Sunday Homily, June 9, 2017, 14th Ordinary Time, Cycle A

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Says Harper, "Welcome in, Everybody."

 

Readings:

Zacheriah 9, 9-10,   He shall proclaim peace to the nations.

 Psalm 145,   I will praise your name forever, my king and my God.  

Here it is again, The Terrific Line: "The Lord is gracious & merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love."  Watch for it.

Romans 8,  9, 11-13,  You are not in the flesh, you are in the spirit.  (?)

 Matthew 11, 25-30,  All creation is groaning in labor pains.

 

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Likewise, Gil, too, says, "Come on in, Folks."

 

Zechariah:  Zechariah is the 11th of the 12 Minor Prophets and lived just when the Hebrews were released from the 70 year long Babylonian Captivity, in other words around 555 B.C. He is in Jerusalem and encourages the people to rebuild the temple.

He is called a minor prophet only because his little work has simply 14 chapters, unlike the Big 3, Isaiah, Jeremiah, & Ezekiel, who have many chapters, in fact 66 for Isaiah.

He was a favorite of the N.T. writers because he is rich in messiah predictions.  Today we have one of those visions.   You might picture how this message is coming across.  The people have been crushed, they have been slaves in Babylon, and the Jerusalem they have returned to is nothing but disaster. 

 

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Tori, what happened to your tooth?  Are you a rich girl now?

 

The Lord is Gracious and Merciful, never gets Angry, and is abounding in Love

I was asking myself, how did this line come to say so much to me about the nature of our God.  Here is what I found.

I can tell you the time of day it first hit me, a sunny morning.  I can tell you exactly where I was, Nairobi, Kenya, in the little chapel of a house run by a small group of American religious teaching brothers.    

 

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Zoe, did you snatch Tori's tooth?  You got beautiful teeth.

 

It was my second year working in East Africa.  I was taking a day off at this American brothers’ place because it was just around the corner from a really nice arboretum and because they were Americans.  The Jesuits in Nairobi were mostly Indians with a few Quebecois.  I liked to hang out once in a while with fellow Americans. 

So why at this time and place?  Two reasons.

 

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Emma, just seeing you & your mom here today makes my day.

 

One, education and Jesuit formation.  I had some good, progressive professors when I studied theology in Toronto, like David Michael Stanley in New Testament.

Secondly, people who showed me compassion and sensitivity, intellectual curiosity and acceptance, like the novice master, Tony Mangiaracina, about whom I talked once.  He is the priest I told you I saw cigarette smoke coming out of his desk drawer when I went in to get permission to drink water for that month.

 

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The Offertory Gang, Paul & Carrie & Diane.

 

Another priest I never have talked about is the assistant novice master, Bobby Rimes, another of the numerous New Orleans guys who made up our province.

Three reasons why Bobby influenced me to perceive the significance of the line, The Lord is gracious and merciful, never gets angry, and is abounding in love.

 

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Where did you get that megawatt smile, Olivia?   It lights up the room.

 

First, he was disappointed but accepting of his assignment to be assistance novice master.  Bobby really wanted to be a missionary like Francis Xavier.  He wanted to be The Best.  Assistance novice master was not very romantic.  He did not ever complain, but simply shared he would prefer to be in the missions. 

And here I, never dreamed of going to the missions, I end up in East Africa.  I did not yearn to work in the missions because I did not like the cultural imperialism I read about, which played a role in my getting asked to leave.

 

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You, too, Ben, your personality warms the whole room.

 

Secondly, Bobby was an excellent athlete and probably could have been a pitcher in the big leagues.  Wow, could he pitch.  I got to know this athleticism up close & personal because the second 3 years I spent in Grand Coteau, the noviciate, I spent many afternoons in titanic 2 on 2 handball games.  I never won a game, though we came oh so close  numerous times. 

I had a partner who was quite strong.  He was one of those who did 10 one armed pushups.  He was Mexican from Juarez.  Bobby,  he probably could have asked one of the nuns from the Sacred Heart Academy down the street.  We never won a game in three years, but it was so fun and moving.

 

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So good to have you back, Leo.  The place is not right without you.

 

Thirdly, Bobby was always a friend, supportive and accepting.  He had every gift, not only a great athlete, but really a nice looking guy.  

Because of the influence of Bobby Rimes, somehow or other, I suddenly saw that  The Lord is gracious and merciful, never gets angry, and is abounding in love.

How does the line strike you?

 

 

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  • 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 16, 2020

    Readings:

    Isaiah, 56, 1, 6-7,  My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples

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

    Romans  11, 13-15, 29-32,  The gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. 

    Matthew 15, 21-28,   Woman, great is our faith!  Let it be done for you as you wish.

     

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    The Netherlands

     

    Thanks to the Team

    Music,  Ben & Shonda

    Readers,  Hue & Georgie , & Buddy, the candle blesser

    Gospel & Homily,  John Cade 

    Eucharistic Prayer A & B, Stack & John Cade

    The Magic Zoom makers, Mike (on vacation) & Richard, Tom, Ben & Hue 

    Final Blessing, Rosemary

     

     

    CB 6

     

    Please Remember these special people:

    For our Bill & his family,   For Becky's dad discovered with the virus;  For Cindy recuperating at home, finally!;    For Esparzas, Frank & Mary,  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 Mary & Dave Hall's g-daughter Allison Keller working at St. Lukes, Woodlands,  For Joe Hogan with cancer;  For Loretta's aunt Alicia;    For Sydney;  & For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom & Cody & Ben & all of Shonda's dear family;   for Michelle;  for Bill Ekes' longtime buddy, Bobby Duncan, who just passed to the other side.



     

    For Jackie's mom;  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, plus John's daughter, Joey

     

     

    Mike 1

     

    Look carefully, you may see Mike.  Buena Vista, Cascade Falls

     

     

    Download Readings Week 8-16

     

     

    Homily 08/16/20,    20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    Two things:

    First, Readings 1 and 2 speak the same truth, that, whether you are an insider or an outsider, you are welcome as God’s people.                  Second, in the Gospel story, even if you are an outsider, you and your sorrow, your pain, are fully understood.  

    The first two readings speak about insiders and outsiders.  First reading is from Isaiah Ch 56.  [Recall what

    John Stack has said about the 3 authors of Isaiah Ch 1-39, 40-55, 56-64.]  Here Isaiah says, whether you are one of the chosen Jewish people (an insider), or a non-Jewish foreigner (an outsider), is not the point; it’s what you do, how you live your life, that identifies you as God’s people, “for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”

     

     

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    In Romans, Paul says: Neither the non-Jewish Gentiles converting to Christianity (outsiders), nor the Jewish people, including Jewish followers of Jesus (insiders)—neither had an advantage over the other.  God welcomes all.  It’s not where you come from but what you do, how you live your life, that identifies you as God’s people.

    The second amazing Good News is in Matthew’s story of Jesus and the Canaanite woman (Canaanite, yep, that would make her an outsider).   It wasn’t so much what Matthew said about the disciples being such unhelpful dorks…is Matthew using sarcasm here? (See Gospel language).  This story is embedded in a whole string of stories about Jesus caring for people in need, in pain.  E.g. in the same Chapter Matthew says Jesus “was very deeply moved by the sick among them”, that he saw the hungry and fed them, that he saw the disciples’ fear in a storm and calmed them.

     

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    And immediately after today’s story of the Canaanite woman, Matthew tells how the crowds brought the lame, the blind, the mute; and Jesus said, “My heart goes out to them.”  Matthew strings all these stories together as one, to say God gets it, God gets you and me, understands our needs and pain. God’s Spirit is with us in our fear, our sorrow, our pain. 

    Recently, I experienced some of what the Canaanite woman was going through.  We have a daughter, Joey (age 46), who gave her consent to speak about it.  She told us this past week that she has breast cancer and the initial treatment will be major surgery.  My family and I are in shock and pain.  I know from today’s readings that my part is not to be strong or aloof, but to be accepting, understanding and caring; most of all, to be present. 

     

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    Remember ……

     

    All three Bible stories today have similar messages:  First, whoever we are and wherever we come from, we are God’s people—totally accepted, come-on-in accepted. 

    And second, whoever we are and wherever we come from, we are understood, cared for and loved unconditionally.  God is present with us.  Every one of us.

     

    My question: When did you last see and know that you are accepted, understood, loved unconditionally?  And when did you last accept, understand, love another unconditionally?                                       

     

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    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 15th is one of the days we have traditionally honored Mary.  I will chant this hymn in her honor at the end of Sunday Mass.

     

     

    Birthdays:    Last Week,  Carrie Bieda, 62;   Stephen Farmer, 30; Marlene; Richard has a new grandbaby, Madeline, & Mom is Cary

    This Week. Haya from the JCC , 6:00 A.M. Spin Class, 82, Rose Banzhaf

     

    Anniversaries: 

    Last Week.  Mary Hall & Dave, 60 years;   John & Jean O'Donnell, 62nd;  Ryan McClurg & Grace, 7th, 

    This Week:  Bernadette & Gilbert  

     

     

    Mike 2

    From mountain stream to desert rock.

     

     

    Community Finances, August 16, 2020

    Expenses: $600.00  

    Outreach   $100.00    (often for Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)

    Thanks, Folks, for doing what you can.

     

     

    New House Address

     

     

    As of September 1, Rosemary & I will have a new address,   7017 Helsem Way, Dallas 75230.   This enclave has TREES, unlike our poor, dear, tornado battered Preston Hollow neighborhood.

     

     

     

    Cindy Cramer is home!  Hooray!

    On Thursday, August 13, 2020, 12:52:06 PM CDT, Cathy Cramer <catcramer@gmail.com> wrote:

    Great news, everyone — my mom is home!

    She's tired and still has some recovery ahead of her. She asked that you hold phone calls for a few days until she gets back into some semblance of a routine.

    This will be my last email to y'all. Thanks again so much for all your love, support, and prayers!

    Love,

    Cathy

     

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    Rosemary's Blessing:

    To laugh often and much;

    To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;

    To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;

    To appreciate beauty;

    To find the best in others;

    To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;

    To know even one life has breathed easier because you lived.

    This is to have succeeded.

     

    Success – Ralph Waldo Emerson

     

  • Sunday Homily, April 24, 2016, 5th Easter

    Readings:

    Acts  14, 21-27,  It is  is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom.

    Psalm 145,  I will praise you name forever, my king and my God, plus the great line (8), The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. 

    Revelation  21, 1-5, I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth.

    John 13, 31-33, 34-35,  My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me.   

     

    Leo & John

    Leo and his best buddy, John, say, "Hi, Everybody, Come in."

     

    Acts, a couple of observations:

    1. Remember the three rings of Acts, Jerusalem, Palestine, the World (Mediterranean & Rome)?   Since we are at Chapter 28 of 28, you can guess in what ring we are today, yes, the World.  Paul and Barnabas are in the region of Greece.
    2. The author, the same as the Gospel of Luke.
    3. The date again, before 70

     

      Gen 1

                 

    Genevieve and her best Mommy also say, "Hi, Everybody."

     

    Love one another

    As you may remember, one of my most favorite lines in all the Bible is the first line in the first stanza of our Psalm 145 this morning, The Lord is gracious and merciful, never gets angry, and is abounding in love.   I read this and I add to it Jesus saying that, This is how they will know you, that you love one another. 

    Is this real?   

     

    Jan & Cindy

    Jan & Cindy have communion ready.  Choose wine or grape juice.

     

    What is real is what I heard on the radio yesterday morning, really bad stuff.   Turns out that some professional bike riders were discovered to have developed motor enhanced bikes.  A small motor was inserted into the diagonal bar of the bike.  It was discovered in a race in Italy.

    Now I know why these guys race past me at White Rock Lake.   Anybody know of anyone with a motor enhanced bike?  

    More seriously, I look around and check out the news.  I read that towns all dear to me have been bombed by some really angry people, Paris, Brussels, Jerusalem.   People doing this think they are making the world a better place. 

     

    Healing 1

                                 

    Healing and Life for Angela.

     

    Here at home we have what to me is a horrible political campaign going on.   

    In our Catholic Church there is no shortage of hatred of fellow Catholics who disagree with policies or don’t conform to certain norms.   You all know that there are various Catholics who hate me for what I am doing.

    Pope Francis is getting push back from Catholics who don’t approve of his ways and his message.  Francis took three refugee families into the Vatican and he got ridiculed.  His economic ideas are certainly meeting with hostility. 

     

     

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    Healing for Sandra.
     

     

    So, they will know us by our love for one another?  The Lord is abounding in love?   

    Is this just silly religious talk?  In my book, no, not completely. 

    We have the examples of hate, which I would propose are often the result of hurt.  But we also have examples of love, respect, and care. 

     

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    Hue, our great sound man. 

     

    Francis’ welcome of the 3 refugee families is for me an example.  The two picnics for The Love of Kids, another example.  We have been helping at those two picnics for years.  And there are hundreds of other people who contribute their time and even resources to help these under privileged and handicapped kids.

    Look at Jim Maher who comes down here from St. Bonaventure with some students to help with the cleanup of the areas in Dallas that were his by the tornadoes.   They spend a week of their spring break here and they have been doing this for years.

     

    Elevation 1

     

    Elevation.
     

     

     

    Doug LeBlanc, Grace’s husband, together with other employees at Ericson, they all gathered on more than one occasion to help a fellow employee whose home had been wrecked by either a tornado or that hail. 

    Did you read in the Dallas Morning News about the North Carolina judge who felt he had to sentence a vet with bad PTSD for repeatedly getting drunk.  He gave him 24 hours and then the judge spent the night in the cell with him.   Said he did not want to leave him alone with the PTSD. 

     

    Gen 5

                               

    May I play that guitar, Daddy?  I think I can do it.

     

     

    One final example of a person who inspired me by his grace in failure.  Jordon Spieth went from top of the leader board at the Masters to second.  He had a colossal melt down on the last day.  Nevertheless, he graciously congratulated the winner and helped present him with the winner’s sport coat.

    This encourages me to know that there is lots of gracious caring in our world. 

    Where do you see God showing his abundance of love?

  • 5th Sunday of Easter, May 18, 2025

    Acts 14:  And when they arrived, they called the church together and reported what God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.

    Revelation 21:  I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race.  He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God.

    John 13:  I give you a new commandment: love one another.  As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.   This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

     


    Connie 2

    Connie reading from the Acts of the Apostles

     

    Thanks…     

    Music,   Ben & Shonda

    Readers,  Connie & John

    Homily,   John Stack

    Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

    The Magic Zoom makers,  Kevin & Richard

    Final Blessing,  Rosemary

     

    John

    John reading from Revelation

     

     

    Remember these special people:

    For our new Pope, Leo XIV;  For John Stack;    For Shonda's Grandmother;   For Adam, that the doctors may find a remedy for his seizures; For Meredith ;   For Tom  Quinn;   For Frank Esparza; For Lambrini, John Cade's wife, who is dealing with cancer ;  For Allen Stryker;   For Mike and Judy Carrell ; For Hue; For Jackie;   For Mary Hall's family and 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;    from Barbara, a little baby boy named Ford recuperating from an operation,  the families of Annie and Michael and her neighbor, Marie and the family;    for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

     

    Birthdays:   Ray Occhipinti 5/24

    Anniversaries:   

     

    Expenses: $ 305.00

    Outreach: $      

    Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

     

     

    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

     
     
     
    John Stack Ministries meets on Sunday for Mass at 9:30 at The ArtCentre of Plano, 902 E. 16th St, Plano, Texas.
     

     

    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.

  • Sunday Homily 2-22-09, 7th Ordinary Time

    Readings: Isaiah 43, 18-25; Psalm 41; 2 Corinthians 1, 18-22; Mark 2, 1-12

    Mass with T.J. 2-22-09

    Isaiah: Some reminders–

    The Book of Isaiah is one of the Big 3, along with Jeremiah & Ezekiel, because they have a lot of chapters and therefore say a lot..  Isaiah has 66 chapters.

    Author & Time: The book has at least 3 contributors.  Chapter 43, today's selection is from Isaiah 2, who seems to be writing  during the Babylonian Captivity of the Jews who lived in and  around Jerusalem.  The time was ca. 575 BCE.  Isaiah 1 wrote before the Captivity.  Isaiah 3's material might come from after the Jews returned to Jerusalem, the time after the Assyrians under Cyrus conquered the Babylonians.  Cyrus let the Hebrews return to Jerusalem.

    Our Selection, Chapter 43: the writer has Yahweh speaking to his defeated and depressed people.  This is the Book of Comfort, and informs the Jews that times will get better, which they do, at least for these Jews' children & grandchildren. 

    Birthdays 2-22-09

    How Make Lent a Winner

    There is a story floating around about this guy in Washington, D.C.  One cold morning in January he took his violin down into a subway station.  He set up his spot, pulled out his violin, and began to play for the throngs of commuters rushing to and fro.  He played for about an hour.

    During the hour a few people paused and listened for a few moments, then hurried off to their train.  Another lady dropped in a dollar while she rushed by.   Others paused quickly and some tossed in a bill.  The people who most focused their attention on him & his music were kids.  They would stop dead in their tracks mesmerized.  Their parents would have to drag them on to their destination while the kids looked back over their shoulders.

    After the hour the man had accumulated about $30.  Nobody cheered, nobody applauded at the end of his performance.  Nobody even noticed.  Not that the guy needed the money or the applause.  He was Joshual Bell, one of the best violin players in the world.  Two days before this, in fact, his concert in Boston had sold out with tickets averaging $100.  The violin he plays costs over 3 million.

    The Washington Post had set up this event where Joshua Bell would perform in the subway station.  The goal was to see how people would respond to beauty in an ordinary place at a busy time.  Perhaps 1,000 people passed by Joshua Bell in that one hour during which he played 6 pieces of classical music.  No one actually stayed for the whole of even one piece.  Only a handful paused for no more than a couple of minutes.  Only the kids wanted to stay and listen. 

    The wonder is, is this typical of us.  If I do not have enough time to pause 5 minutes and appreciate one of the best musicians in the world play some of the best music in the world, what other beauties am I missing?  And missing every day.

    I tell this story because we are beginning Lent Wednesday.  I confess this is not one of my favorite times of the year, mostly because of the history I have with it being focused on sin and penance.  Give up this, give up that.  If you would like to take this as an occasion to become a better, more fully alive human, I would like to suggest two positives.

    First, sensitivity.  Sensitivity to the beauty around me, like that music, to the beauty of people as a community and individually, and to the beauty of myself, my health, my gifts, my education.  It was not Lent, but last Wednesday I went to visit the new Trinity River Audubon Center in south Dallas.   Just the building I found  to be architectural poetry.  Maybe once a week something of this type is planned during the next five weeks.

    Clare & Chloe & Ron 2-22-09

    The second positive has to do with the story in Mark about the four guys who brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus for healing.   I find this story so right on.  I love it.  The man could not get there on his own, but his friends could get him there.  Oops, when they get to the house where Jesus is, they find they cannot get through the crowd.  No problem.  They climb the roof, break a hole, and lower him down.

    We had houses like this in Tanzania.  The roof is made out of tree poles laid across the house with about  1 to 2 feet of space between each one.  Other branches are placed on top.  Then a mud like clay is put on the branches.  Over the mud usually is a smoother clay.  We had a Jesuit house near the base of Kilimanjaro whose flat roof was cement and we would sit up there to watch the sunset against the mountain, every night 6:00 to 6:30.  Being on the equator sunset & sunrise takes place the same time every day and lasts 30 minutes.

    So these guys cut a hole through the roof and lowered down their friend.  This is friendship and community at its best, me helping you when you need it and you helping me when I need it.  Hillary says it takes a village.  I would suggest it takes a community.

    So the second positive to make myself a richer person in this Lent: service, help my neighbor with his roof.  Somebody needed to help Peter with the roof of his house.  I hope the four guys helped him.  Bill Hammond, Bob McGrath, & I are all going to work on housing in Galveston next week.  One small step, one small contribution.

    So, if you want to make yourself a richer person in the next 5-6 weeks, if you don't want to pass by the Joshua Bells on your commute, and you like to help out, how about sensitivity and service?

    AUDIO:  http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2009-02-22.mp3

    Communion Helpers 2-22-09

    Picture 1:  Mass with T.J. Helping

    Picture 2:  Birthdays, Maggie & Chloe, Ron, T.J. Dana (17), Rosemary, & Diane

    Picture 3:  Clare (mom) & Chloe dancing & Ron Kovatis

    Picture 4:  Communion helpers, Patricia, Geri, Don, Ron, & Beth

  • Sunday Homily 2-15-09, 6th Ordinary Time

    Readings: Leviticus 13, 1-2, 44-46; Psalm 32; 1 Corinthians 10, 31-11, 1; Mark 1, 40-45 

    Mass with Sabrina 2-15-09

    Leviticus: The book of the Levite tribe, the priestly tribe, one of the 12 tribes of Israel (from the 12 sons of Jacob–The Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob).

    Author: a collection of many sources, but not Moses (impossible).

    Date: some laws go back 1400 BCE., others from ca. 450 BCE.  

    Note: an interesting example of how academics better understand these texts.  They noted that both Leviticus 11 & Deuteronomy 14 have similar lists of clean and unclean animals for eating.  Deuteronomy 14, however, has 11 additional critters which are not mentioned in Leviticus 11.  These 11 dwell only in the Arabian desert, not in Egypt or the land of Canaan (Holy Land).   From this it can be deduced that the person (s) writing the laws in Leviticus had not wandered the desert and was writing before the Exodus.  The writer (s) of Deuteronomy, however, had wandered the desert.  Source: The Book of Leviticus; Believe: Religious Information Source, Canon Tristam

    Subject matter: laws for better living with Yahweh.  For instance in chapter 11, one may not eat pigs, camels, or rabbits, no animal with a divided hoof.  All winged insects are unclean, except those that hop.  In chapter 12, women are ritually unclean after giving birth, 7 days for boys, 14 days for girls.  Chapter 19, "love one another as one's self."  This morning's selection deals with how people with leprosy are to be treated.  Leprosy, of course, was considered a punishment for sin & disobedience.

    One Donut Left 2-15-09

    Exclusion vs Inclusion

    When I first lived in Kenya & Tanzania in the late 70's I spent time working on my Swahili in a Jesuit parish that was in a town called Tabora, Tanzania.  The town is in the middle of Tanzania with no paved roads leading to it.  Only a few roads in the town itself are paved.  The parish had about 3 Jesuit priests in those days, if I remember correctly, a French Canadian, an Irish, and an Indian.    Today the Jesuits have departed and handed it over to the diocese because of not enough Jesuit priests.

    In those days the parish had 21 outstations, some of which even had other outstations further out.  These were located in small villages where little mud walled churches had been put up.  Occasionally I found a rather large cement block church left over from times when priests were more abundant.   Each Sunday we would all head out on motorcycles to the outstations. 

    On the edge of Tabora there was a special community.  A community of men & women who had leprosy.  The exclusion of these lepers was similar to what we read in Leviticus, though they received better care.  Our parish used to help them a lot and I went to say Mass for them and spent time talking with them often individually, sometimes in a group.  Despite the effectiveness of modern medicine, many had significant scarring and were without hands or feet.  I remember being touched mostly by the quality of their spirits and sense of acceptance. 

    I am reminded of this leper community when I read about the lepers in today's readings.  Leviticus lays down the directives, exclusion.  Mark has Jesus dealing with a leper, including him in the community.   I've already discussed Leviticus.  Let me mention 3 points relevant to Mark & his account.

    Coffee Island 2-15-09

    First, Mark's aim.  Mark wants to convince Christians of Jewish & mostly Gentile background that Jesus is the Messiah.  This community probably lived in Galilee, that is, around the Sea of Galilee or in Syria.  How do today's students of the bible know this?  Because they analyzed the text and noted that Mark used Greek rather than Aramaic.  Moreover, Mark describes some Jewish customs.  Both points indicated that he talks to a community made up more of Gentile Christians than Jewish Christians.  They could not speak Aramaic and they did not know Jewish customs.  Also, it is thought that the community was dwellingng around Galilee because Mark describes the geography of those places rather than around Jerusalem. 

    Secondly, Mark's means, how does he accomplish his end?  He uses two literary techniques, the somewhat famous Messianic Secret technique and miracle stories. 

    When Mark has Jesus tell the leper, "See that you tell no one anything," Mark is using the Messianic Secret technique.  People were saying that they lived at the time of Jesus, but never saw or heard about any of these miracle events.  Mark is saying that they did not hear about them because Jesus tried to hide his powers.  The secret is only supposed to be revealed at the end, at the death & resurrection.  Nevertheless, as part of his technique Mark allows it to leak out by writing that the man "began to publicize the whole matter."

    Thirdly, how Mark carefully crafts his writing.  It is noted that in this chapter 1, Mark has 8 points he is using to convince people.  For example, he built community by calling the apostles, he showed power by running off an unclean spirit, he gives life to Peter's mother, and so on.  The miracle he describes today is number 8 and aims at inclusion  of rejects in the community.

    Instead of excluding the leper like Leviticus instructs, Jesus welcomes him.  In fact, he does something that broke the law and the people would be astounded.  He touched the leper.  This was after Mark has the leper break the law by approaching Jesus.  People around are saying, "Wow!", when they read this. 

    This might be today's lesson for us.  Inclusion.  Like it was for me in Tabora, Tanzania, it may be easier for us to think of including a leper, because we know the virus is not that contagious and can be effectively treated.  But HIV?  What about other races, colors, religions, students from other schools?

    Whom do I have trouble including in my community?

    Hunter 2-15-09

    References:

    • Austin Cline, Audience of Mark's Gospel (on line), for the 11 extra critters

    • Carmelite website, Homilies, for the 8 points Mark makes in chapter 1

    AUDIO:  http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2009-02-15.mp3

    Picture 1:  Mass with Sabrina helping

    Picture 2:  Hunter & Dillon, Kim, Ken, & Cindy

    Picture 3: at the Coffiee Island, Maureen, Greg, & Angelo

    Picture 4:  Hunter

  • Sunday Homily, December 18, 2016, 3rd Advent, Cycle A

    Readings:

    Isaiah 7, 10-14,  Ask for a sign from the Lord

     Psalm 24,  Let the Lord enter, he is king of glory

     Romans 1, 1-7,  Grace to you and peace

     Matthew 1, 18-24,   Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a son.

     

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    Say Ray and Genevieve, "Welcome in, Everybody, to the 4th Sunday of Advent.  Next time, Christmas Eve, 4:00, in the gym."

     

    Observations on Isaiah:

    What: This is Isaiah 1.

    When:  Isaiah 1 lived before the Babylonian Captivity and predicts the downfall of Jerusalem.

    Our selection: Optimistic.  

     

    Cody

    Hi, Cody, Hi, Ben.

     

    Finding The Presence

    I would like to speak this morning on finding the presence.  What is this?  It is a feeling of consolation and peace of heart when something special happens.  Around the season of Christmas I tend to reach out for these events, many of which are repeats from former seasons of Christmas.  

     

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    Leo, our Candle Lighter of The Week.
     

     

    I've had two of these moments this past week.

    The first was our visit to the Meyerson to hear the Christmas presentation Friday night.  This event every year puts me in touch with the presence.

    First, the concert hall itself is a visual feast, just beautifully decorated.  It takes my breath away almost every year when I walk in.  It was at its best this year.

     

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    Welcome home from college, Darbianne and Dana.

     

    The concert itself is an auditory feast and presents so many of my favorite Christmas carols.  This year the conductor, Laurence Loh, was in rare form, teasing the audience, inviting participation, dancing on his podium, and just being congenial.

    I was also surrounded by about 30 of my best friends.

    So, I felt the presence in my friends, and the visual and auditory artistry.

     

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    "Yippee," says Victoria, "My mommy loves me."

     

    Secondly, I had a wedding yesterday, Saturday, in Austin.  The presence was everywhere.  

    First, the bride, Samantha, was the daughter of Charlie Fechtal, a student of mine at Jesuit when I was teaching there as an intern Jesuit priest in the latter half of the '60's.  Charlie and his wife, TJ, live in our neighborhood.  As I told him during the wedding, I love him as much now as I did then.  Even more tears of consolation during this wedding than usual.

     

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    Time to celebrate.

     

    After the wedding I was talking with Charlie and a classmate, Mark Goedeke, another guy I have loved.  His wife Liz is with us and she reminds me that I had done their marriage also.  43 years ago!!   Talk about feeling the presence.  Very consoling and very humbling.

     

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    Dear old friend, Charlie Fechtel.

     

    A footnote to this homily is that I took the special luxury bus from Dallas to Austin.  It has received rave notices from people like Beth & Rob.  It lived up to its reputation.  3 hour trip non stop, comfortable seat (19 only in a full sized bus), a stewardess who offer drinks and snacks on the house (or bus).  $99, heart of Dallas (Love Field) to heart of Austin (Congress & 2nd).

    During this season of Advent, how are you finding the presence? 

     

      Mark & Charlie

     

    Mark Goedeke and Charlie.