Readings: Isaiah 49, 3-6; Psalm 40, Here am I, Lord, I come to do your will; 1 Corinthians 1, 1- 3; John 1, 29-34

The Baptism of the Lord – Introduction to the Readings

 Our second reading from Acts of the Apostles deals with what I will call a tipping point of major proportions, namely the account of how St. Peter understood that the Good News was not just for the Jews but also for all peoples.  We have just a short section of the whole story; it is about the baptism of Cornelius and his family.   It is also the last sermon which we have from St. Peter. 

 Prior to the section we read today there were two visions, Peter had a vision of all kinds of animals being lowered from the heavens and heard a voice telling him to eat, but he protested that the animals were unclean, only to hear God say that what He has made clean you have no right to call unclean. 

 Cornelius also had a vision, which told him to send some men to get Peter in a neighboring town.  This double vision is what it took to convince Peter that it was okay to baptize gentiles without having them circumcised first!!  This was a major change for the early community.

 The other great tipping point is in the gospel, which gives us the account of the start of Jesus’ public ministry.  This is one of those rare accounts, which all four of the gospel writers agree on, and marks the transition from Jesus’ private life to his public life.

By the way, our first reading is from a book we have been reading from for several weeks now, namely Isaiah.  As John has pointed out, there are different writers of this work.  Last week we heard from Isaiah 3 and earlier we had Isaiah 1.  Today our reading is from Isaiah 2, who introduces us to the Suffering Servant. 

Why didn’t the later two writers use their own names?  For the same reason that you will see books with James Patterson’s name boldly on the cover, but if you look closely you will see that there is also another name below his.  The well-known name adds authority to the unknown author; true today and true over 2,500 years ago!

The Baptism of the Lord – Homily

 If we look for signs of confirmation in the New Testament they are all over the place, in fact they are clearly mentioned in two of today’s readings.  We are told that we receive the Holy Spirit in Confirmation and that is what happens in Acts to Cornelius and his family as they are baptized and in Matthew’s Gospel to Jesus as He is baptized.  The Holy Spirit is very much part of baptism; while pouring the water the words said are “I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit”.

 So how is it that we now have two separate sacraments?  I was baptized when I was four days old and confirmed when I was ten years old.  In the early church there was only the sacrament of baptism. 

But as the community grew and as the numbers who were joining grew – particularly after Constantine declared Christianity the official religion of the Empire, the bishops could not attend to all baptisms, both because of the large numbers joining and because their diocese were quite large. 

 In the Eastern Church, centered in Constantinople, the problem was solved by having the priest both baptize the candidate and confirm that action with the laying on of hands. 

In the Western Church, centered in Rome, the bishops decided to keep the conferring to themselves, and so the practice grew that way of separating the sacrament of joining or initiation into two events.  What also helped speed up this process was St. Augustine’s position that baptism was needed to overcome the effects of Original Sin, if one wanted to enter into heaven.  Let’s not wait for the bishop to make his rounds for baptism!

 It is clear just from our readings today that the Holy Spirit is received at baptism.  What I would like us to focus on is this.  We are told that we receive the Holy Spirit at Confirmation- we become soldiers for Christ.  What does this mean to you and me here today?  I find some clues in today’s readings.  It was only after he was baptized and received the Holy Spirit that Jesus comes out from obscurity and begins his Father’s work. 

 It was only when the Spirit came upon both Peter and Cornelius, in our second reading, that there was a major change in the requirement for the membership of the early community.  One no longer needed to be circumcised, or no longer needed to be Jewish.  Membership was now open to the gentile world.  The Spirit was responsible; it gave these people the courage to step beyond themselves.

 At the beginning of mass today I quoted from Pope Benedict about the importance of quietness and reflection in our lives.  It is only if we have this quietness that we can begin to hear the promptings of the Holy Spirit which can call us to new actions.  I really believe that it was the Spirit that led me to this community and the courage to reactivate my priesthood after 33 years of silence.  What is the Holy Spirit saying to you?

Picture 1:    Tony celebrating

Picture 2:    The Music Machine, Wendy & Shonda & Ray

Picture 3:    Sacrament of the sick

Picture 4:    Offertory with Mary Ellen & Loretta & Ray

Picture 5:    The Kites, Bernadette, Rich, & Fred

Readings:

Isaiah  25, 6-10,  On this mountain the Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines.  (One of my favorite all-time readings.)

Psalm 23,   I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

Philippians 4, 1-14, 19-20,  I know how to live in humble circumstances.

Matthew 22, 1-14,  The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.  

 

Victoria the Witch says, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome in."

Isaiah observations:

Who:  Any idea which Isaiah this is, 1, 2, or 3?   We had Isaiah 1 last week talking about the vineyard.  That was chapter 5.  Pretty easy to guess, Isaiah 1.  But, this is chapter 25.

It seems out of character for Isaiah 1, who criticizes the people.  More like Isaiah 2, which John Cade loves and which we will read this Advent. 

Remember Isaiah 1 is pre-Babylonian Captivity, around 555 before Christ.  This selection is a marvelous vision of peace and sensual satisfaction, one of my favorites.

Yep, it is still Isaiah 1, all the way to chapter 39.  Basically he is saying that a great day will come, after you people have paid for your sinful, selfish ways. 

Tori's big sister, Georgie, also says, "Welcome, Everybody."

Life as a Banquet

I apologize ahead of time for talking about these readings in ways I have done before.  Trouble is, some readings for me just have a special meaning.  They hit me in just a special way.  Here goes some observations you may recognize a little bit.

I had a Jesuit friend named Tom Barbarito who was in the class behind me.  Italian.  About 5 feet 5. Quite rotund in his early years.  No way athletic.  In fact would shudder at the prospect of exercise or physical work.  Intelligent and very amusing mostly at his own expense.  He was pastor of St. Rita for many years. 

And then there comes the girl with the Pink Ribbon, Zoe.

Our selection from Isaiah 1 about the banquet was his favorite reading of all time.  He loved to eat.  We used to have what were called first class feasts in the early years of my Jesuit life.  These were special meals on Christmas, Easter, and church holidays.  The meals were excellent Cajun cuisine put together by our cajun cooks from southwest LA, Opalousas & Lafayette.  And Tom was from New Orleans, as were many in the classes those days.  We got to talk in the refectory on the occasion of these meals, all 150 of us.

I can still picture Tom squaring off for one of these meals, his white cloth napkin tucked into the collar of his cassock European style, getting elbow room, and proclaiming that he was ready.  He used to declare that he could not wait for the heavenly banquet referred to here in Isaiah.  Today Tom is enjoying that banquet because he died maybe twenty years ago with a brain tumor.  And he died skinny, so he now may eat all his favorite foods without guilt. 

And then comes the girl with The Smile, Emma.

I think of Tom whenever this reading comes up.  Our readings today are so Tom Barbarito, eating, feasting, enjoying the wine running over.  Besides that, we got the king throwing a wedding banquet and getting mad because the invited did not come.  Then one guy gets kicked out for not having a wedding garment on.  What is going on?   Three observations.

First, remember for whom Matthew is writing.  He has an agenda when he composes parables for his work.  Initially he writes to warn the Jewish people about how they are losing it in not recognizing Jesus.  But equally he is addressing the Gentiles, letting them know that Jesus welcomes them also.

Watch out, James, you are surrounded by girls.

As in all parables, check out the symbolism of the gospel.  Obviously the king is God.  Who are the invited to the wedding feast?  The Jews.  Who are the good & bad street people? 

Second observation, we are invited.   There is a banquet out there, a feast on a mountain top, a feast of rich food and choice wine.  Tex Mex & Blue Bell?  We are invited, despite the fact that we are the street people.  In fact, I would propose that we are all street people, bad and good, Gentile and Jew.  The parable may be creating a false distinction.  The idea eventually says only those who believe in Jesus Christ are saved.  Only Catholics can go to heaven.  Not quite.  This was a common Catholic belief from my childhood in the 40’s & 50’s.

Nikki at 14 with her grandparents, Mary and Frank.

The third observation is that the banquet on the mountain top and the marriage feast are taking place today.  I can be tempted to think the feast takes place in the next life.  In fact, I think a lot of poor people and slaves were fed this nonsense so they would not try to fight back against oppression. 

This may be where the poor guy without the wedding garment fits in.  He gets treated pretty harshly, especially so after the king invites all the street people in, both good and bad.  To attempt an understanding, I think we go back to the symbolism which is the currency of parables.  What could he symbolize?  Perhaps the wedding garment symbolizes gratitude.  Maybe he was not grateful, but was critical and cynical, thinking he was entitled to all this, the attitude that seem to be so prevalent in our contemporary culture.  Consequently, the man was thrown out.  In reality the ingratitude never allows him in.  We can be the man without the wedding garment.

Cupcake of The Week to Richard on his birthday. The question: who gets it?

My friend Tom Barberito I am sure is enjoying his wedding banquet in the next life.  We are invited to enjoy this life's banquet with gratitude.

What is your banquet today?

Want to see a contemporary feast: (copy the link into your browser)

http://www.coolestone.com/media/10482/This-Is-What-Happens-When-Pranksters-/

Connie & Cathy. Don't forget you two troublemakers the cupcake is for Harper, who is sick at home. Can we trust them?

 Soul's Harbor Silent Auction, October 21, 2014, special notice:

  Download Doc1

Readings:

Wisdom 9, 13-18, 28-29,  Who can know God’s counsel?

Psalm 90,  In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

Philemon 1, 9-10, 12-17,  I, Paul, an old man…

Luke 14, 25-33, If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother.

Sorry no Homily today. 

We had a Communion Service and discussion of the readings today.  Thanks to all who attended and contributed to our discussion.

Readings:

Isaiah 50, 4-9, I gave my back to those who beat me.

Psalm 116,    I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the Living.

James 2, 1-5, 14-18,  What good is it if someone says he has faith but does not have works?

Mark 8, 27-35, Take up your cross.

Genevieve and her mom, Mary, say, "Welcome in, Everybody."

Isaiah:  observations

What is it about: 1^st, 2^nd, & 3^rd Isaiah?

1^st Isaiah, Chapters 1-39: predict doom for the Hebrews because they have not been faithful to their one god.  

2^nd Isaiah, Chapters 40-55:  this & the remaining chapters are called The Book of Consolation.  They try to assure the people who are now in exile that God will restore them to their former glory & peace.  In fact, in chapter 45 the composer even mentions the name of Cyrus, the king of the Persians who defeats Babylon & sends the Hebrews back to Jerusalem.  So the composer knew of Cyrus and a date can be narrowed down.

           Sienna, too, and her dolly, welcome everybody.

This 2^nd  Isaiah section presents 4 suffering servant songs, #3 being our selection today.  Jews see the servant to be the Hebrew people/nation.  Christians see the servant to be Christ. 

Isaiah 2 is considered maybe the most influential O.T. book.  On Isaiah 2 Mark built much of his gospel, especially the story of the crucifixion.

Handel's Messiah uses 2nd Isaiah for its lyrics.

3^rd Isaiah, Chapter 56-66: more assurances of a return to peace & glory.

Victoria would like everyone to know that she and her pet frog are also happy to see everybody.

 Mark: observation

I do not like the line in Mark where he says we have to take up our cross.  I have seen the negative result of this.  Which is not to imply that we do not have to struggle to reach goals, like, say, 175 lbs.  

                           Happiness is Victoria and her frog.

The 3 Beauties

This morning I would like to talk with you about 3 beauties I encountered the past ten days in Yosemite. 

The first beauty has to do with the spectacular scenery we walk through, up, and down.  We are ranging from, say, 7 thousand feet up to and beyond tree line, which is 10 thousand feet.  The Lodgepole Pines, the grassy meadows, the streams, the vistas from three 10 thousand foot passes, all take my breath away. 

                 Zoe says, "How about this Sigler, pretty nice."

This beauty is what brings me back time and again to the mountains, and especially to the Matterhorn Canyon trail that I discovered with the Jesuits maybe 20 years ago.

The second beauty is the memories I have of camping in the same places six, eight, or ten times in my life.  At two places I was actually moved to tears. 

      Emma and Sienna are experts at nurturing little critters.

At the foot of Matterhorn Canyon there is a gorgeous campsite.  You cross a shallow stream and on the left of the trail there is a pretty grove of trees and a grassy meadow in front of the grove. 

I probably camped here 3-4 times, until we realized we wanted to get higher up the Canyon so we had less climbing to cross over Burrow Pass.  I walked through the campsite with Mike and I could remember where I had put my tent one below freezing night.  I could remember our fire ring and a tussle the group had once over one guy eating all the group’s peanut butter.

                    "Harper, it does not get prettier than this."

I remembered a night the first time I camped there with a Jesuit friend who taught at Berkeley.  We had eaten dinner and were sitting around a campfire when a female deer came up behind me and put her head on my right shoulder.  I was stunned, but not scared.  Don Gelpi, my friend, had watched it all without saying a word.  Don Gelpi is now dead and I missed him there.

Another campsite, my most favorite of all my campsites in the world, Piute Creek, just after coming over the Burrow Pass.  It has the required creek.  But it is spacious and off the trail enough so that people cannot even see the spot.  It is grassy and shady.

                   Brandon and Leo at serious attention.

I camped in the same place where 6 years ago Tom & Lynda Fleming put up their tent, with Daniel’s tent just in front.  I remembered all sorts of people there, Poncik, Gene Cooley, Larry Pigeon, Beth & Rob, Ryan Malphurs, Paul Fulce, and Ron Kovatis, as well as the Jesuits.    I could see Fulce and Kovatis smoking cigars in a natural pool in the stream.  These memories touch me to tears. 

                 Music at Sigler Elementary, beautiful as ever.

The third beauty: the people I was with.  You may find it hard to see beauty in people like Ray and Mike, but Beth was there.  The beauty was the consideration each person showed for others.  Ray was always up first in the morning ca. 6:00.  He would fire up our little camp stove and heat water for coffee and oat meal.  Many a morning I got up, got my cup, my Starbuck’s instant coffee, and my MooMoo milks, and had my first cup of coffee of the day.  Ray also called the time for happy hour and cooked the evening meal prepared ahead of time by Rose Banzhaf.

            Genevieve, "Is that old geezer finished talking yet?"

As an aside, we ate exceptionally well.  Rose fixes casseroles and cobblers, freeze dries them, puts them in sealed packages, and we break out one set each evening.  Plus, I must confess, we have a half pound of cheese, maybe a piece of dark chocolate, and a pint of Jack Daniels. 

Mike & Andy, because they both have nimble feet, often helped me across slippery streams.  No way do I want to fall and mess up one of my special hips. 

             "Emma, please tell me that you too are not sleeping                             when I talk."

Three priceless beauties, nature, memories, and companions. 

Your priceless beauties?  

"Welcome in, Everybody," say Sydney & Hugh.

Readings: 

Isaiah 43, 16-21,  See, I am doing something new.

Psalm 126,  The Lord has done great things for us, we are filled with joy.

Philippians 3, 8-14, I consider everything as a loss.

John 8, 1-11,   Let the one who among you is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.

And likewise from Jackie, "Welcome in, Folks, we have a reconciliation service this morning before the Our Father."

 Isaiah Observations:

The scene: the Jewish people are captives in Babylon ca. 555 years before Christ.  Isaiah No.1  had warned the people that their bad ways were going to lead to this.   

In this chapter 43, which is Isaiah No. 2, Isaiah has Yahweh reminding them of how much he has done for them in the past and lets them know that they are still his people.  Their lives will get better.  

Candle service with Tori lighting and her brother, Buddy,  reading The Blessing of the Candles.

The first 5 verses of this chapter are some of my favorites in the whole Bible.  Isaiah No.2 is telling the people to not be afraid because he is with them. It goes— 

Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you.  I have called you by your name.  You are mine.  When you pass through deep waters, I will be with you…  When you pass through fire, you will not suffer.   I regard you as precious, honored, and I love you.  

I will give up whole nations to save your life, because you are precious to me & because I love you and give you honor.  Do not be afraid, I am with you.

Bernadette says, "Hey, those are my grandkids.

Philippians Observations:

Philippi was a town in Macedonia, now called Greece.  Philippi was the first church Paul set up on European soil.  He is in prison.  He is basically saying that for him nothing has any importance beyond his relationship with Jesus.

Psalm 126 ( a good one), 

The Lord has done great things for us.  We are filled with joy.

Spring Fever: Juliets out on the town.

Punishment or Compassion

I would like to talk this morning about the woman in the gospel, the one about to be stoned to death for being caught in adultery.   An example of punishment vs compassion.   The Law vs Jesus.  The brutality and the injustice of it smacks me in the face.  It is, also, so contemporary.

It reminds me of a very uncomfortable situation I found myself in when I was learning Swahili in Tanzania.   This would have been about ’77 or ’78, when I was just getting into the language. 

The Best with Shonda & Ben.

I was at an outstation church from an outstation church maintained by our Jesuit parish in a town called Tabora, smack in the middle of Tanzania, on the east-west train track.   This is the place where I later fell into the grave of a little lady I was burying and the place where I spent Advent and Christmas one year with two young Jesuit interns from the Island of Malta just off the Mediterranean tip of Italy.

On this occasion I was being shown around by the 4-5 men of this tiny village with a small, mud walled church.  I could not have been saying much because the language was still quite difficult for me.

The Minor Elevation.

It was afternoon of a pleasant day.  We are way out in the bush and I remember the land was fairly green.  It was probably the period of the small rains, meaning, say, February or March.   The long rains come in our summer.  This is south of the equator.

At one point the men and I are wandering up a slope on top of which was a fairly large corrugated metal building, probably built by the government to help the villagers store their produce.

Communion Service table with John and Alison.

As we get closer I can hear voices from inside the building and a thud or two.  Maybe the guys escorting me had explained what was going on and I did not understand.

Whatever the case, we are maybe twenty yards from a door at the corner of the building when, all of a sudden, the door opens and a few guys come out and with them staggers a man who has been beaten.  He is dressed in nothing more than something like a towel or a skirt.  He has bruises on his shoulders and legs.  Because he is black I can’t see discoloring, but I see wounds. 

Offertory team with Lynda & Tom, Teresa & Tom.

He has been caught cattle rustling.  He took one cow that he found out in the countryside near the village and attempted to get away.  He is a skinny older guy and probably not too smart.  They caught him easily. 

After teaching him a lesson, they are planning to walk him to the police station about 40 miles away in Tabora, the larger town I came from.  Along the way they will pass a few small villages where the inhabitants will also beat him.  If he makes it, jail will look pretty good.  And he does make it, I heard later.

Reconciliation service, "Please forgive me," "I forgive you."

When this old guy sees me, he sees a savior and comes toward me with a begging gesture. 

I am ready to throw up and I want to tell the people to stop beating the man.   But I don’t know the language and I feel very awkward because these people are hosting me.  I feel paralyzed.

What do I do?   I did nothing.  And I was haunted by my doing nothing for years.  I had to forgive myself somewhere along the years.

Everyone is offered the opportunity to ask for and to give forgiveness, plus a peace hug.  Most moving.

Sez Shonda, "Welcome in, Everybody."

Readings:

2 Samuel 5, 1-3, David anointed king of Israel 

Psalm 122,  Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord

Colossians 1, 12-20,  Let us give thanks to the Father.

Luke 23, 35-43,  This is the king of the Jews.  

Likewise say Connie & John, "Come on  in, Folks"

Homily by John Cade

Every Sunday we “do” the Mass. ‘Eucharist’ is the Greek word for “giving thanks”. Following the theme Stack and Mike and I set for these three weeks, I will share my gratitude for four of the many blessings I received this year.

Welcome Home, Gil.  It has been a long recuperation and it is delightful to see you.

On Jan. 1 Lambrini retired. We are grateful together for her having this good job for 21 years, achieving many career goals, and, in the process, earning the respect of her coworkers. Of course, even a good job includes work stress—like its duties and demands and sometimes its environment. And you know, if your partner is stressed, you are stressed. Retirement is when we both get to say goodbye to those stresses, and catch up on our bucket list.

Thanks, Sophia, for lighting our candles.

In terms of health, Lambrini had severe A-fib symptoms; they were debilitating. A blessing I shared with her was her ablation surgery that reduced the worst of her A-fib symptoms, Alleluia! On my personal health blessings: I had an echocardiogram and a stress test this summer, after which my cardiologist said, “See you next year!”—always what we want to hear. My Urologist said the same just this past week.

Happy Thanksgiving, Brent.  This $1000 check is for the Souls Harbor enterprise.  I only wish it could be our $2000.

Another blessing was celebrating with Lambrini our 25^th wedding anniversary. It’s not just all these years together; it’s also deepening our devotion and gratitude for each other and working to better accept our differences.  Speaking of weddings, I was blessed getting to preside over the wedding of a young couple. Doing weddings is a gift; they are such happy occasions, intimate and full of promise and fun.

Bill, even with chemo treatment, you still challenge our community to do more, like the Love for Kids Picnic coming up this month.  Thanks.

Finally a big blessing, this year and every year, is being part of this community. An example of what a blessing this community is was how this community stood with Rich and Carol as they ‘walked their walk’ right in our midst. We got to see their steadfast loyalty and courage.

Says Marilyn, " Sign up for the Juliets Christmas luncheon coming up soon."

I give thanks for the loving support this community provides. We all experience losses. My gratitude is for the way this community helps me and all of us feel safe enough to share them, and courageous enough to accept them, and get on to the next step of our journey.

How will you remember and give thanks for the blessings of this year, individually and together?

Communion for All.