2nd Sunday in Lent, February 25, 2024

Readings:

Jeremiah  1, 4-5, 17-19,   Before I formed you in the womb I knew you. (The Call)

Psalm 71, I will sing of your salvation.

 1 Corinthians 12, 31 – 13, 4-13,  If I do not have love, I am nothing. (Excellent)

Luke 4, 21-30,   They wanted to throw him over the cliff.

 

                                   

Leo says, "Welcome in, Everybody.  It's fun here."

 

 Jeremiah observations:

Who:  One of the Big 3 and my second favorite behind Isaiah, whom we will hear from next Sunday.  Why a favorite: because he shares his feelings with gusto. 

When:  you can guess it, before and during the Babylonian Captivity.  Notice how much prophetic energy is concentrated around this one event?  Shows how big it was in Jewish history.  Keep 555 before Christ as the beacon date. 

 

                                    

Harper, also, says, "Hi, Folks, Come in."

 

What: you can guess this, too.  Criticism of behavior, warning of punishment from God, and eventually a better day.

What today: Jeremiah’s call by God to be his man, really Everyperson’s call to be God’s special.  This call theme carries through our next 2 readings, especially the next one, The Big One.

 

                                        

Candle Lighters of The Week, Buddy & Tori.

 

Love is patient, Love is kind

I confess, I used to get 1 Corinthians 13 fatigue, I heard it so often at weddings.  Lately, however, I have changed.  Now as I listen I feel it calling me to step up.  I want to be more patient and more kind.  I hear Francis inviting me to be a peacemaker.

One small example.

A few months ago Rosemary and I were heading out one Sunday morning to celebrate Mass at Vines.  It must have been 8:30, the time we usually depart.  The streets were practically deserted. 

 

               

The Candle Lighters at work.

 

We were going east on Royal Lane.  We got to Central and stopped for the light.  When it changed we moved forward and planned to take a left to go up the ramp to north bound Central.  

I noticed behind me at the light was a silver Mercedes.  As I moved forward it was practically touching the back of our van.  I turned left and started up the ramp.  It stayed right behind us.

 

 

                                                               

Happy Birthday, Mary. 

 

As I got onto Central and moved into the first lane on the left, this person, a guy, floored his Mercedes, leaned on the horn, and raced by us on the right showering us with nice little hand gestures.

Rosemary says I drive too slowly some times, but this was Sunday morning, folks.  Almost no other cars but this guy and us. 

 

Happy Birthday, Rick (the man behind many of the pictures you see)

 

So what would you do?  Well, I did nothing, of course.  I can recognize serious road rage and I was just hoping the guy would not stick a gun out his window and start blasting away.  Let him go away, which he did.

However, does being patient and kind apply here?  Yep, I think so. 

 

 

Candle Lighters deserve their rewards.  How did you get in there, Zoe?

 

As a priest and psychotherapist for years I have heard the life stories of people who have done pretty bad things.  I get to know them and I find out what was behind their actions.  Who knows about this guy on an early Sunday morning.  Maybe he was heading to a hospital.  His wife or child was dying.  Maybe his wife just divorced him.  Maybe on Friday he was fired for his anger.  There is always a story and a reason.

So when I hear Corinthians on patience and kindness, I think, ‘Stack, cool off.’ 

 

Happy Birthday, Gil.  It looks like you have someone eager to help you with that cupcake.

 

And Cornthians has a reverse value.  Say I had reacted to his anger.  Then later I would feel guilty and ashamed.  The patience and kindness is for me, too.  I usually don’t have road rage fortunately, but I can get mad, I can criticize, I can get passive aggressive, and then get remorseful.  Can’t we all?

Any of you all drive a silver Mercedes?  Do you have road rage?  Are you patient and kind?

How are you going to be a more loving and peace-making person after hearing this passage this morning?

 

 

Does Music get any better than this, Shonda & Bethany, Ray & David.

 

 

 

Joshua 5:  Today I have removed the reproach of Egypt from you.

2 Corinthians 5:   Brothers and sisters: Whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away: behold, new things have come.

Luke 13:  But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.

 

 

Thanks…Music,    Ben & Shonda

Readers,  Mary & Tom

Gospel,     John Cade

Homily,  John Cade

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,      Mike & Hue & Richard

Final Blessing, Rosemary

 

 

 

 

The old port of Honfleur, France

 

 

Readings: Download 03-27-22 – Readings – 4th Lent

Homily:  Download 03-27-22 – Homily – 4th Lent

 

 

 

Church of Sainte-Catherine

                                                   

 

 

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;

 

                           

Sainte-Catherine's inside.  It looks like an upside down ship and was constructed in the 15th century by shipbuilders

         
              
                                                 

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.

 

 

       
                 

 

                The ever present markets                 
             

 

 

                  

Birthdays:   Barb Wittek 3/29

Anniversaries:   

      

Community Finances:   

Expenses: $  250.00

Outreach: $  200.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

                                    


The old streets of Honfleur and someone we know

Rosemary's Blessing:  

God,

Bless anyone who has asked me to pray for them

and anyone that I have promised to pray for.

Bless anyone that I cannot get along with

And anyone that cannot get along with me.

Bless the person who has hurt me deeply

and anyone that I have hurt.

Bless the person that I cannot forgive

and anyone that cannot forgive me.

Grant me the grace to live as a person of peace today

and to treat all I meet today with dignity

Unknown

 

Isaiah 50:  And the Master, God, stays right there and helps me, so I'm not disgraced. Therefore I set my face like flint, confident that I'll never regret this.

James 2:  For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved  and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup – where does that get you?

Mark 9:  Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how.

The Blog will be on vacation until September28,2024

 

There will be no Mass at the ArtCentre this Sunday.  Mass will be on Zoom.  Please note new address below.

 

Another Reminder for 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 15, 2024

Music,   Shonda

Expenses: $   340.00

Outreach: $    80.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

 

 

Rosemary's Blessing:

Let us pray to our God     

To the God of Mary and Joseph,

To the God of Abraham and Sarah.

 

May our spirit fill the world with beauty and wonder.

May our mind seek truth with humility and openness.

 

May our hearts forgive without limit.

May our love for friend, enemy and outcast be without measure.

May our needs be few and my living simple.

 

Taken and adapted from a prayer by Mary Lou Kownacki, OSB for Pax Christi USA in commemoration of the United Nations International Decade for the Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for the Children of the World.

 

 

Acts of the Apostles 1:   Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles.

1 John 4:  God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.

John 17:  Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth.  As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world.  And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.”

John Cade's Homily from 5/5/24:  Download 05-05-24 Homily -6th Sunday of Easter

 

 

Ladies' Luncheon

 

 

 

Our brother – sister act, beautiful

 

 

Readings:  

 Acts of the Apostles 3, 13-5, 17-19,  Peter speaks again.

Psalm 4,  Lord, Let you face shine on us.

 1 John 2, 1-5,  Whoever keeps his word, the word of God is perfected in him.

John  24, 35-48,  Jesus appears in the upper room. 

 

 

 

 

Trying out for the choir Buddy?

 

Acts: A review–

Author:  Luke, the author of both The Gospel and Acts.  Today we get Luke twice, in the first reading with Acts and in the last reading, today's Gospel. 

While we are on the subject, Luke's gospel story today is a compliment to last week's gospel story by John.  Both John & Luke find the apostles in a locked room, Jesus appears, and he says, "Peace."  Both focus on the physical, last week on Thomas demanding to see the wounds, this week Jesus eating.  What does he eat?   Why so much focus on the physical? 

Date:  written about 40-60 years after Jesus death, i.e., ca. 70-100 A.D.

 

 

 

 

Suited up and ready to go!

 

 

Subject: Two parts.  Part one covers chapters 1-8, which focus on the resurrection, ascension, and Pentecost, plus their effect on the community.  The rest of the book, i.e., chapters 9-28, the focus is on Paul, his conversion & travels.  

Today's Selection:  

The scene is this, just like last week.   Peter & John have just healed a lame man at the door of the temple.  The people come rushing to see.  Peter & John say, "Hey, we did not do it."  In fact, Jesus did it and he has been raised from the dead.  This caught the attention of the priests and authorities who had the two arrested and put before the council.  They are released the next day after a warning not to talk about this Jesus.  Then they return to the local community of believers. 

 Today we go back to the time just after the healing of the lame man.  The people have rushed to see the phenomenon and ask Peter & John to explain.  Today's reading is their explanation.

 

 

 

 

 

Love for Kids Picnic & our team under the patronage of St.Bonaventure U., NY

 

 

Let Your Face Shine Upon Us

I want to talk about how the Lord’s face shone upon me this week.  Two stories.

First, Thursday afternoon Rosemary & I finally went for a bike ride down & back on the White Rock Creek Trail.  I’ve already mentioned often what a jewel this path is.   With the forest and the birds singing, is this Dallas?

As usual we stopped for a break on the bridge overlooking the doggie park swimming hole.  It is always a joy watching the dogs jumping into the water & playing.  Thursday there was one lab especially joyous and full of energy.

 

 

 

 

Good Morning, My Dearest Zoe.

 

 

The lady who was his owner would toss a stick as far as she could into the water.  She and the dog were on the third level of the terraced bank, all paved.  That dog would race down the two levels and then launch himself (or herself) a good ten feet above the water. 

That dog was the Lord’s face shining upon us.

The second story has to do with that beloved and cursed Love for the Kids picnic, cursed because it always takes place on a Saturday, when I am pretty busy getting ready for you know what.

 

 

 

 

The Offertory Team, Beth & Emma, Allan & Aggie.

 

 

So, I am driving north on I35 sort of grousing at that Hammond who keeps inviting me to events like this and at the same time aware that I always return home richer and more humbled.  I then realize that Bill is also inviting me to Dickenson again and to a CO backpacking trip.  And I am saying no to everything.  This even goes to L’Alliance Francais, where I am getting invited more and more to plug back in after about a half a year dropping out.

It hit me, am I getting to be some kind of old stay at home?  Some old monk?  I confess I just love staying at home hanging around with Rosemary & Aviana.

 

 

 

 

You think I'm going to trust that right hand of yours, Sir Charlie?  No way!
 

 

 As I drive along, L’Alliance Francais came to my mind.  Monday evening I have a two hour class with a group of voyajeurs, travelers to France.  5:00 P.M. I wish I did not have to go.   I go. And return full of joy.  

All this went through my mind as I drive north on I35 to Love for Kids.  I realized I do not want to only stay at home.  As I walk around the picnic grounds I know I want to go to L’Alliance and to Dickinson and to CO.  Sign me up, Bill.

This Love for Kids Picnic is dangerous, Folks.

These are two ways the Lord’s face shone on me this week.

And You?

 

 

 

Good Morning, Beth, Sir Charlie is awaiting you.  Does he have a deal for you, like a motor enhanced bike.  Oh, I forget.  You already have one.