Homilies

Readings:

Wisdom 12, 13, 16-19,   You judge with clemency

Psalm 86,   Lord, you are good and forgiving.

1 Corinthians 3, 6-8,  the one who plants and the one who waters each have one purpose.  

Matthew 13, 1-23,  Kingdom Parables

  

Homily by Mike

Recall the Responsorial response that we sang together last Sunday, ‘The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest."  Of course, the sower of the seed is the Lord who sows the Word of God.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit that seed becomes alive within our hearts.  So, we are likened to the fertile soil that receives the seed to be shared with others by word and example.

I commend you for doing just that, for we have gathered here today to be fertile soil with and for one another.  Led by the Spirit we have come to nourish one another with hymns, sacred psalms and prayer with a meal of fish and bread: The Liturgy of the Word and Eucharist.

 

 

When we entered through those open doors, we were greeted by; a stanza of psalm and the tuning of guitar; those being chosen to present the Scriptures; bite sized bread being made ready for the meal, along with grape juice that is a metaphor for the Holy Spirit being poured out for all; early pictures being taken for the blog; the altar being covered with table cloth and candles, sweet bread and coffee being placed on the back tables for fellowship after Mass; and hugs given to John and Ro and to those who have not taken seat yet.

 

 

The opening hymn announced the coming of the procession of those assigned to the Table, both young and old.  We sit to reflect on where we are and why.  John welcomes everyone, visitors by name first…which he has written on a small piece of paper, if necessary.  We become aware of the status of those who have or are about to have surgery; those who we will visit; or send a card; or bring dinner.

 

And we will join our hands and hearts as fertile soil to live the Lord’s prayer to bring about the kingdom of God here and now and grant one another with a sign of Christ’s peace in the unity to which we have been called.  Children are invited to the Table, visitors as well, all are invited for God has no favorites. ‘ We love each person here as Christ has and does love each of us.’  We are brothers and sisters. 

 

 

We are anointed with the sacred oil, for together, we are the fertile soil, who forgives others as God has forgiven us.   We smile, one and all, granting young and old happy birthday or anniversary with a simple small cut of cake.  Alleluia, Deacon Mike

 

 

 

Readings:

Isaiah 55, 10-12,   Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down…

 Psalm 65,   The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.

Romans 8,  18-23,  The sufferings of this present time are as nothing…

Matthew 13, 1-23,  The parable of the sower.

 

Emma and her mom, Beth, say, "Welcome in, Everybody."

 

Isaiah, The Great One, observations—

Who:  One of the Big 3 prophets, the greatest in my estimation.  Jeremiah and Ezekiel are the other two.  Actually, the book includes the work of 3 prophets.   Our selection is the last chapter written by Isaiah 2.

Time:  Isaiah 2 was living during the Babylonian Captivity, ca. 555.  Isaiah 1 writes before the Captivity, maybe 150 years.  Isaiah 3 writes after the return to Jerusalem. 

Subject today: better times will come.  I am expanding today’s passage by a third line, because it is so good.

Isaiah 2 has some of the most beautiful passages, many of which are seen as foretelling the coming of the Savior.  His readings are used all through the Advent & Christmas readings, as well as in Lent.  Handel uses Isaiah 2 in his marvelous work, The Messiah.

Both the Isaiah reading and Psalm 65 are beautiful.

 

 

 

David and Donna, our hearts and our complete condolences go out to you on the loss of your 1 year old little Yorkie, Dixie Belle.  On a sunny morning this past week in the Canyon Creek neighborhood, David was taking his coffee on the patio of their fenced in back yard and Dixie was playing, when a bobcat climbed over the fence,  grabbed Dixie by the neck, and climbed back over the fence with her.   David, yelling, climbed over the fence in pursuit.  With the help of a neighbor Dixie was rescued.  But it was too late.  She died later that day.  A year ago February the same thing happened to another of their little Yorkies.  So sorry!

 

And My Seed Landed Where?

This morning I would like to talk about how Jesus is said to describe how the farmer’s seed is scattered on four different types of ground, the path, the rocks, the thorns, and the fertile.  Where did your seed fall?  Where did my seed fall?  I’m sure a lot of volunteers would be happy to let me know where my seed fell.

If you are a sinful gambler poker player you would look at this explanation and notice the bad odds, one out of four.  I would propose, however, that we all landed on fertile soil.  Let me offer some examples.

 

 

Hi, Tori.

 

I’ve shared this example once before, so you might remember it, but probably not.  

When I was a little kid about 5 years old, I was playing in the driveway of our house in University Park.  There were no fences and the drive went from the street, through the space between our house and the neighbor’s, and to the back up against the alley. 

The neighbor was Sam Berger, who owned a hat store in downtown Dallas.  He was Jewish and lived next to us all during the Holocaust.  I was oblivious to it all.  He & his wife had a big black lady who not only worked in the house, but lived in the back in an apartment attached to the garage, the servant quarters.  This black lady was not nice to me. 

 

 

Our Candle Lighter of The Week at work.

 

So this day as I am playing in the driveway, the lady steps out of the kitchen door & stands on the steps.  Without thinking, I say, “You are a big fat elephant.”

To the lady’s credit, she marches right across the drive and tells my mom.  My mom comes out of the house, drags me in, and spanks me.  Thinking back, I am impressed that my mom respected the lady.  The spanking, however, and her treatment of me confirmed my suspicions that my seed had fallen at least on the path or rocks, if not right on the thorns.   I definitely grew up with the belief that I was a bad kid. 

 

 

 

Best buddies, Mary, Judy, and Mike.

 

Despite the fact that you folks might agree with that assessment, I would propose that I was just a normal little boy doing silly things. 

This habit of doing silly, not bad things, can continue into adult years.  I know a guy who gets on his bike and rides off for an hour leaving the driver’s door of his car wide upon. 

 

 

The Best, Shonda and Ben

 

I know a lady who last week let her Lincoln run out of gas in rush hour traffic.  Her husband, a bit nettled, brought gas, but then could not start the car.  It had to be towed.

I know a dear friend who drove into her garage with a canoe strapped to the top of her car. 

 

 

Wake up, Buddy, we are almost through. 
 

 

You do this stuff and you begin to believe the bad news, ‘I am a loser, I am bad, my seed obviously landed in the ditch.” 

And then there are the malicious acts.  You know where I come in on this.  Kids hurt and abused grow up to hurt and abuse.  They are not bad.  They are damaged. 

So, who landed on fertile soil?  All of us.  God don’t make bad seed.

So, what do you think about all this?

 

 

 

Beware Angela!  Cathy may be treating you all nice, but she's probably trying to sell you that mint condition Edsel that her husband brought home.  I bet she told you Bill, your son in law would love it.

 

 

Says Harper, "Welcome in, Everybody."

 

Readings:

Zacheriah 9, 9-10,   He shall proclaim peace to the nations.

 Psalm 145,   I will praise your name forever, my king and my God.  

Here it is again, The Terrific Line: "The Lord is gracious & merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love."  Watch for it.

Romans 8,  9, 11-13,  You are not in the flesh, you are in the spirit.  (?)

 Matthew 11, 25-30,  All creation is groaning in labor pains.

 

 

Likewise, Gil, too, says, "Come on in, Folks."

 

Zechariah:  Zechariah is the 11th of the 12 Minor Prophets and lived just when the Hebrews were released from the 70 year long Babylonian Captivity, in other words around 555 B.C. He is in Jerusalem and encourages the people to rebuild the temple.

He is called a minor prophet only because his little work has simply 14 chapters, unlike the Big 3, Isaiah, Jeremiah, & Ezekiel, who have many chapters, in fact 66 for Isaiah.

He was a favorite of the N.T. writers because he is rich in messiah predictions.  Today we have one of those visions.   You might picture how this message is coming across.  The people have been crushed, they have been slaves in Babylon, and the Jerusalem they have returned to is nothing but disaster. 

 

 

 

Tori, what happened to your tooth?  Are you a rich girl now?

 

The Lord is Gracious and Merciful, never gets Angry, and is abounding in Love

I was asking myself, how did this line come to say so much to me about the nature of our God.  Here is what I found.

I can tell you the time of day it first hit me, a sunny morning.  I can tell you exactly where I was, Nairobi, Kenya, in the little chapel of a house run by a small group of American religious teaching brothers.    

 

 

 

 

Zoe, did you snatch Tori's tooth?  You got beautiful teeth.

 

It was my second year working in East Africa.  I was taking a day off at this American brothers’ place because it was just around the corner from a really nice arboretum and because they were Americans.  The Jesuits in Nairobi were mostly Indians with a few Quebecois.  I liked to hang out once in a while with fellow Americans. 

So why at this time and place?  Two reasons.

 

 

 

 

Emma, just seeing you & your mom here today makes my day.

 

One, education and Jesuit formation.  I had some good, progressive professors when I studied theology in Toronto, like David Michael Stanley in New Testament.

Secondly, people who showed me compassion and sensitivity, intellectual curiosity and acceptance, like the novice master, Tony Mangiaracina, about whom I talked once.  He is the priest I told you I saw cigarette smoke coming out of his desk drawer when I went in to get permission to drink water for that month.

 

 

 

The Offertory Gang, Paul & Carrie & Diane.

 

Another priest I never have talked about is the assistant novice master, Bobby Rimes, another of the numerous New Orleans guys who made up our province.

Three reasons why Bobby influenced me to perceive the significance of the line, The Lord is gracious and merciful, never gets angry, and is abounding in love.

 

 

Where did you get that megawatt smile, Olivia?   It lights up the room.

 

First, he was disappointed but accepting of his assignment to be assistance novice master.  Bobby really wanted to be a missionary like Francis Xavier.  He wanted to be The Best.  Assistance novice master was not very romantic.  He did not ever complain, but simply shared he would prefer to be in the missions. 

And here I, never dreamed of going to the missions, I end up in East Africa.  I did not yearn to work in the missions because I did not like the cultural imperialism I read about, which played a role in my getting asked to leave.

 

 

 

You, too, Ben, your personality warms the whole room.

 

Secondly, Bobby was an excellent athlete and probably could have been a pitcher in the big leagues.  Wow, could he pitch.  I got to know this athleticism up close & personal because the second 3 years I spent in Grand Coteau, the noviciate, I spent many afternoons in titanic 2 on 2 handball games.  I never won a game, though we came oh so close  numerous times. 

I had a partner who was quite strong.  He was one of those who did 10 one armed pushups.  He was Mexican from Juarez.  Bobby,  he probably could have asked one of the nuns from the Sacred Heart Academy down the street.  We never won a game in three years, but it was so fun and moving.

 

 

 

So good to have you back, Leo.  The place is not right without you.

 

Thirdly, Bobby was always a friend, supportive and accepting.  He had every gift, not only a great athlete, but really a nice looking guy.  

Because of the influence of Bobby Rimes, somehow or other, I suddenly saw that  The Lord is gracious and merciful, never gets angry, and is abounding in love.

How does the line strike you?

 

 

 

 

"Welcome in, Everybody," say Alison.  She will take your order for communion.

 

Readings:

2 Kings 4, 8-11, 14-16,   This time next year you will have a baby son.

 Psalm 89,   Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

Romans 6,  3-4, 8-11,  You, too must think of yourselves as living for God.

Matthew 10, 37-42, Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

 

 

 

Rocco, too, says, "Hi, Everybody."

 

July 4, 1776, Declaration of Independence signed.

50^th anniversary, July 4, 1826: two signers of the Declaration died, the only 2 to serve as presidents,  and mutual friends, Thomas Jefferson & John Adams (excellent source, David McCullough’s John Adams).

 

 

 

She's back, Folks, and better than ever.  Welcome home, Wendy!

 

 

Happy July 4

It is July 4 time and I would like to talk this morning about why I am happy to be an American.  I was sharing my ideas with Rosemary, an advantage to being a married priest (or maybe not), and she said, “Can’t you find reasons a little more dramatic, a little more universal?”  So, my reasons are just my own homey variety. 

I do claim a certain unique perspective because of living in East Africa for 10 years.  I admit there were a few occasions when I was grateful I had the American embassy as a refuge in case I got into some trouble.  I can certainly remember looking at the American flag flying over the embassy in Nairobi, Kenya and being grateful and thinking, ‘Yes, that’s my country.”

 

 

 

Wow, I forget how good and beautiful you are, Wendy.  

 

So, here are 3 reasons why I am delighted to be an American this summer.   Natural beauty and people beauty with two parts.

First, the natural beauty.  There certainly are beautiful places in East Africa, for instance.  Like Kilimanjaro, which I climbed 5 times & the Serengeti game park.  Likewise, in Italy, the Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre, even Rome. 

 

 

Welcome, Tim, so good to have you with us.

 

In the States we have the Rockies of CO, Grand Canyon, the beaches, like Hilton Head.  For me, there is nothing better than Yosemite.   But, you say, I live in Dallas.  Beware there is natural beauty here, too.  Try White Rock Lake, try the White Rock Creek trail.  Rosemary & I  ride this trail weekly and I wonder lately, ‘Am I truly in Dallas,’ it is so wild and wooded.   It has been especially beautiful the past couple of months because of the frequent rain.

 

 

I do believe trouble is brewing in that corner again.  Just look at her face.

 

 

In Plano what about the Oak Point Park.  Is this really Dallas?  I just discovered Oak Point last year when the Collin Classic bike tour began there.  

I love the natural beauty we have in America.

 

 

 

Healing and life for Sandra.

 

Then there is the people beauty.   Don’t laugh.  I propose the trustworthiness of people. 

Want to see an amazing phenomenon?   Park yourself on a corner of one of the small towns we will pass through in three weeks on the bike rally through Iowa.  You will see maybe more than a thousand bikes hitched to parking cables and lying on the ground, not one with a lock. 

I park in front of a grocery store, put my helmet on the handle bar, walk in, get what I want, maybe an all you can eat meal for $10 (like lasagna), and return to my unlocked bike. 

I love our ride through Iowa every July.  Only about 12 – 15 thousand riders.  Of all sorts.

 

 

 

Welcome home healing and life for Grace.

 

Want to see another phenomenon?  The hospitality of people.  Join me to ride the Hotter ‘n Hell Hundred the end of August.   There are 10 rest stops, like every 10 miles.  Each stop is loaded with bushels of volunteers overflowing with hospitality. 

I have my two favorites, 30 and 75.  At the 30 mile there is a group of elderly ladies (maybe many younger than I) who personally bake dozens of 6 varieties of cookies.  They positively blow me away and every year I tell them they are my favorite stop of all. 

 

 

 

Would someone please go and sit with Sir Charlie.  

 

 

I will meet new rest stops this August because last year after the 100 miles when I was dead tired, Rosemary got me to agree to ride the 50 miles with her and have a dinner together on the way home.  This spring I tried to renegotiate this deal with Rosemary, and she said, "Too bad, Cowboy, you agreed and you are stuck."

 

 

Offertory with Mike & Jean & Judy & John.

 

What are you proud about this year?

Happy July 4.

 

 

 

Asleep again!  Seth, you will make a good Catholic.  Fall asleep as soon the priest begins.   And you are supposed to welcome everybody in today!

 

Readings:

Jeremiah   20, 10-13,  He has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked

 Psalm 69,   Lord, in your great love answer me. 

Romans 5, 12-15, Through one man sin entered the world.

Matthew 10, 26-33, Fear no one. 

 

 

"Hi, Everybody," says Tori, "Welcome in."  Nice, Tori.

 

Jeremiah observations–

What:  I think Jeremiah is my second favorite O.T. prophet, behind Isaiah, mostly because he makes whining and complaining into an art form.  I need to take lessons from him.  Not that he did not have enough to complain about.   Jeremiah is one of the Big 3 with Isaiah and Ezekiel.  He is called the ‘broken hearted prophet.’  Here is why.

Time:  Jeremiah lived and prophesied in Jerusalem around 600 before Christ.  Why is this important?  It is some 50 years before the Babylonian Captivity.  Jeremiah had a heart rending life predicting punishment of death and destruction for the Hebrews for their sinful, selfish ways.  Jeremiah predicted disaster, and disaster came in the person of Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon-Bagdad.

He may have been ultimately killed by the Hebrews.

Today:  Jeremiah is in top form.

 

 

 

Zoe, too, says, "Come in Folks."  Zoe, you make a delightful hostess.

 

Fear No One

I would like to talk this morning about one line that struck me in the readings, fear no one.  A pretty powerful idea. 

Last Monday there was an editorial in The Dallas Morning News that talked about the Smith family of Trenton, NJ.  This family, all 8 of them, all black, about a year ago won the Powerball Jackpot of $429 million. 

 

 

The best music, Katie & Ben.  Katie, it is so nice to have you back.

 

Woopee, new house, a mansion, new  cars, an exotic vacation, all the best?  Right?  Wrong.  The Smiths decided to invest a large portion of their winning in the fight to help others overcome poverty in Trenton.  They  set up a foundation, smithfamilyfoundation.com.

They particularly focused on improving the lives of children and families through education, job training, and neighborhood development.  Their slogan is the well known, don’t give the person a fish, teach the person to fish.

 

 

Our Candle Lighter of The Week, Buddy
 

 

The Smiths say they have lived as children in the ghetto with poverty.  Their parents, however, impressed upon them the value of getting educated to find success.  This they have done.  The Powerball winning is an extra bonus they want to use to help others up. 

The Smith family exemplifies for me the unconditional nature of God’s love for us.  The gospel says fear no one.  Who is the one many of us grew up fearing?  For me, God.  To get to where I am now I had to tune out the messages about a conditionally loving God and focus on the people in my life who were like the Smiths.  We all have had these people or we would not be here today. 

 

 

 

Communion for those who will serve the Community.

 

Whom, if anybody, do you fear?

Guess who is saying, "Welcome in, Everybody."  Would you believe, Zoe & Tori & Harper.

 

Readings:

Deuteronomy   8, 2-3, 14-16,  Do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

 Psalm 147,   Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.  

1 Corinthians 10, 16-17, We, though many, are one body.

John 6, 51-58,   Eucharist 

 

Likewise, Kevin is ready and says, "Come in, Folks."

 

Father’s Day History:

 Four steps:

1. The Civil War started thinking about a Mother’s Day.  Anna Jarvis pushed it ca. 1907 and it was made official in 1914 by President Woodrow Wilson.
2. Monongah, WV mining disaster, 210 fathers killed, Dec. 6, 1907 (just before Christmas & after the Mother’s Day activity).  Fairmont, WV.   Grace Golden Clayton pushed the idea. 
3. Spokane, WA, Sonora Dodd & influence of Mother’s Day.  Dodd’s dad had fought in the Civil War and all by himself raised Sonora & her 5 siblings.   
4. Pres. LBJ made it special, 1966.  Pres. Nixon made it a national holiday, 1972.

 

 

Even Buddy, roped up and ready to go says, "Hi, Everybody."
 

 

Father’s Day

This morning I would like to talk about Father’s Day, especially from the perspective of one of those special events that happens every now and then.  One of those events took place last night.

What happened was that a class I had been a part of at Jesuit as a teacher had a 50^th class reunion at one of the guy’s houses.  About 4 other teachers were invited, one of which was a Jesuit friend who likewise had departed and married 37 years ago, as he told Rosemary &  me.

 

 

Hi, Cody, Hi, Ben.  Great to see you, as always.

 

I loved these guys and I was doubly touched because one of the guys that organized the reunion and who personally invited me was a guy named Frank Hart.  I have been like part of his family since I was in 7^th & 8^th grade at Christ the King. 

I have mentioned often enough how Frank Sr. was such a positive influence in my last two years at Christ the King, like ’52, ’53, & ’54.  He was not just a coach, teacher, and Scout Master.  He was  a second father. 

 

 

 

Here they are, Everybody, Ben's beautiful family, Jack, Sophia, and Camille.

 

Frank is still alive and Friday afternoons I visit him at a convalescent home where he is just waiting to move to the other side.  He sleeps mostly and does not even know me. 

Some of you may remember when we planted trees on Marsh Lane from Northwest Hwy. to LBJ, Frank Sr. had a restaurant and invited the whole team to eat at his place after the planting, free. 

 

 

 

Would you buy a used car from either of these two characters, Sir Charlie & Gilberto?   Like, how about an Edsel?  Mint condition?

 

Some of you also may remember when we finished tree planting on numerous other streets the next few years, the picnic was always catered by a restaurant called Back Country Bar-B-Que.  That was Frank, Jr. the son and the former student who invited me & Rosemary to the reunion.  20 years ago or more I performed the marriage between Frank and his wife, Martha. 

Just to show those kids I am still an idiot, I had to borrow 5 bucks from Frank to pay the valet parking.  We were at the home of Mike McKool, 5 minutes from our house, and neither Rosemary nor I took any money. 

 

 

Shonda & Ben bringing The Magic.

 

Rosemary & I heard lots of personal stories.  One kid’s experiences in Viet Nam really touched me. 

I am not a real father.  But I have had the privilege of being nurtured by some good fathers and have tried to nurture some other young guys.  Last night some of those once young boys really touched me.

How have you been nurtured by the father figures in your life?

And how have you passed on the nurturing?

 

 

 

Says Sandra, "Happy Father's Day all you guys."

 

Readings:

Exodus  34, 4-6, 8-9,  A God merciful and gracious, never gets angry, rich in kindness and fidelity.

Psalm, Daniel 3, Glory and praise for ever.  

2  Corinthians 13, 11-13, Live in peace and the God of love and peace will be with you.

 John 3, 16-18,   Peace be with you; receive the Holy Spirit. 

 

 

"Welcome in, Everybody," says Harper.

 

Exodus Story: 

So the Israelite people have been wandering around in the Sinai desert for many years after escaping from old Pharaoh in Egypt.  Moses has been invited up Mt. Sinai to receive the 10 Commandments.  

He comes down all loaded with two stone tablets written on both sides and discovers that the people have become exasperated with him and the wandering in the desert.  They have created a gold bull to celebrate with and to worship. 

Old Moses, all angry, throws down the tablets and breaks them.  He calls Aaron, his lieutenant, tells him to gather the Levite tribe, the priestly tribe, and he tells them to slaughter all the rest.  They do.

 

 

Emma, too, says, "Hi, Everybody, come in."

 

At this point our reading begins.   Yahweh tells Moses to make two more tablets and to return to the top of Mt. Sinai, where he will get another set of commandments.  It is here where that marvelous line about the nature of God is mentioned again, "The Lord is gracious & merciful, never gets angry, and is abounding in love."

This is ancient folk tale literature at its best, like Aesop's Fables.

 

 

Ugh, oh, Tori is missing a tooth.  Are you now a rich girl, Tori?

 

 

The Lord is Gracious and Merciful, never gets Angry, and is abounding in Love.  

I want to talk about this line this morning.  For me, of course, the line says it all.  This is my understanding of who God is and how he acts.  Consequently, this is a

 

 

 

You win, Buddy.  Tori lost one, you lost  TWO.  Congratulations.

 

 

to do it talk.  How to spot these qualities.

Of course, there are big ways, like visiting my beloved Yosemite, cycling Iowa & Hotter ’N Hell, and getting together Sunday mornings with all of you. 

There are, also, smaller ways.  Two examples this morning.

Rosemary, of course, rolls her eyes when I run my ideas past her. 

 

 

Zoe, I think you are rich too.  You got all your teeth.

 

The first took place Friday at 1:00, guess where.  Yes, at Jason’s Deli.  Our Romeo get together.  There were 4 of us sitting in the very back of the bus, just in front of the doors to the restrooms, Tom & Mike & Andy Sokolowski and myself.  At my left was an extra table & chair for other regulars who had not arrived yet. 

About half way through our lunch one of the assistant managers, Patrick, a tall, nice looking guy, comes back to our area to bring food to a couple.  He is usually really busy, even to bussing tables when the place is full.  This Friday is lighter than usual.

 

 

Welcome home, Alexandra.  Declin, you are a neat kid and you got a terrific mommy.
 

 

So instead of running back to work, Patrick comes over to our table, says hi to everybody, and accepts our invitation to sit.  He is just to my left. 

In the next 5-10 minutes Patrick shares a lot about himself, 28 years old, Plano resident since birth, almost got married once, but is peaceful.  Then back to work he goes. 

 

 

The trouble makers corner.  You guys have too much fun every Sunday.

 

The second event took place in our living room Saturday morning.  A couple came to talk about their wedding in August. 

I find weddings almost always touching and beautiful happenings.  This couple was especially a joy.  First of all, the groom is Austin Goode, whom I have known since way back, since St. Mark’s days.  Tom  & Becky are his mom & dad.  I am really touched by this.

 

 

The Anderlicks, John & Karen & Lisa.

 

If this was not bad enough, Austin introduces Rosemary and me to this delightful, pretty, and full of personality fiance’, Vika.  Her story is so marvelous.  Born in Belaruss, brought to the States at 4 with her whole family by, get this, the Jewish Community Center, which I loved even before hearing Vika’s story.  She goes to private Jewish schools, public schools, and graduates from SMU.  On top of all this Vika has this magnetic  personality.

I can see the personality of our God in these two events.  I can see that he is gracious and merciful, never gets angry, and is abounding in love.

Where do you see the personality of God?

 

 

Vika (in blue) with Austin and her parents, Ena and Alex Kuznetsova.

 

 

 

Readings:

Acts of the Apostles  2, 1-11,  Arrival of the Holy Spirit

Psalm 104,   Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth

1 Corinthians 12, 3-7, 12-13, different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.

 John 20, 19-23,   Peace be with you; receive the Holy Spirit. 

 

 

 

Welcome back home from Arkansas, CC  I really miss you when you are not here.

 

Pentecost

This morning I want to talk about the feast of Pentecost.   I propose that a Pentecost event takes place often in our lives.  It is a light bulb happening.  I see more clearly.  I have more energy.   There are light bulb events and light bulb people.  For example.

I know a lady who graduated from high school some years ago.  She was 18 and decided she would go to college.  She signed up, went to her accounting class, and got a D.  “That decided me,” she told me, “college was not for me.”

So she met her husband, got married, and had three kids.  Much more fun.

 

 

Says Olivia, "Welcome, Everybody."  Olivia, do you realize what a megawatt smile you have?  It brightens my day.

 

Fast forward about 30 years.  Her kids have grown up and they have graduated from college.  One is continuing studies to become a doctor.

It is Christmas.  They are all sitting around the table.  Somebody asks, “Is there anything in your life that you regret not doing?”  Various answers come in. 

My friend says, “I regret not getting my college degree many years ago.”  “Well, why don’t you go and get it?,” everybody says. 

 

 

Emma, you make my day.  Welcome back after a bunch of weeks missing you.

 

So she decides to take the entrance exams at CCCC (Collin County Community College).  See how it goes.  She takes two exams, math and reading.  She barely flunks the math, which is her long term weakness.  Remember the D in accounting. 

The reading exam?  She flat out fails the reading exam, also.  The college admissions office tells her they cannot admit her. 

 

 

Yeah, Ben is back everybody.  What a treat to have you and Sophia back, Ben.
 

 

What a blow!  Is that the end of it?  In fact, no!  She decides to appeal to take the reading test again. 

End of story, end of college career?  Nope, she aces the reading exam and is allowed to enter the college. 

 

 

What a scene.  The Girls' play station with Harper, Tori, and Zoe, with Olivia watching over the whole scene.

 

She proceeds to pass two years at CCCC during which time she takes a, you guessed it, an accounting course.  Fortunately, she has a husband who understands these arcane concepts.  Like, he says, “ You see this dollar?  That is an asset.”  And so on.  With his help she gets even a good grade in the class. 

After the two years at CCCC, it is time for another big step.  By the way, all during this time she is working full time.

 

 

Offertory with Carol Ann & Doug, Caroline & David.
 

 

The next big step is Texas A & M at Commerce.  Do you realize how far it is to Commerce.  Also during this time she is not taking a light load, like 9 hours.  Oh, no, once she even takes 18 hours.  This is a monster load for a full time student. 

After two years of A & M she is finally ready to graduate.  She even wins an award, not a cum laude, not even a magna cum laude, but a summa cum laude.  With the Highest Honor.  Latin.

 

 

My little buddy Seth is helping me to celebrate the wedding of his mom & dad, Monique and Zack, last Friday evening at The Rectory.
 

 

Karen Anderlick, thanks for being my inspiration and our Pentecost Person.

Who is your Pentecost Person?

 

 

 

Karen Anderlick, Summa cum Laude.

Readings:

Acts of the Apostles  1, 12-14,  All devoted themselves to prayer.

Psalm 27,   I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. (a good one)

1 Peter 4, 13-16,  Rejoice.

 John 17, 1-11,   I pray for them. 

 

 

 

"Welcome in, Everybody, " says Harper.

 

To dwell in the house of the Lord

This past Friday after Romeos, I headed across Central to Plano Cycling, one of my favorite places to visit.  I wanted one of my service friends to check Rosemary’s rear bike brake.  She had told me it was soft.  I can fix a lot of things on a bike, and love doing it, but I would prefer a specialist work on her brake for safety’s sake.

 

 

So says Seth likewise, plus, "Wake me up after that old guy stops talking."

 

So I go in about 2:30 and this is why I love to go there.  I walk in and hear, “Hi, John” from numerous staff, or “Hi, John Stack” from the service manger.  I confess it means a lot to be known by name in a store.

I look for my specialist friends, Darrell or Lorinda.  Not there.  A bummer.  But a new guy is there, about 28.   He is working on a bike and apparently is alone.  I tell him what I want and he says, “sure,” he will fix it while I wait. 

 

 

 

Our Candle Lighter of The Week, Leo

 

Turns out Rosemary needs more than a cable tightened.  She has worn out her brake pads and needs a new set.  Joey says, “No problem,” he can fix that in a minute.

So we begin to talk.  “What's your name?  Joey.  How long you been working here?  About 2 months.  How do you like it?  I love it.  How did you get here?”

 

 

Offertory,Bernadette, Gil, and Diane.

 

He proceeds to tell me he had a good office job with good money.  But he was not happy.  He used to bring work home.  He is married, but did not mention kids.  Everything was good, but he was not happy.  He had known Plano Biking since he bought his first bike there as a little kid.  He loved to just visit.

One day he was talking with somebody on the staff and saying how he loved bikes & working on them and how his job was not satisfying.   “We’ll hire you,” the person said.  Joey jumped. 

 

Prep time.

 

This exemplifies what it means

To dwell in the House of the Lord,

To see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

And you? 

How do you dwell in the House of the Lord?

What are the good things of the Lord that you see in the land of the living?

 

 

 

And what for recessional?

 

P.S.   A note to all of you who are celebrating our Memorial Day weekend at your lake houses, on cruises, like to Alaska, Mike & Geri, and to points south, like Tom and Teresa, and to all points in between, you, too, are seeing and celebrating the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

 

The Best Music, Shonda, Bethany for her last event, and David.

Readings:

Acts of the Apostles  6, 1-7, Select from among you 7 reputable men.

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

1 Peter 2, 4-9, You are a chosen race.

 John 14, 15-21,  If you love me you will keep my commandments.

 

 

"Hi, Everybody," says Zoe, "And Happy Mother's Day."
 

 

Mother's Day History:

1905-08: Anna Jarvis of West Virginia began this celebration for her mother, Ann, who cared for wounded Civil War soldiers of both sides.  She campaigned to make it a national day and in 

1914:  Woodrow Wilson made it national.

The spelling: always singular, according to Anna. 

Hallmark Cards: Anna hated them because she felt you know what.  

 

 

"From me, too," says Tori, "Happy Mother's Day."

 

It’s Mother’s Day !

In honor of it being Mother’s Day I want to tell two stories about my mom.  One story is about a compliment she gave me and the second is about a trip we made together.

The first story took place around ’89 or ’90.  I had already returned from East Africa and had already put in a year in a Hispanic church the Jesuits ran in downtown Houston.   I was now living at the high school community. 

 

 

Welcome home, Dawson, from first year at Ole Miss.

 

It was early afternoon.  We were on westbound LBJ heading toward what used to be called the Deadman Hospital at Webb Chapel.  The name has been changed.  Mom was going to the hospital to have some minor surgery, and would stay overnight.

As we drove along she reached out her left hand, patted me on the leg, and said, “I’m proud of you.” 

 

The bells are ringing, time to start.

I may be wrong, but I don’t remember my mom ever doing that before.  You got to remember that she had always been bummed about me joining the Jesuits and she had never spoken to a Jesuit for about 7 years after I had gone to East Africa. 

She thought I had been sent despite my insistence that I had simply accepted an invitation. 

 

Our Candle Lighter of The Week, Leo.

 

 

 

 

Offertory time with Warren, Barb, and Bill.

 

I was already probably 50 years old at the time mom complimented me.  I had been around a bit.  That compliment really touched me.

The second story took place on one of my home visits from East Africa.  Mom got her two sisters to join her and invited me to drive them around Ireland one Fall on my return to East Africa. 

 

Communion helpers, Mike, Geri, Claire, Beth, and Rob.

 

We met in London, which is a story for another homily.  We went to Dublin and leased a little red, two door car.  We drove counter clockwise through County Cavin, where they looked in graveyards for our ancestors, through Northern Ireland, and through the northwest until we arrived at Shannon Airport.

They were like three teen aged girls, laughing, and telling stories about their early day.  Thanks to the smallness of Ireland, we were able to make good progress even though we would usually not be ready to depart in the morning until 10:00 or 10:30.  By 11:30 they wanted to stop for tea.

 

Buddies, Zoe & Harper.

 

12:30 or 1:00 lunch.  3:30 for tea and pastries.  Finally, by 5:30 I had to start looking for a place to stay & eat.  And this was a process.  I had to check it out.  Then my mom checked it.  If she gave the okay, in everyone went to eat dinner and laugh themselves silly until 11:00 or 12:00 midnight.

It was one of the fun trips of my life and I was most touched that mom had invited me to be their driver.

 

Buddies, Mike & Rosemary.

 

The power of a mother to give life through a simple compliment. 

How has your mother given you life?