21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 25, 2024

 

THE CUPCAKE!!   Here I thought I would get to raz John & Connie for eating the cupcake I entrusted to them to take on the plane to visit Bill Hammond in Pagosa Springs.   I knew they would waste no time in eating it.  Wrong.  I got snookered!

 

 

Readings:

Deuteronomy  30, 10-14, If  only you would heed the voice of the Lord.

Psalm 69,  Turn to the Lord in your need and you will live

Colossians 1, 15-20,  Christ is the first born of all creation.

Luke 10, 27-37, What must I do to inherit eternal life

 

Welcome home from teaching in Beirut, Lebanon, Our Dearest Celeste.   Nice to have your daughter home, Filipita.

 

 

The Good Samaritan

This morning I would like to talk about two subjects, being a good Samaritan and and an old Red Sox fan who thought he was going to hell.

When Rosemary & I return to Northwood Park from riding the White Rock Creek trail, we get on west bound Royal Lane and usually catch the red light at Central.  Almost always, summer or winter, at the base of the light is a guy & sometimes a woman, frequently young, holding a sign asking for help.  I find this uncomfortable, especially is they come over to my window, me in air conditioned comfort.

 

 

They are home, Folks, Buddy, Tori, Zoe, and Georgie.  It is so much more fun when you all are here.

 

 

The problem is that I know they can get aid, food, and shelter at numerous places in downtown Dallas, especially like The Bridge.  In the company of a girl from Hockaday, a next door neighbor I have served dinner at the Bridge numerous times.   And you know what I am told often?  Don’t give handouts to those begging at stop lights.  I know, the word is that some don’t like sleeping in dormitories.

 

 

Patricia, too, says Welcome Home!

 

So how do I handle m discomfort?  First, I can help at The Bridge and I was donating platelets at Carter Blood once a month until I got rejected for low iron.  But equally important for me is the support I give and our community gives to the Food Pantry and, the best of all, Souls Harbor.  Brent & his team are doing it, not just with food and shelter, but also with guidance, education, and AA programs.  Souls Harbor is a harbor for me & my guilt.

 

Thanks, Connie, for your pix.

 

The summer of 69 or 70 I spent 3 months working as an intern priest chaplain.  I loved it.  One afternoon I walked into a room of a Red Sox fan.  Despite that he was a really good guy,probably younger than I am now, like in his early 70”s.  He had the Boston lingo.  And I teased him about it.

After a visit or two the old guy let me know that he knew he was dying,  it was coming fairly soon, and he was okay about it.  Kids?  None.  Wife?  Yep.  Still alive?  Nope.   Next, I do not know how it happened.  Maybe I said, “Well you will see your wife pretty soon.”   His response was that he was going to hell. 

What??  I almost croaked.

 

Says Sir Charlie, "John, see this note?  It is a special message, John, from the Pope to you.

 

Turns out he married once when he was like 19.  It lasted a while, then they separated.  A few years later he met his second wife and they had a happy 40 or more years together, until she died fairly recently.

You know what doubly blew me away.  He was peaceful about his imagined fate.  He loved his real wife.

 

 

Leo, you are growing up to be one great Kid.

 

Well, you know what I said to him.  Even 30 or more years ago I knew that there was no hell.  It was a concept created by the Jewish elders to keep the troops in line.  And we inherited it.

Can you believe it?   There is no hell, no conditional love.

 

 

The Best Music with Shonda, Ben, & David.

 

 

 

 

Hi, Emma, Happy Easter

 

 

Rosemary's Blessing of The Week:

 

Risen Jesus, help us to be human expressions of the God

you proclaimed: a God who is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

 

May we know deeply God's great love for us, and like

God, lean toward those suffering, oppressed and poor.

 

Taken from A Reflection and Prayer for Easter by S. Jean Amore, CSJ

 

 

John reading from Acts of the Apostles.

 

 

Thanks to these special people:

•    For  the Readings:   John & Mary Jane
•    For The Team:    Buddy  & Georgie, John & Mike
•    For the Communion Bread:   Alison
•    For the Special Communion Cups:  Jan
•    For the Pictures:   Rick &  Mike & Connie 
•    For the coffee and extras: Mike & Jackie
•    For the altar & sound:  Jackie
•    For the Music:     Ben  & David  & Shonda
•    For all who helped with Communion 

 

 

 

Mary Jane reading from 1 Corinthians.

 

Birthdays:    Jean O’Donnell (81, Thusday), Hugh Bivona (29^th)

 

 

 

 

Happy 81st Birthday, My Dearest Jean. 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

Holy Thursday at Marlene's home.

 

 

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;

 

 

 

 

Washing of hands, Holy Thursday.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

Myron Hubble's Memorial at Bob Woodruff Park, North Pavilion, on a beautiful Saturday early afternoon.

 

 

Your Finances, April 1, 2018

Expenses:    $2545.00

Outreach:    $1415.00

Thanks for your Generosity, Everybody.

 

 

 

 

Who is this walking into our Easter celebration?

 

 

Have a Great Week, J.S.

(214-783-0443)

 

 

 

 

The Great Easter Egg hunt is on.

 

 

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.

 

 

Hi, Harper.  Tell your dad it is so nice to see him.  Happy Easter.

Rosemary's Blessing:

…and life is still a constant surprise to me.  We never know what will happen next, what we will see, and what  important person will come into our life, or what important person we will lose.  Life is change, constant change, and unless we are lucky enough to find comedy in it, change is nearly always drama, if not tragedy.  But after everything, and even when the skies turn scarlet and threatening, I still believe that if we are lucky enough to be alive, we must give thanks for the miracle of every moment of every day, no matter how flawed.  And we must have faith in God, and in the Universe, and in a better tomorrow even if that faith is not always deserved.

Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan

Rosemary missed our celebration this morning because Aviana had gotten sick overnight and Rosemary took her to our vet.  Both are okay now.

 

Thanks to the Team

Music, Shonda & Ben

Readers, Hue & Brent, Deacon Mike, & Buddy, the candle blessing

Eucharistic Prayer, John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers, Mike & Ben & Becky

Final Blessing, Rosemary

 

 

Community Finances, May 17, 2020

Expenses: $350.00

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

Thanks, Everybody.  Your generosity is humbling.

I am both humbled and proud to announce that we put together two of our monthly contributions to Souls Harbor, i.e., $2000 & $1500, and donated them on the Giving Tuesday recently.  Yes, the amount was matched.  Thanks again, Everybody.

 

A Special Gift:

The Ask Dr. B. Good radio show can be located on 1160 am at 8 am Sundays. Why should you listen? Everyone needs to understand what is happening in public education, especially right now during COVID. Public education must become something different than what it’s been for the last 100 years. Stay up and stay tuned to what’s happening in public education! 

 

 

 

Readings:

Acts of the Apostles, 8, 5-8, 14-17,  They laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 66, Let all earth cry out to God with joy.  (Beautiful Psalm)

1 Peter  3, 15-18, Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.

John 14, 15-21, I will  not leave you orphans. 

 

 

 

Reading 1

A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles

         Going down to Samaritan city, Philip proclaimed the Message of the Messiah.  When the people heard what he had to say and saw the miracles, the clear signs of God’s action, they hung on his every word.  Many who could neither stand nor walk were healed that day.  The evil spirits protested loudly as they were sent on their way.  And what joy in the city!

        When the apostles in Jerusalem received the report that Samaria had accepted God’s Message, they sent Peter and John down to pray for them to receive the Holy Spirit.  Up to this point they had been baptized in the name of the Master Jesus; the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen on them.  Then the apostles laid their hands on them, and they did receive the Holy Spirit.

Our word for today.

 

 

The cheese factory.

 

 

Reading 2

A Reading from the First Letter of Peter     

Sisters and brothers: Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention before Christ, your Master.  Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks, why you’re living the way you are, and always do it with the utmost courtesy.  Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick.  They’ll end up realizing that they’re the ones who need a bath. It’s better to suffer for doing good, than to be punished for doing bad.  That’s what Christ did: he went through it all—was put to death and then made alive—to bring us to God.

Our word for today

 

 

 

The Lord be with you.       A Reading from the Gospel of John     

Jesus said to his disciples: “If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you.  I will talk to the Father, and he will provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you.  This Friend is the Spirit of Truth.  The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t even know what to look for.  But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will be in you!  I will not leave you orphaned.  I’m coming back.  In just a little while the world will no longer see me, but you’re going to see me, because I am alive and you are about to come alive. At that moment you will know absolutely that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.    

The Good News of John

 

 

Please Remember these special people:

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 Frank having hernia surgery this week;  For Joe Hogan with cancer,  For Loretta's aunt Alicia;   For Ryan, Rosemary's nephew, who had surgery; For Bill Hammond,    For Sydney;  & For Sir Charlie;  Shonda's mom;   For Gilberto:  for Michelle;  For a friend, a neighbor, & a doctor, Karen, with brain cancer; 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; 

 

Birthdays:  Sr. Mary Troy, 87, Rick Froebe, Debbie Ekes

 

Community Finances:   

  Expenses: $   220.00

  Outreach: $   130.00

 

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

 

Isaiah 8:  The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shown.

Corinthians 1:  Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.

Matthew 4:  …Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has risen.

 

John and Rosemary will be out of town next week.  Mass for 1/29/23 will be on Zoom with  John Cade.

 

 

John reading from Isaiah

 

 

Thanks…     

Music,    Ben 

Readers,  John and Connie

Gospel,   John Stack

Homily, John Stack

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,   Hue & Kevin

Final Blessing, Rosemary

       

Connie reading from Paul's letter to the Corinthians

                                                               

 

Readings:  Download 01-22-23 Readings – 3rd Ordinary

Homily:  

 

 

 

Connie and John sharing their experience with Bona Responds in Florida

 

 

 

Remember these special people:

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.

 

 

Connie and John presenting John with a new Bona Responds t-shirt

 

 

 

Birthdays:  Kevin Doherty 1/24, Charlie Keszler 1/28, Miguel 1/28, Mary Hall 1/29,

Randolph Brown 2/1, Rick Turner 2/2, Gilberto Delgado 2/4

Anniversaries:  Occhipinti 1/23

 

Community Finances:   

Expenses: $  610.00

Outreach: $  175.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

         

Linda presenting John with a tribute for his birthday

 

 

Rosemary's Blessing: 

 

Oh God of humor enable us to laugh at your mischievous plans. 

Life can become serious during these cold winter months, and our hearts can become heavy and burdened with responsibilities, decisions and trying to keep everyone happy. 

Let us look for the funny things that happen, the unexpected surprise that catches us off-guard, along with the incongruences that we encounter. 

Smile, snicker, giggle, give a belly laugh, and spontaneously guffaw. 

You will be amazed at how God works through laughter.

 

Sr. Mary Elizabeth Schweiger

 

 

Isaiah 50:  The Lord God is my help, therefore I am not disgraced;

Philippians 2:  Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend,  . . .

Matthew 26:  The Passion of the Lord Jesus Christ 

 

 

Mary Jane reading from Isaiah

 

 

Thanks…     

Music,    Shonda &  Ben

Readers,  Mary Jane & John, Claire, Brent, Lynda & Tom 

Gospel,   John Cade

Homily,   

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,   Hue & Kevin

Final Blessing, Rosemary

       

John reading from Paul's Letter to the Philippians

Readings:  Download 04-01-23 Readings – Palm Sunday

Homily: 

 

                                                                                                                                                                    

Claire, Tom, Lynda and Brent getting ready to read The Passion

 

 

There will be a Funeral Service  for Cindy Cramer on April 15, 2023 at Restland (Wildwood Chapel) at 10:00 in the morning

 

 

Remember these special people:

For Cindy Cramer's family;  For the family of Ron Senter;  For Frank Esparza;  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.

 

 

Barbara getting a cookie for her birthday last week

                                             

 

Birthdays:  Jean O'Donnell 4/5

Anniversaries:

Community Finances:   

Expenses: $  1,300.00

Outreach: $  410.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.