Sunday Homily for July 8, 2018, 14th Ordinary Time, B cycle

Happy 1st Easter, Dear Atlas, so nice to see  you.  Know that you have a terrific mommy.  Congratulations, Dearest Wendy

Readings:  (Easter Sunday)

 Acts of the Apostles 10, 34, 37-43 , Peter proceeded to speak

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, 1-95,  Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning.

Congratulations, Brandon.  What a neat little boy you have.

Acts of the Apostles 

This work is basically the story of the development & growth of the Christian community after the death of Jesus up to Paul's arrival in Rome.

It is considered more idealistic than factual.

The author seems to be Luke, the same who wrote the Gospel.

Thanks, Dearest Emma, for being our Candle Lighter of The Week

A Random Act of Kindness

Mary Ellen has a friend named Diane.  They met in their book club probably many years ago.  Diane was a significant help with the move of Mary Ellen from her nice condo to Prestonwood Assisted Living.

A couple of weeks ago Diane and another friend of hers decided to go out for lunch.  They chose Napoli’s Italian, which I think is on Independence & McDermott.  Do our Juliettes not know this place already?  

Offertory.  Happy Easter Dearest Cameron, Trey, Brady, & Reid, and also to your crazy dad, my beloved friend.

So they have their lunch, chat, and finally ask the waiter for their bill.   Instead of giving them their bill, the waiter says that another lady who had been eating in the restaurant had paid for them and left. 

Another Random Act of Kindness.

And You?  Performed any Random Acts of Kindness lately?

Special thanks to our Special Easter Team, Georgie and Buddy, along with John and Mike.

Happy Easter

(P.S.  Incidentally, Rosemary suggested to me that maybe we ought to have lunch once in a while at this Napoli’s.)

I think this must be Christmas or Easter.  So many old & dear friends.

Watch out, My Dear Leo.  A big rabbit is just about ready to snatch you.

Christmas Eve Readings: Isaiah 9, 1-6; Psalm 96, Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord; Titus 2, 11-14; Luke 2, 1-14

A Review of Isaiah:

 Author: there are 3 writers of this work of 66 chapters.  Our writer today is Isaiah I.

Date of Writing & of Composing: the work was put together probably after the Babylonian Captivity around 550, a time when the Babylonians with King Nebuchadnezzar defeated the two tribes of the southern kingdom of Judah, where Jerusalem is.

Isaiah I wrote much earlier, like around 700, before the Syrians annihilated the northern kingdom and led the 10 lost tribes off into captivity where they vanished in the DNA of the middle east with intermarriage.  He was warning them their evil ways were going to bring Yahweh's wrath down upon them.

Our Selection: a prediction of an optimistic & hopeful future when the people will be freed from walking in darkness and gloom because a child will be born who is a God-Hero and The Prince of Peace.

Where is He?  Who is He?

Rosemary & I have a love of riding our bikes.  In particular, we love to ride around White Rock Lake, which is about 10 miles around.  We can access it close to our house where the White Rock Trail runs north crossing Royal Lane near Central and heading up past Medical City to Valley View.

One sunny day we were riding as usual.  Most likely Bernadette & Gilberto and maybe Chris Phipps were with us.  We all go at different speeds and we meet half way at a boat house on the south end of the lake near Garland Road. 

On this particular day, I had arrived at the boat house and was waiting as people came in.  No sign of Rosemary.  I was beginning to get concerned when I see her approaching.

She is fine, but says she was delayed because her chain fell off and she did not know how to replace it.  So she started walking.  As she walked numerous people passed her both riding bikes and walking or running. 

Suddenly out of the stream of people a guy asks her if she needs help.  When she tells him her problem, he says, "No problem."  He can fix it, which he did. 

She got back on her bike and continued on to the boat house.

We are in the process this Christmas season of looking around and searching, searching for this God- Hero, this Prince of Peace.  Where is he?  What does he look like? 

I would propose that the man who helped Rosemary is that person.  That is what he looks like.  That is what he does. 

There is another example of this person's presence in the story by our friend Steve Blow in this morning's Dallas Morning News.  A repo man was so touched by the plight of a woman whose car he was repossessing that he got his buddies together & they bought her another car.. A good story.  Read it.

I was so impressed with what the man did for Rosemary that it has made a small but significant difference in my own life.  I have resolved to ask people if they need help when they are broken down, especially on my bike, when I can get hooked often into an obsession with maintaining my average speed or whatever. 

This evening as we look around, this room is full of people who are like our God.  This is what he looks like, like the man who helped Rosemary.

Who is the Prince of Peace in your life?

How are you a Prince of Peace to others? 

Picture 1:   Charlie lighting the Advent & Christmas candles   

Picture 2:    4 of the 5 Bambini, Sienna with her dad, Payton; Leo with his mom, Shonda; Buddy & Torri with their mom, Michelle; Beth 

Picture 3:     All but Emma on the right

Picture 4:     Angels

Picture 5:     Joseph, Dillon, & Shepherd, Hunter

Picture 6:     Angels, Chloe, & Shepherd with Mary, Georgie, & Joseph, Dillon

Readings:

Isaiah  60, 1-6,  Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem.

Psalm 72,  Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

Ephesians  3, 2-3, 5-6,  You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace.

Matthew 2, 1-12, Behold, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem.

Emma says, Welcome, Everybody."

 Isaiah observations & reminders:

Who.  This is Isaiah III, the third of three.  

Time.  The Jewish people have been released from slavery in Babylon and are back in a devasted Jerusalem.  Around 555 before Christ.

Message:  consolation and encouragement.   The splendor of Jerusalem will shine again.

Leo and his daddy coming to work.

 Two Wise Men from the East

We all have people who are our models.  This morning in celebrating the Epiphany, I would like to tell you about two wise men from the east who have been models for me. 

The first is Julius Neyerere who was the first president of Tanzania when the country became independent in 1961.  I admire him first of all because he was maybe the first president of an African country to voluntarily retire from the presidency, which he did in 1985, after almost 25 years.  He was president all during my time in Tanzania.

Georgie coming to work.

Equally admirable to me was that he went to Mass every morning.  Yes, he was a Catholic and a very approachable person.  He & his family lived in a simple house in Dar es Salaam, the capital and he was open to seeing anyone.  He was really interested in the welfare of his people.  The country was poor but peaceful while I lived there.

Cowboy Cole and Zoe at work.

My second model from the east has been in the news this past month of December, because he just died at 95 years of age.  He was Nelson Mandela of South Africa.  He was and is a model for me because of at least 3 things.

First, he was in prison all during my ten years in East Africa.  In fact, he was in prison almost 30 years.  That knocks me out.  I remember the loneliness I felt in Tanzania at times and I was not even in prison.

Buddy and pal with his sister, Zoe.

During that time on three occasions he was offered conditional release.  He refused and demanded unconditional release.  Wow. 

But what really knocks me is that when he was released around 1990, he held no grudges and took no revenge.  On the contrary, he cooperated with some of the people who imprisoned him to govern the country with equality.

Tori in a contemplative mood.

A famous move he made once was when he supported the white national rugby team in a major match with the team from another country.

A second move he made wins my admiration.  He was elected president of South Africa in 1994.  At the end of his term in 1999, as he had promised, he declined to run again, but retired.  Phenomenal.  Would that some other African countries could follow that example.

Thirdly, all of Nelson’s adult life he fought for democracy, equality, and education.

C.C. helping to light the candles.

When he was on trial facing the death penalty or life, which he eventually received, he stated,

“I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

Who are your models and why?

Kayla helping to light the candles.

Readings:

1 Kings 19, 9, 11-13, Go outside and stand on the mountain before the Lord.

Psalm 85,  Lord, let us see your kindness and grant us your salvation            

Romans  9, 1-5, They are Israelites.  

Matthew 14, 22-33,   Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.     

Thanks to the Team

Music,  Ben & Shonda

Readers,  Jackie & Patricia, & Buddy, the candle blesser

Gospel & Homily,  Deacon Mike 

Eucharistic Prayer A & B, Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers, Mike (on vacation) & Richard, Ben & Hue 

Final Blessing, Rosemary

Download Readings week 19

1^st part of Homily

Today’s gospel is a continuation of last week’s story from Matthew about the Lord, with his disciples, feeding the Jews with the fish and the loaves, for the fish are a metaphor for the liturgy of the Word, and the loaves and leftovers a metaphor for the liturgy of the Eucharist. 

Homily by Mike Carrell

The Lord be with you.

A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew

After Jesus had fed the Jews, he made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side of the lake. With the crowd dispersed, Jesus climbed the mountain so he could be by himself to pray.

He stayed there alone, late into the night. Meanwhile, the boat was far out to sea when the wind came up against the boat, and they were battered by the waves. At about four o'clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them walking on the water. They were scared out of their wits. "A ghost!" they said, crying out in terror. 

Their music just gets better & better.

But Jesus was quick to comfort them. "Courage, it's me. Don't be afraid." Peter, suddenly bold, said, "Master, if it's really you, call me to come to you on the water." 

Jesus said, "Come ahead." But when Peter looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, "Master, save me!" Jesus didn't hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand. Then he said, "You of little faith, what got into you?" The two of them climbed into the boat, and the wind died down. 

The disciples in the boat, having watched the whole thing, worshiped Jesus, saying, "This is it! You are God's Son for sure!" 

Tom, Richard, & Hue working their magic.

2^nd part of homily

It was Jesus intention for his disciples to follow his example of sharing the fish and preparing the gentiles to also receive the loaves and leftovers, so that Jews and gentiles could become brothers and sisters in Christ. This story teaches the Church that its disciples were to have faith in his words even until the end of time.  The gospel of the Lord.

There he is, Folks, Mike finally in the wilderness of Colorado, with Rose.

Please Remember these special people:

For our Bill & his family,   For Becky's dad just discovered with the virus;  For Cindy recuperating from a procedure some weeks ago;    For Esparzas, Frank & Mary,  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;   For Mary & Dave Hall's g-daughter Allison Keller working at St. Lukes, Woodlands,  For Joe Hogan with cancer;  For Loretta's aunt Alicia;    For Sydney;  & For Sir Charlie & Jan;  Shonda's mom & Cody & Ben & all of Shonda's dear family;   for Michelle;

Two happy campers, Mike & Rose.

For Jackie's mom;  For a friend, a neighbor, & a doctor, Karen, with brain cancer; For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg; For Meredith, cancer free;    For Hue;  For John O'Donnell;    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

Where is that Mike??!!

Birthdays:   Carrie Bieda, 62; Stephen Farmer, 30; Marlene; Richard has a new grandbaby, Madeline, congratulations, Carrie

Anniversary:  John & Jean O'Donnell, 62nd;  Ryan McClurg & Grace, 7th  

Rosemary's Blessing:

Come, O Dancing God,

Spirit of Life and Love,

of  Beauty and Diversity,

stir up my soul,

bathe me in your light,

and unleash my own spirit

that I may dance with you

and be light for those around me

and reflect your love to all that I meet this week.

Edited and adapted from a blessing by Fr. Andrew M. Greeley

A 2020 broadcasting studio??

Community Finances, August 9, 2020

Expenses: $1040.00

Outreach   $300.00    (often for Souls Harbor, Legacy, etc.)

Thanks, Folks, for doing what you can.

Here is a link to a survey about access to the Sunday Mass.  Please take the survey and let us know how easy/difficult it is to get to the Mass.  Thanks. 

(Take this survey and all your life problems will be solved.  That is what Becky & Mike told me.)

Readings: Isaiah 22, 19-23; Psalm 138, Lord, Your Love is eternal; do not forsake the Work of Your Hands; Romans 11, 33-36; Matthew 16, 13-20 

Intro to Readings 

 Our sources for our three readings again this week are Isaiah, Paul to the Romans and Matthew’s Gospel.  John last week talked a little about the Letter to the Romans and I would like to continue with that topic a little further.  This letter to the Romans is different than all of his other letters for several reasons.

 This is Paul’s attempt to tell the folks in Rome, who do not know him, who he is and what he has been preaching!  All of Paul’s other letters were written to communities he had started himself.  He has not yet been to Rome, but there are Christians there.  Paul has enemies who are preaching that he is corrupting the Good News, and so he needs to address that very clearly.  This he does by explaining his own understanding of Jesus.

 Paul is also at a cross-roads in his own life.  He is just completing his missionary work in Asia Minor and Greece.  He is about to head back to Jerusalem with “The Collection”, money he has raised from these communities to support the Jerusalem Church – an early Peters Pence collection!  He then plans to head west to Spain and start his mission word there.  He will need a base in Rome to support that work, and so he also wants to make a good impression there.

 Of course, Paul never does get to Spain!  He is arrested after his visit to Jerusalem and does end up in Rome, but in jail, where he is eventually killed by Nero.

 Homily

 “Who do men say I am?”  This question is one that all three of the Synoptic Gospel writers have.  It is an interesting question, but one which we can all too easily glide over and see it as only directed at Peter.  I would like to propose that it is a very important question and one that each one of us needs to answer today!  Who is Jesus for me, for you? 

 In trying to understand and answer the question it is worth stepping back and approaching it in the following way.  Today, when we are introduced to someone, it is fairly common in the conversation to ask “ and what do you do?”  We tend to try to understand who someone is by what they do.  Their activity or job, helps us get a bit of a handle on who they are.  In the same way when Jesus asks the disciples the question, they tend to fall back on describing who he is by naming people who have done similar things in the past!  We know that the answer “what I do” is not a satisfactory answer, but it seems to be a fairly common approach.  When someone says “oh so you are a salesman” my instinctive reaction is to say yes but I am more than that.  Stick around and get to know me.  Determining who I am by just what I do is very superficial.  So too when it comes to Jesus, what he did is only part of the answer. 

 It seems to me that in order to fully answer the question about Jesus we need to do more than just know what he did.  Yes that will help, but I believe that this getting to know business is a lifetime work.  And reflection is very much a part of that activity. 

 I think that once we get to know someone really well, we change!  Our knowledge of them changes us as a person.  Think about this.  Reflect on the people who are in your life who really mean something to you.  Are you a different person because of that relationship?  I would have to answer “yes” in my case. My life is different, my attitude is different.  Now to bring it back to Jesus, we can certainly say that Peter’s life was very different after Jesus said, “come follow me”.  We know that Paul’s life was totally different after meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus.

 How do we develop and deepen our relationship with Jesus.  It really isn’t enough to just read the New Testament, and read about Jesus, that will just give us information!  We need to do that but then we need to start a dialog with Jesus, and we need to spend time listening to Him.  Not easy, but otherwise we will have a tough time answering the question.  Jesus will be merely an interesting person from long ago, and not someone who has a major say in our daily lives.

The question for each one of us is the same, “Who is Jesus for me?”

Picutre 1:    Justin with his grandmother, Jean

Picture 2:    Justin & Anthony

Picture 3:    Jon

Picture 4:    Shonda

Picture 5:    Emma

Readings:

Acts  14, 21-27,  It is  is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom.

Psalm 145,  I will praise you name forever, my king and my God, plus the great line (8), The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. 

Revelation  21, 1-5, I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth.

John 13, 31-33, 34-35,  My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me.   

Leo and his best buddy, John, say, "Hi, Everybody, Come in."

Acts, a couple of observations:

1. Remember the three rings of Acts, Jerusalem, Palestine, the World (Mediterranean & Rome)?   Since we are at Chapter 28 of 28, you can guess in what ring we are today, yes, the World.  Paul and Barnabas are in the region of Greece.
2. The author, the same as the Gospel of Luke.
3. The date again, before 70

Genevieve and her best Mommy also say, "Hi, Everybody."

Love one another

As you may remember, one of my most favorite lines in all the Bible is the first line in the first stanza of our Psalm 145 this morning, The Lord is gracious and merciful, never gets angry, and is abounding in love.   I read this and I add to it Jesus saying that, This is how they will know you, that you love one another. 

Is this real?   

Jan & Cindy have communion ready.  Choose wine or grape juice.

What is real is what I heard on the radio yesterday morning, really bad stuff.   Turns out that some professional bike riders were discovered to have developed motor enhanced bikes.  A small motor was inserted into the diagonal bar of the bike.  It was discovered in a race in Italy.

Now I know why these guys race past me at White Rock Lake.   Anybody know of anyone with a motor enhanced bike?  

More seriously, I look around and check out the news.  I read that towns all dear to me have been bombed by some really angry people, Paris, Brussels, Jerusalem.   People doing this think they are making the world a better place. 

Healing and Life for Angela.

Here at home we have what to me is a horrible political campaign going on.   

In our Catholic Church there is no shortage of hatred of fellow Catholics who disagree with policies or don’t conform to certain norms.   You all know that there are various Catholics who hate me for what I am doing.

Pope Francis is getting push back from Catholics who don’t approve of his ways and his message.  Francis took three refugee families into the Vatican and he got ridiculed.  His economic ideas are certainly meeting with hostility. 

Healing for Sandra.
 

So, they will know us by our love for one another?  The Lord is abounding in love?   

Is this just silly religious talk?  In my book, no, not completely. 

We have the examples of hate, which I would propose are often the result of hurt.  But we also have examples of love, respect, and care. 

Hue, our great sound man. 

Francis’ welcome of the 3 refugee families is for me an example.  The two picnics for The Love of Kids, another example.  We have been helping at those two picnics for years.  And there are hundreds of other people who contribute their time and even resources to help these under privileged and handicapped kids.

Look at Jim Maher who comes down here from St. Bonaventure with some students to help with the cleanup of the areas in Dallas that were his by the tornadoes.   They spend a week of their spring break here and they have been doing this for years.

Elevation.
 

Doug LeBlanc, Grace’s husband, together with other employees at Ericson, they all gathered on more than one occasion to help a fellow employee whose home had been wrecked by either a tornado or that hail. 

Did you read in the Dallas Morning News about the North Carolina judge who felt he had to sentence a vet with bad PTSD for repeatedly getting drunk.  He gave him 24 hours and then the judge spent the night in the cell with him.   Said he did not want to leave him alone with the PTSD. 

May I play that guitar, Daddy?  I think I can do it.

One final example of a person who inspired me by his grace in failure.  Jordon Spieth went from top of the leader board at the Masters to second.  He had a colossal melt down on the last day.  Nevertheless, he graciously congratulated the winner and helped present him with the winner’s sport coat.

This encourages me to know that there is lots of gracious caring in our world. 

Where do you see God showing his abundance of love?