4th Sunday of Easter May 8, 2020

Acts of the Apostles 4:  He is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.

1 John 3:   Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. 

John 10:  I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep.

Isaiah 60:  Get out of bed, Jerusalem! Wake up. Put your face in the sunlight. God's bright glory has risen for you.

Ephesians 3:  The mystery is that people who have never heard of God and those who have heard of him all their lives (what I've been calling outsiders and insiders) stand on the same ground before God.

Matthew 2:  They entered the house and saw the child in the arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshiped him. Then they opened their luggage and presented gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh.

 

 

 

Another Reminder for the Baptism of the Lord, January 5, 2025

This is to let you know that a person attending Mass last Sunday has just been diagnosed with the Covid virus.  Everyone was masked.  This is just to keep you informed.

Sirach 27:  Praise no one before he speaks, for it is then that people are tested.

1 Corinthians 15:   Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Luke 6:  Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?

 

 

Thanks…Music,    Ben & Shonda

Readers,   Paul & Carrie

Gospel,     John Cade

Homily,  John Cade

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,      Hue, Richard & Mike 

Final Blessing, Rosemary

 

 

 

Rhine River

 

 

Readings: Download 02-27-22 – Readings – 8th Sunday Ord

Homily:  Download 02-27-22 – Homily – 8th Sunday Ord

 

 

 

 

A house in the Black Forest

 

                                                   

 

 

Remember these special people:

For John Stack having a hard time right now with a bad back;  For Sandra who has been diagnosed with Large B Cell Lymphoma;   For Richard's grand daughter, Madeleine;   For Esparza's new great grandson  & Frank;  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 and for a friend Cadence still suffering from a serious medical condition;   For Sir Charlie & Jan;  All of Shonda's dear family; For Ursuline Sr. Mary Troy,

 

                           

       The Black Forest      
              
                                                      

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 baby boy named Ford recuperating from an operation & friends, Annie, a mom of 3 kids and Michael ; for David McKeon's brother, Hugh; For Beth's friends & brother;   for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

 

                                                            

 

 

                     

Birthdays:   Michelle Brown 3/2

Anniversaries:   

      

Community Finances:   

Expenses: $  710.00

Outreach: $  275.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

                                    

 

 

Rosemary's Blessing:  

 

A Prayer For Growing Old Gracefully

Lord, Thou knowest better than I myself that I am growing older and will someday be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.

Release me from craving to straighten out everybody's affairs. Make me thoughtful but not moody; helpful but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all; but Thou knowest, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end. Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details; give me wings to get to the point. Seal my lips on my aches and pains; they are increasing, and love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by.

I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessening cock-sureness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.

Keep me reasonably sweet, for a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil. Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places and talents in unexpected people; and give, O Lord, the grace to tell them so.

Amen.

17^th Century Nun’s Prayer

 

 

 

Welcome: Catholic Mass with coffee and juice and pastries, both bought and home-made, after Mass.

Time: 9:30; Celebrate with the Community & Stack.

Place: Vines High School, Plano, 15th between Custer & Independence.

 

Emma figures she will help her mom just in case Beth needs her.  What a gift, how at home she feels.

 

Readings:

 Amos 7, 12-15  I was no prophet.  I was a shepherd.

Psalm 85,    Lord, let us see you kindness and grant us your salvation.

Ephesians 1, 3-14, In love he destined us for adoption

 Mark  6, 7-13, Take nothing for the journey but a walking stick

 

                                  The Sacrament of Healing

 

Community Activities:  

1.        ROMEO MEET: Friday, July 10, Jason's Deli, Collin Creek Mall, west side of Central, 1:00.   Welcome back,  CO Campers.

 2.      LADIES' LUNCHEON,  August 6, Thursday, 1:00 P.M.,  Steve Fields Steak & Lobster Lounge, 503 West Park Blvd.

Everyone, please forward to anyone you think would be interested.  If you let me know I will add their email to the list. 

Carol 

 

                    Offertory, Mary, Louis, Mary Jane, and John

 

What is going on in our Catholic World:

1.       Catholicism & gay marriages, America, June 26, 850 words,     Download Catholicism & Gay Marriage 7-9-15

 2.      Francis in Ecuador, National Catholic Reporter, July 5, 900 words,      Download Francis in Ecuador 7-9-15

3.      Chilean bishop rejected by the people, National Catholic Reporter, July 7, 1000 words,    Download Controversial Chilean bishop 7-9-15

 

 

               The Gang, Denni, Connie, John, Tom, & Rosemary

 

True?  

 “Hatred is love frustrated.”

                                                                Ashley Montagu 

 

                  Communion, Cindy receiving the bread she baked

 

See you Sunday, July 12, 2015, 15^th Ordinary Time

J.S., 214-783-0443

 

                           Communion for All, Emma receives

 

JSM Mission-Faith Statement

   Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for and challenges spiritual and total growth.

    Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged and make the world we live in a better place to live.

 

                                              Peace, Everyone 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zoe says, "Welcome in, Everybody."

 

 

Readings:  

 

Exodus 16, 2-4, 12-15,   The whole community grumbled against Moses & Aaron

 

Psalm 78,   The Lord gave them bread from heaven.

 

Ephesians 4: 17, 20-24, You must no longer live as the Gentiles do.

 

John 6: 24-35,  It was not Moses who gave them the bread from heaven

 Ragbrai (honest, no bragging) report this Sunday.  Prepare yourself.

 

 

 

 

 

Important Board of Directors Meeting.

 

Exodus observations:

What:

 Exodus is a fun book and a good read.  It comes after Genesis & it has three main sections.

 One – the struggle between stubborn old Pharoah vs Moses & Yahweh.  Pharoah loses.  You can imagine the Passover had a significant impact. 

 

 

 

Every year the USAF comes to Ragbrai not just to ride, but to help, with dropped chains like me, flat tires, injuries.

 

Two – the time of wandering in the Sinai desert and the covenant, that is, the 10 Commandments

Three – the coming into the Promised Land. 

This all took around 40 years, and so we have stories in-between.  Today’s is one of these, showing Yahweh feeding his grumbling people 

 

 

 

 

USAF in action, bandaging up an injured female rider.

 

 

When written:

Toward the end of the Babylonian Captivity, around 550 before Christ

Who wrote it:

Not Moses, but people who lived centuries after this mythical character.  How much of this is historical is a question.  The story greatly encouraged the Jewish people enslaved in Babylon. 

 

 

 

 

At the final town of the week's ride, Davenport, this year the USAF riders enter in formation, as they told me.   145 strong this year, the most ever.  I remember 9-10 years ago they came with 45 riders.  I would be most moved to watch them enter 'in formation.'

 

 

Our selection:

An amusing account of the Jewish people grumbling against Moses.  They say they would prefer to be back in Egypt than in this infernal desert where they are wandering in the heat & sand.  We can sympathize with them in these days of 100’s.  They did not have a/c.   So Yahweh feeds them.  See how.

 

                             

 

After entering in formation, they take a group foto.

 

 

Want to get a people jolt, see their craziness, see their goodness?  Ride Ragbrai

For those of you not familiar with the Ragbrai event, it is a Sunday to Saturday bike ride across Iowa from west to east, from the Missouri River to the Mississippi, a distance of ca. 500 miles.  15 thousand are registered, another 15 thousand ride unregistered.  So it is crowded everywhere.

 

 

 

 

The little Iowa villages have the most beautiful, shady central squares/parks.  Ideal for a nap, a snack, a mid-day break

 

 

Three highlights for me. 

First of all, a lot of families ride together.  Sometimes they have dad pulling two attached bikes.  One time I ride up behind this woman who has a carrier on her front wheel.  I suspect from behind that she probably has a little kid in the carrier.  As I come up beside her I greet her and ask her if she has room for one more in her carrier.  I look at the carrier again and cannot believe my eyes.  She has 3 little kids in the carrier and they are having a fun time playing and talking to people like me. 

Later in the afternoon I ride up on her again.  She and the kids probably passed me walking through one of the achingly pretty little Iowa towns, maybe while I was taking a nap under one of the huge shade trees.  This time the kids are all asleep on each other.

 

 

 

 

Every need is catered to.

 

 

Another thing I found touching and amusing was the presence of dogs in the ride.  For instance, one guy had a medium sized, black maybe shepherd-lab mix.  He pulled a little cart with one rear wheel.  The dog, which was well trained, sat on the cart and accepted homage from everybody.  Later I saw the guy climbing a high hill and the dog was trotting along side.

I think my favorite dog was a little white dog that looked like Aviana, all white, but was a little smaller.   This little doggie belonged to a young woman.   Where did she have the dog?  On her back, front paws almost up to her shoulders, back paws splayed out on her lower back. She was wearing like a small back pack with holes in the bottom.  This little dog let you know it was there.  I was barking constantly, first to the left, then to the right.

 

 

 

 

 

University of Iowa campus, Iowa City, the yard of the medical students' fraternity house.  We covered their yard.  We were 55 in our group and ca. 30 tents.  My tent, the green one with the towel on top.

 

 

 

The final story has to do with me dropping my bike chain one afternoon.   I was entering a small town and had to climb over a trestle.  At the top my chain jumped off when I down shifted.   Trestles seem to target me.  The only other time I remember having this problem was a few years ago coming in to Wichita Falls from the Hotter N Hell.

So I turn my bike over and start to replace the chain.  Almost immediately two guys ride up and offer to help.

The goodness of people.  These are two special guys in beautiful blue & white bike uniforms, USAF. 

 

 

 

 

All this luggage came out of that bus.  It is located at Davenport, the final town and will return some of this luggage and cover the roof with standing bikes.  On our way home to Ames.

 

 

There were 145 USAF riders this summer, up from 45 a few years ago, guys, girls, black, white, Hispanic. They come not just to ride, but to help riders whose chains have fallen off, who have flat tires, or who have gone down & injured themselves.  They are there on Air Force time to help.  I saw them everywhere and was always moved and proud.

 

 

 

 

How did I get in here?  How do I get out??

 

 

So, who wants to sign up for next year?  David and Dana are going.  Unfortunately, I cannot accompany you.  I don’t have the stamina I had even last summer.   It is time for me to hang up my Ragbrai medallion.

 

 

 

 

Good Morning to Iowa.