Sunday Homily, December 28, 2014, Holy Family

Genesis 15, 1-6; 21, 1-3 ,  Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can.   This is the official selection.  But for us, I've included 16, 1-10; 17, 9-12; 18, 1-3 & 9-15.  This stuff is too rich to pass up.

Psalm 105,    The Lord remembers his covenant forever.

Hebrews 11, 8, 11-12, 17-19,  By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called.

Luke 2, 22-40,   The purification of Jesus.

 

Sophia-Jack

Sophia and Jack say, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome in."

 

Genesis obserevations :

What : the very first book of the bible beginning with Adam & Eve, the two creation myths, Cane & Abel, Noah and the flood, the Tower of Babylon, and then the big 3 patriarchs of the Jewish nation.  They are Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  The book is a fun read.  It is not history, but speculation and tribal myth. 

Date: contemporary scholarship thinks that the work was composed either before or during the B.C., the all important Babylonian Captivity. Why?  Give the Jewish people a sense of historical identity and tribal cohesion. 

 

 

Candice

Mom, too, Candice, says, "Welcome, Everybody."

 

Today’s selection: all about Abraham, the first of the 3 Great Patriarchs.  Abraham is crying and lamenting the fact that he has no children.  Why?  Sarah was childless and Abraham was 99 years old.  A “we have a problem, Houston” situation.  The Lord hears Abraham and uses a beautiful metaphor to show Abraham what is going to happen. 

Because the editor of this reading has so taken the fun out of it, I want to read a bit more.  Sit back and enjoy the story of how Abraham and Sarah had a baby.   I'm including parts of three other chapters between chapters 15 and 21.

 

Ben

"I, too, just like my kids and my wife, say, 'Welcome, Folks.'" sez Ben.

 

Another Christmas Story

On Christmas Eve I told you a Christmas story and said that it was a Christmas event.  And what is a Christmas event?  It is an event where a person receives peace, joy, and light.  It usually happens between people.  But I can have the same event in a place, for instance, the Meyerson, or riding across Iowa on my bike, or backpacking in Yosemite.  It happens often to me here with you people.

 

 

Cowboy Cole

"Cowboy Cole, What did you do in the Nativity Play?"  I was Joseph.  

 

In fact, somebody asked me why don’t you just take this Sunday off?  We were here just a few days ago.  I know why.  I am having too much fun here.  This is not an obligation, it is a treasure.

Anyway, our story goes like this.  It comes from Steve Blow, the columnist of the Dallas Morning News, December 25.  You may remember Steve has written Rosemary and me up a couple of times. 

 

Emma

Emma says, "I was a lamb in the Christmas play."

 

He says there was a lady named Renee of Lake Highlands on her way to work the morning before Thanksgiving.  She pulled into the neighborhood Whataburger drive through to get a pick up.

When she got her diet Coke, the girl in the window, who was very cheerful, said like, “This ought to pick you up.”  There was no one in line behind Renee, so she chatted, saying, “Well, at least, I’m off Thanksgiving and we can have a nice Thanksgiving meal.   How about you?”

 

Nativity

The Best Nativity Drama.

 

The cheerful girl said, “No, she had to work and the Thanksgiving meal would have to wait until she could earn the money to buy the food.”  She had two jobs to make enough for herself and her two children.

By now a new customer had pulled up behind Renee.  She had to move.  Before departing, she blurted out, “I’m going to get you Thanksgiving.”

Jazmen Woods, the Whataburger girl, said customers tell her stuff all the time.  She pays no attention.

 

Helpers

Santa's Helpers Darbyanna and Dana.

 

But that afternoon, Renee called the Whataburger and later took a whole Boston Market Thanksgiving meal to Jazmen’s apartment in the Vickery Meadow area of northeast Dallas. 

That was only the beginning.  Renee discovered that Jazmen had hardly any furniture for herself and her two young children.  So she went on line to her neighbors, telling the story saying, “If you would like to contribute to making Christmas special for this sweet family, please feel free to join me.”

 

Cole-Zoe

Who dat? Lookls like Joseph and Mary on a donkey (alias Cowboy Cole and Zoe).

 

You know the rest of the story. 

Another Christmas event that gives peace, joy, and light. 

Like I asked Christmas Eve, When were you touched in this special way? 

And to whom do you share peace, joy , and light?  (Besides to me.)

Source, Steve Blow, Dallas Morning News, December 25, 2004

 

Tori

Who is that?  Is that Victoria? No, that's an angel.

 

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  • 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time, January 17, 2021

    1 Samuel 3, 3-10, Samuel was sleeping in the temple.

    Psalm 10, Here I am, Lord, I come to do your will.   

    1 Corinthians 6, 13-15, 17-20, Your bodies are members of Christ.

    John  1, 35-42, Rabbi, where are you staying?  Come & you will see.

     

     

    Snoopy 20

     

     

    Thanks to the Team

    Music,  Ben & Shonda

    Readers,  Connie, David, and Buddy, the candle blesser

    Gospel,  John Cade

    Homily,   John Cade

    Eucharistic Prayer A & B, Stack & John Cade

    The Magic Zoom makers,   Hue & Richard & Mike 

    Final Blessing, Rosemary

    For hosting us at Legacy, Becky

     

    Ben-Shonda

    And the Father will Dance, Beautiful exit hymn with Shonda & Ben

     

     

    Homily by John Cade

    Download Homily for January 10 2021

     

    Please Remember these special people:

    For Carrie's ex, Larry;  For Alan Stryker;  For Joe Sullivan;    For Rosemary's great niece, Rylie ;  For Richard's grand daughter, Madeleine & Carol's dad who passed this week; For Sheila Schultz Alverez hospitalized with Corona;  For Esparza's new great grandson baby, son of Monique;  For all the medical personnel struggling to treat the tsunami of sick people, in particular, locally, Cindy's staff at Presby, Dallas, and at Frisco Presby, the mother of Harper and Betsy, Kendle, working in labor & delivery, and for Hue & Linda's daughter, Doctor Rosemary Beavers;   For Mary & Dave Hall's g-daughter Allison Keller working at St. Lukes, The Woodlands,   For Loretta's aunt Alicia;  For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom & Cody &  Leo & all of Shonda's dear family;  for Louis Schneider hospitalized with gall bladder problem (our rep. from Open Window)

    Mockimgbird

     

    Sez the Mockingbird, "Welcome to Legacy and our celebration."

     

    Jackie's mom, sister, & friend, Lynn;  For both Jean & Cliff Wright;  For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg; For Meredith, cancer free;    For John O'Donnell & Jean & their daughter, Molly;   For Dee, and for her daughter, Lisa; For John Schanot's continued health;  For Anthony & Sabrina;    For a young man who is suffering from depression;  John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli and Lambrini, plus John's daughter, Joey, with cancer; from Barbara, a little 4 month old boy undergoing an operation & for Rollie with Corona; for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

    Also, remembering the family of Geri Moran's friend, Elsa Billman, who passed this week.

     

     

    Birthdays: Becky Good

    Anniversary:  Ray & Claire 50th

     

    Community Finances, January 17, 2021

    Expenses: $  600.00

    Outreach   $  150.00 (often for Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)

    Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

     

    Mike 1
     

     

     

    Rosemary's Blessing

     

    Thank you Lord for giving me

    The brand new year ahead.

    Help me live the way I should

    As each new day I tread.

     

    Give me gentle wisdom

    That I might help a friend.

    Give me strength and courage

    So a shoulder I may lend.

     

    The year ahead is empty.

    Help me fill it with good things,

    Each new day filled with joy,

    And the happiness it brings.

     

    Please give the leaders of our world

    A courage born of peace,

    That they might lead us gently

    And all the fighting cease.

     

    Please give to all upon this earth

    A heart that’s filled with love,

    A gentle happy way to live

    With your blessings from above.

     

    New Years Prayer  by Charlotte Anselmo

     

  • Sunday Homily 2-26-12, 1st Lent

    Readings:  Genesis 9, 8-15, I set my bow in the clouds; Psalm 25, Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant; 1 Peter 3, 18-22, That he might lead you to God; Mark 1, 12-15, He remained in the desert for 40 days. 

     Genesis:  First book of the Bible, starts with creation & ends with the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob (Israel).

     

    Mass begins 2-26-12

    Ryan lights the Lenten Candle

       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.

     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.

     

    Bethany 2-26-12

    Bethany

     

    40 Days

    Picture this.  It is night.  Moon & stars.  Sitting around a little campfire are 3 or 4 families, parents and a half dozen kids.  It is maybe 1000 years before Christ.  It  is perfectly quiet except for the howl of a few animals out in the complete darkness.

    A little girl says to her parents, "Where did that moon come from?  The stars?  Where did we come from?"  The parents tell her about the stories they heard from their elders.

    They say: Before people were here the earth was all desolate.  It was dark & cold & waters were raging.  God came along one day and decided to put some order into this mess.  So he got up the next morning and divided up the daylight and the dark.

    

    Sac. of Sick 2-26-12

    Sacrament of the Sick

     

    The next day he got up and created the dome of the sky.  The third day he created the earth and starts plants growing.  The day after that he sets up the sun, the moon, and the stars.  On the fifth day he puts together fish and birds and tell them to multiply.  The sixth day he really has to work hard: animals and especially man & woman.  By now he is tired, so he takes the seventh day off and enjoys his work.  This is the first account of creation in Genesis.

    Now at another campfire many miles away a little boy is asking his family the same question.  He is told another story.  One day, say, Elohim is walking on a dirt path (like everyone did.  No pavement).  He leans down grabs a handful, wets it, and molds it into a new form, something with two legs, two arms, and a head.  A man. 

    This man is given life and gets put into a marvelous garden with only one command.  Don't eat from that tree.  Time goes on and animals are created which the man names.  However, the man is lonely, so God takes a rib out of his side and molds it into another human  form.  This one, however, is female and becomes man's partner.  The man names her Eve, the mother of all.  This is the second creation story.

    

    Emma 2-26-12

    Emma with her mom, Beth

     

    At this point in time all is copasetic.  One day, however, while Eve is strolling around the Garden of Eden, a snake begins to talk with her.  Eventually the snake convinces her to try the fruit of the tree.  Uh, oh.  Then she shares it with the Man, now called Adam.  Later, God comes strolling along in the evening and has to call out for Adam & Eve, who are hiding.  He knows what they have done.  They confess and he tells them they will be forever punished with difficult living.  So they get kicked out of Eden.

    Adam & Eve have kids.  Cain first, Abel second.  One day both boys make an offering to God.  Unfortunately for some reason, Cain's offering is rejected by God.  He is hurt and gets mad because his brother is accepted.  He kills Abel.  Then he, too, gets punished by God. 

    Time passes and apparently many more of Adam & Eve's kids turn out like Cain.  In fact, God becomes so mad, so disappointed in his new creature man, that he regrets what he has done and decides to wipe everyone off the face of the earth–except one guy, Noah.  At this time, Noah is 500 years old.  He builds a boat and it rains 40 days.  Which takes us up to today's reading, where the water has receded and God promises he will never kill everyone with a flood again, signing his name with a rainbow. 

    

    Sienna 2-26-12

    Sienna with her favorite

     

    I tell these mythological stories for the following reasons.

    First, we seldom hear or read these marvels.

    Secondly, though it is not in the Genesis reading we have, there is a foundation setting up the thread between this part of Genesis 9 and Mark and today: the 40 days.  Forty is a special number in the old times meaning a sufficient number.  It rained 40 days.  Jesus is in the desert 40 days.  And we are spending 40 days of Lent.

    Thirdly, when Jesus came out of the desert he really throws himself into his message, which contains 4 points in Mark:

    • The Time is now.
    • The Kingdom is here.
    • Repent.
    • Believe the Good News

     

    Buddy 2-26-12

    Buddy

     

    Fourthly, for centuries up until Vatican 2, the 40 days of Lent focused on fasting and abstinence to imitate Jesus and to do penance for our bad ways.  It was supposed to be a cleansing before Holy Week and Easter and a test of character. 

    Fasting usually meant giving up meals.  Abstinence meant giving up a particular item, like Blue Bell or chocolate chip cookies.  I found one amusing note:Thomas Aquinas, one of the great doctors of the Catholic Church who lived ca. 1250, suggested that the faithful abstain from meat, eggs, and dairy.  Why?  Because they were aphrodisiacs and generated lust.  Food, alcohol, tobacco, and sex were all targets of the Church.

    Today Mormons fast 1 day per month.  Muslims fast dawn to dusk the month of Ramadan which around mid- August to mid-September.  This fast often includes liquids. 

    I suggest that for a positive Lent we might practice sensitivity and service.  This week we might fast.  What about a fast from guilt and stress?  What about fasting from my addiction?  For a week?  Food, alcohol, smoking, work?

    How are you going to have a peaceful & happy Lent?

    

    Zoe 2-26-12

    Zoe

     

    Sources:

    Dominican Website; Creighton U. Spiritual Seminar; St. Raymond Church, Dublin, CA.;  Wikipedia on Lent & Fasting;

     


     

     

  • Sunday Homily, February 10, 2013, 5th Ordinary Time, C cycle

     Readings:

    Isaiah 6, 1-8,  Whom shall I send?  Send me.

    Psalm 138,  In the sight of the angels, I will sing your praises, Lord.

    1 Corinthians 15, 1-11, I am the least of the apostles.

    Luke 5, 1-11, They caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing.

     

    Leo 2-10-13

    Leo and his best pacifier, John


    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. 

    Buying a bible?  The Jerusalem Bible

    Emma 2-10-13

    Who's that under that table? Emma!

     Isaiah 1

    This is The Great One.  The Prophet.  My favorite.  In general, this work has three parts put together by three different people.  It is time dependent: before, during, and after the, you guessed it, the Babylonian Captivity.  Keep 500 before Christ in mind as an easy date. 

    Last week we heard the story of the prophet Jeremiah’s call by Yahweh.  This week we have Isaiah’s call. 

    Psalm 138

    Want to hear something beautiful?  Listen to today’s psalm.  Another of my favorites. Thanks, thanks, and more thanks.

    1 Corinthians 15

    In last week’s Corinthians’ reading Paul described his vision of love.  Today he continues talking to the people of his church in Corinth, focusing on how he was called by God.

     

    Zoe 2-10-13

    Zoe on a mission while watching the    Brunch Table.

     

    The Small Call

    I would like to talk this morning about small calls.  Our readings are all about great calls, like Isaiah, to be God’s spokesperson.  These calls come once in life, or a few times in life.  I would like to suggest small calls come every day.   Let me illustrate.

    In Mexico City there is this magnificent avenue, Reforma, modeled by the Empress Carlotta on the famous Champs Elysee in Paris, built during our Civil War, say 1860.  A week ago I was on Reforma one afternoon before returning to the U.S.

    Buddy 2-10-13

    Buddy, "Yeah, brunch time. I'm ready."

    I was intrigued.  The government provides rental bikes.  Along the pedestrian islands that border Reforma are numerous racks of some 40 bikes which people can rent.  People are riding these bikes all over the center of Mexico City.  I wanted to know if I could rent a bike for a day. 

    I had asked a few people, but no one was sure.  I was simply told that for $30 I could obtain a card which I could use to rent the bike for one year.

    Cowboy Cole 2-10-13

    Cowboy Cole. How did he get ahead of the crowd? With his mom, Erin.

     

    Cupcake 2-10-13

    Cupcakes of The Week: Geri, Kevin, and his dad, John, plus 4 others.

     At one point I am standing beside the check-in post reading the instructions.  You buy the card at a drug store, show proof of identity, and then swipe the card through the reader.  It tells you what number bike is yours.  You may return the bike to any of the numerous bike racks around the city center.

    I finish unsatisfied, turn around, and watch a man ride up on one of the recognizable bikes.  He puts it in the rack down the way, then begins to walk in my direction.  He is middle aged, in his mid 50’s, trim, dressed neatly in business pants, white shirt and tie, and a small back pack. 

    I ask him if he could help me.  I tell him what I want and he is sure I cannot rent a bike for a day.  In fact, he thinks only citizens can rent the bikes. 

    Brunch 2-10-13

    The Great Brunch, ready.

    We continue to talk.  I tell him how I admire Mexico City for installing the bikes, that my wife & I, who ride a lot, saw the bikes two years ago when we were in town.  He says he has seen them not only in Mexico City, but in cities in the States and in Europe.  This tells me something, he has traveled internationally.

     

    Brunch time 2-10-13

    Brunch Time, Out of the Way!

    We have a charming conversation for about 10 minutes.  As we part he tells me how he enjoyed conversing, welcome to Mexico, and, get this, he congratulates me on excellent Spanish!

    Folks, I could have done a backward somersault in the air.  I felt I could jump from tree top to tree top.  I was so full, ecstatic, grateful.    All the work I had put into Spanish over the years was worth it. 

    This is the small call, what that Mexican did.  A compliment. 

    IMG_0298

    Ye Olde Brunch.

     

    I would propose that we get small calls every day.  A compliment, an offer to help, a thanks, an apology for a small mishap.  The girl at the checkout has fancy fingernails; I tell her I like them. 

    These small calls fill others.  With life. 

    What was your small call yesterday?  Your next one? 

                                                     

  • Sunday Homily 12-26-10, Holy Family

    Sunday, 12-26-10, Holy Family: Sirach 3, 2-14; Psalm 128, Blessed are Those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways; Colossians 3, 12-21; Matthew 2, 13-23.

     Jack 12-26-10

    Intro to readings

     We could easily believe that political correctness is a recent development, but I want to show you how it existed in the first century of the Church. 

     Our second reading today from the letter to the Colossians is a great example of “spin”.  Lets take a moment to consider the setting. 

     There are 13 letters which have Paul’s name associated with them.  Modern scripture scholarship has determined that seven are indeed written by Paul, there are three, which he definitely did not write, and there are three where there is doubt about his authorship. 

     Ryan 12-26-10

     Understand that when Paul wrote for instance to the Romans, he was writing to a small Christian community within Rome, something not unlike our little community here.  Society in the Roman Empire at that time was strongly patriarchal, namely it all centered on the man! Women, children and slaves were considered similar to possessions, namely they had no rights! 

     Now the extraordinary thing about Paul’s preaching was that he saw all people, by virtue of their baptism being equal, all belonging to the body of Christ.  Recall one of his familiar lines: “in Christ all are equal, there is no male or female, no slave or free”.  

     Reads 12-26-10

     In the first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 7 we meet the “radicalism of Christianity”, – just as Jesus shocked the authorities by dining with sinners, Paul sees all as God’s children and equal.  So in his letter to the Corinthians he says husbands and wives are equal.  He is very careful to make sure that both have the same rights – they are equal! 

     Now take a look at the extended section of today’s second reading and we will see the spin put there by someone after Paul’s death.  In an attempt to make Christianity “fit” better into Roman society we have the phrase ‘wives be submissive to your husbands’.  Paul would have never said such a thing!  Yet he gets the blame for it today!! 

     Emma 12-26-10

    Feast of the Holy Family – Homily

     Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family, that of Joseph and Mary and the child Jesus, whose birth we celebrated yesterday.  I would like to reflect a little on the images we have of the Holy Family and how we are part of that family by our Baptism. 

     In the gospel we read today, this family experienced what many families today have to go through, namely living in a strange land.  Matthew doesn’t tell us how things were for them in Egypt, but at least they stayed there a few years, they were not killed.  When they returned, it was to settle in a different region, to Nazareth.

    Santa 12-26-10 

     Thanks to a global economy, unlawful governments, wars, or the plague of drugs, many people today are forced to move, either within their own country or to foreign lands.  They come as strangers into our midst.  But we don’t have to be from somewhere else to feel like a stranger.  Sometimes due to misunderstandings, or fear or hurts we can just as easily feel like a stranger in our own family.

     The Feast of the Holy Family gives us time to reflect on our actions.  By our baptism we are part of that Holy Family.  Jesus is our brother. 

     The challenge, which the gospel puts before us today as Christians, is how well do we welcome our brothers and sisters.  Remember the words of Jesus, when I was hungry, or lonely or sick, you did it to me.  Out of fear we too quickly can build walls to keep others out, either out of our country, or out of our lives.

    All the Good Kids 12-26-10 

     At St Vines, we do reach out.  Over the past year we certainly have helped the sick, through our participation both by volunteering and financial aid to the CCAC.  We have served meals at Thanksgiving; we have helped build the houses with Habitat for Humanity, given toys to kids who might otherwise not have them, and food to the Food Pantry.  These are great things and we need to continue to do them.  But we can too easily miss opportunities to tear down walls within our own family.

     As we begin a New Year, a time when we make all kinds of resolutions to do better, lets not forget to see how we may become more conscious of the Family of God and those who are lonely, from another place, struggling. 

    Picture 1:    Jack

    Picture 2:    Ryan with cookie

    Picture 3:    The Reads, Teresa, Taylor, Doug, & Zack

    Picture 4:    Emma, one of the 5 Bambini

     Picture 5:    Santa arrives

    Picture 6:    All the Good Kids awaiting Santa 


     

     

  • Sunday Homily, February 2, 2014, Presentation, Cycle A

    Readings:

    Malachi  3, 1-4,  Yes, he is coming, says the Lord.

    Psalm 24,  Who is this kind of glory?  It is the Lord.

    Hebrews,  2, 14-18,  That he might be a merciful and faithful high priest.

    Luke  2, 22-40, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to the temple to present him to the Lord.

     

    Zoe

    Zoe says, "Welcome, Everybody."

    Homily by Mike

    Helen Roberta Marina Lazio was the woman that my Father married. What do I remember most about my mother? She loved to pray. She said the whole rosary every day of the last 25 years of her life.  The Joyful Mysteries were her favorites for they fit well with her prayer to Mary. 

    Recall that the Hail Mary begins with words from the angel Gabriel [Hail Mary full of grace; the Lord is with you] at the Annunciation event and are followed by Elisabeth’s greeting to Mary at the beginning of the Visitation [Blessed are you among women; and blessed is the fruit of your womb]. 

     

    Leo-John

    Leo & John saying, "Come in, it's fun here."

     

    The first two chapters of the Luke gospel give us the Joyful Mysteries: the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Birth of Our Lord, the Presentation, and the Finding of the boy Jesus in the Temple. Today’s Feast of the Presentation happens to be the fourth Joyful Mystery. 

    To help us understand more fully today’s feast, let us take a short journey within the two chapters. It begins with the story about Zechariah and Elizabeth.  They are both Levites and he is also a priest. They are righteous before God and keep all the commandments of the Law; however she is barren. 

     

    Mike

    Mike talking about the Presentation.

     

    They represent Judaism that is not bearing fruit, they pray for its fulfillment and God hears their prayer. Their son will be John the Baptist, the messenger of our first reading.  Gabriel is now sent to Mary to announce that she will give birth to a Messiah king, and she comes to realize that the fruit she will bear fulfills the yearning and expectation of his coming given within the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms. 

     

    Offertory

    Offertory, Joe, Jimmy, Doug, Mike and Cliff, a rough crew.

     

    Gabriel tells Mary that her elderly cousin Elizabeth is not longer barren, and immediately she sets off to visit her.  Elizabeth greets Mary with the words, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.’  Elizabeth and Zechariah know that Mary is to give birth to the Messiah, and they reveal the role of John the Baptist to prepare the people for his coming.   Now, recall the words of Christ, the Good Shepherd to Peter at the end of the John gospel. Three times he says, ‘Feed my Lambs.’

     

    Tori-Gil

    Time to wake up, Tori, with her grandfather, Gil.

     

    Lambs in the Gospel are those who have heard the words of the Good Shepherd and follow him.  So, we are now presented in the Luke gospel shepherds who are watching over their flock, lambs, when angels make them aware that the Christ child will be found in a feeding trough, a manger, wrapped in stripes of cloth, a shroud.

    The shepherds are to perceive the Christ child as the Suffering Servant and Lamb of God of the Good News. The Word and the Bread blessed and broken are food for the lambs. The feast of the birth of Christ [Christ Mass is the Christ Liturgy] is a feast of the liturgy the Word and the liturgy of the Eucharist: food for the soul.

     

    Buddy

    Buddy looking for that Cupcake of The Week.

     

    The Christ child [the Word and Sacred Meal that fulfilled the written expectation of the Law, Prophets and Psalms] in the feeding trough, the Church, is now intimately understood by Simeon in the temple when he says Isaiah’s words, ‘My eyes perceive the salvation which God has prepared for the nations, a light to enlighten the gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.’  

     

    Cole-Diane

    Cowboy Cole and Diane ready to get inside out of the cold.

     

     In that same way we are to manifest the Word and the Bread blessed and broken in our lives, to become the Body of Christ in the world!  Liturgically we put on Christ to become the Light of the World when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit, receive a baptismal robe, and a candle lit from the Easter candle.  

    Remember the song, ‘This little light of mine…’ Recall the Matthew verses of a baptismal liturgy: "You are the Light of the World. A city built on a hilltop cannot be hidden, and no one lights a lamp to put it under a bushel, they put it on the lampstand, where it gives light to all who are in the house.  In that same way, let your light shine before men so that seeing your good works they too may give glory your Father who in heaven.

     

    Brent

    Brent, the Soul's Harbor director, receiving $2000 from our community.


              

     

     

  • Sunday Homily 2-13-11, 6th Ordinary Time

    Readings: Sirach 15, 15-20; Psalm 119, Blessed are They who follow the Law of the Lord; 1 Corinthians; Matthew 5, 17-37. 

     

    Observations: on Psalm 119, on Matthew 5, and, first, on Sirach–

     Author: a Jewish teacher called Joshua.  The only identified author in the whole Old Testament.  He tells us who he is, that he is a teacher, lived in Jerusalem, and traveled a lot.  It seems he put his work together while running a school in Alexandria, Egypt.

     His grandson translated the Hebrew work into Greek.  This Hebrew text was lost for centuries until the 19th century, when 2/3 of it was found in Cairo.  Then other portions were found in Qumran and Masada, as late as 1964.

     Beginning 2-13-11

    Date: composed around 175 years before Christ.  About 90 years before Christ the Jews put together their official bible, but excluded Sirach because they could not find the Hebrew version, only the Greek. 

     Christians accepted the book as part of their bible in the 2nd century after Christ.  The Council of Trent officially accepted it, making it part of that extra 12 books called the Apocrypha or Deuterocanonical.  Martin Luther rejected the book & so do many Protestant congregations today.

     Subject Matter: practical ethics, duties,

     Communion 2-13-11

    Subject today: you may choose good or bad.  A bit simplistic & Pelagian, that is, it is all up to you and you have all the strength needed to do what you want.  Pelagians thought that you had to EARN your salvation.  Therefore, the more religious stuff you did, like today, the more Masses, the more pilgrimages to the church & shrines, the more novenas & rosaries,  the more merit you win for yourself.

     

    Psalm 119: the longest of all the psalms.  A focus on observance of the laws, decrees, and statutes.

     

    Matthew 5:  a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount, like Tony talked about last week.  And like he mentioned, note the so called figures of speech called “antitheses,” namely, “You have heard it said, but, I say to you.”  4 even 5 times.  Matthew is trying to establish the authority & authenticity of Jesus.

    Sources: Good New Bible; New Interpreter's Bible., Wikipedia; Reginal Fuller, S.J., David Westberg, S.J., & Larry Gillick, S.J., St. Louis U. Liturgies, on line.

     

    Dessert 2-13-11 

    Tear It Out & Throw It Away, My Right Eye?  You Crazy?!

     I think I have mentioned this once before, but it bears repeating because it is so relevant. 

     When I was studying theology in Toronto years ago, an article came out in the local newspaper.  Some guy had read the passage saying that if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.  He did it, folks. 

     In this passage from Matthew there are five pieces of advice to the early Christians which taken literally can get a person all messed up.  Is there a positive as well as a negative to each? 

     One observation before I touch the five.  I have mentioned this before when we’ve talked about Christian spirituality.  Infinite demand and infinite acceptance.  Watch out here for a lot of infinite demand.  I’ll give a positive & a negative for each.

     Landry & Leo 2-13-11

    Matthew’s five pieces of advice are 1. breaking the least commandment, 2. getting angry and going to Gehenna, 3. looking at a woman with lust, 4. divorce, and 5. swearing.  Here goes.

    1.  Matthew says that if you break the smallest commandment you will be the least in the kingdom.  Moreover, unless you are better than the Pharisees, you will not even get into the kingdom.  The positive here is that the bar is set high.  The negative is that all, all of us sinners will be kept out. It creates scruples or obsessive compulsive behavior.  Pretty discouraging.

     2.  Secondly, if you get mad at me and call me a fool, you are going to Gehenna.  I love it.  The positive here is the call to anger management.  I am challenged to know that all feelings are okay and need to be controlled.  The negative is that it gives me the idea that anger is not allowed, so stuff it.  Trouble is, it does not stuff well.  Not like a sleeping bag or tent.  It pops up in unexpected places.

     3.  Looking at a woman with lust.  The positive here is teaching respect for all people.  This advice, written by men for men, was attempting to gain some respect for women who were looked upon as property.  I found this  in Tanzania & Kenya.  Rosemary read me an article about some Muslim who cut off his wife’s ears and nose for reporting him for abuse. 

     The negative is that it teaches us that feelings are sinful.  In the old days, we thought we looked at a girl and we were going to hell.  This is doubly sad because current scholars consider hell to be non-existent, a cognitive creation by humans.   I agree. 

     Landry & Co. 2-13-11

    4.  Divorce is adultery.  The positive is that it reinforces the unity of marriage.  The negative is that people stay in abusive or addictive marriages long after it may even be safe.  Divorce is failure and we all fail sometimes even in tragic ways.  In order to escape using the word divorce the Catholic Church comes up with the more convoluted word Annulment.

     5.  Swearing.  The positive is that it involves politeness and respect for others.  Even if I am okay with my anger I do not swear at someone.  The negative is that it tightens us up.  We forget the therapeutic value of cussing, maybe a healthy & fun way of releasing anger.  The healthy Jesuits I lived with certainly partook of this therapy. 

     The overall danger in these pieces of advice is that we really get messed up, forgetting two things.  First they are presenting infinite demand.  Secondly, they make no mention of infinite acceptance.

     The poor guy in Toronto who blinded himself is an example of how we can mess ourselves up with goofy religion. 

     What do you think about these ideas?

     

     Picture 1:   Mass Begins

     Picture 2:   Communion Helpers, Patricia, Nancy, Beth, & Jan

     Picture 3:   Dessert First with Mike & Holly

     Picture 4:   Landry & Leo with Loretta & Ray

     Picture 5:   Landry, whom we were praying for, with her mom & dad, Ashley & Zack, and her big brother, Cooper, in the stroller, along with Ray & Loretta