Reminder for Sunday, July 12, 2015, 15th Ordinary Time

Acts of the Apostles 4:  He is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.

1 John 3:   Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. 

John 10:  I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep.

Music,   Ben & Shonda

Expenses: $   510.00

Outreach: $    85.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

 

The Kiss of Peace

 

 

Rosemary's Blessing:

May God’s love and mercy encircle you today

With living laughter that renews and saves

May bright hope lead you further on your way

And in your life may you celebrate his word

And be a witness to a gentle and gracious Lord.

 

A Book of Irish American Blessings & Prayers    Andrew Greeley

 

 

 Welcome back, Everybody, to our Community Blog.  We are back in business.

 

Thanks, John Cade, for covering so beautifully for the two weeks Rosemary & I were in France.

 

 

 

Hi, Zoe, so nice to see you after two long weeks of us being away

 

 

Readings:  

 Acts of the Apostles 10, 25-26, 34-35, 48-48,  God shows no partiality

Psalm 98,  The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.  

 1 John 4, 7- 10,  God is love.

John  15, 9-17,     If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love.

 Note how conditional the love of God is presented.  Truly?

 

 

 

Hi, Harper, so nice to see you, too.

 

 

Sing to the Lord a New Song

 

Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds, Ps. 98

I want to talk this morning about singing a new song to the Lord, because I am a richer person than the last time we were together.

I am richer because of our trip to south west France.  I am richer because of traveling with Rosemary and Mike & Judy.  I am a richer person because of a couple with whom we had dinner probably the 4^th night of our river cruise.

 

 

 

Emma, our super candle lighter, doing her magic, while Georgie reads the Blessing For Candles.

 

 

The couple, Leon & Karen, are retired and live in California.  Listen to Leon for a sentence or two and you know he does not come from Texas, not even the States.  He had the beautiful Brit accent.

Karen I could not place.  She was, in fact, German.  They both had been long gone from the countries of origin.  In fact, they met in Switzerland and had been married, I think, around 40 years.  

 

 

 

Two new community members in their doggie carrier?   Are we not an inclusive community or not!
 

 

 

As I listened to Karen I became more curious.  She was not only German.  I began to suspect we were very close in age.  In fact, we shared the same age, 78.  Knowing we were the same age and she was German, oh, no.   The Question immediately came up in me.  I hesitated.  I did not want to disturb Karen with a heavy, personal question when everything had been light and social.

Finally, sensing an inner peace in Karen, I asked, How were you affected by WW2?

 

 

 

And the excellent music plays on.

 

Calmly & without hesitating she responded with 4 experiences.

1. She remembers ’44.  She was 4 years old.
2. She lived in a town that was getting heavily bombed.
3. The family ran to the mountains of Bavaria.
4.  After the war her father returned from being captured and imprisoned by the British.  He was never the same.

 

 

 

 

The elevation with Buddy & Georgie helping.

 

 

As she tells me this, I am so moved I am in tears.  I am humbled.  How old was I in’44?  4 years old.  How come I was so blessed?  While Karen is running from bombs and enduring the reconstruction, little John is living peacefully and without a care in the world in the safe little village of University Park.  His next door neighbor is Sam Berger, a good friend of my dad and a Jew.

I have never met a person like Karen, a person who lived through the War in Germany.  And who was so peaceful.

I went to ask her permission to talk about her.  Of course, I got teared up just asking.  Without hesitation she said, “Sure.”

 

 

 

I am sorry we have no cupcake for you, Brent, but I am so proud that  our community can give you $2,000 a month for Souls Harbor.

 

I come back from this trip, humbled, touched, and singing  to the Lord a new song.

What is your song this morning?

 

 

 

Juliettes eating out.  Jason's Deli?

 

Can you at TypePad please tell mye why I cannot up load pictures when I am away from my home computer. I am on the road, using my lap top and cannot load pictures. This is the third time I have experienced this inconvenience. Otherwise, things are okay.

Good Sunday afternoon everybody (hoping you are healthy and peaceful),

 

Here is the link to the Mass this morning.  It was a special service and one I hope will fill you with hope and appreciation.  Hopefully, next week we can be live but we shall see.  In the meantime have a healthy and peaceful week.

 

https://youtu.be/SCtQ5Wl-M6s  

 

 

"Welcome in, Everybody," say Emma & her mom, Beth.

 

Readings: 

Jeremiah 17,  5-8,   Cursed  is the one who trusts in human beings.

Psalm 1,  Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.  

1 Corinthians 15, 12, 16-20,    Christ has been raised from the dead.

Luke 6,  17, 20-26,  Blessed are you who are poor.  (beatitudes)

 

 

Suiting up is a teamwork.

 

 

Sunday Homily

 Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings.

This morning I would like to talk about this line from Jeremiah, which, you know me, I do not like. 

A little story for perspective.

 

 

Victoria doing her magic lighting of the candles.

 

It was only a week ago this past Thursday that I went to visit my spine surgeon for my 6 week post op check up.  I expected to get a looser leash, like maybe a physical therapist.  Rosemary came with me, mostly because she did not want me to come home saying I could do things she doubted came from the surgeon.  

So, what happens?  I got more freedom than I could imagine.  I was even asked if I wanted a physical therapist.  I said I did not care.  He asked if I learned anything new from the physical therapist I had pre-op.  I said I really learned nothing.  So, he said just go do what you know.

I was so stunned, so surprised, I was in tears.  Lucky I had Rosemary there.  She would have never believed me.

 

 

Buddy reading the Blessing of The Winter Candles.  You just gets better each week, Buddy.

 

 

So, from the office in the Presby  complex we headed home all elated in our Prius.  We took Royal Lane west from Central and caught the light at Hillcrest.  We were behind a lady.  The red light changed to green and the lady sat there.  I flashed my lights one time.

Then, Bamm!  We were tail gated. 

What now?  All the horror stories I have heard of hit & run people, people who get angry and blame the victims.

 

 

 

I am proud to say, Carol, that I am jealous of your hair.

 

So we went to the first left bound lane, pulled over to the right hand curb, and got out.  My elation had turned to a downer.  At least the person had not tried to run away and pulled right up behind us.  Moreover she jumped out of her Infinity SUV, asking, "Are you okay?  Anybody get hurt?   I am so sorry, my foot just slipped off the brake pedal."  I know you are warned never to do this if you caused the accident.

 

 

The Music Musicians Ben & David.

 

Corey was the lady's name, middle aged, slender, and probably from the neighborhood.  She had a lot of integrity, claimed she was responsible, gave us photos of her papers, especially the insurance paper.  

By the next day, Friday, her insurance company was in touch, they offered us a rental, which we did not think we needed for a few days, and we booked the Prius into the local service King this past Thursday.  

 

 

Elevation time.

 

So, cursed is the one who trusts in human beings?  Jeremiah, you must have been having a bad day, a bunch of which I know you had in your life.

I think the real challenge for us is to trust. 

Who are the people in your life whom you trust?  

 

 

The Beautiful Sisters Geri & Francine.