Announcements No. 2

 Welcome back, Everybody, to our Community Blog.  We are back in business.

 

Thanks, John Cade, for covering so beautifully for the two weeks Rosemary & I were in France.

 

 

 

Hi, Zoe, so nice to see you after two long weeks of us being away

 

 

Readings:  

 Acts of the Apostles 10, 25-26, 34-35, 48-48,  God shows no partiality

Psalm 98,  The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.  

 1 John 4, 7- 10,  God is love.

John  15, 9-17,     If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love.

 Note how conditional the love of God is presented.  Truly?

 

 

 

Hi, Harper, so nice to see you, too.

 

 

Sing to the Lord a New Song

 

Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds, Ps. 98

I want to talk this morning about singing a new song to the Lord, because I am a richer person than the last time we were together.

I am richer because of our trip to south west France.  I am richer because of traveling with Rosemary and Mike & Judy.  I am a richer person because of a couple with whom we had dinner probably the 4^th night of our river cruise.

 

 

 

Emma, our super candle lighter, doing her magic, while Georgie reads the Blessing For Candles.

 

 

The couple, Leon & Karen, are retired and live in California.  Listen to Leon for a sentence or two and you know he does not come from Texas, not even the States.  He had the beautiful Brit accent.

Karen I could not place.  She was, in fact, German.  They both had been long gone from the countries of origin.  In fact, they met in Switzerland and had been married, I think, around 40 years.  

 

 

 

Two new community members in their doggie carrier?   Are we not an inclusive community or not!
 

 

 

As I listened to Karen I became more curious.  She was not only German.  I began to suspect we were very close in age.  In fact, we shared the same age, 78.  Knowing we were the same age and she was German, oh, no.   The Question immediately came up in me.  I hesitated.  I did not want to disturb Karen with a heavy, personal question when everything had been light and social.

Finally, sensing an inner peace in Karen, I asked, How were you affected by WW2?

 

 

 

And the excellent music plays on.

 

Calmly & without hesitating she responded with 4 experiences.

1. She remembers ’44.  She was 4 years old.
2. She lived in a town that was getting heavily bombed.
3. The family ran to the mountains of Bavaria.
4.  After the war her father returned from being captured and imprisoned by the British.  He was never the same.

 

 

 

 

The elevation with Buddy & Georgie helping.

 

 

As she tells me this, I am so moved I am in tears.  I am humbled.  How old was I in’44?  4 years old.  How come I was so blessed?  While Karen is running from bombs and enduring the reconstruction, little John is living peacefully and without a care in the world in the safe little village of University Park.  His next door neighbor is Sam Berger, a good friend of my dad and a Jew.

I have never met a person like Karen, a person who lived through the War in Germany.  And who was so peaceful.

I went to ask her permission to talk about her.  Of course, I got teared up just asking.  Without hesitation she said, “Sure.”

 

 

 

I am sorry we have no cupcake for you, Brent, but I am so proud that  our community can give you $2,000 a month for Souls Harbor.

 

I come back from this trip, humbled, touched, and singing  to the Lord a new song.

What is your song this morning?

 

 

 

Juliettes eating out.  Jason's Deli?

 

Acts of the Apostles 3:  The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses.

1 John 2:  But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him.

Luke 24:  . . . he asked them, "Have you anything here to eat?"  They gave him a piece of baked fish;  he took it and ate it in front of them".

 

Daniel 12,  But the wise shall shine brightly.

Revelation 1,  I am the Alpha and the Omega.

John 18,  My kingdom does not belong to this world.

 

Sunset Split, Croatia 

 

Thanks……

Music,    Ben 

Readers,    Brent & John, & Buddy, our candle blesser 

Gospel,     John Cade

Homily,   John Cade

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,      Hue & Mike & Richard

Final Blessing, Rosemary

 

Mt. Vesuvius

 

Readings:  Download 11-14-21 – 33rd Ord Readings

 

Homily:  Here are the homilies for the Sundays when the Blog wasn't published. 

Download 10-17-21 Suffering Servant in Isaiah

Download 10-24-21 What Was It Like To Be Jesus (1)

Download 10-31-21 First and Greatest Command – 31st Ord (1)

 

John Stack is in Presbyterian Hospital, Dallas.  He has a lot of pain from a bad back and fell last week.  He is now in the physical therapy area.  He is doing better.  He is having a steroid shot on Tuesday and physical therapy.  Hopefully, he will be back soon.

 

Ionian Sea

 

Remember these special people:

For John Stack having a hard time right now with a bad back;  For Becky & Tom's son, Austin, who took his life this past week;  For Laura Chollick;  For John & Karen Anderlick's grandson, Cooper John who lived only a few hours with his parents;   For Rosemary's great niece, Rylie;  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,   For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom & Cody &  Leo & all of Shonda's dear family; For Ursuline Sr. Mary Troy,

 

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 & a nephew; for David McKeon's brother, Hugh; For Beth's friends & brother;   for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

 

 

Birthdays:  John Anderlick, Diane McMahon-Bergan, Frank Esparza, Cody Mashburn, Rosemary

Anniversaries: John and Connie Bresson

Community Finances,   October 17 – November 7, 2021

Expenses: $  405.00

Outreach: $  200.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

Busy guarding the entrance to the Palace of Diocletian

 

Rosemary's Blessing:  

O God, when I have food,
help me to remember the hungry;
When I have work,
help me to remember the jobless;
When I have a home,
help me to remember those who have no home at all;
When I am without pain,
help me to remember those who suffer,
And remembering,
help me to destroy my complacency;
bestir my compassion,
and be concerned enough to help;
By word and deed,
those who cry out for what we take for granted.
Amen.

 Samuel F. Pugh

 

Deuteronomy 26:  Therefore, I have now brought you the firstfruits of the products of the soil which you, O Lord, have given me.

Romans 10:   For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Luke 4:  Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by  the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil.

 

Thanks…Music,    Ben & Shonda

Readers,   Warren & Claire

Gospel,     John Cade

Homily,  John Stack

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,      Mike & Paul

Final Blessing, Rosemary

 

 

 

Bridge across the Seine

 

 

Readings:  Download 03-06-22 – Readings -1st Lent

Homily:  Download 03-06-22 – Homily -1st Lent

 

 

 

 

Champs Elysees

                                                   

 

 

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 Rosemary's brother-in-law, Joe who is having a procedure on March 14th;  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,

                           

      Champs Elysees at night      
              
                                                      

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.

 

                                                            

Arc de Triomphe

 

 

                     

Birthdays:   Dee Miller 3/10

Anniversaries:   

      

Community Finances:   

Expenses: $  655.00

Outreach: $  60.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

                                    


Eiffel Tower

 

 

Rosemary's Blessing:  

 

Do you want to fast this Lent?

• Fast from hurting words and say kind words
• Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude
• Fast from anger and be filled with patience
• Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope
• Fast from worries and trust in God
• Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity
• Fast from pressures and be prayerful
• Fast from bitterness and fill your heart with joy
• Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others
• Fast from grudges and be reconciled
• Fast from words and be silent so you can listen

Attributed to Pope Francis

 

 

Readings: Sirach 35, 12-18; Psalm 34, The Lord hears the Cry of the Poor; 2 Timothy 4, 6-8, 16-18; Luke 18 9-14.

Introduction to the Readings 

A brief word about our first reading.  We have heard from Sirach eight weeks ago on the twenty second Sunday of Ordinary Time.  At that time I had told you that this book was written by Sirach, it is part of the Wisdom literature, and probably written around the year 180 BCE.  The writing is also known at Ecclesiasticus, because early in the life of the church it was one of the most used of the Old Testament books.  I love that contrast between the statement in the first two lines “The LORD is a God of justice, who knows no favorites” with what then follows, namely how God hears the cry of the poor, the widows, the orphans, the oppressed. 

 

Our second reading is the final one from Paul’s Letters to Timothy.  We have been reading from these two letters for the past six weeks.  The letter is perhaps the last one written by Paul from prison in Rome before he is executed.  The two letters to Timothy and the letter to Titus, form what is known as the Pastoral Letters.  The style is very different from Paul’s other letters.  He is writing to these two to encourage them as leaders in communities that Paul had set up.  Remember, Timothy, who is mentioned in Luke’s Acts Chapter 16, was a companion to Paul.  Our reading today is the conclusion of the second letter and sounds like Paul’s farewell.

 

 Homily

 Main Point – A simple parable, humility trumps pride, especially when we pray.  I could stop there but won’t because there is a second layer to this simple parable.  We need to understand the setting for the story.  The two men going into the temple were not like two men going into church here any afternoon. 

 First of all, they were going into the Temple in Jerusalem.  They were going into a “Prayer of Atonement” service held each afternoon in the Temple.  The Pharisee would have naturally joined with the other Pharisees at the front and the tax collector would have hung around inside the door.  In the eyes of the Law, or Torah, the Pharisee was a very good person, and what he declared went even beyond the Law. 

 Where he failed, was realizing that everything about his “holiness” was due to his own efforts and nothing came from God.  The tax collector on the other hand was all too well aware of his shortcomings and acknowledges that he is totally dependant on God and His mercy.

 

 Our catholic tradition has always given me the impression that if I was good, went to Mass every Sunday, obeyed the commandments, fasted at the appropriate time etc. then I was all set for heaven.  It would seem that God had very little to do in it.  And of course this was the whole crux that caused the Reformation. 

 One would think we could have learned from our mistakes.  At that time Martin Luther was appalled at the practice of selling indulgences, as if folks could purchase their way into heaven.  His position was: “Salvation by faith alone” and the church preferred to add that “good works” were also important. 

 But back to the two in the temple.  There are several interesting little hints given which tell us a whole lot more.  The Pharisee stands apart, he does not seem to belong to the gathered community.  When the tax collector prays “have mercy on me a sinner” the word he uses in the original Greek is not the common word “eleison” which we use when we say Lord have mercy, or Kyrie Eleison, but a very different word connecting to the liturgy which he was part of that afternoon. 

 In other words the tax collector saw himself as part of a community, and absolutely in need of God’s forgiveness, the Pharisee saw only himself!!  It was being part of a community and recognizing his total need for God, which allowed for him to go home justified. 

 
 

 The message:  we must be aware that even though we are here each Sunday, this should not lead us down the same path of the Pharisee. 

Picture 1:  Mass with Tony

Picture 2:  Tom, Lynda, & Nina packing up food for this Saturday at the Habitat House

Picture 3:  Maggie with her dad & granddad, Tom & Bob

Picture 4:  Sienna with her mom & dad, Erin & Payton

 

 

 

It has been a rough Fall and a lot of our personally planted trees have been destroyed.   Others live on and greet us as we pass by, saying have a Peaceful remaining Fall and upcoming Thanksgiving.

 

 

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

Time: 9:30; Celebrate with the Community  & John Cade, Mike Carrell,  &  Stack  

Place: Legacy Charter School,  601 Accent Drive, Plano, TX 75075

 

 

How come so many people showed up Sunday?  Here is the reason.

 

Readings:

2 Malachi 3, 19-20, lo, the day is coming that will set them on fire. 

Psalm 98,  The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.

2 Thessalonians 3, 7-12,   Anyone unwilling to work should not eat.

Luke 21, 5-19,  The days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another.   (tough readings!)

 

 

 

Cathy in period attire reminds us of our historical roots.

Activities:  

ROMEO MEET: Friday, November 15, Jason's Deli, Collin Creek Mall, west side of Central, 1:00.  Welcome all wakos, you will fit right in.   

 

JULIETS,  December TBA

         Juliet’s Christmas Luncheon

Please join us for Juliet’s Christmas Party; and afternoon of Christmas Cheer.

Date/Time:   Friday, December 6th at 12:00 Noon.

 

Place: Ye Shire Tavern,  3600 Shire Blvd.,  Richardson, TX 75082

          972-881-7570

 

To add to the Christmas Spirit we will have an ornament exchange; $10.00 limit.  Please bring a wrapped ornament.

 

Please let me know if you will be joining us. 

 

Looking forward to seeing everyone on Friday, December 6th.

 

Marilyn Ackerman,  972-491-7068

 

If you have already signed up at Rosemary’s birthday party, I have you down as coming.

 

Meyerson Christmas show, December 6, Friday, 7:30.  Let Rosemary know if you want to join the gang.  $35 per ticket.

 

 

 

What a Team!

 

True?

We make a living by what we get.   We make a life by what we give.

Winston Churchill

 

 

Communion 1.

 

What's up in Ye Old Catholic Church?  Like…

What ideas came out of the Amazon Synod: https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/signs-times/what-us-bishops-can-learn-amazon-synod

 

 

Communion 2.

 

See you Sunday, J.S.

214-783-0443

 

 

What a team!

 

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.

 

 

Friday Romeos, the Real Party.