Sunday Homily, April 12, 2015, 2nd Easter, B

Readings:    

Genesis  2, 18-24,  It is not good for the man to be alone.

 Psalm 128,   May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.

 Hebrews 2, 9-17,   He is not ashamed to call them brothers.

Mark 10, 2-16,  Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery.

 

Genesis:

Date of Compilation: Most likely during the Babylonian Captivity, i.e., around 600-550 BCE.  But the material for the sources was coming together over 200 years.

Authors:  4 major sources–

The J or Y source (for Yahweh), coming from Judah, the southern half of the divided Jewish state after Solomon's death.

The E source (for Elohim), coming from Israel, the northern half of the Jewish state which was destroyed by the Assyrians ca. 700 BCE.

The D source (from Deuteronomy), coming from the revisions of the prophet Jeremiah & his companions.

The P source (from the priests), which or who during the Babylonian time took the material from the first 3 sources, wove them together, and edited them. 

How do you know: by text analysis, noting different styles of writing, place references (e.g. mention of the Tigris & Euphrates in chapter 2, which says "Babylon."), event references, people references, and agendas behind the stories (e.g. Sabbath & Creation Story #1).

Subject Matter: A panorama stretching from the two stories of creation, through The Fall, Cain & Abel, Noah & the flood, the Tower of Babylon, the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob, Joseph and his jealous brothers, Joseph as governor of Egypt & his brothers' visit & eventual migration to Egypt. 

Our Selection: we will read the whole of creation story #2, chapter 2.  The story comes from the Y or J source, but note the mention of the Tigris & Euphrates, which a person in Babylon would appreciate  ( A clue that a priestly source has inserted a geographic reference.  Why would a Jewish high priest be familiar with Babylonian rivers?  Babylonian Captivity. ).

Hebrews: We will read from Hebrews for the next 6 weeks (excluding All Saints), right up to the feast of Christ the King, which marks the end of the liturgical year.  Then we begin Advent and a new liturgical year.

Author: unknown, but he wrote excellent Greek.  Not Paul.

When Written: 85-95 CE, i.e., 50 plus years after Jesus' death

Subject: superiority of Christ.  Rather convoluted.

 

Then He Embraced Them

This morning I want to talk about the last paragraph of Mark, the one about accepting the little kids and how He embraced them.

This past week Rosemary & I went to Lindsay, Ontario, a small town north east of Toronto.   When I spent 4 years studying in Toronto I came to know a number of people.  The Reddick family I have especially loved and kept in touch with since I left there in the early 70’s.

The mother of the family lives in Lindsay, and for some years we visit her to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving, which is tomorrow.   This year we went to celebrate a memorial for one of her children, Robin.  All of the spread out family was coming.

Robin was a special child when she was born in 1958.  She had Down’s Syndrome.  Robin never spoke and spent all of her life in excellent residences provided by the Ontario Provincial government.

Kay, Robin’s mother, spent all the time she could carve out from taking care of her 5 other children with Robin.  Robin lived 53 years and died about a month ago.   The memorial was delayed until Rosemary & I could be there.

3 lessons I take from my relationship with Robin. 

First, gratitude for what I have, for example, my ability to ride 60 miles yesterday in the Make a Wish bike rally.  Plus so many other gifts.

Secondly, I have loved that precious girl and she taught me how to expand my love to include special people.

Thirdly, she invited me to look at and stand in awe of the mystery of life.  What is it?  What gifts get handed out to whom and why?

I learned at least one lesson from Kay.  Namely, how to love a special person even when it is impossible to keep the person at my side.

 There was a touching side story in all this.  Some woman told Kay that she had specialized in care for specialized people because as a teen she had worked with Kay.  At a big Catholic Church in Toronto Kay had run like a religious ed class for a large group of special kids.  Even though Robin could not be in it.

So, we had the memorial Wednesday at the United Church in Lindsay.  The following is Kay’s message to her dearest Robin.

 

Roberta Mary Reddick, my Special Robin,

You and I have had quite a journey together since May, 1958, and during that time I have felt blessed and proud to be your mother. 

I remember the Sunday morning you were born and as the nurse lay you in my arms, she said “I think these 2 need to get acquainted.”  I have thought often of these words as I suspect she guessed what I did not yet know that ours would not be the usual mother/daughter relationship.

However, my little one,  you showed me a different part of life and changed my world without saying a word. 

Some memories:

You hated shopping and standing around.  So if I was debating too long on a purchase, you uttered those bored noises which I took to mean, “I may just throw up if we don’t leave soon.”

Also, your impatience in a restaurant as you never took you eyes off the waitress until your meal arrived. 

Your love of lego and flipping through magazines endlessly. 

Your nurturing side came out when living at Christian Horizon Group Home and you would bring Tom his slippers and made sure he was okay.

Of course, while living at Christian Horizon you became one of the family and were loved and cared for every day. 

At this time I than k all the people who helped you through your days and nights.  The last 4 years of your life at Case Manor the caregivers were your hands, feet, eyes, ears, and voice without complaint.  I can truly say they must be angels.  Thanks you.

But most of all, Robin, I hope you always know how much you were loved and now as your beautiful spirit is free and you have your wings, remember  that in my heart you will forever live. 

Last Wednesday, the day of Robin's Memorial, Lindsay in fall color, the leaves turning.

 In Mark, Jesus says, "Let the children come to me, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."  

First of all, I want to thank all of you in this community for being so child friendly.  You are marvelous.

Secondly, in your life, whom do you love like this?

 

 

Welcome in, Everybody.  Abrasos for todos.

 

 

Readings:

Genesis 9, 8-15,  Never again shall all creatures be destroyed by the waters of a flood.

Psalm 147,  Your way, Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.

 1 Peter 3, 18-22,  God patiently waited in the days of Noah.

Mark 1, 12-15, The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert.

 

 

 

Hi, Harper.  How many Girl Scout cookies you going to sell us today?  (Lots!)

 

 

Genesis:  observations–

What:  First book of the Bible, starts with creation & ends with the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob (Israel).  Any reading from this book should start with Once upon a time.   Why?  Because we have here a literary genre that is like myth or a fairy tale in our language.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for bringing up the bread & grape juice, Joe & Brent & Cheryl.
 

 

 

Author: Not Moses as was thought for centuries before people began to study the work.  At least 3 sources: 

• a Y (or J) source for the group that addressed God as Yahweh;
• an E for the group who addressed God as Elohim (Like two historians calling NYC The Big Apple or New York City, or Denver by its name or Mile High City);
• and a P group that focused on the priestly class, activities, & customs, the Levite tribe.

Time: compiled and put together from 950 to 500 BCE.

Today's Selection: the flood has just receded and Noah is receiving a promise (called covenant) from Yahweh that never again will people be wiped out by a flood.  Guess what the sign of the promise is.

 

 

 

Hey, You People, did not your mommas tell you not to go out on a cold and rainy morning?!

 

 

A Happy Lent

I want to talk this morning about having a happy Lent.  Why?  Because God created us to be happy. 

I admit again that this is my least favorite season of the year.  I always look for something positive to do and am never really satisfied with what I come up with.

 

 

 

 

Getting bored?  Join the kids in the playroom.

 

 

Some years ago Diane McMahon recommended to me a facebook article by a lady named Karen Ehrman.  She says, “For this Lent don’t give something up, take something up.”  She has 4 positive suggestions for taking something up.  I add a 5^th.   I like her suggestions.

 

 

Get your Wednesday ashes at Marlene's comfy house.

 

 

1.       Take up note writing to people with whom you don’t communicate that often, but who are friends.  She says she buys 40 cards, envelopes, and stamps.  Each morning she sends one out to a friend, just saying that she likes the person.

2.       Take up the phone and call someone every day or once a week and tell them you are calling just to tell them thanks for being a good friend.  

 

 

 

People come from the north.

 

3.       Take up a simple gift for a friend or family member.  Like bring flowers to someone, bring a Starbucks, offer to wash the dishes, or clean or dust the house, mow the grass (welcome to Tulip Lane).  Invite someone to lunch.  This is a once a week or occasional take up.

 

 

 

People come from the South. 

 

4.       Take up a simple gift for a stranger.  Like the recycle men, the garbage men, the checkers at the grocery.  Compliment the checker on her finger nails, give $10 to each of the garbage men (watch out for their over the top gratitude). 

5.       Take up visiting someone in retirement or in a hospital.  (This is my addition, not Karen’s)  We got lots of people you may choose from.

 

 

 

Ashes for Debbie & Bobby.

 

 

As you can see, some of these suggestions are occasional or once a week ideas.  Plus, what we have here are only seeds.  Even while you were listening to the five I put forward, you may be been thinking about other possibilities.

How can you have a happy Lent?

Source: Karen Ehman, on line.

 

 

 

 

Ashes for Cindy.  A good Ash Wednesday gathering.

Readings: 

Sirach 35, 12-14, 16-18, He hears the cry of the oppressed.

Psalm 34,  The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

2 Timothy 4, 6-8, 16-18  I have competed well.

Luke 18, 9-14, Two people went up to the temple to pray.

 

Sirach observations:

Again we take
up one of the books of the Apocrypha, the 12 books written in Greek and not
originally considered part of the Bible.  This book is basically a
collection of Jewish wisdom statements and teachings, like, "A father who loves his son will whip him often, so that he can be proud of him later." 30, 1

Who:  Joshua, who was translated from Hebrew into Greek by his grandson.

Date:  ca. 200 years before Christ.

Our selection in chapter 35 talks about the nature of god
and what happens to the person who serves god.  It sets up Luke's parable
about the pharisee & the tax collector in the temple.

 Self-righteous,
Me?

I love this little parable about the two people who went up to pray in
the temple.  Two lines are especially
sneaky.  The first line is where Jesus
says he has a parable about people who are convinced of their own righteousness
and who despise everyone else.  That old
sense of superiority.

That’s me!  I’ll give you an
example.

I mentioned once that I think I am a hot bike mechanic.  Well, I also can think I am a hot shot bike
rider.  I have ridden the 5 Boro in NY, the Hotter ‘N Hell
Hundred, and I have ridden across Iowa for a week.  Hot Stuff.  Am I not super?

One morning this past summer Rosemary & I went for a ride around The
Lake, White Rock, The Jewel.  We picked
up the White Rock Creek Trail at Northwood Park on Royal Lane just east of
Central.  It is about 4 miles to The Lake. 

I have what I call “rabbits.” 
Rabbits are other bikers I want to beat, 
motivators for me to really push it. 

This particular morning as Rosemary & I are getting our bikes set up
at the parking lot, I see three guys go zooming by heading for the lake.  When I tell Rosemary that I think I see some
rabbits, she knows what that means.  We will
start together and I will race ahead to catch these characters.  Then I will wait for her at our arranged meeting
place on the north bridge over The Lake.

So I take off after these three bikers.   I can see them in the distance
occasionally.  They have all the colorful
clothing and good street bikes as opposed to hybrids.  They are a challenge.  I follow them under the bridges at Walnut Hill,
Fair Oaks, Abrams, Skillman, and even the Dart Bridge. 

I finally come up behind them just before the Northwest Hwy. Bridge.  I follow them for a bit, watching for an
opportune straight stretch so I can pass them. 
We are all moving at a good pace, 16-20 miles per hour. 

Suddenly I notice something about the third guy.  He has a withered right leg.  I don’t even know how he pedals his bike, let
alone pedaling at such a pace on this winding trail.  His leg is there and his foot has a shoe, but
it is like shriveled up.   He must use the leg as just dead weight to
push down the right pedal.

I cannot pass them.  I am
embarrassed at my own sense of superiority and impressed with his
achievement. 

Where they finally went I do not know. 
We parted when I stopped at the north bridge to wait for Rosemary.   I have never seen the guy again.  Was he some divine messenger sent to humble
me, to say to me ‘Whoever thinks he is superior will be humbled’?  The second good line.

A blessing hidden in biking is that just as soon as you think you are hot stuff, along comes somebody who rides by you like as if you are waiting for the Dart train.  Try, try, and try as I might, I cannot catch that person.

I confess I still chase rabbits, but I often think about the man with
the withered leg.  And feel appropriately humbled.  

Over whom do you feel superior?

 

 

Readings:

Amos 1, 1 4-7 , Woe to the complacent in Zion. 

Psalm 146,  Praise the Lord, My Soul.

 1 Timothy 6, 11-16,  You, man of God, pursue righteousness, faith, & devotion

Luke 16, 19-31,   The Rich Man and Lazarus.   (A good one.)

 

 

Says Victoria and her buddy, our gorilla mascot, "Welcome in, Everybody."

 

 

Amos observations :

What :  One of the 12 minor prophets, only 9 chapters.

Who:  the book presents the thoughts and observations of Amos, who was a sheep herder and a fig farmer.  He was born in the southern kingdom of Judah in a little town south of Jerusalem, but he is condemning the people, especially the rich, of the northern kingdom, Israel.

Time:  Amos was active around 755 before Christ, but his words and message were revised and edited down through the years, especially during the Babylonian Captivity, around 555 before Christ.  He lives just before the Syrians destroy the northern kingdom of Israel, around 700 before Christ.

 

 

And Genevieve says, ""Hey, I got a belly button.  You, too?"

 

 

Message:  prayer and sacrifice don’t make up for social injustice and oppression of the poor by the rich. 

Today:  God will punish you rich and prosperous for your abuse of the poor.  Amos may have seen the threat coming from the Syrians. 

Sources:  Good News Bible, New Interpreter’s Study Bible, Wikipedia

 

 

Says Buddy, "Where did all this rain come from?"

 

 

7 Devils

I admit that the gospel today is so rich I would like to talk about it.  However, I really want to talk about our recent 10 day back packing trip in the 7 Devils region of central Idaho.  7 Devils refers to 7 mountain peaks in a straight row, very rough, vertical, probably needing technical equipment to climb.

There were 7 of us.  Beth and her swim buddy, Lynn, both excellent hikers and campers.   Mike, Bill, Ray, myself, and Andrew Sokolowski, a friend of Mike.  All these people are excellent, experienced campers and hikers. 

 

 

Hi, Zoe, I missed you last week.   

 

 

Three observations about the trip and the group. 

First, there was a marvelous spirit of congeniality, fun, and joy among everybody.  This was evident always, but especially around 4:30, when we would have Happy Hour.  We begin this hour with an old tradition I learned the many years I went back packing with the Jesuits.   Everybody gets 2 oz. of Jack Daniels and a slice of cheese, Gouda, Muenster, or some other.

You can picture this.  We have been hiking during the day most often.  We have taken showers in the lakes or rivers.  Mike & Beth even swam in Shelf Lake where he measured the water temp at 52 degrees.  We are hungry and it is getting near twilight.  Mike and Ray have built a campfire.  Ray is cooking the freeze dried main course in a pot over the little stove.  Everyone is sitting around the fire on logs or bear canisters.    The camaraderie and joking around is the best.

 It is enchanting.  It is why I go every year.

 

 

Offertory with Claire & Ray & Bernadette & Bill (two of whom, campers.  Guess whom.).

 

 

Secondly, there is a spirit of generosity and mutual responsibility.  We have to purify our water.  So we take pots of water from the lakes or river, pour them into a 1 gallon plastic bag that has a tube with a filter.  The water runs through the filter into another 1 gallon plastic bag.  We get our drinking water from the second bag. 

This takes constant care and refilling.  Mike and Andy always kept the first bag filled. 

Every evening during Happy Hour Ray was cooking the freeze dried main course, chili, Chicken tetrazzini, and others.    Mike brought chocolate bars for deserts.

 

The Campfire, Beth, Mike, Ray, Bill, Stack, & Lynn.  Andy on camera.

 

 

In the morning I always knew when it was time to get up, even if it was dark.  Ray would be banging pots, while he filled one and heated it for coffee and oat meal, whatever each one brought for their breakfast.

Bill would be checking the maps to see exactly where we were headed that day.  He was always our guide on the paths. 

 

 

The Campfire again, Mike, Stack, Beth, Ray, & Bill.

 

And then there is the third.  Just when I think I am a pretty hot camper, I make a couple of small mistakes.  Humiliation.

We had pulled into this drop dead gorgeous campsite on the western edge of Shelf Lake. It had a beautiful fire ring, two, in fact.

The time was about 3:00 and the trail had been totally dry.  The campsite was even a bit dusty.   It was warm and sunny.

 

 

The Campfire again, Stack, Beth, Ray, Andy, Bill, & Lynn.

 

I set my tent up in a delightful little grove of trees.  I wanted the shade so I could take an afternoon nap after my shower.   We intended to spend 3 nights and 2 days doing day hikes out from the campsite.

The first day we cut short our day hike to get back to camp because it was looking like rain.  We had our usual Happy Hour and dinner.  I went to bed.  I had asked Andy to seam seal my tent earlier, so I was content.

About midnight a wind like a tornado blew in.  Dust everywhere, even filtering into my tent.  Then all out rain.  It stopped and then about 3:30 it blew again and it poured.  No problem, I went to sleep. 

 

 

Swim anybody?  Delightful, beautiful Shelf Lake, ca. 7 thousand feet, and a fresh 52 degrees.  Swim and you will look like Mike and Beth.

 

In the morning, yes, in the morning, I wake up.  I am on an island on my Therma rest air mattress.  Water had seeped up through my floor. 

Two silly mistakes.  First, I set my tent in a slight depression.  Secondly, since it had been so dry when I set up, I forgot to put hand sized stones around the tent under the edge of the ground cover. 

What had happened was that the water from a little trail in the woods near me emptied out near one corner of my tent.  The water jumped over my ground cover and settled under my tent floor, ultimately seeping inside.

 

 

Ray on top of the World.  We day hiked up here from Lower Bernard Lake.

 

 

Fortunately, the day was good and we were staying another night.   I dried my tent and moved to another spot.

30 years of camping, and I still can make beginner mistakes. Rather humiliating. 

Without emulating the mistakes, where do you find similar camaraderie, joy, and mutual support?

 

 

 

Cooling off in the snow before returning to the Dallas heat.

Readings:

Isaiah 62, 1-5,  The Lord delights in you.

Psalm 96,  Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.

1 Corinthians 12, 4-11, There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit.

John 2, 1-11, There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee.

 For those who don’t have a decent Bible or a book of the readings, here are two links that I use, The Bible at Your Fingertips (http://st-luke-church.org/bible-at-finger-tips.php) and USCCB, The New American Bible (http://www.usccb.org/).  

The difference?  The first is Protestant more or less, and the second is officially Catholic and has the 12 little books in between the O.T. & N.T., called Deuterocanonical or Apocrypha. 

Both are good translations.     

 Homily for January 20

 One of the three summer canoe trips that I used to organize each year at St. Mark was for the 13 and 14 year old children.  It was a three-day trip where we put in the Brazos River just south of Cleburne off highway 67 below the Boy Scout camp.

On the third day all the adult team was aware of a stop we would make an hour or so before we would board the bus for home.  The young people would be tired and hot as they approached some water gently pouring over some limestone at probably 5 or 10 gallons a minute like a miniature waterfall. 

They got terribly excited when they were told that it was a natural spring, cold and drinkable. The kids would take turns standing under it with their mouths open. 

2000 years ago a traveling Jesus and his disciples would have loved such water.  They would have used it drink and to dilute the wine that they had with them.  Travelers usually didn’t drink water unless it was living, flowing from a spring or recent rain.  They drank diluted wine.

The OT Stories were written around things like living waters, wine and vineyards.  Since the gospels fulfilled the expectation of the OT for the coming of the Messiah, within them these symbols took on a deeper spiritual meaning. The vine became the symbol of Christ, living waters the symbol for the good news.

Since the word, wine, is present in most, if not all, of the books in the OT, we should expect that the wine in today’s gospel would be a symbol for something terribly important…and it is.

In the Mark gospel we are presented with this metaphor.  You don’t pour new wine into an old wineskin.  Anyone who ever left a wet handball or golf glove in the sun knows why.  You would find it stiff and hardened.  If you tried to pour new wine into them, the cracks in the leather would become revealed.  The wine would be lost; the leather also would be of no value.

Therefore, Place new wine into new wineskins!  In the Story where you find that metaphor, you are introduced to the hardened hearts of the Pharisees and scribes who had rejected the good news and therefore the Holy Spirit that flowed forth from those living waters.

Remember the Holy Spirit and the unclean spirits cannot coexist within a heart.  A new wineskin is the heart of someone who has repented and welcomed the new wine, the Holy Spirit.

So, now you pretty much know the meaning of the parable about the wedding feast in Cana of Galilee.  The old wine gave out because God sent to us his only begotten Son with new wine. The empty jars used in the purification rite within Judaism that had been empty, barren, now would be fulfilled by living waters, to the brim…from which would pour forth the Holy Spirit. 

What one thing would I like for you to take away from the gospel today?  

The Greek word for the servants who assisted Jesus in today’s gospel is used for male or female, diakonia. We are to understand that they were manifesting the Holy Spirit to those at the wedding feast of Cana by their words and actions. 

You might have felt distanced by Nancy’s 2^nd reading if you were wondering who those people are in our assembly.  We are those people!   Those who proclaimed the Word; those who serve at the table, those who distribute from the table; those who wash and fill the cups; those who bake the bread; those who set the table with gifts; those who lead us in song; those who give and distribute our gifts to those in need; those who visit the sick; those who extend the sign of peace to one another.

We are his body, blessed and broken for each other.

 

 

 

 

Readings:

Exodus  34, 4-9,   A merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity.

Psalm from Daniel,  Glory and Praise forever.

2 Corinthians 13, 11-13,  Rejoice.

John  3, 16-18,  God so loved the world.

 

 

Father’s Day History:

 Four steps:

     1.  The Civil War started thinking about a Mother’s Day.  Anna Jarvis pushed it ca. 1907 and it was made official in 1914 by President Woodrow Wilson.

       2.  Monongah, WV mining disaster, 210 fathers killed, Dec. 6, 1907 (just before Christmas & after the Mother’s Day activity).  Fairmont, WV.   Grace Golden Clayton pushed the idea. 

        3.  Spokane, WA, Sonora Dodd & influence of Mother’s Day.  Dodd’s dad had fought in the Civil War and all by himself raised Sonora & her 5 siblings.   

        4.  Pres. LBJ made it special, 1966.  Pres. Nixon made it a national holiday, 1972.

 

 

Exodus Story: 

So the Israelite people have been wandering around in the Sinai desert for many years after escaping from old Pharaoh in Egypt.  Moses has been invited up Mt.Sinai to receive 10 Commandments.  

He comes down all loaded with two stone tablets written on both sides and discovers that the people have become  exasperated with him and the wandering in the desert.  They have created a gold bull to celebrate with and to worship.

 

 

Old Moses, all angry, throws down the tablets and breaks them.  He calls Aaron, his lieutenant, tells him to gather the Levite tribe, the priestly tribe, and he tells them to slaughter all the rest.  They do.

Then, and here we take up the reading, Yahweh tells Moses to make two more tablets and to return to the top of Mt.Sinai, where he will get another set of commandments.  It is here where that marvelous line about the nature of God is mentioned again, "The Lord is gracious & merciful, never gets angry, and is abounding in love."

This is ancient folk tale literature at its best.    

 

 

Responsorial Psalm from the Book of Daniel: 

Another great folk story is behind this song.   Characters: three Jewish boys, a gold statue, and the great King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, what a name.   Get the names of these boys, Shadrack, Mechak, and Abednego.  Terrific.  I had a dog in East Africa I called Shadrack, a German Shepherd.

Seems like old Nebuchadnezzar decided to cast a gold statue.  He wanted everyone to bow down to it.  Three Jewish boys said no.  Even though they were favorites of the king, he had to throw them into a flaming furnace.   

Far from being burned up, the boys started dancing around in joy and they sang the song we have for today’s responsorial psalm.  Though this is totally a mythical story, you can picture them.

 

A Father, merciful and gracious, slow to anger and rich in kindness

Letme talk this morning about fathers.  I would propose that, among all the qualities of a father, one that enables a father to reflect the image of God is my favorite line, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and rich in kindness.  These qualities are attributed to God  and I think men can image the same qualities.  An example.

Ever hear of a guy named Kenny Thompson?   He is an elementary school tutor at Valley Oaks Elementary in Houston and a father.  One day Kenny reads a news report about an elementary school in Salt Lake. 

 

 

Turns out a bunch of kids were not getting their normal lunch because they owed money to the cafeteria.  Not a lot f money.  After all, the lunches ran about 40 cents. 

So Kenny enquires about the cafeteria at Valley Oaks where he is a tutor.  He discovers about 60 kids not getting their normal lunch, just a cheese sandwich.  Moreover, many of the kids are so embarrassed they skip going to the cafeteria for the cheese sandwich.

 

 

Kenny Thompson pays up all the kids’ cafeteria bills, totally almost $500.  He says these kids don’t need to be worried about their lunches, for many the only whole meal they will have all day.  They are in the school to learn and they cannot learn on an empty stomach or embarrassment.  

Kenny’s story got picked up by a local TV station and now he has gone national, creating  a fund under the title Feeding the Future Forward. 

 

 

Kenny Thompson is godlike, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love. 

Know anybody like this?  

How about you?