Readings: 2 Samuel 12, 7-13; Psalm 32, Lord, Forgive the Wrong I have done: Galatians 2, 16, 19-21; Luke 7, 36-8, 3.

 

Sunday Homily 6-13-10, 11^th Ordinary Time

 

Preliminary observations:

The First reading today is from the Second Book of Samuel and it is about King David.  The Jewish people had reached a time in their history when they wanted to be just like their neighbors, who all had kings!! 

 

 

 

The prophets viewed it as not a good thing but basically we find Yahweh saying “let them have their king”, and so Saul is the first king and he is followed by David.  David is one of those huge figures in the Old Testament, and even gets mentioned frequently in the New Testament since Jesus was from the house of David. 

 

 

King David was a very interesting character, very human and very much loved by Yahweh.  The time frame for this is about the year 1000 BCE.  Before we listen to today’s reading I need to set it up.  The Book of Samuel, if it were being reviewed today by those who do those things would get an “Adult Only” rating.  I don’t want you to let your kids read this book, it is full of sinning and murder and other bad stuff!!

 

 

One day David is out walking around on the roof of his palace and he sees Bathseba bathing.  He takes a fancy to her, but she is already married.  No problem if you are the king.  He simply has her husband Uriah sent to the front lines of a battle where he is killed.  Getting a woman to be your wife this way is not good, even if you are the king, and God gets a little upset!!  Now just before our passage today we have the following piece in the Book of Samuel and I want to read it to you.

 

 

“The LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he came to him, he said: "Judge this case for me! In a certain town there were two men, one rich, the other poor.  The rich man had flocks and herds in great numbers.  But the poor man had nothing at all except one little ewe lamb that he had bought. He nourished her, and she grew up with him and his children. She shared the little food he had and drank from his cup and slept in his bosom. She was like a daughter to him. 

 

 

Now, the rich man received a visitor, but he would not take from his own flocks and herds to prepare a meal for the wayfarer who had come to him. Instead he took the poor man's ewe lamb and made a meal of it for his visitor."

 

 

 

David grew very angry with that man and said to Nathan: "As the LORD lives, the man who has done this merits death!  He shall restore the ewe lamb fourfold because he has done this and has had no pity." 

 

 

Then Nathan said to David: "You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'I anointed you king of Israel. I rescued you from the hand of Saul.  I gave you your lord's house and your lord's wives for your own. I gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were not enough, I could count up for you still more.  Why have you spurned the LORD and done evil in his sight? You have cut down Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you took his wife as your own, and him you killed with the sword of the Ammonites.  Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah to be your wife.'”

 

 

Our Second Reading is Paul to the Galatians, and Paul is very upset.  Remember first that Paul is the Apostle to the Gentiles.  Initially in the early community the thinking had been that when someone who was a Gentile became a Christian all they had to do was be baptized, then the requirement to become a Jew was added, namely circumcision. 

 

 

Paul had come to the opinion, based on his revelation of the risen Lord on the road to Damascus, that baptism was all that was needed.  There was a whole lot of friction between Paul and the Church in Jerusalem who felt that Sabbath Observance, Dietary Laws and Circumcision were required.  In today’s reading we hear a phrase from Paul, “justified by works of the Law” that meant obeying the Torah law.  For Paul, having Christ in him was all that was needed, namely having a relationship with Christ.

 

 

Eleventh Sunday – Homily

 

 

The message today is primarily about forgiveness, but I want to begin before forgiveness with a session on sin, which I am an expert on!!  Because the practice of frequent confession seems to have disappeared there is a danger that we could lull ourselves into thinking that sin too has gone away, and I’m afraid that this would be a big mistake on our part.  Lets start with what sin is. 

 

 

Any action, which damages our relationship, either with God or another person, is sinful.  Now that kind of statement is pretty sterile on its own, so lets try to put some flesh on it.  Imagine you have someone in your life who loves you very very much.  Now you have done something, which hurts them, accidentally or not, it doesn’t ever matter.  Imagine how you would feel. 

 

 

The problem with our sins is that I’m afraid we don’t realize how much we are loved by God, for some reason it just doesn’t really sink in enough, because if it did, then sin would devastate us.  It seems to me that woman in our Gospel was very aware of what her sins were doing.  For some unexplained reason, maybe listening to Jesus speak somewhere, and it hit her.  We clearly see her response. 

 

 

David has a clear vision of his sin.  Paul is taking the position that if Christ is living in us, than we are alright, we are forgiven, and we don’t need to be doing extra things.  The hard piece for us to understand is that God’s love for us is so great that we are forgiven, even before we ask for forgiveness.  That doesn’t mean there aren’t consequences for sin.  We know there are.  David’s son died because of his father’s sin, the woman in the gospel story was an outcast in her society. 

 

 

The lesson for me in today’s liturgy of the word is how closely am I aware of my sins, and the need to change sinful behavior?  Just because I am forgiven thru God’s love doesn’t mean I can just continue to sin.  If I truly love someone, would I want to continue hurting them just because they readily forgave me?

 

 

Picture 1:  Mass Begins, welcome!

 

Picture 2:  Communion, Tony, Richard Baack & Richard Froebe

 

Picture 3:  Communion, Tom Fleming & Teresa Read

 

Picture 4:  Fred & Maureen

 

Readings:  Wisdom 6, 12-16, Resplendent and unfading is wisdom; Psalm 63, My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord My God; 1 Thessalonians 4, 13-18, Console one another; Matthew 25, 1-13, The 10 virgins at the wedding. 

  

    The first reading (Wisdom 6:12-16) informs us that when we lovingly yearn for and seek God’s wisdom we will not be disappointed. This reading is an expectation for the good news of Jesus Christ that we will receive today.

 

(prior to reading the gospel)

Picture the following plausible scenario: A father and mother determined two years earlier that their first son was in need of a wife, and they have been following closely the daughters that have come of age in their extended family when they gather in Jerusalem for the feasts each year.  Together they have chosen one.  The father sends a warm message to the girl’s father, who he knows relatively well, and asks the price he has in mind for his daughter.  They agree on one and set a date for the betrothal. 

    The father and his son arrive and are greeted warmly by her father. In front of the young couple, who have probably never had a conversation with each other, the fathers play their game of coming to the previously agree price—ten cows and a barrel of good wine, some of which the two fathers are now drinking. 

    Once the contract is signed they hand the groom a cup of wine taken specifically from the bottom of the wine the fathers have been drinking. It contains the particles that have settled…from the bitter skin of the grape.  The groom takes a drink from the top of the cup and hands the cup to the young woman. She has practiced what she now does. She downs the rest of the cup as a sign that she agrees to be his wife in good times and in bitter times. 

    The groom now returns to prepare a place for her.  Meanwhile the girl’s bridesmaids prepare her to be ready for his coming.  When they hear the cry that he is coming, they go out to meet him with the bride and her belongings and are led to his father’s house. 

 

(the gospel reading from Matthew 25:1-3)

Chapter 25 is formed from three parables.  This is the first. Their purpose is to give meaning to a teaching that ends Chapter 24 where Christ is teaching that his servants that he has put over other servants have the responsibility to remain wise (righteous) by always being alert to his words.  Each of the three parables gives a different facet of what this means. Since we are told again in this parable that Christ is the bridegroom. We are the bride, for which he paid a great price. His servants have the responsibility to prepare us for Christ’s coming by word and example.

    The dilemma of this parable is that only the wise have taken oil for their lamps.  The wisdom of the parable is that only those who are prepared for Christ’s coming have entered the wedding banquet.  Very briefly, why does the Lord say that he does not know the foolish (unrighteous) bridesmaids who have arrived to the wedding banquet after the door was closed?  In the third parable we are told that the Lord has divided humanity into two groups, the lambs and the goats, the foolish and the wise, those who have lived Christ’s words and those who haven’t. 

    The lambs (those who hear his words and follow them) are the wise who are prepared for his coming. He says to them, ‘I was hungry and thirsty, and you gave me food and drink. I was alone, sick and in prison and you came to visit me.’ And the wise will say, ‘When did we see you hungry and thirsty and fed you, or alone, sick and in prison and visited you.’ The Lord said to them, ‘Whenever you did this to the least among you, you did it to me.’       

    Of course he says to the foolish, ‘Whenever you did not care for the least among you, you did not care for me.’ (Symbolically: ‘You don’t know me, so how can I know you?’) The oil possessed by the wise symbolizes the presence of the Spirit that enlightens the wise, ‘to love one another as Christ loves them.’

 

So today, appropriately, we will be anointing the child of Erin and Payton twice during the baptism ritual with the oils of the Church praying that the Spirit always abides with her.  And I now invite them to bring this child forward with Godparents and other family to stand before the community with their request.

 

            Mike:

 

Erin and Payton, what name have you given to this Child?  (Brooklyn)

 

What do you ask this community for Brooklyn?  (To have her baptized)

 

You have asked to have your child baptized. In doing so you are accepting the responsibility to bring her up by word and example to live the perfect commandment, ‘To love one another as Christ loves us.’ Therefore, will you accept the responsibility to be one of the wise bridesmaids in today’s gospel reading.  (Yes)

 

Likewise, (Godparents) __________ and __________, will you by word and example give witness to your faith in Christ?  (Yes)

 

Brooklyn, the Christian community welcomes you with great joy.  In its name I claim you for Christ our Lord by the sign of the cross. (+)  I now trace this cross on Brooklyn’s forehead and invite the parents and Godparents to do the same.

 

John:

Brooklyn, we anoint you with the oil of salvation in the name of Christ our Savior, may he strengthen you with his power, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. (+ with oil on the bare chest)

(+ bless the water) We ask you Father, with your Son, to send the Holy Spirit upon this water.  As you are buried with Christ in the death of baptism, rise also with him to newness of life.  We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

(address the community) Let us stand and join with the parents and Godparents in the profession of faith of the Apostles Creed on page 81 of the missal.)

Erin and Payton, is it your will that Brooklyn be baptized in the faith of the Church which we have professed with you?  (yes)

(baptize the child) Brooklyn, I baptize you….

            (Lead the community in applause)

Mike:  Have parents and Godparents return to their seats

 

After the Great Amen

Mike:   I want to invite the parents to bring the newly baptized Brooklyn before us before we say the Lord’s prayer together.

Brooklyn, you are now anointed with the chrism of salvation (+ crown of the head) to be priest, prophet and king.

(have a Godparent place the garment over her) You have clothed yourself in Christ. See in this white garment the sign of your Christian dignity.  With family, Godparents, and friends bring that dignity unstained to everlasting life.

(have a God parent light the candle from the candle lit on the altar) Brooklyn, receive the light of Christ.  Parents and Godparents, this candle is entrusted to you to keep burning brightly. See to it by word and example that she walks always as a child of the light.

 

John:   Invite them to join hands and join with the community in the Lord’s Prayer.

 Mike:   Send them back to their seats during the Sign of Peace

Picture 1:    Leo with his momma, Shonda, Bethany, & Ben

Picture 2:    Mike offering the homily

Picture 3:    Brooklyn

Picture 4:    Baptism of Brooklyn

Picture 5:    Baptism with Mike

Picture 6:    Sienna with Brian

 

Readings: Isaiah 11, 1-10 (a beauty); Psalm 72, Justice shall Flourish in His Time, and Fulness of Peace Forever; Romans 15, 4-9; Matthew 3, 1-12. 

Isaiah 11 observations:

Author: Isaiah 1.  Remember, 3 primary authors are responsible for the 66 chapters.  Isaiah 1 covers chapters 1-39.  This book is one of the Big 3 O.T. prophets, along with Jeremiah and Ezekiel.  This is because the works are the longest.  There are 12 minor prophets.

Time: ca. 700, before the Assyrians annihilate the northern Jewish kingdom, called Israel, vs the southern kingdom called Judah, where Jerusalem is.  10 tribes were lost in this destruction, the 10 Lost Tribes of Israel. 

Remember there were 12 tribes.  Why?  Because of the 12 sons of Jacob, who was one of the 3 great patriarchs or founders of the tribe, Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob, who was also called Israel. 

 

Message of Isaiah 1: condemnation of the corruption of the ruling class & oppression of the poor.  Because of this, destruction is coming.  He foresaw the coming of the Assyrians, not a difficult thing to do.  The profile of the prophet was usually 1. criticism, 2. prediction of dire payment, 3. consolation.

Today’s message: consolation.  Two parts.  In part one, a special person will come. And because of him, part two, watch what will happen.  A dream most touching.

 
 

Advent Wreaths: This little liturgical practice came to the Catholic liturgy, believe it or not, from the German Lutherans in the 1500's, the time of Martin Luther.  It was more than just decoration.  The circle symbolized eternity.  The greens Christian life in a dead time of the year.  The candles represent each of the 4 weeks of Advent, each candle symbolizing the greater light brought by Christ.  Their color purple symbolized penance and purification for the Coming.  The Rose candle says, 'We are almost there!'

 

Beautiful Dreams Can Happen

 The Isaiah reading this morning has special meaning for me in two ways. 

 First of all, the beauty of the writer’s dream touches me.  He dreams that the world will have such peace and harmony that even the animals will live without fear of each other.  Wow. 

 
 

Secondly, I have a story connected with the dream.  It happened in Toronto the Advent at the end of the year I was ordained, 1971.

 The Jesuits have a theology college in Toronto and I spent four years there, ’68-’72.  The fall of my second year a class of about 35 guys entered from all over.  Among them was a Jesuit brother. 

 Brothers were Jesuits, members of the fraternity, but they focused on living religious life in a community with its 3 vows of poverty, chastity, & obedience.  They did not feel a call to be priests.  They worked in all sorts of occupations, treasurer, house administrator, grounds keepers, you name it.

 The Jesuit brother who entered that fall had been a brother for a half a dozen years & now wanted to become a priest.  Trouble was he was blind.  His name was Larry. 

 Larry had not come to this idea solely on his own.  Many people had encouraged him.  For some years he had worked & taught at a Wisconsin Jesuit boarding high school called Prairie du Chien, now closed unfortunately. Here the idea really grew.

 He went to the Wisconsin Jesuit provincial and he agreed to see what could be done.  The provincial went to Rome to get permission for a blind person to be ordained.  Rome said, “No, and don’t bother to ask again.” 

 So the provincial sent Larry to Toronto to do the normal theology studies leading up to priesthood.  Just to see how he would make out. 

 He made out splendidly.  In fact, we all pitched in to help him.  We recorded classes, we read to him, we recorded assigned readings, and we studied with him.  I, in fact, lived next door to him on the third floor. 

 The end of the first year came and the provincial returned to Rome to ask again.  Rome said, “No, and don’t ask again.”

 The end of Larry’s third year the provincial asked again.  This time Rome said, “He may be ordained a deacon.”  Folks, the excitement and gratitude in our house was tactile.  You could feel it, touch it.  We knew that once a deacon, he could easily move to priesthood.

 
 

Larry was now in his 3^rd year and it was in Advent of the 3^rd year when the men were ordained deacons, the priesthood coming in the following spring. 

 It was the second Sunday of Advent, cycle A like this year, in the college chapel full, about 35 guys getting ordained deacons preliminary to being ordained priests 6 month later.  The reading was Isaiah 11.  In Braille Larry read Isaiah’s dream.  There was not a dry eye, not a sound but Larry’s voice. 

 Today Larry Gillick is ordained and works as part of a team working out of St. Louis U. 

 Beautiful dreams can happen.  We can influence their happening.  How? 

Picture 1:   Hunter lighting the candles

Picture 2:   Mass begins

Picture 3:   Mary & Frank with the offertory

Picture 4:   C C at the donut shoppe

 

 

Readings: Acts of the Apostles 1, 12-14 (post Ascension, Wednesday), Psalm 27  (good), I believe that I shall see the Good Things of the Lord in the Land of the Living;

also verse 4, One thing I ask of the Lord, to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that I may gaze on the loveliness of the Lord and contemplate his temple.  

1 Peter 4, 13-16; John 17, 1-11

 

Acts:

Observations & a final review—(Author, Date, Place, Subject)

 Author: This is Luke, the physician, the companion of Paul, the Gentile writing for Gentile Christians, and the same Luke who wrote the Gospel of Luke.

 Date: Around 65 years after Christ.  Probably just before the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple (70 C.E., a big date in Jewish history), or Luke would have probably mentioned it. 

Place: probably Ephesus, today a ruin on the west coast of Turkey south of Constantinople.  Once this town was a major Christian center.

 Subject: the material works like in concentric, expanding circles, beginning in Jerusalem and ending in Rome after touching Judea, Syria, Ephesus, & Europe.  It treats activities in the early Christian community, some of which may describe they way they wished things were.

Today's selection in chapter 1 takes place just after the Ascension of Jesus, which was officially celebrated this past Thursday.   

 Sources: Good News Bible, New Interpreter’s Study Bible, St. Louis U. Jesuits’ Liturgical web

 

That I may gaze on the loveliness of the Lord

 It may have been a year ago when I talked about Rosemary having a breakdown on her bike riding around White Rock Lake.  To refresh your memory, she had ridden around about half of the lake.  She is down at the south end near the dam.  Her chain fell off and she did not know how to fix it. 

 So she starts walking it in.  She may have phoned me, but I did not answer because I was riding.  People go by.  She walks.  Finally a guy asks if she needs help.  She says yes, he stops, and he puts her chain back on.  Simple.  But significant.

 I was so touched by this guy’s action, that I had decided that I would always ask people if they need help when I see them stuck beside the road.  I talked about it here and somebody special in our community actually assisted a woman whose car had broken down.

 This stopping can be hard, folks, especially for us obsessive compulsive bike riders.  I got to maintain my 16 or 17 or 18 miles per hour average.  Or I have to finish up and run home.  Whatever, for the past year I have pretty faithfully checked with people as I pass, often hoping they don’t need help.  And they did not.

 
 

Until this past Wednesday morning about 7:00.  We had already gone around the lake and were heading north on the White Rock Trail, which runs from the Lake all the way up to Valley View and Hillcrest.  I was passing just north of the Greenville Avenue bridge, going behind a building on Royal Lane, when I come around a bend and see a guy working on his bike in the grass. 

 I yell out, “Need any help?”  And he responds, “You got any air?”

Yes, I did have my emergency air pump and I knew how to work it.  So I stopped. 

 He had repaired a front flat tire with a new tube, but had no air pump.  So we pumped it up.  I took off the pump.   The tire went back down.  Whoa, bad news.  I think he pinched his tube when he put it and the tire back on the rim of the wheel.  The tubes are so skinny & fragile. 

 So I had to leave him.  He said he could call his wife and she would pick him up.  His car was at Valley View & Hillcrest.

 Folks, even though my efforts did not get the guy going again, I was so happy I had had enough resolution to stop.

 I talk about this because of the line in Psalm 27, which says, “One thing I ask of the Lord, to dwell in his house all the days of my life, to gaze on the loveliness of the Lord, and to contemplate his temple.

 
 

Two comments:

          1.  To be aware that we are dwelling in the house of the Lord, we are challenged to do what is mentioned in the last line, contemplate.  We are invited to be contemplative people, that is, to reflect, to stop and look, to appreciate.  I think this is what I was doing when I appreciated what the guy did for Rosemary.

 Contemplation focuses on the loveliness of people as well as the loveliness of the lake, the mountain, the flower. 

          2.  Secondly, when I was a Jesuit we were educated to be contemplatives in action, that is, appreciating the loveliness of the Lord and helping others to do likewise.  Comptemplation of my blessings leads to gratitude.  Gratitude leads to sharing.

 We are invited to appreciate the beauty of the lake and the bike ride, and to help others do the same.  It may mean simply stopping to fix a chain or pump up an inner tube.  

 

 When was the last time you contemplated the beauty of the Lord?  And helped someone do likewise? 

Picture 1:   Beginning, with Leo in Jackie McGrath's arms, Shonda & Ray

 Picture 2:   Offertory, Tom & Lynda

 Picture 3:   Leo joining the music team

 Picture 4:   Tom & Theresa Quinn with their daughter, Colleen & her kids, Quinn and Shannon

 Picture 5:   Alison is back!  With her husband John and Cliff

         

 

 

 

 

Welcome in, Dearest Emma.  So nice to see you.

 

 

Readings: 

 

 Ezekiel 2, 2-5,  Son of Man, I am sending you to the Israelites, rebels.

 Psalm 123,   Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy

 2 Corinthians 12, 7-10, A thorn in the flesh was given to me.

Mark 6, 1-6, A prophet is not without honor except in his native place 

 

 

 

The Best Music thanks to Katie and David.

 

 

Ezekiel observations:

Who:  Ezekiel is one of the Big 3 prophets.  Why?  48 chapters.  The other 2: Isaiah & Jeremiah.  These 3 have lots of chapters & material.

Ezekiel was born into the priest class.  He later was considered a prophet.  He got The Call from God.  When he was about 25 he was swept up in the Babylonian captivity, around 590. 

When: It covers the period of the Captivity, 600-550 before Christ, which Ezekiel lived personally.  But the work is composed toward the end of the Captivity, around 550.  This is Ezekiel’s material, but it has been saved and edited by his fellow priests.

 

 

 

Thanks, CC, for lighting our candles and thanks, Georgie, for reading the Blessing of the Summer Candles.

 

Message:

1. Ezekiel criticises the people and warns them that their bad ways will be punished, for example, by being defeated and led into slavery and the Captivity.
2. He promises comfort and a brighter future for the captive people, especially envisioning a restored temple (which then lasted until when?  The year 70, when the Romans finally destroyed the temple & the priestly cast ceased to function, to this day).
3. An amusing vision: The Dry Bones, chapter 37.

Today’s selection:   Ezekiel gets The Call or invitation from God to go tell the Israelite people that God sees what is going on.  Which means, tell them they are behaving horribly and they will pay dearly for their misbehavior. 

 

 

 

The Dinsmores at work, David with the music, and with the offertory, DarbiAnna, Dana, Donna, and Dawson. 

 

4 Reasons why I am (still) proud to be an American

I am still celebrating July 4^th this week.   And I’m still proud to be an American.  What got me reflecting on this was what happened in our neighborhood July 4 morning.  But, as I reflected, other events came to mind.  Let me give you 4 quick stories.

The first took place when I first went to work in Africa on a one year contract.  I was directing spiritual retreats mostly for nuns, often with another Jesuit friend from PA.

 

 

 

July 4, let the Parade begin

 

Before I went over to East Africa I was scheduled to give a number of programs in Nigeria.  There was an old veteran Jesuit who had a house in Lagos, the capital at that time, Joe McKenna from NY.   I used that house as my base.

I used to fly out of Lagos, give a number of programs, and fly back.

Every time I returned I had to take a taxi to get to his house in the suburb of  Sirulere.  He would ask me how much I paid.  It was always too much.  “5 Naira only,” he would say.

 

 

 

Training wheels welcome.

 

So, I’m returning one day determined.  I walk into the terminal where there are numerous taxi driver, beginning with the richest.  I pass them all and pick a raggedy guy outside the terminal.  “5 Naira to Sirulere,  “ I say.  Okay.

Hanging onto my bag I get into the back seat of this old contraption.l  I could see through the floor to the street.

 

 

 

The annual Preston Hollow parade is on.

 

By going over medians and across sidewalks we arrive in like no time.  I give him 8 Naira.  “No,” he says, “We agreed on 15.”

We go back & forth until I get out.  We are in a cul-de-sac, fortunately in my mind.  He gets out.  We argue. 

Suddenly he grabs my bag and attempts to jump back his taxi.  We have a physical tussle right there in the street.  He is a big guy, but no muscle I discover.  No contest.  I take my bag and walk to the door of the house.  McKenna is inside chuckling away.  It is dinner time. “I am going to kill you for this, McKenna,” I think to myself.

 

 

 

If you are nice you might find space in a wagon and somebody will pull you.

 

The guy follows me and is screaming.  I don’t know what more to do and am nervous that he will gather a group of fellow Nigerians and they will join him.  In fact, the contrary takes place.  The little guy who is the house cook comes from around the back of the house , screaming himself that this guy has insulted a guest.  Neighbors gather and all say the same. 

Finally, a young Nigerian Jesuit novice rides up on his little motor scooter and takes the guy off.  I think he actually give the guy 15 Naira.  By now I could care less.  It was not worth all the drama.

That day I was proud to be both a Jesuit and an American.

 

 

The Refreshment Committee in action.  Want to know how success is measured?  22 dozen donut holes were consumed in an hour and maybe two more dozen could have found takers.   This is  plus cookies, grapes, lemon aide, and bottled water.

 

 

Three more quickies.

In the Metro section of the newspaper this week, a lady from NY, Claire Scoville, late thirties, attractive, a film producer, dropped everything and flew into S. TX to help nurture the little kids.  Claire Scoville gives me reason to be proud to be American.

 

 

 

Happy Birthday, Paul.  Does Paul look like a man of 57 years?  Looks more like 59 to me.

 

Secondly, one afternoon this  week I am northbound at the stop light at Preston & Royal, going to give blood platelets at Carter Blood.  3 northbound lanes,  2 left turn lanes.  I‘m about 3 cars back. The light goes green for all of us.  Everyone   accelerates, when suddenly in front of us from the right comes an SUV slowly making a left turn.  Everyone had to brake.  In fact, I thought that SUV is going to get hit.  It made it, but, get this, not one northbound car honked.  No rage, no critical parent, Kindness. 

 

 

 

Thanks for coming to visit us again, My Dearest Kayla.

 

Finally, why I am proud to be an American: our annual neighborhood parade.   So many delightful young families.    Rosemary & I are the refreshment team, so you know it was good.    It was 22 dozen donut holes good.  Yes, I am proud to be an an American.

 

 

It is scary when former Jesuit students show up at the parade and say this year is 50 years since graduation.  Meanwhile, for me it is 60 years since graduation and entrance into the Jesuit order.  Scary??  Yes!!

 

 

 

                                 Bonjour et Bienvenu, Mes Amis.

 

Readings:

 Baruch  5, 1-9,  Jerusalem, put on the splendor of glory.

Psalm 126,    The Lord has done great things for us, we are filled with joy.

Advent special: Pope Francis,' Laudato Si (Praise to you).

 

                    Leighton, too, says, "Welcome, Everybody."

 

A Reading from Pope Francis’ Letter on the Environment:

In some countries there are positive examples of environmental improvement: rivers, polluted for decades, have been cleaned up; native woodlands have been restored; advances have been made in the production of non-polluting energy and in the improvement of public transportation. These achievements show that men and women are capable of intervening positively.

At the same time we can note the rise of a false or superficial ecology which bolsters complacency and a cheerful recklessness.  In periods of deep crisis requiring bold decisions, we are tempted to think that what is happening is not entirely clear.  Superficially, apart from a few obvious signs of pollution and deterioration, things do not look that serious, and the planet could continue as it is for some time.  

Such evasiveness serves as a license to carry on with our present lifestyles and models of production and consumption. This is the way humans contrive to feed self-destructive habits: trying not to see reality, trying not to acknowledge reality, delaying important decisions and pretending that nothing will happen.

The word of Pope Francis.

Luke,  3,  1-6,  Prepare the way of the Lord.

 

                             Warren says, "What's going on around here?"

Baruch:

    What: One of the little books (only 5 chapters) of what I'll call The Odd Books.  That is, it is not one of the big 3, nor one of the 12 little prophetic books, nor part of the N.T.  It is part of a dozen small books in between.  Most Protestant churches  don't recognize the legitimacy The Odd Books.

     Author:  Baruch was Jeremiah's secretary. Maybe he wrote some of the material, but it was not put together.  Remember, he & Jeremiah lived before & during the Babylonian Captivity.  There are 4 small discourses.  Compilation of the total work seems to have taken place later,  Most likely some anonymous person or persons a few centuries after Jeremiah. 

 

                     Who let these two characters in?  

 

Date of composition: maybe during the  Maccabees' revolt ca. 100 before Christ.   If so,  the little book intends to strengthen resistance of the Jews during the Macabeean Revolt, using the Babylonian model to encourage the people.

      Our passage: a message of optimism, hope, peace, and a victorious new day.  The passage reflects 2nd Isaiah's message (chapter 40), which is likewise quoted in Luke's gospel for today.  The famous 2nd Isaiah: Luke uses this source to build his nativity narrative.  See also the lyrics of Handel's Messiah.

Sources:  Good New Bible.

 

                                          2nd Sunday of Advent, two candles.

 

It’s Coming, It’s Coming, It’s Here!

I would like to talk this morning about the fact that it is coming, it is coming, it is here.  That is, Christmas.  I would propose that there is a richness, a joy, and a peace in the time leading up to Christmas, as well as Christmas itself.

A little story.

When Rosemary & I were with her sister and brother in law in Hilton Head, we spent an evening watching a comedy film called Christmas with the Kranks.  At first I thought this was just going to be a goofy movie, which it was.  But it had a message inside the comedy. It goes like this.

 

         Guess who lit those candles, Buddy, Victoria, and Zoe.

 

A couple in probably their 40’s had a daughter who was going to Peru to work as a Peace Corp volunteer.   They were both depressed.  At that point, Luther, the husband decided to buy tickets on a Christmas Caribbean cruise.   That got them both excited. 

Luther also decided that they would simply skip Christmas at their home, no decorations and no holiday socializing when they normally had a big Christmas Eve party.

 

                                 The Team, Georgie & Kevin

 

First thing that happens, the Scouts come with Luther’s annual Christmas tree, the kids’ annual fundraiser.  Luther says, “No Christmas tree this year.”  This causes quite a commotion & pushback.  Scrooge gets mentioned.

Then the police come selling their annual calendar.  They get turned away and are not happy.  Then the neighborhood wants Luther to put up his plastic snowman on the roof.  “Not this year,” says Luther. 

 

                                                  Hi, Harper.

 

By now Luther and Nora have everyone mad at them, the Scouts, the Police, and all the neighbors.  One old neighbor across the street gives it to Luther.  His wife has cancer.

The couple are counting days to departure when on Christmas Eve morning their daughter, Blair, calls to say that she has decided to do Christmas with them, is in like Miami and will arrive home in the afternoon, and is bringing with her a Peruvian guy she wants them to meet.  She plans to wed him.  Plus she is so looking forward to all their annual decorations, the big Christmas Eve party, and snow. 

 

                         Victoria and her favorite Mommy.

 

Luther and Nora are delighted, speechless, and aghast.  What to do?  They reverse field and start racing around to decorate and set up the Christmas Eve party.  Luther even borrows a decorated Christmas tree from a neighbor who will be away for Christmas.   Some of the Scouts help him take it to his house.

It all gets done, the over the top decorations, the party to which the neighbors come, and the daughter with her new fiance’ gets her snow. 

 

                                      Some of today's food drive.

 

The coup de grace comes when Luther slips away from the party and crosses the street to the grumpy neighbor and his wife with the cancer.  Luther gives the couple their cruise tickets. 

The lesson from the movie?   The value of community, of friends, and of family.

 

               Genevieve says, "I think it is time for me to start moving around."

 

This is what we try to build here on Sundays, what Rosemary & I try to build at Hilton Head, our Romeos & ladies’ luncheons, and next Saturday, the marvelous Love for Kids picnic.

How are you sharing The Spirit?

 

                Our friendly gorilla says he appreciates all hugs.