Sunday Homily, November 22, 2015, Christ the King

Introduction: While reflecting on our blessings of the week-

• We are blessed to be alive today, just as those who landed in the Hudson;

• We are blessed to be alive to witness Tuesday the inauguration of a black man where slaves once constructed the buildings.  Our people have grown.

Readings:  1 Samuel 3, 3-19; Psalm 40; 1 Corinthians 6, 13-20; John 1, 35-42   

1 Samuel: This is book one of two books.  The series is 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Kings; the characters being Samuel, the last of the Judge leaders of Israel-Judah; Saul, the first king; and King David. 

Authors:  Traditionally it was thought that 3 people wrote the book, Samuel, Gad, & Nathan.  Samuel, chapters 1-25; Gad was King David's historian, & Nathan was an editor.  Contemporary biblical experts think this unlikely & say that the works were put together at least 50 years after the time of the events.

Time:  The events take place ca. 1100-1000 BCE.  The compilation & recording of the events takes place ca. 950 BCE. 

Today's Selection: Yahweh is calling Samuel in a dream.  This ties in with the Gospel where three future apostles are called.  Samuel's parents were Elkanah & Hannah, and Hannah is famous because of a touching story about how she came to have Samuel.  She had been barren for years and even Elkanah's other wife ridiculed her.  One day the prophet Eli heard her crying and praying in the temple.  At first he accused her of being drunk.  Then when he talked with her, he promised that she would have a son. 

Hannah had promised Yahweh that she would dedicate to the temple her son, if she got one.  Consequently, our selection finds Samuel residing in the temple with Eli the prophet.  He would be about 12 years old.

Be aware that while these marvelous stories about Samuel are mythological, the writer is attempting to convey to a simple people lessons in trust in Yahweh.

What are You Looking for?

The theme of our readings this morning is obviously call & response.  Over the years you have heard repeatedly my 3 personal calls, the priest-Jesuit call, East Africa, and marriage.  You have reason to be tired of hearing the same stories.  Consequently, I looked around for sub-themes in the readings, and in my various sources a number of sub-themes came up.  The sub-theme that I want to talk about is stated by Jesus to the two future apostles, Matthew and (maybe) John, "What are you looking for?"  This is certainly relevant to what is taking place this week.  But first three other minor observations.

First, the verb stay is used three times.  The two ask Jesus where is he staying or dwelling.  They find where he is staying.  Then they stayed with him.  Significant to the writer?  So many times the writers have a special agenda in their use of a word.

Secondly, the verb see or looked intently at is used 5 times.  John the Baptist watched Jesus walk by, but really what is said is that he looked intently at.  Then Jesus saw the two.  Jesus tells them they will see.  The two saw where Jesus stayed.  Then when Peter came before Jesus, Jesus looked at him, really looked intently at him. 

Third, 4 o'clock in the afternoon.  In the original language it says 10 o'clock.  This is the eastern way of keeping time, the way I learned in East Africa.  There is another whole time calculation than the Greenwich Mean Time.  In fact, I find it more logical.  What is usually the first hour of daylight or the first hour of darkness?   7 o'clock in our time.  In the east the first hour of daylight & the first hour of darkness is 1 o'clock.  Our 7:00 A.M. & 7:00 P.M. is 1 o'clock of the day or 1 o'clock of the night.

Finally, "What are you looking for?"  Who knows, who cares?  Well, we know.  And we can care because what those two are looking for is basically what we are looking for.  So did they find it?

I would propose that we can say, 'yes, I know what they were looking for."  We are blessed because we have people who have gone before us who have mapped out what we people are looking for.  You may have run into this in psychology 101 or elementary psychology in high school, but it is useful to remind ourselves.  The person who for me mapped it out best is the famous psychologist, Abraham Maslow.  He has five stages of human need or what we are looking for.

Stage 1:  Imagine a pyramid and we are starting at the bottom with the most elemental.  What we are looking for at this stage is biological and physiological.  Namely, food & drink, air, shelter,warmth, sleep.  Our ancestors lived on this stage, but most of us today have this stage under control.

Stage 2:  Safety & security.  I may have shelter, food, and drink, but need a secure place to shelter, eat, and drink.  You may think this applies simply to robbers or security from getting bombed like is going on in Gaza right now, but how many little kids do not find this need stage satisfied.

Stage 3: Love & belonging needs.  I am part of.  A family, a group of peers or friends, a community.  I find acceptance, affection, and love.

Stage 4:  Esteem.  I have achieved, attained status, have reputation & recognition.

Stage 5:  Self actualization.  Self acceptance, acceptance of others and my world, inner peace, more fully alive.

I would observe that all of us in this community have stages 1 & 2 under control and probably also the other three stages in varying degrees.  I suggest that self actualization involves me giving back to others esteem, love, and a sense of belonging.  I also suggest that the usual obstacle to my greater self actualization is my addiction, whatever that may be, alcohol, drugs, food, TV, etc.

There is a little 5 question quickie self assessment that you may take.  I will put a link to it on the blog this evening.  Check it out.

What are you looking for?  Where are you?

AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2009-01-18.mp3

SELF ASSESSMENT: Download Quick self assessment

Picture 1:  Choir–Wendy, Shonda & Ray, & Celeste

Picture 2:  Birthday & Anniversary–Charlie, Claire & Ray

Picture 3:  Birthdays–David & Alexandra, dad & daughter

Readings:

Acts 6, 1-7,   The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly.

Psalm 33,  Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

1 Peter  2, 4-9,  You are a chosen race.

John  14, 1-12,  Do not let your hearts be troubled.

Buddy says, "Welcome, Everybody."

Observations on Acts:

What : The second half of Luke’s work, the first part being his gospel.  Acts starts after the Resurrection.  We will read Acts all through May and read the last selection June 1, then June 7, Pentecost.  The work focuses on the spread of the early church with special attention given to Peter and Paul and their conflicts over who was to be a Christian, and Jewish laws, like circumcision.  The conversion of Paul is described.

Cole says, "Come in, Folks, you are welcome."

Who: Luke, an educated and civilized Jew who wrote in Greek.

Date:  around the year 65, or about 30 years after Jesus’ death.

Our Selection:  growing pains in the early community.

Watch for two special lines in today's readings.  "Do not let your hearts be troubled" and "You are a chosen race."  They are not in Acts.   I want to talk about these lines.

Cole lighting the Easter Candle

Do not let your heart be troubled.  You are a chosen.

I would like to talk this morning about those two lines I mentioned.  “Do not let your hearts be troubled” and, “You are a chosen race.”   I have two propositions.

1.  You and I are the chosen race.  

2.  Everyone, all humans are the chosen race, even those hurting and doing mean things.  

I have seen this.  You have seen this.  Simple things, things we don’t even take account of at the moment.  They come up when we reflect on the blessings of our day or when we take a moment to contemplate.  Here are three little vignettes about people who are chosen, just like you.

Cole says, Hey, somebody just swiped my new hat."

Recently Rosemary, Aviana, and I went for an evening walk on a new stretch of bike trail.  It is a northern extension of the White Rock Creek Trail, our favorite.  It starts at the Hillcrest & Valley View parking lot, goes west under the Hillcrest bridge, takes a right, and follows the White Rock Creek north up to Spring Valley, running behind the large Greek Orthodox Church on Hillcrest.  It will be a delightful trail when it gets finished.

Want to see a picture of trouble, Gil and Sir Charlie.

The evening was one of the few warm ones we had this spring and the trail was longer than we expected.  By the time we got back to the car, Aviana was gassed and thirsty.  We had no water.  We looked in the park.  The water hydrants were turned off for the winter.   

I went off to check some other hydrants.  Rosemary & Aviana stayed near the first hydrant and near the car.  Families and kids were everywhere having picnics and playing. 

Suddenly a Hispanic man came out of the crowd and offered Rosemary a bottle of water for Aviana. 

Offertory, Mike and Judy, Bill and Jerry

This past week our across the street neighbor, Joyce, who is 85, full of life, and whom we visit every day, Joyce goes to Walgreens.  She is checking out and tries to pull her credit card out.  It came out, but with it are all her other cards. 

The cashier tries to help her stick them back in her bag.  Without knowing it, Joyce drops a few of the cards on the floor, one of which is her Chase Bank card.  She pays and leaves.

Cupcakes of The Week to Fred, Doug, Monica and Richard, Cole and Hue.

She crosses the parking lot and is approaching her car.  Suddenly from behind she hears a man saying, “Ma’am, ma’am.”  She turns around and a tall black man is coming toward her.  He is bringing her dropped cards to her, including the Chase card.  He gives them to her and even refuses to take a cash reward she offers.

The third vignette took place in Strasbourg, France, another French story, again in a little grocery shop, again at the checkout counter. 

Rob & Beth, "Who made that noise??"

This time Rosemary & I are approaching the counter with maybe 2 or 3 items.  We arrive a step behind a little French lady with a cart partially loaded.  She does not push on ahead of us.  Instead, she smiles at us and invites us to go first. 

I am touched by all three of these events.  They take place every day and everywhere.  We live with a chosen race.  Don’t let your heart be  troubled, because you are part of the chosen.

Where and when do you see this?

Shonda, singing God Bless America at The Ballpark in Arlington this afternoon, sees herself on the jumbo screen.

Readings:    

Deuteronomy  6, 2-6,   You shall love the Lord

Psalm 18,   I love you, Lord, my strength.

1 John 3, 1-3,   See what love the Father has bestowed on us. (this is from the All Saints readings, p. 75)

Mark 12, 28-34,  Which is the first of all the commandments.

All Saints presentation with pictures

All Saints: intro & a brief history

   Intro: 3 feasts—

                      All Saints: (or All Hallowes) those who have achieved the beatific vision according to Catholic Church, based on miracles.

                    All Souls: those who have not achieved the beatific vision and are considered paying for their sins in purgatory.

                    Hallowe’en: the vigil of All Hallowes, a Celtic-Irish harvest, end of summer celebration. 

   History in 2 parts: the Western Catholic Church & the Eastern Catholic Church

Offertory, Hugh and Sydney, Lily and Scott

                     The West: 4 significant dates, 300, 600, 700, & 800

    Year 300: during this century the early Christians, reeling from persecution, celebrated the feast of All Martyrs.  This is really the foundation of the feast. Year 600: a Pope Boniface dedicated the Pantheon in Rome to Mary & All Martyrs.  May 13 was the celebration because it was also an ancient pagan day of celebration.

  Year 700:  a Pope Gregory set up in St. Peter’s Basilica a side chapel dedicated to All Saints.

   Year 800: Dec. 25, Charlemagne is crowned Emperor by Pope on the red stone in St. Peter’s.  Charlemagne, an advocate of All Saints, established it on Nov. 1, coupling it with a Harvest Feast. 

Caliope receiving the sacrament of the sick blessing

                    The East:

   Year 900, the Byzantine Emperor Leo the Wise had a beloved, devout wife, Theophano.  She died & Leo built a church which he intended to dedicate to her.  The religious authorities said no, so he dedicated it to All Saints, assuming his wife to be among the saints.

  Note:  later, three big events happen:

          a.  Crusade #4, on its way to fight the Muslims in the Holy Land, captures and wrecks Constantinople, ca. 1200.  J.P. II apologizes for this in 2004. 

          b.  Ottoman Turks or Muslims capture Constantinople, 1450 and rename it Istanbul.  It is Muslim to today.

          c.  Post 1540, Rome condemns Eastern Catholic church as schismatic over theological disputes, i.e., the nature of Jesus.

 Sources: Practicing Catholic by James Carroll, Catholic Encyclopedia on line, Wikipedia.

Emma

 The Most Difficult Commandment

Today we have the greatest commandment or the first commandment.  I want to talk about the hardest commandment.

Rosemary has a passion for these British dramas on PBS.  One of her favorites comes on tonight at 7:00, Call the Midwife.  The story takes place ca. 1950 in London on the East Side, a rough ghetto of good people trying to make a penny.  In particular it is about midwives who serve the women.  The group has been set up by some nuns, Anglican, in fact, and they invite help from other trained women.

Leo

There is the kind nun, the tough on the outside nun, the young pretty girl shocked by so much drama she is seeing for the first time, and there is Chummy. 

Chummy is a warm and tender midwife with no self confidence.  She acts clumsy and insecure.  She is not from anything like the East Side, rather from a wealthy, cold family where she received little love.  In fact, she spent most of her life in boarding schools.  How she came to work as a midwife in the East Side nobody has said.

Sandra receiving The Cupcake of The Week for her special birthday

Turns out Chummy has attracted the interest of the nice local police man and they have developed a special relationship.  She meets his parents and all goes well.  He wants to meet her mother.  Ugh, oh.

And that’s where we are tonight.  Rosemary tells me that she read or saw in one of her sneak previews on line that Chummy was turning herself in for some infraction and that she was talking about being a nun.  Which leads me to think her relationship with the police man ran aground.  Because her cold, class conscious mother did not approve?

Sorry, I don’t know what happens.  I can tell you in the blog or you can tune in tonight.   Channel 13, 7:00.

Rosemary says, “So why the story??”  Because this exemplifies the way I have approached the Great Commandment forever. 

Cole

 There are really 3 commands here, love God, love my neighbor, and love my neighbor as I love myself.  What is the hardest?  For me the third, loving myself.

We get messed up & even ruined as kids in two ways: abuse & neglect.  A kid messed up this way can be messed up for life. We see it all the time, like in the news.  Angry, violent adults and angry, violent kids.

Lorynn and Laycee

And Chummys.   People without self confidence and courage to risk.  People afraid.  People neglected as children, Chummy. 

I don’t know the outcome, but I can conjecture that Chummy will be afraid to confront her mother and marry the policeman.  Yes, I’ve been sucked into watching this program.  The moral, ethical, and psychological dilemmas are riveting. 

Rosemary reading her blessing

We are called to love ourselves. 

How?

Readings:

Ezekiel  18, 25-28,  Is it my way that is not fair?

 Psalm 25,   Remember your mercies, Oh Lord.

Philippians 2, 1-11,  God greatly exalted him.

Matthew 20, 1-16,  The man who had two sons. 

Homily by John Cade

Homily:  I want to focus today on Jesus’ teaching that God is now and was always with us, and how we can see God. There’s that Bible verse in today’s Responsorial Psalm 86 vs.5 that says “You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness.” Stack has said it’s his favorite line in the Bible.  I decided to google this verse and found the same words in multiple places in the Bible.  Psalm 145: vs. 8-9 has exactly the same lines. And Psalm 103 vs. 8 has the same.  And it’s not just in the Psalms.  The Book of Exodus Ch. 34, verse 6 reads, “The Lord is a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness.” The Book of Joel Ch. 2, verse 13 has exactly the same line. And the Book of Jonah Ch. 4, verse 2 has the same.

The take-away from those verses that describe God as “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and rich in kindness,” could be that whenever we see those traits and those behaviors, we are seeing God.  Jesus’ said the kingdom of God is here, and is experienced when we share mercy and kindness with one another.

On July 4^th I joined a group of family and friends for the Fair Park fireworks display. At the end of the evening Leo & Freddie, seeing fireworks for the first time, said, “This was the coolest ever.”

Later I remembered some of what I saw and experienced about being gracious and showing kindness.

1. I got to Fair Park early and walked around, then sat on a bench eating a corn dog slathered with mustard. I saw a woman walking with 2 children and an infant in a stroller. The little one dropped a stuffed toy to the ground. Another woman saw it and, noticing the mother hadn’t seen it happen, called out to her and pointed to it.  They made eye contact and I saw them connect with a smile as the mother picked up the toy. This was a brief but gracious human contact.
2. At one point after our group got together at the lagoon, my nephew Merik, offered to take Leo and Freddie on a walk around the lagoon. He entertained them for 30 or 40 minutes, and his act of kindness allowed the other adults time to visit.
3. Gina, a close friend of my daughters Joey and Sam, came with her husband and 2 daughters, who are a little older than my grandsons. Gina thought about the 4 kids who would be there and brought snacks for all of them and also light sticks to make necklaces or bracelets or, like Freddie, just to wave around. The kids loved it and I took note of her thoughtful kindness.
4. Most of the group had gotten snow cones while walking around. So I decided to get in line for a snow cone for myself (I was told that there were sugar free ones) and for Gina’s daughter who had missed out on one. It was a really long line of more than 30 people. After a while I struck up a conversation with a woman in line. Later another woman, also in line, joined in the conversation. At one point the latter woman, who was sort of ahead of me and the first women (line not straight but uneven), offered that we both go ahead of her. Of course by this point we had all been in line a long time and had tired feet. That was another act of kindness and mercy.

My question: when have you seen God lately?  And when do others see God in you?

Readings:

1 Kings  19, 9-13,  There was a tiny whispering sound.

 Psalm 85,   Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

Romans 9, 1-5,  My kindred according to the flesh

Matthew  14, 22-33,  Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.

Georgie says, "Welcome, Everybody, Come in."

1 Kings observations:  

What:

There are really 2 books, 1 Kings & 2 Kings.  Or originally, it was all one work.

Even though 1 Kings focuses mostly on King Solomon & his accomplishments, the latter half of the work shows how at Solomon's death the kingdom split into two hostile & petty states, Israel in the north & Judah in the south around Jerusalem.  2 Kings ends with the Babylonian Captivity.

As I have pointed out concerning prophets, Elijah condemns the behavior, especially of the rulers, and promises punishment. 

When & Who:  The two books were put together by numerous people and the latest putting together took place, you guessed it, around the Babylonian Captivity, around 555 before Christ.

 Today’s selection: The prophet Elijah is running scared to get away from Jezebel.  She is out to kill him for his killing her fake priests.  We catch up with him in the desert.  

I love this little story.  See if you can figure out why.

Carol & David, too, say, "Hi, Folks, Welcome."

A Tiny Whispering Sound

We are having a run on delightful scripture passages these days.  The passage I love today is the scene where Elijah stands outside a cave and he sees wind, earthquake, and fire.  No God visit.  Then he hears a tiny whispering sound.  The God visit.  I would suggest we have these god visits daily, and we are often deaf or blind to the visit. 

To exemplify, our story of the week.

It is Wednesday.  Guess where.  Yes, Iowa.  The 4^th day of our ride from the Missouri River to the Mississippi.  We have only 40 miles to go from Forest City to Mason City, the city on which Meredith Wilson based his musical, Music Man.  We have only two pass through cities, Verona and Clear Lake.

Emma says, "Hi, Everybody."

So, I am thinking, ‘How can I extend this day.’  I want to savor the joys of the ride as long as possible.  Two or three miles out of Forest City I decide that at least I will stop at a coffee stand for a good cup of coffee.  Take my time, enjoy it, and watch the hundreds of people passing by.  This is the day after I was so moved by the man playing the National Anthem.

I see a sign for coffee in a hundred yards, pass by the stand, and pull over to the shoulder of the road, careful to get out of the way. 

The coffee shop is simply a four poster tent perched on the slope of the shoulder just a bit above the bottom of the irrigation ditch and dangerously close to the road for me. Very low tech.  A kid about 17 is serving coffee, muffins, bananas, watermelon, water, and who knows what else. 

Tori in her stylish attire.

He has a line of about a dozen people and is a bit frazzled trying to take money, cut watermelon, and prepare coffee, all of which is coming out of the back of his van which was perched sideways on the shoulder.  This is not Starbucks. 

However,  as people order coffee, he asks them to form a line on the other side of the stand.  I even regretted later that I did not help him, but at the time I thought I would be there all day long.  As it is, we are all trying to keep to the very edge of the road to avoid getting hit by one of the hundreds of bikers swishing by.

Zoe and her dad, Randolph.

Finally, the lady ahead of me gets to the kid, asks for what she wants, and discovers that she is $2 short.  I say, “Hey, I got $2,” and I give it to her despite her protests.  “Loan it to the next guy,” I say. 

Later that morning, say about 11:00, I pull into this gorgeous green, tree shaded, people filled park in a town called Clear Lake, on the northern edge of a lake by the same name.  For an hour we had ridden along the shore of this lake until I see the park.

I put my bike against a tree and settle on a park bench in the sun (it was so mild) in front of a band stand.  People are all over the place, hundreds, lounging in the sun, eating, chatting.  Between the park where I am and the lake the bikers are passing through.  I am facing the lake.

A shy Harper, for the moment.

I hang out there probably an hour.  I watch a group of guys ride up, bring out their electric guitars using batteries, and play for us.  I even get interviewed by a young girl from the De Moines Register.  These are my wind and earthquake.  I can see God's presence in both.  

And then it happens, the tiny whispering sound, a God visit.

From behind me a lady comes around, hands me $2, says, “Thanks,” and then vanishes back into the crowd leaving me speechless except for a quick, “Sure.”  It was the same lady from the coffee stand.

Cupcakes of the Week, Marsha, Denni, John & Jean, Mike & Carol, and Marlene.

I admit that the Iowa days were full of God moments for me.  This lady, however, was especially touching, a tiny whispering sound.   I never saw her again and she probably identified me in the crowd because of the Aviana beany baby on my helmet and the Mardi Gras beads I wear around my neck.  Moreover, Hammond says I look like a bum in my choice of attire.

When was your last God moment, your tiny whispering sound?

It's The 50's, Jean and John at 56, Mike and Carol at 50!

Good Morning, Tori, Good Morning, Zoe.  So nice to see you dear girls.

Readings:

Isaiah 5, 1-7,  The fruitless vineyard

Psalm 80,  The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

Phlippians 4, 6-9,  Have no anxiety at all

Matthew 21, 33-43,  The vineyard owner & the unfaithful tenants. 

Good Morning to you, too, Riley, and welcome in from Atlanta.   It is so nice to meet you.  I knew your mom when she was your age.  And you are as pretty as she was.

Reading 1; Isaiah 5:1-7

Introduction:

The vineyard in Isaiah is a sad story.  Why?  The fruit from the House of Israel should have been praise and thanksgiving to God.  But there was no thanksgiving given and no humility shown.  There was no lived praise or peace or justice.

Thanks, John and Buddy and Mike, for celebrating today.  I knew before we did Paul & Carrie's wedding this weekend, I would be jet lagged out after the wedding and an evening arrival from Grand Canyon and Phoenix.

Reading 2; Paul’s Letter to the Philippians 4:6-9

Introduction:

Today’s reading from Philippians contains a teaching common to several of his letters, “Have no anxiety at all; rather you should give thanks in everything, for that is God’s will for us.

Thanks for the Homily, Mike.

Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew 21:33-43

Introduction: The landowner in the parable is God, and his gift to Israel is the kingdom, the tenants are the Jewish chief priests and elders of the people, the servants were the prophets.

The Father’s son is Jesus, who is the cornerstone, the fountain of living water [the good news], and the source of the Holy Spirit [the new wine].

The Gentiles are to be the recipients of the kingdom.

It was a marvelous, beautiful wedding and I am so peaceful resting in the back row for this celebration.  Thanks again, John & Mike.

Homily

Our Liturgy of the Word always leads us to the Liturgy of the Eucharist. 

Recall Paul’s teaching, ‘In everything give thanks for that is God’s will for us in Christ, Jesus.’

Paul & Carrie begin their wedding standing on the top of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon on a beautiful evening.

In our soon to be celebrated Liturgy of Eucharist, we are presented with the perfect example of Jesus giving thanks to the Father.  Of course, he does so with no anxiety, but instead with thanksgiving. 

Since the bread that we break and share with one another is a participation in our communion with Jesus Christ; we are invited to join with Jesus as a Thanksgiving to his Father.  We, too, as his sons and daughters, through the power of the Spirit, can give ourselves back to the Father.

In the background is the North Rim, to which Paul & Carrie, plus a few others, are hiking this very day.  These dear people are in shape.  More next Sunday.

Judy and I have a friendship with a couple in Austin who, about 15 years ago adopted a baby boy.  After some months it became apparent that he was born with special needs.  In everything they gave thanks. The angels in heaven sought to find perfect parents for the boy; and they did. Today he is still has needs; but he is active, full of excitement, and appreciative.

May each of us continue to seek to do God’s will for us in Christ, Jesus.

The celebration of Greg & Erin continues on with the help of Cole and Diane.