Thanksgiving Mass, November 19, 2023

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

Sent to me by Sandra Pratt

 

 

 

 

John reading from Acts of the Apostles

 

 

Thanks to these special people:

•    For  the Readings:   John & Hue
•    For The Team:    Buddy  & Georgie
•    For the Communion Bread:   Alison
•    For the Special Communion Cups:  Jan
•    For the Pictures:   Rick  &  Becky  &  Beth   
•    For the coffee and extras: Tom & Becky & Jackie
•    For the altar & sound:  Jackie & Hue
•    For the Music:     Ben  & Shonda
•    For all who helped with Communion

 

 

 

 

Hue reading from 1 John

 

 

Birthdays:   Claire (Tuesday), Darbianna (22, Tuesday)

 

Anniversary:

 

John & Connie Doherty

 

 

 

 

Rosemary reading her Blessing of The Week.

 

 

Remember these special people

For Beth & John O'Donnell & Mary Ellen;   For Carol's recuperation;   For Dee and her daughter, Lisa; For John Schanot's continued recuperation;   For a young man who is suffering from depression;  For Cliff & Jean, plus Jean's brother Terry;   For Rosemary's niece, Beth and her partner, Sarah with cancer;   For Laura's sister Claudia;   For Dawn;    For Anthony & Sabrina;   For John & Jean's son John Louis;   For our good friend Kay in Ontario;   For Rose's daughter in law Jamie; For a  young father of two & married, Paul Day, struggling with a heart problem.

 

 

 

 

Thanks, Sophia, for lighting our candles this morning.

 

For Rosemary's sister, Patty and her husband, Lou;   For Mary Jane Stevenson's son Philip, 34, sick & don't know why;   For Jackie's friend, Barbara, plus Angela & her mom;    For Sr. Patricia Otillio, a nun I worked with for years in Grand Coteau;   John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli;  for Frank’s brother with advanced Parkinsons;      For Steve Barrett, Rose, & Katie;

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday, Claire.

 

 

Dick Thompson's daughter, Teri Jill, and Judy's aging parents;  Barb & Warren's grandbabies, Leighton Elizabeth and Warren Phillip and Ethan Michel, & their friend Chris, plus Barb's  Annie & Kaitlen; Tom and Teresa Quinn's niece, Chawna, with cancer, their granddaughter, Mikayla;   plus Neva Flynn, Angel, and Diane Kreeitzer;   Connie Doherty's mom and her sister, plus Kevin's cousin, Peter; For a number of David McKeon's family who are having a rough time with health issues; for our friends, sons, and daughters in the military, including Ryan McClurg and Chebino; cure for autism from Laura Chollick; for our President.

 

 

 

 

Remember, Ray, that cupcake is for Hammond.  Do you think it will arrive at the Hammond household, Everybody?

 

 

Your Finances, April 15, 2018

Expenses:    $700.00

Outreach:    $265.00

Thanks for your Generosity, Everybody.

 

 

 

 

Brent, it is an honor to be able to donate to your Souls Harbor $2000 every month.

 

Have a Great Week, J.S.

(214-783-0443)

 

 

 

Lo and Behold, what do we have hiding here?  Two little mice?

 

 

NOTE:  There will be no Sunday blogs for the next 2 Sundays.  The editors will be in France.

 

 

 

 

 

Special Community Blessing for Barbara & her health.

 

 

JSM Mission-Faith Statement  

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

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

 

 

 

 

"Welcome back next week, Everybody," says Emma.

Readings: Isaiah 7 10-14; Psalm 24, Let the Lord enter, He is King of Glory; Romans 1, 1-7; Matthew 1, 18-24 

Isaiah, a quick review:

Author: remember there are 3 contributors.  This is Isaiah I, composer of chapters 1-39.

Date: ca. 700 before Christ and before the Persians blotted out the northern kingdom, Israel. 

 
 

Today's material: as a sign to the unfaithful people, Isaiah predicts a virgin will conceive, will bear a son, and he shall be named Emmanuel.  Isaiah I is speaking to the Israelites who are going to get annihilated shortly by the Persians.  Matthew uses this passage to authenticate Jesus, saying it refers to him.  The virgin conceiving a god person goes way back in history, at least to the time of the Pharaohs in Egypt.

 

 

Home 

 The afternoon of the second or third day Rosemary & I spent in Hilton Head with her sister & brother in law I was finally rested out.  I decided I got to get some exercise. 

 So I grabbed my favorite bike in the garage, an old American style bike with no gears and a big white wall tires.  It is a sight, but it is great conditioning and much easier to ride than I expected. 

 I took off at about 4:30 knowing that I needed to be home by 5:30 when it would be dark.  And on Hilton Head Island, folks, it is dark at night.  No street lights.  Know why.  Turtle habitat.  Turtles use the beaches to hatch their young and the lights get them disoriented.  Therefore, you can easily see the stars at night, but perhaps not your hand in front of your face when there is no moon. 

 

 The circle ride I make takes about 40 minutes, probably 8-10 miles.  I had gone 15 minutes when I had that sensation.  Something was squishy.  Yes, I had a flat on my rear tire. 

 So I decided to walk it in, instead of calling home for a lift.  I had passed already the more open part of the trail, and had ahead of me the more forested part.  No problem, I know the trail well and light from the houses would guide me.

 Consequently, I’m walking along this long path through the woods and on both sides of me are the forested back yards of houses.  It was chilly, but comfortable.  As I walk along I can see into the kitchens and dens of all these houses, warm, inviting, and homey.

 

 Suddenly I am reminded of other nights walking along behind other houses that were warm, inviting, and homey.  Certainly in Tanzania & Kenya when I lived there.  But also, when I studied the four years in Toronto. 

 At the college in Toronto we had a half mile meandering drive to the main road.  On the right or north of the drive a line of nice middle class homes backed up.  I would walk there in the snow often and long to have a similar house, warm, inviting, and homey.  However, I thought it was not for me as a priest.

 Walking along that path in Hilton Head, I realized I am not lonely or homesick any more.  I am grateful that I do have what I was longing for, thanks to Rosemary and our marriage.  I went home and told her, again.

 

 As we approach one of the more home focused celebrations of our year, we might find that we are more homesick or we might be grateful that we have a place that is warm, inviting, and homey. 

 Where is home for you this Christmas season?

 What do you do to create a home that is warm, inviting, and homey?

 Picture 1:   Ryan lighting the Advent Candle

 Picture 2:   Done!

 Picture 3:   Communion preparation

 Picture 4:    Communion helpers

 Picture 5:    Margarita & Ashley

 

Readings:

Deuteronomy 26, 4-10     You shall bow down in his presence.

Psalm 91,  Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.

Romans 10, 8–13,   The word is near you.

Luke 4, 1-13,   Jesus was led into the desert to be tempted by the devil.

 

 

Says Genevieve, "Welcome in, Folks.  Happy Valentine"s Day.

 

Deuteronomy 

The scene: The Israelites have escaped from Egypt and have been wandering in the desert for years.  They are just about to enter The Land.  They are assembled.  Moses is addressing them and reminding them of all Yahweh has done for them over the years of wandering.   

 

              

Cole, also, with Erin & Diane his mom & Grandmom, says, "Hi, Everybody, Come on in". 

 

In our chapter he is telling them that when they have settled in their new land, where he will not accompany them, they must take a basket full of a portion of their first harvest, present it to the rabbi, and offer it as a sacrifice of thanksgiving.   

Who: Though about Moses, Deuteronomy is a compilation of numerous sources. 

Guess when: post Babylonian Captivity, say 555.  Easy to remember.

 

Bethany, Can we trust you to get that cupcake to Vivian!

 

Having a happy, healthy, positive Lent?

Last week I talked with you about having a happy, healthy, and positive Lent.  How’s it going?   I have an example that may expand your possibilities. 

I have already mentioned a little bit of this story last week, but would like to get more into it.

 

David, Happy Birthday to Drew.

 

At the Jewish Community Center, where I arrive at 5:30 for a spin class, there is a guy named Michael at the entrance counter.  He is from Nigeria and new since the beginning of the year.  There was a lady on the counter for years, but she retired.  Nice, but nothing special.  Michael is special.

First off, he seems to have memorized every person’s name and usually what they want when they check in.  We introduced ourselves my first time to see him.  The second time he knew my name, knew I wanted only one large towel instead of two, and that I like a locker around the number 30.  He had it all.  There are hundreds of people who check in at this counter every morning.  I hear him call them by name.

 

Happy 22nd Anniversary, John, to you and Lambrini.

 

We chat a bit both when I come in and when I leave.  So, as I mentioned last week, I told him that our Friday spin teacher was having a birthday, that I was going to get the class to sing, and that I was going to give her a Cliff Bar (instead of a cupcake.  Good figure). 

So, Friday morning I mention to him I am going to celebrate Jennifer, and he says he will do something.  What I don’t know.  Like I said last week, what he does is he runs in as we are singing at the beginning of the class and sticks a big sheet of poster paper on the glass wall. The poster says, “Happy Birthday, Jennifer.”  I was surprised and delighted.

 

Happy Birthday, Dick.

 

Then at the end of the 45 minute class, Michael rushes in with a basket of 20 or so cold rolled face towels.   Again I was surprised, totally, and delighted.  Never before had any staff person done this. 

Michael is special.  He has a pretty insignificant job in the Center and he has used it as a platform to make a marvelous, positive difference.  He helps us all to start off the day with delight.  He makes it a joy to walk in the door, even on a cold morning in the dark.

 

Thanks, Cole for being a super candle lighter.

 

Do this and you make for a happy, healthy, and positive Lent.

So, how are you doing?

 

 

 Rosemary reading her Blessing of The Week.

                                               

 

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.

Acts 2,  They were all in one place together.

Psalm 104, Lord, Send out your spirit and renew the face of the earth

1 Corinthians 12, There are different kinds of spiritual gifts

John 20, Jesus came and stood in their midst

 

 

Thanks……

Music,  Ben & Shonda

Readers, John & Mary Jane, & Buddy, our candle blesser

Gospel, Deacon Mike Carrell

Homily,  John Stack

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,    Richard and Mike and David

Final Blessing, Rosemary

For hosting us at Legacy, Becky

 

John Schanot reading the second reading, Corinthians.

 

Homily for Pentecost

Download Homily Pentecost 5-23-21

 

 

 

Communion.   First Sunday without masks but all with the vaccine.

 

Rosemary's Blessing

 

Let us approach the feast of the Holy Spirit with the confidence and conviction that the Spirit of God who has brought us this far is always ahead of us, calling us forward and offering us what we need.

Let us ask for the Spirit’s Gifts of:

Wonder and Amazement at God’s faithful, steady, unconditional love for us in all the planned and unplanned times in our lives

Compassion for those who are suffering, isolated, hungry or unemployed

Deep Peace and Calm when we are in the midst of anxiety, worry or loss

Courage in conflictual situations that call us to speak the truth with love

Trust and Confidence that God is with us as God beckons us forward in ways unknown.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill us with your Spirit that we may do our part in healing and transforming our world into the realm of God ~ A place of inclusive love, unity, reconciliation, justice and peace.

Adapted from a Prayer and Refection by Sister Jean Amore, CSJ, Sacred Heart Academy, Hempstead, New York

 

Brent, our Souls Harbor Man.

 

How did these two get by security!

 

 

 

 

Says, Tori, "Welcome in, Everybody.

 

 

Readings:

Isaiah 60, 1-6,   Upon you the Lord shines

Psalm 72,  Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

Ephesians 3, 2-3, 5-6,  You have heard of the stewardship.

Matthew, 2 , 1-12  The Epiphany (the Magi)

 

 

 

Shonda, Ben & David doing it.

 

 

Isaiah 60:  observations–

1.  Who:  Can you guess which Isaiah this is, 1, 2, or 3?  Yes, this is Isaiah III who seems to have lived after the Babylonian Captivity, that is, 555 Before Christ
2. Today’s passage: chapter 60 is addressed to Jerusalem as a symbol, which is in total  destruction.  Isaiah  is trying to lift the spirits of the people who are depressed at seeing the mess that is Jerusalem.   He is saying that your day is coming, Jerusalem, when you will return to being the most splendid city of all, and by extension, the tribe.

Isaiah 3 should get a commission from the Jerusalem chamber of commerce.  

 

 

 

 

One of our Best Helpers, Leo.

 

 

The Epiphany, a Cornucopia of Symbols:

2 observations & 2 postscripts–

Where to begin, folks.  There is so much symbolism in this liturgy, in Matthew, for sure, and in the combination of Matthew with Isaiah and Psalm 72.  I'll touch 2 points, each with 3 subdivisions.. 

1. The Wise Men

1. The Wise Men have a double & triple significance because they are Gentiles
2. They come from the east, considered the source of wisdom in the world of that time.  Where does the sun rise?  Where do stars rise?  A new son has been born and like the sun in the east or a star, he will bring new light. 
3. They are searchers & symbolize every person’s search for meaning in life.    Remember Matthew speaks to two audiences, his fellow Israelites, whom he is chastising for not searching, and the Gentiles. 

 

 

Emma, our Candle Lighter of the Week, in action.

 

 

2. The 3 gifts. 

1. Gold is given because it signifies royalty. 
2. Frankincense, or incense, signifies divinity. 
3. Myrra signifies medicine.  Myrra is for human health.  It comes from a bush like tree that has a yellow, sticky sap on its bark.  The sap was good for skin infections and acne, asthma, colds, and flu, and even herpes.  It is found in Saudi Arabia & Somalia.

 

 

Suit up time.

 

 

 A post script.  People in Europe used to write an inscription over their doors, e.g. 20+C+M+B+18.  The numbers are our year.  The letters are Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar.   Christians made it say, “Christ Bless our house or Maison the year listed.

Another post script.  In New Orleans Epiphany starts Carnival season, which leads up to Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.  The parades are starting, folks.  Let's go.

 Sources: Reginal Fuller, St. Louis U. Liturgy; Biblical & Theological Resources, the Voice Institute, on line; Wikipedia; and other sources.

 

 

 

 

Suit up time continues.
 

 

 

An Epiphany Event

I would like to define epiphany as a giving & receiving of good news.  To exemplify this I have a story about a Christmas dinner I hosted one Christmas afternoon in the Jesuit house I used as a base in Tanzania.  I had been in East Africa at this time for about 7 or 8 years.  Because Christmas had often been lonely & sort of a downer, I decided this year to throw a dinner.

Since there were no turkeys available where I lived, I had to travel a day up north to Nairobi, Kenya.  I got a frozen turkey, returned and had to explain to the customs on both sides of the border.  Since, as a white guy who spoke Swahili pretty fluently, they passed me through probably thinking I was a bit crazy, like most wazungu, dizzy white guys in Swahili.

 

 

 

 

The Team, all suited up.

 

 

Next step.  Invite the neighbors on both sides of our house.  So I went to the father on the east side and invited him to come to my office.  He was a police chief, a very important person to have as a friend.

So, I said to him, “Mohammad, I want to invite you & the family to a special dinner on what we Christians call Christmas day.  On one condition: you get drunk, you may not come.”  “Oh, yes, yes, asante sana, (thanks, thanks),” he responded.

 

 

 

 

Offertory with Ray & Claire (whose mom just died today in New Orleans), Barb & Ron.

 

 

Christmas Eve I celebrate a late night Mass at the Capuchin sisters complex about 900’ up the south slope of Kilimajaro.  I almost live here because the sisters have a guest house with about 15 rooms.  I run 10 to 30 day seminars and retreats at their guest house.

Christmas day I travel the 2 hours down from the mountain.  It is summer time.  I pull into our dirt driveway and park under the canopy.  Behind me pulls in an old battered Land Rover.  Two guys get out and stagger toward me all buddy, buddy.  Yep, one of them is Mohammed. 

 

 

 

 

Welcome back Georgie.  So nice to see you again.

 

 

I am so disappointed and tell him, “Mohammed, you cannot come, Bwana.  We had a deal.”  This could have been a tough moment for me if he refused.  But, no, he apologized and the two guys drove off in their old Land Rover. 

I was a  little anxious about him coming anyway, but at 4:00 everybody started coming.  I expected maybe 10, but along with his wife and their two delightful little girls, extended family members showed up, a very common East Africa custom.

 

 

 

 

The minor elevation.

 

 

All this took place on our roof, from which you could see Kilimanjaro.  We had a partial Arab style house with a flat roof with cinder block railing.

The Epiphany is a giving & receiving good news.  The roof top dinner we had was a giving & receiving good news.

What are your epiphanies?

 

 

 

 

Guess what is coming!