Sunday Homily, September 23, 2018, 25thnd, Ordinary Time

Readings:

Wisdom  3, 1-9,  The souls of the just are in the hand of God.

Psalm 23,   The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.

1 John 3, 1-3,  See what love the Father has bestowed on us.

John 6, 37-40,  I will not reject anyone.

Emma says, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome."

All Souls Day observations–

Let me give you a bit of history and the thinking behind this All Souls' Day.  Five observations: the theology, purgatory-limbo, a legend, pre-Christian practices, and today.

1.  The Theology.  All Souls' Day is part of a package with All Saints.  The idea is: on All Saints' Day we honor all those who are enjoying the beatific vision, that is, heaven, the saints.  On All Souls' Day we honor those who have died but have not reached heaven because they had penance to do. 

We are talking mortal & venial sin here.  If the person died with mortal sin, they are you know where. Those with venial sins have to go through purification and purging, which brings us to All Souls' Day and purgatory.

And Georgie, too, "Come in, Everybody."

2.  Purgatory & limbo.  People ended up in purgatory to purify themselves with suffering, before being allowed into heaven.  Limbo was for whom?  It was for people, especially children who died without being baptized.  They remained there how long?  Forever.  Can you imagine a baby there or even in the old purgatory?

At least the Catholic Church recently acknowledged that the limbo idea was bogus.  The pope said it does not exist and never did.  Though many consider purgatory to be in the same class, it still exists.  Want to know how we know?  A previous pope was offering indulgences.  The indulgence is for the soul in purgatory.  It speeds up the process.  There are partial & total indulgences.  We can win them for these souls and get them out or we can win them for ourselves. 

For instance, on the last feast of Peter & Paul Rome offered an indulgence if you visited a church named after one or both of these two, and you recited a prescribed menu of prayers. 

And Zoe says, "It's fun here."

3.  The legend.   It happened around 1000 A.D. that a monk, St. Idolo, from the French monastery of Cluny was shipwrecked on a desolate island as he returned from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, i.e., Israel.  On the island he met a poor hermit.  The hermit told him that among the rocks was a crevice from which came the anguished voices of the many suffering in purgatory.  Likewise, listening carefully you could hear the devils cursing that living people were speeding up the sufferings of these souls by praying and doing penance for them. 

Some time after this, i.e., 1000 A.D., the Cluny Monastery established an All Souls' Day.  Ca. 1300 Rome followed suit.  

Buddy asks, "Any cupcakes left over this morning?"

4.  Pre-Christian times.  There is evidence that at least in Mexico numerous tribes had a day or period when the departed ancestors were honored.  The purpose was to honor them, remember their example, and to communicate with them.  Today in Mexico & in Hispanic families the Day of the Dead is still celebrated.  This custom has been celebrated for 3,000 years.

5.  Today.  Limbo has been discarded by Rome and many scholars consider purgatory a dinosaur idea from antiquity.  Consequently, All Souls' Day celebrates Samantha, my mom & dad, Rosemary's mom & dad, and all our loved ones pictured on the stage.  All Saints' Day handles the canonized.   Hell is also considered today a mental concept, not real.

So we say, What special blessing did you receive from one of these people pictured or whom you remember in your heart?

Arianna, another one of Our Saints.

Today's Saint

I would like to talk today about a saint for the day.  Every day has its saint. I want to talk about one.

Ever hear of a 67 year old black guy named Johnny Lindsay?  I read about him in the Dallas Morning News this summer.   Another of the army of exonerees. 

Johnny spent 26 years in prison for a rape he did not commit. He got out in 2008.  Can you believe that, 26 years!  Oh, but how he had grown.  

Richard Froebe painting The House.

He came out of prison without anger, bitterness, or desire for revenge.  In fact, he came out with a desire to do one thing positive for someone.  He had reached that acceptance state where peace lives.  

Ever since Johnny was 12 years old music had touched his spirit.  What kept his spirit alive those 26 years was music.  He sang in a choir the prisoners formed.  He said music was his saving grace and he dreamed all those years of finally being exonerated one day and doing one thing good for others.

Richard Eshelbrenner doing fence removal ai the yard of The House.

At his release he was given $2 million.  So his wife, Sherita, and he decided to actually take piano lessons.   He met Debbie Beach and she became an inspiration for him.  She taught them and shared her dream to have her own music school.  Johnny & Sherita bought her all the keyboards she needed to open her school. 

Has Johnny come out of prison eager for revenge?  Does he hate?  Is he angry?   I think I would be.  However, he, like so many, many of these  exonerated men is at peace. 

Jackie painting The House, her house with Rick.

Even this past Wedneswday, two men were exonerated and released after 14 years in prison.  They are not angry and not looking for revenge.   Johnny loves and accepts others.  He is at peace, with others and with himself. 

With whom are you not at peace?  What do you need to do to attain the peace Johnny has?

Reference:  Dallas Morning News, June 23, 2014. 

The Malphurs, Arianna with her parents, Ryan (an old friend) and Nicole.

Readings:   Malachi 1, 14-2, 8-10, Why do we break faith with each other?; Psalm 131, In you, Lord, I have found my Peace; 1 Thessalonians 2, 7-13, We were gentle among you; Matthew 23, 1-12, Whoever exalts himself will be humbled.

Observations on Malachi:

 Interesting notes, a review:

                   1.  This is the last book of the Old Testament.    

                   2.  A little book, only 4 chapters.

                   3.  Last of the 12 minor prophets ( minor because of their small content )

 Author: Malachi means “my messenger.”  The writer’s real name is unknown.

 Date: 400-500 years before Christ.  This is deduced from the emphasis on the temple and the priesthood, and the word “governor” used one time.  Governors ruled after the Babylonian Exile, ca. 590-550, kings before.    

 The temple was rebuilt ca. 520 after the Israelites came back ca. 550 from the Babylonian Exile.  The Persian ruler Cyrus let them return & rebuild the old walls & temple. 

 Message:  Beware, you priests and people, because you are lax, corrupt, and cheating god of his rightful offerings.  

Today’s Message:

                   1.  Yahweh is speaking, actually to the priests, though in the official reading this reference is edited out.  I printed off the more complete reading. 

                   2.  You priests, I will curse you if you do not honor my name.

                    3.  I have made you contemptable because you don't follow my ways.  Again, note the Prophet's message: 1. condemn behavior, 2. promise punishment, 3. consolation after the conversion.

                   Sources:  Good News Bible; New Interpreter’s Study Bible; The Minor Prophets by Al Maxey (on line); & Wikipedia

All Souls Day

Let me give you bit of history and the thinking behind this All Souls' Day.  Five observations: the theology, purgatory-limbo, a legend, pre-Christian practices, and today.

1.  The Theology.  All Souls' Day is part of a package with All Saints.  The idea is: on All Saints' Day we honor all those who are enjoying the beatific vision, that is, heaven, the saints.  On All Souls' Day we honor those who have died but have not reached heaven because they had penance to do. 

What if we think they are all already in heaven?  Then we could pray to them rather than for them.

The old theology is talking mortal & venial sin here.  If the person died with mortal sin, they are you know where. Those with venial sins have to go through purification and purging, which brings us to All Souls' Day and purgatory.

2.  Purgatory & limbo.  People ended up in purgatory to purify themselves with suffering, before being allowed into heaven.  Limbo was for whom?  It was for people, especially children who died without being baptized.  They remained there how long?  Forever.  Can you imagine a baby there or even in the old purgatory?

At least the Catholic Church this year or last acknowledged that the limbo idea was bogus.  The pope said it does not exist and never did.  Though many consider purgatory to be in the same class, it still exists.  Want to know how we know?  The pope is offering indulgences.  The indulgence is for the soul in purgatory.  It speeds up the process.  There are partial & total indulgences.  We can win them for these souls and get them out or we can win them for ourselves. 

For instance, on the last feast of Peter & Paul, Rome offered an indulgence if you visited a church named after one or both of these two, and you recited a prescribed menu of prayers. 

3.  The legend.   It happened around 1000 A.D. that a monk, St. Idolo, from the French monastery of Cluny was shipwrecked on a desolate island as he returned from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, i.e., Israel.  On the island he met a poor hermit.  The hermit told him that among the rocks was a crevice from which came the anguished voices of the many suffering in purgatory.  Likewise, listening carefully you could hear the devils cursing that living people were speeding up the sufferings of these souls by praying and doing penance for them. 

Some time after this, i.e., 1000 A.D., the Cluny Monastery established an All Souls' Day.  Ca. 1300 Rome followed suit.  

4.  Pre-Christian times.  There is evidence that at least in Mexico numerous tribes had a day or period when the departed ancestors were honored.  The purpose was to honor them, remember their example, and to communicate with them.  Today in Mexico & in Hispanic families the Day of the Dead is still celebrated.  This custom has been celebrated for 3,000 years.

5.  Today.  Limbo has been discarded by Rome and many scholars consider purgatory a dinosaur idea from antiquity.  Consequently, All Souls' Day celebrates Samantha, my mom & dad, Rosemary's mom & dad, and all our loved ones pictured on the stage.  All Saints' Day handles the canonized and, I would suggest,  these people, too.    

What special blessing did you receive from one of these people pictured or whom you remember in your heart?

Picture 1:    Special altar & special display for All Saints & All Souls

Picture 2:    Mass Begins

Picture 3:    Sienna with Rosemary & Brian & Payton

Picture 4:    Leo & mom, Shonda

Picture 5:    Shonda, Bethany, Ray, & Jon

Picture 6:    Some of the Ekes, Marlene, Mabel, Cindy, Zaeli, & Bill

Readings:

Ezekiel  47, 1-2, 8-9, 12, I saw water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple.

Psalm 46,   The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High.

1 Corinthians 3, 9-11, 16-17,  You are God’s building

John 2, 13-22,  He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple.

Viki says, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome in."

Introduction and homily by Mike

Introduction:  The first reading is a prophesy from Ezekiel to the Jews in exile that they would return to Jerusalem, rebuild the temple, and when it was finished living water would pour forth from it.  Jesus Christ fulfills the yearning for his coming given by Ezekiel.  His living waters, his life giving words, pour forth the Holy Spirit to abide in living temples, the hearts of those who welcome and live the good news.

Emma, also, says, "Come in, Folks, and meet my friends."

Homily: The inspired writers of the Scriptures were quite clear in telling us that God has no favorites.   In the Church, Greek and Jew, male and female, free or slave, all have been called to be together as one royal priesthood, the people of God, the Body of Christ in the world. 

The Vatican II documents of the Roman Catholic Church began the process of tearing down barriers between Catholics, other Christian denominations and other religions as well, teaching that all who seek God have been called to oneness in Christ.  As Vatican II began to wind down, Pope Paul VI asked for the formation of an advisory council to assist him; it would be called the Synod of Bishops. 

Mike says, "Hi, Folks, got some ideas for you to ponder. What do you think?"

It became a permanent council that currently numbers 191 bishops; and they all met last month for two weeks at Francis’ request to address, as honestly as possible, the positions that each of them held on questions relating to marriage and divorce, ordination of women and married men, birth control and homosexuality.  

According to the news reports these bishops could not come to a consensus in their reply to Francis, for they failed to meet in a spirit of collegiality and collaboration.  The irony of course is that the synod addresses the family, and none of them are married or are women.  Needless to say, Francis was not impressed with the initial results.  

Harper, "Any extra cupcakes lying around?"

He has asked these bishops, again, to enter into a welcoming and listening position, a dialog, with one another and with the people they have been appointed to serve, together they comprise the Royal Priesthood.  Francis has asked his bishops to listen with hearts filled with goodness and justice, tenderness and compassion.  He has asked them to follow the commandment that Christ taught, ‘love one another as I have loved you.’   

Francis has given them 12 months to provide for him a group consensus to each of his questions.  Here’ are some of the consensus replies that I hope will be coming from Francis at the end of the Synod:

Cupcakes of The Week, John & Connie, Rob, Karen and John. Sorry, Harper.

1) Since women in the Church have discerned that the Holy Spirit is leading them to seek ordination, they will be allowed to enter the formal discernment process for the diaconate.

2) Men and women who are divorced and have remarried have been seeking permission from the Church to receive the Eucharist.  The Church will invite the divorced and remarried to marriage enrichment; the completion of the workshop will include a celebration of forgiveness with the reception of the Eucharist.

The Girl with the pretty hair band, Our Zoe.

3) Married men who have a calling to the ordained priesthood can begin the formal process of discernment to the priesthood.

4) If the personal conscience of a married couple is to use birth control during the marriage act, it must be for a serious reason associated with the well being of either party.  Both parties must first be well informed on the teachings of the Church on the sacredness of life; new life that they have conceived must never be aborted; their mutual love must always trump a desire for material wealth.

Who is this lady in red? Why, that is our Cathy.

5) Homosexuals should have an opportunity to seek the sacraments and welcomed to share their gifts and talents within the Christian community.

6) Francis could eliminate the misnomer, ‘the laity,’ for all who welcome and live the good news are together the Royal Priesthood!  The Mass is the Prayer of the People of God.  Francis should invite us to pray the Eucharistic Prayer together, led by those we have ordained.  Together, in oneness, we ask that the Holy Spirit come upon the Bread blessed and broken for us to be the Body of Christ in the world.

Leo says, "See you next week, Folks."

Readings:

Proverbs 31, 10-13, 19-20, 30-31, When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls.

Psalm 128,   Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 5, 1-6,  You’re sons of Light, daughters of Day.

Matthew 25, 14-30,  A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.

Kevin says, "Welcome in, Everybody."

Intro and homily by John Cade

The Book of Proverbs was also called in earlier times the Book of Wisdom.  It is written in poetic verse form and its first verse lets us know it is intended to ‘teach wisdom’.  It is a compilation of several collections of such sayings about life both secular and religious.  The collections were written at various times and are one of the few Old Testament books not connected with the destruction of Jerusalem and Babylonian captivity.

"What's next," Says Leo.

About Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, he formed this community in Greece about 50 after Jesus’ time.  Apparently his preaching and gathering converts to the Jesus group caused quite a disturbance among the Jewish people living there, to the point that, to prevent further disorder, Paul left Thessalonica (Thessaloniki in Greek) and went on to Corinth where he wrote both letters to them.  I’ll speak more from this later. 

There is a parable of the talents in Luke similar to today’s in Matthew.  The word often translated as ‘talent’ actually referred to a goodly sum of money in Jesus’ time.  Some biblical studies say the parable wasn’t about how we use our ‘talents’ but was an attack on the scribes who were not fair in their treatment of the poor and marginalized, and not caring in their sharing the wealth of God’s mercy. 

John begins, celebrating his 80th.

Homily

For many years I didn’t like the Sunday readings at the end of the Church year, and the scary ‘you better watch out’ sermons.  It always seemed to be doom and gloom and scary judgment upon us.  Kinda like ‘you better not pout, you better not cry, you better watch out, I’m telling you why’ but much worse—not just Santa will punish you, we’re talking God.

Turns out we can find more hopeful and positive messages about us and what it means to be a follower of Jesus in the readings at this time of year.

I like the verses in Paul today to his community in Thessalonica: “Friends, you’re not in the dark…..You’re sons of Light, daughters of Day.  We live under wide open skies and know where we stand….So walk out into the daylight…dressed up in faith and love and hope….

Freddy, who loves to snuggle with his mom, Joey, who is John's daughter.

Last night I had a party celebrating my 80^th birthday. I want you all to know that, if it were possible, every one of you would have been invited.  The 70 or so people who were there are all friends and all mentors of mine in one way or another, including Leo and Freddie my grandsons, who show me a fresh look at everything in the world. 

All those friends have treated me as a son of Light and never tried to diminish me for any reason.  I have always felt received and accepted, as I do with you here.  My friends and I have not always completely understood where each other was coming from and that’s human and natural and OK.

Sam, John's second daughter, next to Cathy, John's sister.

What also stands out is their enduring connection with me through life and work and times of crisis and so many good times.  My three living sisters all traveled to Dallas to be with me and I find that very touching.  Even more so, because, like most families, my family too have had our share of hard times and hurt feelings and broken connection, a theme many of you have shared with me.

  Isn’t that what the Mass, the Eucharistic Meal, is all about?  Jesus took bread and broke it. We can see in this a symbol of our brokenness, and then we share the bread, a living symbol that we are indeed connected one with another. 

Harper says, "Cupcake time yet?"

I chose words from Paul’s letter today because I heard him talking about his friends in Thessalonica as sons of Light, daughters of Day, who demonstrated their connection with one another through acceptance and loving care. 

My question for us today is how do we show our connection with our friends and our family, and how do we appreciate and celebrate the connection with us from all the people we have had in our lives? 

"Yes, Harper, it is Cupcake time, but for your grandmother. Maybe you will get a bite."  (If not all of it.)

Readings:  Jonah 3, 1-10, Forty days more and Nineveh will be destroyed; Psalm 25, Teach me your ways, O Lord; 1 Corinthians 7, 29-31, The time is running out; Mark 1, 14-20, I will make you fishers of people.

Jonah: This little book of 4 chapters is a gem and tells a delightful short story.   It is so good I would like to read it all, but will read chapter 1 and all of chapter 3. 

Background: Jonah has been asked by Yahweh to go to Nineveh in Assyria to tell the people & leaders that they are evil and will be punished shortly by Yahweh.  Trouble is, Nineveh is the enemy, like me going to Houston or Philadelphia. 

So he runs away, catches a boat headed for Spain, is blamed by the sailors for causing a big storm on the sea, and is dumped overboard.  The whale swallows him and for three days Jonah is constrained to reflect on what he is doing.  When, after 3 days, the whale dumps him on shore, Jonah is more willing to listen.  We arrive at this point and I will have all of chapter 3 read.

Author: For centuries, while people took this story as factual, Jonah was considered author of his own story.  Once it was seen as a fable or allegory, the story probably has some unknown ancient as the author.

Date of composition: no one really knows, but educated guesses put it ca. 800 BCE.

Note: the story of Jonah and the story of Jesus' interaction with his future apostles are both about The Call. 

A Call Story

    Because the Jonah story and the story about Jesus relating to his future apostles all talk about The Call, I have a short contemporary story.

    The girl’s name is Susan.  Blond hair, green eyes, vivacious, a cheer leader at Skyline and at S.M.U.  In fact, she was the head cheerleader at S.M.U.  She was fun to be around and full of zest for life.  

    While Susan presented herself so positively at school, At this point in her life three horrible events had taken place.   

    First, the summer Susan was 10 she and her mother were at the lake on the 4^th of July.  They were on the boat dock when a man came up and whispered in her mother’s ear that their 18 year old son had just committed suicide back at their home.  Susan watched as her mother was carried off the pier.   

    The suicide drove her parents to drink and eventually divorce.  Susan was left to care take the house and her drunk mother while she finished grade school and high school.  This was the second horrible event. 

    When Susan graduated with honors from high school, no one was there to clap for her or support her.  She went home, raged at her mother, and told her she wished she were dead.   The next morning Susan found her mother dead.  Her mother was 49 when she drank herself to death.  This was the third tragedy.  She was just entering S.M.U.

    Some years later one more tragedy struck her.  Her older sister Kathy, upon whom she depended, died of cancer at the same age as their mom, 49, on the same holiday as her mom, Memorial Day. 

    This final event did it.  Despite having kids and a career as a special ed coordinator, Susan entered the world of drug addiction.  Within about a year CPS had taken her kids away and Susan went to prison.  

    In about a year Susan came out of the belly of the prison and two things happened.  First, she heard The Call.  Secondly, and interconnected with The Call she watched two parents react to the tragic death of their child.  The parents inspired her and she answered The Call to come back to life.  Today Susan gives talks about her life to strengthen others.

    If you are like me, you think that The Call is to do something usually significant.  Maybe it is, but it can be simply an invitation to come back to life or to be more fully alive.  

    Today the Mass is all about Call.  What is yours today?

Resource, Dallas Morning News, 1-21-12, Kristie Smith, Viewpoints section, Educator Fell far but found God.

Picture 1:    Offertory, Mary Ellen & Grace

Picture 2:    Brooklyn with Joanie & Erin

Picture 3:    Ray & Claire celebrating 41 years

Picture 4:    Tom, Bill, & Ron

Picture 5:    Someone has come to visit, no fear!

Picture 6:    It's Sienna!

Readings:

Acts 5, 27-32 & 40-41,   We must obey God rather than men

Psalm 30,  I will praise you Lord, for you have rescued me.

Revelation  5, 11-14,  Blessing and honor, glory and might forever and ever.

John 21, 1-19,  Put your finger here and see my hands.

Mike sharing his ideas.

Homily by Mike

I have an app that makes me aware on my iPhone when there is an important news event. This happened some weeks ago when white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel.   After I looked at it, I turned my sound to off.

Georgie ready to serve.

What was going though my mind was, ‘How did the conclave decide so quickly.’  I was apprehensive, and didn’t want to know who had been chosen. 

When I did turn it back on later that day, I had a number of phone calls to return.  All but one came from friends who were not Catholic [however, who are one with us through the power of the Holy Spirit].  

Our Emma.

One thing each of them spoke about with joy was the name our new Pope had chosen, Francis.  The name had been immediately identified to the universal prayer of St. Francis, which seeks to have us become sowers of the good news.  It helps us to recognize that all of us are part of the papacy of Francis! Together we are one body; our name has become Francis, too. 

Leo on a roll.

For the last decade I have spent a great deal of time studying the structure spiritual writings: all of which have been composed with some type of structure.  

Look at the copy that I have made for you. The bold print is a mini summary of the Gospel, where we are to be sowers of the good news!  What is not in bold print in the first section are those who have not received or not allowed the seed to take root, to whom we seek to console, understand,  and love. Notice that we address God in both the bold and un-bold

Grace arriving.

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.

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.

What's it there? Buddy and Emma and Zoe search.

 Today’s gospel reading begins after the Lord has witnessed his Peter, a good man, being the buffoon: going fishing for gentiles in darkness, without casting out the net [composed of his good news] to the gentile side of the lake.   

Cupcakes of The Week, Michael, Jerry, Claire, Olivia, and Maureen and Fred.

Our Lord had chosen a motley group of sinners, and had led them to forgiveness. Today he comes to Peter, whom he had chosen to lead the church, to reinforce within Peter his responsibility to feed his flock!  How? In the light of day in this celebration of Word and Sacred Meal.  The New Covenant meal fulfills not only all of the Jewish feasts; but their Sabbath Scripture study as well.

Olivia at 5 years old.

Recently I saw a film that made me think about Peter, our first pope. It was entitled, An Afternoon with Marguerite.   

It is about a man about 5o who meets Marguerite, 95, in a park. She is a holy, and very educated woman, never married, whose mission has been to serve those in need. She currently resides in an assisted living facility. 

Olivia with her sister, Emelia, her grandmom, Sandra, grandfather, Chuck, and her dad, Chris

 He is a large man. He had been severely abused as a child by his mother, whatever man was living with her, and by his teacher at school.  He never went back.  He had lived all these years essentially illiterate tending his garden and doing odd jobs.  He meets Marguerite. He reaches in his pocket and sows some seed to the 19 pigeons that he knows by name.  He is known by some as a good man, by others as a buffoon. 

Torri with her good granddad, Gil.

She sees the goodness within him and begins to sow words.  She always has a book with her, and asks if she can read to him aloud. A friendship has begun. She reads and asks him questions, day after day; and her words enlighten him. She leaves a book with him, later a dictionary.   

At first he is frustrated; later, for she is going blind, he reads to her.  Her nephew sensing that she has a very short time to live, stops paying her monthly rent and sends her to a public facility to spend the rest if her life.   

Harper with her grandmom, Cathy. Where's the hat?

[       ] searches for her, finds her, and steals her away from her dismal surroundings.  The film ends with him driving her to his home where he will take care of her.  

These are some of the words we hear coming forth from his heart as they drive away laughing, talking to one another and sharing a sandwich: ‘This is not a typical love affair; but love and tenderness are there. Named after a daisy she lives among the words surrounded by adjectives in green fields of verbs. 

Bethany , Shonda, and Ray with Leo around somewhere.

Not always are love stories just made of love, sometimes love is not named, but it is love all the same. Don’t die now; just wait, it’s not the hour, my little flower. Not always are love stories made of love; love is not named, but it is love all the same. 

Tape this prayer of St. Francis on your bathroom mirror at home.    Try to become aware of those who seek to be consoled, understood or loved…for it is giving that we receive; it is in pardoning….