Readings:
Mark 11, 1-10, Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem, read as we process in
Isaiah 50, 4-7 I gave my back to those who beat me.
Psalm 22, My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?
Philippians 2, 6-11, God greatly exalted him.
Mark 14, The Passion in 4 parts.
Sorry, Everybody. Because of the length of the readings, especially the Passion, no homily this Sunday. Next Sunday, Easter.
Readings: Leviticus 13, 1-2, 44-46, The one who bears the sore of leprosy shall cry out, "Unclean."; Psalm 32, I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation; 1 Corinthians 10, 31-11, 1, Do everything for the glory of God; Mark 1, 40-45, If you wish, you can make me clean.
Leviticus: The book of the Levite tribe, the priestly tribe, one of the 12 tribes, a book of 27 chapters focused mostly on laws. The third book of the Torah after Genesis & Exodus, before Numbers & Deuteronomy.
Author: a collection of many sources, but not Moses (impossible).
Date: some laws go back 1400 BCE., others from ca. 450 BCE.
Subject matter: laws for better living with Yahweh. For instance in chapter 11, one may not eat pigs, camels, or rabbits, no animal with a divided hoof. All winged insects are unclean, except those that hop. In chapter 12, women are ritually unclean after giving birth, 7 days for boys, 14 days for girls. Chapter 19, "love one another as one's self." This morning's selection deals with how people with leprosy are to be treated. Leprosy, of course, was considered a punishment for sin & disobedience.
Note: an interesting example of how academics better understand these texts. They noted that both Leviticus 11 & Deuteronomy 14 have similar lists of clean and unclean animals for eating. Deuteronomy 14, however, has 11 additional critters which are not mentioned in Leviticus 11. These 11 dwell only in the Arabian desert, not in Egypt or the land of Canaan (Holy Land). From this it can be deduced that the person (s) writing the laws in Leviticus had not wandered the desert and was writing before the Exodus. The writer (s) of Deuteronomy, however, had wandered the desert.
Source: The Book of Leviticus; Believe: Religious Information Source, Canon Tristam
Exclusion vs Inclusion
When I first lived in Kenya & Tanzania in the late 70's I spent time working on my Swahili in a Jesuit parish that was in a town called Tabora, Tanzania. The town is in the middle of Tanzania with no paved roads leading to it. Only a few roads in the town itself are paved. The parish had about 3 Jesuit priests in those days, if I remember correctly, a French Canadian, an Irish, and an Indian. Today the Jesuits have departed and handed it over to the diocese because of not enough Jesuit priests.
In those days the parish had 21 outstations, some of which even had other outstations further out. These were located in small villages where little mud walled churches had been put up. Occasionally I found a rather large cement block church left over from times when priests were more abundant. Each Sunday we would all head out on motorcycles to the outstations.
On the edge of Tabora there was a special community. A community of men & women who had leprosy. The exclusion of these lepers was similar to what we read in Leviticus, though they received better care. Our parish used to help them a lot and I went to say Mass for them and spent time talking with them often individually, sometimes in a group. Despite the effectiveness of modern medicine, many had significant scarring and were without hands or feet. I remember being touched mostly by the quality of their spirits and sense of acceptance.
I am reminded of this leper community when I read about the lepers in today's readings. Leviticus lays down the directives. Mark has Jesus dealing with a leper. I've already discussed Leviticus. Let me mention one main point relevant to Mark & his account.
It is inclusion.
Mark wants to convince Christians of Jewish & mostly Gentile background that they are included and that Jesus is the Messiah. This community probably lived in Galilee, that is, around the Sea of Galilee or in Syria. How do today's students of the bible know this? Because they analyzed the text and noted that Mark used Greek rather than Aramaic. Moreover, Mark describes geography typical of Galilee, not Jerusalem.
The miracle Mark describes today aims at inclusion in the community. Using the leper as a metaphor or symbol, he is telling especially the Gentile Christians, 'You are part of this community. You belong here. If Jesus can include a leper, then anyone and everyone is part of the community. Nobody is excluded.'
What does Leviticus instruct? What does Jesus do? He welcomes him. In fact, he does something that broke the law, and the people would be astounded, no, probably shocked and repulsed. He touched the leper. This was after Mark has the leper break the law by approaching Jesus. People around are saying, "Wow!", when they read Marks story.
This might be today's lesson for us. Inclusion. It may be easier for us to think of including a leper, because we know the virus is not that contagious and can be effectively treated. But HIV? What about other races, colors, religions, students from other schools?
Whom do I have trouble including in my community?
References: Austin Cline, Audience of Mark's Gospel (on line).
Picture 1: Mass Begins
Picture 2: The Community
Picture 3: Brooklyn walks
Picture 4: Charlie with Zoe & Georgie
Picture 5: Georgie with Zoe & Sienna
Picture 6: Torri with her granddad, Gilberto
Readings: Acts 2, 42-47; Psalm 118; 1 Peter 1, 3-9; John 20, 19-31.
Acts: This book basically tells the story of the early Christian community. Biblical scholarship considers the book idealistic in great part. It was what they hoped the community would look like rather than what it was.
Do Not be Unbelieving, But Believe
It dawned upon me a day or so ago that 2008 is a 50 year anniversary for me. August 15, 1958, I entered the Jesuits at Grand Coteau, LA. This, coupled with meeting up with David Cardenas last week, another guy who entered the Jesuits, though a few years after me, all has had me reflecting on our lives as young Jesuits before Vatican II. Three thoughts.
First, there was a neat spirit among the 25 or so guys I entered with, as well as in the whole Jesuit identity. There were a couple of odd clerical guys, but I was impressed with how typical my classmates were.
Secondly, we lived a rigorous monastic life. Silence, formal prayer times, work, study, and three recreation afternoons, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. We wore a black cassock & cincture or we wore long sleeved shirts and long pants, even to play touch football & baseball in 100 degree heat & Gulf Coast humidity.
The two hardest physical labors I ever experienced: riding a tractor on a cold day and harvesting corn silage in August heat. There were three silage jobs, picking up the cut corn stalks, shoving it into the grinder, or walking around inside the silo while the silage rained down on you from the hole in the roof.
The third thing I remember which amuses and embarrasses me is the penitential practices we were expected to use, especially in Lent & Advent. There were a variety of practices, but two stand out. One was the scourge. We had these little light rope whips which we used on ourselves before going to bed like on Friday nights. Since we lived in large dorms in cubicles it was amusing, of course, to hear just before lights out at 10:00 the scourges being used.
Secondly, we were given little wire chains with the wire ends poking out on one side. You put that around your thigh with the ends poking in. You put it on when you woke up and wore it until after breakfast. I’ll tell you, it was amusing to see your buddies discomfort, all in silence.
The rationale for the penance was based on the old philosophy of dualism: flesh bad, spirit good. In order the keep the flesh from bringing down the spirit, discipline it, make it hurt. Then the spirit will grow and strengthen. What got me through was the light spirit of amusement of my classmates, the fantastic 3 hot meals every day, and because I believed.
The overall training made me grow up quickly. I look back now, however, am somewhat embarrassed, and ask myself how could I believe in some of those practices. And I know. It was believe, believe in the process, in the company, in those who have gone through this before me, and look at them, how successful they are.
Doubting Thomas, the subject of our Gospel today, is a hero of mine. I think I would like to have been more like Thomas in those early years. Which would have been impossible at the time, I know. In fact, I think the training itself ultimately gave me the self-confidence and intellectual curiosity to enable me to have doubts & questions. For example, I have doubts about the emphasis on penance, to say nothing about the philosophy behind the penance.
The danger with the "do not be unbelieving, but believe" statement is that it may be a "do not think" statement. I become a sheep following the footsteps of whoever is in front of me with a feeling of security. Doubts can be scary, questions confusing. However, they are normal and healthy. Without them I am less than healthy. Thomas can be a model for us. "Show me the evidence."
Like Thomas what are your doubts & questions? And how do you feel about them?
AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-03-30.mp3
Readings:
Acts 5, 12-16, Many signs and wonders were done among the people.
Psalm 118, Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting
Revelation 1, 9-19, I was caught up in spirit on the Lord’s day.
John 20, 19-31, Thomas, “Unless I see the mark of the nails.
Harper says, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome in."
Acts observations: I won’t bore you every Sunday for the next six with these same observations. I thought I would mention them because you may have missed them Easter Sunday with all that was going on. Periodically I will remind you of the basics.
Date: sometime before the year 70. Why? No mention of the destruction of Jerusalem, which took place the year 70, a Big Date in Jewish history.
Genevieve, too, says, "Hi, Folks, come in."
Who: The same person who wrote the Gospel of Luke. How do we know? Similarities of style, language (Greek), and theological themes.
Subject: The story of the expansion of the Jesus story in 3 areas, first, Jerusalem, then, Palestine or the Holy Land, and finally, into the Mediterranean and ultimately, Rome.
Today’s Subject: a description of the growth & expansion within the first area, Jerusalem.
Sources: Good News Bible, The New Interpreter’s Study Bible, Wikipedia
Hi, Cathy, and welcome to you, too. Thanks for bringing Harper.
New Life Next Weekend
Next Sunday when you all come together here I will be getting together with my former Jesuit classmates in the beautiful college chapel at Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama. We guys spent the 5th, 6th, and 7th years of our training at Spring Hill.
It is class reunion time this weekend and about 8 of us gathered last year for the same event. This year the alumni board is making a big deal out of us and is inviting all the ex and present Jesuits who got degrees at Spring Hill to special recognition. There could be hundreds.
Leo, the Candle Lighter, at work on the Easter Candle.
When I was there we had about 150 guys residing in Assumption Hall, which has been since demolished and replace with smaller units of student housing.
I would like to make 4 observations on the uniqueness of this group of guys.
You never know what you will find out on April 1. The Juliets.
First, all joined up to be Jesuit priests despite the 10-14 years of training involved. Some entered out of college, others, like myself, entered out of high school. I got the full 14 years of training, which at the time was not too bad. It was broken up into 3 & 4 year goals.
Secondly, all these guys became well educated, whether in the Jesuits or after leaving. Lots of the guys taught in schools and universities. They were a pretty progressive group, interested in service, usually to the poor. All would have made good priests and good contributors to the numerous Jesuit high schools, universities, parishes, and retreat houses. In my early years there were 35,000 Jesuits just in the U.S.
Welcome, Nora, into our special Catholic Family.
Thirdly, in my class there is and has been a love of reuniting to see how everyone is doing. There is a comfort zone and guys are willing to share pretty important parts of their lives.
I remember a reunion maybe 3-4 years ago in New Orleans. One of my buddies, Bill, who had cared for his wife for some years before she died of cancer was there. I had not seen him or talked with him since she had died. I was sitting in the group where we were talking about where each of us was at.
Tom and Denni with their just baptized grandbaby.
Bill had not said anything. I remember debating within myself. But I am used to asking these questions. Finally I simply asked him would he be willing to share how it was to care for and lose his wife. We were all in tears.
In Wernersville, PA there is a large Jesuit retreat house & novitiate. Every summer a reunion of some 50 or more Jesuit & ex-Jesuit classmates gather for a weekend. I just found out about this from one of my classmates from the east. I plan to go some summer in the future.
These reunions are just among Jesuits. There is a large, more formal group called Corpus. These guys seem to be mostly ex-diocesan priests.
John Cade, any Carmelite groups?
Who are all these people, Nora? Why, that is you granddad, Tom, your sister, Charlotte, your grandmommy, Denni, your big sister, Chloe, your mommy, Claire, and your daddy, Andrew.
Final observation. Do you realize that within the next 30 years these groups will all disappear? We have here a unique sample of the population, ex-priests and ex-seminarians. They all wanted to be priests. They all wanted to be married. Because of Vatican II in the ‘60s, they decided remaining celibate was not healthy for them. Shortly the whole group will pass on.
A little slice of history for you today, folks.
Nora, you are beautiful and perfect. Welcome into our world.
Readings:
Acts 5, 27-32 & 40-41, We must obey God rather than men
Psalm 30, I will praise you Lord, for you have rescued me.
Revelation 5, 11-14, Blessing and honor, glory and might forever and ever.
John 21, 1-19, Put your finger here and see my hands.
Homily by Mike
I have an app that makes me aware on my iPhone when there is an important news event. This happened some weeks ago when white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel. After I looked at it, I turned my sound to off.
What was going though my mind was, ‘How did the conclave decide so quickly.’ I was apprehensive, and didn’t want to know who had been chosen.
When I did turn it back on later that day, I had a number of phone calls to return. All but one came from friends who were not Catholic [however, who are one with us through the power of the Holy Spirit].
One thing each of them spoke about with joy was the name our new Pope had chosen, Francis. The name had been immediately identified to the universal prayer of St. Francis, which seeks to have us become sowers of the good news. It helps us to recognize that all of us are part of the papacy of Francis! Together we are one body; our name has become Francis, too.
For the last decade I have spent a great deal of time studying the structure spiritual writings: all of which have been composed with some type of structure.
Look at the copy that I have made for you. The bold print is a mini summary of the Gospel, where we are to be sowers of the good news! What is not in bold print in the first section are those who have not received or not allowed the seed to take root, to whom we seek to console, understand, and love. Notice that we address God in both the bold and un-bold
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.
Today’s gospel reading begins after the Lord has witnessed his Peter, a good man, being the buffoon: going fishing for gentiles in darkness, without casting out the net [composed of his good news] to the gentile side of the lake.
Our Lord had chosen a motley group of sinners, and had led them to forgiveness. Today he comes to Peter, whom he had chosen to lead the church, to reinforce within Peter his responsibility to feed his flock! How? In the light of day in this celebration of Word and Sacred Meal. The New Covenant meal fulfills not only all of the Jewish feasts; but their Sabbath Scripture study as well.
Recently I saw a film that made me think about Peter, our first pope. It was entitled, An Afternoon with Marguerite.
It is about a man about 5o who meets Marguerite, 95, in a park. She is a holy, and very educated woman, never married, whose mission has been to serve those in need. She currently resides in an assisted living facility.
He is a large man. He had been severely abused as a child by his mother, whatever man was living with her, and by his teacher at school. He never went back. He had lived all these years essentially illiterate tending his garden and doing odd jobs. He meets Marguerite. He reaches in his pocket and sows some seed to the 19 pigeons that he knows by name. He is known by some as a good man, by others as a buffoon.
She sees the goodness within him and begins to sow words. She always has a book with her, and asks if she can read to him aloud. A friendship has begun. She reads and asks him questions, day after day; and her words enlighten him. She leaves a book with him, later a dictionary.
At first he is frustrated; later, for she is going blind, he reads to her. Her nephew sensing that she has a very short time to live, stops paying her monthly rent and sends her to a public facility to spend the rest if her life.
[ ] searches for her, finds her, and steals her away from her dismal surroundings. The film ends with him driving her to his home where he will take care of her.
These are some of the words we hear coming forth from his heart as they drive away laughing, talking to one another and sharing a sandwich: ‘This is not a typical love affair; but love and tenderness are there. Named after a daisy she lives among the words surrounded by adjectives in green fields of verbs.
Not always are love stories just made of love, sometimes love is not named, but it is love all the same. Don’t die now; just wait, it’s not the hour, my little flower. Not always are love stories made of love; love is not named, but it is love all the same.
Tape this prayer of St. Francis on your bathroom mirror at home. Try to become aware of those who seek to be consoled, understood or loved…for it is giving that we receive; it is in pardoning….
Sez Luke, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome in. This is my first time here."
Readings:
Numbers 11, 25-29, Would that all the people of the Lord were prophets.
Psalm 19, The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
James 5, 1-6, Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries.
Mark 9, 38-43, 45, 47-48, If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out
Welcome in, Ben, Cody, and Olivia.
The fourth book of the Pentateuch. It leaves us with the impression of a carefully structured and organized religious society moving through history under the sustaining and guiding hand of God. It is a complex collection of historical, legal and liturgical traditions spanning a period of about a thousand years!
An outline would identify three broad divisions of the book: The sojourn at Sinai, chapter 1-10 covers the last 19 days the Israelites spent at Sinai.
(Story of Sinai by bus from Cairo to El Arishe & Tel Aviv.)
Pardon me for needing your help, Hue, but even at 78 I need help getting dressed & suited up.
The second section deals with the journey from Sinai to Moab, chapter 10-22 and covers a span of about 38 years.
The third section, chapters 22-36, covers events in Moab over a period of 5 months.
Today’s reading is from the beginning of the second section, when the people are just starting out on their journey. Moses is getting concerned with the responsibility of all of the people, so God shares the spirit, which is on Moses among 70 elders, even two who were not part of the group gathered around the Tent.
The Best Music with Shonda & Ben.
The Letter of Saint James
This is the final Sunday (Hooray!) for the second reading to come from the Letter of St. James (Santiago de Compostella), which we have listened to for the past five weeks. In the reading today the mood is very stark! “Your wealth has rotted away”. The audience for this letter is the communities outside of Jerusalem.
Again, remember the letter is a collection of moral observations and instructions, and in today’s reading James’ does not have much that is positive to say about the rich. The bigger context is to encourage the Christians who are suffering at the hands of the powerful. James reminds his audience that Jesus is coming again very soon! Immediately following today’s reading he says “Be patient brothers until the Lord’s coming.”
Tori Lights our Candles of the Week.
If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out (the homily that I passed on because I accidentally read the wrong Gospel for today.)
Two comments about this line in the reading.
First. I spent the years 1968-72 studying theology in Toronto. We had a lot of gray days in Toronto seeing as it is on the northern shore of Lake Ontario.
One of those days, the news came out in the Toronto newspaper, the Globe & Mail, that a young guy had intentionally blinded himself. Guess why. Yep, he read this line in Mark and figured his eyes were a source of temptation. Doing what? Maybe just girl watching.
I remember all the guys (there were around a hundred of us) were repelled by the news. There was a gut level response that what this poor guy did was sick. It was self mutilation combined with religious extremism.
The Offertory Team, Cheryl, Grace, & Diane
That for me is the negative. Any way it can be positive? As a motivator? Yes. I’m reminded of how important self motivation is to all of us. I am reminded by the St. Marks Boy School running by our house in the morning before school. I am reminded by Tom & Paul & Carrie running their marathons. I am inspired by Richard losing weight & keeping it off when told he could get diabetic.. I am reminded at the JCC (Jewish Community Center) 6 AM spin class where Haya, a little lady older even than I am who rides with a slightly bummed right shoulder M, W, F.
I look upon God’s position on this as infinite demand, yes, coupled with infinite acceptance.
What do you need? Motivation? Look around you.
Wake up, Luke, it is time to sing and dance.
Readings: Isaiah 40, 1-11, Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God; Psalm 85, Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation; 2 Peter 3, 8-14, The Lord does not delay his promise; Mark 1, 1-8, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way.
Mass for Second Sunday of Advent, 12-4-11, John Cade Celebrating
Opening Prayer Let us pray: O God, we gather together in this season when we celebrate and experience anew your coming in the Christmas mystery. We acknowledge that you are not far away, but with us wherever we are, calling us to live in unity and love. We ask for increased sensitivity to your presence with us and we give you thanks both now and forever and ever… Amen.
A few words about the readings today, from the prophet Isaiah, the second letter of Peter, and the Gospel of Mark.
The first reading is from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, Ch 40:1-5, 9-11. The fact that this reading is from Chapter 40 tells us that the prophet is now turning from chiding the people for their failings to prophesying better times to come and giving words of comfort.
The words we hear from Isaiah today probably relate to the journey home from captivity in Babylon. Isaiah appears to use this passage symbolically to describe a moral cleansing and renewal by the Jewish people prior to their returning to Jerusalem.
Georg Freideric Handel is one of the most famous composers in the Baroque period. He was born in Germany, but spent most of his adult life in England and is best known as the composer of the Messiah in 1741. In place of reading the passage from Isaiah, we will listen to the words put to music in Part I of the Messiah. You may wish to sing or hum along. Or you may just want to soak in the power of Isaiah’s words.
The second reading is from the Second Letter of Peter, Ch 3 (8-14). This reading also refers to a coming of Jesus, not at Christmas, but at the end of time. It repeats the theme of last week’s reading from Mark to “Be watchful.” And in the Gospel reading, the author of Mark has John the Baptist introduce Jesus as the Messiah to the people of Mark’s time.
Gospel of Mark, Chapter 1 (1-8).
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Behold I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.
John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. And this is what he proclaimed: One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs on his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.
HOMILY:
All three readings today refer to the coming of Jesus. First, the prophecy of Isaiah is interpreted by the author of Mark as referring to the Messiah to come. Second, Peter’s reference to the final coming of Jesus at the end of time. And third, Mark’s use of John the Baptist to introduce Jesus as the real thing coming after John.
In Isaiah Ch 40, and in the first words of Mark’s Gospel, there are pronouncements that something big is happening. Like: “Get ready!”, “Come see!”, “He is coming!”, “Here He is!”
Well, if you don’t yet know, Lambrini and I are totally enthralled with our grandsons, Leo and Freddie. Recently we have noticed how Leo (almost 3) greets us when we go to his home or he comes to ours. His greeting is some sort of pronouncement, like: “Come see what I did! I did it!!” (pointing to Xmas tree,hands out gesture), -or- “Come see!! I have stuff to show you!!” –or- “YiaYia! Look!! YiaYia’s here!!” – or, last time he came to our home for a visit, “I’m back!”
What enthusiasm he expresses for life as it comes to him day by day. What sensitivity to people and events of every day, that we grownups take for granted, or have little wonder or excitement about.
It seems to me that the use of the pronouncements by Isaiah, and Peter, and Mark, and John the Baptist are intended to evoke in us wonder and awe in the here and now, for what is always coming into our lives, the wonder and excitement children express naturally. ‘Out of the mouths of babes’ we are instructed in how to welcome the Good News that Christmas is coming, Jesus is coming, and that Christmas and Jesus are always coming.
If you don’t have a 3 or 4 year old in your life, to experience their dramatic pronouncements about daily events and about people, think back to when you did, or a family member did, or a friend or a neighbor did. Listen with your ears and with your heart for the wonder and the enthusiasm they express about all that is new for them every day.
The question I leave you with is: how do you respond to your everyday Christmas events? How are you preparing for the coming of God who is always here with us?
Picture 1: Mass Begins
Picture 2: Candle Ritual, Diane & Jenny
Picture 3: Jenny lighting the candles
Picture 4: Bethany & Shonda
Picture 5: Leo & Rosemary
Picture 6: John's daughter Joey with Freddie
Picture 7: Freddie with his granddad