Exodus 3, 1-8, 13-15, The Lord appeared to Moses in fire flaming out of a bush. (One of the great stories)
Psalm 103, The Lord is kind and merciful. (One of the great lines)
1 Corinthians 10, 1-6, 10-12, Do not grumble.
Luke 13, 1-9, There was a person who had a fig tree.
Exodus observations:
Natalie.
What: this is the second book of the Bible and Torah, following Genesis. It is a story about how the Jewish tribe of people escaped from slavery in Egypt.
Who: the story is about the Jewish people and their reluctant leader, Moses. It was put together, not by Moses, as was thought for centuries, but by a group of the priests even centuries later.
When: it is put together at The Time in Jewish history, yes, during the Babylonian Captivity, say 555 years before Christ. It is a mostly mythological story about how God helped his special people out of slavery eons before Babylon. Do you see a parallel between the slavery of Egypt and Babylon? Could this be a reason for developing the Egypt story, that is, to encourage the people enslaved in Babylon?
Our selection: like the call stories of Isaiah and Jeremiah, here is another call story, this time Moses. Unlike the booklet which edits out part of the story, we will read it all.
Jerry and William arriving.
Psalm 103 observations:
This psalm has one of my most favorite lines in all of scripture, The Lord is gracious and merciful….
There are so many pictures of God presented by the Bible, some of which are quite demanding and unpleasant. Note, for example, the story of the fig tree in Luke this morning. Each of us is challenged to put a face on our God according to our own searching and experience. This line, which is seen in other places in the Bible, is my vision of God.
Emma arriving.
Joseph with the Beautiful Coat
I bet you don’t know why the Jewish people ended up in Egypt and became slaves. This is a Bible story Sunday. Here we go.
Let me tell you the story of Joseph with the beautiful coat. We pick up Joseph living in Canaan, which the Israelites will say later that God gave them. He lives with his 11 older brothers.
Harper arriving.
His father is Jacob, the third of the Big 3, the 3 patriarchs of the Jewish tribe, namely, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob or Israel, father, son, & grandson. Jacob loves his 12th son in a special way and because of this the other brothers get jealous. Unfortunately, Joseph has told on his brothers, informing his dad that they are not taking care of the live stock.
Cathy and Mary arriving.
One day Joseph goes looking for his brothers in the fields. They see him coming and decide they will kill him. Reuben, the eldest, persuades them to sell Joseph to some guys running a camel train by on their way to Egypt. Price: 20 pieces of silver. Sound familiar?
Queen Zoe arrives.
So Joseph ends up in Egypt and is sold to the captain of the king’s guards. He does so well the captain puts him in charge of his affairs. Unfortunately for Joseph, the captain’s wife develops a crush on Joseph. When Joseph refuses her, she gets mad and tells her husband Joseph tried to seduce her. Joseph goes to prison.
The Leo Man.
While in prison he interprets dreams of the prisoners, one of whom is the king’s wine steward and who is released. For two years Joseph stays in prison.
Twins, Leo and Fred.
One day the king has a dream that worries him. The wine steward tells the king about Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams. The king calls him, Joseph interprets the dream. The king loves Joseph and makes him the governor of all of Egypt. Joseph is now in his 20’s.
Rosemary reading her blessing.
Meanwhile, the 11 brothers and Jacob are experiencing severe drought in Canaan. They decide to go to Egypt and ask the king for aid. They arrive and are shown to the office of the governor. Guess whom they see. Joseph. They don’t recognize him. He, however, recognizes them and really messes with them. Read it, a fun story.
J.T. arrives with Georgie and Natalie.
Finally, Joseph reveals who he is with many tears. Old Jacob and all the brothers reunite with Joseph, who lives in Egypt until he is 110 years old.
This is how the Israelites got to Egypt. How they became slaves? The Bible says not a word, but they did multiply like rabbits to numbers which threatened the security of a later king. And, then, along comes Moses and our reading this morning.
Cupcakes of The Week, Jackie and Chuck.
Why talk about this story? Three reasons.
We Catholics don’t get the Bible stories read to us. Even as fables they are marvelous. It is nice to cover them on occasion.
The writers of this story are attempting to convince the Jewish people that God watches over them and protects them. He watched over Joseph and watched over the enslaved Israelites in Egypt, sending them Moses. He even watched over Moses. And Babylon?
Finally, in our life we are each challenged to find out who God is, what is his way of proceeding. These stories give us an image. And so does my favorite line from Psalm 103. Read about how God punishes, pays back, demands sacrifice, sends us goats to everlasting fire? Keep the line near you or in your head,
The Lord is gracious and merciful, never gets angry and is abounding in love.
On this third Sunday of Lent what is your image of God?
Occasionally in our lives extraordinary moments come along. We experience a special consolation and come away profoundly touched. Last night’s get together was one of those moments.
We had people celebrating publicly 1, 2, 15, 25, 35, 50,& 60 years of marriage. I felt privileged to be part of the group. I felt doubly privileged to be on the stage with my old coach, teacher, & friend Frank Hart & his wife, Mickey, who knock me over with their 60 years of marriage.
Two things strike me about what I was watching. First, the people who are celebrating 25, 35, 50, & 60 years of marriage have a peace and happiness about them.
How am I different after two years of marriage? I am certainly more peaceful than ever. I’ve always felt a lot of inner peace; I feel even more now.
Secondly, I’ve also discovered that my old insights into marriage still have meaning, namely acceptance and having fun. I hear it said that marriage is work, it is hard. So far I have not seen it. On the contrary, every day Rosemary & I spend together we have fun. We work at planning the fun.
In the gospel, Jesus tells his followers to love each other as he has loved them. Maybe we are hearing “infinite demand”.
Psalm 145, our psalm for today gives a picture of how he loves. The line says he is gracious and merciful, never gets angry, and is abounding in love.
1 Corinthians 3, 6-8, the one who plants and the onewho waters each have one purpose.
Matthew 13, 1-23, Kingdom Parables
Kevin, Mike and John ready to start our
Celebration.
Homily by Mike
Recall the Responsorial response that we sang together last Sunday, ‘The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest." Of course, the sower of the seed is the Lord who sows the Word of God. Through the power of the Holy Spirit that seed becomes alive within our hearts. So, we are likened to the fertile soil that receives the seed to be shared with others by word and example.
I commend you for doing just that, for we have gathered here today to be fertile soil with and for one another. Led by the Spirit we have come to nourish one another with hymns, sacred psalms and prayer with a meal of fish and bread: The Liturgy of the Word and Eucharist.
Leo, a great candle lighter.
When we entered through those open doors, we were greeted by; a stanza of psalm and the tuning of guitar; those being chosen to present the Scriptures; bite sized bread being made ready for the meal, along with grape juice that is a metaphor for the Holy Spirit being poured out for all; early pictures being taken for the blog; the altar being covered with table cloth and candles, sweet bread and coffee being placed on the back tables for fellowship after Mass; and hugs given to John and Ro and to those who have not taken seat yet.
Celeste, Shonda and Ben, singers and musician.
The opening hymn announced the coming of the procession of those assigned to the Table, both young and old. We sit to reflect on where we are and why. John welcomes everyone, visitors by name first…which he has written on a small piece of paper, if necessary. We become aware of the status of those who have or are about to have surgery; those who we will visit; or send a card; or bring dinner.
Mike reading Matthew.
And we will join our hands and hearts as fertile soil to live the Lord’s prayer to bring about the kingdom of God here and now and grant one another with a sign of Christ’s peace in the unity to which we have been called. Children are invited to the Table, visitors as well, all are invited for God has no favorites. ‘ We love each person here as Christ has and does love each of us.’ We are brothers and sisters.
Harper wishing us all a wonderful day.
We are anointed with the sacred oil, for together, we are the fertile soil, who forgives others as God has forgiven us. We smile, one and all, granting young and old happy birthday or anniversary with a simple small cut of cake. Alleluia, Deacon Mike
Readings: Isaiah 63, 16-19, 64, 2-7, We are the clay, you the potter; Psalm 80, Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved; 1 Corinthians 1, 3-9, I give thanks to my God always on your account; Mark 13, 33-37, Be alert, you do not know when the time will come.
Isaiah: One of the big 3 Prophets, mostly because of the size of the book. At least 3 writers put this book together and this is number 3.
Thanksgiving History: Everyone knows about the first Thanksgiving in 1602 with the Pilgrims and the Indians eating together, the Mayflower, and Plymouth Rock. Here are 5 facts that people do not hear about usually.
1. When did Thanksgiving begin? Our ancestors have celebrated end of harvest feasts of gratitude for centuries. Lincoln first focused on a national feast; FDR established the national holiday in 1941.
2. The pilgrims did not know they were pilgrims. They called themselves saints, and strangers were called non-saints. The word pilgrim came along in the 18 hundreds, 2 centuries later. They were not even Puritans, but separatists. They split off from the Church of England, old Henry VIII's church, and the Puritans did not split off.
3. The Separatists did not come to establish religious freedom. They came for religious freedom for their religion and only their religion.
4. The Mayflower returned to England, was torn apart, and its beams were used to build a barn in Buckinghamshire (just north of London & east of Oxford).
5. How did the Indians & Separatists communicate? The Indians were Algonquians & one of them, Squanto had actually lived in England some years. He returned to his tribe and taught his friend, Samoset English. It was Samoset who communicated with the Separatists, & the Indians taught them to raise corn, to fish, and to hunt. In the first winter half of the 100 Separatists died before the Indians taught them how to survive.
How Prepare for a Marvelous Christmas
When I returned to the States in the late 80's and began to work full time as a spiritual director & psychotherapist, I was struck every fall by a tension that I found in some people. They were nervous about the coming Christmas season.
I remember people bringing this up as early as the beginning of the school year in September. Certainly by October and most certainly by Halloween. People were tense and anxious because of memories of bad Christmas seasons.
Because of this and because we are just beginning the season of Advent, the season of preparation for Christmas, I would like to review some ways to prepare ourselves for a marvelous Christmas. I have 5 observations.
1. First, beware of fear and depression. I read Mark's story about the man traveling abroad and I can get spooked into thinking God is going to grab me when I'm not looking. Nonsense.
Depression seems to surface more during the Christmas season, because of at least one reason. Expectations. We expect more out of the Christmas season, peace, love, warm relationships, gifts. When the reality comes in below the expectation I have, I get disappointed and maybe depressed. Memories of disappointing Christmases can also depress me.
2. Unlike Mark's warning about sleeping, I would propose that we need more rest at this darker time of the year. Our ancestors used to sleep when it went dark. Today we force ourselves to stay awake and lights keep us awake. Doctors are saying we need more sleep in the dark days of winter and are recommending, get this, 9 hours. Maybe try an extra hour. Try a siesta.
3. Along with more sleep, try a little more exercise. My internist tells me that he wants me to exercise every day. I do. Walk through the neighborhood. Ride a bike. Along the way look at the colors of the red oaks and Bradford Pear trees.
4. Have you got anything special you do every year for Christmas, during Advent? Something to get you into a Christmas spirit? If not, what about finding something? Two things I have got to do every year: take in a performance of Handel's Messiah and take in the Dallas Symphony Christmas concert. I may get in an extra one or two of these, but I find this so touches my spirit.
I know a few families who tour Christmas lights. Here in Plano is Deer Park. One of the best is Highland Park, Beverly Drive and Armstrong Parkway, both east and west of Preston. In Deer Park, you may walk around. In Highland Park there are horse drawn carriages.
5. Finally, in line with Mark's gospel, watch, watch for the daily miracles and blessings. Review your year for the biggest blessings, like I mentioned before Thanksgiving.
I hope you are not anxious about or nervous about the coming of Christmas. If you are, even more relevent is my question, 'What are you doing to make Christmas this year a beauty?'
Genesis 18, 20-32, What if there are ten there? For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.
Psalm 138, Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Colossians 2, 12-14, You were buried with him in baptism.
Luke 11, 1-13, Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find.
John celebrating.
Observations on the readings:
The first reading from Genesis is a familiar story about God’s mercy and forgiveness, how it is all encompassing and present to all. More in my homily about this.
The second reading from Paul’s letter to the Colossians is his letter to the Christian community at Colossae (in present day Turkey), telling them to remember that, as followers of Jesus, they are made new and are called to forgive one another, called to peace and thankfulness. Remember, I said last week I was choosing a more inspirational part of this letter for us to hear (Chapter 3, 12-15)
In the Gospel reading from Luke we will hear about prayer. The prayer Jesus taught that we are familiar with, and say in Mass, is in Matthew, Chapter 6. Today’s version in Luke is shortened. Jesus’ parable of knocking on a friend’s door is about God’s constant mercy.
Offertory with Cecily and Chris, Sandra, Emelia and Olivia.
Homily
From the reading in Genesis, I want to talk today about mercy and forgiveness. In particular I want to talk about what I think makes it possible for us to forgive one another. Forgiveness requires first that I put away self-justification where I put myself above another, where I collect points that make me ‘lookbetter’ than another, especially one whom I judge has offended me, hurt me (‘I am right; I am justified in my hurt’). In order to forgive, I give up the quest ‘to be right’. [This is where that saying fits, ‘you can be right’ or ‘you can have love in your life.’] If I need to ‘look better’ or ‘be right’ (self-justified, self-righteous), forgiveness becomes difficult, even unlikely.
Some of the communion helpers, Patricia, Claire, Sandra, and Mary Ellen.
The second requirement for sharing forgiveness is accepting what I take as an offense, a hurt, as possible in the universe of my life. This means in the whole universe of possible happenings, I accept that this hurt, this offense, is possible, this can happen to me. If I treat an offense or hurt as unthinkable or unacceptable to me in my universe, I disallow it as possible and keep it at a distance, away from me, therefore not forgivable.
Bethany, Shondra, and Ray with new choir members.
The third requirement to forgive another is mercy. Mercy is the quality attributed to God in today’s reading from Genesis about God and the people of Sodom. The quality or spirit of mercy makes forgiveness possible, even predictable. As we listened to the story about God and the people of Sodom, didn’t we predict as each question was asked by Abraham, that God’s response would be mercy?
We are called to have mercy and to forgive, even giving up the safety of waiting to first be forgiven by another (when there is mutual hurt). We are called to forgive. On the other hand we are totally accepted wherever we are in the process of learning mercy and forgiveness in our relationships. Sometimes it may seem easier to forgive another than to ask for forgiveness from the other. Maybe that’s because giving forgiveness seems to put us in the ‘good guy’ role. Asking for forgiveness can put us in a more vulnerable position, not knowing if we will receive mercy and forgiveness from the other.
So, my questions today are:
Am I ready to forgive hurts by another, especially from those close to me?
Am I ready to accept myself, even if I am not yet fully capable of forgiving?