Sunday Homily, August 2007, 21st of Ordinary Time

Readings: Acts 5, 27-41; Psalm 30; Revelation 5, 11-14; John 21, 1-19

Acts of the Apostles

This book continues Luke’s gospel, this time describing the early Christian community.

Revelations

More revelations about end times and heavenly events.

Do You Love Me X 3

How many here love chocolate chip cookies?

How many here love their dog or cat?

How many here love Rosemary?

Notice the different meanings of the same word "love." In the early language in which this section of John was written two words are used for "love." You can see that in English we often use "love" when we really mean "like." I like chocolate chip cookies, but I love Rosemary.

Watch how the meaning changes and becomes much more subtle when you distinguish the word. In the early language the word for "love" was "agapo." A second word was "phileo," and it meant "care for" or "hold you very special."

Here we go. First, Jesus says, "Do you love me more than these." He uses "agapo." Peter responds, "You know that I love you." Guess which word Peter uses. Not "agapo," meaning "love," but phileo, meaning "hold you special" or "care for."

Secondly, Jesus asks again, "Do you love me," and uses "agapo." Note he does not repeat "more than these." Peter repeats his first statement, "You know that I love you." Again he uses the word "phileo," I "care for you."

Now the third time takes place, and in English Jesus simply asks "Do you love me," but guess what. He uses "phileo" this time, "Do you care for me?" What does Peter respond? Same as the first two times, "I care for you," though this is not distinguished in the English translation.

Big difference, no? A fascinating play on words English totally misses. What is going on? A simplistic idea is that Peter denied Jesus three times. So here he is challenged to affirm Jesus three times. However, why the play on the word love?

1. Can Peter be showing a new side, a more humble side?
2. Is Jesus showing that he accepts Peter just as he is, saint as well as sinner?
3. Could this be consoling for us who fall like Peter?
4. How are we like Peter?

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Readings:

Wisdom  12, 13, 16-19,   You judge with clemency.

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 farmer sowed good seed in his field.

Our first reading (Wisdom 12) is from the Book of Wisdom, written about 100 years before Jesus. Though the author is unknown, he was a member of the Jewish community at Alexandria in Egypt and wrote in Greek. Solomon did not write this book as we used to think; the author sometimes speaks as Solomon, a common artifice authors used to emphasize the value of their writings.

The second reading (Romans 8) continues Paul’s letter to the Christian community in Rome. This community was predominantly Gentile, though there were Jewish Christians there too. In this letter Paul is making a point that Christians were free of the Jewish law of Moses. Paul’s view was that Jesus and faith in Jesus was the only source of salvation and he was beginning to push Christian communities away from Judaism and toward a faith more compatible with Greco-Roman thinking.

The Gospel reading continues in Matthew (Matt 13). Most scholars date this Gospel as around the year 70, probably after the destruction of Jerusalem.  It points to a growing rift between the followers of Jesus and official Judaism. It is clearly anti-Pharisee and anti-scribe.  It quotes the holy books of Judaism a lot more than the other Gospels to show their promises were fulfilled in Jesus and that he is the Messiah. Matthew also writes about how Jesus was not accepted by most Jews but accepted by many Gentiles. It is clear that Matthew depended on Mark, written several years before. Matthew contains 600 of Mark’s 661 verses.

Homily 

I want to focus today on Jesus’ teaching that God is now and was always with us, and how we can see God. There’s that Bible verse in today’s Responsorial Psalm 86 vs.5 that says “You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness.” Stack has said it’s his favorite line in the Bible.  I decided to google this verse and found the same words in multiple places in the Bible.  Psalm 145: vs. 8-9 has exactly the same lines. And Psalm 103 vs. 8 has the same.  And it’s not just in the Psalms.  The Book of Exodus Ch. 34, verse 6 reads, “The Lord is a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness.” The Book of Joel Ch. 2, verse 13 has exactly the same line. And the Book of Jonah Ch. 4, verse 2 has the same.

The take-away from those verses that describe God as “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and rich in kindness,” could be that whenever we see those traits and those behaviors, we are seeing God.  Jesus’ said the kingdom of God is here, and is experienced when we share mercy and kindness with one another.

On July 4^th I joined a group of family and friends for the Fair Park fireworks display. At the end of the evening Leo & Freddie, seeing fireworks for the first time, said, “This was the coolest ever.”

Later I remembered some of what I saw and experienced about being gracious and showing kindness.

1. I got to Fair Park early and walked around, then sat on a bench eating a corn dog slathered with mustard. I saw a woman walking with 2 children and an infant in a stroller. The little one dropped a stuffed toy to the ground. Another woman saw it and, noticing the mother hadn’t seen it happen, called out to her and pointed to it.  They made eye contact and I saw them connect with a smile as the mother picked up the toy. This was a brief but gracious human contact.
2. At one point after our group got together at the lagoon, my nephew Merik, offered to take Leo and Freddie on a walk around the lagoon. He entertained them for 30 or 40 minutes, and his act of kindness allowed the other adults time to visit.
3. Gina, a close friend of my daughters Joey and Sam, came with her husband and 2 daughters, who are a little older than my grandsons. Gina thought about the 4 kids who would be there and brought snacks for all of them and also light sticks to make necklaces or bracelets or, like Freddie, just to wave around. The kids loved it and I took note of her thoughtful kindness.
4. Most of the group had gotten snow cones while walking around. So I decided to get in line for a snow cone for myself (I was told that there were sugar free ones) and for Gina’s daughter who had missed out on one. It was a really long line of more than 30 people. After a while I struck up a conversation with a woman in line. Later another woman, also in line, joined in the conversation. At one point the latter woman, who was sort of ahead of me and the first women (line not straight but uneven), offered that we both go ahead of her. Of course by this point we had all been in line a long time and had tired feet. That was another act of kindness and mercy.

 My question: when have you seen God lately?  And when do others see God in you?

Readings:  Isaiah 63, 16-19 & 64, 2-7; Psalm 80; 1 Corinthians 1, 3-9; Mark 13, 33-37

Isaiah: One of the big 3 Prophets, mostly because of the size of the book.  At least 3 writers put this book together and this is number 3.

Thanksgiving History: Everyone knows about the first Thanksgiving in 1602 with the Pilgrims and the Indians eating together, the Mayflower, and Plymouth Rock.   Here are 5 facts that people do not hear about usually.

1.  When did Thanksgiving begin?  Our ancestors have celebrated end of harvest feasts of gratitude for centuries.  Lincoln first focused on a national feast; FDR established the national holiday in 1941.

2.  The pilgrims did not know they were pilgrims.  They called themselves saints, and non-saints were called strangers.  The word pilgrim came along in the 18 hundreds, 2 centuries later.  They were not even Puritans, but separatists.  They split off from the Church of England, old Henry VIII's church, and the Puritans did not split off.

3.  The Separatists did not come to establish religious freedom.  They came for religious freedom for their religion and only their religion.  The Separatists demanded everyone belong to their program.  Failure to conform could result in execution, ala inquisition.

4.  The Mayflower returned to England, was torn apart, and its beams were used ot build a barn in Buckinghamshire (just north of London & east of Oxford).

5.  How did the Indians & Separatists communicate?   The Indians were Algonquins & one of them, Squanto had actually lived in Briton some years.  He returned to his tribe and taught his friend Samoset English.  It was Samoset who communicated with the Separatists, & the Indians taught them to raise corn, to fish, and to hunt.  In the first winter half of the 100 Separatists died before the Indians taught them how to survive. 

How to Prepare for a Marvelous Christmas

For the first ten years of my life as a Jesuit and the ten years I was in East Africa I think every Christmas I was homesick.  This was true despite my efforts to make the event a lot of fun.  One year when I was in Tanzania I brought a frozen turkey down from Nairobi, Kenya, across the border into Tanzania, and threw a party Christmas day on the roof of our house, inviting friends and neighbors, many of whom were Muslim. 

Because of this and because we are just beginning the season of Advent, the season of preparation for Christmas, I would like to review some ways to prepare ourselves for a marvelous Christmas.  I have 5 observations.

1.  First, beware of fear and depression.  You read Mark's story about the man traveling abroad and you get spooked into thinking God is going to grab me when I'm not looking.  Nonsense.

Depression seems to surface more during the Christmas season, because of at least one reason.  Expectations.  We expect more out of the Christmas season, peace, love, warm relationships, gifts.  When the reality comes in below the expectation I have, I get disappointed and maybe depressed.  Memories of disappointing Christmases past can also depress me. 

2.  Unlike Mark's warning about sleeping, I would propose that we need more rest at this darker time of the year.  Our ancestors used to sleep when it went dark.  Today we force ourselves to stay awake and lights keep us awake.  Doctors are saying we need more sleep in the dark days of winter and are recommending, get this, 9 hours.  Maybe try an extra hour.  How about a nap?

3.  Along with more sleep, exercise.  My internist tells me that he wants me to exercise every day.  I do.  Walk through the neighborhood.  Ride a bike.  Along the way look at the colors of the red oaks and Bradford Pear trees. 

4.  Have you got anything special you do every year for Christmas, during Advent?  Something to get you into a Christmas spirit?  If not, what about finding something?  Two things I have got to do every year: take in a performance of Handel's Messiah and take in the Dallas Symphony Christmas concert.  I may get in an extra one or two of these, but I find this so touches my spirit.

I know a few families who tour Christmas lights.  Here in Plano is Deerfield.  Among the best is Highland Park, Beverly Drive and Armstrong Parkway, both east and west of Preston.   In Deerfield, you may walk around.  In Highland Park there are horse drawn carriages. 

5.  Finally, in line with Mark's gospel, watch, watch for the daily miracles and blessings.  Review your year for the biggest blessings, like I mentioned before Thanksgiving.  Write a blessing on one of the pieces of paper by the blessing tree.  I will include one or two in each Sunday's blog.  Your blessing will be a gift to someone who cannot get here to Vines for Mass and has to pick up our celebration via the blog.

I thank God each year now that I am no longer homesick at Christmas.  I am home.

How are you putting together a Marvelous Christmas?

Picture 1.  17 years old, Renee Bresson, plus T.J. & Lorynne & Lacee serving

Picture 2.  Barb & Ron, Diane, Mary & Frank, Anniversaries & Birthdays

Picture 3.  45th Anniversary: Mary & Frank Esparza

AUDIO:  http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-11-30.mp3

  Blessings under the Tree:

1.  My biggest blessing of the year was my mom's recovery & being able able to be there for her.

2.  One of my blessings is to turn 70 years of age and have my mother call at 8 A.M. and sing Happy Birthday to me.

3.  A special blessing is my daughter.  She has adjusted to college life so well, emotionally, physically, adademically, and much more.

Readings:

Zechariah  12, 10-11,  I will pour out a spirit of grace and petition.

Psalm 63,  My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

Galatians 3, 26-29,  You are all one in Christ.

Luke 9, 18-24, If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself.

Georgie arriving ready.

 Zecheria observations : 

Who:  
one of the 12 minor prophets.  Why?  Small work.  Only 14 little chapters.  Vs the Big 3, who have chapters numbering into the 60’s.  Zecharia is really the author of this work.

Time:  
post Babylonian Captivity, therefore, after 555 before Christ.  How do we know?  Reference is made to Darius, the king of the Persians.

Content:  
part 1 involves visions about the restoration of Jerusalem.  Part 2, our part, talks about future prosperity.  Maybe a slightly forgetable book.  I have not one line highlighted in my bible.

Sources: Good News Bible, Wikipedia

Buddy is also ready, with his mom, Michelle.

Deny Myself and Take up a Cross Daily

Ever since I can remember hearing this item I have felt discomfort and
rejection.   I think there was some of this in my original decision to enter the Jesuits to be a priest in 1958.

Our Celeste.

Certainly in those early years of Jesuit training, we practiced this.  We lived in silence most of the time, worked hard on the beautiful Jesuit farm at Grand Coteau, and we never went back to our original homes.   A really regimented monastic life, up at 5:00, lights out at 10:00, every day, month after month, year after year.

Miguel, who helps us tremendously every Sunday.

 Times have certainly changed and I have obviously changed.  Three comments about the idea of taking up a cross daily.

First, it is a metaphor, a metaphor for self discipline.

Dick Taylor, our local Habitat director, giving us a status report. Imagine, 78 houses built.

Secondly, the self discipline involves obvious things, let's say, three:

          Healthy eating, that is, watch out for salt, sugar, and fat or butter, the major seducer ingredients of fast food places, like McDonald’s.

This was stage 3 our our house, after the foundation and the studs.

          Exercise, that is, keep moving.  2 a days are coming for high
school football players.  You want to see self discipline?  27 days from now I will join 15 thousand other wakos to ride across Iowa in a week, about 500 miles.  I’m exercising, getting in shape. 

          Next, take breaks, days off, vacation periods.  A day off a week
or 3 once a month, as I do.   Contemplate and reflect during the
breaks.  What?  My blessings & gifts & joys.  Number one, number two, and on.

During stage 3 we wrapped the house.

Thirdly, the goal?  Follow God’s invitation to be fully alive.

Where are you being invited by God to become more fully alive?

Friday morning the house is ready for siding, windows and doors already installed.

 Readings: (4th Advent)

Micah 5, 1-4, He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock.

Psalm 80, Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

Hebrews 10, 5-10, My prayer, that your love may increase ever more.

Luke 1, 39-45, When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb.

Cathy into the Season

Micah: author, date, subject, our selection–

Author: one of the minor prophets (because of length,7 chapters), Micah is considered to be the author of these words.

Date: probably around 700-690 BCE, a contemporary of Isaiah, living in Judah.  He had witnessed the destruction of the northern half of the kingdom, Israel, by the Assyrians, ca. 720 BCE.  He watched Judah pay tribute to Assyria.  He forsaw the Babylonian disaster in 590.

The Great Angela with Karen behind her.

Subject: like all prophets, he predicts doom and destruction for Judah because of the injustice of the people, especially the rich over the poor.  Micah learned from Israel's destruction by Assyria, which he attributed to God's anger with those people. 

Then, of course, in the prophet tradition, he predicts a return to peace and prosperity after the people are purified.  He speaks to Bethlehem as if to a person and says that a new ruler will come from the town and the good ruler will shepherd the people.  Why Bethlehem?  Because David was born there and the new David was supposed to come from the same royal village. 

Morgan lighting the 4 Advent Candles.

Asked what God wants of us (like penance, sacrifices of animals, goods, even children), Micah states one of the great lines in scripture: "What God requires of us is: 1. act justly, 2. love tenderly, and 3. walk humbly with our God." (6, 8)  You people do that. 

Our Selection: God promises a good ruler will be born in Bethlehem, the place where King David was born, a royal village.

Sources: Good News Bible, John Shelby Spong, Wikipedia

A Cupcake of the Week for Geordie who just  graduated from the U. of Colorado

A Christmas Story

This morning I want to tell you a Christmas story.  It took place in Tanzania the Christmas of my sixth, seventh, or eighth year living in the country.

First it is good to mention that Tanzania does not celebrate Christmas like we do here.  First of all, it is summer, being just south of the equator.  So, warm.   Moreover, people do not decorate with lights like we do here.  It is not the custom, nor do folks have the money.

Reggie and Robin

I was usually pretty homesick at Christmas.  So this year I decided I would throw a Christmas day party American style, especially with a turkey. 

To get the turkey I had to not only go beyond the little town of Moshi, where the Jesuits had a house and where I was based.  I, in fact, had to travel to Nairobi, Kenya, the country immediately to the north. 

Reggie receiving $2000 for Soul's Harbor

Despite the fact that most of the time I was away from Moshi on the road giving seminars and retreats, I still knew some people from the times I was in town.  So I invited a number of families. 

In particular, I invited the family who lived next door to us, a husband and wife with their two little girls, for whom I had a great affection.  The family was all Muslim and the father was a police chief.  It is always helpful to have a police chief as a friend in certain countries.  I assure you.

Offertory, The Girls, Jean, Nancy, Diane, and Christine

To invite the family I followed the more formal African protocol.  I invited the husband to come over to our house.  I had two rocking chairs ready in my office/bedroom.  We sat down and I offered him coffee or tea. 

Then I said, “Mohammed, I would like to invite you and your family to a special celebration of the Christian Christmas.  It will be the evening of December 25, beginning around 5:00.”  Then, I explained what was Christian Christmas.

Emma

Finally, I added, “We both know, Mohammed, that you have a problem with alcohol.  I request that you show up sober.  If you show up drunk, I will have to ask you to leave.”  Mohammed said he was grateful for the invitation for him and his family.  He would not arrive drunk and if he did I should invite him out.

Want to guess what happened?   You guessed it.

About 1:00 Christmas day Mohammed and his buddy arrived a bit early.  Yes, they were both drunk out of their minds.  We talked, I told him I was sorry, but he could not come to the party.  He, too, said he was sorry, he left, and I did not see him again that day.

Cupcake of The Week to Diane for a special birthday.

Later, however, about 5:00, his wife and girls arrived with a surprise.  In the African tradition of hospitality, she had invited all her extended family and they all showed up together, about 15 of them. 

Despite all this, we had a fun American style Christmas, most of it, in fact, on the roof.  We had an Arabian style house with a flat roof.  A great place for parties and watching the sun set glow on Kilimanjaro nearby.

Why talk about this today?

First, to show you how Christmas is celebrated in other countries.

Secondly, to show just how we are so fortunate to celebrate with such fan fare and warmth.   I am grateful to be here.

The Music Team, Bethany, Shonda, and Ray

What has been your best Christmas ever? 

How are you celebrating this year?

Readings: Jeremiah 33, 14-16; Psalm 25, To you, O Lord, I lift My Soul; 1 Thessalonians 3, 12-4, 2; Luke 21, 25-36

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT: Lighting the First Candle 

Tony:  The Gospel of John speaks of Christ as the true light coming into the world. In commemoration of that coming, we light candles for the four weeks leading to Christmas and reflect on the coming of Christ.  It is significant that the church has always used that language—the coming of Christ—because it speaks to a deep truth. Christ is coming. Christ is always coming, always entering a troubled world, a wounded heart. And so we light the first candle, the candle of hope, and dare to express our longing for peace, for healing, and the well-being of all creation.

(First candle is lit )

All Sing

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

All: Loving God, as we enter this Advent season,
We open all the dark places in our lives and memories to the healing light of Christ.
Show us the creative power of hope.
Prepare our hearts to be transformed by you,
That we may walk in the light of Christ.

Tony:  Take time, in the busyness of this season, for quiet reflection—
For the light of God’s love is discernible everywhere. 

All:  We will let ourselves be surprised by wonder,
And set aside time to offer quiet thanks.

Tony:  The good news of Advent is this:
Christ is coming. Christ is always coming.

All:  We will welcome Christ into our hearts.
We will let ourselves be guided by his ministry.
We will go forth from this place in hope.