Isaiah 56, 1, 6-7, A house of prayer for all peoples.
Psalm 67, Oh God, let all the nations praise you.
Roman s 11, 13-15, 29-32, I am speaking to you Gentiles
Matthew 15, 21-28, My daughter is tormented by a demon.
Likewise, Sydney & Hugh say, "Come right in, Folks."
Isaiah 56 observations:
As soon as you see Isaiah, chapter 56, you know some things, if you are into the study of the Bible and especially of Isaiah, my favorite.
Isaiah 56 is Isaiah 3, chapter 56-66, the end of the book of Isaiah.
Isaiah 3 is put together after the Babylonian Captivity, that is, around 555 before Christ.
The Israelites have returned to Jerusalem, a totally destroyed, depressed city.
Therefore, it is plausible to expect Isaiah 3 to be trying to lift up the spirits of the people. This he does, consoling the people with promises of a better time. Note: the better days are conditional on good behavior. Ever think of how our whole redemption story is conditional? Not much unconditional love. In other words, if you want my love and favor, behave.
Sez Leo, "I am ready, let's go!"
Goofy Myths
This morning I would like to talk about myths, wako beliefs, and superstitions. Myths are human efforts to explain the unexplainable, like what happens to me after death, how did the world begin, and when or how is the world going to end.
There could be no better time to talk about myths, because guess what we have tomorrow. An eclipse of the sun. Today we understand what is happening because we have telescopes and an understanding of how objects are moving in space.
It don't get better than this. The Gerwers are here. Brady, Cameron, Casey, Trey, and Reid.
However, long ago the Greeks, to take one example, believed the myth that the eclipse was a sign that the gods were mad and that disaster was about to take place, even the end. The ancient myths held that the eclipse was demon caused and that the eclipse was an evil omen.
Today it still may be believed that the eclipse is a danger to an unborn child and even to the mother. The wisdom, therefore, says ‘don’t get pregnant before an eclipse.
Long time Best Buddies, John & Leo.
The truth in all these myths is that the eclipse is not caused by angry gods, is not a bad omen, disaster is not about to take place, and there is no effect on an unborn child or the mother.
The only truth is that the sun, even a sliver of it, will burn your eyes if you look at it and you will go blind.
Our Candle Man of The Week, Ben.
There are food myths, too, folks. For example, raw carrots are better for you than cooked carrots. Vitamin C wards off colds. Coconut oil is good for your health. Not so to all.
And, of course, the great myth that regular consumption of Blue Bell will cause weight gain. Oops, come to think about it, maybe it is true. Just wishful thinking.
Two more long time Best Buddies, Zoe with her grandfather, Gil
All of this I mention as a way of setting up what I would finally like to touch, the subject of Matthew’s story, the little girl possessed by a demon. For centuries there has been the myth that people, adults and even children, have been possessed by demons. The belief still lives. Despite the movie The Exorcist, this is not true. People are not possessed by demons.
There is a psychological explanation for a person showing these symptoms. There are two ways to explain the situation, disassociation and multiple personality. I have only worked with adults who present symptoms which are really odd behaviors. This is because the person, who has been severely abused as a child presents multiple personalities. One personality may present like a demon, another as a 10 year old child, another as a talented corporate executive.
Two more long time Best Buddies, Mary & Mike.
Apparently I have the ability when I am being hurt to go to an out of body place where I am not hurt. This can lock itself in place.
The people I worked with who had this diagnosis, if they had been told they were demon possessed, awful. And maybe some uneducated priest tried to do an exorcism. This did not help them at all. In fact, they were sure they were condemned. Victimized again.
From Best Buddies to The Best Music, Shonda, Ben, & David.
Therefore, my position is that there is no possession by devils. In fact, there are no devils.
Rosemary says to me, "Why do you want to talk about this subject? My answer, 'To take away or lessen fear.'
For John Stack having a hard time right now with a bad back; For Sandra who has been diagnosed with Large B Cell Lymphoma; For Lambrini, John Cade's wife who is dealing with cancer; For Tom Good; For a young man, 19 struggling with a brain tumor and cancer; 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 and for a friend Cadence still suffering from a serious medical condition; For Sir Charlie & Jan; All of Shonda's dear family;
Kevin learning the whole Zoom operation
Jackie's mom, sister, & friend, Lynn; For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg.; For Meredith, cancer free & John Schanot; For John O'Donnell & Jean; For Jean & Cliff Wright; For Dee, and for her daughters, Lisa & Lauren; 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 baby boy named Ford recuperating from an operation & friends, Annie, a mom of 3 kids and Michael ; for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.
Buddy, reading the prayer for the lighting of the candles
Birthdays: David Dinsmore 4/27, John Simari 4/30
Anniversaries: Randolph & Michelle Brown 4/25
Community Finances:
Expenses: $ 600.00
Outreach: $ 150.00
Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.
Ben, leading the singing
Rosemary's Blessing:
We are called to be co-partners and co-workers in the unfolding of God’s vision. Our faith brings us to a deep truth: we are made in the image and likeness of a God who is unconditional and unfathomable love. Jesus lives and teaches this idea of God that surpasses all other concepts of God. Our God is intimately close to us and in love with us. We abide in God.
Taken from Our Easter Faith – Making a Difference to Our God by Sister Jean Amore CSJ, Ed.D., Principal, Sacred Heart Academy, Hempstead, NY
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.
John Stack Ministries, 7017 Helsem Way, Dallas, Texas 75230
Numbers 67, 22-27, The Lord bless you and keep you.
Psalm 67, May God bless us in his mercy
Galatians 4, 4-7, God sent the spirit of his son into our hearts.
Luke 2, 16-21, The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God.
Genevieve, are you the little girl in the red dress who stole the whole show at our Christmas Eve celebration??
First reading: God blesses people in countless ways. Today’s reading from the Book of Numbers is a priestly blessing given first to Moses by words that come to him from the Lord.
Second reading,Galatians 4:4-7: God sent his Son to redeem us so that we can become God’s adopted sons.
Brandon says, "Welcome in, Everybody. Yep, she is the girl in the red dress."
Gospel reading, Matthew 25: 31-46:
John gave me permission to switch gospel readings. What you are missing is a small part of a metaphorical story about Mary, an angel, shepherds and the baby Jesus.
You might recall 15 or 20 years ago that the Liturgy of the Word, for each of the A, B, and C cycles on New Year’s Day, had as its gospel Matthew’s parable of The Last Judgment. I imagine that its purpose was to encourage parishioners to incorporate some of its teaching into their New Year’s resolutions.
Alison, you know that the kids all love your home made communion bread and want more than one.
But I want you for a moment to think about where we live. When we go shopping, to work, or to a movie or local restaurant, to Whole Foods or Target, it isn’t really clear to us if there is, for example, an orphan or a widow in our midst who needs our help.
Simply put, we choose to support with taxes and contributions, governmental agencies and nonprofits, to provide food and drink to the hungry and thirsty and stranger twenty miles south of us. The fact is, whether we realize it or not, we distance ourselves from the needy.
Clear the way, Folks, here come Mike the Coffee Man.
The meaning to today’s parable is this: When we distance ourselves from the needy, we distance ourselves from God.
I placed myself in the following scenario: I was in one of the poorer parts of South Dallas, around seven in the evening, in front of a drug store where I had gone to pick up some cough medicine.
Aiden with his grandparents, John & Jean O'Donnell.
When I got out of the car and pushed the button to lock all of its doors, I immediately noticed, about two yards from the entrance of the store a stranger, at least to me. He was homeless, for he was wearing too many clothes, unshaven, had dark hair and complexion, and he was finishing the last drink of water that he would get from a small plastic bottle.
Learning: Big brother teaching little sister how to work a water fountain.
He was looking right at me, and I at him. As I approached him he addressed me in a language I did not know or understand. Searching his face I sought his eyes and noticed a bit of a smile as he ran his fingers through his hair. He reached to open the door for me. What should I do?
Mike ready to share his ideas in his homily.
In a split second I heard the question from the unrighteous in today’s parable, ‘When was it that we saw you a stranger and did not welcome you?’
Offertory, Cheryl, Carrie, & Paul.
Would I have responded with a joyful smile? Would I have embraced him with his perfume of sweat? Would I have kissed him on his forehead, taking hold of his arm to have him enter with me? Would I have asked the people in the store if anyone knew his language so that I could find out why he was there and what he needed? Would I have invited him to my home, offered him the opportunity to take a shower, laid out something for him to wear as I washed his clothes and prepared something for him to eat?
Brandon, our Candle Lighter of The Week.
Jesus, an itinerant preacher, had a dark complexion and nowhere to rest his head. Was he present to me here and now? The Lord in our parable was hungry, thirsty, a stranger longing for a visit. Yes, every encounter we have with another is meant to be a holy encounter.
Our School gorilla (know any other school with a pet gorilla at the door to the cafeteria?) says he is happy to see us back in the cafeteria after being in the gym for Christmas Eve.
When we name the other person God, we name ourselves. We verify our name, the body of Christ in the world.
Readings: Isaiah 40, 1-11; Psalm 104, O Bless the Lord, My Soul; Titus 2, 11-14, 3, 4-7; Luke 3, 1-22.
Baptism & Original Sin: traditional & contemporary theology
Traditional theology on baptism & original sin:
a. Original sin: the 1 sin of Eve & Adam, the eating of an apple, ruptured the relationship between God & Humans.
b. Why we baptized: purification & removal of that original sin inherited by all babies. A new born baby was a sinner & would go to Limbo forever if not baptized before dying.
Contemporary theology on baptism & original sin:
a. Original sin:
1. no original sin
2. Genesis story of the fall is allegory, not fact. No Garden of Eden and no Adam & Eve.
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.
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
–St. 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.
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
We are Getting Better
I have one more Christmas story to celebrate this baptism today.
There are three people in the story. My good friend, her little daughter, and her niece, who is about 16 or 17. The story took place at Collin Creek Mall one or two days just after Christmas. Guess what they were doing. Bringing things back.
It happened that the niece had offered to take the daughter to the mall to have girl fun while her mother went to the mall to return various items. After they had been there a while, the niece phoned to say that it was getting to be time for her to leave. So could she return the daughter?
They agreed that the easiest way to arrange the swap was for the niece to take the girl in her car, drive over to where my friend's car was, and then transfer the daughter & her car seat. So they met in the parking lot, my friend's car in a parking place, the other car in the aisle behind the first car.
Mother goes into the niece's car, unbuckles her daughter, and places the girl in her car. Then she disconnects the car seat and reconnects it in her own car, securing her daughter in place. Somewhere in this process she set her purse down. Yep, you guessed it.
Who knows where she set it down. Maybe by her niece's car, maybe by her own. But apparently outside.
She gets into her car and drives off. Almost immediately she notices her purse is missing. She calls her niece and asks her to look in her car. No purse.
So they both return to where the car was parked. They drive around, ask people. No sign of the purse. The niece finally departs and mom goes home. She calls her mom, then she calls the mall security. Nothing had been reported or brought in. Security says to call the police. The police do not know what to do. Was it stolen? Or was it forgotten?
She thinks of her credit card, of getting a new license, she thinks of her phone. So, using her mom's phone, she starts calling her phone hoping someone will answer No one answers.
Time passes. A few hours later in the evening, her mom gets a phone call. It is young boy, a high school aged kid. He has the purse. He says he and his dad found it in the parking lot and simply used the phone's incoming calls to call the number identified as "Mom."
The mom who got the purse back was Bobbi Jo Whitley, mother of Dillon, Hunter, and Audry. Bobbi's mom is Jo Whitley, who read this morning. The purse came back. Nothing missing.
Are there not lots of good stories like this? Are we not evolving into a better people? Scott Burns said so in his column in the Dallas MorningNews a couple of weeks ago. A great Jesuit geologist and paleontologist, Teilhard de Chardin, thought so, saying that the human race is slowly becoming more mature, more sensitive, more peaceful. I think so, too. For lots of reasons.
Isaiah 66, 18-21,I come to gather nations of ever language.
Psalm 117, Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
Hebrews 12, 5-7, 11-13, Whom the lord loves he disciplines.
Luke 13, 22-30, Depart from me, you evil doers.
Mass Begins. The Winner's medal and red ribbon from HHH.
Isaiah 66 observations:
Author: Isaiah III. The book of Isaiah is one of my favorites. Some beautiful passages. Remember, 3 primary authors are responsible for the 66 chapters, and we are reading the very last. Isaiah 1 covers chapters 1-39. This book is one of the Big 3 O.T. prophets, along with Jeremiah and Ezekiel. This is because the works are the longest. There are 12 minor prophets.
Time: ca. 700, before the Assyrians annihilate the northern Jewish kingdom, called Israel, vs the southern kingdom called Judah, where Jerusalem is. 10 tribes were lost in this destruction, the 10 Lost Tribes of Israel.
Remember, there were 12 tribes. Why? Because of the 12 sons of Jacob, who was one of the 3 great patriarchs or founders of the tribe, Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob, who was also called Israel.
Marsha awaiting The Cupcake for her birthday.
Message of Isaiah III: Mostly consolation after the catastrophe. What is the basic activity of a prophet? 1. criticism, 2. prediction of dire payment, 3. consolation.
Today’s message: this being the last chapter of the whole work, you might guess. Yes, consolation and future unity.
Hebrews observation:
The best thing about today's selection: we have to read Hebrews only one more week. Awful reading today.
Our dear Harper.
Will only a
few be saved?
I would like to speak today about this idea that only a few will be
saved. In the past few weeks we have
been hearing this from Luke. Basically,
the message is the same, yes, only a few will be saved. In fact, you got to be on guard all the time
or the master will return, catch you napping, and off to hell you go.
I would propose that these metaphors about life are all pretty fear
based. Today I think we are moving from
a fear based life metaphor to a peace based metaphor. My metaphor is the Hotter ‘N Hell
Hundred. Three points. It is a journey, it is characterized by
mutual help, and a final point.
Teresa awaiting The Cupcake for her birthday.
Yesterday as I rode along I thought about these readings and how life is
like a 100 mile bike ride. First of all
there are people. The other riders. But, also, people like Bill who introduced me
to this marvelous ride. Other friends,
like Doug & Grace, John & Connie make the ride more fun. And there is the marvelous beauty of the day,
the surroundings, and simple joy of the ability to ride.
Other riders whom I don’t know are fun.
I tie a little beanie baby dog to the top of my bike helmet. I started this at Ragbrai in Iowa, just for
fun and because I see a lot of such décor there. The dog gets lots of comments, from, “Hey, do
you know you got a dog on your helmet?” to “I love the cute dog on your helmet.” I tell people that I cannot leave my little
dog at home and she loves to ride.
Cupcakes of the Week for 48 years, Bernadette and Gilberto.
A second point to this life metaphor.
Lots of people help me along the ride.
There are what are called sag wagons.
These are roving pickups with trailers who collect gassed riders, broken
down riders, and riders with minor injuries.
There is first aid everywhere.
And then there are the marvelous rest stops. These volunteers meet you with pitchers of
cold water and Gatorade, with cold & wet towels, and with tables loaded
with fruit. But, my favorite rest stop
comes at mile 30.
Leo.
A bunch of elderly women volunteers, many probably younger than I am,
they make cookies, boxes of them, about 5-6 varieties. Every year I look forward to seeing them and
chatting them up. I confess I ate 6 of
their cooking this year, a bit much considering the 70 miles I still had ahead
of me.
Finally, the third reason why the HHH is a life metaphor for me: everyone
who arrives at the end gets a medal.
Everyone is a winner. And, if you
fell out this year, you can cross the finish line next year. No fear, peace.
In this life metaphor the ride is a marvel, the supporters are numerous
and beautiful, and everyone wins the medal.
What is your life metaphor, peaceful or fearful? Are
you saved? Are you a winner?
Genesis 15: The Lord God took Abram outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.”
Philippians 3: But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Luke 9: Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”
Another Reminder for the 2nd Sunday in Lent, March 16, 2025