Leo says, "Welcome as long as you know the password" (e.g. You are The Best, Leo).

 

 

Readings:  

 Isaiah 50, 4-9,  The Lord opens my ear that I may hear.

Psalm 116,  I will walk before, in the land of the Living

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

Mark 8, 27-35,  Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself

                   

 

 

Special Welcome to Barbara's sister from Germany, Gita.
 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

Emma at work on here specialty, Lighting the Candles.

 

This 2^nd  Isaiah section presents 4 suffering servant songs, #2 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.

 

 

 

 

Georgie backing up the Candle Lighting ritual with The Blessing.

 

 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.  

 

 

 

Welcome in, Ron.  Thanks for bringing Gita. 

 

 

Faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead

This morning I would like to pick up on the line, faith without works is dead. 

First of all, to me the statement is simplistic & silly.  I know people who are unable to do anything for others, but they have faith, maybe in God, maybe in people, or in themselves.

Actually, we, I can look around and have greater faith in people because I see so many doing so many good things for others.  Actually, talking about this subject I feel like a fraud and that I am preaching to the choir, I see you people in our community doing so much.  Let me give you about 8 examples of people who inspire me.

 

 

 

 

 

A high level meeting of The Board.  A Brunch or not next week.

 

 

1^st, ever hear of the Cajun Navy?  Or the Baptist Men?  They are both over in the Carolinas doing rescue & recovery work right now.  On NPR yesterday morning, I heard the “Cajun Admiral” or “Captain” say he expected 1000 volunteers by Saturday afternoon.  They come with their fishing boats.  They were everywhere in Houston last year this time.

I’ve worked with the Baptist Men in Galveston and they come prepared with generators, a big kitchen, and showers installed in 18 wheelers.  I slept with about 20 of them in a dormitory in a church.  I wish I could be there.  Just have not got the stamina any more.

 

 

 

 

Georgie & Buddy, The Board has voted too double your stipends.

 

 

How could I ever forget Jim Mahar of St. Bonaventure, one of my patron saints, along with his local buddy, Bill Hammond.  The two of them have gotten me into so many projects.  It must even be close to the time Bill will be putting his sign up sheet out for the Love of the Kids Fall picnic.

Fifth, I am reminded that these first weekends of October are the weekends we used to plant trees.  How many did we have for our last big plant at Plano Senior High?,  I don’t know.  I do know, however, that we planted in an hour 400 trees.  Go see.

 

 

 

 

And another high level board meeting, this with dad & daughter.

 

 

Then, closer to home & me there is Brent with his marvelous work as director of Souls Harbor.  There  is Hue.  Do you realize that from 2005, when we started, Hue has been our sound man, Sunday after Sunday.  Then there is Jan, our faithful hostess.

And finally the picture takers like Rick, Connie, Mike, and even Rosemary on occasion.  Without everybody’s patience our blog without pictures would be pretty boring.

 

 

 

So, Leo, you are telling me that all these people knew today's password.  

 

 

So, even if you are like me and cannot do all the works you would like, who gives you inspiration and faith in the goodness of others?

 

 

 

Welcome back home, Dearest Harper.  It has been no fun without you while you were sick

 

 

Sir Charlie, you are supposed to be welcoming everybody.  Looks like you are scaring everyone away, like me.

 

Readings: 

Isaiah 60, 1-6, Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem. (good one)

Psalm 72, Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.  

Ephesians 3, 2-3, 5-6,  The Gentiles are co-heir, members of the same body.  

Matthew 2, 1-12, The Epiphany or opening to the Gentiles.

 

 

John ready in case I forget.

 

An Epiphany Day

This morning I would like to talk about an Epiphany Day, meaning a special day or a wonder day or event or even a person.  December 28 was an epiphany day for me.  Anybody guess why?  Yes, the date of my back surgery, an event I was totally looking forward to.

 

 

Emma sharing her candle lighting gift with the rest of us.

 

The operation was scheduled for 10:00.  We had to be there at 8:00.  Rosemary & I were there at 7:30.  Somewhere around 8:15 they checked me in and gave me the special operation gown.  I was invited to get on my own special stretcher with 4 wheels. One guy wheeled me around and into a 14 cubicle pre-op room.   Along the way we picked up Rosemary and a good old friend.

 

 

Buddy reading our Blessing of the Christmas Candles.

 

I did not know it at the time, but I was going to spend 4 hours waiting in that room.   My doctor got delayed was all I was told.  Rosemary had to leave.  I got to know the names of the pre-op room staff, Matt and Deborah. 

 

 

Cody, tell Ben that he cannot go to  sleep until I start talking.

 

I teased some of the pre-op patients.  Like one lady was begging to have a coffee.  I welcomed back some from surgery.  I had to ask to use the restroom.  I napped.  All these 4 hours my buddy stayed with me.  He read the newspaper when I dozed.

 

 

To join this exalted team, it is required that you are named John and that your are old enough to forget your age.

 

Finally about 2:00 I was wheeled into the operating room, cold as usual.  An hour or so later I was awake, Rosemary was there, and my good friend was there. 

Looking back, the day was an Epiphany Day and the operation an epiphany event.  You know what was another epiphany event?   My good friend.  He came and stayed about six hours, from the time I was supposed to have the operation, through the delay, and up to and past the operation time.  The pre-op room staff even told the poor guy we looked like brothers.

 

 

Bill and his special mom, Mabel.

 

Know who that special friend is?  Mike Carrell, an Epiphany Event.   Thanks, Mike.

 

 

 

Hi, Tom & Joe & Marsha

 

 

 

 

The Best Teammates

 

 

 

 

Elevation Time

 

 

 

The Healing Touch with John.

 

 

 

Mike, an Epiphany Friend

 

 

 

 

Readings: Isaiah 22, 19-23; Psalm 138, Lord, Your Love is eternal; do not forsake the Work of Your Hands; Romans 11, 33-36; Matthew 16, 13-20 

Intro to Readings 

 Our sources for our three readings again this week are Isaiah, Paul to the Romans and Matthew’s Gospel.  John last week talked a little about the Letter to the Romans and I would like to continue with that topic a little further.  This letter to the Romans is different than all of his other letters for several reasons.

 This is Paul’s attempt to tell the folks in Rome, who do not know him, who he is and what he has been preaching!  All of Paul’s other letters were written to communities he had started himself.  He has not yet been to Rome, but there are Christians there.  Paul has enemies who are preaching that he is corrupting the Good News, and so he needs to address that very clearly.  This he does by explaining his own understanding of Jesus.

 

 Paul is also at a cross-roads in his own life.  He is just completing his missionary work in Asia Minor and Greece.  He is about to head back to Jerusalem with “The Collection”, money he has raised from these communities to support the Jerusalem Church – an early Peters Pence collection!  He then plans to head west to Spain and start his mission word there.  He will need a base in Rome to support that work, and so he also wants to make a good impression there.

 Of course, Paul never does get to Spain!  He is arrested after his visit to Jerusalem and does end up in Rome, but in jail, where he is eventually killed by Nero.

 

 Homily

 “Who do men say I am?”  This question is one that all three of the Synoptic Gospel writers have.  It is an interesting question, but one which we can all too easily glide over and see it as only directed at Peter.  I would like to propose that it is a very important question and one that each one of us needs to answer today!  Who is Jesus for me, for you? 

 

 In trying to understand and answer the question it is worth stepping back and approaching it in the following way.  Today, when we are introduced to someone, it is fairly common in the conversation to ask “ and what do you do?”  We tend to try to understand who someone is by what they do.  Their activity or job, helps us get a bit of a handle on who they are.  In the same way when Jesus asks the disciples the question, they tend to fall back on describing who he is by naming people who have done similar things in the past!  We know that the answer “what I do” is not a satisfactory answer, but it seems to be a fairly common approach.  When someone says “oh so you are a salesman” my instinctive reaction is to say yes but I am more than that.  Stick around and get to know me.  Determining who I am by just what I do is very superficial.  So too when it comes to Jesus, what he did is only part of the answer. 

 It seems to me that in order to fully answer the question about Jesus we need to do more than just know what he did.  Yes that will help, but I believe that this getting to know business is a lifetime work.  And reflection is very much a part of that activity. 

 
  

 I think that once we get to know someone really well, we change!  Our knowledge of them changes us as a person.  Think about this.  Reflect on the people who are in your life who really mean something to you.  Are you a different person because of that relationship?  I would have to answer “yes” in my case. My life is different, my attitude is different.  Now to bring it back to Jesus, we can certainly say that Peter’s life was very different after Jesus said, “come follow me”.  We know that Paul’s life was totally different after meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus.

 How do we develop and deepen our relationship with Jesus.  It really isn’t enough to just read the New Testament, and read about Jesus, that will just give us information!  We need to do that but then we need to start a dialog with Jesus, and we need to spend time listening to Him.  Not easy, but otherwise we will have a tough time answering the question.  Jesus will be merely an interesting person from long ago, and not someone who has a major say in our daily lives.

 
 

The question for each one of us is the same, “Who is Jesus for me?”

Picutre 1:    Justin with his grandmother, Jean

Picture 2:    Justin & Anthony

Picture 3:    Jon

Picture 4:    Shonda

Picture 5:    Emma

 

 

Readings:  Isaiah 56, 1-7; Psalm 67; Romans 11, 13-15, 29-32; Matthew 15, 21-28.

Romans: For months we have been using as our second reading Paul's letter to the Romans.  I have not mentioned it or even included in the homilies for two reasons:

1. It is not related to the other two readings. The Gospel & the first reading attempt to follow a theme. The second reading continues the same book week after week and if it relates it is accidental.
2. It is dense. 7 letters are considered written by Paul who wrote this one probably around 55 A.D., while he was in Corinth, Greece, and in anticipation of a visit to Rome. It is the most complete statement of his understanding of the Christian faith. Some scholars consider it his masterpiece, but it is often difficult to understand.

The Assumption

This past Friday the Catholic Church celebrated one of its big feast days, the Assumption of Mary into heaven.  The meaning: Mary, after she finished her time on earth, was taken bodily into heaven.  Let me talk about this feast.  4 observations.

1.  The history of the belief.  The idea that Mary was taken up bodily into heaven got going by at least the 5th century.  People thought that she was rewarded for her role in redemption by this action on God's part. 

2.  The history of the declaration.  In November, 1950, Pius XII declared this event to be a dogma of the Catholic Church, that is, you have to believe it if you are a Catholic.   It was the first and only doctrine declared under papal infallibility, a doctrine proclaimed by Pius IX in 1870.

The story behind both of these dates is quite interesting.  1870 is the date of Italian unification.  Up to this time there was no united peninsula, no Italy like today.  There were at least three big parts: north, south, and right in the middle the Papal States. 

The people wanted those states to be part of the whole.  Pius IX was adamantly against ceding an inch of his property.  When the people won the property deal , Pius withdrew into the Vatican, declared himself a prisoner of the Vatican, appealed to France who did not help him, and finally declared that what he said as pope on faith & morals was infallible, despite the advice of the majority of his consul tors.

In 1950 the Second World War was finished and the world was stunned into shock by the revelation of the Holocaust.  Pius XII himself was downcast by the Holocaust.  Moreover, he was getting some heat because he did not stand up more strenuously to Hitler.  He had been Vatican ambassador to Germany during the build up of the Third Reich, so he knew the atmosphere well.  On top of that, there was evidence that at least one senior vatican official was complicit in sending Jews to the death camps. 

Pius XII might have experienced some shame.  In the face of the brutality of the Holocaust, Pius decided to make a dramatic statement to show the sacredness of the human person, body included, by declaring the assumption of Mary's body into heaven a dogma. 

3.  The basis in Scripture for the doctrine.  There is none.  What is taking place here, is that Pius is articulating what has been considered a belief for centuries.  It has been believed for, say, 10-15 centuries.  Therefore, it took place.  There is a weakness here, of course.  What can be asserted a fact without evidence, can be discarded without evidence. 

 

4.  The Assumption in my life.  50 years ago Friday I walked into the Jesuit novitiate in Grand Coteau, LA.  30 of us entered more or less together.  Two of my classmates celebrated Friday in New Orleans or Mobile when the Jesuit Province gathered to celebrate anniversaries. 

On that day 50 years ago my life took a 180 degree turn from being a typical  bratty teen ager to a monk.  From days spent with friends, girls, music, cars, and radios, I entered a world of silence, meditation, physical work, and study.  Feast days were eagerly anticipated and the Assumption was one of the big ones.  I took vows twice on August 15 and the date is still big with Jesuits.  It comes at a convenient time at the end of the summer and before the school year. 

I still celebrate August 15, and in 2004 I did it in a special way.  You may have heard.  This is the story.  It was earlier that week that I returned from the annual Yosemite trip and was told unexpectedly that I had been suspended by the bishop because of an anonymous letter saying Stack wanted to get married.  Why then?  Who knows?  I had been saying this for years, ever since returning from East Africa.

August 15 that year was a Sunday.  Where was I always on Sunday mornings?  St. Marks.  10:30 that morning, when I would have been starting the cafetorium Mass, Rosemary & I were watering trees at Fretz Park, Belt Line & Hillcrest.  I had gotten out of the truck to repair a tree, got up, and went into a disassociation state that lasted until about 5:00 that evening.  I woke up looking out the bay window of the living room on Tulip Lane.  Rosemary & Libby had taken me to the emergency room, thinking I had a stroke.  I had been released when they found nothing.  It was stress induced.  I have run into this defense mechanism in people over the years as a priest & psychotherapist.  I never thought that I might try it, but you never know totally what your inner spirit is feeling.

The stress, of course, was over getting suspended, being turned away by St. Marks, and facing another 180 degree turn around in my life. 

Guess what: it was all worth it and I could not be happier.  Actually, both 180 degree turns in my life were special blessings. 

The Assumption was the feast Friday.  What do you think about it?  What do you believe?

AUDIO:  http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-08-17.mp3

 

Readings: Proverbs 8, 22-31; Psalm 8, O Lord, Our God, how Wonderful you Name in all the Earth; Romans 5, 1-5; John 16, 12-15.

 

 

Trinity Sunday – Intro to Readings.

Our readings today come from the Book of Proverbs, Paul’s Letter to the Romans and John’s Gospel.

 

The Book of Proverbs is one we don’t often read from.  It forms part of what is known as the Wisdom Literature, along with the Book of Job, Ecclesiastes, Ecclesiasticus and the Book of Wisdom. 

 

 

Wisdom literature was very popular throughout the ancient East, particularly Egypt.  In fact, much of the contents of the Book of Proverbs is also found in other more ancient Egyptian writing.  Proverbs is interesting from the point of view that unlike the rest of the Old Testament, where the focus for a relationship with God came from the top, from God thru various covenants and laws, the writers of Proverbs find reason for a relationship with God from man’s own life. 

  

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”.  In this phrase, repeated a couple of times in Proverbs, the word fear is best understood as respect.  The emphasis throughout the book is on the need for recognition on man’s part for the importance of a proper relationship with God.  Much of the writing is very practical in nature.  The material is quite old, with the books being put together in their final form sometime after the exile, around the year 500 BCE.  Much of the book has traditionally been attributed to Solomon and he probably did contribute some of the sayings.

   

The Letter to the Romans contains the familiar phrase about justification by faith which caused the Church at the time of Luther to have such a difficult time, since Luther took the position that faith alone was all that was needed for salvation, based on this letter, and the Church was holding out for good works also.

 

Our Gospel from John comes from the long discussion which takes place within the context of the Last Supper.

 

   

Trinity Sunday Homily

I spent about 21 years working at IBM and one of the words which is ingrained into every IBMer from a very early stage is the word “Think”.  It was something which Mr. Tom Watson Sr. decided should be the catchword for the company, and which I suspect we would find tattooed on Bob McGrath’s chest.  

Well in matters of God, I feel we are better off with less thinking and more doing.  Today’s feast is a case in point, the feast of the Holy Trinity.  I know that I have said this both at Easter and again on the Feast of the Ascension, “the minute you have managed to understand God, be sure you are in heresy”!  Our God is too big for human contemplation, plus our God is a God of action.  A quick look at Jesus’ life will show that He was either doing or praying, but not thinking!

 

 

In the 4^th century the Bishop of Alexandria, in Egypt was Arius, and thinking got him into trouble.  He was reflecting on the relationship between God as Father, and Jesus and he concluded that since Jesus was begotten by the Father, then he must be somehow less than the Father.  He quickly got a following with this belief that somehow the Father and the Son were not equal, since the Son came after the Father.  Notice what happens when you begin to think about this stuff, you get in trouble.  

 

The net of the whole thing was that the Emperor, Constantine, remember he is the one who in 313 officially recognized the Christian faith (primarily as a way to unite the Roman Empire) decided that this arguing within the Christian faith was not going to be good for the peace of his empire, and so he called a general council of the church at Nicea in 325 to settle the issue.  And it is from that council that we end up with the Nicene Creed and that wonderfully clear solution to the relationship.  Homoousius, in Greek, or consubstantial in Latin!!  Yes the Son and the Father are of the same substance.  Now doesn’t that clear the whole thing up.  This is exactly why we are much better off not thinking about such things.  Rather, on this the Feast of the Holy Trinity it is best to reflect on what we are doing as Christians.

 

 

If we accept that the basic message and life of Jesus was about breaking down barriers between people, about freeing people from the unnecessary burdens of guilt, about loving people, then the question we need to be focusing on is “how am I doing?”  Is my life lived bringing joy and encouragement to those around me, not just the people I like but the ones I can’t stand too!  Do I live a life of forgiveness, or do I find myself collecting resentments?  Am I busy building people up, or busy tearing them down either through criticism or gossip?  Is my life lived honestly, or do I play games and pretend to be what I am not?  The questions could continue.  But this is the reason we come here each week to stand before one another and our God, to take the time to reflect on our lives and to resolve to improve them in the days or week ahead.

 

Picture 1:   The Celebrants

 

Picture 2:   Choir, Wendy, Shonda, Ray, & Celeste

 

Picture 3:   Offertory, Grace & Mary Ellen

 

Picture 4:   CCAC monthly $2000 contribution, Claire & Bobby

 

 

 

Welcome, Betsy.  We have been awaiting your debut.  Your big sister Harper has been telling us that you were coming.  And doubly nice, with your dad, Brian.

 

Readings: 

Acts of the Apostles, 10, 37-43,  Peter said, "we are witnesses of all."

Psalm 118,  This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice & be glad.  (an excellent first stanza)

1 Corinthians 5, 6-8, A little yeast leavens all.

John 20, 1-9, On the first day of the week, Mary Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning.

 

 

Congratulations, Leo, you have not lost your touch as the candle lighter.  Thanks.

 

A little Yeast Leavens a Whole Loaf

This morning I would like to talk about that line that says a little yeast leavens a whole loaf of bread.  For me that idea is translated into the idea that a little act on my part may make an enormous difference.  Little resurrections take place, which I would propose happen every day in lots of ways.

 

 

Will somebody please go sit with Sir Charlie.

 

For instance, there is this girl.  She is probably in her mid twenties, average height, average size, brown hair.  I first noticed her when I realized she was suddenly becoming a regular at the gym of the Jewish Community Center, where I work out mornings Monday through Friday.

I know most of the people who work out at the same time as I, namely about 5:00 A.M.  The hour is the result of long years of Jesuit training.  I noticed the girl because she went about her work out pretty seriously.  Moreover, she seemed to know nobody and never talked with anybody.  My heart went out to her.

 

 

Welcome Home, Doug, and thanks for introducing us all to Kim.

 

So one morning I just walked over to a machine where she was working out and where I intended to work a bit.  I waited for her to finish up, then said to her, “Hi, I’m John.  I see you here most mornings and I admire you.”

 

 

Washing of the hands Holy Thursday evening.

 

Well, suddenly all the lights on the downtown Dallas Omni Hotel flashed on.  The girl broke out this glorious smile and her blue eyes shone.  Her serious face was transformed.  “I’m Molly,” she said.  And now every morning that we are at the gym together we greet each other and she flashes her delightful smile.

 

 

Good Friday.

 

A resurrection event.  Just add a little yeast and watch the results.

What is your latest Resurrection event?

 

 

The Hostesses with the Mostesses,  Marlene & Cindy.

 

What a surprise gift Friday evening, Rose was back in town from CO and showed up.