Sunday Homily August 12, 2012, 19th Ordinary Time B

Readings:

Ezekiel, 18, 25-28, The Lord's way is not fair!

Psalm 25, Remember your mercies, O Lord.

Philippians  2, 1-11, Humbly regard others as more important than yourselves.

Matthew 21, 28-32, Which of the two sons did his father's will?

 

 

 

Thanks to the Team

Music,  Ben & Shonda (on Air Force duty)

Readers,   Connie & John Bresson & Buddy, the candle blesser

Gospel,  Deacon Mike 

Homily,  John Cade 

Eucharistic Prayer A & B, Stack & John Cade

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

Final Blessing, Rosemary

For hosting us at Legacy, Becky

 

 

Download Readings Week 26

 

 

 

 

John Cade's Homily  (above, Remembering…)

 

Homily on Priesthood  First, a little bit of history of the Christian priesthood; and second, a little bit on blessings in my life.

The Apostle Peter, In Chapter 2 of his first letter, vs 4, wrote, “Present yourselves as building stones for the construction of a sanctuary vibrant with life, in which you serve as priests offering Christ-approved lives up to God”.  And he continued in vs 9, “You are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him.”  (As far as I know, among Christian churches today, it is the Morman church that asks all its members to exercise their priestly role.)

        Saint Jerome, around 380 CE, gave his view of the Christian priesthood, derived no doubt from the traditions and practices of the early church. He wrote, “The priestly dignity is the personal possession of the Christian; it does not belong to the Christian because of membership in a church which has a hierarchical priesthood.  Rather, the layman’s priesthood, as all priesthood, is a sharing in the priesthood of Christ.” 

He continued, “It’s the reality of the Christian’s priesthood which distinguishes members of the ‘royal priesthood’ from the rest of humankind.  No distinction between one member of Christ’s priestly body and another, can be compared to the distinction between those baptized and confirmed and those not—there is a basic unity that underlies the threefold character of baptism, confirmation and priestly orders.”  It is clear that Saint Jerome placed the origin of priesthood in Christian baptism.  

But jump about 800 years ahead and you are into Medieval Scholasticism, in universities all over Europe.  Scholasticism was a ‘philosophy of learning’ with emphasis on reasoning to extend knowledge.  You take a topic and dispute it in the form of a question, with counter proposals and opposing arguments.  It began as an attempt to harmonize Christian theology with philosophical antiquity such as with the Greek philosopher, Aristotle.  One thing scholasticism was not based on was early Christian tradition and practice. 

Saint Thomas Aquinas became scholasticism’s most famous member.  One of the founders of scholasticism, Alexander of Hales (in England), obscured participation in the priesthood of Christ by the baptized/confirmed Christian.  For him priesthood no longer has its origin in Baptism, but in the separate sacrament of Orders.  His thinking and conclusion was approved in the Council of Trent, in 1550, and stands today.  

In our time, most of us who lived as adults during the papacy of John XXIII and the Second Vatican Council, had high hopes for a more collegial understanding of how leadership could be structured and lived out in the church.  Many of us today support a return to greater opportunity for service by all baptized & confirmed Catholics.  Opportunities clearly were there in the early church.  Don’t tell me we can’t figure out how to make it happen now.  Isn’t it time already, for greater inclusion and equality of opportunity in the church?  I can hear RBG, that extraordinary Jewish woman and Supreme Court justice, giving us, her own – Amen.

Secondly, a little bit on my personal history of blessings.  I experienced the call, in my mid-teens, to greater closeness with God—of course, to ‘save my soul from hell’. After two semesters in college, I entered the seminary, and eight years later was ordained a priest on Sept 30, 1961.  I felt then and feel now the blessing of that day.  I loved living and working as a priest, ‘saying’ Mass, doing homilies, being invited into others’ lives through counseling, visiting the sick, teaching in high school, and leading retreats.  

Six or seven years later, when I was in the psychology program at Loyola Chicago, I began to experience a deep loneliness…and also disillusionment with the American hierarchy’s negative reaction to calls for reform by Pope John XXIII and the Vatican Council.  Some of you will remember the great number of priests who left in the late 60’s and early 70’s.  I was one of them.  Having a psychology degree was a blessing, as I could continue one of the things I loved as a priest—counseling with people having a difficult emotional time.  I married and helped raise four kids, including two as stepfather.  Some of the big blessings:  my relationship with a marriage partner (twice), being part of a family with kids (and now grandkids), relationships with friends, mentors and colleagues.  My marriage relationship with Lambrini is amazing; we are a couple now for 28 years and counting.  Also, even with diabetes and cardio-vascular disease, I am blessed with overall health. It’s a huge blessing to be able to enjoy the Autuum time of life. 

An unexpected blessing came 15 years ago when you, this community, welcomed me back as a Catholic priest. Simply being part of this loving community, seeing the way you live your lives, is a blessing that keeps on giving.  Why?  Because every Sunday, and often between Sundays, you help me ‘see’ the blessings in my life, and you help me live with gratitude. 

My question:  How do you see yourselves as a ‘royal priesthood’, sharing in the priesthood of Christ?  How do you live with acceptance and love for others, and also see your daily blessings?   

                              

 

The Zoom Wizards at work.

 

Please Remember these special people:

For Alan Stryker;  For John Doherty with back pain; For Becky's dad who has moved to the other side;  For Cindy recuperating at home;    For David Dismore's bad shoulder from a biking accident; For Esparzas, Frank & Mary,  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, Woodlands,  For Joe Hogan with cancer;  For Loretta's aunt Alicia;    For Sydney;  & For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom & Cody & Ben & all of Shonda's dear family;   for all the students and teachers and coaches returning to school, for Geri's sister with heart & circulation problems, David Dinsmore in a bike crash.

 

Ben bringing his Vitality to our music, alone today because Shonda has Air Force duty.

 

For Jackie's mom, sister, & friend, Lynn;  For a friend & a doctor, Karen, with brain cancer; 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.

 

 

Mike working on elevating our Zoom quality.

 

Birthdays:  Judy Carrell (today), Leo (10), Tori & Buddy, (10) 

Anniversaries: John Cade, 49 years ordained, Fred & Patricia,10th; Erin McClurg & Greg, 3rd; Claire Z & Andrew,9th, Ron & Nancy Kovatis, 48th.

 

 

                                                

                 

Community Finances, September 27, 2020

Expenses: $450.00  

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

Thanks, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

 

Rosemary's Blessing:

Rivers do not drink their own water;

trees do not eat their own fruit;

the sun does not shine on itself

and flowers do not spread their fragrance for themselves.

Living for others is a rule of nature.

We are born to help each other.

No matter how difficult it is.

Life is good when you are happy

but much better when others are happy because of you.

Let us remember that pain is a sign that we are alive,

problems are a sign that we are strong and

prayer is a sign that we are not alone.

If we can acknowledge these truths and

condition our hearts and minds, our lives will be more meaningful,

different and

worthwhile.

 

Pope Francis

 

 

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

 

Readings: Entrance procession, Luke 19, 28-40; Isaiah 50, 4-7; Psalm 22, My God, My God, why have You abandoned Me?; Philippians 2, 6-11; Passion, Luke 22, 14-23, 1-49. 

 Some short reflections on the readings, short because of the length of the readings, i.e., the Passion.

It is very unfortunate that we only read little sections of the Luke’s Gospel each Sunday.  It is like seeing a few minutes of a movie; we keep getting interrupted and can too easily lose the whole plot.  Remember, Luke’s product is both the Gospel and the Book of Acts and together they form a complete message.

The very early church was Jewish.  After the Resurrection, the followers of Jesus continued to go to the synagogue or temple, this we see in Acts, and they also met in each other’s homes to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.  As they reflected on the life of Jesus, they turned to what they were most familiar with, namely the Old Testament, in their efforts to try and understand Jesus’ place better.  And so after forty or fifty or even sixty years of this, as our Gospels emerge they are hugely influenced by the Old Testament.  It was the only way the gospel writers and the early communities knew how to understand Jesus and his message.

 

Today, we have one of those points, if we were watching a movie, when the music would be cranked up.  For Luke, from Chapter 9:51 up until today’s first Gospel reading Chapter 19:28 Jesus has been journeying towards Jerusalem.  Today he enters Jerusalem and begins what we know as the Jerusalem ministry, a mere two and a half chapters. You will remember way back at the beginning of this gospel, when Jesus gets left behind in Jerusalem, he says to his parents, “Did you not know that I must be busy with my Father’s affairs.” Right after today’s reading, Luke has Jesus go to the temple and clean it out and then begin teaching in the Temple every day. 

 

We get the sense of more time than just the few days we experience between Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem and what we will read about shortly as the Holy Week events. 

Finally, recall on the first Sunday of Lent, we read of the temptations of Jesus after his 40 days in the desert.  Luke ends that story with the words “the devil left him to return at the proper time.”   We will see that return in our reading of the Passion when Peter denies Jesus 22:31, when Satan enters Judas 22:3 and at the hour of darkness, 22:53.

 

We are almost done with Lent.  Now we turn to the events of Holy Week and Easter.  Our Gospels give us different interpretations of these events, influenced by the early church’s interpretation in the light of the Old Testament.  Each one of us also needs to reflect on what these events mean to us and how our lives are different.  Was this just a sad story, which happened over two thousand years ago, or are our lives today lived with a different meaning because of Jesus?

 

 

Picture 1:   Palm Sunday Mass begins with Tony

 

Picture 2:   Tony blesses the Palms

 

Picture 3:   Denni, Nancy, & Ron await the Procession

 

Picture 4:   The Procession with the Palms

 

Picture 5:  The Kless Family await the blessing, Christine, Cara, her friend, Sean, and Ed

 

Readings: Genesis 12, 1-4; Psalm 33; 2 Timothy 1, 8-10; Matthew 17, 1-9.

Genesis: Like last week we have a selection from Genesis.  I mentioned that 5 main characters make up the book, Adam & Eve (& family), Noah, Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob.  Last week we looked at Adam & Eve & how the author thought bad might have entered the world.

Today we look at how the Jewish people thought their nation came into existence.  Abraham is like George Washington.  He is seen as divinely appointed, just as the people thought they were divinely appointed.  Remember, these events took place ca. 1500 B.C.

Unpack Your Backpack

The last two weeks we talked about two secrets to making a marriage relationship successful.  The first secret was Never Divorce, Murder Often, meaning divorce is a non-negociable, while playful murder is healthy.  Divorce is considered only when the three "A’s" enter: abuse, addiction, adultery.

Last week we said that there are No Perfect Marriages, only Perfect Moments."  Had any perfect moments this week?  The transfiguration talked about in today’s gospel was a perfect moment.  I would consider the two as synonymous.  Perfect moments are transfigurations.

Today’s secret: Unpack Your Backpack.

What does this mean? 

First, put all your junk out on the ground.  No hidden deals, nothing kept hidden in the backpack.  This junk includes embarrassments, longings, and fears.  Those fears of being rejected, of being stupid and ugly, of heights, of lightning, anything. 

One thing I don’t encourage people to talk about: previous relatiionships.  My idea is that these relationships are no longer lying around in the backpack.  They were dumped out months or years earlier and only create tension if they are brought out and shared with the person I love now. Nothing is accomplished by talking about previous relationships.  In fact, a certain amount of uncertainty can creep in, especially if the person listening is even slightly insecure.

Secondly, the hidden package in the backpack.  What is it?  My defenses.  What does it mean. Disarm.  Lay down thy defenses.  Frustrations and annoyances creep into a relationship.  Not dealt with they become sore spots.  I get hurt, get offensive, get hurt again, then get more defensive.  I become crabby & irritable or passive aggressive.  Passive aggressive means I am really mad, aggressively riled up, but show it by not talking.  This can go on for hours, sometimes days.  I can get into this & Rosemary calls me on it.  Which is a gift.

Occasionally when talking with a couple I find that each one is blaming the other.  Then one will say, "on that occasion, yes, I was passive aggressive."  Or, "Yes, I wanted to hurt you."  When I hear this, I cheer.  The person has just laid down arms. The person has admitted, confessed, let it out of the backpack.  Then a new relationship can begin.

Thirdly, what about frustrations and irritations that creep into the backpack, like I just talked about and that lead to defensive positions?  Don’t bury them in the backpack.  How do I get a place where I can disarm?  Three steps.

• Talk about what is frustrating me or irritating me.  A Behavior?  Driving, eating, neatness, responsibility for house chores, and so on.  Use "I" statements as much as possible instead of "You, you, you" statements that blame.  "I’m uncomfortable when…"  This has to be done not in the heat of the irritation, but later when I am peaceful and the setting is peaceful.
• Then I can make a request for a change.  "Could we talk about driving?"  "I feel scared when…"
• Next, acceptance. Some things may not get changed.  Then what?  Dump the relationship or be defensive all my life or accept?  I cannot expect all the behavior changes to be changed.  Thus, I got to change, if I want to have a relationship.  Acceptance of the other has to be part of a relationship, whether between spouses or friends.

As I mentioned last week this is pertinent to friendships, just as much as marriages.

With whom do I have this kind of relationship and how am I keeping my backback clean?

AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-02-17.mp3

 

 

You ready to read, Buddy?

 

Readings:  

 Jeremiah 31, 7-9,  The Lord has delivered his people.

Psalm 126,  The Lord has done great things for us, we are filled with joy

 Hebrews 5, 1-6,  Every high priest is taken from among the people.

 Mark 10, 46-52,   Bartimaeus, the blind man.

 

 

 

 

While Emma lights the candles, Buddy reads the Blessing of The Candles, a first time ever for Buddy.

 

Jeremiah observations:

Who:  one of the Big 3 Prophets, 52 chapters, the “broken hearted prophet,” because he hated being so unpopular and having to condemn so much. 

Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe seems to be who put down the prophet’s message.   Jeremiah probably died in Egypt.

When: put together before & during the B.C., Babylonian Captivity, say 555 before Christ  (reminder, Babylon is near present day Bagdad, Iraq).

Remember, too, that time before Christ is counting downward or backwards.

 

 

 

Our Belief.

 

Interesting Side Note: (another reminder) can you guess when the Genesis story of creation in 7 days was composed?  Biblical research reveals that the creation story was put together during the Captivity, this same time, i.e. ca. 555.

Why?  The priests & prophets (e.g., Ezekiel) of the Jews in captivity determined that the people would not be assimilated into the local gene pool as their cousins in the northern kingdom had done when made to live with the Assyrians.  They decided they would establish customs & religious practices that would make the Jews so different they would not intermarry.  Three special laws were established: 1.  male circumcision; 2. dietary laws and laws about not touching menstruating women; and 3. the Sabbath.

 

 

 

The Healing Touch

 

The priests put together the 7 day creation story to suggest that Yahweh approved of their Sabbath law.  They had Yahweh rest on the 7th day to bolster their demand that all Jews take a day off every 7 days.  Before the Babylonian Captivity there was no legislated Sabbath and no myth of Yahweh creating the world in 7 days with the 7th being a day of rest.  So, now you know when the story was created & by whom, the priests, and why, to keep the Jews united vs the Babylonians.  It worked, even down to today.

Subject of the work: the usual prophet message—condemn, pay, peace.

Today's subject: Beautiful message of peace and consolation.  It is coming.

Sources: Bishop John Shelby Spong, The sins of Scripture; Wikipedia

 

 

 

The Healing Touch for Emma.

 

 

Homily:

 

 

 

 

 

Readings:

Wisdom  9, 13-18,  Who can know God’s counsel?

Psalm 90,  In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

Philemon 1, 9-10, 12-17,  If you regard me as a partner, welcome Onesimus  as you would me.  

Luke 14, 25-33,   If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, he cannot be my disciple.   (Another awful Luke message.  A good one maybe for teens.   Wait for next week, a really good one.)

 

Harper says, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome in."

 

 

Observations on the book of Wisdom:

What:  Exploration of the meaning and value of wisdom.  The author is the first to express a hope for immortality, a Greek concept.

 Who:  A Greek Jew who wrote probably in Alexandria, Egypt.

 

 

Kevin, too, says, "Hi, Folks, Welcome."

 

Hate my Father and Mother?

I remember one Saturday morning in the summer of 1960.  I was 20 years old and in my second year as a Jesuit intern-novice.   I was also in a pirogue floating down the Calcasieu River in SW LA with one of my best fellow Jesuit novice buddies, Jerry McCaffery from New Orleans.  

Every summer for the 4 years I spent at Grand Coteau we Jesuit interns got to spend 2 weeks at a river camp near the village of Kinder.  For me it was paradise, swimming, boating, living in the two story screened in pavilion, beds on the second floor, dining room and activities on the first.  We were about 50 plus guys. 

 

 

 

Offertory with Bernadette, Richard, and Gil.

 

As Jerry & I floated down the river that Saturday morning, Jerry told me that at that very moment in New Orleans his brother was getting married.  He could not go.  That was policy.

We were instructed that when we entered the Jesuits we entered a new family and left behind our former family.  So we never went back home, for anything, weddings, funerals, Christmas, Thanksgiving.   The idea was that we were becoming companions of Jesus in a family devoted to that goal. 

 

 

The Best Music Team, Shonda, Bethany, and Ray.

 

 

This was how the Jesuits put into practice the message today about hating one’s father and mother.  We were not instructed to hate, just refocus our allegiance.   Today I am embarrassed to admit that I bought this message.  The Jesuit training has certainly mellowed since Vatican II.  However, there are still rigid groups & religious orders that take this literally. 

I would propose that this story exemplifies the negative approach to these ideas.  Is there a positive?   I would say ‘yes,’ if you make the father and mother symbols.  Symbols of things that hold me back from being truly alive, truly healthy, and truly spiritual. 

 

 

Welcome back, John and Mary Jane, so good to see you with us.  

 

Also the word hate may be taken as hyperbole or exaggeration. 

Therefore, what about these symbols standing for unhealthy eating, excessive drinking, over work, being lazy, or materialism? 

Certainly, if I had listened to my high school buddies, and even my mom, I confess, I would never have joined the Jesuits.

 

 

 

The Wedding of Lynn and Roger begins.

 

Likewise, I got a lot of push back about going to East Africa.

And certainly when it came to getting married, did I not get a lot of push back and even condemnation from my dear Jesuits and from the Catholic Church?

Look at the sports page on Saturday morning.  What takes up many of the pages?  High school boys playing football.  How many of these kids had to fight back against their natural tendency to stay in bed and skip practice in the heat?

 

 

 

I, Roger, take you, Lynn, in marriage

 

So, there can be healthy ways to listen to today’s readings.  No need to take ‘hate’ literally.  No need to take father & mother literally. 

How do you push back against those voices that encourage you to live ultimately less healthily, less spiritually, & less psychologically alive?

 

 

 

Unity Candle.   The wedding took place Saturday at the Little Chapel in The Woods at TWU, Texas Womens' University in Denton.  A delightful and hospitable venue for weddings.

 

 

Readings:

 Proverbs 9, 1-6, Wisdom has built her house.

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

Ephesians 5, 15-20,   Watch carefully how you live.

John 6, 51-58, I am the living bread. 

 

                  Says Victoria, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome in."

 

Proverbs:

What are they: a collection of moral & religious teachings in the form of pithy sayings.  For example: "Better to eat a dry crust of bread with peace of mind than to have a banquet in a house full of trouble" (17, 1); "Being cheerful always keeps you healthy" (17, 22).

Some a bit tough: "Don't hesitate to discipline a child.  A good beating won't kill him" (23, 12).

Some amusing: "A nagging wife is like water going drip-drip-drip" (27, 15); "Better to live on the roof than to share the house with a nagging wife" (25, 24). 

Author: Maybe Solomon is behind chapters 1-29.  Most likely a compilation.

Date: Ca. 300 BCE is considered a possibility with material coming from as far back as 900, during the time of Solomon.

 

 

                        Georgie, too, says, "Welcome, Folks."

 

Taking Care of the House Wisdom Built

In honor of it being mid-August and summer vacation time, even though it is rapidly coming to an end, I have homily light this morning.  Just a simple lesson I learned, again, this week.

When was the last time you had no running water in your house?  Or even no a/c?

This past week Rosemary & I had no running water in our house for one day and two nights, which seemed like an eternity.

 

 

And, of course, Genevieve says,  "Hi Everybody, thanks for coming to see me.  Nice to be here."  

 

A month ago or, even, maybe 6 weeks ago, I thought I was hearing water running in our house.  I could only hear it in the bathroom I use when I get up, like 4:00 in the morning.  It is so quiet at that hour that I can easily hear unusual sounds.  I checked the toilet stoppers in the other two bathrooms.  No noise.   During the day I could not hear the noise because of other noises.  With the a/c blower running, I could not hear the noise except maybe just a tiny bit.

I told Rosemary I wanted to check the water meter at the street one time when we both were riding around White Rock Lake.  I would see if the meter moved.  I set up the read, then forgot when we came home and we used the sinks. 

 

Can't drink wine?  No problem.  Jan has you covered, grape juice.  

 

Then, I sort of forgot the noise.  But I continued to hear it. 

Then one morning, I went to the water heater closet.  The noise was much stronger.   So I finally did the water meter check and the dial had moved in a two hour period when we were away.  So I told Rosemary that we have a water leak and it may be the water heater. 

 

Cupcakes of The Week, John & Jean (57th) and Bern and Gilbert (50th)

 

We call Levy, the company we have used for year.  A guy comes the next day, turns off the water heater, and tells me it is not the water heater.  Which means it is under the floor.  “Are you on pier & beam or slab,” he asks me.  Pier & beam, thanks. 

So he has to call for another guy to go through the small door in the floor.  The guy does, says there is a lake down there, and he cannot get to the leak which is right under the water heater, but in a place too small for him to get to.  “We’ll send Junior tomorrow, because he can get in these narrow places.  Meanwhile, turn off the water at the street.”

 

 

                    A Work of Art, Mary, Bethany, and Ray.
 

Unfortunately, Junior cannot come the next day, Tuesday.  He is booked.  We have to wait until Wednesday morning, 8:00 A.M.

So, yes, we have no running water from Monday afternoon, through Tuesday night, and into Wednesday.  I filled some buckets before I turned the water off.  But, How did our ancestors live without running water.  Sinks, showers, and toilets.

 

 

From Chris, the anything at all to get out of going to Yosemite, a torn tendon in his foot.  6-9 months recovery. 

 

We finally got water, but not until Wednesday afternoon.  I was ready to hug Junior, who was not so small, but agile.  I wanted to thank the running water gods on my knees.

I really learned a lesson.  Gratitude for the conveniences I take for granted every day.  Water, a/c, electricity, to name just three.

 

 

            Could Zoe be studying Swahili?  Will let you know.

 

And you, what gifts are you not grateful for?   Happy Summer.

 

 

           Here they come, The Gang, Buddy, Zoe, and Victoria.