Sunday Homily 12-9-12, 2nd Advent C

Readings:  Proverbs 31, 10-31, When one finds a worthy wife…; Psalm 128, Blessed are those who fear the Lord; 1 Thessalonians 5, 1-6, You are not in darkness; Matthew 25, 14-30, The parable of the talents.

Proverbs:

Author: Not Solomon, the wise king, but, as usual, a compilation of sources.

Date of Composition: ca. 300 B.C.  It is recognized from the text that it is post exile, that is, after the Babylonian Exile, around 600 to 550 before Christ. 

Content: a collection of moral & religious teachings which  mostly deal with practical matters.   We have some of this folk wisdom, like the saying, 'early to bed, early to rise makes a person healthy, wealthy, and wise.   Let me give you six examples:

    1.  (Chapter 1, verse 7),  'Pay attention to what your father & mother tell you, my son.'

    2.  (13, 24),  'If you don't punish your son, you don't love him.'

    3.  (22, 15),  'Children naturally do silly things, but a good beating will teach them.'

    4.  (17, 22),  'Being cheerful keeps you healthy.'

    5.  (18, 6),  'When some fool starts an argument, he is asking for a beating.'

    6.  (25, 24), guys' favorite,  'Better to live on the roof than share the house with a nagging wife.'

Today's Selection: This chapter 31 is the last and most beautiful chapter.  A tribute to wives.  The editors of the lectionary have broken the piece up, but I have printed off the whole section.  Very nice. 

Notice anything especially obvious about the proverbs, even from the few I chose?  What do you think?  Written by men for men?

1Thessalonians

We have read this work for a bunch of Sundays.  You might remember one thing about it.  It is the first written document in the New Testament.

Sources: The New Interpreter's Study Bible, The Good News Bible.

The Parable of the Talents

I have to talk about something this morning.  I would call it a Thanksgiving event, an event that makes a difference.  Was yesterday not beautiful?  Even more beautiful was what about 20 members of our little community did at the house of Rita Dore. 

I am sorry the rest of you did not make it, but you can be proud of your community members, as I am. 

 We started about 8:00.  We had to scrape & paint three large walls and touch up the front wall, which Frank Reyes, a buddy of his, and I had painted in the summer.  There must have been twelve people scraping for two hours.  This is the painful part of a painting project.  By 10:30 we were rolling and painting vertical cracks.  By 12:30 we were 99% finished, and Jenny, Melissa, and Diane brought the pizza.  

Beth took off the handle & lock of the front door and painted it gloss white.  Jim McCabe & Ryan rigged up a block & tackle arrangement from a tree to each of the dead holly bushes and pulled them out one by one.  We even were able to buy and plant 8 Texas Sage bushes along the front of the house where the holly had been.  More drought tolerant.

Folks, later after everyone had left & I had finished cleaning up, Rita said she was overwhelmed with joy. 

I talk about this event because we are less than two weeks from Thanksgiving and because the event leads into the Parable of the Talents.  This is a crazy parable and commentaries by academics are not too helpful. One Jesuit at St. Louis U. mentioned, “Okay, what is the moral?”  I would like to touch upon 3 morals to the parable. 

The first moral.  Fr. John Foley, S.J. says the moral of the parable is obvious, ‘Make the most of what you got.  On the positive side, the moral can be a positive influence in my life.  On the negative side, it might influence me to take too many risks, like with drugs, like with motorcycles, like with money.  The first two servants are lucky they did not invest their talents with Bernie Madoff. 

The second moral.  You fear, you lose.  Observation: it is okay to be afraid.  It is a normal feeling.  It may lead to prudence, which is what the third servant may be praised for.  Or it may lead to paralysis if I let it run loose.  

The third moral.  Watch out for that mean God.  The property owner is obviously a symbol for God or Christ.  What about Matthew?  Could he have been criticizing the religious authorities, who were afraid of anything new, in this case, Jesus & his message? 

Ultimately, I would propose that the symbol for God is over drawn.  It goes contrary to where we are today with our image of God, namely, my favorite line,”He is gracious and merciful; he never gets angry and is abounding in love.” 

Renovating Rita’s house was a Thanksgiving event where a lot of talents were put to good use.  How are you sensitizing yourself and preparing for Thanksgiving? 

Sources: Fr. John Foley, S.J., St. Louis U. Liturgies.

Picture 1:    Mass Begins

Picture 2:    Chloe

Picture 3:    Cole

Picture 4:    Ryan helping scrape Rita's house with his dad, Jim

Picture 5:    Rob & Mike on Rita's house

Picture 6:    Bill Hammond replacing the dead hollies with Texas Sage, which are more drought resistant   

 Readings:  

Acts 4, 8-12, In his name this man stands before you healed;

Psalm 118, The stone rejected by the builders has become the corner stone;

1 John 3, 1-2, See what love the Father has bestowed on us;

John 10, 11-18, I am the good shepherd.

Ryan lighting the Easter Candle

 Acts:  A review–

Date: ca. 70-100 A.D.

Author: Luke, who wrote both the Gospel and Acts

Setting:  Just like the last 2 Sundays, Peter & John have just healed a lame man outside of the temple gate.  The people rush to question them.  They say it happened because of God's power and that Jesus was raised from the dead.  The high priests hear about this and have them arrested.  After telling them to stop saying Jesus was raised from the dead, the two are released.

Our Selection: last week we read Peter's discourse to the local believers in a room.  The week before we read about the quality of life of the local believers, communal.  Today's account is Peter talking to the high priests and elders of the high court.  They are on trial.

Leo with John

John:

Date of Gospel: A.D. 85-95

Author: scholars have doubts that the Apostle John is the writer of the 3 works attributed to John, the Gospel, 3 letters, & Revelation.  Doubts exist even that one writer composed all the works.

CC with her sister & grandmother

Who is my Shepherd?

This morning I want to talk with you about being a shepherd.  In some ways this is easy to talk about.  I have numerous shepherds who guided me through life.  On the other hand, who was most significant, whom do I leave out?  I have four little vignettes. 

First, Charles Colson.   I do not know this man personally.  He died at 80 a week ago Saturday.  I read about him in an editorial in the Dallas Morning News, Tuesday, April 24. 

CC's sister Kayla

Colson had two lives.  His fame comes from his first life.  He was Nixon’s top political consultant and he was convicted and sent to prison for his role in the Watergate scandal, around ’72-’74, the year Nixon resigned.  In this life he was a win at all cost political advisor.  He once said that he would walk over his grandmother to get Nixon elected. 

It was in his second life of 35 years that Colson became a shepherd.  After his conviction he apparently experienced a conversion.  He went to prison, spent almost a year there, became attached to his fellow prisoners, and never left them.   

Bethany & Ray

In ’76 he founded Prison Fellowship.  The Fellowship set up in prison job training, provided support for prisoners & their families, helped rehabilitate prisoners coming out, and tried to change laws that treated violent & non-violent offenders with the same severity. 

Every Easter Colson spent with inmates in prison, which he called the darkest place in American life.  Colson became a shepherd for prisoners & their families.

Anniversary Party Scene

Which leads me to my second shepherd.  You know him.  My friend & companion since grade school at Christ the King, Eddie.  He has talked here twice about AA.  A week ago Friday evening we were having our usual get together, the 5 of us guys from high school, plus wives.

Eddie mentioned in passing that for 19 years every Wednesday evening he has run an AA program for prisoners in one of the downtown jails.  With fondness he talked about how good & intelligent these men were.

The Pole Barn or Party Barn

Which leads to my third shepherd.  Tomorrow morning I have been invited to Jesuit to help host a fellow classmate from our ’58 graduating class, Charlie Edmond.  Charlie was the first black student to enter a white high school in Dallas.  The year, 1955, the year after the Supreme Court decision.  In my sophomore class Charlie sat in the seat right in front of me. 

The shepherds were the Jesuits. 

Finally, I cannot close without mentioning the parents I had the privilege to meet at the Love for Kids picnic the last Saturday of March.  The care & tenderness showed by these parents to their handicapped children humbled me and touched me to tears. 

Two individuals, some teachers, and some parents, all different types of good shepherds.

Joan & Jerry, Our Trophy Couple at 55 Years

Who were, who are the Shepherds in your life?

For whom are you a shepherd?

Source: Dallas Morning News, April 24, 2012

Video: Jan & Sir Charles renew vows at 50 years. (1 min.)

Says Emma, "Welcome in, Everybody." 

Readings:  

 Genesis 11, 1-9     The whole world spoke the same language.

Psalm 104,   Lord, send down your spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

 Romans 8, 11-16,   The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness.

 John 7, 37-39,   Let anyone who thirsts come to me.

And from Jan, our communion hostess, "Bread and Grape Juice?"

Seven weeks ago on the Sabbath, the day before Easter, Judaism celebrated their feast of Passover.  Recall how the Israelites were set free from being slaves in Egypt when the angel of death had passed over their homes marked by the blood from their lambs. Seven weeks ago on Easter, the Passover feast of Judaism was fullfilled by the Lamb of God who set us free from sin and death.  

Yesterday, Judaism celebrated their feast of Pentecost when the Israelites pledged themselves to live the Ten Commandments of the Law.  Today, we fulfill the Jewish Pentecost celebration by pledging, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to welcome and live the the Good News of Jesus Christ.

And from Tori & Zoe, "Welcome to our play station."

Those who welcome and live the Good News are likened to the man who builds his house on rock.  We do not store up our treasures on earth; rather we seek to bring dignity to the poor, the sick, the hungry, the stranger, and those in prison.

We are called to be Jesus of Nazareth throughout the Good News, therefore we speak in his name.  We have the responsibility to treat each person with goodness and kindness; tenderness and compassion.

Candle lighting time with Emma lighting the candle and Georgie reading the blessing of the candles.

It is important that we witness the oneness of our faith in the Good News, to our children and grand children.  There are those among us who have the responsibility for watching over their grandchildren.  Vacation Bible School can be your best friend during the the coming summer months.  Sign them up early, get in a car pool, and have them attend with their friends.  Remember, we are one in Christ!

Encourage these children to carry their Bible, or Bible story book, when they come with you to Mass; enjoy watching them tap their feet when we sing together our stories of God’s love for us and our love for others.   

Hi, Rookie, great to see you and your grandmother, Carrie.

When you are ready to give a Bible or Bible story book to a child or grandchild make sure that it is age appropriate and that it contains some of the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Wrap it with love. Mark your favorite verses for them to get to know you better. Make that day a celebration that the child will not forget. 

Ben working the solo shift.  It's Summer Vacation time.

Readings:

Isaiah 60, 1-6,  Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem.  Your light has come.  (Nice reading)

 Psalm 72,    Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

Ephesians 3, 2-3, 5-6,  The Gentiles are coheirs & members of the same body.

Luke 1, 26-28,   When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, magi from the east arrived.

Georgie says, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome into the New Year."

Isaiah 60:  observations–

1.   Who:  Can you guess which Isaiah this is, 1, 2, or 3?  Yes, this is Isaiah III who seems to have lived after the Babylonian Captivity, that is, 555 Before Christ

2.  Today’s passage: chapter 60 is addressed to Jerusalem as a symbol, which is in total destruction.    Isaiah  is trying to lift the spirits of the people who are depressed at seeing the mess that is Jerusalem.   He is saying that your day is coming, Jerusalem, when you will return to being the most splendid city of all, and by extension, the tribe.

Isaiah 3 should get a commission from the Jerusalem chamber of commerce.  

Hannah, Zoe, and Emma, also, say, "Happy New Year."

The Epiphany, a Cornucopia of Symbols:

2 observations & 2 postscripts–

Where to begin, folks.  There is so much symbolism in this liturgy, in Matthew, for sure, and in the combination of Matthew with Isaiah and Psalm 72.  I'll touch 2 points, each with 3 subdivisions.. 

The Picture of Delight, Leo with a Cupcake of The Week.

1.  The Wise Men have a double & triple significance because they are

a. Gentiles

b. They come from the east, considered the source of wisdom in the world of that time.  Where does the sun rise?  Where do stars rise?  A new son has been born and like the sun in the east or a star he will bring new light. 

c. They are searchers & symbolize every person’s search for meaning in life.    Remember Matthew speaks to two audiences, his fellow Israelites, whom he is chastising for not searching, and the Gentiles. 

Jan with another Cupcake of The Week.

2.  The 3 gifts. 

 a.  Gold is given because it signifies royalty. 

 b.  Frankincense, or incense, signifies divinity. 

 c.  Myrra signifies medicine.  Myrra is for human health.  It comes from a bush like tree that has a yellow, sticky sap on its bark.  The sap was good for skin infections and acne, asthma, colds, and flu, and even herpes.  It is found in Saudi Arabia & Somalia.

 A post script.  People in Europe used to write an inscription over their doors, e.g. 20+C+M+B+10.  The numbers are our year.  The letters are Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar.   Christians made it say, “Christ Bless our house or Maison the year listed.

Richard and Carol, celebrating their 40th, receive two Power Bars of The Week, because they got more sense than to eat cupcakes and keep themselves in great shape.

Another post script.  In New Orleans Epiphany starts Carnival season, which leads up to Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.  The parades are starting, folks.

 Sources: Reginal Fuller, St. Louis U. Liturgy; Biblical & Theological Resources, the Voice Institute, on line; Wikipedia; and other sources.

And Tom, too, who receives a Power Bar of The Week for his birthday and because he is our official Marathon Maniac.

The Epiphanies around Us

A while back Rosemary & I went to the exposition of some paintings of about six or eight artists. Among the artists and the reason we were there was a childhood buddy, who after a career as a lawyer now does oil paintings.  And he sells them for mucho. 

 As we were wandering around we ran into another couple who are old friends.  We asked what brought them to this exposition.  They pointed across the room to a middle aged, middle class, blondish woman who was standing by some of her works.

Offertory with John & Karen, Judy and Dick.

 Here is the story the wife told me.

 The couple we know are both academics on the university level.  Some years ago the wife had been teaching and came to know one of her students.  The student was a mother with a son about 8 years old.  At some point in time the father had abandoned them and left them with nothing.  They were living in the mother’s car. 

 My friend says to me that this shocked her and she thought this cannot continue.  She described the situation to her husband and two sons who were about 10 & 12.  Guess what they did.

Communion (bread, wine in small cups, and grape juice) helpers.

 Yes.  They invited the mother & son to live with them until they got on their feet.  The two sons moved into one bedroom and the mother & her son took the other.  Here they lived for almost a year until the husband found the woman a job. 

 The woman now is successful and is developing as an artist, selling her works for significant sums.  The son graduated from Jesuit, graduated from college, and now is married with a couple of his own kids. 

The Delgado Corner missing most of the gang.

 Obvious from the fact that they were at the art exposition, my friends are still quite close with the mother & her son. 

 I would propose that this is what epiphany is, a pointing to a presence among us and in us.  The presence is acceptance and care for others.  It points to something beautiful, a wow experience.  I received a wow experience just from meeting that woman and hearing her story.

 Who is an epiphany for you?

 For whom are you an epiphany?

Elevation.

 Readings:

Genesis  14, 18-20,  Blessed be Abraham.

Psalm 110,  You are a priest forever  in the line of Melchizedek.

1 Corinthians 11, 23-26,  Do this in remembrance of me.

Luke 9, 11-17,  Give them some food yourselves.

Jude coming for his baptism.

Genesis:  for observations, please check the Sunday Homily for Pentecost, May 19.

Reggie coming to us from Soul's Harbor with his touching story of going from a full OU football scholarship to the dumpsters and back again through Soul's Harbor.

Today we had the pleasure of hearing the personal story of Reggie, a resident at Soul's Harbor.

Reggie went to OU on a football scholarship, left OU, and hit the bottom with drugs, even to eating from dumpsters and sleeping in port-o-potties in the winter.  He said that he cannot go around Olive Garden resaurants today because he used to survive on the food in their dumpsters.

With Soul's Harbor he has gotten his life back and become Brent's right hand man at the residence. 

Georgie with today's best T shirt.

Emma all healed up from her broken collar bone. No sling.

 Cupcakes of The Week, Shonda and Zach (17).

Plus Mabel at 81 this week.

Jude's Baptism Tree

Readings: Amos (again), 6,1-7; Psalm 146; 1 Timothy 6, 11-16; Luke 16, 19-31 (Rich Man & Lazarus).

Amos: Just a reminder from last week.  Amos, a prophet, lives about 800 years before Christ.  A prosperous time for the Jews, but a prosperity built on defrauding the poor.  Amos warns the people that Yahweh will punish them for cheating the poor and amassing fortunes. 

In our selection today Amos is putting it to the rich.  Which leads, of course, to our Gospel on the Rich Man & Lazarus.

The Rich Man’s Sin of Blindness

Some months ago when we were getting ready to work on the Rowlett house, I met with the man from Lake Point Church to estimate what the house needed.  We were going to team up. While we were standing outside looking the place over, I hesitatingly mentioned the huge Sycamore tree leaning over the house.  Dangerous.  "Alex, do you have any people in your community who could take that tree down?"  "I’ll see," he says. Alex was pretty taciturn, so I left it at that. 

A couple of weeks later on perhaps our second Saturday to work on the house, we were all gathering at 8:00 when a line of about ten pickups arrives and one pulls a large enclosed trailer.  The Lake Point Emergency Team.  They open the trailer, pull out chain saws, ropes, equipment, hard hats, and head for the tree.  There must have been 15 people, including two young women.  We occasionally stopped work and stood in awe as they brought down some gigantic overhanging limb.  Three hours later they were done, thanked us for inviting them, declined to join us for lunch, and departed, leaving only a huge pile of Sycamore branches ready to be picked up by the township. 

I am humbled by this team and wish I could join them.  They go where they are needed in almost any emergency.  They look for places where their help is needed.

I thought of them when I read about the Rich Man & Lazarus.  As usual, there are symbolic elements to this parable. 

First, there are three clues that inform the people who are tuned in that the guy is very rich: he has not just food, but sumptuous food; he dresses in purple, which also meant he was holy; and he had a funeral, which meant he was in Yahweh’s favor. Being rich, of course, meant good and favored by Yahweh.

Secondly, Lazarus. He is the only person in all the parables to be named.  Meaning?  Predilection for the poor? He also is painted as such a wretch that even dogs licked his sores.

Then, watch the switch.  Both men die. Lazarus is in Abraham’s bosom. He is the rich one now. Only free people recline at table, especially on the chest of the host. The Rich Man, however, is in a place of torment.

So what was the Rich Man’s sin?  Being rich?  Not necessarily. The Rich Man did not care for the Lazarus at his door.  He did not even see him. Granted, the parable indicates that his richness contributed to his blindness.  He had to stop focusing on himself, look around him for the Lazarus nearby, and care for him.

We are rich, too, folks.  No way we can deny it or escape it, despite events in our lives that may cause poverty of spirit.  The people from the Lake Point Emergency team were rich.  They, however, are looking for the Lazarus in their lives, and they were caring for him.

Who is the Lazarus in your life and how are your caring for him?

AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2007-09-30.mp3