The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) Sunday, June 11, 2023

Isaiah 7:  Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.

Romans 1:  Through him we have received the grace of apostleship, to  bring about the obedience of faith, for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles

Matthew 1:  She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.

Christmas Eve Mass will be on Saturday, December 24th at 4:30 P.M.  There will not be a Mass on Christmas Day. 

John lighting the candles

Thanks…     

Music,    Ben

Readers,  Georgie and Kevin

Gospel,   John Cade

Homily,  John Stack

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,   Hue & Kevin & Lynda & Tom

Final Blessing, Rosemary

Kevin reading from Paul's letter to the Romans           

Readings:  Download 12-18-22- Readings – 4th Sunday of Advent

Homily:  Download 12-11-22- Homily – 3rd Sunday of Advent

It's Ben's birthday and he got a cookie

Remember these special people:

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 and Kaliope, John Cade's Mother-in-law;  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.

The Kiss of Peace

Birthdays:  Ben  12/18

Anniversaries:   

Community Finances:   

Expenses: $  1,350.00

Outreach: $  80.00 

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

Rosemary's Blessing:  

The Christmas Story will always be the story of Emmanuel, of God-with-us, always and everywhere, in the everyday, in the chaos, in the flight into exile, in the love between a man and a woman and in the birth of a child. It is the story of God who heals, empowers and loves us just as we are – in our greatness and our foolishness. As we anticipate the joy, the love and the peace that are God's Christmas gifts to us, let us receive them with gratitude and be sure to unfold them and share them especially where they need to be more visible.

Sister Jean Amore, CSJ, Principal, Sacred Heart Academy, Hempstead, N.Y.

Readings:

Numbers 67, 22-27,  The Lord bless you and keep you.

 Psalm 67,  May God bless us in his mercy

 Galatians 4, 4-7,  God sent the spirit of his son into our hearts.

Luke 2, 16-21,   The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God.

Genevieve, are you the little girl in the red dress who stole the whole show at our Christmas Eve celebration??

First reading: God blesses people in countless ways.  Today’s reading from the Book of Numbers is a priestly blessing given first to Moses by words that come to him from the Lord.

Second reading, Galatians 4:4-7: God sent his Son to redeem us so that we can become God’s adopted sons.

Brandon says, "Welcome in, Everybody.  Yep, she is the girl in the red dress."

Gospel reading, Matthew 25: 31-46:

John gave me permission to switch gospel readings. What you are missing is a small part of a metaphorical story about Mary, an angel, shepherds and the baby Jesus.

You might recall 15 or 20 years ago that the Liturgy of the Word, for each of the A, B, and C cycles on New Year’s Day, had as its gospel Matthew’s parable of The Last Judgment.  I imagine that its purpose was to encourage parishioners to incorporate some of its teaching into their New Year’s resolutions.

Alison, you know that the kids all love your home made communion bread and want more than one.

But I want you for a moment to think about where we live.  When we go shopping, to work, or to a movie or local restaurant, to Whole Foods or Target, it isn’t really clear to us if there is, for example, an orphan or a widow in our midst who needs our help.  

Simply put, we choose to support with taxes and contributions, governmental agencies and nonprofits, to provide food and drink to the hungry and thirsty and stranger twenty miles south of us. The fact is, whether we realize it or not, we distance ourselves from the needy.

Clear the way, Folks, here come Mike the Coffee Man.  

The meaning to today’s parable is this: When we distance ourselves from the needy, we distance ourselves from God.

I placed myself in the following scenario: I was in one of the poorer parts of South Dallas, around seven in the evening, in front of a drug store where I had gone to pick up some cough medicine.

Aiden with his grandparents, John & Jean O'Donnell.

When I got out of the car and pushed the button to lock all of its doors, I immediately noticed, about two yards from the entrance of the store a stranger, at least to me. He was homeless, for he was wearing too many clothes, unshaven, had dark hair and complexion, and he was finishing the last drink of water that he would get from a small plastic bottle.

Learning:  Big brother teaching little sister how to work a water fountain.

He was looking right at me, and I at him. As I approached him he addressed me in a language I did not know or understand.  Searching his face I sought his eyes and noticed a bit of a smile as he ran his fingers through his hair.  He reached to open the door for me.  What should I do? 

Mike ready to share his ideas in his homily.

In a split second I heard the question from the unrighteous in today’s parable, ‘When was it that we saw you a stranger and did not welcome you?’

Offertory, Cheryl, Carrie, & Paul.

Would I have responded with a joyful smile?  Would I have embraced him with his perfume of sweat?  Would I have kissed him on his forehead, taking hold of his arm to have him enter with me?  Would I have asked the people in the store if anyone knew his language so that I could find out why he was there and what he needed?  Would I have invited him to my home, offered him the opportunity to take a shower, laid out something for him to wear as I washed his clothes and prepared something for him to eat?   

Brandon, our Candle Lighter of The Week.

Jesus, an itinerant preacher, had a dark complexion and nowhere to rest his head.  Was he present to me here and now? The Lord in our parable was hungry, thirsty, a stranger longing for a visit.   Yes, every encounter we have with another is meant to be a holy encounter.  

Our School gorilla (know any other school with a pet gorilla at the door to the cafeteria?) says he is happy to see us back in the cafeteria after being in the gym for Christmas Eve.

When we name the other person God, we name ourselves.  We verify our name, the body of Christ in the world.

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.

Acts of the Apostles 10, Peter proceeded to speak

Psalm 118,   This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad.

1 Corinthians 5, A little yeasts leaven all. 

John 20, On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalen  came to the tomb early in the morning.

Romeos, Welcome!    Jason's Deli, 1:00, Friday, March 26.  Required: vaccines, mask for entrance & departure. 

A reminder for those attending the 9:30 Easter Mass at Legacy: wear a mask (along with your vaccination).

Another Reminder for Sunday, April 4, 2021, Easter Sunday

Here are the links for Sunday:

Readings:  

Ezekiel 17, 22-24, Birds of every kind shall dwell beneath it.

Psalm 92, Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.

2 Corinthians 5, 6-10, We are always courageous.  

Mark 4, 26-34, Through it all the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how.

Leo & his momma, Shonda

Observations on Ezekiel

Who:  Ezekiel is one of the Big 3 prophets.  Why?  48 chapters.  The other 2: Isaiah & Jeremiah.  Lots of chapters.

Ezekiel was born into the priest class.  He later was considered a prophet.  When he was about 25 he was swept up in the Babylonian captivity, around 590. 

Emma wiating for the cookies

When: It covers the period of the Captivity, but it is composed toward the end of the Captivity, around 550, before Christ.  This is Ezekiel’s material, but it has been saved and edited by his fellow priests.

Brooklyn ready to roll

Message:

1.  Ezekiel warns the people that they will be punished for their bad ways, for example, the Captivity.
2. He promises comfort and a brighter future for the captive, especially envisioning a restored temple (which was done until when?  The year 70, when the Romans finally destroyed the temple & the priestly cast ceased to function, to this day).
3. An amusing vision: The Dry Bones, chapter 37.

Today’s selection: Consolation.  Watch for a comforting message about a cedar tree.

As Sienna escapes across the stage, Brian climbs the stairs two at a time in hot pursuit. Who won?

Sources: Good News Bible, New Interpreter’s Study Bible, Wikipedia

All males in the community receiving a special community Father's Day Blessing

Father’s Day

In honor of Father’s Day I want to tell you 4 vignettes that I saw this weekend at a wedding Rosemary & I celebrated in Marshall, TX.  Two of the fathers are the couple’s dads.  The other two are guys I saw in action.

The community blesses

The wedding was for Kyle Dansby, a boy whom I have known and loved since way back in the nineties when he & often his two younger brothers helped me as altar servers at St. Mark’s.  Ashli Marie Acker was Kyle’s fiancé’.

Robyn & Erin offer their blessings

The first time I noticed something special was at breakfast yesterday morning in our motel, Comfort Suites.  Rosemary & I were seated at a table in the dining room about 9:00.  In comes a young couple with a girl about 3 and a boy who was placed in a high chair. 

This little boy fell immediately in love with Rosemary.  To see her he had to turn around left in his chair.  Despite dad’s efforts to interest him in eating, the little boy just watched Rosemary.  Food went uneaten and even on the floor.

The Dansby Family, Clark, Charlie, Kyle, Janet, & Randy. The Marshall Court House is where Kyle works as an Assistant D.A.

We talked with the little boy who never spoke, just watched.  Despite dad’s plans and despite the mess, dad never lost his cool.  When it was time for them to leave, he simply cleaned up, held out his arms, and the little boy put up his arms to be held.  I was touched, especially by his not placing project over people.

Later at the wedding, which was outdoors across the plaza from the pretty Marshall courthouse in a small park with a gazebo attached to a building.  So there was a stage effect.  We had two little flower girls, Lily & Abby.    Kids are always a delight at a wedding and these little girls were no exception. 

Ashli & Kyle Married

First, they got lost trying to choose which access to get up on the gazebo stage.  So I went and helped them up.  Then, as the wedding progressed, they were everywhere.  They went up and down, they went to pick up their flower baskets, and they were chatting with the bride’s maids.  Dad never got flustered.  Nor did anyone on the stage.  Instead of being seen as distractions, they were celebrated as delights.

Another example of people over project.

Then there was Ashli’s father.  Nice guy, congenial, probably in his fifties.  Then I discover he has recently obtained his doctorate and is teaching at a college maybe in Beaumont.  I am most impressed because I was trained as a Jesuit and still believe it that we never stop learning.  Life is an adventure in learning.  And here is an example.

Our very entertaining flower girls

Finally, Kyle’s dad.  I discovered that when Kyle was about 2 or 3 his mom died of cancer.  She was only about 34.  I cannot imagine how difficult this must have been.  I talked with him just a little bit about the event and he admitted that it was really, really tough. 

Later, fortunately, he met his present wife and has two more sons.  Faithfulness.

Technology to the rescue. The Bible was left in the girls' dressing room. So Kyle's brother, Charlie, brings up the Corinthians reading on his iPhone

These four guys touched me each in their own special way.  The two fathers of the little kids reminded me of my own struggle with placing projects over people.  Ashli’s dad exemplifies the ideal that learning is a lifelong adventure.  And Kyle’s dad, faithfulness.

How are you blessed by the dads in your life?

How are you dads blessing our world?

Acts 10, While Peter was speaking these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening

Psalm 98, The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power

1 John 4, Let us love one another.

John 15, As the Father loves me, so I also love you

Thanks……

Music,  Ben & Shonda

Readers, Mary & Sandra , & Buddy, our candle blesser

Gospel, Deacon Mike Carrell

Homily,  John Cade

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,   Hue 

Final Blessing, Rosemary

For hosting us at Legacy, Becky

Mary reading from Acts.

Readings for Sunday, May 9, 2021

Download Reading 6th Easter 05-09-21.

Homily for Sunday, May 9, 2021

Download Homily by John Cade Homily 05-09-21

Sandra reading from 1 John.

Remember these special people:

For Alan Stryker;  For Joe Hogan;    For Rosemary's great niece, Rylie ;  For Richard's grand daughter, Madeleine;   For Esparza's new great grandson baby, son of Monique;  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, Mike Carol's wife. Judy 

The Ekes, Cindy, Mabel, & Marlene. 

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 daughter, Lisa;  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;   for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

Hue doing his Zoom magic with Meredith, & Biedas cheering him on.

Birthdays:   Jim Shropshire & Barb Senter

Anniversaries:

Today's team, Mike & John

Community Finances,   May 9, 2021

Expenses: $360.00 

Outreach: $165.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

Shonda and Ben

Rosemary's final blessing:

Grant us, Lord God,

a vision of your world as your

love would have it: 

a world where the weak are protected,

and none go hungry or poor; 

a world where the riches of creation are

shared, and everyone can enjoy them; 

a world where different races and cultures

live in harmony and mutual respect; 

a world where peace is built with justice,

and justice is guided by love.

Give us the inspiration and courage to

build it, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

From “Engaging our  Faith”, www.ucc.org