6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 13, 2022

We will celebrate the Mass for  Ash Wednesday on Sunday.

Joel 2:  For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment.

2 Corinthians 5:  We are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us.

Matthew 6:  But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

Another Reminder for the 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time, March 2, 2025

Acts of the Apostles 6:  The word of God continued to spread, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly, …

1 Peter 2:  You are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises" of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

John 14:  " … Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father."

John Stack Ministries now meets at:  The ArtCentre of Plano, 902 E. 16th St, Plano

Hello May

Two Special Notices:

1.       Daylight Time begins Saturday night.

2.     A memorial Mass for Rita will be celebrated by Fr. Duffy  at Elizabeth Seton, Friday, 2:00 P.M.   Sunday we will celebrate Rita at our 9:30 Mass at Vines High School.

Snow again in Dallas? Thursday morning, March 5

Genesis 18:   One of them said "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah will then have a son."

Colossians 1:  … it is he whom we proclaim, admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.

Luke 9:  "There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."

Kevin and Richard working on the Zoom

Thanks…

Music,    Shonda & Ben

Readers,   Claire & Jackie

Gospel,   John Cade

Homily,  Becky Good

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,      Richard & Kevin

Final Blessing, Rosemary

Jackie reading from Colossians

Readings:  Download 07-17-22- Readings – 16th Sunday Ord

Homily:  

Claire and Ray and Buddy

Remember these special people:

For Sandra who has been diagnosed with Large B Cell Lymphoma;   For Lambrini, John Cade's wife, who is dealing with cancer and Kaliope, John Cade's Mother-in-law;  For Hue; For Jackie;  For John's sister, Kathey recovering from a fall;    For Tom Good;  For a young man, 19 struggling with a brain tumor and cancer;     For Mary Hall's friend Cadence still suffering from a serious medical condition;   For Sir Charlie & Jan; 

Loretta, Connie and John

Jackie's mom, sister, & friend, Lynn;  For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg.;   For Jean & Cliff Wright;  For Dee, and for her daughters, Lisa & Lauren;     For a young man who is suffering from depression;  John Cade's daughter, Joey, with cancer; from Barbara, a little baby boy named Ford recuperating from an operation & friends, Annie, a mom of 3 kids and Michael ;    for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

Cindy

Birthdays:   Beth Robinson  7/19

Anniversaries:   

Community Finances:   

Expenses: $  485.00 

Outreach: $  0.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

Shonda and Ben providing the music

Rosemary's Blessing:  

Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.

Mother Teresa

Ezekiel 33:  Thus says the Lord: You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel; when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me.

Romans 13: Brothers and sisters: Owe nothing to anyone, except to love on another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

Matthew 18:  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Denni reading from Ezekiel

Thanks…     

Music,    Shonda & Ben 

Readers,  Denni & Tom

Homily,   John Stack

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,   Hue & Kevin

Final Blessing, Rosemary

Tom reading from Peter's Letter to the Romans

Readings:  Download 09-10-23 Readings -23rd Ordinary

Homily:  

Brent commenting on the Homily

Remember these special people:

For the family of Ron Senter;   For Meredith  whose cancer has come back;  For Tom Good;  For Tom  Quinn who had back surgery on November 21st; For Lambrini, John Cade's wife, who is dealing with cancer ;  For Madeleine, Richard Eshelbrenner's granddaughter;  For Hue; For Jackie;  For John's sister, Kathey recovering from a fall;   For Tom Good;   For Mary Hall's friend Cadence still suffering from a serious medical condition;   For Sir Charlie;  For Ron ;  For Teresa Quinn's niece, Maddie who has a brain tumor;

Jackie's sister, & friend, Lynn;  For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg.;   For Jean & Cliff Wright;  For Dee, and for her daughters, Lisa & Lauren;  For a young man who is suffering from depression;  John Cade's daughter, Joey, with cancer; from Barbara, a little baby boy named Ford recuperating from an operation & the families of Annie and Michael ;    for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

Beth and Rob get a cookie  for their anniversary

Birthdays:   Waren Wittek

Anniversaries:  Mike & Geri Moran

Community Finances:   

Expenses: $  36500

Outreach: $  50.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

Loretta gets a cookie for coming back to visit

Some of the hikers.  Rose, John, Paul, Carrie and Andy on the first high pass.

Readings:

Ezekiel  33, 7-9,    You have been appointed watchman for the house of Israel

Psalm 95,   If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts

Romans 13, 8-10,  Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another

Matthew 18, 15-20,  Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am.  

Ready to start.  Georgie, Buddy, John and Leo.

Homily:

Last week Stack spoke about Matthew’s saying, “take up your cross, and follow me.” Stack gave his take on this demand. He gave as an example a younger friend who had struggles with school, with getting into Jesuit, with getting into the Air Force, and how he did not let his personal struggles defeat him. This friend faced his struggles straight on (he took up his cross) loving himself enough to not let his struggles defeat him.

The musicians, Shonda and Ben.

 In the reading from Romans today, Paul summarizes God’s commandments in one saying, “Love one another as you love yourself.” This is where I focus my thoughts today.  

I have been moved by the many stories of people’s loving actions for those caught up in Hurricane Harvey, dramatic rescues in boats, grabbing a hand to keep someone afloat, donating supplies or giving financial assistance out of love. Our lead choir singer, Shonda, of Texas National Guard fame, spent a couple of weeks in southeast Texas helping with Hurricane Harvey rescue operations. She agreed to tell some of her story. [Shonda spoke of what she and others in her ‘pod’ did for victims of Harvey and what immense gratitude the survivors had.]

Thanks for your service Shonda.

The Offertory Procession. Mike, Geri, Carol and Richard.

Now I ask you to remember times you reached out in love to help—times you helped build a house with Habitat, or volunteered to help with the Love for Kids, or helped with the counting of the homeless, or helped tornado victims in Oklahoma, or supported organizations such as Soul’s Harbor or the food drive today, or DARCC, or loved Mother Earth by planting trees, or helped nurture this community’s children during Mass, or helped in so many ways to make our Mass a special time each Sunday. Add to this the many loving actions you perform for others in your family, in your neighborhood or in the community at large. You, in so many ways, are living out the greatest command: “Love one another.”

Just beginning the Mass.  Hue checking the sound and Leo, John, Georgie and Buddy at the altar.

One question is: Where does our impulse and ability to love come from? Richard Rohr, a great Catholic spiritual guide, gives one answer to that question in his book The Divine Dance:

    “Love is not just something you do; love is someone you are. Love is where you came from and love is where you’re going. It’s     not something you can buy or attain. It is the presence of God within you, called the Holy Spirit.

    You can’t make God love you one ounce more than God already loves you right now. You can’t. You can go to church every     day for the rest of your life. God isn’t going to love you any more than God loves you right now.

    You cannot make God love you any less, either—not an ounce less. Do the most terrible thing and God wouldn’t love you less.     The flow of God’s love is constant and total.

    You have nothing to be afraid of. God is on your side, honestly more than you are on your own. We cannot diminish God’s     love. What we can do, is learn how to believe it, receive it, trust it, allow it, and celebrate it.”

Ben and his Dad, Cody.

This love is what we gather here to remember and to celebrate. Think about it. This is the Good News. God’s all-accepting love is in us and flows outward, accepting and loving others.

Zoe, Michelle, Tori and Harper in an important discussion.