Readings: Leviticus 19, 1-2, 17-18; Psalm 103, The Lord is Kind and Merciful (the best); 1 Corinthians 3, 16-23; Matthew 5, 38-48.

Homily

 “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  But we are not, and so the Sacrament of Penance, the fourth in the list as we learned it! 

 So far we have discussed the first three sacraments, Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist, and come to the understanding that they are best identified as Sacraments of Initiation.  Moreover, in their original expression, they would all have been celebrated as one sacrament. 

As we received the sacraments as children, we almost received them in this order.  Except that Penance was dropped in before we made our First Communion, and so intruding in the sequence.

Today I want to try to cover, briefly, the history of the sacrament of Penance.  The very early Christian community didn’t have the sacrament.  The thinking was quite simple, if one repented and believed in Jesus and was baptized, one would not sin again! 

 This early community was a very close community, and was also being persecuted for its faith, and so they knew each other very well and we have several references in Paul’s letters to the need to throw someone out if they sinned. 

By the year 150 we do find that the communities recognize three sins, which required special handling; murder, adultery and heresy.  For this there began a practice of what we will call “Canonical Penance”.  It was not pleasant! 

 Since it seemed inconceivable that a baptized person would sin, then they were excluded from the community.  They had to perform all kinds of public penance, wear special clothes and fast; and maybe, after many years of this, they might be welcomed back into the community on Holy Thursday.  And by the way, you could only ask for forgiveness once in your lifetime!  And so began the practice of “death bed” forgiveness. 

Baptism was generally recognized as the sacrament for having sins forgiven, and so it became common to delay receiving baptism until one was an adult and past the youthful years of indiscretions.  This almost ended the life of the sacrament of Penance. 

But then along came the Irish Monks!!  Sitting around in their monasteries, they began to talk with one another and there developed the practice finding a “Soul Friend” or Anam Cara to tell ones sins to.  This was the beginning of Confession as we know it, but there was still one missing ingredient.  Absolution. 

 This action did not get officially added until the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215.  But back to the Irish Monks.  They ended up bringing Christianity back to Europe since it had been all but wiped out there by invading barbarians. 

To help with this type of confession, they began to develop penances appropriate to the sin and thus developed books with prescribed penance.  And these penances were extremely harsh, no three Hail Marys for the Irish! 

 Of course given man’s ingenuity, the next thing we find is that those with some money could hire others to do the penance for them! 

 It was Peter Lombard in the twelfth century who first listed Seven Sacraments, with penance being number four, and it was also in this century that we first meet the famous words “Ego te absolvo” which were quickly defended in the next century by St. Thomas Aquinas as the only way to have sins forgiven. 

 By the time the Reformation came some four centuries later, we find the Council of Trent only further declaring that this was the way penance always was and would always be celebrated!! 

 Now in our time, with the aid of better church history, the Second Vatican Council began to restore the communal aspect of the sacrament, and focused on Reconciliation rather than on penance and confession.  

That effort has tended to fall on barren ground as two things have happened.  One was that we all stopped going to confession altogether and, secondly, it seems that the current hierarchy are bound and determined to undo much of what Vatican II introduced.

 Why did we stop going to confession?  I believe there are a couple of reasons.  Traditionally people were not well educated and therefore took everything which the church said without question. 

In the last century, most of us have been educated at least to secondary level and a large number thru third level.  We are able to think for ourselves.  The push by Vatican II towards ‘personal responsibility’ in our relationship with God further aided this. 

 Right after Vatican II came the Encyclical Humane Vitae, on birth control, which most adult Catholics choose to ignore.  Follow that with the current pedophile crisis and who wants to confess to a priest!!

 But as I said at the very beginning, we do sin.  So now what can we do about it?  Well recall that penance is not the only sacrament in the business of forgiving sins.  Baptism does, so does the Sacrament of the Sick, (more about that sacrament on another Sunday) and so does the Eucharist. 

 Recall that there are numerous times in our celebration when we acknowledge our sinfulness and even hear the words “this is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world”.  So the church is possibly heading towards greater recognition of the need for reconciliation rather than confession. 

 I am going to suggest that during one of the Sundays in Lent, we have a celebration of Reconciliation with our Eucharist.  There are even two Eucharistic Prayers for Reconciliation in our missals, but more about this later.  There is no question, but that we sin.  There is also no question but that the whole message of Jesus was one of reconciliation: remember the Prodigal Son, the Lost Sheep.  God does love us, and definitely does not want us to stay away when we fail. 

 Just because Confession has vanished, sin has not.  And we can too easily become very casual about our relationship with God and our community.  There is a place for reflection and acknowledgement of our sins, we have it each time we celebrate mass at the beginning with the Penitential Rite, and maybe its time we found an Anam Cara, a Soul Friend.

Picture 1:   Mass beginning    

Picture 2:   The Nursery, Zoe, Michelle, Torri & Buddy, Randolph, Georgie, Leo & Bernadette

Picture 3:   Leo with Wendy

Picture 4:   Torri with her granddad, Gilberto

Readings:

Sirach  15, 15-20,  Before man are life and death, good and evil.

Psalm 119,  Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 2,  6-10,  We speak a wisdom to those who are mature.

Matthew  5, 17-37, If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.

Batman Leo says, "Come on in, Everybody; I'll protect you from all the bad guys."

Observations: on Psalm 119, on Matthew 5, and, first, on Sirach—

What:  This is one of those 12 odd books in between the Old and the New Testament.

 Author: a Jewish teacher called Joshua.  The only identified author in the whole Old Testament.  He tells us who he is, that he is a teacher, lived in Jerusalem, and traveled a lot.  It seems he put his work together while running a school in Alexandria, Egypt.

 His grandson translated the Hebrew work into Greek.  This Hebrew text was lost for centuries until the 19^th century, when 2/3 of it was found in Cairo.  Then other portions were found in Qumran and Masada, as late as 1964.

Cowboy Cole on a mission.

 Date: composed around 175 years before Christ.  About 90 years before Christ the Jews put together their official bible, but excluded Sirach because they could not find the Hebrew version, only the Greek. 

 Christians accepted the book as part of their bible in the 2^nd century after Christ.  The Council of Trent (keep 1555 in mind as a date) officially accepted it, making it part of that extra 12 books called the Apocrypha or Deuterocanonical.  Martin Luther rejected the book & so do many Protestant congregations today.

 Subject Matter: practical ethics, duties.  Beware of the either / or spirituality presented.

 Subject today: you may choose good or bad.  Beware of the either / or spirituality presented in the reading.    All is either good or bad.  No in between or both, which is more what we all are, both good and bad.  

It can be simplistic & Pelagian, that is, it is all up to you and you have all the strength needed to choose good.  Pelagians thought that you had to EARN your salvation.  Therefore, the more religious stuff you did, like the more Masses, the more pilgrimages to the church & shrines, the more novenas & rosaries,  the more merit you win for yourself.

Zoe and Leo waiting for those cupcakes.

Psalm 119: the longest of all the psalms.  A focus on observance of the laws, decrees, and statutes.

Matthew 5:  a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount. Note the figures of speech called “antitheses,” namely, “You have heard it said, but, I say to you.”  4 even 5 times.  Matthew is trying to establish the authority & authenticity of Jesus.

Sources: Good New Bible; New Interpreter's Bible., Wikipedia; Reginal Fuller, S.J., David Westberg, S.J., & Larry Gillick, S.J., St. Louis U. Liturgies, on line.

Cupcakes of The Week to John, Dick, Rosemary (17th), Nina, and subbing for Ray, guess whom?, Leo!

Tear It Out & Throw It Away, My Right Eye?  You Crazy?!

 I have mentioned a lot of this once before, but it bears repeating because it is so relevant. 

 When I was studying theology in Toronto years ago, an article came out in the local newspaper.  Some guy had read the passage saying that if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.  He did it, folks. 

 In this passage from Matthew there are five pieces of advice to the early Christians which taken literally can get a person all messed up.  Is there a positive as well as a negative to each? 

Offertory, the Ekes, Marlene, Cindy, Zaile, and Billy.

 One observation before I touch the five.  I have mentioned this so often that I hope you are not worn out.   Infinite demand and infinite acceptance.  Watch out here for a lot of infinite demand.  I’ll give a positive & a negative for each.

 Matthew’s five pieces of advice are 1. breaking the least commandment,  2. getting angry,  3. looking at a woman, 4. divorce, and  5. swearing.  Here goes.

Bethany, Shonda, and Ray.

1.  Matthew says that if you break the smallest commandment you will be the least in the kingdom.  Moreover, unless you are better than the Pharisees, you will not even get into the kingdom.  The positive here is that the bar is set high.  The negative is that all, all of us sinners will be kept out. It creates scruples and obsessive compulsive behavior.  

 2.  Secondly, if you get mad at me and call me a fool, you are going to Gehenna.  I love it.  The positive here is the call to anger management.  I am challenged to know that all feelings are okay and need to be controlled.  The negative is that it gives me the idea that anger is not allowed, so stuff it.  Trouble is, it does not stuff well.  Not like a sleeping bag or tent.  It pops up in unexpected places.

Cowboy Cole taking care of business.

3.  Looking at a woman with lust.  The positive here is teaching respect for all people.  This advice, written by men for men, was attempting to gain some respect for women who were looked upon as property.  I found this in Tanzania & Kenya.  Rosemary read me an article about some Muslim who cut off his wife’s ears and nose for reporting him for abuse.   The negative is that it teaches us that feelings are sinful.  In the old days, we thought we looked at a girl and we were going to hell.  This is doubly sad because I don’t think there is a hell anyway.

 4.  Divorce is adultery.  The positive is that it reinforces the unity of marriage.  The negative is that people stay in abusive or addictive marriages long after it may even be safe.  Divorce is failure and we all fail sometimes even in tragic ways.  In order to escape using the word divorce the Catholic Church comes up with the more convoluted word Annulment.

The Team begins the 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time.

 5.  Swearing.  The positive is that it involves politeness and respect for others.  Even if I am okay with my anger I do not swear at someone.  The negative is that it tightens us up.  We forget the therapeutic value of cussing, maybe a healthy & fun way of releasing anger.  The healthy Jesuits I lived with certainly partook of this therapy. 

 The overall danger in these pieces of advice is that we really get messed up, forgetting two things.  First they are presenting infinite demand.  Secondly, they make no mention of infinite acceptance.

 The poor guy in Toronto who blinded himself is an example of how we can mess ourselves up with goofy religion. 

 What do you think about these ideas?

Rosemary does her blessing.

Rosemary' Blessing

Loving God, through the gift of our fathers,

you reveal your wisdom, love and care.

Continue to bless and guide these holy men

you have given to us in our lives.

Support them in their call

to lead holy lives of faithfulness, respect and integrity.

May their witness of faith and love

shine from them and on their children and families

giving hope and encouragement to all.

Bless them for all the ways they lift their children to achieve their dreams.

Bless them for their sacrifice, their forgiveness and their guidance.

Bless grandfathers, uncles, brothers, cousins, teachers and coaches

who have shown us love and support.

For those fathers who have lost a child or spouse,

give them your loving touch of healing

consoling them with your gentle care.

For those fathers who have gone before us,

bring them to your eternal banquet of joy and peace;

bring them the fullness of union with you

and communion with us as we remember their love for us. Amen.

Sister Jean Amore CSJ, Sacred Heart Academy, Hempstead,N.Y.  Adapted from Fr. John Thomas Lane, SSS

Part of

The Cheese Team, Becky & Tom

Thanks to the Team

Music, Shonda & Ben

Readers, Rob & Beth & Buddy, the candle blesser

Gospel, Deacon Mike

Eucharistic Prayer, John Cade

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

Final Blessing, Rosemary

The Music Team, Ben & Shonda

Please Remember these special people:

For Richard's dad who just passed;   For Carrie Bieda's brother, who also just passed the end of this week;  For Bill;  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;  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

Where is everybody??

From last Weeks:

Birthdays:  Shonda (last Week), Deacon Mike ordained '78, Bill Ekes, Alison DeGenova;  Bernadette, Ben's wife, Camile, Harper 9 

Anniversaries:  Sandra  & Chuck,  59th,  Barb & Warren 41st,  Rick Urbanczik, 45th & Rick, 68 

Download Readings Week 12

The Master Technician, Mike.

Deacon Mike's Homily

There was a rich merchant who had three sons.  The two older ones cared only for themselves. The younger son, however, cared little about the things of the world; instead he cared for his father’s workers with kindness and wisdom.  One spring day, the merchant told his three sons to meet him at the wharf; it was time for them to take over his business. The two older sons immediately ran ahead and began fighting with each other for the newest of his father’s three boats.  

The youngest son had prepared himself for this day. He knew the ones who worked well with one another; and the ones he trusted to help him read the weather, the maps, and the stories about other kingdoms. They were ready; and after bringing barrels of food on board they set sail.

One of their maps showed that they would come upon some small islands four weeks out on the direction they had chosen. When they encountered them they stopped at one whose sand looked to be pure white. Stopping there they realized that it wasn’t sand at all. It was salt.  Having extra bags that could be used for ballast they decided to take some of it home with them. A month or so later they came upon a fairly large kingdom; and they were greeted by its king.  He wished them well and fed them; but he told them that he wasn’t interested in trading for his father’s goods.

Undaunted, the younger son, after having eaten their food, paid a visit to the king’s kitchens, where he discreetly sprinkled salt, to the meat, onto the soup, over the tomatoes and into the bland custard. That night the king was amazed at the flavor of his food. Calling his chefs before him, he excitedly asked about the new technique they were using. The response was that the young man from the boat had sprinkled something called salt onto the king’s food.  The next afternoon, the merchant’s youngest son set sail for home with his crew filled with joy.  The ship was now laden with one bag of gold for every sack of salt he had left for the king.

With humility, kindness and love we too are to become the Christ by sharing the salt and light of the gospel, the treasure of the Church, to as many as we can.

The Mass continues

Community Finances, June 21, 2020

Expenses: $290.00

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

Thanks, Folks, for doing what you can.

Readings:

Isaiah   53, 10-11,  The Lord was pleased to crush him.

Psalm 33,    Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you

Hebrews  4, 14-16, Let us approach the throne of grace.

Mark 10, 35-45,  Whoever wishes to be great will be your servant.  

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

Isaiah:

A review:  

Authors: at least 3 because there are 3 distinct parts to Isaiah the book.    Today's author is number 2.

Time of Composition: near the end of the Babylonian Captivity, i.e., ca. 555 Before Christ.

 Subject Matter: part 1 up to chapter 39, warnings about impending doom because of the badness of the people.  The remaining two parts are called the Book of Consolation, letting the people know that a more peaceful &:prosperous time is coming.     

One exception: 4 Suffering Servant passages in writer number 2, plus today's passage.  

Emma and her buddy, too, say, "Good Morning, Folks."

Today’s Selection:   Isaiah number 2.  Pretty nasty treatment being dealt to someone.    4 observations—         

          A. This chapter in 2 Isaiah is not included as one of the 4 Suffering Servant Songs, even though it presents the same theme.           

          B. The he, the servant that is talked about is

                    –for the Hebrews, the Jewish nation/people;

                    –for Christians, Christ.         

          C.  False Belief number 1?  The Jews thought Yahweh demanded suffering or sacrifice of valuable items ( e.g., sacrificial lamb, scape goat ) as payment for badness or for favors.   

          D.  False Belief number 2?  The early Jews & Christians believed that an original great sin had been committed by our ancestors & that sin could only be paid for by a human-divine hero, Jesus.  He had to be sacrificed to this god.  Or as the first line of our official reading says, “The lord was pleased to crush him with infirmity.”  

Do you think God crushes people with infirmity?   Was there really an original sin?   Contemporary theology says no.

       And not to be left out, Buddy says, "Welcome, Everybody."

If I don’t want to be 1^st, do I have to be a slave?

I want to talk today about being first and being a servant or slave.   Or if I don’t want to be first, do I have to be a slave?  I am uncomfortable with the either or.  I have seen good people get obsessed with serving.  Can there be a healthy middle ground?  I would say, yes, and it is self acceptance of myself as I am.   A story. 

You all know that Rosemary & I love to ride our bikes around White Rock Lake.  We go south on the White Rock Creek Trail from Royal Lane.  The second bridge we go under is the bridge where David Stephens was killed Monday Mmorning, 7:45.   Then circle the lake clockwise with a break at the boat house at the south end, near the dam.  All together about 20 miles.

                                     Zoe, the Candle Lighter

Homeward bound from the boat house we use West Lawther Drive, a beautiful little lane running between the lake and gorgeous mansions. Lots of bikers use this road and walkers and runners use the path meandering along closer to the lake.

There can be mini, spur of the moment competitions on this road among northbound riders like we are.

One day I am cruising along Lawther, when I am passed by 4 young kids about 13 years old, 3 boys & a girl.  “Whoa,” I think, “How can these kids

                      Genevieve says, "It is nice to be baptized."

do this to me?”   “I am going to pace these kids.”  

 I discover that these kids are well coached by somebody.  They are drafting and they are changing leader every mile or so.  Plus, they are flying.  I don’t draft, but I stay behind enough.

We fly under the bridge that is Nwst. Hwy and race up the White Rock Creek Trail.  I keep up with them, but don’t like it.  They are going too fast, especially on curves, doubly especially on curves that involve shaded tunnels under bridges, a bit like Walnut Hill.

Finally, about half way up the trail to Royal Lane, I Iet them go.  I never see them again.

                           Is it Hug Your Gorilla Sunday today?

I decide two things:

1. I will not race with people on the White Rock Creek Path.  Too dangerous.  Both West and East Lawther Drives, okay.
2. Give up trying to be a great biker or first.  I am a B level biker.  I am a B level athlete and a B level intellectual.  In fact, one of the therapeutic values of biking is that, just after I think I am hot stuff because I have passed some young dude in all his fine bike clothes, along comes someone, like a girl, who passes me like I am waiting at the DART station.

 Anybody not want to be first once in a while?  Be best in something?  Absolutely normal.  Look at sports, academics, appearance.  So does that mean I have to be a slave or servant?  Very tricky statement psychologically. 

                          The Team, Georgie & Kevin.

2 Observations:

1.  It is normal and okay to want to be first. I hope so.   Certainly I know kids at 75 who have it.
2. When Mark says “servant” and “slave,” do you see Mark’s hyperbole, his exaggeration, and his use of infinite demand?   This is his literary tool to make a point. 
3. From my experience, the danger is…  A person who is religiously obsessed, poorly trained, spiritually & psychologically insecure, or scrupulous, this poor person can take the servant idea to an extreme.  The motto is, “Always better to give than to receive.”  No way.

                      The best music, Mary, Bethany, & Ray.

I have known & worked with people with this mentality.  We had them in the Jesuits.  The person cannot allow anyone to do anything for them.  Sometimes it is called scrupulosity.

For that matter, I have some of that stuff.  I don’t always like to be on the receiving end.  Giving and serving can be quite comforting.

                   Rosemary reading her Blessing of The Week.

Spiritual health avoids extremes.  It helps me to accept myself as I am.  It also challenges me to make a difference in our world.

On the one hand, how do you handle not being number one?  On the other, how do you help others healthily? 

The Nativity with Emma (the sheep), Buddy (the camel), Cowboy Cole (Joseph), Zoe (Mary), and at about 3 weeks, Jake (Jesus).

Readings:

Isaiah 9, 1-6,  The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.

Psalm 96,  Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.

Titus,  2, 11-14,  The Grace of God has appeared.

Luke 2, 1-14,   In those days a decree went out from Caesar  Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled.

The angels including Torri, CC, Brooklyn, and Sienna.

A Christmas Gift

I want to tell you about a Christmas gift this afternoon.  It is one of my biggest gifts of this season and it came to me yesterday afternoon by surprise.

In our neighborhood we have alleys behind the lots.  Garbage trucks and service vehicles us the alleys.

The whole gang.

Once a week on Mondays we are visited by the trash trucks and the recycle trucks.  The trash trucks are all mechanized, so only a driver runs the show.  A mechanical arm grabs the trash can, empties it, and replaces it.

Emmett getting ready for his debut with Marilyn.

The recycle truck, however, has three people, one driver and two men who empty the recycles into their truck.  I often see the recycle guys because they start the day’s run at our alley and at our house.  We are on the corner.  We wave.

I got this idea from a guy I helped to do his memorial a few years ago.  He would give a small gift to his mail man and trash collectors.

Jesus getting ready, Jake & his mom, Amanda.

So Monday morning I am watching at 7:00, hoping to give the recycle guys a gift of a few bucks.  They don’t come.  I am afraid I will miss them like I did at Thanksgiving.  So I place a note on the recycle bin.  And I continue to watch.  I can hear them usually, because their big truck makes noise.

Jacob with his mom, Stacie.

Suddenly about 3:00 I hear the truck.  By the time I grab my coat and head out, one of the guys is coming in the back yard, because my note told them to come to the door.   They are friendly as ever.

I give them each $20.

This was when my present arrived. 

Joe and his family.

Their gratitude.  It was over the top.  They thanked me over and over.  One guy says, “I’m rich, I’m rich.”  They head off down the alley with more thanks and well wishes for a Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

I was so touched I got choked up when Rosemary asked me how it went.  So small a gift on my part, so great a gift to me on their part.

Want to receive a gift like this?  When are you going to do it?

One of Ours, Cole Carey, Corporal, USMC, lighting the 4 candles.

Readings:

Zechariah  9, 9-10,   Rejoice heartily, shout for joy.

Psalm 145,   I will praise your name forever, my king and my God. 

Romans 8, 9, 11-13,  You are in the spirit.

Matthew  11, 25-30,  Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.

Emma says, "Come in, Everybody, Welcome."

Zechariah:  Zechariah is the 11th of the 12 Minor Prophets and lived just when the Hebrews were released from the 70 year long Babylonian Captivity, in other words around 555 B.C. He is in Jerusalem and encourages the people to rebuild the temple.

He is called a minor prophet only because his little work has simply 14 chapters, unlike the Big 3, Isaiah, Jeremiah, & Ezekiel, who have many chapters, in fact 66 for Isaiah.

He was a favorite of the N.T. writers because he is rich in messiah predictions.  Today we have one of those visions.   You might picture how this message is coming across.  The people have been crushed, they have been slaves in Babylon, and the Jerusalem they have returned to is nothing but disaster. 

Sophia, also, says, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome."

Psalm 145, 8-9: here it is again, The Terrific Line: "The Lord is gracious & merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love."  Watch for it.

July 4, Independence Day

July 4, 1776, Declaration of Independence signed.

50^th anniversary, July 4, 1826: two signers of the Declaration died, the only 2 to serve as presidents, mutual friends, Thomas Jefferson & John Adams (excellent source, David McCullough’s John Adams).

Ever wanted to see what two people look like just after they have just finished an Ironman? Take a look and Chad and Kayli. Looking pretty good.

My Yoke is Easy and my Burden Light

This morning I would like to talk about Matthew’s statement about Jesus saying, My yoke is easy and my burden light.  I would also like to include that line which is one of my most favorite lines from the Bible, The Lord is gracious and merciful, never gets angry, and is abounding in love.

I would suggest the first line about my burden being light is influenced, sometimes, by the fact that the Lord is gracious and merciful.  On the other hand, however, sometimes the burden is really blasted heavy.  For example…  The Story of The Week:

Chad finishing.

Thursday afternoon Rosemary & I had just left Plano Cycling, where I had left my bike to have it fitted with a new chain and cassette, the gear assembly on the rear wheel.  I was feeling pretty proud of myself, that I had actually worn out a bike chain and cassette.  I thought only Tour de France people did such things.

So, we are in the van headed south on Central.  The usual traffic, especially for those exiting onto the Bush just past Plano Parkway.  I knew we had to get out into the middle to avoid that blockage. 

Kayli crossing the finish line, Coeur d'Elane, Idaho.

I move over from the right lane.  I want to move over even to the next lane.  I’m watching in the side mirror.  Finally, before the blockage I see a space and move over in front of a big white pickup that seems way back far enough. 

The guy in the pickup, however, seems upset.  Next thing I know his front bumper is in the back of our van.  I can see the hairs in his nostrils.  I can see the color of his eyes, black with flames shooting out.

Offertory, Grace (Ironmanmomma of Kayli), Mary Ellen, and Donna.

Then, yes, you guessed it.  There was space to the left in those lanes.  So my friend swerves to the left, floors it, stomps on the horn, races past us with various hand signals, and swerves back in front of us, where he proceeds another 100 yards before he has to hit the brakes because he was climbing the back side of another car.

What did I do?  Well, I did not follow my impulse to blow our horn.  I also did not want Rosemary cussing me out.  I did nothing but continue along south bound Central.  I am grateful for that.

The Old Man of The Mountains returned, Mike.

As we drive along and talk about this, I admit that if I knew this guy’s story instead of judging the book by the cover, my favorite path, I would probably be more empathic.  Has he just lost his job, his wife, his dignity?  Has he come from a horrible childhood that has him permanently damaged and angry?  This is my profession.   I know this.  His behavior in itself says so much.

Tell this guy your yoke is light and your burden in life is easy.  He would laugh and probably cuss you out.  How many people have burdens that are not light?   No way.

Look at these kids coming across the border.  The little girls, 10-14 years of age, really carrying a heavy burden.

Namesakes: Two Rosemarys, or YoYo & RoRo.

You hear the story of this Louie Zamperini, who just died in his nineties?  After his B-24 went down in the Pacific during the war with Japan, he and two other guys spent 47 days on a flimsy raft.  After being rescued by a Japanese boat, life got only more brutal in the numerous prison camps he spent time in before being released after the war. 

So how do you carry the load if you are Zamperini or the pickup driver? 

This sounds almost insulting or obscene, but it is psychologically sound, acceptance.  Accept what is happening to keep my mind and spirit sane.  Zamperini said that he also worked to keep his spirit alive and hopeful, disciplining himself like he did when he was an Olympic sprinter.

This is where I suggest contemplating the positive.  Maybe my childhood was horrible and my life is bad.   Can I not find love and graciousness somewhere? 

Perhaps that pickup driver is suffering.  He does not seem to be handling his suffering well.

How do you deal with the heavy burden?

She's back, Folks, the party is over. RoRo doing her blessing.