5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 5, 2023

Readings:

Jeremiah  1, 4-5, 17-19,   Before I formed you in the womb I knew you. (The Call)

Psalm 71, I will sing of your salvation.

 1 Corinthians 12, 31 – 13, 4-13,  If I do not have love, I am nothing. (Excellent)

Luke 4, 21-30,   They wanted to throw him over the cliff.

 

                                   

Leo says, "Welcome in, Everybody.  It's fun here."

 

 Jeremiah observations:

Who:  One of the Big 3 and my second favorite behind Isaiah, whom we will hear from next Sunday.  Why a favorite: because he shares his feelings with gusto. 

When:  you can guess it, before and during the Babylonian Captivity.  Notice how much prophetic energy is concentrated around this one event?  Shows how big it was in Jewish history.  Keep 555 before Christ as the beacon date. 

 

                                    

Harper, also, says, "Hi, Folks, Come in."

 

What: you can guess this, too.  Criticism of behavior, warning of punishment from God, and eventually a better day.

What today: Jeremiah’s call by God to be his man, really Everyperson’s call to be God’s special.  This call theme carries through our next 2 readings, especially the next one, The Big One.

 

                                        

Candle Lighters of The Week, Buddy & Tori.

 

Love is patient, Love is kind

I confess, I used to get 1 Corinthians 13 fatigue, I heard it so often at weddings.  Lately, however, I have changed.  Now as I listen I feel it calling me to step up.  I want to be more patient and more kind.  I hear Francis inviting me to be a peacemaker.

One small example.

A few months ago Rosemary and I were heading out one Sunday morning to celebrate Mass at Vines.  It must have been 8:30, the time we usually depart.  The streets were practically deserted. 

 

               

The Candle Lighters at work.

 

We were going east on Royal Lane.  We got to Central and stopped for the light.  When it changed we moved forward and planned to take a left to go up the ramp to north bound Central.  

I noticed behind me at the light was a silver Mercedes.  As I moved forward it was practically touching the back of our van.  I turned left and started up the ramp.  It stayed right behind us.

 

 

                                                               

Happy Birthday, Mary. 

 

As I got onto Central and moved into the first lane on the left, this person, a guy, floored his Mercedes, leaned on the horn, and raced by us on the right showering us with nice little hand gestures.

Rosemary says I drive too slowly some times, but this was Sunday morning, folks.  Almost no other cars but this guy and us. 

 

Happy Birthday, Rick (the man behind many of the pictures you see)

 

So what would you do?  Well, I did nothing, of course.  I can recognize serious road rage and I was just hoping the guy would not stick a gun out his window and start blasting away.  Let him go away, which he did.

However, does being patient and kind apply here?  Yep, I think so. 

 

 

Candle Lighters deserve their rewards.  How did you get in there, Zoe?

 

As a priest and psychotherapist for years I have heard the life stories of people who have done pretty bad things.  I get to know them and I find out what was behind their actions.  Who knows about this guy on an early Sunday morning.  Maybe he was heading to a hospital.  His wife or child was dying.  Maybe his wife just divorced him.  Maybe on Friday he was fired for his anger.  There is always a story and a reason.

So when I hear Corinthians on patience and kindness, I think, ‘Stack, cool off.’ 

 

Happy Birthday, Gil.  It looks like you have someone eager to help you with that cupcake.

 

And Cornthians has a reverse value.  Say I had reacted to his anger.  Then later I would feel guilty and ashamed.  The patience and kindness is for me, too.  I usually don’t have road rage fortunately, but I can get mad, I can criticize, I can get passive aggressive, and then get remorseful.  Can’t we all?

Any of you all drive a silver Mercedes?  Do you have road rage?  Are you patient and kind?

How are you going to be a more loving and peace-making person after hearing this passage this morning?

 

 

Does Music get any better than this, Shonda & Bethany, Ray & David.

 

 

 

 

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.

Isaiah 6:  As the earth brings forth its plants, and a garden makes it's growth  spring up, so will the Lord God make justice and praise spring up before all the nations.

1 Thessalonians 5:  May the God of Peace make you perfectly holy and may you entirely,  spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ

John 1:  "I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, make straight the way of the Lord;"

 

Readings:

 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.

 

 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. 

 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.

 

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.

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.

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. 

 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?

 

 

2 Kings 4:  This time next year you will be fondling a baby son.

Romans 6:  …you too must think of yourselves as dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 10:  And whoever gives only a cup  of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because the little one is a disciple – amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.

    

Happy 4th of July

 

John Cade's Homily from last Sunday: Download 06-25-23 Homily -12th Ordinary

 

 

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

 

 Sorry the Blog is late.  Too much turkey!

 

 

 

Note: we are now meeting at Legacy Academy.  We will continue to post this map until after Christmas Eve. 

 

 

 

 

"I believe"

 

Welcome: Catholic Mass with coffee & juice, and pastries, some bought, some home-made.

Time: 9:30; Celebrate with the Community &  John Cade

Place: Legacy Charter School, Accent Drive, Plano, TX 75075

 

 

 

All kids welcome.

 

Readings:  

Daniel 7, 13-14, I saw one like a Son of man coming.

Psalm 93,  The Lord is king, he is robed in majesty.

Revelation 1, 5-8,  Jesus Christ is the faithful witness.

John 18,  32-37,  Are you the king of the Jews

Community Activities:  

 

 

 

"Welcome, All You Girls."

 

ROMEO MEET: Friday, November 30, Jason's Deli, Collin Creek Mall, west side of Central, 1:00.  Welcome all wakos, you will fit right in.  Let’s skip the day after Thanksgiving.

JULIETTE LUNCHEON  December Luncheon  

 

Note 1:  The Meyerson Christmas concert, December 13, Thursday.  Welcome.  Rosemary is filling the list. Tickets are $32.00.

 

 

 

 

Carrie & Paul are actually awake and  listening!

 

TRUE?

 

Two boys were walking home from Sunday school

after hearing a strong preaching on the devil.

One said to the other, 'What do you think about

all this Satan stuff?'

The other boy replied, 'Well, you know how

Santa Claus turned out.

It's probably just your Dad..'

 

 

 

Our Father 1.

 

What is going on in our Catholic world?

1.  Ignore the Vatican & their inactivity, National Catholic Reporter, November 13   https://www.ncronline.org/news/accountability/ignore-vatican-bishops-can-forge-ahead-stopping-abuse-cover?utm_source=NOV_13_CLOHESSY_FORGE+AHEAD&utm_campaign=cc&utm_medium=email

 

 

 

 

Peace, Everybody & have a Happy Thanksgiving Holiday.

 

See you Sunday,

J.S., 214-783-0443

 

 

 

 

Ugh oh, here's trouble.

 

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.