Homilies

Sunday Homily June 16, 2013, 11th Ordinary Time C

ByRosemary June 16, 2013

Buddies, Zoe and Emma arriving.

Readings:

2 Samuel 12, 1-14, The verses of this reading are expanded because of the excellence of the story, King David and Bathsheba.

Psalm 32, Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.

Galatians 2, 16-21, If justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

Luke 7, 36-8, 3, She stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Another beautiful reading.

14 seconds over Little Axe, OK, outside Norman, tore this car apart. Little Axe was hit the day before Moore, a middle class suburb of OK City.

Relief Work
in OK City

This morning I would like to talk with you about the trip I made to OK
City a week ago. Three aspects, the time
and the geography of the tornadoes, gratitude, and the three teams.

You might not know it, but three tornadoes hit the area. The third and second were E5’s, the kind with
winds over 250 miles per hour. The third
was also the tornado with the diameter of about 2 & a half miles. 20 people were killed, including the 3
professional tornado watchers, but it mostly roamed the countryside, not living
areas.

Maybe unrecognizable, a pick up, upside down, door and window gone, trailer on top, OU lawn chair I set up.

The middle tornado was the Moore tornado, Moore being a suburb of OK
City. You drive north on I-35. On the right you see devastation—of houses
like in Plano or Richardson. On the left
you see devastation–of a large strip shopping complex like Collin Creek
Mall.

Where is the little boy who practiced hoops on this basket? Little Axe, where the first of the 3 big tornadoes hit, is rural and comparatively poor with unpaved, dirt roads. This debris has been bulldozed to the edge of the road, where it will be picked up.

The first tornado, a day or two before Moore, hit Little Axe, a small
village of maybe 50 houses. 35 were
destroyed. I would conjecture the
majority of the residences were portables, trailer homes. This tornado spent 14 seconds on the ground
and you will see the result.

Many of the 50 or so homes in Little Axe were trailer homes which were mounted on these I beams. The wind twisted the beams like spaghetti. These were long trailer homes with beautiful scenery around them.

We were sent to Little Axe because it had been neglected and forgotten
after Moore. Moore was urban and middle
class. Little Axe was rural and
relatively poor. The roads were not paved,
just gravel and dirt. Moore sucked up
all the press coverage and attention. We
were sent to redress this neglect.

Debris piles being removed. 35 houses were swept away.

Secondly, the gratitude. The
first thing I noticed, after the shock of seeing Moore from I-35 as I drove
north, was the gratitude of people. We
wore our Bona Responds brown T shirts as we visited stores like Home
Depot. Customers and staff all thanked
us for coming to help out. At the Stihl
outlet where we went to buy chain saw parts, the staff comes out with Stihl T
shirts for all of us. Jim gave them Bona
Responds T shirts. It was humbling. See the two types of T shirts.

Bona Responds team. Besides Jim and Jerry, two professors from St. Bonaventure, an OU chemistry professor and graduate of St. B. joined us with his daughter, Rose.

Thirdly, the teams. Obviously, we
were the team from St. Bonaventure, the Catholic university. Besides Jim, who is a finance professor,
there was Jerry, a chemistry professor.

The second team was Israeli. The
first morning I’m standing outside our barracks style quarters at this generic
church. I hear these kids talking a language
I don’t recognize. I look more closely
at them and see the obvious Israeli blue & white flag on their white T
shirts. I ask them who they are and what
are they doing. They say they have come
from Israel to help. I am stunned.

Less than half of the Israeli team. These kids actually flew in to work relief in OK. They were living with us in the same complex of barracks. I heard them speaking a language I did not know one morning and asked, "Who are you guys?" The shirts have the Israeli flag.

A footnote on these kids. When I
am driving to our site in Little Axe later that morning, the two girls in my
Prius see the Israeli kids and are all excited because they had worked together
at another site. Guess where: New York
after Sandy. They were like old friends
meeting.

The third group was a group of, get this, Muslim kids. Marvelous young people. Acting and looking just like us except they
were dark, the guys I talked with said they were from St. Louis.

The Israeli trailer of equipment. It says "Jewish Response to Disaster." Our kids had worked with the Israeli kids in NY after Sandy. They were old friends.

Both the Muslim and the Israeli groups obviously have organizations behind them on the ground in the U.S.
They both had more equipment than we.
Like, the Muslims had a generator with which they ran a saw that cut I
beams.

In fact, during the afternoon I worked a lot with the Muslims. They were cutting up I beams and I and some
others were carrying 6-9 foot sections up out of a valley to the edge of the
road where we had 3 piles, metal, wood, and trash.

While the Israelis were a delightful surprise for me, the biggest surprise came with the 3rd team, "Muslims for Humanity," as it says on the truck door. Meet Dwight, with whom I worked sawing the I beams into 9 foot sections so they could be taken over to the metals pile on the edge of the road. Humbling to work with these kids.

At one point I trip over some debris on the ground and fall. Fortunately for sports in my early years I
learned how to fall. Not hurt at all,
just rolling into ground. Guess who the
first person to reach out to me was: not one of those Catholic kids, not even
an Israeli, a Muslim. The others were not near anyway. They did not even know I fell. Check the pictures of
the teams and equipment.

This open area once was a home. In the background is a tornado shelter. 13 people and a dog saved their lives a second or two before the tornado swept down on them by jumping into this shelter. Imagine opening the door of the shelter and looking where your house once stood.

I told you all how proud I am to be part of you, of this little community
which is so generous and makes such a positive difference. You
people not only helped the people of Little Axe, but you helped these kids from
St. Bonaventure have a marvelous ecumenical and international experience.

Thanks.

Homilies

Sunday Homily, June 19, 2016, 12th Sunday Ordinary Time
ByRosemary June 19, 2016

Welcome to our marvelous community, Clare & Joe, from Hilton Head. Clare is Rosemary's sister (but not her twin sister).

Readings:

Zechariah   12, 10-11, 13, 1, I pour out on the house of David a spirit of grace.

Psalm 63,  My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

Galatians 3, 26-29, Through faith you are all children of God

Luke 9, 18-24, If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily.

Genevieve, too, not to be outdone in hospitality, says, "Hi, Joe & Clare. Welcome. And Welcome, Everybody."

Zecheria observations :

Who:
one of the 12 minor prophets.  Why? Small work. Only 14 little chapters. Vs the Big 3, who have chapters numbering into the 60’s. Zecharia is really the author of this work.

Time:
post Babylonian Captivity, therefore, after 555 before Christ. How do we know? Reference is made to Darius, the king of the Persians.

Content:
part 1 involves visions about the restoration of Jerusalem. Part 2, our part, talks about future prosperity. Maybe a slightly forgetable book. I have not one line highlighted in my bible.

Sources: Good News Bible, Wikipedia

Kevin, also, says, "Welcome in, Joe & Clare, and Welcome, Everybody?

Deny Myself and Take up a Cross Daily

This morning I would like to talk about this notion of taking up my cross daily. Every time I hear this it creeps me out. It is so depressing and gloomy. I have known people who have followed this scrupulously and they were not happy. In fact, I could describe them as psychologically infirm.

I think there was some of this in my original decision to enter the Jesuits to be a priest in 1958.

Our Professional Candle Lighter of The Week, Brandon.

Certainly in those early years of Jesuit training, we practiced this. We took up the cross daily. We lived in silence most of the time, worked hard on the beautiful Jesuit farm at Grand Coteau, and we never went back to our original homes, even for Christmas or weddings.   A really regimented monastic life, up at 5:00, lights out at 10:00, every day, month after month, year after year.

Times have certainly changed since Vatican II and I have obviously changed. I think there is a healthy way to understand taking up one's cross. I have three positive comments.

Buddy, Is that a little mouse admiring you?

First, it can be a invitation or a challenge to self-improvement. I see a lot of this every morning I go to work out at the Jewish Community Center. These people are healthy and not depressed.

Secondly, the self-improvement involves obvious things, like the big three:

          Healthy eating, that is, watch out for salt, sugar, and fat or butter, the major seducer ingredients of fast food places, like McDonald’s.

Hannah, who is that loving up on you?

          Exercise, that is, keep moving. 2 a days are coming for high school football players. You want to see self discipline? 27 days from now I will join 15 thousand other wakos to ride across Iowa in a week, about 500 miles. I’m exercising, getting in shape.

I know a couple here who will remain nameless, who when the husband was discovered to have the beginning of Diabetes 2, he decided to eat healthy and exercise. He did it, lost a good bit of extra weight, and controlled his diagnosis. Following his example, his wife joined him and she, too, lost weight and got into shape.

Folks, that seems to be Victoria who loves Hannah.

          Thirdly, taking breaks, days off, vacation periods. A day off a week
or 3 once a month. Contemplate and reflect during the breaks. Contemplate what? My blessings & gifts & joys. Number one, number two, and on.

The final comment, the goal of all this discipline & self-improvement? Be fully alive. This is what it means to take up a cross in a healthy way.

Where are you being invited by God to become more fully alive?

Sez Genevieve, "Is it not my turn to play that guitar?"

Read More Sunday Homily, June 19, 2016, 12th Sunday Ordinary Time
Homilies

Sunday Homily 10-17-10, 29th Ordinary Time
ByRosemary October 17, 2010

Readings: Exodus 17, 8-13; Psalm 121, Our help is from the Lord, who made Heaven & Earth; 2 Timothy 3, 14-4, 2; Luke 18, 1-8

Exodus

Author: Not Moses. 3 sources identified by literary style, points of view, use of Yahweh or Elohim.

Date: the sources have different possible dates, but 700 & 800 BCE seem to have some foundation. The Egyptian period itself is thought to be ca. 1250 BCE, during the time of Rameses II.

Subject: Moses leads the Jewish people out of slavery in Egypt. Remember how they got there? The story of Isaac & his 12 sons, his youngest sold to camel drivers by the brothers, etc.

Our Selection: scene, the desert; the event, the Amalekites attack the Jews. Yahweh orders Joshua to mow them down with Moses’ supporting him with arms outstretched in blessing. Not much connection with the Gospel.

Sources: New Interpreter’s Bibl;, Good News Bibl;, Wikipedia; St. Louis U. Liturgy & Reginald Fuller.

Why do You Pray?

There is a subdivision in North Dallas called Northwood Hills. You go north from LBJ up Hillcrest to Belt Line and the subdivision is on both sides of Hillcrest.

A few years before I departed the Jesuits some residents of Northwood Hills approached me about planting trees in their neighborhood. I really did not want to go north of LBJ with my 800 gallon trailer. They persisted and bit by bit, after a trip or two hosted by 2 or 3 couples, I finally agreed.

We eventually planted ca. 400 trees along Hillcrest & Belt Line, in Fretz Park, and at a couple of elementary schools. I watered those trees as often as twice a week for 2-3 years. Ride by there now and the results are beautiful. I am delighted I did it.

Does this experience of mine and the parable of the gruff judge and the widow exemplify our relationship with God?   Who knows? Each of us has our relationship and our expectations of the relationship. For me, I have my doubts. Three observations, one like and two dislikes.

First, I like the lesson in asking for what we want, even from a judge at city hall. The father of my best buddy when I was a kid used to tell me, “John, you can’t fight city hall.” Maybe not, maybe so. But you can certainly ask for what you want—in this life.

Secondly, what I don’t like: the comparison of God with this grumpy judge who accedes to the widow’s request just so he won’t be bothered. I have a different, more benevolent image.

Thirdly, what I don’t like: a false expectation contained in the parable that I can wear down God by my persistence. I remember my mom’s 9 day novenas. Probably to save me from hell. Then I joined the Jesuits and left home and she probably told God that was not quite what she intended.

I find it helpful to make that infamous God distinction of mine, the macro-managing God and the micro-managing God. I don’t see God doing the latter.

If God is a micro-manager, I don’t get it at all. For every person apparently saved, how many thousands, millions have been lost, often with painful, agonizing deaths. Take for example the Holocaust. Did those people not beg Yahweh to be saved? The slaves beaten to death. Even here is Texas these days, the black men falsely accused and spending decades in prison until DNA proves their innocence. My friend Tony works with maybe a dozen of these guys at Holy Trinity.

So, why pray for people like we do? Our people. You know them.

My observation: I hope some cosmic kinetic energy flows out to make more gentle the life of the person I pray for. 2-3 praying together emanate hopefully more energy.

The Northwood Hills folks pestered me until I granted their request, a lesson for all of us in our daily lives. This may not be a model for our relationship with God.

Why do you pray? With what results?

Picture 1:  Leo welcoming the Community

Picture 2:  Leo's Mom & Dad, Shonda & Ray

Picture 3:  Anthony & his dad, John

Picture 4: The Coffee Shoppe, Bob & Judy

Read More Sunday Homily 10-17-10, 29th Ordinary Time
Homilies

Sunday Homily, July 13, 2014, 15th Ordinary Time, A
ByRosemary July 13, 2014

Readings:

Isaiah  55, 10-11, My word shall not return to me void.

Psalm 65,   The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.

Romans 8, 18-23, We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains.

Matthew  13, 1-23, A sower went out to sow.

Kevin says, "Welcome, Everybody, It is good to be back home.

Isaiah, The Great One, observations—

Who: One of the Big 3 prophets, the greatest in my estimation. Jeremiah and Ezekiel are the other two. Actually, the book includes the work of 3 prophets. Our selection is the last chapter written by Isaiah 2.

Time: Isaiah 2 was living during the Babylonian Captivity, ca. 555. Isaiah 1 writes before the Captivity, maybe 150 years. Isaiah 3 writes after the return to Jerusalem.

Georgie also says, "Hi, Everybody, It is fun to be home again."

Subject today: better times will come. I am expanding today’s passage, because it is so good.

Isaiah 2 has some of the most beautiful passages, many of which are seen as foretelling the coming of the Savior. His readings are used all through the Advent & Christmas readings, as well as in Lent. Handel uses Isaiah 2 in his marvelous work, The Messiah.

Both the Isaiah reading and Psalm 65 are beautiful.

And Zoe, Tori, and Buddy all say, "Hi, Folks, it is so fun to be back again."

And My Seed Landed Where?

This morning I would like to talk about how Jesus is said to describe how the farmer’s seed is scattered on four different types of ground, the path, the rocks, the thorns, and the fertile. Where did your seed fall? Where did my seed fall? I’m sure a lot of volunteers would be happy to let me know where my seed fell.

If you are a sinful gambler poker player you would look at this explanation and notice the bad odds, one out of four. I would propose, however, that we all landed on fertile soil. Let me offer some examples.

I’ve shared this example once before, so you might remember it, but probably not.

Cupcake of The Week to John on his birthday.

When I was a little kid about 5 years old, I was playing in the driveway of our house in University Park. There were no fences and the drive went from the street, through the space between our house and the neighbor’s, and to the back up against the alley.

The neighbor was Sam Berger, who owned a hat store in downtown Dallas. He was Jewish and lived next to us all during the Holocaust. I was oblivious to it all. He & his wife had a big black lady who not only worked in the house, but lived in the back in an apartment attached to the garage, the servant quarters. This black lady was not nice to me.

And a Cupcake of The Week to Beth on her birthday.

So this day as I am playing in the driveway, the lady steps out of the kitchen door & stands on the steps. Without thinking, I say, “You are a big fat elephant.”

To the lady’s credit, she marches right across the drive and tells my mom. My mom comes out of the house, drags me in, and spanks me. Thinking back, I am impressed that my mom respected the lady. The spanking, however, and her treatment of me confirmed my suspicions that my seed had fallen at least on the path or rocks, if not right on the thorns.   I definitely grew up with the belief that I was a bad kid.

And a Cupcake of The Week to Harper for her 3rd birthday about 3 weeks late.

Despite the fact that you folks might agree with that assessment, I would propose that I was just a normal little boy doing silly things.

This habit of doing silly, not bad things, can continue into adult years. I know a guy who gets on his bike and rides off for an hour leaving the driver’s door of his car wide upon.

I know a lady who last week let her Lincoln run out of gas in rush hour traffic. Her husband, a bit nettled, brought gas, but then could not start the car. It had to be towed.

Zoe seriously at work.

I know a dear friend who drove into her garage with a canoe strapped to the top of her car.

You do this stuff and you begin to believe the bad news, ‘I am a loser, I am bad, my seed obviously landed in the ditch.”

And then there are the malicious acts. You know where I come in on this. Kids hurt and abused grow up to hurt and abuse. They are not bad. They are damaged.

So, who landed on fertile soil? All of us. God don’t make bad seed.

So, what do you think about all this?

Emma and her pal say, "It is so nice to be here."

Read More Sunday Homily, July 13, 2014, 15th Ordinary Time, A
Homilies | Reminders

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 18, 2020
ByRosemary October 18, 2020

Readings:

Isaiah 45, 1, 4-6, I have called you by your name.

Psalm 96, Give the Lord glory & honor

Thessalonians 1, 1-5, We give thanks to God always for all of you.

Matthew 22, 15-21, Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.

Thanks to the Team

Music, Ben & Shonda's help

Readers, Sandra & Patricia & Buddy, the candle blesser

Gospel, Deacon Mike

Homily, Stack

Eucharistic Prayer A & B, Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers, Mike, Ben, Richard, & Hue

Final Blessing, Rosemary

For hosting us at Legacy, Becky

Isaiah observations:

Who : Can you guess which Isaiah this is in chapter 45? 1, 2, or 3? A little more difficult than the last two Sundays. This is Isaiah 2, going from chapter 40 to 55.

Today’s selection:  this is not Isaiah 2 at his best. I like the line, I have called you by your name.  Otherwise, the passage is mildly comforting to the people who are living in Babylonian slavery, around 555 before Christ.

Cyrus: So, who is Cyrus?

Cyrus the Great of Persia, modern Iran, built the first great empire, which extended as far as Athens in Greece.   He was a benevolent emperor of his people and the people he conquered, for instance, the Israelites.

Isaiah 2 is championing Cyrus because he hears of Cyrus coming and hopes Cyrus will defeat the Babylonians and set the Israelites free to return to Jerusalem. This is exactly what Cyrus does. Where is Babylon? Try 50 miles south of Baghdad on the Euphrates River. What is left? Rubble.

Note: Watch out for the alleluia verse just before the gospel. A good one.

e.g., Shine like lights to the world, as you hold on to the word of life.

Download Readings Week 29

Please Remember these special people:

For Alan Stryker; For John Doherty with back pain; For David Dismore's bad shoulder from a biking accident; 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; 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 & Ben & Leo & all of Shonda's dear family;

For 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 Hue; For John O'Donnell; 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, For the students, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

Homily for 10/20

I bet you don’t know what special anniversary Rosemary & I are celebrating this Tuesday, October 20. Yep, one year ago Tuesday we were visited by that massively destructive tornado.

Actually, I personally cannot tell you what the tornado was like. It hit at 10:00 P.M. Saturday and Aviana & I had already been sound asleep in bed for an hour.   What woke us up was an enormous crash. Rosemary came running in saying we needed to get into the hall closet.   We made it, but it was mostly over, leaving the front bay window on the south side of the house all blasted into the living room. A lot of roofing was also blown away.

Tulip Lane house after the tornado.

At that time Rosemary, still dressed, went out to check on some of our neighbors, especially two widows, one, Joyce, in her 90’s and Betty a little younger. Joyce would have been killed in her bed if she had also gone to bed as usual at 9:00.    The roof was blown down on her bed. Because her daughter was in town, they were up and they both got in a hall closet. It took a neighbor’s chain saw to get them out.

Betty was funny because she was getting ready for bed when the tornado hit and when she was pulled out of her collapsed house by neighbors, she said, “My pants are in there. I have to go back in.” She had no pants on.

To stay in this house for any time we had to fix the roof. We stayed until Sept. 1

Actually, on that corner of Tulip & Camellia 5 houses were totally ruined. One of the five had been a quasi mansion owned by the Dallas hockey player, Tyler Sagan. One couple moved into our den for the remainder of the night. I ran around the house putting buckets in place to catch the leaks, about 20 all together. TV broadcasts were taking place right in front of our house and police were everywhere. The couple who spent the night in our den are still in an apartment waiting to get their house rebuilt.

You have heard me talk already about how I was humbled and stunned at how many people from the neighborhood just showed up early in the morning.   They mainly pulled, dragged, and carried tree branches from around the face of the house to the curb for pick up. The yard was a battle scene with limbs from our beautiful trees lying everywhere. Doug LeBlanc showed up the first morning with plywood. He & his buddies boarded up the bay window. I was stunned, grateful, and humbled by how hard those people worked.

House belonging to the Dallas hockey player, Tyler Sagan.

And that was just the first day. There were still loads of clearing to be done. Kids from the neighborhood & St. Marks Boys School joined in and really worked. A day or so later a bunch of our community members showed up and helped to load trucks with debris. Loretta Garcia Williams fed us that day.

Even Central Market on our south east corner of Preston Royal joined in. They set up a mobile kitchen under a big tent and served breakfast, lunch, and dinner for four or five of days.

8 houses destroyed at the Tulip Lane & Camelia corner.

These were real meals. I can vouch for breakfast because some kids brought me a Central Market hot breakfast one morning.

We had known for years that our house on Tulip Lane was falling apart. Built in 1950, the piers were deteriorating and the walls and ceilings had cracks. You should have seen it after the tornado!   Which got us house hunting at full throttle.

And look at what we have. We have been blessed. It was worth waiting, though a number of days it all seemed to be going no where.

You can even see into the St. Mark's Boys School parking lot.

You know how Rosemary found this house? With the help our agent, a good friend, Rosemary mailed out 90 personal letters to home owners. One of them was our present house, which is a story by itself.

The one downer right now is our old house. I thought it would be bulldozed during this month we have been gone. I do not want to ride by and look at it. But just riding by on Royal Lane I can see it.   It looks forlorn and I have abandoned it and all the improvements I put into the place. All the trees that shaded and beautified that corner are gone. Tuesday, Rosemary & I will celebrate and give thanks. What has been your blessing?

Late addendum to this homily. Our old house has just been bulldozed. How do I feel? Both sad and relieved. Yes, blessed that it is finally done.

6107 Tulip Lane this past Friday.

Birthdays: Donna Dinsmore, Chuck Pratt, 82

Community Finances, October 18, 2020

Expenses: $450.00

Outreach $100.00 (often for Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)

Thanks, Folks, for doing what you can.

Rosemary's Blessing:

Loving God, give us

eyes that see the best in people;

words that repair and reconnect rifts and divisions;

courage to reshape the heart of the world; and

wisdom to “see things the way they are, not the way we are.”

We ask this in Jesus’ name who taught us the truth and the way.

Amen.

Sister Jean Amore, CSJ, Principal, Sacred Heart Academy, Hempstead, N.Y.

Just in case you missed our new address, 7017 Helsem Way 75230. (notice the same Zip Code as Tulip Lane?)

Read More 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 18, 2020
Homilies

Sunday Homily 3-14-10, Lent 4
ByRosemary March 14, 2010

Readings: Joshua 5, 9-12; Psalm 34, Taste and see the goodness of the Lord; 2 Corinthians 5, 17-21; Luke 15, 1-32

The Fourth Sunday in Lent – Reflection on the Readings

The first reading today is from the Book of Joshua. Just to put this book in the context of the Old Testament, it comes immediately after the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament. It is the account of how the Israelites took possession of the “Promised Land”. It would be similar I suppose to the landings of the early pilgrims and how we celebrate that event with Thanksgiving.



The book has been edited by the same folks who worked on the Pentateuch, namely those folks whom we know as J, E, P and D. Our reading today comes just before the famous battle to take Jericho. The Israelites are making their transition from being feed with Manna to harvesting food from the land. One continuing concern, which comes up time and again, is the influence of the Canaanites on the relationship of the Israelites with their God.

The Fourth Sunday in Lent – Homily

The gospel is a very familiar one. I know that we have traditionally looked at it from the point of view of forgiveness, but today I want to continue with the topic of selfishness and see how much of that is in this familiar story.

I have said this before, but it bears repeating. The entire might of Madison Avenue is focused on telling us that if we buy some product we will be happy, in other words the focus is on me doing something for me, when my experience is that when I shift that focus from me to you, only then am I truly happy! I want to repeat this, when I shift the focus of my attention from me to you, then I am truly happy.

Let’s take a look at the story. The younger son wants out of the place, wants his share of the inheritance and heads off to greener pastures! The money goes and before we know it he is feeding pigs. Remember the Jewish view of pigs, unclean. He could not have ended up in a worse state and he sure is feeling sorry for himself, so he makes up a plan. Focus is on himself and how to get out of the fix he is in. He rehearses his story and heads off home.

The older brother goes nuts when he finds out what happens. No joy that the brother is home, in fact he uses the phrase “your son” not “my brother” and throws in some additional details on how he believes his brother has been sinning. Then he gives the whole game away when he says “I have slaved all these years”, this is how he has viewed his life at home with dad. He is the “good boy” “I never once disobeyed your orders” Can you imagine how nice it must have been to have him around the house. His whole attitude was focused on how tough it was for him, and also thinking about the younger brother and what he must have been up to.



Certainly the focus has always been on the generosity of the father, but can you imagine how he must have felt. His youngest son leaves home and goes off to a foreign land, and they never hear from him again. The older son just sulks around the place and from the sound of him, was not fun to have around. No wonder the father spent his days looking for the younger son to return. No wonder he was happy to see him!

The story is told along with two other stories about things lost and found; the lost sheep and the lost coin. There is much rejoicing when each is found, as there is when the lost son returns home.

The Dutch priest Henri Nouwen wrote a wonderful little book on a painting of the prodigal son by Rembrandt in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg in Russia. In the book he buts himself in each of the characters places and reflects on what they saw and how they felt, including the servant. As a parent, it is easy for me to understand how the father reacted. But for the Pharisees and scribes, they were too bound by the rules. How would you react?



On the second reading from Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians we have that amazing phrase which Paul uses to say we are “ambassadors for Christ”. Remember that an ambassador represents the one who has sent them. Christ’s focus was always on the underprivileged, the poor and the outcasts of society.

Picture 1: The Mass begins at Wilson Middle School

Picture 2: Bob & John, Marilyn and her guest from Germany, Richard

Picture 3: The patio at Wilson with Loretta & Gayle

Picture 4: The Donut Shoppe, Rosemary & Ray

Read More Sunday Homily 3-14-10, Lent 4
Homilies

Sunday Homily, August 23, 21st Ordinary Time
ByRosemary August 23, 2015

Readings:

Joshua 24, 1-2, 15-18, Far be it from us to forsake the Lord.

Psalm 34,    Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Ephesians 5, 21-32,   Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.

John 6, 60-69, There are some of you who do not believe.

"Good Morning, Dear Vivian, and welcome to your community that loves you." Vivian makes her debut.

Joshua:

Who is Joshua and what is this booklet about: Joshua was Moses' assistant, his lieutenant when the the Israelites wandered in the desert. The booklet is the story of the Israelite invasion of Canaan under Joshua's leadership.

Author: somewhat amusingly, the fundamentalists say that Joshua wrote most of the booklet. More scientific scholars say the work is a compilation of a number of sources.

Genevieve says, "Welcome, Everybody, Nice to be seeing you all.

Date of composition: again fundamentalists state that the booklet was composed 1400-1370, i.e., while Joshua lived. Scholars of a broader vision suggest that even if a Joshua existed the work was put together 800-700 BCE.

The work combines a number of traditions about battles & destruction of cities to create a nationalistic narrative that justifies the Israelites' taking another peoples' land for their own.

Ethical Question: genocide. This is a bloody book. Yahweh commands that the Israelites exterminate every breathing thing, including women & children & livestock.

Sienna, too, says, "Hi, Folks, it is fun to be back and see you."

The battle of Jericho is characteristic. For 6 days the Israelites marched around the city, blowing horns and menacing the people. On day 7 they marched around 7 times and the walls came tumbling down, as in the spiritual. Then every person except one woman & her family were slaughtered. Lots of debate and rationalization over these events.

Our Selection: The last chapter of the booklet. Joshua, who is dying, calls the people together at a place called Sechem and puts it to them. Stick with Yahweh who has done all these things for you (which are mentioned in the text but are long & tedious) or choose another path of your own.

Sources: Good News Bible, Got Questions.org, Wikipedia

Brooklyn says, "This is super, I'm not the youngest around here anymore. Where are those two little girls?"

Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord

Sounds good to me, Folks.   However, when I bring this up to Rosemary, what do I get? “Want to start sleeping in the back yard dog kennel tonight? Even my mom was not impressed with this little statement of Paul. Just ask my poor dad.

And guess what: I married my mom. So much for the joy of being a married priest.

"Anybody planning a race over here?" "No thank you. We would rather sleep while that old geezer goes on talking."

Some years ago while I was waiting in a line to ride the roller coaster at 6 Flags I overheard a husband telling his wife to obey him because of this passage, he was the head of the house and the Bible says it. I almost dropped my teeth.

The family, mom, dad, and two young girls were trying to decide something. Finally, even the wife says to the girls that they have to obey the man. He is the head.

So, how do we handle this, especially when we are repelled by the idea?

Teamwork. Vivian's mommy, Bethany taking care of Genevieve. Does it get any more beautiful?

Perspective! Traditionally there are three types of family relationships. This is fairly simple.

    1. Matriarchal: the woman/wife is the head of the family. Culturally this has been established occasionally and in some places.

    2. Patriarchal: the husband is the head.

    3. Equality: both are partners, husband and wife.

Brandon, the Ace Candle Lighter with his mom, Mary.

Paul's place: guess which paradigm Paul comes from? Paul lives in a culture which considered women & children little more than domestic animals. In Tanzania I found the same paradigm among the ordinary people. This paradigm has been followed more probably because men are physically stronger and don’t hesitate to maintain control with physical violence.

Even though today Paul can sound wako & chauvanistic, what he says about husbands loving their wives as they love their own bodies, this was pretty radical.

Cupcake of The Week Time: Payton and The Girls.

Today: all three of the paradigms are valid. Among most educated people, however, equality between husband & wife, men & women is the more healthy.    Besides, as we know, women just won’t let us guys get away with it.

Certainly with education for both men and women, there is equality. And just this week, two women passed the Army Ranger training program.

"Zoe, You look even prettier without those teeth."

So, again, beware of taking the Bible literally. Check our blog from last Thursday to find some other interesting biblical statements.   Like beating your kids.

What paradigm do you prefer???

And keeping us all together, Mary, Bethany, and Ray.

Read More Sunday Homily, August 23, 21st Ordinary Time

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