Epiphany of the Lord, January 5, 2025

Isaiah 60:  Get out of bed, Jerusalem! Wake up. Put your face in the sunlight. God's bright glory has risen for you.

Ephesians 3:  The mystery is that people who have never heard of God and those who have heard of him all their lives (what I've been calling outsiders and insiders) stand on the same ground before God.

Matthew 2:  They entered the house and saw the child in the arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshiped him. Then they opened their luggage and presented gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh.

 
 
 
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Lynda reading from Isaiah

 

Thanks…     

Music,   Ben 

Readers,  Lynda & Tom

Homily,   John Cade

Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

The Magic Zoom makers,  Hue & Kevin

Final Blessing,  Rosemary

 

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Tom reading from Paul's letter to the Ephesians                    

 

 

Remember these special people:

For John Stack;  For John Simari's mother;  For Shonda's Grandmother;    For Meredith ;   For Tom  Quinn;   For Frank Esparza; For Lambrini, John Cade's wife, who is dealing with cancer ;  For Allen Stryker;   For Mike and Judy Carrell ; For Madeleine, Richard Eshelbrenner's granddaughter;  For Hue; For Jackie;   For Mary Hall's family and friend Cadence still suffering from a serious medical condition;   For Sir Charlie;  For Ron ;  For Teresa Quinn's niece, Maddie who has a brain tumor;  

                                       

 

Jackie's sister, & friend, Lynn;  For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg.;   For Jean & Cliff Wright;  For Dee, and for her daughters, Lisa & Lauren;  For a young man who is suffering from depression;  John Cade's daughter, Joey, with cancer; from Barbara, a little baby boy named Ford recuperating from an operation,  the families of Annie and Michael and her neighbor, Marie and the family;    for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

 

 

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Brent receiving a check for $2,000 for Soul's Harbor

 

 

Birthdays:   Tom Fleming 1/5, Cheryl O'Hagan 1/9

Anniversaries:   

 

 

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Donna sharing a Thank You card from the men at Soul's Harbor for the sweatshirts and hoodies.

 

Expenses:  2024   900.00           

                    2025   390.00

Outreach: $   2024   600.00           

                    2025   130.00

Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

 

 

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Lynda sharing a Thank You note  from the Plano Wellness Center for Older Adults for the gifts we gave them at Christmas

 

 

Rosemary's Blessing:

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

Lord, help us

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

Adapted from Work of Christmas Begins by Howard Thurman

 

 

 

 
John Stack Ministries meets on Sunday for Mass at 9:30 at The ArtCentre of Plano, 902 E. 16th St, Plano, Texas.
 

 

JSM Mission-Faith Statement  

 Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for & challenges spiritual & total growth.   Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged & make the world we live in a better place to live.

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    Isaiah 66:   They shall bring all your brothers and sisters from all the nations as an offering to the Lord …

    Hebrews 12:  So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees.  Make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be disjointed but healed.

    Luke 13:  For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.

                               

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    Thanks…

    Music,    Ben & Shonda

    Readers,  Connie & John

    Gospel,   John Cade

    Homily,  John Cade

    Eucharistic Prayer A & B,  John Stack & John Cade

    The Magic Zoom makers,      Hue & Richard & Kevin

    Final Blessing, Rosemary

                                                 

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    Readings:  Download 08-21-22- Readings – 21st Sunday Ord

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    John reading from Paul's letter to the Hebrews

     

     

     

     

    Remember these special people:

    For Jan; For Sandra who has been diagnosed with Large B Cell Lymphoma;   For Lambrini, John Cade's wife, who is dealing with cancer and Kaliope, John Cade's Mother-in-law;  For Hue; For Jackie;  For John's sister, Kathey recovering from a fall;    For Tom Good;  For a young man, 19 struggling with a brain tumor and cancer;     For Mary Hall's friend Cadence still suffering from a serious medical condition;   For Sir Charlie & Jan; 

                               

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    Jackie's mom, sister, & friend, Lynn;  For Rick Turner searching for a kidney donor, Type O neg.;   For Jean & Cliff Wright;  For Dee, and for her daughters, Lisa & Lauren;     For a young man who is suffering from depression;  John Cade's daughter, Joey, with cancer; from Barbara, a little baby boy named Ford recuperating from an operation & friends, Annie, a mom of 3 kids and Michael ;    for the medical staffs, teachers, and coaches in our public & private schools.

     

     

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    Birthdays:   Marilyn Ackerman 8/26

    Anniversaries:   

          

    Community Finances:   

    Expenses:  2,370.00

    Outreach: $   125.00

    Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

     

                     

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    Wisdom 7:  I prayed, and prudence was given me;  I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.

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    Remember these special people:

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    RIchard gets a cookie for his birthday

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    Anniversaries:   Ben & Candace 10/18

     

     

     

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    Shonda gets Leo's cookie for his birthday 2 weeks ago

     

     

    Community Finances:   

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      Outreach: $   260.00 

     

    Thanks again, Folks, for doing what you can.

     

     

     

     

    Rosemary's Blessing:

    May you be blessed with the gift of humility

    To know who you are,

    To appreciate your strengths and talents,

    To be aware of your shortcomings and limitations,

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    To be grateful each day for life

    Author Unknown

     

     

     
    John Stack Ministries meets on Sunday for Mass at 9:30 at The ArtCentre of Plano, 902 E. 16th St, Plano, Texas.
     

     

    JSM Mission-Faith Statement  

     Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for & challenges spiritual & total growth.   Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged & make the world we live in a better place to live.

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    When I got out of the car and pushed the button to lock all of its doors, I immediately noticed, about two yards from the entrance of the store a stranger, at least to me. He was homeless, for he was wearing too many clothes, unshaven, had dark hair and complexion, and he was finishing the last drink of water that he would get from a small plastic bottle.

     

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    He was looking right at me, and I at him. As I approached him he addressed me in a language I did not know or understand.  Searching his face I sought his eyes and noticed a bit of a smile as he ran his fingers through his hair.  He reached to open the door for me.  What should I do? 

     

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    In a split second I heard the question from the unrighteous in today’s parable, ‘When was it that we saw you a stranger and did not welcome you?’

     

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    Would I have responded with a joyful smile?  Would I have embraced him with his perfume of sweat?  Would I have kissed him on his forehead, taking hold of his arm to have him enter with me?  Would I have asked the people in the store if anyone knew his language so that I could find out why he was there and what he needed?  Would I have invited him to my home, offered him the opportunity to take a shower, laid out something for him to wear as I washed his clothes and prepared something for him to eat?   

     

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    Brandon, our Candle Lighter of The Week.

     

    Jesus, an itinerant preacher, had a dark complexion and nowhere to rest his head.  Was he present to me here and now? The Lord in our parable was hungry, thirsty, a stranger longing for a visit.   Yes, every encounter we have with another is meant to be a holy encounter.  

     

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    Our School gorilla (know any other school with a pet gorilla at the door to the cafeteria?) says he is happy to see us back in the cafeteria after being in the gym for Christmas Eve.

     

    When we name the other person God, we name ourselves.  We verify our name, the body of Christ in the world.