Sunday Homily, July 23, 2017,16th Ordinary Time A

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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. 

 

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.  

 

 

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:

 

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome Back, Dear Seth.  It is delightful to see you again.

 

Readings:

Ezekiel  18, 25-28,  The Lord’s way is not fair.

Psalm 25,  Remember your mercies, O Lord

Phlippians 2, 1-11,  Because of this, God greatly exalted him

Matthew 20, 28-32,  A man had two sons 

 

 

 

Seth, as delightful as it is to see you, it is even more fun to see you awake.  Hi to your Mama, Monique.

 

 

Ezekiel observations:

Who:  Ezekiel is one of the 3 great prophets, along with Isaiah and Jeremiah. 

When:  He lived in Babylon before and during the  Captivity, ca. 555 before Christ

Message:  condemnation of behavior and promise of divine punishment.  The promise of a brighter future someday.

 

 

 

Welcome in to you, too, Cory and Ben.

 

Do nothing out of selfishness,  rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also for those of others.

I would like to proclaim today a Good News Sunday.  I seem to be overwhelmed lately with bad news.  The Good News is still here. Philipppians says it and people are doing it.  They are not acting out of selfishness.  They are not looking out just for their own interests.  They are caring for others.

 

 

 

Welcome in to you, too, Dearest Harper.

 

 

3 examples.

First, last Tuesday morning Rosemary & I teamed up with Carrie to ride around that Dallas jewel, White Rock Lake.  We meet usually on the north bridge by the doggie park.  She & Paul live on the east side of the Lake.  Rosemary & I ride south down the White Rock Creek path, which is a gem in its own right. 

So Tuesday we are riding south down the eastern shore of the lake.  We take a little loop that puts us on the tail end of Lake Highlands Drive.  We go down a dip and up a slope going left.  I am ahead & hear Carrie call my name.  I go on perhaps 50 yards & don’t see them behind me.  I go back.  Carrie had dropped her chain.

 

 

 

Hi to the Seth Clan, Cameron & Frank, Mary, Monique and Nicole with Mr. Seth.

 

By the time I get there, they have the bike upside down and are fixing it.   I know Rosemary knows how to fix the chain and I am sure Carrie does too.  Everything is going okay but one place the chain is wedged between the seat post and the front derailer.  I join in the effort.  The chain is really wedged.

Meanwhile other bikers are rolling by.   I hear, “Need any help?  “No,” we respond, sure we can fix this thing.  Finally, a black guy rides by and asks the same question.   But instead of passing on, he stops, takes a look, fiddles a bit with the chain, then yanks it into place.  All cheer he hops back on his bike and sails away.

 

 

 

Who is that escorting Erin up the aisle to her wedding?  Can it really be??  Yes, it can!  Erin is being escorted by her very son, The Great Cole.

 

 

You know what struck me?  Perhaps a dozen people rode by and every one of them asked if we needed help. 

The Good News: Care for each other exists.

 

 

 

Erin & Greg,  Have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage?   (The wedding is taking place on Erin & Greg's home in Spring Valley, TX, small community north of Dallas about an hour on I35.) 

 

 

Secondly.  There is a Jewish temple in Austin.  A five member family from Afganistan moved in recently.  The community from the temple decided to adopt the family, help them get settled, and provide them with the assistance they would need. 

Time passed and the family got settled in okay.  To celebrate, the community took the 5 members of the family one evening to a  Greek restaurant in Austin.  All went well.  There were 18 members of the community.

When the community went to cover all the expenses, the cashier told them there was no charge.  “How come?”, they asked.   

 

 

 

Exchange of Vows.

 

 

“Some man came up and covered all your expenses,” the cashier responded.  “Do you know who he is?”, they asked.  “No,” came the answer, “He did not leave his name nor even his card.” 

“I know only one thing about him, because he comes here occasionally.”   “Yes?”, they asked.  “He is Palestinian.”

(Story came from Rabbi David Stern's sermon on the link.)

The Good News: Care for each other exists.

 

 

 

Here they are everybody, the young couple in Toronto.

 

Thirdly.  In a retirement home in Toronto there is a couple of people, a man and a woman who got to know and care for each other.  Recently they got married.   They walked in, but they sat through the ceremony in chairs marked Mr. & Mrs.  At the time when they were invited to kiss each other, they bumped foreheads.  He is 101 and she is 86.

The Good News: Care for each other exists.

Whom do you care for?

 

 

 

Is that the famous Head Bump?   Yes, definitely.

 

 

 

 

Thanks a ton, John, for officiating at our liturgies the 3 Sundays Rosemary & I have been absent.  You are a joy.

 

 

Readings:  

 Isaiah 53, 10-11,  The Lord was pleased to crush him in infirmity.

Psalm 33,  Lord, let your mercy be on us as we place our trust in you..

 Hebrews 4, 14-16, We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses.

 Mark 10, 35-45, What do you wish me to do for you?

 

 

 

Let the celebration begin: Emma prepares the Candles.

 

 

 Mark:  Greatness is being a servant to all

Homily:  The language used in this Gospel story could just as well be a story about the ‘kingdom of heaven’, ‘kingdom of God’, catch phrases Jesus used to describe his dream for the ideal world. The beatitudes (blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are the peacemakers…) are another description of Jesus’ dream of what could be. Today another phrase, “be a servant of all”.

 

 

 

 

The Best Team.

 

     The catch in all these phrases that capture Jesus’ vision for us, is that it’s not God bringing it about. Jesus places the responsibility for creating a better life on earth squarely on our shoulders. We are blessed with all the abilities and resources needed to accomplish Jesus’ vision for our life. We have the wherewithal to create the peace and blessings of ‘the kingdom of God’. The decision to do so rests with us.

     Being a ‘servant of all’ is the phrase today’s Gospel uses to describe who the followers of Jesus are.  The big ways we make ourselves servants are more easily seen: like the four women in Dallas who, about 10 years ago, founded an organization to help end sexual violence and to provide comprehensive services for all affected by sexual violence. I thought of a few smaller ways we can be a servant:

 

 

 

Welcome back Kathleen.  Good to see you & your buddy, Sandra.

 

 

First thought, my nephew Merik: last Sunday he and his wife Kathryn, hosted Lambrini and me and Kalliopi, and his mother and her father—our turn to meet baby Henri. Merik was so gracious and open in greeting us, and in allowing us access to Henri, to hold him, carry him, rock him, burp him after he was fed, and setting him in his remote controlled ‘rocking chair’. Knowing we were interested, he showed us around their home and yard, his landscaping and vegetable garden where he gave Kalliopi some mature okra for the seeds.

 

 

 

My Dear Luke, Welcome into The Community & congratulations on your Baptism

 

Second thought, you here: often you return Mass & song books to their boxes, for your people or people on your row; Eucharistic servers try to make sure everyone gets to share in our Eucharistic meal on both sides, before consuming what’s left over;

 

 

 

It must be Halloween and these kids know how to decorate.

Third thought, Freddie, my 7 year old grandson: last week my daughter Joey treated Freddie to his favorite dinner out, sushi, because his older brother, Leo, was at a sleepover.  On leaving the restaurant Freddie took a lollipop, and on the way home he told Joey he was saving it for Leo because Leo missed the sushi treat.  

 

How do you see others and yourself accepting Jesus’ challenge to make his dream come true by being a servant to all?

 

Download IMG_0592

 

 Watch Luke go.  This is what Baptism will do for you.  For the first time ever Luke started crawling.

Readings:  

Acts 2, 1-11, They were all in one place together;

Psalm 104, Lord, Send out your spirit and renew the face of the earth;

1 Corinthians 12, 3-7, 12-13, There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same spirit. 

John 15, 26-27; 16, 12-15, I Have much more to tell you.

 

Notes on the readings, Mike Carrell

 At the end of Luke’s gospel, the apostles receive instructions from the Lord. First of all they were told that he fulfilled the expectation of the Law, Prophets and Psalms for the coming of the Messiah. 

Then they were told that as the Father had sent him to bring forgiveness to humankind, he was sending them.

Finally they were told to wait in Jerusalem for the Father’s gift of the Spirit.  In our reading from the Acts of the Apostles, the disciples receive this gift, that Christ is alive to them through the power of the Spirit.

 In the letter to the Corinthians we are reminded that God has no favorites.  The Spirit is alive within the hearts of all who welcome the good news and put it into practice by their words and actions.

Pentecost Homily, Mike Carrell

 If you haven’t heard the story of the Master violin-maker, I share it with you now.  His violins when used by a skilled violinist produced tones so true that they resonated within the hearts of those who listened to them.  Violinists traveled from all over the country to his workshop in the mountains to seek the opportunity to purchase or play one of his violins. 

This master violin-maker had been taught by this father that the most important step in making a great violin was the choice, curing and aging of the very best wood available. This meant that the wood used to construct a violin was in a preparation process for years before the violin’s construction could begin.

 This master violin-maker wanted the process begun by his father to be followed after he had died, so he wrote it down and began instructing one of his skilled wood crafters everything his father had taught him.   One day in the dead of winter, he asked the one he was grooming to follow him to enter the forest with him for it was time to choose another tree for his wood cutter so that its wood could be to put into the process of curing and aging.

It was a cold day, with some snow swirling in from the north.  The master handed a compass to the younger man, and took a colored piece of rope from the wall of his office along with a ribbon to identify the tree.  The younger man walked with him until they reached a downward slope on the parcel of land that had been given to the master by his father.

It felt much colder now, and after placing the rope, that required a certain diameter tree to be chosen, around several trees, he choose one.  Now the trees along this slope were bent and rugged looking, not like the ones where the workshop was located. 

‘Why this tree,’ asked the younger man?  The master replied, ‘Look at the compass. You will see that these trees face due north. This tree has received for the last 100 years the brunt of the incoming north wind, snow and ice, and it has endured.  This wood is your friend: it is about to give its life to you. Its cross section will give witness to a life well lived for it has been pruned many times so the sound of your violins will be vibrant and true….  

Now, what is the meaning of the story? The wood that was chosen to make great violins is another metaphor of God’s plan of salvation for us.  Each of us is the young apprentice to whom the metaphor was explained, and the music played by the violinists, that resonates within our hearts, is the Spirit.   

 The teaching in which we find today’s gospel reading begins, ‘No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,’ and that we are Christ’s friends because he has made known to us everything that he has heard from the Father.

We have been empowered by the Spirit to live what Christ has taught us.  So, we are reminded at this feast of Pentecost and the 50^th anniversary of Vatican II to be servants of the least among us who yearn to do God’s will. Continue to extend to them peace and justice, for we have all been made in the same image, to share the same bread, to have the same Father and to be bound together by the same Spirit.

 

 

  

Readings: Acts of the Apostles 6, 1-7; Psalm 33, Lord, let your Mercy be upon Us, as we place our Trust in You; 1 Peter 2, 4-9; John 14, 1-12 

Fourth Sunday in Easter Time – Intro to Readings.

 

 
 In both our first two readings today Peter is mentioned.  In Acts we hear him preaching and urging people to repent and be baptized. We are told that about 3,000 responded and were baptized!  Our second reading is written by Peter, his first Letter to the early Christian communities, in modern day Turkey.  So I thought that I would spend a few moments talking about Peter.  Incidentally, Peter could well be the “poster boy” for a married clergy!  He was the first person called by Jesus, and was married.  And against any claim that Jesus may not have realized that Peter was married, we are told that Jesus cured Peter’s mother-in-law (Matt 8:14), and St. Paul even mentions that the wife traveled around with Peter (1 Cor. 9:5). 

 We know that he was a fisherman when Jesus called him to discipleship, and Peter immediately left his nets and followed Jesus.  His story is interesting because Peter had a tough time of it.  Peter got into trouble lots of times.  When Jesus first prophesied about his death, Peter objected only to be strongly rebuked by Jesus (Matt 16:22, Mk 9:31) who said to him, “get behind me Satan”.  He tried his hand at walking on water, only to sink ignominiously (Matt 14: 28-31). And after witnessing the Transfiguration with James and John, his immediate reaction was to erect some tents, (Matt 17:1, Mk 9:2 and Lk 9:28) missing the whole point of the event!  At the agony in the garden, he couldn’t stay awake with Jesus, and had to be woken up three times (Matt 26:40, Mk 14:37).   And of course his biggest blunder was that even having been warned that he would do it (Matt 26: 33-35, Mk 14: 29-31, Lk 22:33ff and Jn 13:36-38) he denies Jesus three times (Matt 26:69ff, Mk 14:68ff, Lk 22:58ff and Jn 18:25ff). 

 All of this would seem to disqualify Peter from any possible position within this little community, and yet he emerges as its head.  You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church.(Matt 16:18)  What seems to be the lesson from all of this, no matter how much of a mess we make of things, God does not seem to mind!

 
 
 

 Fourth Sunday in Easter Time – Homily

 One of the major themes in John’s Gospel is to show that all of the major Jewish Feasts are transformed by Jesus.  This gospel reading comes on the day after the Feast of Tabernacles.  If you look closely at John’s Gospel, it can very easily be divided up into a number of different major Jewish Feasts.  There are Passover Feasts, one at the beginning of the Gospel, a second in the middle and of course the third at the end.  But in between these we have the Feast of Tabernacles and immediately after that the Feast of Dedication.  The Feast of Tabernacles is interesting because it lasts 8 days, and is the third most important feast for the Jews. The feast was celebrated in the fall.  There were many processions with candles.  For us Jesus is the Light.  Tents were erected, and the feast celebrated the harvest, and also the original dedication of the temple.  Water was brought from the Pool where the blind man from our reading on the fourth Sunday in Lent was cured.  We recently had a reading which comes right before today’s gospel reading and it was about the young man born blind, and which the Jews refused to believe that Jesus had cured him.  Remember they even called in his parents and asked them if their son had been blind.  So we have just been reading about blind people.  Then comes today’s reading, and it expands the meaning of the blindness to that of the Pharisees.  Because they certainly should have been able to recognize who Jesus was, but instead they are the blind ones. 

 Jesus uses the example of a shepherd and sheep recognizing him.   Shepherds are obviously what we are supposed to talk about today!  But how many of you have ever seen a shepherd?  Or know anyone who is a shepherd?  Or, better yet, any one here ever been a shepherd?  Ok. How about sheep, has everyone seen sheep, at least eaten mutton!

 I am afraid that we better talk about something else!  The gospel today is discussing getting in through a gate and that the Pharisees are going to have a tough time of it.  The good news is that we are already in!!  Yes, by our baptism we are already through that gate, we are already in the kingdom of God.  We need to focus on what is expected of one in the kingdom!  Remember last week’s gospel, the two disciples had decided to leave Jerusalem and head home, the whole Jesus movement was a bit of a failure.  A stranger, who explains the scripture to them, kind of like what John and I try to do each week here, joins them on their journey.  Then when they stop for the night, they invite the stranger to join them, and they recognize him when they sit down to a meal and break bread.  Which is what we do here too!  We break bread together, and in that action we need to be able to recognize each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.  Christ is present in each one of us!!  Like the two on the road, they do not recognize Jesus, we too can easily find it hard to recognize Jesus, but he is there, present in each one of us.

 I think we can forget about the sheep, and even forget about shepherds, it was all from a very different time and place.  Our focus needs to be on the fact that we are already thru that gate, and are in the kingdom of God.  Our focus needs to be on seeing Jesus in each other.  But remember, we are not going to be perfect, we will probably be more like Peter, the good news is that God doesn’t seem to mind.  All that matters is that we are trying.  After the resurrection, remember Peter had to pass only one test, “Peter, do you love me, feed my lambs, feed my sheep” How did those sheep get in again!!

 

Picture 1:   Beginning of Mass with Tony

Picture 2:   Offertory with Barb & Warren

Picture 3:   Leo with Jackie

Picture 4:   Emma

Picture 5:   Sienna with her daddy, Payton

 

Readings: Acts 4, 8-12; Psalm 118, The stone rejected by the builders has become the corner stone; 1 John 3, 1-2; John 10, 11-18, The Good Shepherd 

Acts:  A review–

Date: ca. 70-100 A.D.

Author: Luke, who wrote both the Gospel and Acts

Setting:  Just like the last 2 Sundays, Peter & John have just healed a lame man outside of the temple gate.  The people rush to question them.  They say it happened because of God's power and that Jesus was raised from the dead.  The high priests hear about this and have them arrested.  After telling them to stop saying Jesus was raised from the dead, the two are released.

Our Selection: last week we read Peter's discourse to the local believers in a room.  The week before we read about the quality of life of the local believers, communal.  Today's account is Peter talking to the high priests and elders of the high court.  They are on trial.

John:

Date of Gospel: A.D. 85-95

Author: scholars have doubts that the Apostle John is the writer of the 3 works attributed to John, the Gospel, 3 letters, & Revelation.  Doubts exist even that one writer composed all the works.

The Shepherd Who lays down His Life

Back in the beautiful old days of St. Mark's, during the time when Duffy was our super hospitable pastor, Rita was the housekeeper and the to die for cook, and we had a fun staff with priests like Dean Pratt & Fr. Rudy, we had three marvelous deacons, Arnold Pichon, Mike Carroll, and Bob Scoggins. 

I had the privilege to get to know Arnold especially well when he started out as a novice deacon.  For years we did the Hispanic Mass in the cafetorium at 9:00.  I watched him move from being a rather nervous homilist to being a confident, caring deacon as the years went by.  He was faithful to the community.  He gave his heart to those people and so far as I understand, he still does.  Every Sunday and days in between, whoever the priest is who shows up.

Everybody at St. Marks knew Mike Carroll.  Not only did he tell numerous smaltzie stories in his homilies, standing right down at the base of the altar like I loved to do.  He also made good points and he was always there.  I would arrive for evening penitential services during Lent & Advent.  Who was running the services?  He also dedicated his heart to the people and in particular to the kids in formation programs.

Finally there was Bob Scoggins, whom I love just as much as Arnold and Mike.  Scoggins was always at the 10:30 cafetorium Mass, and from the beginning I admired him for something special.  Bob's wife Trula had MS.  When I started saying the 10:30, Trula was always there in a wheel chair or some kind of conveyance.

The years went on and suddenly it dawned upon me that Trula was not there.  I asked Bob about it and he said Trula had deteriorated and could not get out of bed for long.  I suggested he simply bring her and she could lie on a bed near or on the stage while we had the Mass.  Bob, however, thought it would be too hard & embarrassing for her.

Sometime after that, Trula went on to her reward.  Then, every time Bob gave a homily he would end up in tears talking about Trula's example.  It continued so long that finally I used to tell him before the Mass, "Okay, Scoggins, no tears today!."  Slightly preposterous of me, who deals with tears often enough.  A lot of good it did.  More tears always came.  Finally, somewhere in those golden days, Bob went to stay with Trula.  He gave his heart to the people of St. Mark's and to Trula. 

I was reminded of these terrific guys because we are reading in John about the Good Shepherd who lays down his life.  Scoggins was a Good Shepherd and laid down his life, his whole heart for Trula and the people.

Arnold and Mike are Good Shepherds.  They are still pouring out their hearts and their lives for the people.  It don't get better than these guys.

You might think, "Well, nice, but I don't see anybody else besides these deacons.  Plus, that is their job."  Look around some more.  Try Julia Grenier who started the Collin County Adult Clinic.  Try Rita Dore who played such a marvelously hospitable compliment to Duffy and who baby sat The Man through so much.  She was there in the background, but likewise playing the role of The Good Shepherd, pouring out her heart & her life for us guys.

My old coach, teacher, and Scout Master at Christ the King was a Good Shepherd to me.  Frank Hart.  He gave me his life. 

 

Two questions:

        1.  Who is your model for The Good Shepherd?

        2.  How are You a Good Shepherd?

AUDIO:  http://mysite.verizon.net/reso7rjy/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2009-05-03.mp3

Picture 1:  Mass with Kevin helping

Picture 2:  Choir, Wendy, Ray, & Celeste

Picture 3:  Our Father, Kevin, Patricia, & Bill

Picture 4:  The Ekes, Zalie, Cindy, Marlene, Bobby, Mabel, & Debbie