4th Sunday of Easter, April 21, 2024

Readings:

2 Samuel 7, 1-5, 8-12, 14, & 16, The Lord tells the prophet Nathan that he will protect his lineage forever.

Psalm, 89, Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord

Romans 16, 25-27,  To the only wise God be glory forever

Luke 1, 26-38, The angel Gabriel was sent to a town called Nazareth

Here is information about ways we can help this Christmas. 

Soul’s Harbor.  As in years past we are collecting sweatshirts and hoodies for the guys at Soul’s Harbor. Please drop them off at Lynda Fleming’s house by 12/17/20.  (5 Vista Cliff Place, Richardson, TX 75080).

A note from Becky Good:

Legacy Preparatory Charter in Plano is looking for a few good church families to donate to our neediest school families.  If you're one of those who feels the need to answer this call please email me so that I can make you part of the document that will contain the list of our neediest families and their children with ages and sizes.

Should you want to donate money instead, email me and we will find a way to receive it if you don't want to drop off a check.

Families in need: Download Families (1)

Here's my email:  Bgood@legacypca.com

As always, Legacy and I thank you for your constant generosity.  You are making a difference in our school community.  Thank you again.

Checks and gifts/donations needed to be dropped off by Monday, 12/15/20, so they can get it to the families.  Still okay for donations.

Turtle Tea Time, location, NW Hwy bridge over White Rock Creek Trail, north side, you can see over a dozen occasionally.  See any babies? 

ROMEOS, Friday, December 18, 1:00,  as usual.    Welcome!

ROMEOs' Virtual Jason's Deli BYOB lunch
This is a recurring meeting, Friday, 1:00 pm
Link :
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85798571623?pwd=NmFSTW1ocVMzRGdIc0QzUGxKdHM3dz09

Meeting ID: 857 9857 1623
Password: saladbar

Last Friday Romeos, Ray, Mike, Guess, Jim, John, Christmas tree.  Scary, no?

Reminder for 4th Sunday Advent, December 20, 2020

Here are the links for Sunday:

2. search for "john stack ministries"

 

 

 

What's up in Ye Olde Catholic Church

1.  Demon Possession?  Exorcism?   San Francisco archbishop's exorcisms,  https://www.ncronline.org/news/justice/san-francisco-archbishops-exorcisms-highlight-controversy-over-serra-conflict

I've worked with these poor souls both here in the States and in East Africa.  It was always Catholic church hysteria.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Covid version of Night Before Christmas.   Thanks to Becky on FaceBook.

T'was a month before Christmas,

And all through the town,

People wore masks,

That covered their frown.

 

The frown had begun

Way back in the Spring,

When a global pandemic

Changed everything.

 

They called it corona,

But unlike the beer,

It didn’t bring good times,

It didn’t bring cheer.

 

Airplanes were grounded,

Travel was banned.

Borders were closed

Across air, sea and land.

 

As the world entered lockdown

To flatten the curve,

The economy halted,

And folks lost their nerve.

 

From March to July

We rode the first wave,

People stayed home,

They tried to behave.

 

When summer emerged

The lockdown was lifted.

But away from caution,

Many folks drifted.

 

Now it’s December

And cases are spiking,

Wave two has arrived,

Much to our disliking.

 

It’s true that this year

Has had sadness a plenty,

We’ll never forget

The year 2020.

 

And just ‘round the corner –

The holiday season,

But why be merry?

Is there even one reason?

 

To decorate the house

And put up the tree,

Who will see it,

No one but me.

 

But outside my window

The snow gently falls,

And I think to myself,

Let’s deck the halls!

 

So, I gather the ribbon,

The garland and bows,

As I play those old carols,

My happiness grows.

 

Christmas is not cancelled

And neither is hope.

If we lean on each other,

I know we can cope

 

Anonymous

 

Readings:

Genesis 15, 1-6,  Look up at the sky and count the stars if you can…Thus so shall your descendants be.

Psalm 105, The Lord remembers his covenant forever

Hebrews 11-14,  By faith Abraham obeyed, by faith Abraham received power

Luke 2, 22-40,  Simeon had been told that he would not die until he saw the Redeemer

Readings:

Download Readings 12-27-2020. Holy Family

Homily:

Download What A Wonderful World Lyrics

Louis Armstrong video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-T6aaRV9HY

Thanks to the Team

Music,  Ben & Shonda, (& Ben's son, Jack, playing cello Christmas Eve)

Readers,   Patricia & Jackie & Buddy, the candle blesser

Gospel,  John Cade 

Homily,   John Stack

Eucharistic Prayer A & B, Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,   Hue & Mike 

Final Blessing, Rosemary

For hosting us at Legacy, Becky

Community Finances, December 27, 2020

Expenses: $3350.00

Outreach   $350.00  (often for Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

Peace

Communion Prayer video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDsyvKJZz7g

Rosemary's Blessing:

Dear God, 

I pray that our family

may always live in peace,

may we understand each other,

May we have patience

and let You know first

about every problem

we are facing as family.

shortprayersforyou.blogspot.com

Thanks for the coffee, Ray.  Welcome, Everybody. 

Welcome: Catholic Mass with coffee & juice, and pastries, some bought, some home-made.

Time: 9:30; Celebrate with the Community & Stack

Place: Sigler Elementary, 1400 Janwood Drive, Plano, TX 75075

Hi, Genevieve, how you doing, My Dear.

Readings:

Exodus 17, 3-7,  Moses: “What shall I do with this people?”

 Psalm 95,  If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

 Romans 5,  1-2, 5- 8,   The love of God has been poured out into our hearts.

 John 4, 5-42,    The Samaritan Woman at the well.

Happy Birthday, John.  Hi, Jean.
 

Community Activities:  

ROMEO MEET: Friday, March 17, Jason's Deli, Collin Creek Mall, west side of Central, 1:00.  Welcome all wakos,  you will fit right in.   

JULIET LUNCHEON, (aka.,just us ladies into eating together),  April TBA    

Love for the Kids, April 8, Welcome

The Gang, Bern, Rick, Jackie, & Shonda.

What is going on in Our Catholic World

1. Who rules in Rome,  Corpus,  2-23-17, 850 words,   Download WHO RULES ROME 3-16-17
2. Evaluation of Francis after 4 years, National Catholic Reporter, 3-13-17, 640 words,    Download Francis' 4 year evaluation 3-16-17

Who miked that little Girl?  She is a naturaal.

True?

“I used to think 50 was old.  I was wrong.  Not even close.”

Harriet Anderson, 79, the oldest female to ever finish the Ironman World Championship

 (Ready Sir Charlie?)

Healing for John.

See you Sunday.

J.S., 214-783-0443

Our Father & Peace.

JSM Mission-Faith Statement

Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for and challenges spiritual and total growth.

Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged and make the world we live in a better place to live.

Readings: Acts of the Apostles 2, 14, 22-33; Psalm 16, Lord, You will show us the Path of Life; 1st Letter of Peter 1, 17-21; Luke 24, 13-35

Acts observations—(Author, Date, Place, Subject), a repeat from Easter

 Author: This is Luke, the physician, the companion of Paul, the Gentile writing for Gentile Christians, and the same Luke who wrote the Gospel of Luke.

 Date: Around 65 years after Christ.  Probably just before the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple (70 C.E., a big date in Jewish history), or Luke would have likely mentioned it. 

Place: most probably Ephesus, today a ruin on the west coast of Turkey south of Constantinople.  Once this town was a major Christian center.

 Subject: the material works like in concentric, expanding circles, beginning in Jerusalem and ending in Rome after touching Judea, Syria, Ephesus, & Europe.  It treats activities in the early Christian community, some of which may describe they way they wished things were. 

 Sources: Good News Bible, New Interpreter’s Study Bible, St. Louis U. Jesuits’ Liturgical web

Mother's Day: a brief history–

1.  Greece & Rome: Cybele was the mother of all gods

2.  in the U.S.

    a.  Julia Ward Howe: during Civil War, ca. 1870,  as a counter to the tragedy

    b.  Anna Jarvis: 1912, pushed for 2nd Sunday of May, Mother's Day, with emphasis on the apostrophe, i.e., a single mother of a family, not all mothers.  Ended up regretting the day because of commercializaiton in the 40's before she died.  Hated Hallmark Cards' canned messages instead of personal notes.

c.  President Woodrow Wilson: 1912, made it a national holiday.

Sources: Legacy Project & Wikipedia

Cura Personalis

I have a Mother’s Day story for you.  It comes from of all places, Rosemary’s home, NYC, naturally.  We were just there this very hour last Sunday.

 The scene is this.  It is around 4:30 on a beautiful day, blue sky, 62 degrees.  The Ride began at 8:00, all 32,000.  We have traveled up 6^th Avenue from Battery Park in Manhattan, through Central Park & Harlem, into the Bronx, passed through Queens into Brooklyn, and the 40 miles came to an end in Staten Island, near the Staten Island ferry, which we took to get to the starting line in Battery Park. 

 We have gone straight north and returned straight south.  This has not been a race, like the Hotter ‘N Hell here at the end of August, rather a stroll or a promenade.  I have never ridden in a tsunami of people until this event.  90 percent of the time I rode shoulder to shoulder with other riders, scrutinizing their every move so that I would not crash.

 At 4:30 on this lovely afternoon Bernadette is just arriving at the last bridge, the famous Verrazano Narrows, a bridge that goes up a good way before it comes down into Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island and the finish line. 

 Bernadette is pooped as she begins this final ascent.  Everybody else in our group of 7 has already reached the end.  

 As Bernadette climbs bit by bit, she realizes that she cannot ride up to the top.  She gets off and starts pushing her bike up the bridge.  Remember, folks, this is New York City.

 Shortly after she begins trudging up the bridge a young man in his 30’s goes by.  Then he returns and stops.  “Would you like me to push your bike up the bridge?” he asks.  Remember this is New York City.  And this is a New Yorker, in fact, from Brooklyn, Bernadette tells me.

 Our New Yorker pushes Bernadette’s bike along with his own up to the top of the bridge. 

 When I was a Jesuit we were educated in a concept, cura personalis, which is Latin for personal care.  Advertising has made this term into a expression of narcissism, meaning my personal care.  In the Jesuits it was meant as a term for others, personal care of my brother & sister & my neighbor. 

 I would propose that this is a particular attribute of women, caring for others, which is what we celebrate today, Mother’s Day.  It is not limited to women, however.  This young man exemplified personal care.  In Luke’s story about the two guys on the road to Emmaus, who  is showing personal care?  Jesus.

 Today we honor the personal care of mothers.  We all, however, male or female, adult or kid, we all are called to personally care for our people.

 When was the last time you personally cared for yours?

 Thanks, Bernadette, for letting me tell your story.

 Picture 1:   Mass begins

 Picture 2:   Cameron & Nikki with their grandparents, Mary & Frank Esparza

 Picture 3:   Cora

 Picture 4:   Liam up, for the moment

 Picture 5:   Liam down & totally at home

 Picture 6:   Liam & Cora with their parent, Megan & Dave plus Megan's parents Rob & Beth

A short note to let you know that Ken Cramer passed, today Sunday, April 3rd.  Please keep Cindy and the family in your prayers.

Isaiah 43:  … for I put water in the desert and rivers in the wasteland for my chosen people to drink.

Philippians 3:   … I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God's upward calling, in Christ Jesus.

John 8:  Then Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you.  Go, and from now on do not sin any more."

Thanks…Music,    Ben & Shonda

Readers,  Carrie & Paul

Gospel,     John Cade

Homily,  John Stack

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,      Mike & Hue & Richard

Final Blessing, Rosemary

It was wonderful to see you, Leo

Readings: Download 04-03-22 – Readings – 5th Lent

Homily:  

Hue keeping the Zoom working well

Remember these special people:

For John Stack having a hard time right now with a bad back;  For Sandra who has been diagnosed with Large B Cell Lymphoma;   For Rosemary's brother-in-law, Joe who is having a procedure on March 14th;  For Richard's grand daughter, Madeleine;    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 and for a friend Cadence still suffering from a serious medical condition;   For Sir Charlie & Jan;  All of Shonda's dear family;

Richard telling us about the Love For Kids picnic coming up

Jackie's mom, sister, & friend, Lynn;  For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg.; For Meredith, cancer free & John Schanot;    For John O'Donnell & Jean;   For Jean & Cliff Wright;  For Dee, and for her daughters, Lisa & Lauren;     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 baby boy named Ford recuperating from an operation & friends, Annie, a mom of 3 kids and Michael ;    for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

    Sharing greetings with each other   

Birthdays:   Jean O'Donnell 4/5

Anniversaries:   

Community Finances:   

Expenses: $  475.00

Outreach: $  60.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

Communion

Rosemary's Blessing:  

Oh God who made me absolutely unique,

Help me to value more the Person You made Me to be.

And protect me from comparisons and envy and discouragement over what I am not.

Andrew Greeley,  Irish American Blessings  

Acts of the Apostles 1:  When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.

Ephesians 1:  And he put all things beneath his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

Matthew 28:  All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, ….

John Stack Ministries now meets at:  The ArtCentre of Plano, 902 E. 16th St, Plano