Ascension of the Lord, May 29, 2022

 

 

Special Reminder for Holy Thursday & Good Friday:

 

Place: Marlene's home, 2017 Keystone Place, Plano

 

Time: 7:00 P.M.

 

Thanks for the hospitality, Marlene

 

 

 

Guess Who!   Congratulations, Wendy, Brandon and Atlas Xavier Hartsell (8 lbs 15 ounces.)

Readings:                          

1 Kings   19,  16, 19-21,  Please, let me kiss my father & mother goodbye.

Psalm 16,  You are my inheritance, O Lord.

Galatians 5, 1, 13-18,     You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Luke 9, 51-62,  I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family.

 

 

 

Says Donna, "Welcome in, Everybody."

 

Introduction

[first reading] In our reading from 1 Kings, Elisha realizes that he has received a call from God to first be Elijah’s servant, then his successor.

[second reading] The gospel sets us free from the Law! For the whole Law is fulfilled by these words of Christ, ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’  We are led by the Spirit to be love, and this love is active in works.

 

 

Mabel and Marlene also say, "Hi, Folks, Come on in."

 

Homily by Mike:

How do we become the Lord’s disciples? Discipleship is a choice, through grace, to be led by the Holy Spirit to live the gospel by treating others with goodness and justice, with tenderness and compassion.  ‘For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying to self that we are born to eternal live!’ 

 

 

 

Cole, our Candle Lighter, at work.

 

As Jesus walked along the road to Jerusalem with his aspiring disciples in today’s gospel, others joined to walk along with him.  And a man said to Jesus, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus turned to him, ‘Foxes have holes, birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no where to lay his head.’  The journey to Jerusalem is the structural backbone of the Gospel for it is there that Jesus literally dies to himself for humankind.   He is telling this man that if he wants to follow him he must die to self.   Everyone’s Jerusalem is different; but the journey is the same. The inspired writers tell Jesus’ aspiring disciples to return to Galilee, in the written gospel. It is there that the Holy Spirit will lead them, and us, to their Jerusalem.

 

 

Happy Birthday, Alison.

 

Jesus said to another man who had begun to walk along beside him, ‘Follow me!’  The man replied, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ Obviously he wouldn’t have been walking along with Jesus that day if his father had just died.  The man’s answer to Jesus was that he wasn’t going to make a decision until he received his  inheritance when his father died. So Jesus said to him. ‘Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead, but you I have asked to be spiritually alive, to proclaim by word and deed the kingdom of heaven.

 

 

Offertory, John & Alison, Carrie & Paul.  Thanks.

 

Still another said to Jesus, ‘I will follow you Lord, but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.  Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit to serve in the kingdom of God.’   Those who are looking back over their shoulder literally do not know where they are going; they are likely to fall.  Jesus is saying to him, ‘put the past behind; look forward, follow me.’ 

 

 

Special Good Wishes to you, John, on the big Wednesday Operation.

 

 

This past Sunday my younger brother and I were visiting our older brother in Florida.  I took a short walk that afternoon to a park not far from his house.  There, on Father’s Day, I began to enjoy watching a woman and her twenty-something son celebrating a picnic lunch together.  Later, after joining them, I learned that her husband, the young man’s father, had recently passed unexpectedly.  It had been difficult for them, but members of their church community had supported them with help and encouragement.  She had gone back to work, was making good friends, and he had returned to college.  Each of us has a cross to bear on our journey in the kingdom of heaven; but, we are called to assist one another, to press forward, our burden light.

 

 

Mike sharing his thoughts on today's readings.

 

Welcome, Everyone.  This is part of the group of volunteers who took part in the Single Parents' Advocacy Christmas Party, Saturday at Lewisville H.S. 

 

 

 

Preparing lunch with Bill, Connie, & Cheryl, Single Parent Advocacy, Christmas picnic, Lewisville H.S.  12 of our community volunteered.

 

 

Readings:  (happy ones…)

Zephaniah 3, 14-18, Be glad and rejoice with all your heart

(Psalm) Isaiah,  Cry out with joy and gladness, for among you is the great and holy one of Israel. 

Philippians 4, 4-7,  Rejoice in the Lord always. 

Luke 3,  10-18,  I am baptizing you with water… 

 

 

 

An old pro lighting our candles today.  Welcome home, Cole, so good to see you

 

Homily by Mike

During this past week, I spent some time remembering a story about the Fulghum family: Dad, Mom, and their three children, two of which were in Middle School.  Each morning, Dad and the three children left home carrying their lunches in brown paper bags. Molly who was now in first grade enjoyed helping her mom make the sandwiches.  Daddy always got the biggest one.  

 

 

 

As always, Buddy, good reading of our Blessing of the Candles.  Thanks.

 

On this particular day, Dad had two brown paper bags waiting for him.  One wasn’t at all that big or brown, and there was a lot of tape holding it together, but he took it with him all the same, when  Molly told her Daddy that she had added it for his enjoyment. Daddy smiled, but was in a hurry that day, as he placed both in his brief case. 

 

 

The Best Music with Shonda & David.  Sorry you could not make it, Ben, & that you get better soon.

 

When he had finally made time for lunch, he hurriedly opened-up his usual brown bag.  As he was eating, however, he took time to open the other bag that Molly had given him.  He smiled at the stuff that slid out of it when he had taken off its close-pin.   Three small shells, nineteen pennies, one green and blue marble, two animal crackers, two chocolate kisses, a small red, rubber ball and a few jacks, an empty lip stick, a really small plastic dinosaur, and a couple of colored rubber bands, probably for her hair. 

 

 

 

Thanks for a nice Christmas Story, Mike.

 

And, he was thinking, “What am I going to do with all of this stuff, as he was already late for a meeting. So, all got discarded in haste, with the paper napkin that he brushed across his desk top.

 

Thanks, Connie, for telling us about the party sponsored by the Single Parents Advocacy.

 

 

That night after supper, Molly, smiling, asked her dad, who was reading the paper, “Where is my bag, Daddy.  Behind the paper he sat stunned, his eyes got big, and he didn’t know what to say.  Molly said, “You didn’t bring it home? You didn’t loose it did you? Those are my favorite things, Daddy.” 

 

 

But Daddy is already thinking about calling the janitor at work. Finally he said, “I’ll bring it home tomorrow, I promise.  And he could see the sadness in his little girl’s eyes. After her bed time he heads back to the office.  The Janitor says, “you loose something?”  After a short explanation, together, they located the desired trash bag, and thankfully it contained Molly’s items. 

 

 

And more lunch with three of our Bona Responds brown T shirts at work.

 

After gathering them and returning them to her beat-up sack, he sat there for a while looking again at what had now become treasures to him. He remembered the shells that she had gathered at the beach last summer.  He remembered the chocolate kisses that he had left under her pillow one night. He remembered teaching her how to play “Jacks.” He remembered when she had found the green and blue marble in a parking lot.  In the morning during breakfast he gave her a long sweet hug and kissed her on her forehead, informing her, this time with gusto, that he would bring her sack home with him that evening, for he had purposely left it on his desk at work.  

 

 

Shonda doing what she does best, getting the kids and everybody to sing and even dance.

 

 

Think about it.  Everyone else in the family could have given him

a gift from their abundance; but she had given him everything that was dear to her; they all were given from her heart.  My suggestion to us is this.

 

 

Shonda in her element.

 

We should take time this coming week to enjoy our grand children’s gifts of Christmas pictures, and ornaments, and clay sheep and shepherds, and especially the one of the little child in the manger.  Let them bring to us the realization that Christmas, God’s gift to us, should be and can be celebrated every day in the little gifts of love, precious jewels, that often, and sadly, sometimes overlooked.

 

 

Readings:

1 Kings 19, 9, 11-13, Go outside and stand on the mountain before the Lord.

Psalm 85,  Lord, let us see your kindness and grant us your salvation            

Romans  9, 1-5, They are Israelites.  

Matthew 14, 22-33,   Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.   

 

 

ROMEOS, Friday, August 7, 1:00,  as usual.    Welcome!

ROMEOs' Virtual Jason's Deli BYOB lunch
This is a recurring meeting, Friday, 1:00 pm
Link :
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85798571623?pwd=NmFSTW1ocVMzRGdIc0QzUGxKdHM3dz09

Meeting ID: 857 9857 1623
Password: saladbar

Palo Duro Canyon

 

 

Reminder for 19th Sunday Ordinary Time, August 9, 2020

Here are the links for Sunday:

 3.  Catholic influence on Joe Biden, https://www.ncronline.org/news/people/how-joe-bidens-catholic-roots-have-shaped-his-public-life

 

Alaska

 

Community Finances, August 2, 2020

Expenses: $  980.00

Outreach   $  150.00  (often for Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)

Thanks, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

Cindy Cramer:  Here is the latest on Cindy from her daughter.

Good news! My mom is making great progress in rehab and they've given her a tentative discharge date of August 13! She's walking on a walker already, but they want her to have time to build up her strength some more before letting her out.

 

 

Also — there is no need to bring her food anymore. It turns out, the food at this place is really good — much better than the hospital food was! 

 

Thank you all again so much for all your cards, gifts, thoughts, and prayers! You are really helping to make her stay more tolerable, and she is fortunate to have such a strong support network!

 

 

Daylight Savings Time ends this weekend.  Don't forget to set your clocks back on Saturday night.

 

Ezekiel 2, As the Lord spoke to me, the spirit entered into me and set me on my feet.

Psalm 123, Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy. 

2 Corinthians 12, a thorn in the flesh was given me.

Mark 6, a prophet is not without honor except in his native place.

 

 

Let this show begin…

 

Thanks……

Music,    Shonda broadcasting from Houston.

Readers,  Mary & Frank, & Buddy, our candle blesser (no candle blessing today)

Gospel,     John Cade

Homily,  John Cade

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,    Mike and Hue and Richard

Final Blessing, Rosemary

For hosting us at Legacy, Becky

 

Mary reading from Ezekiel.  

 

Readings:

Download Readings 14th Ordinary Time 7-4-21

 

Homily by John Cade

Download Homily John Cade 7-04-21

 

 

Frank reading from 2 Corinthians.

 

Remember these special people:

For John & Karen Anderlick's unborn grandson;  For Alan Stryker;   For Candice Taht, friend of Mary Hall;   For Rosemary's great niece, Rylie ;  For Richard's grand daughter, Madeleine;   For Esparza's new great grandson baby, son of Monique, & Frank with shingles;  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 Loretta's aunt Alicia;  For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom & Cody &  Leo & all of Shonda's dear family; For Ursuline Sr. Mary Troy, 

 

John sharing his excellent slants on today's readings.

 

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 4 month old baby boy named Ford recuperating from an operation; for David McKeon's brother, Hugh; For Beth's friends & brother;   for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

 

 

Happy Birthday, Paul!

 

Birthdays:   Brent, 65; Kim Crossk; Paul Bieda, 60; Cindy Cramer. 83.

Anniversaries:   Jan & Sir Charlie, 60 

 

 

And Happy Birthday to you, Brent, and also a check for your Soul's Harbor.   Moreover, congratulations on Soul's Harbor being especially written up in today's Dallas Morning News.

 

Community Finances,   July 4, 2021

Expenses: $750.00  

Outreach: $235.00  

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

 
                                                                                                                                Rosemary sharing her July 4 Blessing.                                                                                                                                       

Rosemary's Blessing:

Lord

May we never take our freedom for granted

and help us to strive so that this same freedom

may be experienced by everyone in our country,

especially the poor and the oppressed,

and eventually by all humankind.

 

Andrew Greeley A Book of Irish American Blessings and Prayers