Readings:
Genesis 14, 18-20, Blessed be Abraham.
Psalm 110, You are a priest forever in the line of Melchizedek
1 Corinthians 11, 23-26, I have much more to tell you.
Luke 9, 11-17, Dismiss the crowds
Richard & Carol
Today's team, John & John.
And sez John, "Welcome in, Everybody.
Readings:
Proverbs 8, 22-31, I was his delight day by day playing before him all the while. ( A Good One )
Psalm 8, You have made him little less than the angels ( A beautiful Psalm )
John 16, 12-15, I have much more to tell you.
And Geri, too, tells everybody, "Hurry up and get in before it rains again."
A Metaphor of Life, The Icy Straight Point Zip Line
Anybody know what a zip line it? Ever ridden one?
For those unfamiliar with a zip line, it is a cable strung between two tree tops or multiple tree tops. A rider gets into a harness, hooks onto the cable, steps out, and rides the cable to the next tree top.
Claire & Patricia, What are you two cooking up?
The one Rosemary & I took some years ago was outside Ashville, SC. We were there to celebrate the wedding of Lori Bayer. This zip line crossed a valley and involved landing 4-5 times on platforms set up in trees along the way. Great fun.
There is another zip line. The Mother of all zip Lines. Guess where. Yep, Alaska. Specifically on an island inhabited by the Tlilgit Indian tribe, an island called Icy Straight Point. The Indians are mining gold today from their welcoming tourists.
Who let you out on the streets this morning, Mike?
Why the Mother of all Zip Lines? In the whole world it is the longest and the highest, over one mile long with no stops from start to finish. Instead of one cable, six, with six riders simultaneously. How long to cover the mile from the top of the mountain to the base? About one minute! Figure out how fast this is? Yep! 60 mph.
Our cruise ship the Orion with 900 passengers, moored at their dock one morning. Unfortunately, it was rainy & chilly. So Rosemary decided to take a guided trip to watch some bears. It was not that either one of us was interested in riding the zip line with such weather. I was just hanging around when 15 minutes later the sun came out and the rain stopped. I had to go. It was the last bus load up the mountain.
Would somebody please go sit with John?
It was so worth it, including the price of ca. $150. I’ve never parachuted, but it must be similar. The attendants buckled me into no. 4, my 5 companions all seemed ready, the guys said, “Here you go,” The gates swung open, we were pushed from behind, and I was flying down my cable so fast I stuck out my hands like wings, and started laughing almost hysterically.
Jan, watch that Denni closely or she'll be putting extra bread in her purse for snacks during Mass. Just like the kids.
Why talk about a zip line in a Sunday homily? This world class zip line is a metaphor for our lives.
First, there is overwhelming beauty. Every day we encounter and are surrounded by beauty, the beauty of nature, the beauty of human creativity, the beauty of people, big as well as little ones. Look at Georgie & Buddy, Zoe and Tori.
This is a shout out for Rick. He needs a kidney transplant, Blood type O negative. Please spread the word.
Like my minute on the zip line, our lives, too, go by with enormous speed. Before I knew it, I’m almost 80 years old.
Finally, the exhilaration at the end of the ride. I was so high when I stepped out of that harness and so was everyone in my group.
How is your life like a one mile long Indian zip line?
The Best Music in town, Shonda, Ben, & David.
A Note from Ye old Editor of our beloved Community Newsletter and Blog:
Sorry for the delay this week. I was all ready to join the community for Pentecost, then came down with a beauty of a cold after arriving Thursday night from our cruise through Alaska, which is even more beautiful than I expected. Hope to see everybody this Sunday, Trinity.
Readings:
Genesis 11, 1-9, The whole world spoke the same language. (from the vigil Mass)
Psalm 104, Lord, Send out your spirit, and renew the face of the earth. (Vigil)
Exodus 19, 3-8, Moses went up the mountain to God. (Vigil)
John 14, 15-16, 23-26, If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
Homily:
Alaska Dreaming
Despite the fact that Rosemary & I would love to invite all of you to join us on the Alaska cruise, we know it is impossible. In place of that, however, I would like to high light 4 specials that touched us.
Of all the many specials that we experienced, l would say that the profound natural beauty that surrounded us was overwhelming, whether in the south of Ketchikan and Sitka to the north of Valdez and Seward. It struck me as Yosemite on steroids. Necklaces of glaciers and snow capped mountains. We saw a lot because the sun rose about 3:00 A.M. and set about 11:00.
A small phenomenon that hit me was Juneau, the State capitol, chosen by the people in 1906. You cannot get there by car. No roads in or out. A few cars wander the town roads because they are shipped in by boat. Instead, snowy peaks and glaciers.
Another place that struck me was a little island called IcyStraight Point, an island occupied by the Tlingit tribe.
This tribe has gone all in on tourism, providing 6-8 daily excursions around the island to see bears, go fishing, and wander the trails. They also built the longest zip line in the world, so they told me, one mile long with six cables running simultaneously. It takes about an hour bus ride to get to the top of this peak. We all get buckled in, they double check everybody, then, “Away we Went.” And it was beautiful. If only I could have gone again I would appreciate it even more.
Another thing that struck me and really touched me was the number of people using wheel chairs, walkers, and canes. I remember seeing four women in wheel chairs. I told the lady with a walker that I would give her $25 to use her walker on the shore excursion we were taking. She said, “Make it $50 and I’ll think about it.
At the gym where I worked out in the mornings two guys came in most mornings, put down their canes by their machines or bikes, and off they went. This meant a lot to me because in future years I can see myself boarding with a cane.
I feel doubly blessed that Rosemary & I could witness such natural beauty and such beauty in our fellow travelers. Your blessing this week?
"Welcome in," says Sophia.
Daylight Saving Time this week!!
Welcome: Catholic Mass with coffee & juice, and pastries, some bought, some home-made.
Time: 9:30; Celebrate with the Community & Stack & John Cade & Mike homilizing
Place: Legacy Charter School, 601 Accent Drive, Plano, TX 75075
Healing Touch.
Readings:
Deuteronomy 26, 4-10, He brought us out of Egypt.
Psalm 91, Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
Romans 10, 8-13, No one who believes in him will be put to shame.
Luke 4, 1-23, Jesus in the desert for forty days.
What decor! Ever see decor like this in the cafeteria of an elementary school?
Community Activities:
ROMEO MEET: Friday, March 8, Jason's Deli, Collin Creek Mall, west side of Central, 1:00. Welcome all wakos, you will fit right in.
JULIETTE LUNCHEON: April - TBA
Communion prep.
TRUE?
No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
Aesop
Communion Team ready.
What's up in Ye Old Catholic Church? Like…
Ugh, oh!, Trouble coming from these two…
See you Sunday, Remember, Day Light Sunday
J.S., 214-783-0443
Peace, Everybody.
JSM Mission-Faith Statement:
Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for and challenges spiritual and total growth.
Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged and make the world we live in a better place to live.
Ye Olde Coffee Shoppe is open. As good as Starbucks, but much cheaper, in fact, Free! Welcome.
Readings: Habakkuk 1, 2-3, 2, 2-4; Psalm 95, If today You hear His Voice, harden not Your Hearts; 2 Timothy 1, 6-8, 13-14; Luke 17, 5-10.
Habakkuk (What a Name!), Observations:
Author: Habakkuk, one of the 12 minor prophets (small book, only 3 chapters. Less known about Habakkuk than any other scripture writer.
Date: Probably right before the great Babylonian Captivity, i.e., around 600.
Subject: The Babylonians are coming. Get ready for bad times, because you Jewish people have been bad. Like all prophets, prophesy of doom and disaster for sin, followed by peace after purification by Yahweh. There is an imaginary dialogue between Yahweh & Habakkuk. We'll read all of chapter 1 & the first 4 verses of chapter 2 for a richer view of the writing.
Different Paradigm: Gifted and Giving
I recently had the occasion to reacquaint myself with a bad old friend from my youth. The friend is Stein’s Bakery.
Stein’s today is located at Preston & LBJ, southwest corner When I was a kid it was located at Preston & Northwest Hwy., southwest corner, what is called now Preston Center.
I had a Dallas Morning News paper route when I was in high school and covered three streets just north of Northwest Hwy, Deloache, Woodlawn, and Park Lane. When I would finish throwing my papers about 4:30 ( I walked in those days ), I would stop in at Stein’s on my way back home to buy a small fried cherry pie. They were terrific.
During my recuperation this year, someone I will name, Cindy Cramer, brought me a new taste temptation from Stein’s, something called cinnamon crisps. I could not resist.
So, I headed back to Stein’s for the first time in 50 years. I am thinking this is a momentous event, my return to Stein’s. I order my half dozen & explain to the sales girl I have returned for the first time in 50 years. I expect maybe she will play a trumpet or Fanfare for the Common Man, at least give me the cinnamon crisps gratis as a welcome home gesture.
You guessed it. She was totally ho hum. I was deflated. Does she not know who I am, what a great guy I am, where I have been all these years?
I am reminded of this event because I am intrigued by the notion in the reading that we, I, are all unprofitable servants, just doing what we have been commanded by the master. This has not been my understanding. Were we not taught that we are special in the eyes of the creator?
I see a trap in considering myself simply as an unprofitable creature, in other words, fairly useless. If I have such a low self image of myself, I will certainly not be excited about my life. In fact, I probably could be pretty negative.
I would propose two thoughts:
1. Let me change the paradigm from master & servant to Gifted and Giving. Servant & master is not what we are into. This is not our language.
2. Then, let me observe that we are both, both gifted and giving. Not just gifted or giving. Moreover, we are even more gifted when we are giving, not as unprofitable and useless creatures, but as also gifted.
Sometimes we think we are one or the other. I’m worthless or, like when I went to Stein’s, I am hot stuff.
So what are you & how do you know what you are?
Picture 1: Fred & Patricia's wedding at The Parsonage
Picture 2: Erin & Brian under the Pecan Tree, Heritage Ranch, Fairview
Picture 3: Sienna with Eva pulling
Picture 4: Eva