Reminder for Holy Family Sunday, December 27, 2020,

Community Finances:   

  Expenses: $   1,100.00

  Outreach: $     300.00

 

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

Rosemary's Blessing:

Life is not a journey to the grave

With the intention of arriving safely

In a pretty and well preserved body,

But rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke,

Thoroughly used up,

Totally worn out,

And loudly proclaiming

—WOW—What a Ride!

Hunter S. Thompson

 

Readings:

Ezekiel 34, 11-12, 15-17,    I myself will look after and tend my sheep.

Psalm 23,  The Lord is my shepherd.  There is nothing I shall want.  ( A good one)

1 Corinthians 15, 20-26,28,    Christ has been raised from the dead.

Matthew 25, 31-46,,  He will sit on  his glorious throne.

 

NO HOMILY THIS WEEK.  ENJOY THANKSGIVING WEEKEND

 

 

 

 

TALBIRD OAK, OVER 300 YEARS OLD, HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA

 

 

 

 

Juliet's Luncheon, Friday, December 1st   Download Juliet Xmas (1)

 

Readings: Nehemiah 8, 2-10; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 12, 12-30; Luke 1, 1-21

Nehemiah – The book of Nehemiah takes place during the Babylonian captivity. Three main characters play roles, though the first two are not mentioned in today’s reading. Cyrus is the benevolent ruler of Babylon. Nehemiah is the Jew Cyrus puts in charge of restoring the city of Jerusalem and the temple. Ezra, the central character of today’s reading, is a priest & law scholar.

We arrive on the scene after Nehemiah has established Jerusalem. The people have assembled in the town center and asked Ezra to read to them the law that orders their new lives. We hear part of the reading, a part that emphasizes rejoicing.

1 Corinthinians – During the time of Paul the Greek city of Corinth was almost as significant as Athens. Paul had established a community there and in his letter he is offering his advice to the people.

Chapter 13 is Paul’s famous letter about love being kind & patient. Chapter 12, our reading today, offers an almost amusing analogy of the community to a body. We are parts of the body and consequently we are important, making our unique contributions.

Liberty to Captives and Sight to the Blind – It was 21 years ago that the Jesuit superior in Nairobi told me in a letter that I should go back to the States for good. I was shocked and downcast by the news. It took me some years to get over it.

This spring Rosemary, Mary Ellen, & I will return for my first visit. Something I had hoped I would do, but never knew for sure.

In my 10 years there, I did two basic things. First, I helped establish a spiritual center-retreat house on the edge of Nairobi, Kenya. We bought 39 acres with two houses on the edge of a stream across from the Nairobi game park. In fact one night coming in late, another Jesuit & I (Louie Lambert) saw a giraffe crossing our front lawn.

The second thing I did was to help create spiritual growth & human maturity seminars, which we gave to priests, nuns, and bishops in Tanzania, the country just south of Kenya. I coordinated a mobile team of 2-3 priests and a Dutch nun.

These seminars were residential and lasted 1, 2, or 4 weeks. They were marvelous events with all races and men & women. We even gave a number of the seminars in Uganda during the days of Idi Amin.

All during my time in Kenya & Tanzania, I used to reflect upon what I was doing over there. I did not want to be considered a missionary, because I saw the negative effects of the cultural imperialism that came with the missionaries. For instance, drums were forbidden at Masses some places because they were considered pagan.

What did motivate me was the line in today’s gospel, "I come to give sight to the blind and liberty to captives." This still motivates me. I take the line metaphorically, not literally. For instance, this is why I talk often about the fundamental option instead of mortal-venial sin. I know my spirituality has moved from blindness to better sight, from prison to greater liberty. Otherwise, I would not have had the courage to get married.

I suggest that we, too, are challenged to help others see better. We do it with little kids. We do it with senior citizens. What a gift to help a person see that they are good and not bad.

This is what Jesus says in the gospel that he is doing. It is what I hoped I was doing in Kenya & Tanzania. It is what we are all challenged to do today.

Name one person you can touch into better sight, greater liberty.

Download the homily as an mp3 file (8751.1K).

Special Thanks:
For reading, Alexandra & Mary Ellen
For the Altar Bread, Linda Fleming
For Serving, Carmen & Ashley
For the Altar & cake, Margie Dugan & David & Alexandra
For the Books & Communion Cups, Roy & Carol Strom, Beth  & Rob Robinson
For ushering & all sorts of jobs, Cliff Wright
For the music, Ray & Wendy & Hue

 

 

 

Hi, Tori, Welcome back, you look beautiful.

 

 

Readings:  

 Proverbs 9, 1-6,  Wisdom ha built her house.  

Psalm 34,   Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.  (Wow, 2^nd week in a row, terrific)

Ephesians 5, 15-20,  Watch carefully how you live. 

John 6: 51-58,  I am the living bread.

 

 

 

Hi, Leo, Welcome back to you, too.   You also look beautiful.

 

Proverbs:

What are they: a collection of moral & religious teachings in the form of pithy sayings.  For example: "Better to eat a dry crust of bread with peace of mind than to have a banquet in a house full of trouble" (17, 1); "Being cheerful always keeps you healthy" (17, 22).

Some a bit tough: "Don't hesitate to discipline a child.  A good beating won't kill him" (23, 12).

Some amusing: "A nagging wife is like water going drip-drip-drip" (27, 15); "Better to live on the roof than to share the house with a nagging wife" (25, 24). 

Author: Maybe Solomon is behind chapters 1-29.  Most likely a compilation.

Date: Ca. 300 BCE is considered a possibility with material coming from as far back as 900, during the time of Solomon.

                                                                 

 

 

 

Great job, Zoe.  You, too, are a Super Candle Lighter.

 

 

Taste & See the Goodness of the Lord, part 2, or

Pet Delights, the inspirational column of Steve Blow, which I shared in the blog Thursday

 

Sorry, Folks, but I am going to do it again, namely, push the belief that we can taste and see the goodness of the Lord, every day.

This week for me it has been the White Rock Creek trail running from Royal & Greenville to White Rock Lake.  It had rained last weekend, so the whole creek edge was a beautiful green.  The lawn mower guys were out and where they had passed the rows & patterns made it super special.

 

 

 

 

Georgie reads our Blessing of the Candles.  I hope you know, Dearest Georgie, how terrific I think you are.

 

 

We  tunnel under 5 or six bridges on this trail.  One for me is breath taking.  Going north I come out of the Skillman tunnel, cross over a quaint steel & wooden bridge, look ahead for about ½ a mile, and see the trail meandering along often with other bikers, see a blue sky framed by a V of large green trees, and take in wilderness on my right and left. This cannot be Dallas.  It takes my breath away.

Taste & See the Goodness of the Lord.

Another biking blessing came this week Friday, when I actually had enough stamina to keep up with Rosemary, who this year leaves me in the dust.  It should be humiliating.  I’m actually quite proud of her, remembering that Sunday when she crashed and ended up with 9 screws in her left elbow.  As I tell her, the good professor is the one who sees his student do better than the old professor.

 

 

 

 

Sisters act, Jessica and Renee.  Welcome home, Jessica, from Boston, and congratulations, Renee, upon becoming an officially licensed architect.

 

 

Then there is Jim Mahar, the professor at St. Bonaventure who set up Bona Responds.  A great person always, but especially when he phones me about a story that touched him.

The scene: Sierra Leone.  Jim has worked there and has organized a bit.  One of his local teams was planning a talent show for kids to earn money.  They had prizes for the winners.  Until they were all stolen.

The police catch a guy.  Jim’s man, who has been even accused of stealing the awards, goes to see the guy and explains what all the gifts are for.  Jim even talks with the guy by phone.   He finally admits that he stole the awards and wants to give them all back.

The charges are all dropped and the guy even asks if he can join the group which is trying to help others with this talent show.

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to Dallas, My Dear Paul.  The last time we met up was at your wedding with Lori in Ashville, NC.  Wish Lori had come with you.

 

 

When did you last Taste and See the Goodness of the Lord?

 

 

Communion with Jan on bread and Lynda on grape juice.

Sandra  went into the hospital yesterday.  She is enrolling in hospice and hoping to go home tomorrow.