Sunday Homily 3-18-12, 4th Lent

Readings: 

2 Maccabees 7, 1-2, 9-14, 7 brothers with their mother were arrested.

Psalm 17,  Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full

2 Thessalonians 2, 16-3, 5,  The Lord is faithful.

Luke  20, 27-38, There were 7 brothers.

Leo welcomes you.

2 Maccabees Observatons :

What :  another reading  from one of those unique dozen extra books.  A history of the Maccabee family.   This is the only time in the 3 year cycle
this book is used.  Perhaps it is only
used to support in some way Luke’s gospel about the wife of the 7
brothers. 

Date :  around 200 before Christ.

Subject: In order to
emphasize how God appreciates faithfulness, the author describes in vivid
detail the torture and murder of 7 brothers who refused to eat pork.  I wanted to read the whole story, but it is
too brutal for public reading.  Check it
out for yourselves.  

Buddy also welcomes you.

 What to Die for

I want to talk this
morning about an event that took place 24 years ago, November 16, 1989.  This Friday is the date.  I was back in the States about 2 years at
this time. 

The event I’m talking
about happened in the early morning of November 16, on a Jesuit university
campus, called Universidad Centroamericana, UCA for short.  This is a Jesuit university just like many others
you know of, U. of San Francisco, St. Louis U. Fordham, Georgetown, Marquette,
and the Loyolas.  This university is in
San Salvador, El Salvador. 

Emma with her momma, Beth.

There were 6 Jesuits
home that night, plus a housekeeper and her daughter in a rear apartment.  All was quiet.

Suddenly about 12:00
there was a great commotion at the door of the residence, lots of yelling and
banging.  The, Jesuits, thinking the door
was going to be bashed in,   opened the door and in burst about 40 soldiers
in camouflage and heavily armed. 

Zoe and her friend also welcomes you.

Continuing to yell,
the soldiers went room to room, busting down doors, smashing windows, storming
around, and ultimately dragging the 6 Jesuits out into their interior
patio.  Even the housekeep and her daughter
were dragged into the patio.   Can you
imagine the fear?

For an hour the
storming around and the noise continued. 
Then, a bit after 1:00, witnesses outside said shots began.  Each of the 6 Jesuits and the two women had
to lie on the ground on their stomachs. 
One by one they were shot in the back of the head and left.

William hanging out with his granddad, Jerry.

9
years before this, on March 24, 1980, a similar event had happened in the same
country, El Salvador.  Archbishop Oscar Romero was shot by a single
assassin in the middle of his Mass in a chapel at a hospital in San Salvador.

The
same year three American nuns and a lay woman volunteer were all killed on
their way to the airport one evening.

Kara looking beautiful.

I talk about this this
morning because, first, it still moves me and the anniversary is coming this
Friday.   Secondly, I talk about it
in reference to the 7 brothers who died rather than eat pork. 

Question:
what would you die for? 

James keeping cool.

Two
observations.

First,
what these Jesuits died for is something really worth dying for.  I can imagine all of us doing this, dying for
people dear to us.  The people dear to the
Jesuits were the poor of El Salvador, especially those abused by the military
dictatorship. 

Secondly,
while the 7 brothers showed heroic courage along with their mother, that they
were going through this because they thought God told them they should not eat
pork is just sad.  The don’t eat pork law
did not come from God, but from Jewish elders and priests. 

At
the time it may have been a health instruction. 
But religious people set this instruction up, not God.   Watch
out.  Religious leaders lay lots of loads
on people and say that God demands this. 
 Remember the prohibition to eat
meat on Friday?  You could go to hell for
this.

"Harper, where did you find that cupcake??"

I
would propose that we all die, that is, give our life for something or
someone.   Teachers give their lives for
their students.  That is what the Jesuits
did.  Parents give their lives for their
kids.  Coaches, like my friend Frank,
give their lives for their kids. 

For
whom or what do you give your life?

Georgie, one of our special loves.

Readings: 2 Samuel 5, 1-3; Psalm 122, Let us go Rejoicing to the House of the Lord; Colossians 1, 12-20; Luke 23, 35-43. 

History of the Christ the King Feast: date, author, reason it was declared

Date: Not during the early church, not during the time when Constantine made Christianity the religion of the Empire, not during the time of Luther & the Reformation, not during the time of Pius IX with the Italian Resorgiamento & his Infallibility statement (1870), but in 1925.  Fairly Recently.

Author: Pius XI, pope 1922-39

Reason(s): at least 2 factors–The Times and Modernism/Secularism

1.  The Times:

a) End of WW I and build up to WW II   

b) Mussolini & Hitler: the same year Pius XI became pope, Mussolini became prime minister.  By 1925 he had become a dictator.  The feast was to counter the dictatorship.  "Christ is king, not you."

2.  Modernism & Secularism:

a) Modernism.  Despite being scholarly and pro-scientific methods, Pius XI was suspicious of biblical scholarship which questioned, for example, biblical inerrancy, the nature of bible miracles, the virgin birth, the resurrection, the atonement theory that God demanded his son suffer & die for a single sin by a human.

b) Secularism coming out of the Enlightenment said that all people were equal, people should have a say in government as in democracy, and backed the separation of church/state, like proposed by Jefferson.  The Catholic Church was against democracy.

 Sources: Living with Christ, Nov., 2009; Wikipedia

Two Roads Diverged in a Yellow Woods

                        Robert Frost

A few weeks ago this past fall Rosemary and I received a special gift.  We were given two tickets to a Notre Dame home football game, a game against Pittsburg. 

This had special meaning for me because when I was 18 I was enrolled in Notre Dame for college.  I had even bought some winter clothes.  Until I changed my mind and joined the Jesuits, to my mother’s rather lengthy irritation. 

Never in the following 50 odd years of my life did I ever get to visit the campus where my life might have been totally different.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving I want to give thanks for three things connected with this event.

First, I finally had the opportunity to reunite with one of my best old buddies from high school and even grade school, Pete Wacks.   He  has spent almost all of his adult life in Chicago working as an F.B.I agent.

 There is an amusing quality to this.  Here are two kids who seemed to get into trouble together and who spent some evenings in the University Park jail.  One ends up a Jesuit priest & the other works as an F.B.I. agent.

 After 50 years it was like we just picked up where we left off.  Rosemary & I spent the whole weekend with Pete & Margie.  We stayed at their house and they drove us to South Bend and joined us at the game.  One of his buddies even met us when we arrived at the campus and toured us around in a golf cart.  

 I am really grateful for this.

 Secondly, I was grateful for the opportunity to visit what I had heard was one of the beautiful campuses.  I got to meet touchdown Jesus, to witness a game in a fabled stadium, and to walk the campus.  The trees were just changing colors and it was a beautiful, warm fall afternoon.  It was fun and touching to walk around imagining how my life could have been different had I ended up there for 4 years.

 Thirdly, I was grateful that I had chosen the second road the summer of ’58.  It has been a good road.

As we look forward this week to Thanksgiving, I invite you to reminisce.  Look back.  Not often in life do we encounter two roads in a wood.  How grateful are you for the roads you have chosen?

Picture 1:   Curtis guarding our food drive

Picture 2:   Ryan & his mom, Michelle

Picture 3:   Connie & her family 

Picture 4:   Mark & Isabella & Donuts

Picture 5:   Wendy & Ray

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.  

Readings:

Deuteronomy  8, 2-3, 14-16,   He let you be afflicted with hunger, then fed you.

Psalm 147,   Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

1 Corinthians 10, 16-17,  We all partake of the one loaf.

John  6, 51-58,  Whoever eats this bread will live forever.

The Girls say, "Welcome, Everybody, Hats in honor of Cathy." Patricia, Carol, and Maureen.

Deuteronomy: The fifth & last book of the Torah.  The scene: Moses & the Hebrews are in the desert just outside the promised land, the land of the Canaanites, whom they are going to kick out and kill.  Moses is reviewing their journey from Egypt.

Date:  first put into some form around 750 before Christ, then put into a more final form, guess when, at the end of the Babylonian Captivity, around 555.

Jan with her hat of symbols, tree planting, peace, patriotism, friendship, and cupcakes.

Author: not Moses, even though the book is 3 sermons of Moses on the plains of Moab, just at the end of the period of wandering, and just before entering the land of the Caananites, or the Promised Land.  It is really tradition, stories of old times. 

Our Selection:  Moses is recounting the escape from Egypt and the years in the desert.  

The belief that Yahweh punishes, corrects us, and tests us with affliction is not common today as Moses suggests to the people.  You can still hear it from fundamentalist preachers.  Remember the huricane in New Orleans?  We will read more of the section to get the sense more clearly.

Geri and Marilyn say, "Hi, Folks, Come in."

My Guide through the Desert

We have just read about how Moses guided the Jewish people through the desert.  In honor of two of our most favorite people who are retiring from years in public education, this morning I would like to talk about people who guided us and me through the desert.

Two short stories, some of which you may have heard before.  It just seems to fit in here so well.

When I was in maybe 6^th grade, I joined the Boy Scouts at Christ the King around January, when I have my birthday.  Some of my classmate joined up in the spring.

Cathy and especially Harper accepting a special pastry for Cathy's retirement from public education.

First thing I know, along comes summer and we are heading to Texoma for a week of summer camp.  We get there, get our tents, and I overhear some of the 8^th grade guys planning to initiate me.  Why me?  Probably because I was bigger than some of my classmates. 

So suddenly I get sick.  I’m afraid.  I'm home sick.  I want out of there.  These guys were bigger than me and I did not feel safe, no way.  The scout master was a pretty passive guy I did not know well. 

Rick and Jackie accepting a special pastry for Rick's retirement from public education, Rick's 62nd birthday, Rick and Jackie's 39th anniversary, and for Jackie's marvelous recovery.

We had come in on Sunday.  By Monday night I am back home, and back home really feeling horrible about what I did.  I feel like a chicken, for sure.  I was embarrassed even in front of my parents.

The next summer comes along.  My dad, who had remained active along with me in the Scout troop, invited me to go with him back to Texoma.  He was going to spend the night as one of the adult overnight supports for the troop.  

With some trepidation, I decided to go.  We arrived at night and I still remember walking into the tent of my coach and teacher, Frank Hart.  He was sitting on his cot and there was a Coleman lantern buzzing.  He had always supported me.  Always encouraged me. 

Brian and especially two little mice accepting a Cupcake of the Week for Brian's 63rd.

His welcome that night was a turning point in my young life.  It probably prepared me for the day after high school, when I would walk away from the security of my family, join the Jesuits, and never return, even to Dallas for 7 years.

My second guide through the desert was one of the Jesuits at the old Jesuit High.  From as early as I can remember I detested clericalism and the piety stuff.  That was all I had seen until Jesuit.  Fr. Jules May was not clerical and not pious. 

He was our freshman football coach.  As coach he was out there in clothes as crummy as what we wore.  And as coach he got after us like a drill sergeant.  He cussed us.  He yelled at us.  He accepted us ultimately.  I remember my dad was somewhat shocked. I loved him. 

Buddy, the candle man, lighting up with the help of his mom, MIchelle.

I remember one day we were playing Highland Park on our upper field right next to Oak Lawn across from Holy Trinity.  My best buddy played center for Highland Park and I played center for Jesuit.   At one point in the game we were punting out of our own end zone, a chain link fence between our field and Oak Lawn.  I centered that ball over the kicker’s head, over the fence, and onto Oak Lawn. 

I was so humiliated and was waiting for Jules May to descend upon me with both feet.  He did not. 

Marsha, one of those from the "crazy corner."

Jules May was one of the reasons I decided to join the Jesuits.

These two coaches and teachers were guides to me through the desert. Cathy & Rick have guided tons of young people through the desert. 

Who was your guide?

Whom are you guiding today?

Zoe, as always, the style setter.

Jeremiah 31, I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel.

Psalm 130, Create a clean heart in me, O Lord.

Hebrew 5, He became the source of salvation

John 12, Sir, we would like to see Jesus.

Thanks……

Music,  Ben 

Readers,  Jackie & Brent, & Buddy, the candle blesser

Gospel,  Mike Carrell

Homily,  John Cade

Eucharistic Prayer A & B, Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,   Hue & Richard & Mike  

Final Blessing, Rosemary

For hosting us at Legacy, Becky

Christine Dullenty's Memorial, Breckenridge Park, Saturday, 3-20-2021

Readings for Sunday, March 21, 2021

Download Reading 5th Lent 03-21-2021

Homily for Sunday by John Cade, March 21, 2021

Download Cade Homily 3-21-2021

Please Remember these special people:

For Carrie's ex, Larry with Corona;  For Alan Stryker;  For Joe Sullivan;    For Rosemary's great niece, Rylie ;  For Richard's grand daughter, Madeleine;   For Esparza's new great grandson baby, son of Monique;  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 Loretta's aunt Alicia;  For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom & Cody &  Leo & all of Shonda's dear family; For Ursuline Sr. Mary Troy 

John Cade sharing his homily on Sounds of Silence.

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 daughter, Lisa;  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 4 month old boy undergoing an operation; for David McKeon's brother, Hugh; for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

Our Brain Team, Richard, Hue, & Mike.

Birthdays:   John Cades' mother in law, Kaliope

Anniversaries: 

Community Finances,   March 21, 2021

Expenses: $900.00

Outreach: $250.00 

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

Ben, The Music Man.

A note about our Easter Celebration.

We now welcome 20 people to our Easter celebration, all vaccinated and coming with mask.  Seating will be spread around the large cafeteria.  Please don't show up without signing up.  Let's see if this goes so well that we can increase the number the Sunday after Easter.

Concelebration.

Rosemary's Blessing:

Oh God who made me absolutely unique,

Help me to value more the Person You made Me to be.

And protect me from comparisons and envy and discouragement over what I am not.

Andrew Greeley,  Irish American Blessings  

 Readings:  Isaiah 45, 1-6, Who is Cyrus?; Psalm 96, Give the Lord glory and honor; 1 Thessalonians 1, 1-5; Matthew 22, 15-21, Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.

Isaiah observations: This selection comes from what is considered Isaiah 2, the author of the Book of Consolations, written after the first 39 chapters and during the Babylonian captivity.    Isaiah speaks from Yahweh's perspective and He is calling someone by name.

So, who is Cyrus?   Cyrus the Great of Persia, modern Iran, built the first great empire, which extended as far as Athens in Greece.   He was a benevolent emperor of his people and the people he conquered, for instance, the Israelites.

Isaiah 2 is championing Cyrus because he hears of Cyrus coming and hopes Cyrus will defeat the Babylonians and set the Israelites free to return to Jerusalem.  This is exactly what Cyrus does.  Where is Babylon?  Try 50 miles south of Baghdad on the Euphrates River.  What is left?  Rubble. 

Thessalonians:

• Time written: ca. 50 A.D.   Considered Paul's first letter, and, in fact, the earliest written document in the N.T.
• Place: Paul was writing in Corinth, Greece to the town in northern Greece, Thessalonica, at the northern corner of the Aegean Sea.  He had founded a community there.
• Purpose of writing: to comfort and encourage the new Christians of Thessalonica, most of whom were Gentiles.    He sent Timothy to see how things were going.   The report Timothy brought back was largely favorable—hence the warm tone of the opening thanksgiving, which forms the main part of today’s reading. But there were also a few problems in Thessalonica; we will meet them on the thirty-second and thirty-third Sundays.

Resources: The New Interpreters Study Bible; St. Louis U. Liturgical @ Liturgical.slu.edu

Matthew observation: Render to Caesar

Matthew lifts this story right out of Mark.  The story is a game that was popular among the intellectuals in Jesus time, like a game of verbal chess.  The object was to confound your opponent so that choosing either one of two answers springs a trap. 

Watch the smarmy language of the Pharisees and you can almost see them salivating at the impending kill.  

The trap: do you think it lawful to pay the tax to Caesar or not?  Jesus confounds them by choosing both.  Jesus wins the game. 

Why do Mark & Matthew use this story?  To show how Jesus is superior.  He is worthy of being followed and listened to.

Me, a Light in the World? 

I want to talk about the alleluia verse, “Shine like lights in the world.” 

After getting ordained at old St. Rita’s in June of 1971, I was sent to Miami to work as a chaplain in the big medical complex known as Jackson Memorial.  It was like Parkland and Southwestern Medical.  

The Jesuits of my southern province had a big parish right in the middle of downtown Miami, and part of the team worked the hospitals.  I was a summer helper and loved it. 

One day after I had been there about a week, a little blond  girl of 10 or 11 was brought into the burn ward.  Ever been in a burn ward, a children’s burn ward?  Tough places.  I spent a lot of time in these wards.

The girl, Anna, had been with her family on a sail boat.  Somewhere along their trip the boat had passed under a bridge.  Anna was standing on the edge of the boat with her back leaning against one of the guy wires.  

As the boat went under the bridge, the mast touched an electrical line.  The electricity went down the mast and the guy wire.  Anna was electrocuted and burned.  Fortunately, she was hurled into the cool water which helped to stop her burns.  

However, her back and the insides of her thighs and legs were seriously burned.  She would stay in Jackson for 2 to 3 months, even after I had to move on.  

I got really close to Anna & her family.  I visited her first & last every day and I was privileged to be allowed by the doctors to hold her hand when her bandages had to be changed.  Her parents had to leave the room.  You know how this is such a high tension time.  It used to leave me shaken.  

I talk about this because the alleluia verse tells us to be lights in the world.  I think this is what it means.  I was privileged to be with that little girl & her family in such a horrible experience.  It is reciprocal: she was a light in my world.

The good news is that Anna finally did leave the hospital all healed up.  I never had the opportunity  to see the family again, but I corresponded for years with the mom.  Somewhere during my time in Africa, the connection got broken.  I know that maybe 15 years later her mom wrote me that Anna had married and had a little kid.

In whose world are you a light today?  

Picture 1:    Mass Begins

Picture 2:    Bethany       

Picture 3:    Miguel

Picture 4:    Delgado Corner with Fred

Picture 5:    Justin

Picture 6:    Emma