Sunday Homily 8-8-10, 19th Ordinary Time

Genesis 18:  "Please, let not my Lord grow angry if I speak up this last time.  What if there are at least ten there?"  He replied, "For the sake of those ten, I will not destroy  it."

Colossians 2:  You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

Luke 11:  "And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

Denni reading from Genesis
 

Thanks…     

Music,   Ben  & Shonda

Tom reading from St. Paul's Letter to the Colossians

The Kiss of Peace

Outreach: $   220.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

Candice, Buddy, Claire and Ray

Rosemary's Blessing:

 Readings:

Isaiah 40, 1-11, Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.

Psalm 104,  O, Bless the Lord, my soul.

Titus  2, 11-14, 3, 4-7, The grace of God has appeared.

Luke 3, 15-16, 21-22, With you I am well pleased.

Cupcake of The Week: Rick & Jackie 12 years today, Sunday.

  For those who don’t have a decent Bible or a book of the readings, here are two links that I use, The Bible at Your Fingertips and USCCB, The New American Bible. 

The difference?  The first is Protestant more or less, and the second is officially Catholic and has the 12 little books in between the O.T. & N.T., called Deuterocanonical or Apocrypha. 

Both are good translations.    To buy a Bible, try The Jerusalem Bible or The New American Bible.

Our neighbor Sydney, who invited me to do Meals on Wheels with her 10 days ago. See last Sunday's homily.

Baptism & Original Sin: traditional & contemporary theology 

Traditional theology on baptism & original sin: 

a.  Why we baptized: purification & removal of original sin inherited by babies.  Baby was a sinner & would go to Limbo forever if not baptized before dying.   The non-existence of Limbo has been acknowledged by the Catholic Church.

b.  Original sin: the 1 sin of Eve & Adam, the eating of an apple, ruptured the relationship between God & Humans. 

Offertory, Carol and Richard, Celeste and Michelle

Contemporary theology on baptism & original sin: 

a.  Original sin: (first) 

1.  no original sin  

2.  Genesis story of the fall is allegory, not fact  

3.  from Darwin's Origin of the Species the idea has developed that in our human infancy, we needed certain behaviors to survive.  For instance, killing another person & stealing (like food).  As our ancestors formed communities, norms of social behavior emerged, for example, the 10 commandments.   

Alison and John

4.  St. Augustine, ca. 400: 

–A major, if not the major influence on Christian/Catholic theology of original sin and human nature from his time to today 

–After conversion from a rather lusty life at 32, he had a pessimistic view of human nature, different from early Christianity

–John Chrysostom, bishop of Constantinople (Istanbul), Pelagius, a British monk, & Julian of Eclanum, Italy, a bishop, all found nature good and fought against Augustine

–Augustine used all means to vanquish his opponents with their positive view that nature was good, even to sending a gift of horses to the pope to influence his decision.  Augustine won.

Our Man Cole

b.  Why we baptize today: (using the contemporary theology)

   1.  To celebrate a new life

    2.  To ritually & formally welcome the new person into a family, a community, and to a God famous for love and acceptance

   3.  To cleanse after the journey

 Sources: Elaine Pagels, Adam, Eve, and the Serpent; John Shelby Spong; Wikipedia

Our Cole, the Fire Man.

Baptism Today

This morning I would like to say a few words about contemporary baptism.   To get there I have a story.  Rosemary has gotten me hooked on another of her Brit dramas, this called Doc Martin.   It is not running right now, but we have been watching the series from past years.

There are basically two main characters with a bunch of others.  Doc Martin was a successful London surgeon until he suddenly developed a phobia for blood.  He said he was in the midst of performing surgery on a woman when suddenly he could not do it.  He said in one session he was like a tight rope walker who suddenly lost it.

So he moves to a little fishing village in Cornwall, Port Wenn, to act as the regional general practitioner.   His Aunt Joan, the wisdom figure in the series, has a small farm on the outskirts of Port Wenn.

Meghan receiving the Blessing of the sacrament of the sick.

What really sets Martin apart is his bluntness, his rudeness.  He tells one female patient she is fat, as is her teenage daughter.  He tells patients to get out, when he has finished his exam.  He won’t let his somewhat airheaded receptionist offer the patients tea, even though they sort of expect it and occasionally ask her for it.  When she gives it to them, he jumps all over her.

On one occasion he even paints over a portrait of his receptionist a patient had put on the wall of the waiting room.  The patient was painting the room.

The second primary character is, you guessed it, a pretty girl who is headmistress of the primary school.  We have been given glimpses of how much each loves the other.  On one occasion when Luisa invites Martin to share a glass of wine in his office after hours, one glass and Martin unwinds and tells her he thinks she is beautiful, loves her, and longs to just see her every day in the village.  Then he promptly falls asleep on the kitchen table because, as he said ahead of time, wine puts him straight to sleep.  But they are star crossed. 

Emma ready for snow.

On another occasion, after Martin has saved someone’s life with Luisa helping, he and Luisa are returning in the local taxi.  Luisa kisses him.  Martin the doctor suggests she has bad breath and he has some medication for it.  The next thing we hear is a slap and in the next scene Martin is standing bewildered on the side of the road, the taxi leaving without him.

Why does Martin act this way?  We were given an enormous clue in another session.  His parents.  They come to visit after about three years of no contact.  Dad likewise is a surgeon in London, but has lost a lot of money in some scam.  Mom tells Martin that Martin ruined her marriage.  She never wanted him and still doesn’t.  That was why he spent all his childhood away in boarding schools.  It was a painful session. 

Mr. Leo ready to sing.

Martin is a wounded kid.  His nervousness in the face of Luisa’s love for him is because he can’t handle this new emotion.  He has grown up thinking he is a loser and unwanted. 

Where are Martin and Luisa headed?  I don’t know yet.  I am almost afraid to watch the next session.  I so don’t want Martin to mess it up.  But he always does.  I feel like I am watching the Titanic embarking every time Rosemary & I begin a new session.

What has this to do with baptism?  Baptism is part of the antidote to this negative message.  Baptism can be the official message, the community message, the world’s message to a baby that you are terrific, okay, loved just as you are.  If Martin had heard this as a child, instead of what he heard, how things could have been different. 

After a hip operation, Mike walks.

As a community we can pass this message on to our kids.  They are all gifts.  Our voice can join the heavenly voice in saying, “Little One, you are beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

To whom have you recently conveyed this?

To whom next?

Readings: Isaiah 55, 10-11; Psalm 65; Romans 8, 18-23; Matthew 13, 1-23

Isaiah: The Great One lived around 750 B.C.  He is one of the 3 Major Prophets along with Jeremiah & Ezekiel, mostly because their works are larger than the 12 Minor Prophets.  Like all prophets he  condemned the behavior of the people, promised punishment from Yahweh, and foretold that a better day was coming after the punishment.

Isaiah has some of the most beautiful passages, many of which are seen as foretelling the coming of the Savior.  His readings are used all through the Advent & Christmas readings, as well as in Lent. 

Note, however, that there is evidence from different writing styles and length of time that three authors at least make up the book of Isaiah.

Both the Isaiah reading and Psalm 65 are beautiful.

What Kind of Soil Am I? 

One day when I was a little kid, so little I was not in school yet, I was playing in the driveway beside our house.  We had a driveway that ran from the street, along side the left side or east side of the house, all the way to the back where the two car wooden garage was.  We had no fence along that side of our back yard and the neighbor’s house had no fence. 

At some point in my play the lady who worked for the neighbors came to the back door.  I did not like this lady.  Actually, she had a small apartment attached to their garage where she lived when she was not working in the house. 

I do not know what it was that got me off on her.  Certainly she was not friendly, nor warm & fuzzy with this little boy.  So, out of the blue, I say to her standing there in the doorway, “You are a big, fat elephant.” 

Maybe I ran.  I don’t know.  But, I give that lady credit.  She marched right over to our house and told my mother.  And my mother went ballistic.  I got a spanking. Which certainly did not make me more fond of that lady.

As a result of this event, plus numerous other little behaviors that were unacceptable, I entered adolescence with the thought that I was a pretty bad kid.  My soil was rocky and I was probably on the express train to hell.  Which definitely played a role in my decision to enter the Jesuits and become a priest.  Save my lost soul before it was too late. 

I talk about this because it connects me with the parable of the sower, one of the many so called agricultural parables found in Matthew.  In the parable, Jesus says we got four chances to get the message and with three of them we don’t get it.  Not good odds.  I go along with this and suggest that the path, the rocks, and the thorns symbolize three ways we sabotage our process of getting the message. 

• First, I suggest the path symbolized a lack of gratitude. We take for granted all the blessings and beauty that make up our life and, in fact, often feel entitled. Our time is so limited that we never reflect.
• Second, the rocks symbolize our middle class obsession with stuff, toys, things. We have to have the latest thing, the biggest, the best.
• Thirdly, the thorns may symbolize the fact that I hear the wrong message. I pick up that I am bad, like I learned when I was a little kid.

What is really devious about these three, is that they are reciprocal.  They interact among themselves. Here is what I mean.

Say, I have the self image that I am bad.  If I am already bad, why make an effort.  Certainly, I don’t incline toward gratitude.  I do incline, however, toward toys & stuff.  The toys are medication for my disappointment in myself.  If I have enough toys, I think that others will think I am hot stuff. 

I was into toys as a teen.  No doubt.  One of the best things that happened was when I joined the Jesuits, I let go of it all.  I had no possessions to impress others with.  None of us in my class had possessions.  We were just guys. 

The reason this is pathetic is that while I am ungrateful and obsessed with toys because of my lack of self acceptance, I never achieve The Peace, which is where the rich soil is that yields a hundred fold of peace.  I don’t get the message.  The message is I’m okay.

How do I break this cycle?  I think I can intervene anywhere along the process.  I can focus on gratitude, I can detach from stuff & toys, and I can work on self acceptance.  Maybe all at the same time.  That is getting the message.

The beauty about all this is that ultimately, wherever I am, I am okay.  I am accepted.  I am not riding the express train to hell.  Jesus presents us with ultimate demands, and ultimate acceptance.

What is the challenge to you?  How do you get The Message?

AUDIO:  http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-07-13.mp3

Readings:

Isaiah  60, 1-6,  Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem.

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

Ephesians  3, 2-3, 5-6,  You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace.

Matthew 2, 1-12, Behold, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem.

Emma says, Welcome, Everybody."

 Isaiah observations & reminders:

Who.  This is Isaiah III, the third of three.  

Time.  The Jewish people have been released from slavery in Babylon and are back in a devasted Jerusalem.  Around 555 before Christ.

Message:  consolation and encouragement.   The splendor of Jerusalem will shine again.

Leo and his daddy coming to work.

 Two Wise Men from the East

We all have people who are our models.  This morning in celebrating the Epiphany, I would like to tell you about two wise men from the east who have been models for me. 

The first is Julius Neyerere who was the first president of Tanzania when the country became independent in 1961.  I admire him first of all because he was maybe the first president of an African country to voluntarily retire from the presidency, which he did in 1985, after almost 25 years.  He was president all during my time in Tanzania.

Georgie coming to work.

Equally admirable to me was that he went to Mass every morning.  Yes, he was a Catholic and a very approachable person.  He & his family lived in a simple house in Dar es Salaam, the capital and he was open to seeing anyone.  He was really interested in the welfare of his people.  The country was poor but peaceful while I lived there.

Cowboy Cole and Zoe at work.

My second model from the east has been in the news this past month of December, because he just died at 95 years of age.  He was Nelson Mandela of South Africa.  He was and is a model for me because of at least 3 things.

First, he was in prison all during my ten years in East Africa.  In fact, he was in prison almost 30 years.  That knocks me out.  I remember the loneliness I felt in Tanzania at times and I was not even in prison.

Buddy and pal with his sister, Zoe.

During that time on three occasions he was offered conditional release.  He refused and demanded unconditional release.  Wow. 

But what really knocks me is that when he was released around 1990, he held no grudges and took no revenge.  On the contrary, he cooperated with some of the people who imprisoned him to govern the country with equality.

Tori in a contemplative mood.

A famous move he made once was when he supported the white national rugby team in a major match with the team from another country.

A second move he made wins my admiration.  He was elected president of South Africa in 1994.  At the end of his term in 1999, as he had promised, he declined to run again, but retired.  Phenomenal.  Would that some other African countries could follow that example.

Thirdly, all of Nelson’s adult life he fought for democracy, equality, and education.

C.C. helping to light the candles.

When he was on trial facing the death penalty or life, which he eventually received, he stated,

“I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

Who are your models and why?

Kayla helping to light the candles.

Sarah says, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome."

Readings:

Isaiah  8, 23-9, 3,  The people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light.

Psalm 27,  The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?

1 Corinthians 1,  10-13,  I urge you that there be no divisions among you.

John  1, 29-34, The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light.

Leo says, "Come in, Folks, there's cupcakes."

Isaiah reminders, again—

 Author: This is Isaiah #1, the composer of chapters 1-39.  Even though Isaiah #1 lives before the Babylonian Captivity, he still sees that a great day a bright day will come to the Jewish people.  

 Date:  Ca. 555 before Christ, the composition.  The Jewish people of Jerusalem are about to be defeated and carried off into slavery

Subject:  A great day will come for you Jews.  A special leader will be born.  You will be a beacon to others, glorious, and a light to nations everywhere.  You might easily recognize parts of this reading.  From where?  The Nativity readings.  

This is the last week we will have these Isaiah readings which I love.  I will miss them.  Until next Advent.

Chuck and Sandra.

Serenity Prayer

Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.   In honor of Chuck Pratt

The People who have walked in Darkness have seen a Great Light

I would like to talk this morning about our old friend, Chuck Pratt, who moved to the other side December 8.  I would like to tie up my thoughts with two gorgeous lines from our readings.  The first is from my beloved Isaiah, the second from the Psalm, 27.  Namely, The people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light.  Recognize the line?  It’s from the Christmas liturgy.  Secondly, from the Psalm, The Lord is my light, whom should I fear? 

Chuck at 5, ca. 1943

I would propose that Chuck was and is a light.  Let me offer four reasons.

First, look at the family.  With the gorgeous Sandra (how did he ever win you?  Must have tricked you.), we now have with us Chip and Pam and Chris, all lights, reflecting Chuck and Sandra, and in their own right.   And that is only the beginning.  Chip has Kathy, Pam has Mark, and Chris has Cecily.  And we have the little lights, equally bright, Maddie (TCU) and Alex, Olivia and Amelia.  With lights like these what have we to fear?

Chuck and his girls, Maddie (TCU), Olivia, and Amelia.

Secondly, beyond the family Chuck had his AA community.  Chuck had over 25 years of sobriety.  I stand in awe of people who have done this.    My sister, Kathey, has been in AA for years and I am so proud of her.  Chuck and she were friends.  At Chuck’s 75^th birthday party last October I was humbled to be in the same room with so many special lights from AA.

Free Advice, White Rock Lake, W. Lawther Drive, a scene Chuck would have loved.

Thirdly, I was amused and touched that Chuck died Sunday, December 8.  Know what date that is?  The Immaculate Conception.  Know what it is?  It means Mary was conceived without Original Sin.  God especially intervened to have her born sinless.  She was born normal.  I would suggest Chuck was born similarly, just like all babies.  Like I’ve said before, what if there is no original sin? 

Fourth.  Rosemary & I were riding around White Rock Lake two weeks ago and I noticed these people with the sign, free advice.  I’ve seen them before on Sundays when we were driving.  Never when biking.

Sisters, Tori and Zoe.

I was 100 yards down West Lawther Drive when I thought to myself, I want to take their picture and see what is up.  I told Rosemary to go on to the car and doubled back. 

There were maybe three guys and two girls, middle aged, very friendly, and amusing.  Suddenly it hit me.  Chuck Pratt would have loved this little slice of Americana.  Free Advice, wow.  I could see him not only talking with these folks, but sitting down and joining their team.  He had plenty of advice to offer.

I was a person walking in some darkness before Chuck came along and lightened my life with his friendship—and advice.  How can I be afraid with a friend like Chuck? 

How was Chuck a light for you?

Recognize? That's Buddy!

Rosemary's Blessing

Good Morning!

This is God.

I will be handling all your problems today.

I do not need your help.

So have a good day!

Author Unknown

Remembering….

Readings:

Isaiah 55, 10-11, Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down.

Psalm 65,  The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest

Romans  8, 18-23,  The sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us,

Matthew 13, 25-30,  A sower went out to sow.

Download Reading Week 7-12

Thanks to the Team

Music,  Ben & Shonda

Readers,  Mary & Sandra & Buddy, the candle blesser

Gospel & Homily, Deacon Mike

Eucharistic Prayer, John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers, Mike & Richard & Tom

Final Blessing, Rosemary

Please Remember these special people:

For Cindy who faced a procedure Monday morning;   For our Bill;  For Carrie Bieda's son;   For Esparzas, Frank & Mary, who lost their son Jim to sepsis;   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 Joe Hogan with cancer;  For Loretta's aunt Alicia;    For Sydney;  & For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom;   for Michelle;  

For Jackie's mom;  For a friend, a neighbor, & 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;  for Virginia Mattingly.

Magicians at work, Tom, Richard, & Mike.

Homily for July 12: The name given by the artist to the picture behind me today is Rhapsody. It has always hung on the wall in front of me, and I’ve enjoyed seeing it every day.  It could have been called Rapture, or a Taste of Paradise.

The picture moved me then and it still does now. I purchased it at a special evening auction given by the marriage partner of Richard Delong a few months after Richard’s death. The proceeds from the auction of Richard’s Art Collection was then given by his marriage partner toward continued research of the Human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS.

The two woman in the picture are in ecstasy, euphoria, elation.  If you could look at it closely, you would see that they are part the celebration of our sacred liturgy.

Are Ben & Shonda not The Best!

In our first reading from today’s liturgy, Isaiah the Prophet gives us a wonderful teaching from God to us his children: You will be filled with joy and led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and the trees of the field will clap their hands.

Today’s words from our liturgy continue with a psalm of gratitude to God who prepares us for an expectation of a fruitful harvest of Words.

The second reading is the eager expectation from the Letter to the Romans revealing to us that those who have welcomed and are living to Good News, are the children of God, who have joyfully received the Holy Spirit.

Our gospel reading seeks for us to bear fruit; 100, or 60, or 30 times greater than what was sown for us in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

Birthdays:  John Schanot & Caroline Grattifiori

Anniversaries:   Ron & Marilyn Ackerman, 57th

A temporary Altar while adjustments are made.

Community Finances, July 12, 2020

Expenses: $810.00 

Outreach   $425.00,   (often for Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)

Thanks, Folks, for doing what you can.

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.

Winston Churchill