Sunday Homily, June 11, 2017, Trinity

Readings:

Isaiah  45, 1, 4-6,  I have called you by your name.

Psalm 96,   Give the Lord glory and honor.

Thessalonians 1, 1-5,  Grace to you and peace.

Matthew 22, 15-21,  Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?  

Mary Ellen and Mary say, "Welcome in, Everybody."  Sadly for all of us, Thursday Mary Ellen moves back to CT.

Isaiah observations :

Who : Can you guess which Isaiah this is in chapter 45?  1, 2, or 3.  A little more difficult than the last two Sundays.  This is Isaiah 2, going from chapter 40 to 55.

Today’s selection:  this is not Isaiah 2 at his best.  I like the line, I have called you by your name.  Otherwise, the passage is mildly comforting to the people who are living in Babylonian slavery, around 555 before Christ.

Cyrus: So, who is Cyrus?          

 Cyrus the Great of Persia, modern Iran, built the first great empire, which extended as far as Athens in Greece.   He was a benevolent emperor of his people and the people he conquered, for instance, the Israelites.

Isaiah 2 is championing Cyrus because he hears of Cyrus coming and hopes Cyrus will defeat the Babylonians and set the Israelites free to return to Jerusalem.  This is exactly what Cyrus does.  Where is Babylon?  Try 50 miles south of Baghdad on the Euphrates River.  What is left?  Rubble. 

Rob & Beth still celebrating their 40th.

Thessalonians:

• Time written: ca. 50 A.D.   Considered Paul's first letter, and, in fact, the earliest written document in the N.T.
• Place: Paul was writing in Corinth, Greece to the town in northern Greece, Thessalonica, at the northern corner of the Aegean Sea.  He had founded a community there.
• Purpose of writing: to comfort and encourage the new Christians of Thessalonica, most of whom were Gentiles.    He sent Timothy to see how things were going.   The report Timothy brought back was largely favorable—hence the warm tone of the opening thanksgiving, which forms the main part of today’s reading. But there were also a few problems in Thessalonica; we will meet them on the thirty-second and thirty-third Sundays.

And we begin.

Resources: The New Interpreters Study Bible; St. Louis U. Liturgical @ Liturgical.slu.edu

The Best Line:  the Alleluia verse, Shine like lights in the world.  Guess what I would like to talk about.

Leo and Cole solving world problems.

Matthew observation:

Matthew lifts this story right out of Mark.  The story a game that was popular among the intellectuals in Jesus time, like a game of verbal chess.  The object was to confound your opponent so that choosing either one of two answers springs a trap.

Watch the smarmy language of the Pharisees and you can almost see them salivating at the impending kill. 

The trap: do you think it lawful to pay the tax to Caesar or not?  Jesus confounds them by choosing both.  Jesus wins the game.

Why do Mark & Matthew use this story?  To show how Jesus is superior and worthy of being followed and listened to.   

Offertory, Jerry & Shirley, Judy & Mike.

Me, a Light in the World? 

I want to talk about the alleluia verse, “Shine like lights in the world.”  I apologize again for talking about this reading in a way I have talked before. It is just so perfect a fit.  It comes to mind also because of the ebola focus these days.

After getting ordained at old St. Rita’s in June of 1971, I was sent to Miami to work as a chaplain in the big medical complex known as Jackson Memorial Hospital.  It was like Parkland, Southwestern Medical, and Presbyterian. 

The Jesuits of my southern province had a big parish right in the middle of downtown Miami, and part of the team worked the hospitals.  I was a summer helper and loved it.

Hey, who let that Witch in? You do that, Harper? Must be Halloween.

One day after I had been there about a week, a blond little girl of 10 or 11 was brought into the burn ward.  Ever been in a burn ward, a children’s burn ward?  Tough places.  I spent a lot of time in these wards.

The girl, Anna, had been with her family on a sail boat.  Somewhere along their trip the boat had passed under a bridge.  Anna was standing on the edge of the boat with her back leaning against one of the guy wires.  

As the boat went under the bridge, the mast touched an electrical line.  The electricity went down the mast and the guy wire.  Anna was electrocuted and burned.  Fortunately, she was hurled into the cool water which helped to stop her burns. 

Don't mean to scare you, John, but you got a witch behind you.

However, her back and the insides of her thighs and legs were seriously burned.  She would stay in Jackson for 2 to 3 months, even after I had to move on.  

I got really close to Anna & her family.  I visited her first & last every day and I was privileged to be allowed by the doctors to hold her hand when her bandages had to be changed.  Her parents had to leave the room.  You know that this is such a high tension time.  It used to leave me shaken.  

Watch out, Harper, a witch is getting ready to touch you.

I talk about this because the alleluia verse tells us to be lights in the world.  I think this is what it means.  I was privileged to be with that little girl & her family in such a horrible experience.  It is reciprocal: she was a light in my world.

The good news is that Anna finally did leave the hospital all healed up.  I never had the opportunity again to see the family, but I corresponded for years with the mom.  Somewhere during my time in Africa, the connection got broken.  I know that maybe 15 years later her mom wrote me that Anna had married and had a little kid. 

In whose world are you a light today? 

Rosemary sharing her blessing, welcome after such crazy stuff.

Readings: Deuteronomy, 26, 4-10; Psalm 91; Romans 10, 8-13; Luke 4, 1-13

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.

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.

Romans – Paul writes to the Romans that all people, Gentiles as well as Jews, are invited to be part of the Christ event.

Lent!

I know I have mentioned this once a year or so ago, but I saw it again and it is so fitting to our Lenten time of year. Please bear with me.

The last time I was with Rosemary’s sister & brother in law in Hilton Head I was working out on a stationary bike in the little club gym. I look up and coming into the gym is a little old man leaning on a cane. He is hobbling along and bending a bit. I think the man is one step this side of a wheel chair.

I watch as he enters, stows his cane in the corner, pulls a gym towel around his neck, heads for an elliptical trainer, gets on, and begins to work out. I am stunned with the vigor he puts into the trainer. I finish with my half hour bike ride and depart with him still pumping away.

The man is one symbol of what Lent can be. It is like spring training that baseball and football teams are engaged in right now. For me this Lent is not a time of gloom, doom, penance, and a focus on sin. It is new life, becoming more fully alive, spring cleaning, getting into better shape. Becoming a more peaceful human.

Here are ten things you can do for spring training:

1. Exercise more. Take a walk every day, even a couple of times a week.
2. Eat more healthily. Beware of hidden ingredients, e.g., high fructose corn syrup.
3. Mediate every work day morning for 15 minutes, maybe 5 minutes, giving thanks for your blessing of yesterday & today.
4. Say thanks 5 times a day, once a day, especially to family members.
5. Give one compliment a day, especially to a family member.
6. One time a week phone someone or make a luncheon engagement.
7. Read a book. A novel, a book I have recommended.
8. Fun! Be more creative in doing fun things.
9. Give yourself to something that helps others, like Colin Co. Adult Clinic or the Great Trinity Forest Clean up.
10. Get into recovery for your addiction: alcohol, drugs, food, work, smoking, porn. We are all addicted.

You cannot do all of these recommendations. Choose one. Choose something not here.

Look ahead six week to the Sunday we gather for Easter, April 9. How will you have had a great spring training Lent?

Download the homily as an mp3 file.

Readings:  Isaiah 61, 1-2, 10-11, He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal the broken hearted; Psalm, The Magnificat, My soul rejoices in my God; 1 Thessalonians 5, 16-24, Rejoice always; John 1, 6-8, 19-28, John the Baptist, I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, make straight the way of the lord. (John the Baptist was using the words from Isaiah 40, 3, last week's Isaiah reading put to music by Handel in his Messiah, which we heard)  Beautiful readings. 

Isaiah, a reminder.

This is Isaiah III speaking to the Jewish people after their return from the Babylonian Captivity, around 550 before Christ.  A beautiful reading full of consolation.

To catch today's homily, please click on the video (17 min.).  Jamie Rose describes her work with CASA:

Picture 1:    Candle Lighting with Sienna & Brian & Erin

Picture 2:    Jamie talking about CASA

Picture 3:    Noah

Picture 4:    Offertory with Kathy & Bill

Picture 5:    Leo walking up the ramp

Picture 6:    He makes it, first time ever

Welcome, Everybody, including you crazies.

Welcome this Sunday: Catholic Mass with coffee & juice, and pastries, some bought, some home-made. 

Time: 9:30; Celebrate with the Community  & Stack  & John Cade 

Place: Legacy Charter School,  601 Accent Drive, Plano, TX 75075

Peace, Everybody.

Readings:

Wisdom 18, 6-9,  You people awaited the salvation of the just.

Psalm 33,  Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to me his own (Everybody?) 

Hebrews 11, 1-2, 8-19,  Faith is the realization of what is hoped for.

Luke 12, 32-48,  Do not be afraid any longer.

The Look!

Community Activities:  

ROMEO MEET: Friday, August 9, Jason's Deli, Collin Creek Mall, west side of Central, 1:00.  Welcome all wakos, you will fit right in.   

Juliets, August-September, TBA

Two buddies (kids, really)

TRUE?

What's up in Ye Old Catholic Church?  Like…

Catholic Church in Germany shrinking,  http://corpus-blog.blogspot.com/2019/07/latest-statistics-show-german-church.html

Our Father.

See you Sunday, J.S.

214-783-0443

Peace, Everybody.

JSM Mission-Faith Statement: 

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

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

The Coffee Shoppe is open, John, Rob, & Geri.

Readings: Zephaniah 3, 14-18; Psalm, Isaiah 12, Cry out with Joy and Gladness for among You is the Great and Holy One of Israel; Philippians 4, 4-7; Luke 3, 10-18

Zephaniah: date, author, subject, & our selection

    Date: two possibilities–ca. 650 BCE, before Babylon & contemporary with Jeremiah.  Or ca. 200 BCE.

Author: probably not Zephaniah himself, but someone recording what he said.  He is one of the 12 minor prophets, simply because his work is small, only 3 chapters.

   Subject: like all prophets, Zephaniah predicts doom and destruction to Jerusalem because the people are not good.  His purpose: alter behavior, especially the religious behavior, of his fellow citizens of Jerusalem.  A rather jealous and punishing god is presented.

   Our selection: last lines of the last chapter, a song of joy and rejoicing.  This is the only positive note in the 3 chapters.  Consequently, scholars think it may have been added to the original work.  This is the only time in the 3 year cycle that we have a reading from Zephaniah.  Take a good look.

Candle liturgy

Tony: We have lit the first two candles, one for hope and one for peace. Today we light the third candle, the candle of joy. This should be the easy one, because joy is all around us—in the children, the lights, the music, the gathering together. But how often do we let our preparations—or our memories—push joy to the side? Joy is like an underground spring that wells up within us, but joy is also a choice, an attitude. Like a muscle, it needs to be exercised. So today we open ourselves to joy, trusting that God has already planted it in us. All we need to do is give it care and offer it to share.

Three candles are lit

 All Sing

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

All: Loving God, we open ourselves to you,
trusting that this is how you made us:
you created us for joy-filled hearts and lives.
Show us the creative power of hope.
Teach us the peace that comes from justice.
Fill us with the kind of joy that cannot be contained, but must be shared.
Prepare our hearts to be transformed by you,
That we may walk in the light of Christ. Amen.

Tony: Rejoice in God always, and again I say, rejoice
For God has created you with the capacity for joy.

All: We will find what makes us joyful,
And make that our gift to the world.

Tony:  Trust in God’s good will for all of creation
and open yourself to God’s gentle, transforming love. 

All:  We will welcome new possibilities in our lives.
We will offer ourselves to God’s goodness.
We will go forth in hope, and peace, and joy.

A Christmas Story 

I have a Christmas story for you this morning.  It took place the first Christmas I was in Africa, 1977. 

The African continent is shaped vaguely like a heart.  I spent most of my time on the east side, Tanzania, Kenya, & Uganda.  But my first Christmas I spent on the left side of the continent, the west.  The country I spent Christmas in was called Zaire in those days for ca. 30 years, now called the Republic of Congo, since ca. 2000.

The ruler at the time was a guy named Mobuto Seseseko and he was corrupt.  He took for himself all the money gained by selling off the country's considerable natural wealth. 

The capitol of the country is called Kinshasa and I was in a town near there called Kimwenza.  I had been giving seminars & retreats in Nigeria and ended up in Zaire at Christmas, how, I do not remember.

Three special memories remain with me from that Christmas.

First, I remember a midnight Mass.  It took place in a big but simple church on the edge of town.  There was probably a thousand black Zaire folks there and one white guy sitting up front on the left side with his eyes bugging out.

My eyes were bugging out because of at least two things.  First, the priest, a local young black Zaire man, he spent a lot of time dancing with a tall, cone shaped hat.  He danced marching in with the drums and the shakers going at it, he danced during the ceremony, and he danced on the way out.  In fact, he did not walk during the ceremony, he danced. 

The other thing memorable was when he finally danced out.  It was probably more than 3 hours since he had danced in.  And nobody was leaving early.  In fact, I discovered that Africans want to celebrate for at least a couple of hours when they come to Mass.  Consequently, a lot of music. 

The second memory I have is the incongruity I felt celebrating Christmas in a tropical environment, like celebrating Christmas in the summer.  Kinshasa has tons of flowers and they bloom all year because it is summer all year.  The bougainvillea, the frangipanni, and the jacaranda with their purple flowers making like snow on the ground, all were flowering along with their cousins.

Thirdly, I remember that Mobutu was mad at the Catholic church for some reason and he decreed that Christmas could not be celebrated on Christmas day.  It was a week day and businesses and schools were all open.  He did not ban the Masses, but people had to pretend to be working and going to school.  I remember walking around the town Christmas day thinking how odd the whole experience was, summer time and the government banning the celebration of Christmas day. 

Fortunately, the government did not get nasty about the celebrating that took place, many of the city folks were Catholic.  In a goofy twist, Seseseko's own sons even went to the Jesuit college in Kimwenza.   Oddly I appreciated more the freedom I had to celebrate that Christmas Mass, and the people seemed to celebrate with even more zest. 

This year here in Dallas we have the freedom to make Christmas a spiritual festival.  

How are you doing it? 

Picture 1:  Mass begins

Picture 2:  Andy Vrabel, one of our own comes home

Picture 3:  Tony with Margie

Picture 4:  Tony with David Hoover 

Readings:

Ezekiel  47, 1-2, 8-9, 12, I saw water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple.

Psalm 46,   The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High.

1 Corinthians 3, 9-11, 16-17,  You are God’s building

John 2, 13-22,  He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple.

Viki says, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome in."

Introduction and homily by Mike

Introduction:  The first reading is a prophesy from Ezekiel to the Jews in exile that they would return to Jerusalem, rebuild the temple, and when it was finished living water would pour forth from it.  Jesus Christ fulfills the yearning for his coming given by Ezekiel.  His living waters, his life giving words, pour forth the Holy Spirit to abide in living temples, the hearts of those who welcome and live the good news.

Emma, also, says, "Come in, Folks, and meet my friends."

Homily: The inspired writers of the Scriptures were quite clear in telling us that God has no favorites.   In the Church, Greek and Jew, male and female, free or slave, all have been called to be together as one royal priesthood, the people of God, the Body of Christ in the world. 

The Vatican II documents of the Roman Catholic Church began the process of tearing down barriers between Catholics, other Christian denominations and other religions as well, teaching that all who seek God have been called to oneness in Christ.  As Vatican II began to wind down, Pope Paul VI asked for the formation of an advisory council to assist him; it would be called the Synod of Bishops. 

Mike says, "Hi, Folks, got some ideas for you to ponder. What do you think?"

It became a permanent council that currently numbers 191 bishops; and they all met last month for two weeks at Francis’ request to address, as honestly as possible, the positions that each of them held on questions relating to marriage and divorce, ordination of women and married men, birth control and homosexuality.  

According to the news reports these bishops could not come to a consensus in their reply to Francis, for they failed to meet in a spirit of collegiality and collaboration.  The irony of course is that the synod addresses the family, and none of them are married or are women.  Needless to say, Francis was not impressed with the initial results.  

Harper, "Any extra cupcakes lying around?"

He has asked these bishops, again, to enter into a welcoming and listening position, a dialog, with one another and with the people they have been appointed to serve, together they comprise the Royal Priesthood.  Francis has asked his bishops to listen with hearts filled with goodness and justice, tenderness and compassion.  He has asked them to follow the commandment that Christ taught, ‘love one another as I have loved you.’   

Francis has given them 12 months to provide for him a group consensus to each of his questions.  Here’ are some of the consensus replies that I hope will be coming from Francis at the end of the Synod:

Cupcakes of The Week, John & Connie, Rob, Karen and John. Sorry, Harper.

1) Since women in the Church have discerned that the Holy Spirit is leading them to seek ordination, they will be allowed to enter the formal discernment process for the diaconate.

2) Men and women who are divorced and have remarried have been seeking permission from the Church to receive the Eucharist.  The Church will invite the divorced and remarried to marriage enrichment; the completion of the workshop will include a celebration of forgiveness with the reception of the Eucharist.

The Girl with the pretty hair band, Our Zoe.

3) Married men who have a calling to the ordained priesthood can begin the formal process of discernment to the priesthood.

4) If the personal conscience of a married couple is to use birth control during the marriage act, it must be for a serious reason associated with the well being of either party.  Both parties must first be well informed on the teachings of the Church on the sacredness of life; new life that they have conceived must never be aborted; their mutual love must always trump a desire for material wealth.

Who is this lady in red? Why, that is our Cathy.

5) Homosexuals should have an opportunity to seek the sacraments and welcomed to share their gifts and talents within the Christian community.

6) Francis could eliminate the misnomer, ‘the laity,’ for all who welcome and live the good news are together the Royal Priesthood!  The Mass is the Prayer of the People of God.  Francis should invite us to pray the Eucharistic Prayer together, led by those we have ordained.  Together, in oneness, we ask that the Holy Spirit come upon the Bread blessed and broken for us to be the Body of Christ in the world.

Leo says, "See you next week, Folks."