson?  I saw an article on him recently. 

Thompson is an elementary school teacher and tutor in Houston.  One day he picks up news about some elementary kids in Salt Lake City.  Seems like 40 kids who were on subsidized lunches were dumped because their parents did not pay enough, even though it was only about a dollar a day. 

So the kids, instead of getting the standard lunch, usually hot, they got a plain cheese sandwich. 

 

 

Kenny Thompson wonders if kids in his school have the same problem.  Turns out they do, about 60 of them. 

So he pays out about $500 so every one of the 60 kids is covered.  He says the kids are there to learn how to spell, not worry about where they will get something to eat.   Plus, they cannot learn anything if they are hungry.

He also discovers that some of the 60 kids even skip the cheese sandwich because they are too embarrassed to be singled out.   Moreover, this meal was for some kids their only good meal of the day.

 

 

 

What Thompson does gets picked up by a local TV morning news.  Immediately, the phone is swamped with callers wanting to help the kids who cannot afford the subsidized lunch. 

Thompson finally establishes an online funding source, Feed the Future.

I thought of Kenny Thompson when I read 2^nd Isaiah’s little message, “Can a mother forget her child?  Even should she forget, I will never forget you.”

 

 

 

I would propose that we have here another one of those infinite demands.  I know, it is truly infinite acceptance.  However, how hard it is to accept.  Really, you will never forget me?   Come on.

Lent begins Wednesday.  I confess it is the Church season I am the least delighted by.  Bad memories and experiences.  What if the goal this Lent was to simply have a “No Fear” Lent, using Isaiah’s line that our God will never forget me?

 

 

Matthew seconds this idea.  His comparisons may strike us as a bit naïve.  We are not birds of the air or flowers of the fields.  We do need to concern ourselves about what we will eat and drink. 

But the basic message affirms that infinite demand which is to accept our acceptance, no ultimate fear.  This to me is the basic, fundamental belief of Christianity.  It has been polluted over the centuries with fear & punishment messages. 

I imagine Kenny Thompson took away some of the fear these kids had in their hearts.  Maybe they will someday have a no fear life.

Wow, can you really do it?   Have a no fear Lent? 

 

 

 

Readings: Exodus 17, 8-13; Psalm 121; 2 Timothy 3, 14-4, 2; Luke 18, 1-8

Exodus: to understand this book it helps to review what came before in Genesis.  Namely, creation, Cain & Abel, the flood, the tower of Babylon, and then the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob.  Remember that Jacob had 12 sons, the last of which, Joseph, was sold by his brothers to a camel caravan which got him to Egypt. 

Joseph thrived in Egypt, becoming the favorite of Pharaoh, while drought & famine afflicted the land of Joseph’s brothers & his father, Jacob.  At one point Jacob sends his sons to Pharaoh to get food & help.  That is how eventually the Israelites ended up in Egypt, to live. 

Exodus is the story of their escape from Egypt, Moses, his birth and call, and how he gets the people away from Pharaoh.

In our selection the people are in the desert fighting for their lives.  Three characters make up the story, Moses, Joshua, the leader of the Israelite army, and Amalek, the leader of the army attacking the people. Moses is blessing his people by holding his staff over the army as a blessing, like praying for success.  See what happens.  This sets up the Luke story about the widow petitioning the judge for a victory.

What We Ask For

A few years ago I had three elderly people from the subdivision of Northwood Hills contact me about planting trees in their neighborhood.  Two were a couple and there was a third guy, all probably about my age right now.  I really did not want to do this project because they were north of LBJ and I thought it was too far to drag the water trailer full of water from Jesuit, where I was living then.

So I put them off.  Maybe even for a year.  Eventually, however, because of their persistence I went to see their project, which consisted of Fretz Park, Hillcrest from LBJ to Beltline, Beltline from Preston to Coit, and a neighborhood elementary school, about 350 plus trees.

Despite not being eager to tackle the distance, two things pulled down my resistance.  First, they were willing to kick in a good portion of the cost of the trees.  Secondly, they were so gracious and eager to improve their own neighborhood.  I could not tell them no after all they were willing to put out, and all their pleading. 

You know the rest.  We planted one of our bigger projects and the trees are thriving.  In fact, I did not even water that project once this summer.  You may not know it, but they gave me a recognition of gratitude at one of their large community meetings.

When I hear Luke’s story about the widow & the judge I always think about Northwood Hills.  With gratitude. 

With confusion also, because I have difficulty with the main point of the story.  Namely, that God will answer persistent prayer, without even being slow about it, as Luke says.  Do you believe that God answers our prayers, and even more swiftly if we are persistent as the widow?  My mom thought that a nine day novena with special prayers got her every request, though my memory tells me otherwise.

I need to make a distinction and an observation to make sense of this for me.  I have talked about it before, so I remind you.  The distinction is between a macro-managing God and a micro-managing God.

The macro-managing God I can handle.  This god is behind the big stuff, the sky, creation, the stars, life, the balance of the universe.  I see this god as like a person bowling.  He gets the ball going and it travels on its own.

The micro-managing god, however, is in the small stuff, responsible for my sickness, for instance.  He makes good things happen & bad things.  He can change each.  If I pester this god enough he will find my lost wedding ring or car keys.  He will cure the sick, make me rich, fix the lottery so I win it, and so forth.  This god I don’t see in my experience.

Then why do I pray for people?  Like at our prayers of the faithful.  This is the observation. I pray first because I think, I hope, our God hears and is personal.  Secondly, I pray because I imagine that my spirit sends forth some kind of emotional energy to that God that says, "Please take special care of this person I love."  When we do this as a group, the emotional energy has a little more punch. 

A by product of praying for others is it sensitizes me to the suffering & difficulty other people are experiencing.

So where does this leave us?  Don’t pray for people?  Don’t pray persistently like the little widow or the people from Northwood Hills?  No. It may mean I lower my expectations. Maybe it helps to make the distinction about the macro vs micro-managing god.  I still remember people in prayer. 

Ultimately, what is your belief about praying for special intentions?

AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2007-10-21.mp3

 

 

 

Readings:

Isaiah 25, 6-8,   On Mt. Zion the Lord will prepare a banquet. (special)

Psalm 63,  My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

Thessalonians 4, 13-18 ,  The Lord will come down from heaven.

Matthew 25, 1-13,  The kingdom of heaven will be like the 10 virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

 

 

Along with Claire, Rose, the whole community and I say, "Welcome home.  It is so nice to have you here."

 

Introduction

What we call Chapter 25 of the Matthew gospel is composed of three parables,

the first of which is about a Wedding Banquet, the Father’s gift of salvation.  The Bridegroom of this parable is the Lord, Jesus who is coming for his Bride, the Church, those who have welcomed and are living the Good News. 

 

 

 

 

Good Morning, Dearest Tori, Welcome.  It is so nice to see you.

 

 

The First Reading, [a substitution, Isaiah 25:6-8] is from the Prophet Isaiah. It describes the Wedding Banquet for those who seek to do the will of the Lord; what unites us together is good food, aged wine, and forgiveness.

Our Responsorial Psalm, ‘My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God,’ addresses our yearning for a spiritual banquet with the Lord. 

 

 

 

Emma, our Dearest Candle Lighter of The Week, in action.

 

 

Our Second reading from St. Paul’s Letter to the Thessalonians addresses the mystical body of Christ rising together as one Body, for the Wedding Banquet at the end of time.

Our spiritual gift, of course, is that the Lord comes to us here and now in our banquet of the Liturgy of the Word and Eucharist, the fish and the bread.

 

 

 

Mike, conjuring up his neat little homily touch, namely Emma leading the community in singing, This Little Light of Mine.

 

 

The Holy Gospel according to Matthew: the parable of the Ten Bridesmaids.

I say to you that something is terribly wrong in the way we understand this parable:  We sense it in the failure of the wise bridesmaids to share some of their oil with the foolish bridesmaids whose lamps were going out.  Obviously, there must be an answer to this dilemma, and you will be surprised to find where I found it?

 

 

 

 

Want to go to Communion?  Jan & Bern will help you. 

 

Most of you can remember singing along with the children, as they held up their little paper or cardboard lamps, “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine….” You probably don’t recall that its meaning is purposely given in Matthew’s ‘Sermon on the mount.

 

 

 

 

Here they are, Folks, better than ever (as they say on Mike & Mike, A.M. sports radio).

 

 

You are the light of the world….let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” The oil that was brought by the wise bridesmaids for their lamps in this parable, is a metaphor.  It represents the good works they have done by loving others as Christ has loved them. When the wise bridesmaids, who are the Light of the World, trim their lamps with oil to go out to meet the Bridegroom, they are of course lighting the way for others as Christ escorts them to the Wedding Banquet.

 

 

 

 

This Little Light of Mine, will always be special because of you singing it for us, Emma.

 

 

The foolish, however, have no oil. Without good works it is impossible for them to trim their lamps, so the wise tell them to go to the marketplace for that’s where they can to do good works by becoming the Light of the World for others, the oil that gives glory to God.  It is where they can choose to use their God given talents for the good of all, to be the Light of the World in their encounters with the poor, the lonely, the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the sick. 

 

 

 

Says Emma, "Welcome in, Everybody." 

 

 

Readings:  

 Genesis 11, 1-9     The whole world spoke the same language.

Psalm 104,   Lord, send down your spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

 Romans 8, 11-16,   The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness.

 John 7, 37-39,   Let anyone who thirsts come to me.

 

 

 

And from Jan, our communion hostess, "Bread and Grape Juice?"

 

 

Seven weeks ago on the Sabbath, the day before Easter, Judaism celebrated their feast of Passover.  Recall how the Israelites were set free from being slaves in Egypt when the angel of death had passed over their homes marked by the blood from their lambs. Seven weeks ago on Easter, the Passover feast of Judaism was fullfilled by the Lamb of God who set us free from sin and death.  

Yesterday, Judaism celebrated their feast of Pentecost when the Israelites pledged themselves to live the Ten Commandments of the Law.  Today, we fulfill the Jewish Pentecost celebration by pledging, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to welcome and live the the Good News of Jesus Christ.

 

 

 

And from Tori & Zoe, "Welcome to our play station."

 

 

Those who welcome and live the Good News are likened to the man who builds his house on rock.  We do not store up our treasures on earth; rather we seek to bring dignity to the poor, the sick, the hungry, the stranger, and those in prison.

We are called to be Jesus of Nazareth throughout the Good News, therefore we speak in his name.  We have the responsibility to treat each person with goodness and kindness; tenderness and compassion.

 

 

 

 

Candle lighting time with Emma lighting the candle and Georgie reading the blessing of the candles.

 

 

It is important that we witness the oneness of our faith in the Good News, to our children and grand children.  There are those among us who have the responsibility for watching over their grandchildren.  Vacation Bible School can be your best friend during the the coming summer months.  Sign them up early, get in a car pool, and have them attend with their friends.  Remember, we are one in Christ!

Encourage these children to carry their Bible, or Bible story book, when they come with you to Mass; enjoy watching them tap their feet when we sing together our stories of God’s love for us and our love for others.   

 

 

 

Hi, Rookie, great to see you and your grandmother, Carrie.

 

 

When you are ready to give a Bible or Bible story book to a child or grandchild make sure that it is age appropriate and that it contains some of the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Wrap it with love. Mark your favorite verses for them to get to know you better. Make that day a celebration that the child will not forget. 

 

 

 

Ben working the solo shift.  It's Summer Vacation time.

Jeremiah 23, The days are coming when I will raise up a shoot.

Psalm 23, The Lord is my Shepherd

Ephesians 2, He is our peace

Mark 6, Come away and rest a while.

 

 

Welcome Home, Ben, so good to see you & to hear you.

 

Thanks……

Music,    Ben

Readers,  Warren & Brent, & Buddy, our candle blesser 

Gospel,     John Cade

Homily,   John Cade

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,     Richard, Hue, & Mike

Final Blessing, Rosemary

For hosting us at Legacy for all these years & will miss you enormously, Becky

Warren reading.

 

Readings:

Download Readings 16th Ordinary Time 7-18-21

 

 

Homily by John Cade

Download Homily John Cade 07-18-21 Good Shepherd

 

 

 

Brent reading.

 

Remember these special people:

For John & Karen Anderlick's unborn grandson;  For Alan Stryker;   For Candice Taht, friend of Mary Hall;   For Rosemary's great niece, Rylie ;  For Richard's grand daughter, Madeleine;   For Esparza's new great grandson baby, son of Monique, & Frank with shingles;  For all the medical personnel struggling to treat the tsunami of sick people, in particular, locally, Cindy's staff at Presby, Dallas, and at Frisco Presby, the mother of Harper and Betsy, Kendle, working in labor & delivery, and for Hue & Linda's daughter, Doctor Rosemary Beavers;   For Mary & Dave Hall's g-daughter Allison Keller working at St. Lukes, The Woodlands,   For Loretta's aunt Alicia;  For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom & Cody &  Leo & all of Shonda's dear family; For Ursuline Sr. Mary Troy, 

 

Today's team John & John

 

Jackie's mom, sister, & friend, Lynn;  For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg.; For Meredith, cancer free & John Schanot;    For John O'Donnell & Jean;   For Jean & Cliff Wright;  For Dee, and for her daughters, Lisa & Lauren  ;  For Anthony & Sabrina;    For a young man who is suffering from depression;  John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli and Lambrini, plus John's daughter, Joey, with cancer; from Barbara, a little 4 month old baby boy named Ford recuperating from an operation; for David McKeon's brother, Hugh; For Beth's friends & brother;   for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

 

Birthdays:    Beth (Monday)

Anniversaries: 

 

 

Applause from Meredith.  Community applause for you, Meredith.

 

Community Finances,   July 18, 2021

Expenses: $535.00

Outreach: $320.00 

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

 
 

Thanks for the Blessing, Rosemary.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Rosemary's Blessing:

A Summer Blessing

May you walk with God
This summer
In whatever you do
Wherever you go

Walking with God means…
Walking with honesty
And with courage,
Walking with love
And respect
And concern for the feelings of others

May you talk to God
This summer
And every day and
In every situation

Talking with God means…
Praying words of praise
For the beauty of creation
Saying prayers of thanks
For friends and good times,
Asking God's help
In all your decisions
Expressing sorrow
When you have failed

May you talk with God
Every day. Amen.

Author unknown

Found on https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/summer-prayers