Readings:
Deuternomy 26, 4-10, He brought us out of Egypt.
Psalm 91, Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
Romans 10, 8-13, The same Lord is Lord of all.
Luke 4, 1-13, Jesus was led into the desert for 40 days.
Deuteronomy
The scene: The Israelites have escaped from Egypt and have been wandering in the desert for years. They are just about to enter The Land. They are assembled. Moses is addressing them and reminding them of all Yahweh has done for them over the years of wandering.
In our chapter he is telling them that when they have settled in their new land, where he will not accompany them, they must take a basket full of a portion of their first harvest, present it to the rabbi, and offer it as a sacrifice of thanksgiving.
Who & When: Though about Moses, Deuteronomy is a compilation of numerous sources. Guess when: post Babylonian Captivity, say 555. Easy to remember.
Emma arrives.
Romans
Paul writes to the Romans that all people, Gentiles as well as Jews, are invited to be part of the Christ event.
Andrew and Danny arriving with Sir Charlie.
Beware of Great Expectations: observations on a new pope
I must confess that Monday morning when I first heard of Benedict’s retirement, I was excited. “We might get a new man who is progressive and less authoritarian,” I thought. With a little reflection I have two observations I would like to share with you from my perspective and experience. Both fall under the Beware of Great Expectations heading.
- Beware of expecting a progressive pope. The college of cardinals has been carefully screened to include only very conservative, corporate, follow the leader type men. They will likely vote their kindred.
- Beware of the idea that a 3rd world man would be great. Two Africans are mentioned, one I know, Cardinal Arinze from Nigeria. I attended his "coronation" in ’76 or ’77.
One observation about him and many Africans is that in being converted they really bought into traditional Catholicism. I knew a Tanzanian bishop who prohibited drums at liturgies because he thought they were pagan.
Moreover, the custom of the African tribe demands that a big man make a big impression, not the idea of being a servant or last.
Leo ready to dance. Check the video.
Have a Happy Lent?
Looking forward to Lent this year? I confess that I was not. Maybe it has come too quickly after Christmas this year. However, I know I mildly dreaded it until. Until we had our Ash Wednesday Mass at Marlene’s house. Something happened there, some grace of being at home. I felt peaceful about it all.
Ryan arriving with his dad, Jim.
So what are we going to do about this Lent? Three observations.
- As a community you all will be invited on several occasions. We will have a food drive next Sunday and a general pick up by Soul’s Harbor’s truck another Sunday. One Sunday we will have one of our penitential rites, probably the Sunday just before Palm Sunday.
Georgie ready to suit up.
2. I am going to invite you most Sundays to have a happy Lent. It is Spring Training time. Instead of focusing on the negativity and the bad, focus on getting back in shape, from taking a daily walk to riding your bike around The Lake, White Rock. Pass out compliments, like I mentioned last week.
Zoe arriving with her brother and mom, Buddy and Michelle.
3. I am also going to kick off a special project. For years before I moved out of Jesuit I had a men’s group in the evening maybe two Tuesday a month. It was both fun and profound. I did not have furniture enough for all who came. So I would take all the furniture out and I lay cushions all along the walls of the small office I had. Everybody sat on the floor.
Our candidate for pope, Bernadette, wondering where all the kids went.
I want to start a new group, a lunch group. All you guys here are invited. Tentatively, it will be Fridays, 1:00, Jason’s Deli here at Collin Creek Mall on Central. It won’t be every week usually, mostly when I can come. I’ll send out a note to everyone. 2 guys, 20 guys, who knows?
Mike, Jerry, Shirley, and Maureen.
Why am I doing this now? Good Lenten Penance! Lenten penance with Stack. Get you to heaven quicker. Actually, it is because I miss you guys. I may see everybody Sundays, but I don’t get to find out how it is going. It will be great fun.
You women can rejoice that the old guy is out of the house for a while each week.
So, what are you going to do to have a happy Lent?
Rosemary reading her blessing.