26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 25, 2022

Readings: Isaiah 7 10-14; Psalm 24, Let the Lord enter, He is King of Glory; Romans 1, 1-7; Matthew 1, 18-24 

Isaiah, a quick review:

Author: remember there are 3 contributors.  This is Isaiah I, composer of chapters 1-39.

Date: ca. 700 before Christ and before the Persians blotted out the northern kingdom, Israel. 

Today's material: as a sign to the unfaithful people, Isaiah predicts a virgin will conceive, will bear a son, and he shall be named Emmanuel.  Isaiah I is speaking to the Israelites who are going to get annihilated shortly by the Persians.  Matthew uses this passage to authenticate Jesus, saying it refers to him.  The virgin conceiving a god person goes way back in history, at least to the time of the Pharaohs in Egypt.

Home 

 The afternoon of the second or third day Rosemary & I spent in Hilton Head with her sister & brother in law I was finally rested out.  I decided I got to get some exercise. 

 So I grabbed my favorite bike in the garage, an old American style bike with no gears and a big white wall tires.  It is a sight, but it is great conditioning and much easier to ride than I expected. 

 I took off at about 4:30 knowing that I needed to be home by 5:30 when it would be dark.  And on Hilton Head Island, folks, it is dark at night.  No street lights.  Know why.  Turtle habitat.  Turtles use the beaches to hatch their young and the lights get them disoriented.  Therefore, you can easily see the stars at night, but perhaps not your hand in front of your face when there is no moon. 

 The circle ride I make takes about 40 minutes, probably 8-10 miles.  I had gone 15 minutes when I had that sensation.  Something was squishy.  Yes, I had a flat on my rear tire. 

 So I decided to walk it in, instead of calling home for a lift.  I had passed already the more open part of the trail, and had ahead of me the more forested part.  No problem, I know the trail well and light from the houses would guide me.

 Consequently, I’m walking along this long path through the woods and on both sides of me are the forested back yards of houses.  It was chilly, but comfortable.  As I walk along I can see into the kitchens and dens of all these houses, warm, inviting, and homey.

 Suddenly I am reminded of other nights walking along behind other houses that were warm, inviting, and homey.  Certainly in Tanzania & Kenya when I lived there.  But also, when I studied the four years in Toronto. 

 At the college in Toronto we had a half mile meandering drive to the main road.  On the right or north of the drive a line of nice middle class homes backed up.  I would walk there in the snow often and long to have a similar house, warm, inviting, and homey.  However, I thought it was not for me as a priest.

 Walking along that path in Hilton Head, I realized I am not lonely or homesick any more.  I am grateful that I do have what I was longing for, thanks to Rosemary and our marriage.  I went home and told her, again.

 As we approach one of the more home focused celebrations of our year, we might find that we are more homesick or we might be grateful that we have a place that is warm, inviting, and homey. 

 Where is home for you this Christmas season?

 What do you do to create a home that is warm, inviting, and homey?

 Picture 1:   Ryan lighting the Advent Candle

 Picture 2:   Done!

 Picture 3:   Communion preparation

 Picture 4:    Communion helpers

 Picture 5:    Margarita & Ashley

Ezekiel 2:   Tell them, 'This is the Message of God, the Master.'   They are a defiant bunch. Whether or not they listen, at least they'll know that a prophet's been here.

2 Corinthians 12:  At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that,  and then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

Mark 6:    Jesus told them, "A prophet has little honor in his hometown, among his relatives, on the streets he played in as a child."

1 Samuel 26:  Do not harm him, for who can lay hands on the Lord's anointed and remain unpunished.

1 Corinthians 15:   Just as we have borne the image of the earthly one, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one.

Luke 6:  For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.

Thanks…Music,    Ben & Shonda

Readers,   Mary Jane & John

Gospel,     John Cade

Homily,  John Stack

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,      Hue, Richard & Mike 

Final Blessing, Rosemary

Grape vines along the Rhine

Readings:  Download 02-20-22 – Readings – 7th Sunday Ord

Homily:  Download 02-20-22 – Homily – 7th Sunday Ord

                Quaint little restaurant                                    

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 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 and for a friend Cadence still suffering from a serious medical condition;   For Sir Charlie & Jan;  All of Shonda's dear family; For Ursuline Sr. Mary Troy,

             
        An old castle       
                                                      

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 & friends, Annie, a mom of 3 kids and Michael ; for David McKeon's brother, Hugh; For Beth's friends & brother;   for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

Wall Art

Birthdays:   

Anniversaries:   

Community Finances:   

Expenses: $  995.00

Outreach: $  685.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

                                    

An invitation for a coffee, wine or some other drink

Rosemary's Blessing:  

Let us pray to our God      

To the God of Mary and Joseph,

To the God of Abraham and Sarah.

May our spirit fill the world with beauty and wonder.

May our mind seek truth with humility and openness.

May our hearts forgive without limit.

May our love for friend, enemy and outcast be without measure.

May our needs be few and my living simple.

Taken and adapted from a prayer by Mary Lou Kownacki, OSB for Pax Christi USA in commemoration of the United Nations International Decade for the Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for the Children of the World.

Good Morning, My Dearest Izzy, and welcome to our community.  We gather here this morning to baptize you into the the Catholic Community.  Thanks for coming. 

Readings:

Amos 6, 1, 4-7, Woe to the complacent

Psalm 146,  Praise the Lord, my soul.

1 Timothy 6, 11-16,    Pursue righteousness, love, and gentleness

Luke 16, 19-31,   The Rich Man & Lazarus.

Today's Homily will  be the baptism ceremony of Isaura Barbara Fleming,(Izzy), Daughter of Megan & TC Fleming.

This Baptism says that you belong to a community which loves you and believes in a God who loves you now and will love you forever.

Good Evening Everyone!

We are back  and had a great time. We are looking forward to seeing you all at the ArtCentre  of Plano this Sunday.

"Welcome, Everybody, even the pastry shoppe is open, yippee!," say Harper, Tori, and Emma

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

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

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

Ready, Leo?  Ready

Readings:

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.  

Leo flying solo for a little while until Buddy gets here.

Community Activities:  

ROMEO MEET: Friday, August 18, Jason's Deli, Collin Creek Mall, west side of Central, 1:00.  Welcome all wakos,  you will fit right in.  

JULIET LUNCHEON, (aka.,just us ladies into eating together), Off for the summer.  We will be back in September. 

Good Morning, Nikki & Mary.  Where is my little buddy, Seth? 

What is going on in Our Catholic World

1. Catholic Church imploding, Commonweal & Corpus, July 31, 1500 words,

Minor Elevation.

True?

100 years ago everyone owned a horse and only the rich had cars. Today everyone has cars and only the rich own horses.

The Dinsmore girls, Donna, Darbianna, and Dana (a wicked biker so I hear).

See you Sunday.

J.S., 214-783-0443

 Please remember Judy Carrell, who was rushed to the hospital Tuesday evening with heart flutters.  She is home and okay as of Wednesday evening.

The Best Music, Shonda, Ben, & David

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.

Say Zoe and Harper, "See you next week, Everybody."