Readings: Isaiah 43, 18-19, 21-22, 24-25, In the desert I make a way; Psalm 41, Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you; 2 Corinthians 1, 18-22, He has put his seal upon us; Mark 2, 1-12, They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 

Laissez les bons temps roule!            Let the good times roll!

 This is Mardi Gras weekend. There’s lots of information online about Mardi Gras and its history. A few things:

• There was a mid-February celebration in ancient Rome in the 2^nd century honoring a Roman pastoral god. When Christianity arrived in a big way after the year 300 and Emperor Constantine, a Christian interpretation was given to that custom, gradually changing it to a festival prior to Ash Wednesday and the Lenten preparation for Easter.  As Christianity spread throughout Europe and the western world, Mardi Gras went with it.

• Centuries later, when the French explorer Iberville landed near the mouth of the Mississippi River, south of what is now New Orleans, it was on March 3, 1699, which was Mardi Gras Day in France. Iberville named the spot where they landed and set up camp “Point du Mardi Gras”, Mardi Gras Point.

• Much more recently, in 1827, when some college students returned to New Orleans from France, they brought with them the Mardi Gras celebration with the elaborate costumes. In 1872 the Grand Duke Alexis Alexandrovitch Romanoff visited New Orleans and was given the honor of choosing colors for the Mardi Gras celebration. When he chose purple, gold and green, merchants purchased cloth and other merchandise in those colors. There is a story that LSU bought up most of the purple and gold cloth and that Tulane then bought up what was left, the green cloth. Today LSU’s colors are purple and gold and Tulane’s colors are green and white.

• The biggest celebrations today, outside of New Orleans, are in Lafayette Louisiana, the Cajun area I’m from, Mobile Alabama and Galveston Texas, and of course in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

 A traditional food in Cajun Louisiana is boudin sausage, traditionally made from rice, chopped liver and  hot pepper spices. I brought some boudin to share after Mass.

 We also have Mardi Gras beads (thanks to Chuck and Sandra) which are symbolic of the joy we share through-out the Mardi Gras season, which runs all the way from the 12^th day of Christmas (Jan. 6) to the day before Ash Wednesday. We will pass them out now for you to wear. I am wearing a fancy one given to me years ago.

A word about today’s readings.

The reading from Isaiah has the author speaking for God saying, “I am doing something new. ..It is I who wipe out your offenses, your sins I remember no more.”

The reading from 2^nd Corinthians is Paul telling the community that Jesus was not sometimes ‘yes’ and sometimes ‘no’; he is always “Yes” for us…and that is what we say Amen to when we come together in liturgy.

The Gospel of Mark is basically a Passion Drama with an extended introduction. The final 6 chapters out of only 16 are about Jesus’ last week in Jerusalem and his suffering and death. Today’s reading in Chapter 2 is one of those introductory stories that demonstrate the tension building between Jesus and the Pharisees leading up to the Passion Story.  It is also one of the stories about forgiveness freely given.

Sermon, John Cade

     I have a few thoughts as we celebrate Mardi Gras time and prepare to enter the season of Lent and Easter. My thoughts come from memories of myself and my classmates at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans in the early 50’s. I have memories of the life I was living in the seminary—mainly of study, prayer, silence and a sense of austerity and seriousness.

     I remember well the ‘examination of conscience’ we practiced together in the chapel every night. I remember how I, and my classmates, spent that time in self-examination and really self-judgment about our faults and weaknesses and our bads. This could easily turn into a habit of diminishing ourselves, of judging ourselves as ‘less than’. I have questioned how helpful this was in becoming more sensitive to the goodness and blessings touching us every day.

     I remember also how, on special occasions, we were allowed off campus. Believe me, this was BIG. We would put on our black suits, white shirts and black ties and black fedoras—the required outfit. Often I would visit my sister who lived nearby in uptown New Orleans. She and her husband had small children then and I remember my nieces and nephews as not just smart and talented, but fun and playful and full of life.

     Sometimes, when it was Mardi Gras weekend, I would join them on their own street, Henry Clay Avenue, or on Magazine Street or Carrollton Avenue, to view one of the many Mardi Gras parades. Those were exciting and fun times, full of festivity and life. When I returned to the seminary that evening, the contrast was tangible, almost like a time warp. 

    I have three thoughts that arose from those memories.

    First, there is a place for self-reflection and mindfulness and peaceful recollection that can enrich our lives and make for a deeper connection with our earth and universe and with God who calls us to forgiveness and connection. Of course, experiencing forgiveness and connection is more likely if I’m not stuck in negative judgment of myself. 

     Second, there is place for sharing our joy and peace, and our pain and struggles, as we live together in the circles of family and work and community. We can develop more sensitivity to our connection with others and with the Spirit moving in these circles of life. One ‘revelation’ is to discover, and hopefully accept, that the people in our lives are truly ‘other’; they are not me and need not become like me or what I want them to be.

     Third, these places are not separate worlds. Our inner lives with ourselves, and our relationships with all the others in the circles of our lives, are intertwined and always connecting. Forgiving and accepting myself, and bringing that forgiveness and acceptance to everyone in all the circles of my life, is a way of saying “Yes” to life itself.  Next week John will share some concrete ways we can say ‘Yes’ for others in our larger community. Today, as we come together around the table, we are called to say ‘Yes’ to the possibility of forgiveness and acceptance for ourselves and in all our relationships.

     The question I leave for us today is: As we move from Mardi Gras to the Passion Drama and Easter, in what ways will we say “yes” to ourselves and to those around us? 

 Picture 1:    Mass Begins, John Cade celebrating

Picture 2:    Offertory, Ray & Claire with CC & Kayla

Picture 3:    Lambrini & Caliope

Picture 4:    Chuck

Picture 5:    Mardi Gras in person, Cathy & Diane at brunch

Picture 6:    Brunch with Maureen & Fred, Joe & Sandra

Picture 7:    Gerald & Charlie

Picture 8:    Bethany & Ray

Welcome in, Everybody.

Readings:

Ezekiel 37, 12-14.   I will open your graves

 Psalm 130,  With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

Romans  8-11,   Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

 John 11, 1-45,    Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead.

Can it get any better than this, Shonda & Bethany, Ray & David?

Ezekiel 37, observations:  (Author, When, Message)

          Author: Ezekiel, for real.  He is unique because he was not only one of the Big 3 Prophets (along with Isaiah & Jeremiah), but he was also a priest working in the temple. 

          When: before & during the Babylonian Captivity, therefore around 555 before Christ.  His audience was the people. 

 Candle lighting, a family affair with Tori and Zoe, and big sister, Georgie, helping out. 

Message: Like the classic prophet, he condemns, warns, and consoles.  We pick up on the consolation end.  I want to read the first verses which lead up to our selection, because it is the fun dry bones story, about which we have the Spiritual.  It is a shame the richer story is not included.  This is metaphor.  The dry bones can stand for the people in captivity; they can stand for me.  Get out of that tomb!

 Sources: New Interpreter’s Study Bible, Good News Bible, St. Louis U. with Reginald Fuller, Daniel Westberg, Larry Gillick, Jesuits. 

And if you cannot get it the first time, for sure, a little tongue influence will do it.

Romans observation:

One line says a lot, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 

This line was composed by a man who was totally convinced that our body is bad and needs to be beaten into subservience.  Subservience achieves spiritual maturity and superiority.  This writer was influenced by a couple of philosophical theories of the time, Manichaeism and Gnosticism. 

The same thinking is still around.  We certainly practiced it as young Jesuits.  For me it does not work.

Hey, Mommy, how about let's fly.

Lazarus and the metaphor of life

This morning I would like to use the Lazarus story to show how life can be a gift we receive and also give.  It is probably well known to you that at the time of Jesus the people attributed to leaders, like Julius Caesar, the ability to heal and raise the dead.

I would propose  that  we, too, are called to at least metaphorically receive life and to give life to others.  I would propose, too, that this is all around us, taking place frequently.  4  examples.

Offertory team forming up, Allen & Aggie, Tom & Denni.

Take Bill Hammond.  Bill gives me new life in at least 2 ways.  First, twice a year he invites me to volunteer at the Love for Kids picnic at Circle R Ranch.  I come away from that picnic humbled and inspired by the kids and by the numerous volunteers.  New life.

After the picnic this Saturday I have a big wedding.  Talk about a life giving event.

 Communion cups at the ready.

Bill also gave me new life a dozen years ago when he invited me to join him at the Hotter N’ Hell bike ride of a hundred miles.  Here I am now more than a dozen years later still riding.  And while I may be dead tired at the end, I am overflowing with life. 

I mentioned that I get life from helping at weddings.  A week ago Renee Reddick gave me new life when she asked me to fly to Toronto to handle the funeral for her ex-husband.  As usual when  I receive these invitations, I balked, made excuses, and tried to get out of it.  Rosemary told me that I would hate myself if I failed to go.  So I called Renee back and told her I would get there the next day.  I was totally touched with life by coordinating that funeral Mass.

Blessing, Everybody.

Finally, guess who called me to new life about 13 years ago.  Yep, Carol and Bernadette, when they invited me to consider sharing Masses with our community.  Talk about a rich life. 

What gives you new life and to whom do you give life?

Readings:

Malachi  3, 1-4,  Yes, he is coming, says the Lord.

Psalm 24,  Who is this kind of glory?  It is the Lord.

Hebrews,  2, 14-18,  That he might be a merciful and faithful high priest.

Luke  2, 22-40, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to the temple to present him to the Lord.

Zoe says, "Welcome, Everybody."

Homily by Mike

Helen Roberta Marina Lazio was the woman that my Father married. What do I remember most about my mother? She loved to pray. She said the whole rosary every day of the last 25 years of her life.  The Joyful Mysteries were her favorites for they fit well with her prayer to Mary. 

Recall that the Hail Mary begins with words from the angel Gabriel [Hail Mary full of grace; the Lord is with you] at the Annunciation event and are followed by Elisabeth’s greeting to Mary at the beginning of the Visitation [Blessed are you among women; and blessed is the fruit of your womb]. 

Leo & John saying, "Come in, it's fun here."

The first two chapters of the Luke gospel give us the Joyful Mysteries: the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Birth of Our Lord, the Presentation, and the Finding of the boy Jesus in the Temple. Today’s Feast of the Presentation happens to be the fourth Joyful Mystery. 

To help us understand more fully today’s feast, let us take a short journey within the two chapters. It begins with the story about Zechariah and Elizabeth.  They are both Levites and he is also a priest. They are righteous before God and keep all the commandments of the Law; however she is barren. 

Mike talking about the Presentation.

They represent Judaism that is not bearing fruit, they pray for its fulfillment and God hears their prayer. Their son will be John the Baptist, the messenger of our first reading.  Gabriel is now sent to Mary to announce that she will give birth to a Messiah king, and she comes to realize that the fruit she will bear fulfills the yearning and expectation of his coming given within the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms. 

Offertory, Joe, Jimmy, Doug, Mike and Cliff, a rough crew.

Gabriel tells Mary that her elderly cousin Elizabeth is not longer barren, and immediately she sets off to visit her.  Elizabeth greets Mary with the words, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.’  Elizabeth and Zechariah know that Mary is to give birth to the Messiah, and they reveal the role of John the Baptist to prepare the people for his coming.   Now, recall the words of Christ, the Good Shepherd to Peter at the end of the John gospel. Three times he says, ‘Feed my Lambs.’

Time to wake up, Tori, with her grandfather, Gil.

Lambs in the Gospel are those who have heard the words of the Good Shepherd and follow him.  So, we are now presented in the Luke gospel shepherds who are watching over their flock, lambs, when angels make them aware that the Christ child will be found in a feeding trough, a manger, wrapped in stripes of cloth, a shroud.

The shepherds are to perceive the Christ child as the Suffering Servant and Lamb of God of the Good News. The Word and the Bread blessed and broken are food for the lambs. The feast of the birth of Christ [Christ Mass is the Christ Liturgy] is a feast of the liturgy the Word and the liturgy of the Eucharist: food for the soul.

Buddy looking for that Cupcake of The Week.

The Christ child [the Word and Sacred Meal that fulfilled the written expectation of the Law, Prophets and Psalms] in the feeding trough, the Church, is now intimately understood by Simeon in the temple when he says Isaiah’s words, ‘My eyes perceive the salvation which God has prepared for the nations, a light to enlighten the gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.’  

Cowboy Cole and Diane ready to get inside out of the cold.

 In that same way we are to manifest the Word and the Bread blessed and broken in our lives, to become the Body of Christ in the world!  Liturgically we put on Christ to become the Light of the World when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit, receive a baptismal robe, and a candle lit from the Easter candle.  

Remember the song, ‘This little light of mine…’ Recall the Matthew verses of a baptismal liturgy: "You are the Light of the World. A city built on a hilltop cannot be hidden, and no one lights a lamp to put it under a bushel, they put it on the lampstand, where it gives light to all who are in the house.  In that same way, let your light shine before men so that seeing your good works they too may give glory your Father who in heaven.

Brent, the Soul's Harbor director, receiving $2000 from our community.

Readings:

Ecclesiastes   1 2; 2, 21-23, Vanity of vanities, all things are vanit.

Psalm 90,  If today you hear his voice, harden not  your hearts.

Colossians 3, 1-5, 9-11,   Put to death the parts of you that are earthly

Luke 11, 1-13,  The rich man who hoarded all his wealth in bigger barns, then died.

 

The Consecration

INTRODUCTION:  

After the Jews received the commandments and oral law, they received from God the Judges; the last of whom was Samuel. During this period of time the following wisdom was practiced: Jews were to follow the example of the Judges. They were to use their free will to determine what was right or wrong using the oral law and the Commandments as their guide.

When the people asked for a king, Samuel said, ‘No!’  Why?  A king would take the best of everything from you; your sons and daughters, your land, your vineyards. He will become rich and you will become poor.  Do not put your faith in a king instead of God. 

Fast forward through King Saul and King David, to our first reading from Ecclesiastes.  The one who labored in our first reading was King David.   His son Solomon, did not labor for, but was the beneficiary of all of his possessions.  Solomon was worldly wise and clever; but not spiritually wise. He certainly did not use the oral law or the commandment to guide his decisions, nor did he suggest to others to do so until the very end of Ecclesiastes.  Our second reading continues the teaching we are receiving from Colossians.  We are to humble ourselves to be the hands and eyes and heart of Christ in the world by showing compassion and generosity to others.  To put on Christ infers that we have died to the greed that is idolatry,

 

The Offertory. Bill, Marlene, and Cindy

HOMILY:  Samuel’s reasons for not having a king where fulfilled by Solomon.  He abandoned his father David’s advice to him, and he lavished himself with expensive gifts.  He lusted after women, taking 700 wives and 300 concubines.  He had 4000 stalls filled with expensive horses.  In a dream Solomon asked for wisdom to rule God’s people with justice.  Remember the parable I shared with you some time ago about Solomon and the two prostitutes?  He asked his servants for a sword, saying that he would cut the living child in two, giving half to one and half to the other.  He used fear not wisdom to identify the real mother.  He was clever; but not spiritually wise.

 

Genevieve, a happy little girl

In the New Testament Letter of James, the rich are reminded of the wisdom that comes to us from above. It is the good news of Jesus Christ. Those who seek him receive the Holy Spirit so that their labor is pure and gentle, and filled with compassion.  The wisdom, of course, is that we are to put on Christ.

The inspired writer of the Luke gospel used the word rich to describe the man in today’s parable.  This Greek word suggests that the man had more than ample property to make willingly, with gratitude, a generous gift. But he didn’t; his wisdom was foolishness.  The parable is to be understood this way:  The Lord’s judgment, ‘you fool,’ is how he gave answer to the rich man’s greed that was idolatry.

Generosity is always a gift of gratitude toward God.  Giving of our time and talent is just as important as giving material wealth.  In everything give thanks for that is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus.  The wisdom that comes from above is meant to be contagious, those served with love are given the opportunity to do the same for others.

John shares his Homily.

Readings:  

 2 Kings 4:42-44,  They shall eat and there shall be some left over.

 Psalm 145,   The hand of the Lord feeds us;he answers all our needs.

 Ephesians 4: 1-6, One body and one Spirit.

John 6: 1-15,  The miracle of the loaves and fishes.

The Consecration. 

Homily:

From the prominence of the miracle stories of feeding multitudes with so little, and the importance given to the Passover meal by the Jewish followers of Jesus, it’s no surprise that they didn’t take long after he died to make a remembrance of his last Passover meal the centerpiece of their gatherings.

By 325 A.D., with Constantine as Emperor of the Roman Empire, the Eucharistic meal was recognized as a central part of Christian practice.  Earlier, about 150 A.D., Justin Martyr, an early Christian apologist, wrote to explain Christianity to the Greek world, how the followers of Jesus had the practice of celebrating a remembrance of the Lord’s Supper when they gathered.

The Offertory with Hugh, Sydney and Mary.

Earlier still is the Acts, written between 80 and 90 A.D. In Ch. 2, is the statement, “They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful.”

Perhaps the earliest written mention of the Eucharistic meal is in First Corinthians, Ch. 11. Scripture scholars agree that the letters of Paul were written around 50 A.D., about 20 years after Jesus’ death. Paul alludes to irreverent behavior at “the Lord’s Supper.” He was criticizing the followers of Jesus in Corinth about turning the meal into “a family squabble”, instead of coming to the “Lord’s Table” with reverence and courtesy.”

The Kiss of Peace.

The Lord’s Supper, the Mass, as it evolved, has had different understandings. Is the Mass primarily a ‘sacrifice’ being remembered and somehow offered again for a people cut off from God? Or is the Mass primarily a shared ritual meal of remembrance, celebrating a people’s thankfulness for Jesus’ Good News that we are already connected with God and always have been?           

What do you think?

Shonda and Ben.

Readings: Isaiah 8, 23-9, 3; Psalm 27, The Lord is my Light and my Salvation; 1 Corinthians 1, 10-13; Matthew 4, 12-23

 Intro to Readings

 The gospel reading today should sound familiar when you hear it, as it is mostly a repeat of our first reading from Isaiah.  In today’s reading Jesus has just heard that John the Baptist has been jailed by Herod and so he decides to head over to Capernaum. 

The reading describes Capernaum as being in the region of Zebulum and Naphtali.  These places were named after two of the sons of Jacob, he of the ‘twelve tribes’ fame.  Galilee is a very familiar name to us as Jesus spent a whole lot of time there.  This area was the area invaded by the Assyrians in the eight century BC and all of the wealthy and educated people where carried away as slaves.  What was left were the peasants, and so we have this reference to the land left in darkness!

Nazareth was to the southern end of Galilee.  Galilee itself was a rather small and insignificant place compared with Jerusalem in Judea.  Capernaum was a fishing village on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.  It was also close to the Via Maris, which you will hear referred to in the first reading as the seaward road.

 Because of this earlier exile, there was a much greater mix of gentiles in this area.  There was a certain amount of tension between the Jews who lived in Galilee and those in Jerusalem.  They were not considered quite as ‘pure’ due to their constant contact with the gentiles.

The really important part of the gospel reading is the last line, where we are given Jesus’ message “repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand”.

 Our second reading from Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians shows what can so easily happen to any small community of believers.  The community is breaking into factions and forgetting its purpose.  

The Homily: instead of a formal homily today we have a baptism.  Catch the video:

 Picture 1:    Mass Begins  

Picture 2:    Special Welcome to Sienna, Brian, Payton, & Erin 

Picture 3:    The Baptism Party, Brian, Susanne, Payton, Erin, & Sienna

Picture 4:    The Baptism