4th Sunday of Easter, April 30, 2023

Acts of the Apostles 13:  I have made you a light to the Gentiles, that you may be an instrument of salvation to the ends of the earth.

Revelation 7:  For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

John 10:  My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

 

 

   Buddy reading the prayer for the lighting of the candles  

 

 

Thanks…

Music,    Ben & Shonda

Readers,  Geri & Mike

Gospel,    John Cade

Homily,  John Cade

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,      Mike & Hue & Richard & Kevin

Final Blessing, Rosemary

 

 

Readings:  Download 5-8-22 – Readings – 4th Easter

Homily:  

 

 

 

 

Some of the Zoom Members

 

 

 

Remember these special people:

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;

                           

 

The blessing of the Mothers

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.

 

 

 

Dave, sharing a thought

                   

                  

Birthdays:  Pat Jansky 5/8, Ron Senter 5/9, Barbara Senter 5/13

Anniversaries:   

      

Community Finances:   

Expenses: $  381.11

Outreach: $  850.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

and Margie, offering an insight
                                    

Rosemary's Blessing:  

May we be blessed with the gift of contemplation of the blessings we have received and then put this appreciation into action to help others.

And may there always be someone on our life’s journey to help us on your way.     

Readings: Deuteronomy 4, 1-8; Psalm 15, The One who does Justice will Live in the Presence of the Lord; James 1 17-27; Mark 7, 1-23.

Deuteronomy:  

The fifth book of the Old Testament.  The last book of what we refer to as the Pentateuch, namely five books.  These five books, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy were made up of five scrolls, which is how it got its Greek title, Pentateuch.  The Jewish people referred to them at the Torah or Law.  Interestingly, the books themselves got their titles from the Greeks as a way to describe what the content of each book was about.  They cover a period from the very beginning of time down to the arrival of the Jewish people into the Promised Land.

Deuteronomy is mainly made of laws, and the bulk of the book is composed of a series of addresses by Moses and also a long collection of laws, which covered just about every facet of life for the “devout Jew”.

The book was probably composed sometime either during or shortly after the Babylonian Captivity, namly around the sixth century before Christ.

In today’s reading we hear Moses first of all explaining that there is no need for anything beyond the laws he is giving and also selling them on how lucky they are to have such laws!

 

Letter of James

 

For five Sundays, starting this week, we are going to be reading the Letter of James as our second reading.  The author, James was probably the head of the church in Jerusalem, and at times is referred to as the brother of Jesus.  He is not one of the twelve apostle James, there were two of them!  The letter is not a typical “letter” in the same sense as Paul’s Letters, in that there is a very brief greeting, not the typical extended greeting, no information about the sender and nothing of the usual formulaic ending of letters of that time.

The letter was probably written before 62CE when James was stoned to death.  It is addressed to the “twelve tribes of the diaspora”, which refers back to the diaspora when the tribes were scattered following the Babylonian and Assyrian invasions.  In this case it is thought to be addressed to those churches outside of  Jerusalem made up of Jewish converts to Christianity.

The contents are a collection of moral observations and instructions, our reading today from Chapter One fits perfectly with the whole theme of todays Gospel, namely the need to interiorize what it means to follow Christ rather than to go through the motions.

 

 

Why am I here

I blame Vatican II.  Up until that time, the early 1960s we knew exactly what was a sin and what wasn’t a sin.  In fact George Carlin had great fun with his album Class Clown.  But after Vatican Council 2 everything seems to have changed and all the certainties we had before are gone.  You knew clearly that it was a sin to eat meat on Friday!  You knew that you had to fast from Midnight before receiving communion.  It was the kind of environment we find Jesus dealing with today.  The rules became everything.  I can remember in the early 70’s getting that phone call when a holy day fell on a Saturday.  “Father, if I go to mass on Saturday evening will that cover for the Holy day obligation and also the Sunday.”  It was the same as asking “what is the least I have to do to remain in a relationship with you?”

 

 

 

 

Before Vatican II the pathway was clear, follow the rules and you will get into heaven, or at least purgatory.  After the council, it seems that the ball was passed to each one of us.  We were responsible for our own relationship with God.  Catholics certainly began to take responsibility, aided greatly by the encyclical on Birth Control. 

The gospel today focus’ on rules for meals…but if we step back and really take a closer look at what is going on it is the way the rules are used by Jesus, versus the Pharisees.  They are going by the literal interpretation of the rules, kind of like slavishly following a recipe, where as Jesus is looking at the “intention” behind the actions.

 

 

 

We might well apply this discussion to our selves.  Why are you here today?  Is it because your parents made you come??? Is it because you will go to hell if you don’t come here?  Probably a more basic question could well be: What is the purpose of being here today?  Am I here just because of habit, or does what we do here each week have an impact on my life outside this “getting together”?

 

Picture 1:  Mass with Kevin & Sabrina

Picture 2:  Mass helpers, an Old Geezer, Kevin, and Sabrina

Picture 3:  Birthdays, Melissa, Maureen, & Carl

Picture 4:  Birthdays, Jo & Jackie

 

Guess who says hello.

 

Welcome: Catholic Mass with coffee and juice and pastries, both bought and home-made, after Mass

Time: 9:30; Celebrate with the Community & Stack. 

Place: Sigler Elementary, 1400 Janwood Drive, Plano, TX 75075

 

 

The Offertory Team, Meredith & Brent, Cheryl & Caroline. 

 

 

Readings:

Isaiah  6, 1-8,   “Here I am,” I said, “send me.   (The call of Isaiah.)

Psalm 138,  In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.  (one of my favorites)

1 Corinthians 15, 1 – 11,   I am the least of the apostles.

Luke 5, 1-11,   The big catch of fish.

 

 Wow!  What do I see on that table? 

 

Community Activities:  

1. ROMEO MEET: Friday, February 5, Jason's Deli, Collin Creek Mall, west side of Central, 1:00.   Welcome all wakos, you will fit right in.                                                                                                                                             
2. JULIET LUNCHEON, (aka.,just us ladies into eating together),  Thursday, February 5, 1:00 P.M.,   Cafe Amore.  600 N. Coit, Richardson,  (Italian & BYOB),   Please RSVP to Marilyn Ackerman, rmackerman5@gmail.com

 

Oh, that looks so good.  I wonder if anybody is watching.                                                          

 

What is going on in our Catholic World  

1.  Currents in American Christianity, Corpus, December 29,   920  words,        Download American Christianity 2-4-16        

                                                                                                                                  

Donor Receipts for your 2015 donations have been emailed out.  If you have not received yours, please let John or Rosemary know.  Thank you for your generosity.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

 

Me?  Eat one of those cookies?  Never!  But…may I?

 

True? 

 Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.

CAMILLE PISSARRO

 

 

The Gang, Gil & Bernadette, "Sir" Charlie & Jan

 

See you Sunday.

J.S., 214-783-0443

 

 

The Sacrament of Healing and Life.

 

JSM Mission-Faith Statement

Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for and challenges spiritual and total growth.

Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged and make the world we live in a better place to live.

 

For Victoria and Zoe, too.  

 

                     

Communion, too, bread & grape juice.

Zechariah 9:  His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Romans 8:  For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

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

    

 

Beautiful crepe myrtle

 

 

John Stack Ministries now meets at:  The ArtCentre of Plano, 902 E. 16th St, Plano

 

and another one

Acts of the Apostles 2:  Exalted at the right hand of God, he received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father and poured him forth, as you see and hear .

1 Peter 1:  He was known before the foundation of the world but revealed in the final time for you….

Luke 24:  "The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!"  Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread.

 

 

 

Connie reading from the Acts of the Apostles

 

 

Thanks…     

Music,    Ben & Shonda

Readers,  Connie & John

Gospel,   John Cade

Homily,   John Stack

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,   Hue & Kevin

Final Blessing, Rosemary

                                                                              

       

John reading from the First Letter of Peter

                                                                                                 

Readings:  Download 04-23-23 Readings -3rd Easter

Homily:    Download 04-16-23 Homily – 2nd Easter

 

                                                                                                                                                                                      

 

The lighting of the candles

 

Remember these special people:

For Cindy Cramer's family;  For the family of Ron Senter;  For Frank Esparza;  For Jan;  For Tom  Quinn who had back surgery on November 21st;  For Sandra who has been diagnosed with Large B Cell Lymphoma;   For Lambrini, John Cade's wife, who is dealing with cancer ;  For Madeleine, Richard Eshelbrenner's granddaughter;  For Hue; For Jackie;  For John's sister, Kathey recovering from a fall;   For Tom Good;  For a young man, 19 struggling with a brain tumor and cancer;     For Mary Hall's friend Cadence still suffering from a serious medical condition;   For Sir Charlie & Jan; 

                                                                                                   

       

Ben gets a cookie

 

 

Jackie's mom, sister, & friend, Lynn;  For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg.;   For Jean & Cliff Wright;  For Dee, and for her daughters, Lisa & Lauren;  For a young man who is suffering from depression;  John Cade'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.

 

 

and Kevin gets a cookie

                                          

Birthdays:  David Dinsmore

Anniversaries:  Michelle & Randolph

 

Community Finances:   

Expenses: $  480.00

Outreach: $  

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

       

 

Isaiah 9: For a child is born to us, a son is given us; …

Titus 2:   Beloved: the grace of God has appeared, ..

Luke 2:  … the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son, …

 

Thanks……

Music,    Ben & Shonda

Readers,    John & Mary Jane & Claire

Gospel,     John Cade

Homily,  John Stack

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,      Hue, Richard & Mike 

Final Blessing, Rosemary

Guess Who

 

 

Readings:  Download 12-24-21 – Readings – Christmas Eve

Homily:    Download Christmas Homily

 

 

 

Remember these special people:

For John Stack having a hard time right now with a bad back;  For Laura Chollick;  For Sandra who has been diagnosed with Large B Cell Lymphoma;   For Richard's grand daughter, Madeleine;   For Esparza's new great grandson  & Frank;  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,   For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom & Cody &  Leo & all of Shonda's dear family; For Ursuline Sr. Mary Troy,

Amsterdam

 

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 Anthony & Sabrina;    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 & a nephew; for David McKeon's brother, Hugh; For Beth's friends & brother;   for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

Camellias

 

 

Birthdays:   

Anniversaries:   

                                                        

Barcelona

 

Community Finances,   

Expenses: $ 

Outreach: $  

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

The Mercado, Barcelona

 

Rosemary's Blessing:  

Loving Father, help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world.

Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.

Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.

May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children, and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake.

Amen.

Robert Louis Stevenson