5th Sunday of Lent, April 3, 2022

The first Genesis creation story is included in this blog.  It is too long to read during the homily, so I invite you to read it prior to Sunday Mass when John Cade will talk with you about the story’s literary form.

Download 09-19-21 Genesis Creation Story 1

Readings:

Isaiah 5, 1-7, My friend had a vineyard on a fertile hillside.

Psalm 80, The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

Philippians  4, 6-9, Have no anxiety at all.

Matthew 21, 33-43, There was a landowner who planted a vineyard

 

 

Thanks to the Team

Music,  Ben & Shonda 

Readers,  Jackie & John Simari  & Buddy, the candle blesser

Gospel,  Deacon Mike 

Homily,  Deacon Mike 

Eucharistic Prayer A & B, Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers, Mike, Ben, Richard 

Final Blessing, Rosemary

For hosting us at Legacy, Becky

 

 

Download MASS Reading week 27

 

 

 

 

 

Does it get any better??

 

Homily

Recall how the gospel ended last Sunday: Jesus told the chief priests and the other religious leaders that evil men and prostitutes were going to enter the Kingdom before they did. Visualize this: The angels in heaven have begun to rejoice for those who have repented and turned to God.  So Jesus said to the lawyers who have rejected him, “Have you not read the Law and the Prophets; where The Father’s servant, Isaiah, taught you how to bear fruit; we are to love one another with goodness and kindness, with tenderness and compassion.  In the John gospel Jesus addresses us this way: “I’ve chosen you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last. “I am the vine; you are the branches.

 

Richard monitoring  the Zoom program.

 

 

Please Remember these special people:

For Alan Stryker;  For John Doherty with back pain; For Becky's dad who has moved to the other side;  For Cindy recuperating at home;    For David Dismore's bad shoulder from a biking accident; For Esparzas, Frank & Mary,  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;   For Mary & Dave Hall's g-daughter Allison Keller working at St. Lukes, Woodlands,  For Joe Hogan with cancer;  For Loretta's aunt Alicia;    For Sydney, who just passed to the other side;  & For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom & Cody & Ben & all of Shonda's dear family;   for all the students and teachers and coaches returning to school, for Geri's sister with heart & circulation problems, 

Richard & Mike Zooming. 

 

For Jackie's mom, sister, & friend, Lynn;  For both Jean & Cliff Wright;  For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg; For Meredith, cancer free;    For Hue;  For John O'Donnell;   For Dee, and for her daughter, Lisa; For John Schanot's continued health;  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,  For the students, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

 

Birthdays:  Georgie, 19, Erin MClurg, Nancy Kovatis, Sabrina DeGenova, 25

Anniversaries: Paul & Carrie Bieda, 3rd

 

 

Spring color in fall.
                                                

                 

Community Finances, October 4, 2020

Expenses: $450.00  

Outreach   $100.00    (often for Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)

Thanks, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

Rosemary's Blessing:

 

I thank you God for this most amazing day:

for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and

for a blue true dream of sky; and

for everything which is natural

which is infinite

which is yes.

e.e.cummings

 

 

Just in case you missed our new address, 7017 Helsem Way  75230.   (notice the same Zip Code as Tulip Lane?)

Sorry Folks. This is late and there are no pictures, but the writer is sick.

 

Isaiah 40:  Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.

2 Peter 3:  But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Mark 1:  Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way.  A voice of one crying out in the desert: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths."

 

 

 

Thanks…     

Music,   Shonda & Ben 

Readers,  Mary & Frank

Homily,   John Cade

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,   Hue & Richard

Final Blessing, Rosemary

                                      

 

 

 

Christmas Collections:

We will be collecting sweatshirts and hoodies for Soul's Harbor  on Sunday, December 10, 2023.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 Allen Stryker;   For Mike and Judy Carrell ; 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.

                                      

 

Birthdays: Tom Good 12/14

     

 

Community Finances:   

Expenses: $  1,531.00

Outreach: $   

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

                                 

Isaiah 9:  For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests.

Titus 2:  Beloved: The grace of God has appeared…

Luke 2:  Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

     

 

 

Connie reading from Isaiah

 

 

Thanks…     

Music,    Ben, Shonda & Sofia

Readers,  Connie, John  & Jackie

Gospel,   John Cade

Homily,  John Cade

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,   Lynda & Tom

Final Blessing, Rosemary

       

                             

John reading from Paul's letter to Titus

 

 

 

                                                                  

Readings:  Download 12-24-22- Readings – Christmas

Homily:  

 

 

Jackie reading Luke's Nativity event

 

 

Remember these special people:

For Kaliope, John Cade's Mother-in-law who passed this week  and for the family;  For Jan;  For Tom  Quinn who had back surgery on November 21st;  For Sandra who has been diagnosed with Large B Cell Lymphoma;   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 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; 

       

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.

 

 

Sofia (Ben's daughter) playing the cello

 

 

Birthdays:  

Anniversaries:   

Community Finances:   

Expenses: $  4,435.00

Outreach: $  300.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

         

                                     

Welcome back Diane and Erin

 

 

Rosemary's Blessing:  

 

A Christmas Prayer

Loving Father, help us to remember the birth
of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds,
and the worship of the wise men.
Close the door of hate and
open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift and
good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing
which Christ brings, and teach us to
be merry with clear hearts.
May the Christmas morning make us happy
to be Thy children, and the Christmas evening
bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts,
forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake. Amen!

— Robert Louis Stevenson

 

 

Thanks to all who put together our Sunday Celebration: 

Music, Shonda & Ben

Readers, Mary Jane & John & Deacon Mike with the Gospel

Eucharistic Prayer & homily, John Cade

Blessing of the Week, Rosemary

The Magic Zoom Makers, Mike and Becky and Ben

 

 

 

 

Reading 1 with John Schanot

A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles

         At that time Peter stood up and, backed by the other eleven, spoke out with bold urgency: “Fellow Jews, all of you who are visiting Jerusalem, listen carefully and get this story straight.  Jesus of Nazareth, a man thoroughly accredited by God—the wonders that God did through him are common knowledge—this Jesus, following the deliberate and well-thought-out plan of God, was betrayed by men who took the law into their own hands, and was handed over to you.  You pinned him to a cross and killed him.  God untied the death ropes and raised him up.  Death was no match for him.  David said it all: 

         I saw God before me for all time.

                    Nothing can shake me; he’s right by my side.

          I’m glad from the inside out, ecstatic;

                    I’ve pitched my tent in the land of hope.

          I know there will be no trip to Hades;

                    and no stench of death.

          You’ve got my feet on the life-path,

                    with your face shining sun-joy all around.

Let me be completely frank with you.  Our ancestor David is dead and buried—his tomb is in plain sight today.  But being also a prophet and knowing that God had sworn that a descendent of his would rule his kingdom, and seeing far ahead, David talked of the resurrection of the Messiah—‘no trip to Hades, no stench of death.’  This Jesus, God raised up.  And every one of us here is a witness to it.  Then, raised to the heights at the right hand of God and receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he poured out the Spirit he had just received.  That is what, today, you see and hear. 

Our word for today.

 

 

Remember?

 

Reading 2 with Mary Jane

A Reading from the First Letter of Peter

        My sisters and brothers:  You call out to God for help and he helps—he’s a good Father that way.  But don’t forget, he’s also a responsible Father, and won’t let you get by with sloppy living.

        Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God.  It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in.  He paid with the blood of Christ, you know.   He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb.  And this was no afterthought.  Even though it has only lately become public knowledge—at the end of ages—God always knew he was going to do this for you.  It’s because of this Messiah, whom God raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust in God, that you know you have a future in God.

Our word for today.

 

 

 

A Reading from the Gospel of John with Deacon Mike

          On that same first day of the week, two of them were walking to the village of Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem.  They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened.  In the middle of their talk and questions, Jesus came up and walked along with them.  But they were not able to recognize who he was.  He asked, “What’s this you’re discussing so intently as you walk along?”  They stood there, long-faced, like they had lost their best friend.  Then one of them, Cleopas, said, “Are you the only one in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard what’s happened during the last few days?”  Jesus said, “What has happened?”

         They said, “The things that happened to Jesus of Nazareth.  He was a man of God, a prophet, dynamic in work and word, blessed by God and the people.  Then our high priests and leaders betrayed him, got him sentenced to death, and crucified him.  We had our hopes up that he was the One about to deliver Israel.  And it’s now the third day since it happened.  Now some of our women have completely confused us.  Early this morning they were at the tomb and couldn’t find his body.  They came back with the story that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive.  Some of our friends went off to check, and found the tomb empty, just as the women said, but they didn’t see Jesus.”

         Then Jesus said to them, “So thick-headed!  Why can’t you simply believe what the prophets said?  Don’t you see that the Messiah had to suffer and only then enter into his glory?”  Then he started at the beginning with the Books of Moses, and went through all the Prophets, pointing out everything in the Scriptures that referred to him.

         They came to the edge of the village, and Jesus acted as if he were going on.  But they said:  “Stay and have supper with us.  It’s nearly evening; the day is done.”  So he went with them, and here is what happened.  He sat down at the table with them.  Taking the bread, he blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.  At that moment, wide-eyed, they recognized him.  And then he disappeared.  They said to each other, “Didn’t we feel on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he opened up the Scriptures for us?”                      

The Good News of John

Rosemary's Blessing:

                                                                               

Let us walk softly on the earth

With all living beings, great and small,

Remembering as we go,

That one God, kind and wise, created all.

 

Author Unknown

 

Your Finances: April 26, 2020

Sorry for the delay in reporting.  Once the community got messed up, everything got confusing.  Nothing was coming in.  This is our best week of income in a couple of weeks.

 

JSM expenses:  $775.00

Outreach (often Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.) $300.00

Thanks, everybody, for your generosity.

 

 

 

Remembering…..

Readings: Sirach 35, 12-18; Psalm 34, The Lord hears the Cry of the Poor; 2 Timothy 4, 6-8, 16-18; Luke 18 9-14.

Introduction to the Readings 

A brief word about our first reading.  We have heard from Sirach eight weeks ago on the twenty second Sunday of Ordinary Time.  At that time I had told you that this book was written by Sirach, it is part of the Wisdom literature, and probably written around the year 180 BCE.  The writing is also known at Ecclesiasticus, because early in the life of the church it was one of the most used of the Old Testament books.  I love that contrast between the statement in the first two lines “The LORD is a God of justice, who knows no favorites” with what then follows, namely how God hears the cry of the poor, the widows, the orphans, the oppressed. 

 

Our second reading is the final one from Paul’s Letters to Timothy.  We have been reading from these two letters for the past six weeks.  The letter is perhaps the last one written by Paul from prison in Rome before he is executed.  The two letters to Timothy and the letter to Titus, form what is known as the Pastoral Letters.  The style is very different from Paul’s other letters.  He is writing to these two to encourage them as leaders in communities that Paul had set up.  Remember, Timothy, who is mentioned in Luke’s Acts Chapter 16, was a companion to Paul.  Our reading today is the conclusion of the second letter and sounds like Paul’s farewell.

 

 Homily

 Main Point – A simple parable, humility trumps pride, especially when we pray.  I could stop there but won’t because there is a second layer to this simple parable.  We need to understand the setting for the story.  The two men going into the temple were not like two men going into church here any afternoon. 

 First of all, they were going into the Temple in Jerusalem.  They were going into a “Prayer of Atonement” service held each afternoon in the Temple.  The Pharisee would have naturally joined with the other Pharisees at the front and the tax collector would have hung around inside the door.  In the eyes of the Law, or Torah, the Pharisee was a very good person, and what he declared went even beyond the Law. 

 Where he failed, was realizing that everything about his “holiness” was due to his own efforts and nothing came from God.  The tax collector on the other hand was all too well aware of his shortcomings and acknowledges that he is totally dependant on God and His mercy.

 

 Our catholic tradition has always given me the impression that if I was good, went to Mass every Sunday, obeyed the commandments, fasted at the appropriate time etc. then I was all set for heaven.  It would seem that God had very little to do in it.  And of course this was the whole crux that caused the Reformation. 

 One would think we could have learned from our mistakes.  At that time Martin Luther was appalled at the practice of selling indulgences, as if folks could purchase their way into heaven.  His position was: “Salvation by faith alone” and the church preferred to add that “good works” were also important. 

 But back to the two in the temple.  There are several interesting little hints given which tell us a whole lot more.  The Pharisee stands apart, he does not seem to belong to the gathered community.  When the tax collector prays “have mercy on me a sinner” the word he uses in the original Greek is not the common word “eleison” which we use when we say Lord have mercy, or Kyrie Eleison, but a very different word connecting to the liturgy which he was part of that afternoon. 

 In other words the tax collector saw himself as part of a community, and absolutely in need of God’s forgiveness, the Pharisee saw only himself!!  It was being part of a community and recognizing his total need for God, which allowed for him to go home justified. 

 
 

 The message:  we must be aware that even though we are here each Sunday, this should not lead us down the same path of the Pharisee. 

Picture 1:  Mass with Tony

Picture 2:  Tom, Lynda, & Nina packing up food for this Saturday at the Habitat House

Picture 3:  Maggie with her dad & granddad, Tom & Bob

Picture 4:  Sienna with her mom & dad, Erin & Payton