Sunday Homily 5-2-10, 5th Easter

Theme Today: July 4th, Why I'm proud to be an American

Readings:

 Ezekiel  2,  2-5  Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, rebels.

Psalm 123,    Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.

2 Corinthians 12, 7-10, A thorn in the flesh was given to me.

 Mark  6, 1-6, A prophet is not without honor except in his native place.

 

Emma says, "Welcome in, Everybody, and meet my friend, Teddy, my dad's old special friend."

 

Ezekiel observations:

Who:  Ezekiel is one of the Big 3 prophets.  Why?  48 chapters.  The other 2: Isaiah & Jeremiah.  These 3 have lots of chapters & material.

Ezekiel was born into the priest class.  He later was considered a prophet.  He got The Call from God.  When he was about 25 he was swept up in the Babylonian captivity, around 590. 

When: It covers the period of the Captivity, 600-550 before Christ, which Ezekiel lived personally.  But the work is composed toward the end of the Captivity, around 550.  This is Ezekiel’s material, but it has been saved and edited by his fellow priests.

 

The special magic lady of our neighborhood who puts together our July 4th parade and party every year, Patty Cody.  It is also her birthday.  Her helpers Aviana, The Queen Mother, and Larry.

 

Message:

1. Ezekiel criticises the people and warns them that their bad ways will be punished, for example, by being defeated and led into slavery and the Captivity.
2. He promises comfort and a brighter future for the captive people, especially envisioning a restored temple (which then lasted until when?  The year 70, when the Romans finally destroyed the temple & the priestly cast ceased to function, to this day).
3. An amusing vision: The Dry Bones, chapter 37.

Today’s selection:   Ezekiel gets The Call or invitation from God to go tell the Israelite people that God sees what is going on.  Which means, tell them they are behaving horribly and they will pay dearly for their misbehavior. 

 

                Happy 4th of July and welcome to our party.

 

2 Corinthians observations

1.  This second letter to Corinth is often called the severe or tearful letter.  Paul was upset with the Corinth, Greece community because of what he thought were false prophets undermining his authority.  These people could have simply been people who disagreed with him.  At points you can almost hear Paul playing his violin & singing 'Poor Paul.'

2.  He talks here about a thorn in his flesh.  So, what is that?  People have speculated for centuries.  Could it have been he was OCD (obsessive compulsive), bi-polar (mood swings from manic & dramatic to depressed), epilepsy, or something else?  Is there evidence in his writing for any of this?  Maybe. No way to really diagnose.  The patient has been dead for a few years.

Sources: Good News Bible, New Interpreter’s Study Bible, St. Louis U. Liturgy Studies, Wikipedia

 

            Will somebody decorate my bike like that for Iowa?

 

July 4th : Why I am happy to be an American

One of the nice things about being 75 is that I find myself looking back over the years and counting the special blessings of my life.  This 4^th of July week I it struck me that of my 75 years I had the privilege of living in East Africa for about 10 of those years.  While I was often critical of American foreign policies, I was happy to be an American. 

Why am I happy to be an American?  I have an East African story and two small contemporary stories.

 

 

             Engines are warming up.  Patriotic dogs welcomed.

 

When I lived in East Africa I based out of Tanzania.   I gave seminars and retreats also to priests and nuns living in Kenya and in Uganda.  This was the time of Idi Amin, a rather crazy tyrant who resided in Kampala, the capital.

One time my team & I had a program, probably a month long program in Uganda.  We were just down a dilapidated two lane, main highway going west from Kampala to the most western town, Mbarara.   There was a center run by some sisters on the south side of this highway.  We had probably 20 participants. 

 

 

                                   Who's having more fun here, Dad or Kids?

 

I used to run every day.  When I ran on the road I was in Idi Amin territory with occasional trucks passing with his soldiers.  When I returned to the center I was in the rebels’ territory.  The State dept forbade Americans from entering Uganda because of Idi Amin.  But in we went, anyway.

I never had any trouble with the soldiers on the road and, certainly no trouble with the rebels in the forests behind the center.

 

 

                          Away we go, just follow the fire truck.

 

My one trouble came when I was returning to Kenya & Nairobi, the capital.  I was at the border, Uganda side.  I went up to a Ugandan soldier at a low desk, showed him my passport, and made a mistake.  I spoke Swahili.  The guy went off.  I thought I was going to jail.  Why?  Swahili was the language of Tanzania and Kenya, both against Idi Amin.

I remember getting through, catching a country taxi into Nairobi, and getting out in the middle of the town to see the American flag flying over the embassy. 

 

                    Larry's favorite toy, and you should hear it.

 

Seeing the flag and what it stood for was like seeing a friend in a foreign land.  I would see it occasionally in Nairobi and in the capital of Tanzania, Dar es Salaam (which means harbor of peace in Arabic).

That was then.  This past week two special events took place.

 

Another favorite toy, especially for the kids, but perhaps for a few big kids, too.

 

Monday Rosemary & I set out on the White Rock Creek Trail to go ride our bikes around White Rock.  Almost at the end of the trial, the south end, just before it goes under Northwest Highway, Rosemary hit a pot hole and had two blow outs.  Both tires at the same time.  A very unusual event.

I came along and we determined that I should ride back to Royal Lane, get the car, and pick her up a point about half way back on the trail.  She would walk the bike back. 

 

                               Patriotic golf , Anybody?

 

When I picked her up, she said she was touched.  People kept passing her.  11 men and 5 women.  Of those people 7 men and 4 women asked if they could help her.  One woman even asked Rosemary if she would like her to tow Rosemary’s bike.  I, too, was touched.

Finally, yesterday morning, July 4^th.  We have an annual parade and picnic every July 4^th morning.  Preston Hollow elementary school yard is the scene.  A fire truck leads the parade and police cars are scattered here and there.  The parade circles around the neighborhood, and returns to the school, where there is a petting zoo, face painting, snow cones, a DJ with patriotic music, and refreshments provided by The Queen Mother.  Guess what the biggest treat is: donut holes. 

 

It is always embarrassing to run into a former Jesuit student.  He knows too much. 

 

The kids are beautiful, the families are beautiful, and the lady who coordinates all of it is The Best.

Why are you happy to be American?

 

 

 

 

 

"Welcome in, Everybody, sez Ken.

 

Readings:

Isaiah 58, 7-10,  Share your bread with the hungry.  (A beautiful passage. Note: I lied. I thought we were done with Isaiah until next Advent, or so  I read.  I am happy to be wrong.)

Psalm 112,  The just man (person?) is a light in the darkness to the upright.

1 Corinthians 2, 1-5,  I came to you in weakness and in fear.

Matthew 5, 13-16, You are the light of the world.

 

 

It takes a team.

 

Isaiah reminders, again—(I lied again, Folks.  I thought we were finished with Isaiah, my favorite, until next Advent.  Nope.  Not really sorry, though.  We have him again Feb. 26, last Sunday before Lent.)  Where did I get my research?

 Author: This is Isaiah #3, the composer of chapters 56-66.  Isaiah #3 lives after the Israelites have returned to the ruined city of Jerusalem.  It is a very depressing experience after the exuberance of being allowed to depart from slavery in Babylon.  Like returning to your shattered home after a tornado, hurricane, or forest fire.

 

 

"Nuts, Sandra, I think I lost that thumb drive."

 

 Date:  Ca. 555 before Christ, the composition.  The Jewish people of Jerusalem are home again.

Subject:  A great day will come for you Jews.  You will be a bright light at dawn and your wound will be healed (of your defeat and slavery), if you take care of your neighbor, providing food, clothing, and shelter.  The corporal works of mercy.

 

 

Good Morning, Bill & Cindy.

 

Your Light must shine before Others

This is the fourth or fifth Sunday we have dealt with delightful readings that involve light, either receiving light or giving light.  Guess what.  I want to talk again about 3 people who are lights for me.

I have talked before about that guy whom I greatly admire, Jim Mahar, a professor of something like economics at St. Bonaventure University near Buffalo, NY.  This guy just continues to amaze and humble me. 

 

 

 

The Candle Girls at work.

 

I first met Jim through Bill Hammond.  He, I, and others,  all went down to Galveston to help with the clean up and repair of the city after hurricane Ike in 2008.  It seems to me like yesterday and, yet, it is incredibly long ago.

There were 20-25 of us, mostly students probably on spring break.  We stayed in a very hospitable Protestant church.  The pastor himself was most friendly and accommodating. 

 

 

Buddy reading The Blessing of The Candles>

 

The kids had bunk beds on the left & right of the church.  We old guys bedded down in a rectangular room with about 20 Baptist Men volunteers.  I could talk about those guys all day, they are so good.  The only problem that time: one guy in our dorm snored like a bear. 

These guys had an 18 wheeler trailer that they had rigged up with a number of showers.  The people in the church community fed us 3 meals a day. 

 

 

The Offertory a family affair,  Gil, Michelle, & Bernadette.

 

This was the first time I worked with Jim Maher.  I also went to Moore, OK, a suburb of OK City to help with a tornado that passed through a little trailer town called Little Ax.  And now  I get a facebook note from Jim, working with a bunch of St. Bonaventure kids in maybe the Bahamas.

Jim is a bright light in my life.  In fact, his light is blinding.  I am exhausted just following him from one disaster to another.   He and some kids even came to help in Rowlett once a few years ago.  I did not get to help out, but Bill Hammond was there. 

 

 

The Minor Elevation.

 

Secondly, Pope Francis.  And not just because he is a Jesuit.  Ever hear of Palazzo Migliori at St.  Peter’s square in Rome?  I just saw this in a news bulletin. 

I am proud of Francis and his team because he is taking a rich 19th century palace on the edge of St. Peter's square and turning it into a home for homeless.  The palace could  have been sold or rented out for an enormous sum.   "Beauty heals" was Francis' observation when he inaugurated the palazzo.

 

 

Communion Time.

 

About 50 men & women now sleep in the palazzo, which has 16 bedrooms.  Volunteers provide hot meals.  Among the volunteers are some Americans.

 

 

Bill give a pretty good health report.

 

 

The third group: our kids.  They don’t have to do anything and I love them.  I am so delighted with their presence, which brings light to our celebrations.  Look at Betsy, our most recent arrival.   Betsy, this does not include the monster who brings you, though I am exceedingly grateful to her, not only bringing you, Betsy, but also your big sister, Harper.

I have always welcomed little kids at the Masses I celebrate, and for sure, at St. Marks.  I would normally invite them up around me during the Eucharistic prayer.  One time in the big church a little boy knocked over the standing candles and another time a little baby barfed on my shoulder while I was welcoming her or him for maybe the first time. 

 

 

Sez Betsy, "Wow!  What is this??"

 

Guess what, everybody was so timid and cowed that Sunday they did not even stop me to let me know the baby had thrown up on my shoulder.  Only after the Mass, when even I was beginning to wonder about where that smell was coming from, did someone speak up.  These events both took place in the big church, not the 10:30 cafetorium.   That 10:30 crowd would have spoken up, probably laughing at me.

Again the questions:

Who gives you light?

To whom do you give light?

Anybody know who these character are??

Readings:

Isaiah  5, 1-7,  Let me now sing of my friend, my friend’s song concerning his vineyard.

 Psalm 80,   The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

Philippians 4, 6-9,  Have no anxiety at all.

Matthew 21, 33-43,  There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. 

 

 

Isaiah observations–

What:  My favorite prophet again.  When you note this is Isaiah, chapter 5, you can make some pretty educated guesses, like the following 3:

1.  This is Isaiah 1, the first of the three major composers.  Chapter 1-39 are Isaiah 1.

2.  This Isaiah is writing before the Babylonian Captivity, which took place around 555 before Christ.

3.    You might guess correcty, then, that he is criticising the Israelite people for their bad behavior.

Our passage:  In fact, he is highly critical.  He uses the metaphor or symbol of a vineyard.  Just so you know ahead of time, the vineyard is the people.  Watch what he says happens to the vineyard and why.  This, of course, is setting the stage for the gospel, which is about, you guessed it, another vineyard.  Even the responsorial Psalm is about the vineyard.

Guess what I just might talk about during the homily.

 

 

We, The Vineyard

Folks, Rosemary & I have been to the vineyard of the Lord.  In fact, I have been twice during the month of September, Yosemite and now our boat trip on the Danube. 

I am still so influenced by my years as a Jesuit and the desire to live a simple life that I am embarrassed to talk about this cruise.  It cost money.  And I feel squeamish about spending.

 

 

However, this trip was one of, if not the best of all the trips we have taken.  Let me mention three aspects, the natural beauty, the beauty of the staff, and the beauty of the group of people we randomly formed up with.

The natural beauty.  We certainly did travel through a section of Germany celebrated for its gorgeous vistas and its vineyards.  We visited some of the villages.

 

 

However, for me it was the Danube.  Especially at night.  We would open the curtains of our room and the sliding glass door.  6 feet below me was the Danube moving by, quiet with the exception of the swish of water as we powered up stream.  I would get up to visit the bathroom and return to just gaze. 

Secondly, the staff.  There were two in particular, the program director, Stein, and the concierge, Radi, a young woman with personality and glorious black hair.  But also, the staff down to the girl, Carmen, who watched over our room.  From the beginning when we walked on board and were welcomed with glasses of mimosas, to the end when there was a Viking agent waiting to help us at the Nuremburg airport at 3:45 A.M.  Great cordiality and hospitality.

 

 

Thirdly, the people and especially our group.  On perhaps the 4^th night I noticed around 2:00 A.M. we were simply sitting in the river, not moving.  Turned out, a barge ahead of us had troubles and was blocking our entrance into a lock.  We spent that night and the next morning anchored in the river with other tour boats lined up behind us.  Not one complaint from the group.  In fact, we had a good time.

That good time was enhanced by the charm and cordiality of the group we ended up meeting and putting together, four couples.  Chicago, Philadelphia, Ontario, and Dallas  When it was discovered I was a former Jesuit priest, that led to many interesting conversations. 

 

 

Isaiah says that the vineyard of the Lord is the House of Israel.  The cruise ship the Viking Njord was the vineyard of the Lord.  You, We are the vineyard.

I can see it.  Can you see it?

 

 

 

 

Apologies to everyone and to John for putting into last Sunday's blog the wrong homily from John's Mass, September 28.  Here is the correct homily,   Download Cade Homily 9-28-14

 

Rosemary's Blessing:

O God, we thank you for the fact that you have inspired men and women in all nations and in all cultures. We call you different names: some call you Allah; some call you Elohim; some call you Jehovah; some call you Brahma; some call you the Unmoved Mover. But we know that these are all names for one and the same God. Grant that we will follow you and become so committed to your way and your kingdom that we will be able to establish in our lives and in this world a brother and sisterhood, that we will be able to establish here a kingdom of understanding, where men and women will live together as brothers and sisters and respect the dignity and worth of every human being. In the name and spirit of Jesus. Amen.

 

Taken from The prayers of Martin Luther King Jr.  by John Dear appearing in the National Catholic Reporter, January 15, 2013

 

 

 

The Production Team.

 

Thanks to the Team

Music, Shonda & Ben

Readers, Rose & Patricia,  & Buddy, the candle blessing

Eucharistic Prayer & Gospel, John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers, Mike & Ben & Becky & Richard & Tom

Final Blessing, Rosemary

 

 

Almost time, 9:30

 

Readings:

Exodus, 34, 4-6, 8-9, The Lord, gracious and merciful, rich in kindness & fidelity. 

Daniel (Psalm) 3, Glory & Praise forever.

2 Corinthians  13, 11-13, The Grace of the Lord Jesus and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.

John 3, 16-18,  God so loved the world…

 

 

On air.

 

Please Remember these special people:

For Jim Esparza, the son of Frank & Mary, who just passed Saturday with 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 Jim Esparza, the son of Frank & Mary;   For Joe Hogan with cancer;  For Loretta's aunt Alicia;   For Ryan, Rosemary's nephew, who had surgery; For Bill Hammond,    For Sydney;  & For Sir Charlie;  Shonda's mom;   for Michelle;  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;  Virginia Mattingly

 

 

Becky & Tom.

 

Birthdays:  Shonda (last Week), Deacon Mike ordained '78, Bill Ekes, Alison DeGenova 

Anniversary:  The McClurgs, Diane & Kent, 48 years, & Diane's knee replacement this week.

 

 

 

On air with Ben.

 

This  week's Readings:

 

Download MASS 20 0607 Trinity Readings

 

 

Homily by John Stack

Here it is, folks, that line again, the one that says The Lord is gracious and merciful, never gets angry and abounding in love.  That summarizes for me who our God is.

I want to talk this morning about a black lady I knew when I was teaching at Jesuit '65-'68.  She was one of the first important black persons in my life who exemplified this description of God.  You ever heard of Juanita Craft?  A big lady with a big voice and a bigger heart.  She was elected to the Dallas City Council after I had departed Dallas.  She came to my '71 ordination in a police car at the old St. Rita.

Juanita taught me at least 3 lessons.   First she taught me how to take charge and get things done with grace.  This came about because she invited me to join her and about 25 young members of the Dallas NAACP on a greyhound type bus trip to the annual NAACP convention in Atlantic City.  I must admit that I gulped a time or two, then accepted her invitation.  I was the only white guy on that bus.  Juanita charged each of those kids to be the best  & clean that bus every time we got off that bus.

I was impressed as a fellow bus driver at Jesuit.  Never had I instructed my Jesuit kids on the bus to clean up.  I did that after.  Because of Juanita I realized I could organize a planting of 400 trees, put together a group of friends to visit Yosemite, and accept an invitation to work in East Africa.

Because Juanita was abounding in love, she taught me how to ask help from others.  Therefore I wrote to my Jesuit confreres at Georgetown and asked if they could shuttle two dozen black kids around D.C. for a day.  Not only did they supply about 5 cars and guides, they invited the whole bunch of us to dinner in the Jesuit dining room that evening.  The Jesuits were gracious and merciful

 

You will never guess what I did when I returned to Dallas from Atlantic City.   I accepted Juanita's invitation to move into her little house in South Dallas and help her with the NAACP youth group that summer.  I knew then, Black Lives Do Matter.

 

How do Black Lives matter to you?

 

Ben doing the Magic.

 

 

And a repeat:

Birthdays:  Shonda (last week), Bill Ekes, Alison, Deacon Mike ordained '78

Anniversaries:  McClurgs, 48 years & Diane has a knee replacement this week.

 

Communion for Mike.

 

Community Finances, June 7, 2020

Expenses: $825.00

Outreach:  $500.00  (often for Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)

This week we donated $1,500 to Soul's Harbor.

 

Thanks, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

 

Job, 7, 1-4, 6-7, Is not man's life on earth a drudgery?

Psalm 147, Praise the Lord who heals the broken hearted.

1 Corinthians 9, 15-19, 22-23, If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast.

Mark  1, 29-39,  He approached her, grasped her hand, and helped her up.  Then the fever left her and she waited on them.

 

Welcome, Folks!

 

 

Thanks……

Music,  Ben & Shonda

Readers, Jackie and Patricia, and Buddy, the candle blesser

Gospel,  Mike Carrell

Homily,  Mike Carrell

Eucharistic Prayer A & B, Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,   Hue & Richard & Mike 

Final Blessing, Rosemary

For hosting us at Legacy, Becky

 

 

Sunday Readings:

Download Reading 5th Sunday 2-7-2021

 

Homily by Mike Carrell

Download Mike homily 2-7-21

 

 

The Best, Shonda & Ben.

 

Please Remember these special people:

For Carrie's ex, Larry;  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 

The Brain Trust–including Aviana.

 

Jackie's mom, sister, & friend, Lynn;  For both Jean & Cliff Wright;  For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg; For Meredith, cancer free;    For John O'Donnell & Jean;   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; from Barbara, a little 4 month old boy undergoing an operation & for Rollie with Corona; for David McKeon's brother, Hugh; for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

 

 

Birthdays:  Geri, Tom Quinn, Hue & John Bresson

Anniversary:  Bobby & Debbie Ekes

 

Family Teamwork.  Happy Birthday, Geri.

 

Community Finances, February 7, 2021

Expenses: $1400.00 

Outreach   $250.00   (often for Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

 

Rosemary's Blessing:

 

As Lazarus came forth alive from the tomb

may we too, come forth from the corona pandemic

and all the tombs which bind and hold us.

May we be filled with gratitude for life and its blessings,

and for the normal everyday things we took for granted.

Help us to become better people as a result of our

awakening and help us share our lives and blessings with others.

 

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