Special Announcement

Readings: Acts 9, 26-31; Psalm 22, I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people; 1 John 3, 18-24; John 15, 1-8

Acts: a review–

Date: 70-100 A.D.

Author: Luke wrote both the Gospel and Acts

Plan:Chapters 1-8 tell of the early community with focus on Peter & John and on the Resurrection, Ascension, and Pentecost.  The rest of the book focuses on Paul, his conversion and travels.

Our Selection: We finally have moved from chapters 3-4 with the focus on Peter & John and now in chapter 9 we focus on Paul.  What has happened is this.  In chapters 7 & 8  Stephen is stoned for being a Christian.  Paul is watching and approves.  At the beginning of chapter 9 Paul gets permission in Jerusalem to go to Damascus and round up more Christians so they can be put in prison and probably stoned.  

Just outside Damascus a bright light flashes around Paul and he falls to the ground.  A voice says, "Why do you persecute me, Saul?"  Paul asks the voice, "Who are you, Lord?"  The voice tells him to go into Damascus where he will be told what to do.  When he gets up he cannot see.  He spends three days in Damascus without eating or drinking.

Meanwhile the Lord appears to a Christian named Ananias and tells him to go bless Saul.  Ananias is afraid because he knows Paul's reputation.  But he goes and when Paul is blessed he can see again.  This is Paul's conversion and he sets out immediately talking in Damascus about what has happened to him.  Then Paul goes to Jerusalem and we read what happens there.

This selection talks about Paul, 3rd person, i.e., he did this, he did that.  Chapters 22 & 26 of Acts have Paul himself speaking, 1st person, about his conversion experience.  Biblical students suggest that Luke was not presenting an historical event so much as  emphasizing the power of the risen Lord.

Mothers' Day

In honor of Mothers' Day I have a story for all you moms.  The rest of you can tune out if you want.  In fact, you may go get a donut or a coffee or a juice.  Return after my usual 5 minute homily.

Let's say, for the story's sake, you have a son.  Say he's about 4 years old.  He tends to get into mischief. 

One day you are driving along in your car, not on a freeway but on a suburban street.  Your car starts to buck and cough.  What's wrong, you wonder.  It seems like the car is running out of gas, but the tank is more than half full.  Finally the car dies and you roll over to the side of the road.  You call AAA, they come, cannot get it started, and tow it to your garage. 

The man checks everything and it all seems okay.  Gas, oil, electric.  But it still seems to not be getting gas.  Finally, he checks the gas line for maybe a kink.  What does he find?  Water.  The tank had been filled with water.  Who did it?  Suspicions arise.  Mom goes home and begins to ask around.  "Anybody around her put water in my gas tank?"  Word has gotten around that this has caused a lot of trouble, so there is an atmosphere in the house.  Nobody says anything. 

Finally, with a little more questioning, a confession is forthcoming.  Suspicions were correct.  This 4 year old boy had filled the tank so his mom would not run out and have to pay the high price of gas.

What does mom do?

Same mom, another day.  She has been working around the house.  Beautiful day, kids are playing all up and down the block because it is safe.  She goes in and begins to arrange things to prepare the evening meal.  Eventually everyone comes in and has dinner. 

Asking everyone how their day was, she finally asks her 4 year old.  He was playing with his little buddy a couple of doors down.  They are inseparable.  But toward the end of the afternoon his mom asked him to come get in the car because they were going to go out for a bit.  Our little boy could walk home on his own a couple of doors away.  Everyone finishes telling their story, they finish dinner, and the older kids go upstairs to finish homework while mom cleans up the kitchen with our 4 year old playing around on the floor.  All is peaceful.

Half way through cleaning up the doorbell rings.  The other little boy's mother  is outside and asks if she could talk for a moment.  Does she know where her little boy is?  Sure, in the kitchen.   

Turns out when the woman came home she opens the door and finds her bottom floor flooded with water.  She immediately thinks of a broken pipe or a toilet.  She runs around but cannot find where it is coming from.  Finally as she passes the front door, she sees the culprit.  The garden hose has been stuck through the mail box in the door and is running full blast.  She turns it off and has suspicion. 

She talks with her little boy.  Yes, they had been playing with the hose before they left in the car.  Yes, it probably was still on when they left.

The neighbor mother narrates this event to mom.  More suspicion.  The little boy has been listening and disappeared.  Finally, he comes out from where he was hiding and admits he had put the hose into the mail box.  Why had he done it?  He says he does not know.

What would you do, Mom? 

To aggravate the event, the family had to have the whole downstairs of their 2 story Tudor replaced.  The neighbor, however, never was irritated or critical, in fact, very forgiving and accepting.  Fortunately, her husband worked for an insurance company.

What would you do, Mom?

I see three possibilities. 

First, if you are really mad and embarrassed, after each of these events you might spank the boy, or get dad to spank the boy.  Got to teach him not to do stupid things. 

Secondly, if you are less mad, you can give him a firm admonition, dress him down, with, maybe, a threat of severe consequences.  Even make him stay home and not play outside for a week or so. 

Thirdly, you might accept that he does crazy things and does not know why.  And put your hands gently on him and hold him.  Maybe tell him it okay.  The touch of mom is so healing and comforting.  All women have it.

I am not the hero of these stories, but I have been there.  I know the guilty feeling and how lame it sounded when I said, "I don't know why."  A hint: this little boy grew up in West Hempstead, NY, the next to the last of six.

So, what would you like to do, Mom?

AUDIO:  http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2009-05-10.mp3

Picture 1:  Beginning Mass, T.J. helping

Picture 2:  Birthdays, Stephen, Ron, Abby (17 today); Anniversary, Rosemary; 1st Communion, Ginny

Picture 3:  Mothers' Blessing left

Picture 4:  Mothers' Blessing right

 

Our dear Bill Hammond  just passed to his Peace this morning.

 

Mike, Rob, Beth, Nicole, Rose, and Bill.

 

Isaiah 22: I will place the key of the House of David on Eliakim's shoulder; when he opens, no one  shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open.

Romans 11: Oh, the depth of the riches  and wisdom and knowledge of God!  How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!

Matthew 16:  And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, …

 

Sun rise at White Rock Lake

 

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.

           

Cody reading from 2nd Kings

 

 

Thanks…     

Music,    Shonda & Ben 

Readers,  Cody & Mary

Homily,   John Stack

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,   Kevin

Final Blessing, Rosemary

 

                                                                              

Mary reading from Paul's Letter to the Romans

                                                                    

 

Readings: Download 07-02-23 Readings -13th Ordinary

Homily: 

 

                                                                                     

Jackie reading her homily

 

Remember these special people:

For Jan Keszler's Family; For Sandra Pratt's family;  For Cindy Cramer's family;  For the family of Ron Senter;   For Meredith  whose cancer has come back;  For Tom  Quinn who had back surgery on November 21st; 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 Mary Hall's friend Cadence still suffering from a serious medical condition;   For Sir Charlie;  For Ron ;  For Teresa Quinn's niece, Maddie who has a brain tumor;

                                                                                                   

       

 

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 & the families of Annie and Michael ;    for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

 

 

Connie and John

 

                        

Birthdays: Brent Burmaster 7/6, Paul Bieda 7/8

Anniversaries:  

                                                              

Community Finances:   

Expenses: $  680.00

Outreach: $   360.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

       

 

 

 

Hi, Emma, Happy Easter

 

 

Rosemary's Blessing of The Week:

 

Risen Jesus, help us to be human expressions of the God

you proclaimed: a God who is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

 

May we know deeply God's great love for us, and like

God, lean toward those suffering, oppressed and poor.

 

Taken from A Reflection and Prayer for Easter by S. Jean Amore, CSJ

 

 

John reading from Acts of the Apostles.

 

 

Thanks to these special people:

•    For  the Readings:   John & Mary Jane
•    For The Team:    Buddy  & Georgie, John & Mike
•    For the Communion Bread:   Alison
•    For the Special Communion Cups:  Jan
•    For the Pictures:   Rick &  Mike & Connie 
•    For the coffee and extras: Mike & Jackie
•    For the altar & sound:  Jackie
•    For the Music:     Ben  & David  & Shonda
•    For all who helped with Communion 

 

 

 

Mary Jane reading from 1 Corinthians.

 

Birthdays:    Jean O’Donnell (81, Thusday), Hugh Bivona (29^th)

 

 

 

 

Happy 81st Birthday, My Dearest Jean. 

 

 

Remember these special people

For Beth & John O'Donnell & Mary Ellen;   For Carol's recuperation;   For Dee and her daughter, Lisa; For John Schanot's continued recuperation;   For a young man who is suffering from depression;  For Cliff & Jean, plus Jean's brother Terry;   For Rosemary's niece, Beth and her partner, Sarah with cancer;   For Laura's sister Claudia;   For Dawn;    For Anthony & Sabrina;   For John & Jean's son John Louis;   For our good friend Kay in Ontario;   For Rose's daughter in law Jamie; For a  young father of two & married, Paul Day, struggling with a heart problem

 

 

 

 

Holy Thursday at Marlene's home.

 

 

For Rosemary's sister, Patty and her husband, Lou;   For Mary Jane Stevenson's son Philip, 34, sick & don't know why;   For Jackie's friend, Barbara, plus Angela & her mom;    For Sr. Patricia Otillio, a nun I worked with for years in Grand Coteau;   John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli;  for Frank’s brother with advanced Parkinsons;      For Steve Barrett, Rose, & Katie;

 

 

 

 

Washing of hands, Holy Thursday.

 

 

Dick Thompson's daughter, Teri Jill, and Judy's aging parents;  Barb & Warren's grandbabies, Leighton Elizabeth and Warren Phillip and Ethan Michel, & their friend Chris, plus Barb's  Annie & Kaitlen; Tom and Teresa Quinn's niece, Chawna, with cancer, their granddaughter, Mikayla;   plus Neva Flynn, Angel, and Diane Kreeitzer;   Connie Doherty's mom and her sister, plus Kevin's cousin, Peter; For a number of David McKeon's family who are having a rough time with health issues; for our friends, sons, and daughters in the military, including Ryan McClurg and Chebino; cure for autism from Laura Chollick; for our President.

 

 

 

 

Myron Hubble's Memorial at Bob Woodruff Park, North Pavilion, on a beautiful Saturday early afternoon.

 

 

Your Finances, April 1, 2018

Expenses:    $2545.00

Outreach:    $1415.00

Thanks for your Generosity, Everybody.

 

 

 

 

Who is this walking into our Easter celebration?

 

 

Have a Great Week, J.S.

(214-783-0443)

 

 

 

 

The Great Easter Egg hunt is on.

 

 

JSM Mission-Faith Statement  

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

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

 

 

Hi, Harper.  Tell your dad it is so nice to see him.  Happy Easter.

Isaiah 40:  Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.

2 Peter 3:  But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Mark 1:  Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way.  A voice of one crying out in the desert: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths."