Sunday Homily 11-1-09, All Saints

Readings: 

 Amos 6, 1, 4-7,   Woe to the complacent.

Psalm 146,  Praise the Lord, my sould.

1 Timothy 6, 11-16,  Pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love.

Luke 16, 19-31,  The rich man and Lazarus.

Francis and Gloria Vanderwall.

Amos observations :  (from last week's Mass)

What :  One of the 12 minor prophets, only 9 chapters.

Who: 
the book presents the thoughts and observations of Amos, who was a sheep herder
and a fig farmer.  He was born in the southern kingdom of Judah in a
little town south of Jerusalem, but he is condemning the people, especially the
rich, of the northern kingdom, Israel.

Time: 
Amos was active around 755 before Christ, but his words and message were
revised and edited down through the years, especially during the Babylonian
Captivity, around 555 before Christ.  He lives just before the Syrians
destroy the northern kingdom of Israel, around 700 before Christ.

Francis speaking to the people at Open Window's Saturday seminar.

Message: 
Prayer and sacrifice don’t make up for social injustice and oppression of the
poor by the rich. 

 Today: 
God will punish you rich and prosperous for your abuse of the poor.  Amos
may have seen the threat coming from the Syrians. 

Sources:  Good News Bible, New Interpreter’s Study
Bible, Wikipedia

Cupcakes of The Week to Patricia and Fred (3 years), John (52 years ordained), Torri and Buddy (3 years).

Some of Francis’ points in his homily this morning:

1.  The first sin
   of the rich man is that he is blind.  He
   came and went every day and did not even see Lazarus at his doorstep.  Wealth can blind us, too.
2. The second sin of the rich man is that even in Hades
   he still thinks he is significant enough to tell Abraham to order Lazarus to
   warn his 5 brothers.  His self image is
   inflated and blinds him to this character flaw.  Entitlement?
3. The rich man is condemned not because of his wealth in
   itself, but that because of it he feels self righteous.  The trap of wealth, I am better than that one.
4. There may be a parallel in Luke’s mind between Lazarus
   and Jesus, which comes out in the talk between the rich man and Abraham.  Jesus was poor, died, and returned to
   life.  Were Lazarus to die and return to
   life, neither would he be believed, any more than Jesus was believed.
5. There is a play on words with Lazarus.  In ancient languages the name Lazarus could
   be equivalent to Abraham.  Therefore,
   Luke rubs it in: Lazarus may be a personification of Abraham himself, lying on the
   doorstep of the rich man who never sees him.

 The lesson: Who is the Lazarus, who is the poor
person at your own doorstep?

Source:   The Liberating Stories of Jesus, Francis Vanderwall

Emma with her mom, Beth, another Cupcake winner.

Welcome in!

Rosemary's Blessing:

A Summer Blessing

May you walk with God
This summer
In whatever you do
Wherever you go

Walking with God means…
Walking with honesty
And with courage,
Walking with love
And respect
And concern for the feelings of others

May you talk to God
This summer
And every day and
In every situation

Talking with God means…
Praying words of praise
For the beauty of creation
Saying prayers of thanks
For friends and good times,
Asking God's help
In all your decisions
Expressing sorrow
When you have failed

May you talk with God
Every day. Amen.

www.jesuitresource.org  Author unknown

Mike doing his magic.

Readings:

Wisdom 12, 13, 16-19, There is no God besides you.

Psalm 86,  Lord, you are good and forgiving.

Romans  8, 26-27,  The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness.

Matthew 13, 24-43,   A sower went out to sow.  Three agricultural parables.

Thanks to the Team

Music,  Ben & Shonda

Readers,    John & Connie & Buddy, the candle blesser

Gospel & Homily,  John Cade & Stack

Eucharistic Prayer, John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers, Mike & Richard & Ben

Final Blessing, Rosemary

Download Readings Week 7-19

Please Remember these special people:

For Cindy recuperating from a procedure 3 Mondays ago;   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.

Birthdays:  Reth Robonson

Community Finances, July 19, 2020

Expenses: $  360.00

Outreach   $  100.00   (often for Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)

Thanks, Folks, for doing what you can.

The Hidden Blessings & Graces of COVID-19

I would like to talk this morning about the hidden blessings & graces available to us in this time of the COVID-19.  There are special gifts for us.  There are always opportunities for us to grow and be richer in body, mind, & spirit.  Today we have  extraordinary opportunities to grow into even better and richer people.

For example, take body.  What are you doing today to exercise, to get in better shape and to do it leisurely.  Jackie Johnson just got an airedyne bike for her house.  Rosemary & I have an airedyne  we bought when the J & the gyms were all closed.  I felt bereft when I could not go to work out with my friends at the J at 5:00 in the morning. 

Ben working his magic with Shonda sharing from home.

We also have been riding our bikes weekday mornings from Northwood Park at Royal Lane to White Rock Lake on the W. R. Creek Trail.  Granted, it was the way I was mounting my bike that injured the soft tissue around my left recycled hip.  I have learned. 

Did you know there has been a run on bikes & some bike stores were sold out?  In our neighborhood lots of families, parents and kids, ride by every day.  Biking, great exercise.  To say nothing about the people whom we have never seen walking by.  Some come by probably just to witness the devastation of our Tulip Lane corner.  So, what are you doing to improve or maintain your health? 

Richard consulting from a distance.

What about the mental component?  I remember that when I was laid up 10 years ago getting new hips I took up learning French.  Learn Spanish.  Rosemary & I are reading some really good books.  Across our street, Joyce Scott at 90 years & who did not read nor study Spanish, she loves the massive jigsaw puzzles.  Her house was one of the houses totally demolished that famous October 20 night.  But she loved her puzzles and she was mentally totally sharp.

And finally, the spirit.  What are you grateful for?  What is the blessing of today?  Make a list.  I’ve mentioned this before: Rosemary & I before we go to bed mention two or three special gifts of our day.

And you?  How are you growing in body, mind, and spirit during this unique time in our lives?

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

Winston Churchill

Introduction: While reflecting on our blessings of the week-

• We are blessed to be alive today, just as those who landed in the Hudson;

• We are blessed to be alive to witness Tuesday the inauguration of a black man where slaves once constructed the buildings.  Our people have grown.

Readings:  1 Samuel 3, 3-19; Psalm 40; 1 Corinthians 6, 13-20; John 1, 35-42   

1 Samuel: This is book one of two books.  The series is 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Kings; the characters being Samuel, the last of the Judge leaders of Israel-Judah; Saul, the first king; and King David. 

Authors:  Traditionally it was thought that 3 people wrote the book, Samuel, Gad, & Nathan.  Samuel, chapters 1-25; Gad was King David's historian, & Nathan was an editor.  Contemporary biblical experts think this unlikely & say that the works were put together at least 50 years after the time of the events.

Time:  The events take place ca. 1100-1000 BCE.  The compilation & recording of the events takes place ca. 950 BCE. 

Today's Selection: Yahweh is calling Samuel in a dream.  This ties in with the Gospel where three future apostles are called.  Samuel's parents were Elkanah & Hannah, and Hannah is famous because of a touching story about how she came to have Samuel.  She had been barren for years and even Elkanah's other wife ridiculed her.  One day the prophet Eli heard her crying and praying in the temple.  At first he accused her of being drunk.  Then when he talked with her, he promised that she would have a son. 

Hannah had promised Yahweh that she would dedicate to the temple her son, if she got one.  Consequently, our selection finds Samuel residing in the temple with Eli the prophet.  He would be about 12 years old.

Be aware that while these marvelous stories about Samuel are mythological, the writer is attempting to convey to a simple people lessons in trust in Yahweh.

What are You Looking for?

The theme of our readings this morning is obviously call & response.  Over the years you have heard repeatedly my 3 personal calls, the priest-Jesuit call, East Africa, and marriage.  You have reason to be tired of hearing the same stories.  Consequently, I looked around for sub-themes in the readings, and in my various sources a number of sub-themes came up.  The sub-theme that I want to talk about is stated by Jesus to the two future apostles, Matthew and (maybe) John, "What are you looking for?"  This is certainly relevant to what is taking place this week.  But first three other minor observations.

First, the verb stay is used three times.  The two ask Jesus where is he staying or dwelling.  They find where he is staying.  Then they stayed with him.  Significant to the writer?  So many times the writers have a special agenda in their use of a word.

Secondly, the verb see or looked intently at is used 5 times.  John the Baptist watched Jesus walk by, but really what is said is that he looked intently at.  Then Jesus saw the two.  Jesus tells them they will see.  The two saw where Jesus stayed.  Then when Peter came before Jesus, Jesus looked at him, really looked intently at him. 

Third, 4 o'clock in the afternoon.  In the original language it says 10 o'clock.  This is the eastern way of keeping time, the way I learned in East Africa.  There is another whole time calculation than the Greenwich Mean Time.  In fact, I find it more logical.  What is usually the first hour of daylight or the first hour of darkness?   7 o'clock in our time.  In the east the first hour of daylight & the first hour of darkness is 1 o'clock.  Our 7:00 A.M. & 7:00 P.M. is 1 o'clock of the day or 1 o'clock of the night.

Finally, "What are you looking for?"  Who knows, who cares?  Well, we know.  And we can care because what those two are looking for is basically what we are looking for.  So did they find it?

I would propose that we can say, 'yes, I know what they were looking for."  We are blessed because we have people who have gone before us who have mapped out what we people are looking for.  You may have run into this in psychology 101 or elementary psychology in high school, but it is useful to remind ourselves.  The person who for me mapped it out best is the famous psychologist, Abraham Maslow.  He has five stages of human need or what we are looking for.

Stage 1:  Imagine a pyramid and we are starting at the bottom with the most elemental.  What we are looking for at this stage is biological and physiological.  Namely, food & drink, air, shelter,warmth, sleep.  Our ancestors lived on this stage, but most of us today have this stage under control.

Stage 2:  Safety & security.  I may have shelter, food, and drink, but need a secure place to shelter, eat, and drink.  You may think this applies simply to robbers or security from getting bombed like is going on in Gaza right now, but how many little kids do not find this need stage satisfied.

Stage 3: Love & belonging needs.  I am part of.  A family, a group of peers or friends, a community.  I find acceptance, affection, and love.

Stage 4:  Esteem.  I have achieved, attained status, have reputation & recognition.

Stage 5:  Self actualization.  Self acceptance, acceptance of others and my world, inner peace, more fully alive.

I would observe that all of us in this community have stages 1 & 2 under control and probably also the other three stages in varying degrees.  I suggest that self actualization involves me giving back to others esteem, love, and a sense of belonging.  I also suggest that the usual obstacle to my greater self actualization is my addiction, whatever that may be, alcohol, drugs, food, TV, etc.

There is a little 5 question quickie self assessment that you may take.  I will put a link to it on the blog this evening.  Check it out.

What are you looking for?  Where are you?

AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2009-01-18.mp3

SELF ASSESSMENT: Download Quick self assessment

Picture 1:  Choir–Wendy, Shonda & Ray, & Celeste

Picture 2:  Birthday & Anniversary–Charlie, Claire & Ray

Picture 3:  Birthdays–David & Alexandra, dad & daughter

Readings: Genesis 12, 1-4; Psalm 33; 2 Timothy 1, 8-10; Matthew 17, 1-9.

Genesis: Like last week we have a selection from Genesis.  I mentioned that 5 main characters make up the book, Adam & Eve (& family), Noah, Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob.  Last week we looked at Adam & Eve & how the author thought bad might have entered the world.

Today we look at how the Jewish people thought their nation came into existence.  Abraham is like George Washington.  He is seen as divinely appointed, just as the people thought they were divinely appointed.  Remember, these events took place ca. 1500 B.C.

Unpack Your Backpack

The last two weeks we talked about two secrets to making a marriage relationship successful.  The first secret was Never Divorce, Murder Often, meaning divorce is a non-negociable, while playful murder is healthy.  Divorce is considered only when the three "A’s" enter: abuse, addiction, adultery.

Last week we said that there are No Perfect Marriages, only Perfect Moments."  Had any perfect moments this week?  The transfiguration talked about in today’s gospel was a perfect moment.  I would consider the two as synonymous.  Perfect moments are transfigurations.

Today’s secret: Unpack Your Backpack.

What does this mean? 

First, put all your junk out on the ground.  No hidden deals, nothing kept hidden in the backpack.  This junk includes embarrassments, longings, and fears.  Those fears of being rejected, of being stupid and ugly, of heights, of lightning, anything. 

One thing I don’t encourage people to talk about: previous relatiionships.  My idea is that these relationships are no longer lying around in the backpack.  They were dumped out months or years earlier and only create tension if they are brought out and shared with the person I love now. Nothing is accomplished by talking about previous relationships.  In fact, a certain amount of uncertainty can creep in, especially if the person listening is even slightly insecure.

Secondly, the hidden package in the backpack.  What is it?  My defenses.  What does it mean. Disarm.  Lay down thy defenses.  Frustrations and annoyances creep into a relationship.  Not dealt with they become sore spots.  I get hurt, get offensive, get hurt again, then get more defensive.  I become crabby & irritable or passive aggressive.  Passive aggressive means I am really mad, aggressively riled up, but show it by not talking.  This can go on for hours, sometimes days.  I can get into this & Rosemary calls me on it.  Which is a gift.

Occasionally when talking with a couple I find that each one is blaming the other.  Then one will say, "on that occasion, yes, I was passive aggressive."  Or, "Yes, I wanted to hurt you."  When I hear this, I cheer.  The person has just laid down arms. The person has admitted, confessed, let it out of the backpack.  Then a new relationship can begin.

Thirdly, what about frustrations and irritations that creep into the backpack, like I just talked about and that lead to defensive positions?  Don’t bury them in the backpack.  How do I get a place where I can disarm?  Three steps.

• Talk about what is frustrating me or irritating me.  A Behavior?  Driving, eating, neatness, responsibility for house chores, and so on.  Use "I" statements as much as possible instead of "You, you, you" statements that blame.  "I’m uncomfortable when…"  This has to be done not in the heat of the irritation, but later when I am peaceful and the setting is peaceful.
• Then I can make a request for a change.  "Could we talk about driving?"  "I feel scared when…"
• Next, acceptance. Some things may not get changed.  Then what?  Dump the relationship or be defensive all my life or accept?  I cannot expect all the behavior changes to be changed.  Thus, I got to change, if I want to have a relationship.  Acceptance of the other has to be part of a relationship, whether between spouses or friends.

As I mentioned last week this is pertinent to friendships, just as much as marriages.

With whom do I have this kind of relationship and how am I keeping my backback clean?

AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-02-17.mp3

Wisdom 18: The night of the passover was known beforehand to our fathers,  that, with sure knowledge of the oaths in which they put their faith,  they might have courage.

Hebrews 11:  Brothers and sisters: Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen. Because of it the ancients were well attested.

Annette reading from the Book of Wisdom

Thanks…     

Music,   Ben  & Shonda

John reading from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews

 

 

Remember these special people:

For all the people affected by the floods;  For the Ukraine and the Holy Land; For our new Pope, Leo XIV;  For John Stack;    For Adam, that the doctors may find a remedy for his seizures; For Meredith ;   For Tom  Quinn;   For Warren Wittek; For Becky and Tom Good; For Lambrini, John Cade's wife, who is dealing with cancer ;  For Allen Stryker;   For Mike and Judy Carrell ; For Hue; For Jackie;   For Mary Hall's family and friend Cadence still suffering from a serious medical condition;   For Sir Charlie;  For Ron ;  For Teresa Quinn's niece, Maddie who has a brain tumor;  

                                       

 

Jackie's sister, & friend, Lynn;  For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg.;   For Jean & Cliff Wright;    from Barbara, a little baby boy named Ford recuperating from an operation,  the families of Annie and Michael and her neighbor, Marie and the family;    for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

 

 

Jackie sharing her thoughts on the readings

Outreach: $   160.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

Mary gets a cookie for her anniversary

Rosemary's Blessing:

Come, O Dancing God,

Spirit of Life and Love,

of  Beauty and Diversity,

stir up my soul,

bathe me in your light,

and unleash my own spirit

that I may dance with you

and be light for those around me

and reflect your love to all that I meet this week.

Edited and adapted from a blessing by Fr. Andrew M. Greeley

 

 

 

 

Ben gets a cookie just because

 

 

 

John Stack Ministries meets on Sunday for Mass at 9:30 at The ArtCentre of Plano,

902 E. 16th St, Plano, Texas.

 

 

JSM Mission-Faith Statement  

 Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for & challenges spiritual & total growth.   Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged & make the world we live in a better place to live.

Welcome in Jan & Bernadette & our favorite Studebaker salesman, Sir Charlie.

Readings: 

Acts of the Apostles, 13, 21-27, They appointed elders.

Psalm 145,  I will praise your name forever, my king and my God (excellent first stanza, one of my favorites.  The Lord is Gracious & Merciful, Never gets angry, and is Abounding with Love.)

Revelation 21, 1-5,  Then, I, John saw a new heaven & a new earth.

John 13, 31-35,  This how you will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

Juliettes on the loose, Mary, Sydney, & Geri.

The Lord is Gracious and Merciful, Never gets angry, and is Abounding in Love.

Eddie Aguilar is a 64 year old Viet Nam vet who enlisted in the Navy at 17, so he could get a good education, which he could not get with his family in Santa Barbara.  They did not have the resources. 

After basic training he was posted to the USS Oklahoma City, the flagship of the 7^th Fleet off the Viet Nam coast.  Being an intelligent kid he was assigned to a 5 person team in the radio shack.

How many girls does it take to light up our Easter Candles?  At Least, 3, Zoe, Tori, and Georgie, to not mention Buddy who is reading The Blessing.

Eddie says that the guys saw and heard a lot of highly secret crypto material.  They could not talk about any of it—ever.  Eddie and the team was together for 2 years off the coast,’73-’75.  They all became good friends and buddies, which helped because they lived in really tight quarters.

On getting released from the Navy in ’75, they continued to stay close and even put together some reunions, all except one, the Little Texan.  They had lived through Viet Nam in a unique position, the radio shack.  They could not talk about it, but it helped to be with the team that  experienced  the same horror of the war.

I'm jealous!  John & Connie just returned from biking from Pittsburg to D.C., crossing the eastern Continental Divide, all in one week.

Music don't get no better than with Ben & David.

The years passed and Eddie continued to search for the ‘good ole boy from Texas.’  Eddie says T.J  was a sweetheart of a guy, a salt of the earth guy.

As the years passed Eddie continued to search on and off all to no avail, until this year, their 45^th reunion at Las Vegas.  Eddie now lives in San Antonio and remembered recently that he thought he heard T.J. mention he came from a town called Garland in Texas. 

Communion Team ready.

Knowing that Garland was a suburb of Dallas, Eddie contacted The Dallas Morning News and Sharon Grigsby took up the search.  Using her search tools it did not take her long to find a name she was looking for.  She left a message and lo and behold TJ called her back.  Success yes, but TJ confessed he was just not ready yet to reunite with his former buddies.

I would bet that Eddie will continue to welcome TJ back into the group whenever he is ready.

Worn out!!

For me Eddie is a personification of a Shepherd-God who is Gracious and Merciful.

Where & when do you find this Gracious and Merciful God who Never gets angry and is Abounding in love.

Ref. Dallas Morning News, Metro, 5-14-19

The Best Teamwork.