4th Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 28, 2024

Isaiah 43: I am doing something new!  Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?  In the desert I make a way,  in the wasteland, rivers.

Philippians 3:  Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus.

John 8: “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Another Reminder for the 5th Sunday in Lent, April 6, 2025

Isaiah 60: Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem!

Ephesians 3:   …the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, …

Matthew 2:  We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.

 

 

Thanks……

Music,    Ben & Shonda

Readers,    John & Connie

Gospel,     John Cade

Homily,  John Cade

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,      Hue, Richard & Mike 

Final Blessing, Rosemary

 

 

Bike Tour around Paris

 

 

Readings:  Download 01-02-22 – Readings – Epiphany

Homily:  Download 01-02-22 – Homily – Epiphany

 

 

                            

Versailles

 

 

Remember these special people:

For John Stack having a hard time right now with a bad back;  For Laura Chollick;  For Sandra who has been diagnosed with Large B Cell Lymphoma;   For Richard's grand daughter, Madeleine;   For Esparza's new great grandson  & Frank;  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,   For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom & Cody &  Leo & all of Shonda's dear family; For Ursuline Sr. Mary Troy,

                                                              

 

Colmar in Alsace, France

 

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 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; from Barbara, a little baby boy named Ford recuperating from an operation & friends, Anne and a mom of 3 kids ; for David McKeon's brother, Hugh; For Beth's friends & brother;   for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

                        

Colorful Trains

 

 

Birthdays:   Tom Fleming January 5th

Anniversaries:   

     

 

Community Finances Christmas through December 31st,   

Expenses: $ 800.00

Outreach: $ 400.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

                                     

Pont Fortifie  Constructed 1514 

 

 

Rosemary's Blessing:  

When the decorations of Christmas have been packed away then the work of Christmas begins:

Lord, help us

to find the lost,
to heal those broken in spirit,
to feed the hungry,
to release the oppressed,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among all peoples,
and to make a little music with the heart…

Adapted from Work of Christmas Begins by Howard Thurman

Readings: Nehemiah 8, 2-10; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 12, 12-30; Luke 1, 1-21

Nehemiah – The book of Nehemiah takes place during the Babylonian captivity. Three main characters play roles, though the first two are not mentioned in today’s reading. Cyrus is the benevolent ruler of Babylon. Nehemiah is the Jew Cyrus puts in charge of restoring the city of Jerusalem and the temple. Ezra, the central character of today’s reading, is a priest & law scholar.

We arrive on the scene after Nehemiah has established Jerusalem. The people have assembled in the town center and asked Ezra to read to them the law that orders their new lives. We hear part of the reading, a part that emphasizes rejoicing.

1 Corinthinians – During the time of Paul the Greek city of Corinth was almost as significant as Athens. Paul had established a community there and in his letter he is offering his advice to the people.

Chapter 13 is Paul’s famous letter about love being kind & patient. Chapter 12, our reading today, offers an almost amusing analogy of the community to a body. We are parts of the body and consequently we are important, making our unique contributions.

Liberty to Captives and Sight to the Blind – It was 21 years ago that the Jesuit superior in Nairobi told me in a letter that I should go back to the States for good. I was shocked and downcast by the news. It took me some years to get over it.

This spring Rosemary, Mary Ellen, & I will return for my first visit. Something I had hoped I would do, but never knew for sure.

In my 10 years there, I did two basic things. First, I helped establish a spiritual center-retreat house on the edge of Nairobi, Kenya. We bought 39 acres with two houses on the edge of a stream across from the Nairobi game park. In fact one night coming in late, another Jesuit & I (Louie Lambert) saw a giraffe crossing our front lawn.

The second thing I did was to help create spiritual growth & human maturity seminars, which we gave to priests, nuns, and bishops in Tanzania, the country just south of Kenya. I coordinated a mobile team of 2-3 priests and a Dutch nun.

These seminars were residential and lasted 1, 2, or 4 weeks. They were marvelous events with all races and men & women. We even gave a number of the seminars in Uganda during the days of Idi Amin.

All during my time in Kenya & Tanzania, I used to reflect upon what I was doing over there. I did not want to be considered a missionary, because I saw the negative effects of the cultural imperialism that came with the missionaries. For instance, drums were forbidden at Masses some places because they were considered pagan.

What did motivate me was the line in today’s gospel, "I come to give sight to the blind and liberty to captives." This still motivates me. I take the line metaphorically, not literally. For instance, this is why I talk often about the fundamental option instead of mortal-venial sin. I know my spirituality has moved from blindness to better sight, from prison to greater liberty. Otherwise, I would not have had the courage to get married.

I suggest that we, too, are challenged to help others see better. We do it with little kids. We do it with senior citizens. What a gift to help a person see that they are good and not bad.

This is what Jesus says in the gospel that he is doing. It is what I hoped I was doing in Kenya & Tanzania. It is what we are all challenged to do today.

Name one person you can touch into better sight, greater liberty.

Download the homily as an mp3 file (8751.1K).

Special Thanks:
For reading, Alexandra & Mary Ellen
For the Altar Bread, Linda Fleming
For Serving, Carmen & Ashley
For the Altar & cake, Margie Dugan & David & Alexandra
For the Books & Communion Cups, Roy & Carol Strom, Beth  & Rob Robinson
For ushering & all sorts of jobs, Cliff Wright
For the music, Ray & Wendy & Hue

 

 

 

Rosemary's sister, Clare recuperating from knee replacement.

 

Readings:

Wisdom 18, 6-9,  You people awaited the salvation of the just.

Psalm 33,  Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own (Everybody?) 

Hebrews 11, 1-2, 8-19,  Faith is the realization of what is hoped for.

Luke 12, 32-48,  Do not be afraid any longer.

 

 

 

The Team says, "Welcome."

 

 

Observations on the Readings: note how there is one positive line and a whole bunch of fear focus.

 

Do not be afraid any longer, Little Flock

I would like this morning to pick up on that line from Luke, Do not be afraid any longer, Little Flock.

A week ago this past Wednesday I was coming home from working out at the Jewish Community gym.  It was about 7:00 A.M. and sunny.  It had been dark when I set out at around 5:30.  I parked in our driveway, turned off the Prius, and prepared to get out and enter our kitchen door.

 

 

 

So Ben goes off for summer vacation and returns 5 1/2 inches taller.   How did you do that, Ben?  Last time I measured I was 2 inches shorter.

 

Suddenly through the left corner of the windshield I noticed something white just off the cement and in the grass.  “Nuts,” I thought.  “I have forgotten again to leave at the J my hand towel used for sweat."  But, I had not noticed it when I departed.

As I exited the car I more or less kept my eye on the white spot when suddenly I saw a movement.  I walked over and the white towel turned out to be the prettiest little pure white cat.  It was lying on its left side, facing our back door, and its right hind leg twitched once in a while.

 

 

 

 

"Connie, I bet you are in the market for a mint condition red car."

 

It had obviously had a bad night. I thought I could see tooth marks on its neck and on its left shoulder an open wound.  It had somehow walked almost to our back door (to find help), lay down exhausted, and was dying.

 

 

 

The welcome team, Alison and Jan.

 

I ran inside to get Rosemary.  We decided to take her or him straight to the vet just around the corner.  We put a towel on a piece of cardboard.  Rosemary took some gloves and placed the little cat on the towel. 

 

 

 

Thanks, Leo, for a delightful second Homily.

 

I confess that I was scared to pick up the cat because I thought her spinal tendon might be damaged.  There was no obvious pain, but as she was picked up the little cat, it opened the sweetest little light blue left eye and looked at Rosemary.

At the vet’s office we all decided that the little cat needed to be euthanized out of her pain.  It had no ID and the vet said she was in bad shape.

 

 

 

Just in case you lose your way, Buddy's shoes will light your path.

 

I walked out of that office with tears running down my cheeks and for a couple of days the cat was on my mind and in my heart.

Let me now refocus.  I would propose that my heart goes out to that little cat only a tiny fraction of how God’s heart goes out to all of us.  Could we be God’s cats?

Do not be afraid any longer, Little Flock.

 

 

 

Sophia lights the candles while Buddy reads the blessing.

 

Could it be that all this emphasis on fear, on being caught off guard, and being punished (even forever) is partly the tribal leaders of the people trying to control the unruly tribe?

If you are plagued by this fear, what can you do to not be afraid any longer, Little flock?

 

 

The offertory team, Louis, Cheryl, Frank, and Mary.

 

Our dear Bill Hammond  just passed to his Peace this morning.

 

Mike, Rob, Beth, Nicole, Rose, and Bill.

 

Extra, Extra, I am seeing a Light at the end  of the tunnel!

 

Rosemary & I got our vaccines today at the Fair Park Super Center.  I phoned John Cade, he raced down, and he and his mother in law got the vaccine, too.

 

As of today you need no appointment.  Just be 75 or older & ID.  I will verify that you are all passed that age.

 

It took us 1 hour waiting in the car to get in the Fair Park gate 5 check point.  Once in, it was really well organized and in 2 1/2 hours we walked out vaccinated.

The easy & quick way to get there: 75 South, I30 East, look for the Ferris wheel on your right, and you are there.

 

Rosemary & I wanted to pass the word as soon as possible.   Rosemary was given this tip yesterday afternoon, Wednesday by a neighbor.   No wonder we love this neighborhood!

Happy Birthday today, Jan Keszler!

 

Am I actually seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.