3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 21, 2024

 

Says Ben, "Welcome in, Everybody."
 

 

Readings:

Isaiah 56, 1, 6-7,   A house of prayer for all peoples.

Psalm 67,   Oh God, let all the nations praise you.

Roman s 11, 13-15, 29-32,  I am speaking to you Gentiles

Matthew 15, 21-28,  My daughter is tormented by a demon.  

 

 

 

Likewise, Sydney & Hugh say, "Come right in, Folks."

 

 

Isaiah 56 observations:

As soon as you see Isaiah, chapter 56, you know some things, if you are into the study of the Bible and especially  of Isaiah, my favorite.

1. Isaiah 56 is Isaiah 3, chapter 56-66, the end of the book of Isaiah.
2. Isaiah 3 is put together after the Babylonian Captivity, that is, around 555 before Christ.
3. The Israelites have returned to Jerusalem, a totally destroyed, depressed city.
4. Therefore, it is plausible to expect Isaiah 3 to be trying to lift up the spirits of the people.  This he does, consoling the people with promises of a better time.   Note: the better days are conditional on good behavior.  Ever think of how our whole redemption story is conditional? Not much unconditional love.   In other words, if you want my love and favor, behave.

 

 

 

Sez Leo, "I am ready, let's go!"

 

 

Goofy Myths

This morning I would like to talk about myths, wako beliefs, and superstitions.   Myths are human efforts to explain the unexplainable, like what happens to me after death, how did the world begin, and when or how is the world going to end.

There could be no better time to talk about myths, because guess what we have tomorrow.  An eclipse of the sun.  Today we understand what is happening because we have telescopes and an understanding of how objects are moving in space.

 

 

 

 

It don't get better than this.   The Gerwers are here.  Brady, Cameron, Casey, Trey, and Reid.

 

 

However, long ago the Greeks, to take one example, believed the myth that the eclipse was a sign that the gods were mad and that disaster was about to take place, even the end.  The ancient myths held that the eclipse was demon caused and that the eclipse was an evil omen. 

Today it still may be believed that the eclipse is a danger to an unborn child and even to the mother.  The wisdom, therefore, says ‘don’t get pregnant before an eclipse. 

 

 

Long time Best Buddies, John & Leo.

 

The truth in all these myths is that the eclipse is not caused by angry gods, is not a bad omen, disaster is not about to take place, and there is no effect on an unborn child or the mother. 

The only truth is that the sun, even a sliver of it, will burn your eyes if you look at it and you will go blind.

 

 

 

 

Our Candle Man of The Week, Ben.

 

 

There are food myths, too, folks.  For example, raw carrots are better for you than cooked carrots.  Vitamin C wards off colds.  Coconut oil is good for your health.   Not so to all.

And, of course,  the great myth that regular consumption of Blue Bell will cause weight gain.  Oops, come to think about it, maybe it is true.  Just wishful thinking.

 

 

 

Two more long time Best Buddies, Zoe with her grandfather, Gil

 

All of this I mention as a way of setting up what I would finally like to touch, the subject of Matthew’s story, the little girl possessed by a demon.  For centuries there has been the myth that people, adults and even children, have been possessed by demons.  The belief still lives.  Despite the movie The Exorcist, this is not true.  People are not possessed by demons. 

There is a psychological explanation for a person showing these symptoms.   There are two ways to explain the situation, disassociation and multiple personality.  I have only worked with adults who present symptoms which are really odd behaviors.   This is because the person, who has been severely abused as a child presents multiple personalities.  One personality may present like a demon, another as a 10 year old child, another as  a talented corporate executive.  

 

 

 

 

Two more long time Best Buddies, Mary & Mike.

 

 

Apparently I have the ability when I am being hurt to go to an out of body place where I am not hurt.  This can lock itself in place.  

The people I worked with who had this diagnosis, if they had been told they were demon possessed, awful.  And maybe some uneducated priest tried to do an exorcism. This did not help them at all.  In fact, they were sure they were condemned.  Victimized again.   

 

 

 

 

From Best Buddies to The Best Music, Shonda, Ben, & David.

 

 

Therefore, my position is that there is no possession by devils.  In fact, there are no devils.

Rosemary says to me, "Why do you want to talk about this subject?  My answer, 'To take away or lessen fear.'

We have a God of unconditional love.  Believe it?

 

 

 

The Elevation.

Sirach 15:  If you trust in God, you too shall live, …

Corinthians 2:  What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him,…

Matthew 5:  I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

 

 

John starting Mass

 

Thanks…     

Music,    Ben and Shonda

Readers,  Mike & Geri

Gospel,   John Cade

Homily,   John Cade

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,   Hue & Kevin

Final Blessing, Rosemary

       

 

Ladies Luncheon

 

Readings:  Download 02-12-23 Readings – 6th Ordinary

Homily:    Download 02-12-23 Homily – 6th Ordinary

 

 

 

Remember these special people:

For the family of Ron Senter who passed last week;  For Frank Esparza who has been diagnosed with cancer;  For Jan;  For John Simari's mother who is not feeling well;  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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Birthdays:  

Anniversaries:  DeGenova 2/14,  Cade 2/18

Community Finances:   

Expenses: $  685.00

Outreach: $  120.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

         

 

Guess Who

 

 

Rosemary's Blessing: 

 

 

 

A note from John Cade:

In the summer of 1956, when still in the seminary, I spent a week at the Trappist monastery north of Atlanta, outside Conyers, Georgia.  I got to experience how Trappist monks end every single day, expressing their devotion to Mary, Jesus’ mother—a hundred men standing together and chanting in Latin, Salve Regina, Hail Holy Queen.  August 15^th is one of the days we have traditionally honored Mary.  I will chant this hymn in her honor at the end of Sunday Mass.

 

SALVE REGINA.                                                   HAIL HOLY QUEEN.                                           

Salve Regina, mater misericordiae:  vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.

Hail holy queen, mother of mercy; Our life, our sweetness and our hope.

 

Ad te clamamus, exsules, filii Hevae.  Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle.

 To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.  To you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.

 

Eia ergo, Advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte.

Turn then, most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us;

 

Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium, ostende.

And after this exile, show us the blessed fruit of you womb, Jesus.

 

O Clemens.   O pia.      O dulcis Virgo Maria.

O clement,   O loving,   O sweet Virgin Mary.

Ezekiel 2:   Tell them, 'This is the Message of God, the Master.'   They are a defiant bunch. Whether or not they listen, at least they'll know that a prophet's been here.

2 Corinthians 12:  At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that,  and then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

Mark 6:    Jesus told them, "A prophet has little honor in his hometown, among his relatives, on the streets he played in as a child."

 

 
Mass:   Coffee, donuts, & specials on the house Sunday, not Christmas Eve  

Time: 4:00,  Stack & Tony Celebrating 

Time: 9:30,  Sunday, Tony Celebrating

Place:  Vines High School, 15th between Custer & Independence, south side

 
  
 
Readings: 

Christmas Eve: Isaiah 9, 1-6; Psalm 96, Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord; Titus 2, 11-14; Luke 2, 1-14

Sunday, 12-26-10, Holy Family: Sirach 3, 2-14; Psalm 128, Blessed are Those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways; Colossians 3, 12-21; Matthew 2, 13-23 

 
 
 

Community Bulletin Board: 

Christmas Eve Mass: 4:00, Friday 

Decorations for the stage, welcome! 

 
     

Need a Taxi during the holidays:  our man, Rick Turner, the best, Jackie Johnson's husband, 214-707-6536

  
  
 

Picture 1:   Leo preparing to be Jesus

Picture 2:   Sean Kless with his mommy, Christine

Picture 3:   Cara Kless with her daddy, Ed 

Picture 4:   Communion prep

Picture 5:    Wendy, Shonda, & Ray 

Picture 6:    Rosemary preparing for the last blessing

 Video:          Rosemary's blessing & final hymn

   
   

 

 

True?  

 But my heart is not weary.
It's light and it's free.
I've got nothing but affection for all those who've sailed with me.

— Bob Dylan  

 

See you Christmas Eve & Sunday, 12-26-10

 J.S.   (214-783-0443)

  

 

 

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.