Readings:

Genesis 60, 1-5, Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. 

Psalm 12, The Lord, every nation will adore you

Ephesians 3, 2-6, 11-14,  You have heard of  the stewardship of  God

Matthew 2, 1-12, Magi from the East

The brain trust.

Readings:

Download Readings 1-3-2021

Homily:

Download Mike's Homily 1-3-2021

Our beautiful Georgie reading Isaiah.

Our Kevin reading Ephesians, while Connie, his mom looks on.

Thanks to the Team

Music,  Ben & Shonda

Readers,    Georgie & Kevin, and Buddy, the candle blesser

Gospel,  Deacon Mike Carrell

Homily,   Deacon Mike Carrell

Eucharistic Prayer A & B, Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,   Hue & Richard & Mike 

Final Blessing, Rosemary

For hosting us at Legacy, Becky

Remembering…..Mike reading.

Please Remember these special people:

For Carrie's ex, Larry;  For Alan Stryker;  For Joe Sullivan;    For Rosemary's great niece, Rylie ;  For Richard's grand daughter, Madeleine; For David Dinsmore's bad shoulder from a biking accident;  For Esparza's new great grandson baby, son of Monique;  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 & Ben & Leo & all of Shonda's dear family;

John sharing the Eucharistic Prayer still in the Christmas spirit.

Jackie's mom, sister, & friend, Lynn;  For both Jean & Cliff Wright;  For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg; For Meredith, cancer free;    For John O'Donnell & Jean & their daughter, Molly;   For Dee, and for her daughter, Lisa; For John Schanot's continued health;  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; for a little 4 month old boy undergoing an operation, from Barbara & for Rollie with Corona; for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

Birthdays: Tom Fleming, 64, Cheryl O'hagan

Anniversary: Richard & Carol, 45th

Community Finances, January 3, 2021

Expenses: $200.00

Outreach   $450.00  (often for Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

Am I dreaming?  Or is it a nightmare??

Rosemary's Blessing

When the decorations of Christmas have been packed away then the work of Christmas begins:

Lord, help us

to find the lost,
to heal those broken in spirit,
to feed the hungry,
to release the oppressed,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among all peoples,
and to make a little music with the heart…

Adapted from Work of Christmas Begins by Howard Thurman

Who let that rabbit in here??  Happy Easter, Everybody.  Welcome.

Readings:

Acts of the Apostles  10, 34-43.   You know what has happened all over Judea

Psalm 118,  This is the day the Lord has made.  Let us rejoice and be glad.

1 Corinthians 5, 6-8,   A little yeast leavens all the dough.

 John 20,  1-9,    The Resurrection

Chloe with Nora and Charlotte and their buddy, all say, "Happy Easter, Folks, welcome in."

 Resurrection

I would like to talk about the Resurrection this morning.  I suspect that you, like me, consider this event a one time event from ancient history.

However, on the contrary, I want to suggest that resurrection events are multiple and present tense.  They take place daily or, at least, frequently in our lives.  A resurrection moment is a moment of great positive feeling, great consolation, a Kilimanjaro moment, and a time when I say ‘It is good to be alive.’

 Joanie  and the kids.

Let me give you 4-5 examples. 

First, there is a bike ride the last Saturday every August in and around Wichita Falls, yes, the famous Hotter ‘N Hell.  After you have ridden the 100 miles and just before the finish line in town, you pass over a bridge leading up and then down to the finish.  Many a time when I am on top of that bridge, I am in tears, tears of gratitude and positive feelings.   I can say to myself, ‘It is so good to be alive!’

The Gerwers, Casey & Rob, and the kids.

Secondly, another bike ride in July, for a week, 500 miles, crossing Iowa from west to east, from the Missouri to the Mississippi.    When I come down a hill and behold that enormous gorgeous river, I have a Kilimanjaro moment.  Tears again, gratitude, wonder. ‘It is good to be alive.”

Cody with Ben & Olivia.

Thirdly, Labor Day every September we put together a group of 5-12 people and we head out back packing.   I started doing this with the Jesuits back in “89 and we have seen numerous beautiful parks.  For me The Beauty is Yosemite and especially our particular route on the east side, a route I call Matterhorn Canyon.

There are 3 passes of 10 thousand feet.  Kilimanjaro moments each.  Equally positive are 2-3 special campsites.  ‘It is good to be alive in Yosemite.’

Harper with her daddy, Brian, and her granddaddy, Ted 

2 more.  Every Fall and Spring many of us in the community volunteer at the Love for Kids picnic at Circle K ranch in Flower Mound.  2 weeks ago I am standing at the entrance to the pavilion to welcome the kids, who are all handicapped.  They come with their marvelous parents.

At one point my attention was caught by a little blond girl about 2 years old seated in a pram.  She had her left hand over her eyes, her head was down on the little basket, and she was sobbing her eyes out.  She broke my heart.  I think she might have been scared by all the people. 

Our Great Candle Lighter, Cole, at work.

Bill Hammond has a story about a little boy about 3 who had a left prosthetic leg.  I noticed him coming in, for sure.  Bill says that later the boy & his family approached the horses for a sponsored ride.  The family told Bill they did know.  The boy did not even like to pet dogs. 

The little boy, however, was so excited once he got on the horse that the horse walkers toured the boy around not one time, but two. 

I think we have the Zurchin clan here, Tom  & Charlotte, Chloe & Nora with Denni, and Claire & Andrew.

What are your resurrection moments?  When was the last one?

Carol with Karen, John, & Richard.

Readings:                          

Deuteronomy  30,  10-14,  Heed the voice of the Lord.

Psalm 69,  Turn to the Lord in your need and you will live.

Colossians 1, 15-20,     Jesus is the image of the invisible God.

Luke 10, 25-37,  The man robbed on the road to Jericho.

Genevieve says, "Welcome in, Everybody.  It is nice to be back.  Here, let me open the door for you."

Deuteronomy observations:

The Scene: the desert outside the promised land.  Moses is talking to the people about all that has happened to them since he led them out of Israel and through the desert for many years.  Now, as they prepare to enter, Moses is dying.  He is simply exhorting them to love Yahweh and obey his laws. 

The Author:  not Moses.  A compilation put into three discourses.

Date:  guess when?  Yes, after the Babylonian Captivity, ca. 555 before Christ.

Subject today:  Moses talks about a command, but never mentions exactly what it is.  Watch for the answer in today's gospel.  The Great Command, to be a Good Samaritan.

Says Zoe, "Hi, Folks, Yes, it is nice to be back.  California is also pretty nice."

The Victims in Our Lives

This past Friday evening I did something I have been doing a lot of.  I rode my bike down the White Rock Creek Path to The Lake, went around it, and came back up the path to Royal Lane, a distance of about 20 miles.   Sorry to tell another biking story, but it was so relevant for me at the time.

As I was coming home and making the transition from the Lake to the Path, I went under the new Northwest Hwy Bridge.  Being dusk it was sort of dark under the bridge.  However, to my left about twenty yards over to the wall, I noticed 3 bikers stopped maybe two guys and a girl. 

So, I took a deep breath and yelled, “You guys okay, need any help?”

Welcome back to you, Leo.  I've missed the Leo spirit around here.

It may seem pretty trivial, but this is so hard for me to do.  These people are calling me to be a Good Samaritan.  I, however, am obsessed about keeping my schedule.  As I yelled I was hoping they would say, “We are okay.”  Which they did.  So I got off easy. 

I asked these people because I knew I was going to have to make a resolution in view of this homily.  I even used to ask people, but got too busy, at least in my mind. 

Victoria and Zoe, our Candle Lighters of The Week.

In the past two months I have passed two groups.  One group of two guys, they were walking a bike with a flat front tire.  I can fix flats in ten minutes.   I have everything I need.  The other group was under another bridge and had a bike upside down and they were working on an inner tube.  Both times I passed by, said nothing, and then felt guilty.

So, I resolve to always ask people if they need help when I see them standing by their bike. 

Now, you say, ‘Well, I don’t even ride a bike.  How does this pertain to me?’   My bet?  Somewhere you have a similar challenge.

Three of the Wyndham Clan, Ron, Barbara, and Ray.

As a community, I would highlight a joy I have, the fact that we attempt to be a good Samaritan to a number of small charities, and in particular to Souls Harbor.  This is a privilege. 

Recalling my psych stuff, How am I called to be a good Samaritan to myself?   We are all wounded people in some way.  How am I nurturing my spirit?  Where have I been hurt and how am I a Good Samaritan with that hurt? 

Where are you challenged to be a Better Good Samaritan?

"Nothing beats Grandma's hugs,"  says Zoe?

Readings:

Acts 6, 1-7,   The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly.

Psalm 33,  Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

1 Peter  2, 4-9,  You are a chosen race.

John  14, 1-12,  Do not let your hearts be troubled.

Buddy says, "Welcome, Everybody."

Observations on Acts:

What : The second half of Luke’s work, the first part being his gospel.  Acts starts after the Resurrection.  We will read Acts all through May and read the last selection June 1, then June 7, Pentecost.  The work focuses on the spread of the early church with special attention given to Peter and Paul and their conflicts over who was to be a Christian, and Jewish laws, like circumcision.  The conversion of Paul is described.

Cole says, "Come in, Folks, you are welcome."

Who: Luke, an educated and civilized Jew who wrote in Greek.

Date:  around the year 65, or about 30 years after Jesus’ death.

Our Selection:  growing pains in the early community.

Watch for two special lines in today's readings.  "Do not let your hearts be troubled" and "You are a chosen race."  They are not in Acts.   I want to talk about these lines.

Cole lighting the Easter Candle

Do not let your heart be troubled.  You are a chosen.

I would like to talk this morning about those two lines I mentioned.  “Do not let your hearts be troubled” and, “You are a chosen race.”   I have two propositions.

1.  You and I are the chosen race.  

2.  Everyone, all humans are the chosen race, even those hurting and doing mean things.  

I have seen this.  You have seen this.  Simple things, things we don’t even take account of at the moment.  They come up when we reflect on the blessings of our day or when we take a moment to contemplate.  Here are three little vignettes about people who are chosen, just like you.

Cole says, Hey, somebody just swiped my new hat."

Recently Rosemary, Aviana, and I went for an evening walk on a new stretch of bike trail.  It is a northern extension of the White Rock Creek Trail, our favorite.  It starts at the Hillcrest & Valley View parking lot, goes west under the Hillcrest bridge, takes a right, and follows the White Rock Creek north up to Spring Valley, running behind the large Greek Orthodox Church on Hillcrest.  It will be a delightful trail when it gets finished.

Want to see a picture of trouble, Gil and Sir Charlie.

The evening was one of the few warm ones we had this spring and the trail was longer than we expected.  By the time we got back to the car, Aviana was gassed and thirsty.  We had no water.  We looked in the park.  The water hydrants were turned off for the winter.   

I went off to check some other hydrants.  Rosemary & Aviana stayed near the first hydrant and near the car.  Families and kids were everywhere having picnics and playing. 

Suddenly a Hispanic man came out of the crowd and offered Rosemary a bottle of water for Aviana. 

Offertory, Mike and Judy, Bill and Jerry

This past week our across the street neighbor, Joyce, who is 85, full of life, and whom we visit every day, Joyce goes to Walgreens.  She is checking out and tries to pull her credit card out.  It came out, but with it are all her other cards. 

The cashier tries to help her stick them back in her bag.  Without knowing it, Joyce drops a few of the cards on the floor, one of which is her Chase Bank card.  She pays and leaves.

Cupcakes of The Week to Fred, Doug, Monica and Richard, Cole and Hue.

She crosses the parking lot and is approaching her car.  Suddenly from behind she hears a man saying, “Ma’am, ma’am.”  She turns around and a tall black man is coming toward her.  He is bringing her dropped cards to her, including the Chase card.  He gives them to her and even refuses to take a cash reward she offers.

The third vignette took place in Strasbourg, France, another French story, again in a little grocery shop, again at the checkout counter. 

Rob & Beth, "Who made that noise??"

This time Rosemary & I are approaching the counter with maybe 2 or 3 items.  We arrive a step behind a little French lady with a cart partially loaded.  She does not push on ahead of us.  Instead, she smiles at us and invites us to go first. 

I am touched by all three of these events.  They take place every day and everywhere.  We live with a chosen race.  Don’t let your heart be  troubled, because you are part of the chosen.

Where and when do you see this?

Shonda, singing God Bless America at The Ballpark in Arlington this afternoon, sees herself on the jumbo screen.

Readings: Entry Reading, Matthew 21, 1-11; Isaiah 50, 4-7; Psalm 22, My God, My God, why have You abandoned me?; Philippians 2, 6-11; Passion, Matthew 26. 

Palm Sunday/Passion Sunday 2011    

Intro to the Readings

 Today we will be celebrating both Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday – two extremes – the one an occasion of great joy and celebration with the palms, when Jesus comes riding into Jerusalem being hailed as King, the other is our reading of the Passion of Jesus from Matthew’s Gospel.  Each of the evangelists gives us an account of Jesus’ last days.  It might help to put it into perspective by considering, particularly for those of you who were alive and can remember the assassination of President John Kennedy, the time lapse between the event and the writing of the gospel narratives.  Our views of president Kennedy have been affected by time.  So too the account of Jesus’ death is influenced by the events taking place when these accounts were written.

 In brief, Matthew and Mark are very similar and present a Jesus who has been abandoned by all!  The disciples do not come off too well, they fall asleep on him three times, Peter denies him three times, and Jesus’ last words from the cross are “My God, why have you abandoned me. 

For Luke, Jesus is not abandoned, the disciples appear in a much more sympathetic light.   The people are not against Jesus, three times Pilate declares Jesus innocent, and in Luke, Jesus heals the soldier whose ear is cut off.  He prays for the women of Jerusalem, he forgives those who persecute him, promising the good thief heaven and finally prays, ”Into your hands I commend my spirit”. 

 John has a Jesus who is able to declare “I lay down my life and I take it up again, no one takes it from me”.  On the cross his royalty is proclaimed in three languages, Pilate declares him King of the Jews, his Mother and beloved disciple are with him at the foot of the cross, and his final words are “it is finished”. 

 How are we to understand these different presentations?  Not as contradictions but as different sides of a diamond, because we will need Jesus differently in our different circumstances, at different times in our lives.  Sometimes we will feel abandoned, sometimes in need of comfort and other times assured of God’s infinite power.

 Homily

I want to use this time for the homily, very briefly.  A question I would have you consider as we listen to the gospel reading today – who are you in those readings? 

Are you one of the crowd on Palm Sunday cheering wildly as Jesus rides into Jerusalem?  Are you one of the disciples who abandoned Jesus when things got tough, or Peter who denied him three times, or Judas who betrayed him?  Are you Pilate, who declares his own innocence by washing his hands of the whole thing? 

 
This may seem a bit of an extreme question, but remember, the way the gospel story is presented by each of the evangelists is colored by the circumstances in which their account has been written.

Picture 1:   The Passion with Claire Occhipinti helping

Picture 2:   The Kiddos, Georgie, Natalie, J.E., and Kendall

Picture 3:   Offertory, Tom & Teresa Quinn

Picture 4:   Communion helpers, Rob & Beth Robinson and Mike Carrell

Picture 5:   Communion helpers, Joanne, Tom & Lynda Fleming 

Folks, You are witnessing a Changing of The Team, Kevin's last formal day, Leo's first formal day.  

Readings:

Daniel 7, 9-10, 13-14,   His dominion is an everlasting dominion

Psalm 97,   The Lord is King, the Most High over all the earth.

2 Peter 1, 16-19,  This is my son with whom I am well pleased.

Matthew 17, 1-9,  The Transfiguration.

Even our Special Greeter, Genevieve, is back to honor her brother Leo.
 

Observations on Daniel

Who : a prophet foretelling better times.  Daniel is the hero, not the author, who is unknown.

Time: Babylonian captivity the scene, but put together ca. 160 before Christ during another persecution.

Subject: Dreams foretelling better times.

Today: A dream in which a great leader will come and rule with peace.

Can you find a brighter smile than that anywhere!  Peighton says, "Hi, Folks, Welcome.
 

Transfigurations Today

This morning I would like to talk about transfigurations today and propose that this phenomenon can be almost a daily experience.  Transfiguration moments create greater peace of heart, gratitude, and humility.

Guess where I saw this recently.  Yes, I had a whole week of transfigurations last week in Iowa riding my bike across that state along with 15 thousand other riders. 

Emma, you only get better each week as our Candle Lighter of The Week.

I have three example of how I was touched by the beauty of nature,  of people, and the beauty of trust. 

So, one morning about 6:30 I was pulling out of one of our first overnight towns, probably Spenser.  I was one of hundreds of bikers all heading into the coming sunrise.  The sky was crystal clear blue and there was ground fog.  On either side of us were green contoured corn fields and soy  beans.

After pedaling all week for ca. 500 miles, I find it overwhelming to come over a hill and look down suddenly on this marvelous, enormous  Mississippi.

At one point we were climbing a gentle rise and curving slightly to the left.  I could see a mile ahead and what I saw was the silhouettes of the riders in the fog against the brightness of the coming sunrise.   It was breath taking.  I was just so happy to be alive and where I was, riding my bike.  A transfiguration moment of beauty.  A moment of greater peace, gratitude, and humility.

Secondly, people.  Picture this.  It is time to eat dinner in about the 4^th or 5^th overnight town.  I choose to go to the Methodist church for scalloped potatoes, ham, a salad, and desert for $10, all you can eat. I was looking for lasagna, but could not find it.

We pass through beautiful rolling fields of corn & soy beans, gorgeous sun rises with early morning ground fog, even a national park with serious climbs & descents.   Arriving at this extraordinary, ancient river just takes my breath away.

So I walk in the side door, buy my ticket, and descend to the basement where they are serving and there are whole bunches of long tables, almost all full.  I find a seat in the middle of one of those tables, across from another older guy like me.  We get talking and the usual question comes out fairly quickly, “Where you from?’  Turns out he is from Iowa and very friendly.  At this point the people on both sides of us finish, leave, and they are replace by 4 guys & women on each side. 

The question gets asked and Michigan & out west all are represented.  One of the new guys even asks me how many Ragbrais I’ve ridden, the second most common question.  And, then, ‘How old are you.” 

Hungry for the salad/dessert bar at Hy-Vee grocery & food court?  Leave your bike, your helmet, and your gloves, all unlocked.   Don't forget where you leave your bike.  Return in an hour, all will be awaiting you.  Incidentally, poor Hy-Vee was completely overwhelmed with the tidal wave of bikers who came through their doors.  Even bikers pitched in to help bus tables (like yours truly).

That causes a ruckus.   Lots of congratulations and compliments. 

This was a people transfiguration.  I came out of there not only with a good meal, but also a sense of greater peace, hope in the goodness of people, and humility. 

Thirdly, a trust transfiguration.  I  have two favorite vendors in Iowa, a grocery store called Hy-Vee and a 7-11 type convenience store called Casey’s.  Casey’s has the best & cheapest coffee in the morning.  They are in every village.

A small piece of advice especially to first trippers, Do not ever forget where you have parked your bike.  

Let's say you find your bike.  Next question, Can you extricate it from the tangle of other bikes.  They are usually hitched to cables running the  length of the main street of each little village.

Hy-Vee has great, all you can eat salad bars for $9.  Trouble is, Hy-Vee is only in the larger villages.  We had 2, Spenser & Orange City.  You want to get something at one of these places?  Just ride up, find a place to park your bike, go in, spend 15 minutes or 60, come out, and your bike & helmet await you.   Nothing is stolen.

A trust transfiguration.

Still ready to join the music team, Genevieve?   Or ready to help Leo?
 

The Old Pro and The Rookie, Two Winners.  

A bonus transfiguration.    As a Jesuit I was challenged by the goal of the Renaissance man.  The man is well rounded, intellectually, spiritually, and physically.  I found one.

Intellectually the guy is not only a chemical engineer.  He is a car mechanic.   He plays the piano.  He is into model trains & camping.  Spiritually he is solid.  Physically he is a dynamo biker.  All of this & more I discovered about our own David Dinsmore.

Where do you find your transfiguration moments?   The last one?

A Renaissance Man, David Dinsmore.