Readings:
Genesis 14, 18-20, Blessed be Abraham.
Psalm 110, You are a priest forever in the line of Melchizedek
1 Corinthians 11, 23-26, I have much more to tell you.
Luke 9, 11-17, Dismiss the crowds
Richard & Carol
Today's team, John & John.
Readings: Ecclesiastes 1,2; 2, 21-23; Psalm 90; Colossians, 3, 1-11; Luke 12, 13-21
Eccllesiastes: this book contains the thoughts of the "philosopher," a man who reflected on how short and contradictory human life it. He could not understand the ways of God. Nevertheless, he advised people to work hard and to enjoy the gift of life as much and as long as they could. In our selection you will see how he is pessimistic & depressing.
I’ve chosen to expand the reading to give you a better view of his style.
The Gift: Celebrate it and Share it
Last Saturday evening our group of seven set up a campsite above the shore of the second of a group of three High Sierra lakes ten thousand feet high. The lakes are called the Rae Lakes.The next morning we planned to climb 12,000′ Glen Pass, which was standing straight up in front of us. The Rae Lakes are exactly at the line where trees cease to grow very well, so we were camping on somewhat open granite & shallow soil.
Our menu that night was beef stroganoff and because we always had more than we needed, we invited three women at the neighboring campsite, a mother & daughter and another young woman. The two younger women turned out to be teachers in the San Francisco area, teaching mostly underprivileged & handicapped children. The girl traveling by herself had once even brought a group of 7th graders out to the wilderness. The three were eventually planning to climb Mt. Whitley and then exit.
The next day Rose spent a lot of time climbing & talking with the girl who was hiking alone. As a result, the two became good friends and discovered that they shared a number of the same dreams, to teach kids and to teach about nature. The girl even recommended a neat little Italian restaraunt in Fresno, our town of arrival & departure.
Our readings today all seem to indicate that life is futile and useless. Why do anything? Just eat dirt.
Two observations on this.
First, life does not have to be looked at as useless. It can be seen as a gift.
Secondly, the gift can be celebrated and shared with others.
Let me work backwards. I was impressed with those women because they were into sharing the gift. The two young girls were teaching. The mother came into the wilderness to share the gift with her daughter, even though the mother did not look like the backpacking type.
We also saw numerous scout troops during our nine days. Once we ran into a group of fourteen, about four adults and ten boys & girls about 15 or 16. When we asked them who they were they said they were a camp. We think they were taking a group of troubled teens on a wilderness trek. This is sharing the gift.
Before I share it, however, I think I got to celebrate the gift. Which is exactly what we were doing in the High Sierras, and do every year. Which is what we do here on Sundays. We celebrate the gift of life.
How do you celebrate the gift and share it?
AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2007-08-05.mp3
Here he is, Everybody, the baby we have been waiting eagerly to meet. Welcome in, Atlas, we are all so happy to meet you. You are marvelous, just like you mom & dad.
Readings:
Wisdom 1, 13-15, 2, 23-24, God did not make death; God formed man to be imperishable
Psalm 30, I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
2 Corinthians 8, 7, 9, 13-15, As you excel in every respect
Mark 5, 21-43, Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace.
Welcome back, Wendy & Brandon, and congratulations on a marvelous little boy.
Wisdom observations:
One of the 14-15 books of the deutero-canonical books of the bible. Not part of the orginal Jewish bible, not part of the OT nor the NT, but in between and the subject of controvercy over the cenuries. Were they really part of the bible or not? How do you know? Catholic church accepts the books.
Author: not Solomon, but a Jew living in Alexandria, Egypt, who spoke and wrote excellent Greek.
The Best Music with Wendy & Katie.
Date: ca. 100-200 before Christ. How do we know these facts? Because of text analysis. For example, while the author wrote in Greek, he uses phrases and expressions that have a Hebrew flavor. Also, he mentions rulers and places that reveal date and locale.
Sources: Catholic Encyclopedia on line
With Patricia reading the Blessing, Emma does her candle magic.
You can do it too
In the gospel today Jesus gives life to a little girl. I would like to propose that you can give life, too.
I have a story for you from my Dallas Morning News columnist friend, Steve Blow. I saw his touching story some years ago. In fact, Steve is retired & I miss his thoughts..
Offertory with Mary & Sydney & Hugh.
Ever hear of Fausta Twizerimana or Dolena Westergard? Well, 10-11 years ago Fausta flew into Dallas and arrived exhausted one evening at the East Dallas Grace United Methodist Church. She, her five siblings, and her parents were from a refugee camp in Tanzania, where I lived for about 10 years. Fausta was 4.
The Church welcomes refugees and this particular evening Dolena Westergard was there. Dolena met the family and picked up Fausta. She fell in love. '
They are moving in, Folks, Beth & Rob, Sir Charlie & John
The family continued to attend the church and fitted into the fabric of the community. Dolena watched Fausta and noticed that the girl had a gift for dancing. She was always doing it.
After four years of watching the girl dance, Dolena, who was now really a god mother to the kids, enrolled Fausta in the Dallas Black Dance Theatre. Fausta, now 8, fell in love, too. Never did she miss a session for the next four years.
Wendy & Katie, you have been missed around here.
Then, along comes 2015 and a notice goes up that the Dance Theatre of Harlem was coming to Dallas to audition for positions in their summer workshop.
Fausta has been dancing now for 4 years, is 12, and Dolena thinks it would help the girl just to learn how to audition. No expectations.
You guessed it, Fausta gets selected.
It is cupcake of the week time, 3 cupackes and 1 Bellvita.
Fine, but who is going to buy plane tickets for Fausta and a chaperon, plus about $3,000 in expenses? This is New York, after all.
You guessed it again, Grace United Methodist. That night Fausta sat in a Broadway theatre to watch an African story, The Lion King.
Grace United Methodist gave life to Fausta, and, in particular, Dolena gave life to Fausta. I even read that Prestonwood Baptist is giving life to the kids in the detention centers.
Congratulations again, Brandon, on such a marvelous kid.
This week families & people all over the country are trying to give life to the kids separated from their mothers and fathers.
Just like Jesus gave life to that little girl and to the woman who touched him.
To whom do you give life?
Wake up, Brandon, it is homily time, yeah.
Source: Dallas Morning News, Steve Blow, Metro section, circa July 1, 2015
Readings: Isaiah 6, 1-8; Psalm 138, In the Sight of the Angels I will Sing Your Praises, Lord; 1 Corinthians 15,1-11; Luke 5, 1-11.
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Reflections on the
A brief few words about our first reading from Chapter 6 of Isaiah. This reading could in fact easily begin the book of Isaiah. It gives us the call of Isaiah. King Uzziah has died after reigning for over 40 years, 40 years of great security and prosperity.
We are told of a vision, which the prophet sees of God, and notice the threefold repeating of the word Holy. Only God is holy, all holiness. The prophet proclaims that he is doomed because mere humans cannot look at God.
In our second reading, from Paul, he reminds us that he too saw the Risen Lord, and his response, like Peter’s in our gospel reading, it is the same, unworthiness.
The readings all show up the same response from humans when faced with God. And in each case God is able to reach thru the response and draw the person into a relationship of discipleship.
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Homily
What happens when we come face to face with God? In each of our three readings today this is what we hear about. For Isaiah it is a vision of God who is Holy, holy holy! And Isaiah’s reaction is similar to Peter’s and later to Paul’s, one of unworthiness in the face of God’s goodness. But God is able to reach thru that tendency to turn away and invite all three into a relationship of discipleship.
Our presence here today also comes from some kind of encounter with God, maybe not as Isaiah’s vision of God surrounded with angels, or Peter’s encounter thru the miraculous catch of fish, or Paul’s vision of Light, but in some way God has reached into our lives, whether thru the action of our parents having us baptized, or thru an encounter with someone as an adult, which caused us to want to be here, we each got up this morning and among all of the options available to us, we chose to be here!
And as we celebrate our Liturgy together we too will acknowledge our own unworthiness, several times. We start with our penitential rite, in the Our Father we ask God to forgive us, in the Lamb of God we sing “Have mercy on us” and before communion we say “I am not worthy”. But God has managed to reach thru to us, which is why we are here.
But now the question we need to start answering is “what does it mean to be a disciple?” God enters my life, so what?
Let’s take a simple example. When two people become friends, their lives are different as a result, and depending on the kind of friendship, so too the effect on their lives. When Gayle and I met, I was single and living in an apartment in
So too with our relationship with God. What is the change? What does God want in a relationship? For Isaiah, it was to be a prophet to the people of
Our instructions are equally clear, Love God and love one another. How am I doing in that area?
In every relationship, one thing that has to happen is that we have to get to know each other. Anna in the musical “The King and I” sings that lovely song “getting to know you”, and we too need to continue to ‘get to know God’. We do so thru our presence here, by listening to his Word. In any relationship, we will also go out for a meal. And thru sharing food, we get to know each other better.
And so we are here today celebrating a Memorial Meal with God. We are reminded during the Eucharistic Prayer to “Do this in Memory of me”. It is another way of our staying in touch with God. As a people, we have heard the Church
What does all this mean for us today We are called to be a people of Hope, of Love and Forgiveness, a kind of light of Joy to the World.
In the words of St Francis:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen
Picture 1: Mass beginning with Tony & Kevin
Picture 2: Sean
Picture 3: Gilbert with Georgie & Zoe in his lap
Picture 4: Jo with Hunter, Audrey, and Dillon
Readings: Exodus 19, 2-6; Psalm 100; Romans 5, 6-11; Matthew 9, 36-10, 8.
Exodus: The second book of the Torah or Pentateuch, following the book of Genesis. The book describes probably the greatest event in Israel's history, the departure of the people from Egypt under the leadership of Moses. Today's selection is simply Yahweh's reminder to the people that if they are faithful and good to him, they will prosper.
A Fathers' Day Story
When I was a Jesuit and lived in Tanzania about 10 miles west of the mountain, Kilimanjaro there was a small Jesuit house. I used it as a base, coming back to it after months traveling around the country giving seminars to nuns & priests.
One Sunday afternoon I wanted to go up the mountain about 7000 feet to a Capuchin monastery & convent where my team & I gave a lot of the seminars. I took my travel bag, walked to the town bus park, and boarded a rattle trap old bus just departing for a little village just below the monastery, a trip that would take me 90 minutes.
Half way down the road to the cut off to go up the mountain the old bus pooped out. Everybody gets off and stands around. Shortly, miracle of miracles, another old rust bucket of a bus headed up the mountain comes along. Most did not want to pay two fares, so they stayed. I, however, hopped on an already overloaded antique. We take the cut off and headed up the mountain. The bus huffs & puffs, the gears scream & groan, steam starts seeping from under the hood. You guessed it: the bus dies just as the road begins to seriously ascend.
It is now about 6:00 or 6:15. Because we are right on the equator and twilight always lasts just 20-30 minutes, I know I have only about half an hour to get to the monastery. I have a decision: stay on the switch back road and take an hour or take shortcuts which may get me there in 30 minutes. I chose the shortcuts.
30 minutes did not get me to the monastery. In fact, it got me into total blackness. I could see almost nothing. I know generally where I am but I cannot see even the trail. Somewhere amid the darkness through the forest of banana trees that are cultivated at this level, I see a dim light from a kerosene lantern and head toward it. It is a family's hut.
I walk up speaking the Swahili word for 'hello,' 'hodi.' A lady comes to the door and is very hospitable even though I must have scared her. However, she is Catholic like almost all the members of her Chaga tribe which lives on the mountain. She is used to white priests.
I tell her, of course, that I am headed for the monastery & cannot find the way because of the dark. She calls to one of her children, a little boy of probably 6 years. She tells him to take me to monastery and off we go up the trail.
I can hardly see this little kid and he just zooms silently along climbing all the time. We pass other little family huts with faint lights, we walk in total darkness, and eventually he brings me to a point from which I can see the lights of the monastery above.
I thank this shy little boy, hug him probably, and he disappears back down the trail while I walk up to the monastery. I never saw him or his mother again, and I could hardly find their house in the daytime.
For me this story has a metaphor quality. It is like a parable. College educated priest lost in the dark and guided to the light by a little boy.
Sometimes we are the guide, the nurturer. Other times we are the priest in the dark who needs guidance and the guide may be a small creature, a child.
I see the child guiding us to three things: to simplicity, to interdependence, and to play.
We celebrate Fathers' Day today, which is mostly a celebration of the nurturing side of dad. For this moment, you dads, how do you come to greater light through kids?
AUDIO: http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2008-06-15.mp3
In honor of Fathers' Day we have some helpful communication hints. Nobody ever gave me such valuable information before my marriage.
Download 9_words_women_use.doc
Readings:
2 Chronicles 36, 14-16, 19-23 , He has charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem.
Psalm 137, Let my tongue be silenced if I ever forget you.
Ephesians 2, 4-10, God brought us to life with Christ.
John 3, 14-21, Jesus & Nicodemus.
INTRODUCTION to Gospel:
When our gospel begins, Jesus is in dialog with Nicodemus, who is present three times in the John gospel. He is a Pharisee and teacher who wants to know what Jesus is teaching and doing. Today’s reading occurs at night for he is afraid that other Pharisees might think that he had become a disciple of Jesus.
Later Nicodemus will remind the Pharisees who want to rid themselves of Jesus that the Law does not allow them to arrest Jesus without first knowing what he is saying and doing.
After the crucifixion, Nicodemus, while it is still day, brings to Jesus’ disciples an unheard of amount of expensive spices so that Jesus’ body can be given a kingly burial. Initial fear had turned into great love.
INTRODUCTION to 1st and 2nd Readings:
Salvation comes to us through Christ. Our witness of good works, our love, is how they will know we are Christians.
GOSPEL and HOMILY:
A year or two ago I also gave a homily on this fourth Sunday of Lent; but then I chose the other gospel reading about the man who had been blind from birth. I took you in that homily to the Feast of Tabernacles where Jesus had called out in the temple inviting anyone who was thirsty to come to him and drink from the fountain of living waters.
It was in these waters that the man born blind had been baptized. I also made you aware of the verse from the prophet Jeremiah, ‘Those who reject the Lord, the fountain of living waters, will in shame have their names written in the earth.’
The Pharisees sought to circumvent Nicodemus’ words to them about the Law, by trying to trap Jesus using the Law, by bringing to him a woman caught in the act of adultery. ‘Moses said that this woman should be stoned. What do you say?’
They knew that Jesus would not allow them to stone her; he would seek to bring forgiveness to the woman. They had him trapped; but Jesus bent down and began writing the names of these Pharisees and scribes on the ground to inform them that they were the ones in need of forgiveness.
When they kept after him to take a position he said, ‘The one of you, who is without sin, cast the first stone at her.’ One by one they left until there was no one left in front of him but the woman who recognizes his great love.
She made no excuse; she does not try to run away from what she has done, she submits herself to his words. He says to her, ‘woman, where are they, is there no one left to condemn you?’
He has addressed and treated her with goodness and justice, tenderness and compassion. She replies, ‘No one.’ Since Jesus has already said in today’s gospel that he came not to condemn but to bring forgiveness to the world, he truly has forgiven her. He says, ‘neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more.’
The Greek word, translated as ‘go,’ means in Greek, ‘to journey along the way she has been invited to pursue.’ She has been invited by Jesus to follow him. Jesus’ command to the woman, ‘do not sin again,’ recognizes, again, that she is forgiven, and is an ongoing request to remain contrite.
At the end of our Eucharistic Prayer we will join together in the Our Father before celebrating our Lenten Penitential service where we ask for forgiveness and grant forgiveness. It is appropriate for us at this time to take a moment to reflect on some habit we might have that is not life-giving or love-giving, and in a contrite way think about how we will replace it with something that is.
Says Genevieve, "Happy Easter, Everybody. It is my very first Easter."
Readings:
Acts 10, 34, 37-43, 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, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark.
And J.T. and his mom, Maria, say, "Happy Easter, Folks."
Acts observations:
What: This work describes the spread of Christianity though out the Mediterranean world. The main characters are Peter & Paul. It presents both an idealized view of the community and a look at the significant struggles that took place between Peter & Paul on policy.
We will see Acts every Sunday until May 15, Pentecost.
Kevin says, "Come on in, Folks, we are ready to celebrate Easter."
Resurrection People
This Easter morning I would like to talk about Resurrection people. These are folks who have come back to life. Some may not be local, others are right here in our marvelous community. I have three people and a bonus. Here we go.
Ever hear of Anthony Graves? He is an exoneree. What is that? Anthony is a black guy who was pardoned or exonerated for a multiple murder near Bryan, TX. He never committed the crime. Anthony spent 18 years in prison, 12 of them on Texas death row. The DA at the trial hid evidence and falsified testimony. He has since been disbarred. How could he live with himself!
Hi, Emma, is that an Easter package?
How do you think you would feel if you were released after spending 18 years in prison? Anthony Graves came out not angry, not resentful, and not seeking revenge. He came out grateful and at peace.
As some recompense, Anthony was given 1 1/2 million. Anthony would easily be excused if he just took the money and went off the radar screen.
Hi, Ben, Love the metalic look. Happy Easter.
As a matter of fact, Anthony has used the money for others unfairly imprisoned. He has opened a free clinic in Houston where exonerees get medical help and counseling. He also works on the cases of others he knows have been unjustly condemned.
Anthony is a Resurrection Person for me.
(Reference. Dallas Morning News, 3-20 & 23)
Hi, Charlotte, tell your daddy thanks for coming today & bringing you and Nora.
There are others, too, closer to home and closer to me, members of our very own own community.
Rosemary & I brought communion one Sunday a year or so ago to Stacie when she was struggling with chemo and cancer recovery. Stacie is now cancer free and this past February 17 we just celebrated Stacie’s wedding to Paul. Guess where they had met? On an airline flight. They were seated together. Stacie is one of my Resurrection People.
Hi, Nora, thanks for coming today. Remember Christmas? Who was Baby Jesus? Ready for your baptism this Saturday?
Also part of our community is Jackie. She had one bout with cancer and I was with her when she danced in her driveway one afternoon after she had been declared free of that cancer.
A year or so later, it returned. After more treatment, the prognosis is positive and Jackie rejoices in being alive. She has even become part of a small team of cancer survivors who share their stories with medical students at Baylor. Jackie is one of my Resurrection People.
Happy Easter, Natalie. You look terrific.
Finally, a bonus. This person, who will remain nameless, had received a present from Santa of a new bike a couple of years ago. A few weeks later on a beautiful Friday afternoon in January on a bike ride around White Rock Lake this person fell off of her bike and broke her left elbow so badly it needed 9 screws and a plate to put it back together. Recuperation took some months.
You would figure, right?, that she would give up biking and take up walking the dog. Nope. She got back up on that bike and last summer rode around The Lake most weekdays. In fact, she has become a wicked biker. This is my special Resurrection Person.
Anybody want to try to guess what Chloe & her grandmom, Denni are plotting?
Who are your Resurrection People?
How are you an R.P?
An Easter Picture, Denni & her grandkids minus only Nora.