Homilies

Readings:

Isaiah  56, 1-7,  I will bring them to my holy mountain.

 Psalm 67,   Oh, God, Let all the nations praise you.

Romans1, 13-15, 29-32  I am speaking to you Gentiles.

Matthew  15, 21-28,  It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.

Kevin says, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome."

Isaiah 56 observations:

As soon as you see Isaiah, chapter 56, you know some things, if you are into the study of the Bible and especially  of Isaiah, my favorite.

1.  Isaiah 56 is Isaiah 3, chapter 56-66, the end of the book of Isaiah.
2.  Isaiah 3 is put together after the Babylonian Captivity, that is, around 555 before Christ.
3.  The Israelites have returned to Jerusalem, a totally destroyed, depressed city.
4. Therefore, it is plausible to expect Isaiah 3 to be trying to lift up the spirits of the people.  This he does, consoling the people with promises of a better time.   Note: the better days are conditional on good behavior.  Ever think of how our whole redemption story is conditional? Not much unconditional love.   In other words, if you want my love and favor, behave.

Matthew:

I think I will pass on commenting on this gospel.  I don't like it.  I only partially understand the culture Matthew was dealing with in the story.  And most of the commentaries simply try to explain away how harsh the story is. 

And Georgie says, "Come in, Folks, We are just starting."

Them I will bring to my holy mountain

Of all the lines in the readings this morning, the line that touches me the most talks about bringing the people to the holy mountain.  I am touched for two reasons.

First, you know how much I love to go camping in the mountains, and especially the mountains of Yosemite and the Sierras.  In fact, on the 2^nd of September about 8 of us are headed to Kings Canyon, one of two parks just south of Yosemite, to do our annual 10 day back packing trip.

Secondly, the mountain is a metaphor for the state of peace. 

I would like to suggest two observations about going to the mountain of peace.

First, we get there easier and with greater happiness with others.

Secondly, sometimes the mountain is not what we expect or remember from a previous visit.

Cathy and Harper, also, say, "Welcome in, Folks."

Three little stories of the week. 

Probably July of 2004, as usual, I took a group of 8 guys to my favorite hike in Yosemite.  I call it the Matterhorn Canyon trip. On about the 4^th day we have to hike over Burro Pass, about 11 K feet.  There are three passes on this trip.  Two are called Burro and this one is in the middle.  Matterhorn Canyon is precisely where we camped out for the night. 

We get up and go up the canyon and then up switch backs non-stop for a few hours. It is hard on everyone.  On this trip it is especially hard on one guy.  He is out of shape and gasping for breath.  I am afraid he is not going to make it.

So I get to the pass, dump my pack, return down the switch backs, take his pack, and up we go together.  We make it.  Over the pass and below is my most favorite campsite in the whole world.  We set off and get there, too.

Guess who: Our Defender, Leo.

Sitting around the fire that evening, I had a strong sense of accomplishment, contentment, and peace.  I was able to help someone to the top who might not have made it otherwise. This is on top of the fact that I am in heaven.

The second story takes place on the same favorite hike, Matterhorn Canyon, but in 2009.  This time guess who is having the rough time, not because of being out of shape.  The hips are shot.

That year I could go up, but just walking was rough and going down was really rough.  I had to borrow two ski poles.  Rose Banzhaf loaned me the poles and walked with me.  Mike Moran helped me get across streams and watched out for me.

The last morning after an 8 mile hike out, everyone has already been at the little restaurant at the trail head and I am just hobbling along, Rose sticking with me.  At about a mile out, I surrender and Rose calls for help from a car.  Tom & Daniel Fleming come to the rescue.  I will always remember the sight of Daniel coming toward me to take my backpack.

Cowboy Cole ready.

I had made it to the peace of the mountain.  I just needed help to get down.  Still peaceful.  Then, the decision was easy.  I got new hips within 5 months.  And last year we visited my favorite Matterhorn Canyon for the first time.  Talk about gratitude and peace.

The third little story comes from the Matterhorn trip last year.  I was longing to return to that favorite campsite after coming over Burro Pass.  We got there and I am saying, “This can’t be it.”  The campsite, which I have used perhaps 6 times, was a wreck, trees all knocked down, the stream following a different course.  It was the campsite.  60 mile an hour straight line winds had passed through and seemed to hit just that spot especially hard.

Victoria (Tori) and her dad, Randolph.

We camped there even though I was bummed.  I could see the places where I could remember some of our people camping in previous years.  But it was a mess. 

We spent a whole day there and with time I discovered that across the creek was a really nice level campsite.  That will be for next time.

Two thoughts. 

It is so nice to climb the mountain of peace with company, and even to come down.

The mountain may not be what I expected.  But peace can still be found by searching around.

Where is your mountain and who are your companions on the climb?

Who is that pretty girl with the pink ribbon and pig tails? Zoe!

Readings:

1 Kings  19, 9-13,  There was a tiny whispering sound.

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

Romans 9, 1-5,  My kindred according to the flesh

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

Georgie says, "Welcome, Everybody, Come in."

1 Kings observations:  

What:

There are really 2 books, 1 Kings & 2 Kings.  Or originally, it was all one work.

Even though 1 Kings focuses mostly on King Solomon & his accomplishments, the latter half of the work shows how at Solomon's death the kingdom split into two hostile & petty states, Israel in the north & Judah in the south around Jerusalem.  2 Kings ends with the Babylonian Captivity.

As I have pointed out concerning prophets, Elijah condemns the behavior, especially of the rulers, and promises punishment. 

When & Who:  The two books were put together by numerous people and the latest putting together took place, you guessed it, around the Babylonian Captivity, around 555 before Christ.

 Today’s selection: The prophet Elijah is running scared to get away from Jezebel.  She is out to kill him for his killing her fake priests.  We catch up with him in the desert.  

I love this little story.  See if you can figure out why.

Carol & David, too, say, "Hi, Folks, Welcome."

A Tiny Whispering Sound

We are having a run on delightful scripture passages these days.  The passage I love today is the scene where Elijah stands outside a cave and he sees wind, earthquake, and fire.  No God visit.  Then he hears a tiny whispering sound.  The God visit.  I would suggest we have these god visits daily, and we are often deaf or blind to the visit. 

To exemplify, our story of the week.

It is Wednesday.  Guess where.  Yes, Iowa.  The 4^th day of our ride from the Missouri River to the Mississippi.  We have only 40 miles to go from Forest City to Mason City, the city on which Meredith Wilson based his musical, Music Man.  We have only two pass through cities, Verona and Clear Lake.

Emma says, "Hi, Everybody."

So, I am thinking, ‘How can I extend this day.’  I want to savor the joys of the ride as long as possible.  Two or three miles out of Forest City I decide that at least I will stop at a coffee stand for a good cup of coffee.  Take my time, enjoy it, and watch the hundreds of people passing by.  This is the day after I was so moved by the man playing the National Anthem.

I see a sign for coffee in a hundred yards, pass by the stand, and pull over to the shoulder of the road, careful to get out of the way. 

The coffee shop is simply a four poster tent perched on the slope of the shoulder just a bit above the bottom of the irrigation ditch and dangerously close to the road for me. Very low tech.  A kid about 17 is serving coffee, muffins, bananas, watermelon, water, and who knows what else. 

Tori in her stylish attire.

He has a line of about a dozen people and is a bit frazzled trying to take money, cut watermelon, and prepare coffee, all of which is coming out of the back of his van which was perched sideways on the shoulder.  This is not Starbucks. 

However,  as people order coffee, he asks them to form a line on the other side of the stand.  I even regretted later that I did not help him, but at the time I thought I would be there all day long.  As it is, we are all trying to keep to the very edge of the road to avoid getting hit by one of the hundreds of bikers swishing by.

Zoe and her dad, Randolph.

Finally, the lady ahead of me gets to the kid, asks for what she wants, and discovers that she is $2 short.  I say, “Hey, I got $2,” and I give it to her despite her protests.  “Loan it to the next guy,” I say. 

Later that morning, say about 11:00, I pull into this gorgeous green, tree shaded, people filled park in a town called Clear Lake, on the northern edge of a lake by the same name.  For an hour we had ridden along the shore of this lake until I see the park.

I put my bike against a tree and settle on a park bench in the sun (it was so mild) in front of a band stand.  People are all over the place, hundreds, lounging in the sun, eating, chatting.  Between the park where I am and the lake the bikers are passing through.  I am facing the lake.

A shy Harper, for the moment.

I hang out there probably an hour.  I watch a group of guys ride up, bring out their electric guitars using batteries, and play for us.  I even get interviewed by a young girl from the De Moines Register.  These are my wind and earthquake.  I can see God's presence in both.  

And then it happens, the tiny whispering sound, a God visit.

From behind me a lady comes around, hands me $2, says, “Thanks,” and then vanishes back into the crowd leaving me speechless except for a quick, “Sure.”  It was the same lady from the coffee stand.

Cupcakes of the Week, Marsha, Denni, John & Jean, Mike & Carol, and Marlene.

I admit that the Iowa days were full of God moments for me.  This lady, however, was especially touching, a tiny whispering sound.   I never saw her again and she probably identified me in the crowd because of the Aviana beany baby on my helmet and the Mardi Gras beads I wear around my neck.  Moreover, Hammond says I look like a bum in my choice of attire.

When was your last God moment, your tiny whispering sound?

It's The 50's, Jean and John at 56, Mike and Carol at 50!

Readings:   Terrific readings today–

Isaiah   55, 1-3,  Come, drink wine and milk.

 Psalm 145,   The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.  Also, That Line, The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love, Stanza 2.

Romans 8, 35, 37-39,  What will separate us from the love of  God?

Matthew  14, 13-21,  The feeding of the multitude.

Says Emma, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome."

Observations on the readings:

 1.  Isaiah 55: 3 beautiful invitations, come, come, come, come–4 times.  This is the very last chapter of Isaiah 2 trying to encourage the Israelites in the Babylonian period, ca. 550 B.C.

 2.  Psalm 145 & Romans 8.  That special line again, The Lord is gracious & merciful, does not get angry and is abounding in love.  

Paul is winding up Romans and is almost poetic, claiming that even cosmic events cannot separate us from God’s love.

CC, too, says, "Come on in, Folks, it's fun."

 3.  Feeding the 10 thousand.  This story is repeated in all 4 gospel stories.  In fact, it is told 6 times.

I have suggested for years that the real miracle here is that Jesus created enough trust and conviviality in the group that they shared the food that they would have most probably carried with them when they set out to listen to this man.  They knew there were no fast food places along the road. 

I saw this in East Africa.  People did not leave home without provisions stashed away.

I saw this trust and conviviality along the way in Iowa a week ago and would like to talk about it during the homily.

Amish Country. Just one of the gloriously beautiful Amish farms we saw along the Iowa roads.

It is not the destination, Folks.  It is the journey.

For over 40 years I have talked about how I see this story of the feeding of the multitude.  That the real miracle is that Jesus enabled these country people to trust each other enough to share their hidden stashes.  I really saw this in East Africa.

In light of my recent experience in Iowa, I would like to take a different slant this time.  In particular, I would suggest these folks were on a journey in their life, stopped to hear this man, and were greatly touched.  They were reminded that God is gracious and merciful, never gets angry, and is abounding in love. 

Buddy and Tori ready for anything.

Three little vignettes from Iowa.

Probably on the third day of Ragbrai (Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride across Iowa), I am riding along and see a sign for Iowa Conservation Assoc.  I stop because I know these people give out great bananas. There are probably 100 people at the concession and more than 100 across the highway at another concession. 

I am eating a banana when suddenly on my side I hear somebody playing Taps.  I think it is a pretty girl I have seen other years playing a trumpet.  Instead it is a guy.  His buddy has an American flag.  Both of them could be my age. 

Georgie ready to share her beautiful warmth with everybody.

At one point he starts playing the National Anthem.  The response was profound and electric.  Everybody stopped dead.  We all faced the man and the flag.  I was moved actually to tears, even remembering my years in East Africa when I was consoled just to see the flag blowing in front of the local American Embassy. 

After he finished and everybody returned to what they were doing, I crossed to the area where the two guys were and in a choking voice I told him how much I appreciated what he did.  He hardly even spoke a word.  Just gave me a hug.   A beautiful slice of Americana at a concession on the side of a road in Iowa.

Thanks to God every day for Wendy.

Later that same day, I am riding along again when I hear from the edge of the road at a concession, pop, pop, pop.  It is the sound of the Amish pie & ice cream concession. Yippee.  I had been looking for them.  We are in beautiful Amish country, especially during the last two days. 

The concession is on the right side of the highway and I am on the left.  It was too dangerous to stop with so many bikers, so I missed them that third day.  However, the last four days I stopped every day.  I even got to know their names and they would say when they saw me, “Here he is again.”  Their rhubarb-strawberry pie, their blueberry pie, and their churned on the spot vanilla ice cream were from another planet. Another experience of consoling Americana on the edge of the road.

Cupcakes of The Week for Harper's parents' 9th anniversary, Dawson, Cindy for herself and for her dad , Curtis at 85, and Linda and Hue.

Finally, there was the Marines’ chin-up bar.  We had pass through towns and overnight towns.  In the overnight town there was always a big expo with vendors of all types, lots of food, and the Marines’ chin-up bar.

I would see a cheering crowd and an amazing number of people who would step up and do pull-ups.  I saw a young maybe Philippino do 34 pull-ups.   Everybody was cheering him on, counting each pull-up. 

Offertory, Donna, Carol, David, Dawson, and Dana.

For me the most touching was a young girl, maybe 7 years old, shy and maybe Hispanic with olive skin and pretty black hair in a pony tail.  I don’t think she and her family were bikers, maybe residents.   I watched that little girl do 14 pull-ups.  I went over and told her what a marvel she was and that I could hardly do 1 pull-up.  Another touching slice of Americana right there in a little town in northern Iowa. 

As much as I was moved by the hospitality of the people who hosted us in the overnight towns, I was even more appreciative of the slices of Americana I witnessed all along the ride.  I was constantly being shown that the Lord is gracious and merciful, never gets angry, and is abounding in love.

An ecstatic two cupcake Cindy, one for her birthday last week and one for Curtis, her dad, at 85.

It is not just the destination, Folks.  It is the ride.

How is your ride?

Readings:

1 Kings  3, 5, 7-12,   The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream one night.

Psalm 119,   Lord, I love your commands.

Romans 8, 28-30,  All things work for good who love God.

Matthew  13, 44-52,  The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field.

Starting Mass

Homily

Some of you are aware that Judy and I were recently in Iowa for a memorial celebration of her mother’s life.   Judy’s mother came to what would be our birthplace in Iowa from a farm in Missouri to take Nurse’s training from nuns of the order of St. Francis who came from Peoria, Illinois. They had had been sent there some years earlier to serve in a hospital and to assist doctors who were also being trained in Keokuk.  These nuns served another purpose for us by catechizing Marie; she received the sacraments of the Church there when she was 21. The good news of Jesus Christ, the treasure buried in the field, the pearl of great value, the net used by the disciples to catch men, and the instruction on the kingdom of heaven had become the desire of her heart.

John reading 1 Kings

This town where Judy and I were born has a beautiful park.  It is the heart of the town and Judy began the first part of our memorial celebration of Marie there, with a reading from the Proverbs 31; the reading was part of the old spoken of in today’s gospel.  The theme of our celebration was Marie as a giver of goodness and justice.   I carried the theme forward with a reading that I gave to begin the service we had at the gravesite.  It was from the Letter of James where he reminds a sect of Jewish Christians of the Perfect law, we are to love one another as Christ has loved us.  This new way of loving had fulfilled the Royal law from Leviticus of the OT, to love your neighbor as yourself.  

Jean reading Romans

 In our first reading today from First Kings, Solomon has asked God for an understanding heart so that he could better serve God’s people wisely.  How were we shown this in 1 Kings? Recall the parable where Solomon determined which of the two prostitutes was the true mother of the child they had brought to him.

Mike

The wisdom that a scribe had read or heard about Solomon inspired him to construct that parable.   We were told last week that the seed sown by Christ spoken of in the parable was the Father’s word given to us by his Son. Today we were told that the treasure buried in the field, and the pearl of great value and the net sown in the sea to capture people is the good news of Jesus Christ that fulfills the wisdom of Solomon of the first reading.

Wendy, Shonda, & Ray

When the Romans destroyed the temple in Jerusalem, the priests disappeared.  Scribes who were the interpreters of the Law and Prophets were still involved in the Sabbath Synagogue Service for Jews.  Recall that this service was built around a calendar of readings from the Law and the Prophets  and the singing of the Psalms to praise God and a teaching by the Scribes on the OT reading.  [It was the liturgy of the Word of the Jews.] For the Jews who became Christians, disciples of the kingdom of God, the Christian Liturgy of the Word would fulfill the Sabbath Synagogue Service. The gospel reading would  fulfill the expectation of the coming of the Messiah given in the OT reading; the homily given on the gospel reading replaced the OT teaching.  [This couldn’t happen, however, until the first gospel was written, copied and given to the Scribes. But who were the inspired writers of the gospels and its parables, and where did they come from?

Zoe

 I propose to you that today’s gospel reading suggests to us that a good number of Scribes had been waiting for the coming of the Messiah. They believed that the sayings and teachings and writings of Jesus fulfilled that expectation given within the Law and the Prophets. They not only believed but wanted a good news of the Messiah preserved. Inspired Scribes, who were rabbis and disciples of the kingdom of God, were like a head of a household who took from their treasure both the new and old. The old was taken by the scribes from the OT; the new taken from the writings, teachings and sayings of Jesus, or in the case of this Matthew gospel, from earlier gospels.  The Sabbath Synagogue Service that kept Judaism alive they fulfilled by writing the gospels in parables so that Christianity, in harmony with the Law and Prophets, would be preserved.

Georgie

Kevin and Leo

Readings:

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

Psalm 86,   Lord, you are good and forgiving.

Romans 8, 26-27,  The spirit comes to the aid of our weakness.

Matthew  13, 24-43,  A farmer sowed good seed in his field.

Our first reading (Wisdom 12) is from the Book of Wisdom, written about 100 years before Jesus. Though the author is unknown, he was a member of the Jewish community at Alexandria in Egypt and wrote in Greek. Solomon did not write this book as we used to think; the author sometimes speaks as Solomon, a common artifice authors used to emphasize the value of their writings.

The second reading (Romans 8) continues Paul’s letter to the Christian community in Rome. This community was predominantly Gentile, though there were Jewish Christians there too. In this letter Paul is making a point that Christians were free of the Jewish law of Moses. Paul’s view was that Jesus and faith in Jesus was the only source of salvation and he was beginning to push Christian communities away from Judaism and toward a faith more compatible with Greco-Roman thinking.

The Gospel reading continues in Matthew (Matt 13). Most scholars date this Gospel as around the year 70, probably after the destruction of Jerusalem.  It points to a growing rift between the followers of Jesus and official Judaism. It is clearly anti-Pharisee and anti-scribe.  It quotes the holy books of Judaism a lot more than the other Gospels to show their promises were fulfilled in Jesus and that he is the Messiah. Matthew also writes about how Jesus was not accepted by most Jews but accepted by many Gentiles. It is clear that Matthew depended on Mark, written several years before. Matthew contains 600 of Mark’s 661 verses.

Homily 

I want to focus today on Jesus’ teaching that God is now and was always with us, and how we can see God. There’s that Bible verse in today’s Responsorial Psalm 86 vs.5 that says “You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness.” Stack has said it’s his favorite line in the Bible.  I decided to google this verse and found the same words in multiple places in the Bible.  Psalm 145: vs. 8-9 has exactly the same lines. And Psalm 103 vs. 8 has the same.  And it’s not just in the Psalms.  The Book of Exodus Ch. 34, verse 6 reads, “The Lord is a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness.” The Book of Joel Ch. 2, verse 13 has exactly the same line. And the Book of Jonah Ch. 4, verse 2 has the same.

The take-away from those verses that describe God as “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and rich in kindness,” could be that whenever we see those traits and those behaviors, we are seeing God.  Jesus’ said the kingdom of God is here, and is experienced when we share mercy and kindness with one another.

On July 4^th I joined a group of family and friends for the Fair Park fireworks display. At the end of the evening Leo & Freddie, seeing fireworks for the first time, said, “This was the coolest ever.”

Later I remembered some of what I saw and experienced about being gracious and showing kindness.

1. I got to Fair Park early and walked around, then sat on a bench eating a corn dog slathered with mustard. I saw a woman walking with 2 children and an infant in a stroller. The little one dropped a stuffed toy to the ground. Another woman saw it and, noticing the mother hadn’t seen it happen, called out to her and pointed to it.  They made eye contact and I saw them connect with a smile as the mother picked up the toy. This was a brief but gracious human contact.
2. At one point after our group got together at the lagoon, my nephew Merik, offered to take Leo and Freddie on a walk around the lagoon. He entertained them for 30 or 40 minutes, and his act of kindness allowed the other adults time to visit.
3. Gina, a close friend of my daughters Joey and Sam, came with her husband and 2 daughters, who are a little older than my grandsons. Gina thought about the 4 kids who would be there and brought snacks for all of them and also light sticks to make necklaces or bracelets or, like Freddie, just to wave around. The kids loved it and I took note of her thoughtful kindness.
4. Most of the group had gotten snow cones while walking around. So I decided to get in line for a snow cone for myself (I was told that there were sugar free ones) and for Gina’s daughter who had missed out on one. It was a really long line of more than 30 people. After a while I struck up a conversation with a woman in line. Later another woman, also in line, joined in the conversation. At one point the latter woman, who was sort of ahead of me and the first women (line not straight but uneven), offered that we both go ahead of her. Of course by this point we had all been in line a long time and had tired feet. That was another act of kindness and mercy.

 My question: when have you seen God lately?  And when do others see God in you?

Readings:

Isaiah  55, 10-11,   My word shall not return to me void.

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

Romans 8, 18-23,  We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains.

Matthew  13, 1-23,  A sower went out to sow.

Kevin says, "Welcome, Everybody, It is good to be back home.

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.

Georgie also says, "Hi, Everybody, It is fun to be home again."

Subject today: better times will come.  I am expanding today’s passage, 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.  

And Zoe, Tori, and Buddy all say, "Hi, Folks, it is so fun to be back again."

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. 

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

Cupcake of The Week to John on his birthday.

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.

And a Cupcake of The Week to Beth on her birthday.

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. 

And a Cupcake of The Week to Harper for her 3rd birthday about 3 weeks late.

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. 

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.

Zoe seriously at work.

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

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?

Emma and her pal say, "It is so nice to be here."

Readings:

Zechariah  9, 9-10,   Rejoice heartily, shout for joy.

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

Romans 8, 9, 11-13,  You are in the spirit.

Matthew  11, 25-30,  Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.

Emma says, "Come in, Everybody, Welcome."

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. 

Sophia, also, says, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome."

Psalm 145, 8-9: here it is again, The Terrific Line: "The Lord is gracious & merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love."  Watch for it.

July 4, Independence Day

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, mutual friends, Thomas Jefferson & John Adams (excellent source, David McCullough’s John Adams).

Ever wanted to see what two people look like just after they have just finished an Ironman? Take a look and Chad and Kayli. Looking pretty good.

My Yoke is Easy and my Burden Light

This morning I would like to talk about Matthew’s statement about Jesus saying, My yoke is easy and my burden light.  I would also like to include that line which is one of my most favorite lines from the Bible, The Lord is gracious and merciful, never gets angry, and is abounding in love.

I would suggest the first line about my burden being light is influenced, sometimes, by the fact that the Lord is gracious and merciful.  On the other hand, however, sometimes the burden is really blasted heavy.  For example…  The Story of The Week:

Chad finishing.

Thursday afternoon Rosemary & I had just left Plano Cycling, where I had left my bike to have it fitted with a new chain and cassette, the gear assembly on the rear wheel.  I was feeling pretty proud of myself, that I had actually worn out a bike chain and cassette.  I thought only Tour de France people did such things.

So, we are in the van headed south on Central.  The usual traffic, especially for those exiting onto the Bush just past Plano Parkway.  I knew we had to get out into the middle to avoid that blockage. 

Kayli crossing the finish line, Coeur d'Elane, Idaho.

I move over from the right lane.  I want to move over even to the next lane.  I’m watching in the side mirror.  Finally, before the blockage I see a space and move over in front of a big white pickup that seems way back far enough. 

The guy in the pickup, however, seems upset.  Next thing I know his front bumper is in the back of our van.  I can see the hairs in his nostrils.  I can see the color of his eyes, black with flames shooting out.

Offertory, Grace (Ironmanmomma of Kayli), Mary Ellen, and Donna.

Then, yes, you guessed it.  There was space to the left in those lanes.  So my friend swerves to the left, floors it, stomps on the horn, races past us with various hand signals, and swerves back in front of us, where he proceeds another 100 yards before he has to hit the brakes because he was climbing the back side of another car.

What did I do?  Well, I did not follow my impulse to blow our horn.  I also did not want Rosemary cussing me out.  I did nothing but continue along south bound Central.  I am grateful for that.

The Old Man of The Mountains returned, Mike.

As we drive along and talk about this, I admit that if I knew this guy’s story instead of judging the book by the cover, my favorite path, I would probably be more empathic.  Has he just lost his job, his wife, his dignity?  Has he come from a horrible childhood that has him permanently damaged and angry?  This is my profession.   I know this.  His behavior in itself says so much.

Tell this guy your yoke is light and your burden in life is easy.  He would laugh and probably cuss you out.  How many people have burdens that are not light?   No way.

Look at these kids coming across the border.  The little girls, 10-14 years of age, really carrying a heavy burden.

Namesakes: Two Rosemarys, or YoYo & RoRo.

You hear the story of this Louie Zamperini, who just died in his nineties?  After his B-24 went down in the Pacific during the war with Japan, he and two other guys spent 47 days on a flimsy raft.  After being rescued by a Japanese boat, life got only more brutal in the numerous prison camps he spent time in before being released after the war. 

So how do you carry the load if you are Zamperini or the pickup driver? 

This sounds almost insulting or obscene, but it is psychologically sound, acceptance.  Accept what is happening to keep my mind and spirit sane.  Zamperini said that he also worked to keep his spirit alive and hopeful, disciplining himself like he did when he was an Olympic sprinter.

This is where I suggest contemplating the positive.  Maybe my childhood was horrible and my life is bad.   Can I not find love and graciousness somewhere? 

Perhaps that pickup driver is suffering.  He does not seem to be handling his suffering well.

How do you deal with the heavy burden?

She's back, Folks, the party is over. RoRo doing her blessing.

Readings:

Acts  12, 1-11,   The chains fell from his wrists.

Psalm 34,   The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.

2 Timothy  4, 6-8, 17-18,  The Lord stood by me and gave me strength.

John  21, 15-19,  Simon, son of John, do you love me.

Cowboy Cole and his mom, Erin, say, "Welcome, Everybody."

Acts, a quick review–

Luke wrote this and his gospel, around 65, covering the time after the resurrection and onto Rome.

Our selection describes Peter's imaginative escape from jail.

John: I want to use the gospel passage from the Vigil Mass, the story about Jesus asking Peter, "Do you love me?"  Watch how this story can be unpacked from something fairly simple to something  with more finesse.

Emma and her mom, Beth, say, "Come, Folks, it's fun here."

Do you love me?

I want to talk this morning about the little dialogue between Jesus and Peter.  It looks pretty simple and straight forward.  Jesus says, “Do you love me?”  Peter responds, “You know I love you.” 

You have probably heard the simple explication that it is a triple statement of love after a triple denial.  It ain’t so simple.  You may have heard me talk about this in the past, but it bears repeating. 

By way of an introduction, let me tell a little story.

Cupcakes of the Week to Cowboy Cole and Emma (for just being neat kids) and Candice on her birthday.

Last Monday I am at the “J” for the 6:00 A.M. spin class, the Jewish Community Center near our house.  There are about 20 people there, all ages, males and females, some in pretty good shape, some not.  The instructor or coach or whatever he is, is a tall slender, in shape black guy.  He knows everybody’s name, calls you out during the class, like, “Come on, John, you can do better than that,” when I am already putting out so much I am about to faint. 

Most of all he has the mouth, the language.  He’s beautiful.  He says a lot of crazy things to get us going, and if I was not going so flat out, I could enjoy him even more.  So, I love to tease him.  He asks everyone how they’re doing 5 minutes before the end of the session and after all the others have said they are doing great, I say I am dying and I say I know that makes him happy. 

Jack & Sophia, Candice and Ben's kids.

So after dying in Monday’s class and while I am cleaning up the stationary bike, I say to him, “Hey, Ben, if you really love me like you profess (he’s never told me he loves me, rather the contrary), in three weeks you would come with me to ride across Iowa in the Ragbrai bike tour.”

You can imagine what he says.  He does not deny that he loves me.  But he says that he is not the stud biker like I am.   Pretty slippery.  Of course, I make some smart response like, “So much for your love for me.”

This story exemplifies a bit how the dialogue between Jesus and Peter can be seen.

Barb, the bearer of Charm.

There is play on the word love here that is totally lost in the English.  Two Greek words are used for love, agapo and phileo.  Let’s say that agapo means love, but phileo means, say, care for.  Watch what happens with the 3 back and forths.

The first time, Jesus says, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these others do?”, he uses agapo, do you love me?  

Peter responds, “You know that I love you.”  Guess what.  He uses the word phileo.  I care for you.  Does that not make a significant difference?

The second time, Jesus only says, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”  Again he uses agapo.

Offertory, Kerry and Nina, fellow bikers.

Peter responds exactly the same, “You know that I love you.”  Guess which word he uses.  Phileo.  I care for you.

Third time, Jesus says, “Simon, son of John, do you care for me?”  Jesus switches word.  This time he uses phileo, care for.   

Peter responds, “Lord, you know everything.  You know that I care for you.”

So what is the author John trying to convey by crafting this little vignette?  Who knows really?  Apparently Peter has become a more humble, less braggadocio person.  Look at where it begins with Jesus asking about loving more than the others.  What would the old Peter have said?  And look at where it ends, Jesus lowering his expectations and Peter sticking to his first statement.  Beyond that, who can say? 

Question this week: how do you deal with the mystery that is this bible?

Wendy and Ben charming the community.

Readings:

Deuteronomy  8, 2-3, 14-16,   He let you be afflicted with hunger, then fed you.

Psalm 147,   Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

1 Corinthians 10, 16-17,  We all partake of the one loaf.

John  6, 51-58,  Whoever eats this bread will live forever.

The Girls say, "Welcome, Everybody, Hats in honor of Cathy." Patricia, Carol, and Maureen.

Deuteronomy: The fifth & last book of the Torah.  The scene: Moses & the Hebrews are in the desert just outside the promised land, the land of the Canaanites, whom they are going to kick out and kill.  Moses is reviewing their journey from Egypt.

Date:  first put into some form around 750 before Christ, then put into a more final form, guess when, at the end of the Babylonian Captivity, around 555.

Jan with her hat of symbols, tree planting, peace, patriotism, friendship, and cupcakes.

Author: not Moses, even though the book is 3 sermons of Moses on the plains of Moab, just at the end of the period of wandering, and just before entering the land of the Caananites, or the Promised Land.  It is really tradition, stories of old times. 

Our Selection:  Moses is recounting the escape from Egypt and the years in the desert.  

The belief that Yahweh punishes, corrects us, and tests us with affliction is not common today as Moses suggests to the people.  You can still hear it from fundamentalist preachers.  Remember the huricane in New Orleans?  We will read more of the section to get the sense more clearly.

Geri and Marilyn say, "Hi, Folks, Come in."

My Guide through the Desert

We have just read about how Moses guided the Jewish people through the desert.  In honor of two of our most favorite people who are retiring from years in public education, this morning I would like to talk about people who guided us and me through the desert.

Two short stories, some of which you may have heard before.  It just seems to fit in here so well.

When I was in maybe 6^th grade, I joined the Boy Scouts at Christ the King around January, when I have my birthday.  Some of my classmate joined up in the spring.

Cathy and especially Harper accepting a special pastry for Cathy's retirement from public education.

First thing I know, along comes summer and we are heading to Texoma for a week of summer camp.  We get there, get our tents, and I overhear some of the 8^th grade guys planning to initiate me.  Why me?  Probably because I was bigger than some of my classmates. 

So suddenly I get sick.  I’m afraid.  I'm home sick.  I want out of there.  These guys were bigger than me and I did not feel safe, no way.  The scout master was a pretty passive guy I did not know well. 

Rick and Jackie accepting a special pastry for Rick's retirement from public education, Rick's 62nd birthday, Rick and Jackie's 39th anniversary, and for Jackie's marvelous recovery.

We had come in on Sunday.  By Monday night I am back home, and back home really feeling horrible about what I did.  I feel like a chicken, for sure.  I was embarrassed even in front of my parents.

The next summer comes along.  My dad, who had remained active along with me in the Scout troop, invited me to go with him back to Texoma.  He was going to spend the night as one of the adult overnight supports for the troop.  

With some trepidation, I decided to go.  We arrived at night and I still remember walking into the tent of my coach and teacher, Frank Hart.  He was sitting on his cot and there was a Coleman lantern buzzing.  He had always supported me.  Always encouraged me. 

Brian and especially two little mice accepting a Cupcake of the Week for Brian's 63rd.

His welcome that night was a turning point in my young life.  It probably prepared me for the day after high school, when I would walk away from the security of my family, join the Jesuits, and never return, even to Dallas for 7 years.

My second guide through the desert was one of the Jesuits at the old Jesuit High.  From as early as I can remember I detested clericalism and the piety stuff.  That was all I had seen until Jesuit.  Fr. Jules May was not clerical and not pious. 

He was our freshman football coach.  As coach he was out there in clothes as crummy as what we wore.  And as coach he got after us like a drill sergeant.  He cussed us.  He yelled at us.  He accepted us ultimately.  I remember my dad was somewhat shocked. I loved him. 

Buddy, the candle man, lighting up with the help of his mom, MIchelle.

I remember one day we were playing Highland Park on our upper field right next to Oak Lawn across from Holy Trinity.  My best buddy played center for Highland Park and I played center for Jesuit.   At one point in the game we were punting out of our own end zone, a chain link fence between our field and Oak Lawn.  I centered that ball over the kicker’s head, over the fence, and onto Oak Lawn. 

I was so humiliated and was waiting for Jules May to descend upon me with both feet.  He did not. 

Marsha, one of those from the "crazy corner."

Jules May was one of the reasons I decided to join the Jesuits.

These two coaches and teachers were guides to me through the desert. Cathy & Rick have guided tons of young people through the desert. 

Who was your guide?

Whom are you guiding today?

Zoe, as always, the style setter.

Readings:

Exodus  34, 4-9,   A merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity.

Psalm from Daniel,  Glory and Praise forever.

2 Corinthians 13, 11-13,  Rejoice.

John  3, 16-18,  God so loved the world.

Welcome Home, Wendy.

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.

Zoe says, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome."

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 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.

Shonda catching her breath from chasing after an active Leo.

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.

Then, and here we take up the reading, 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.    

Emma lighting The Candle.

Responsorial Psalm from the Book of Daniel: 

Another great folk story is behind this song.   Characters: three Jewish boys, a gold statue, and the great King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, what a name.   Get the names of these boys, Shadrack, Mechak, and Abednego.  Terrific.  I had a dog in East Africa I called Shadrack, a German Shepherd.

Seems like old Nebuchadnezzar decided to cast a gold statue.  He wanted everyone to bow down to it.  Three Jewish boys said no.  Even though they were favorites of the king, he had to throw them into a flaming furnace.   

Far from being burned up, the boys started dancing around in joy and they sang the song we have for today’s responsorial psalm.  Though this is totally a mythical story, you can picture them.

Leo, healthy again, ready to play.

A Father, merciful and gracious, slow to anger and rich in kindness

Letme talk this morning about fathers.  I would propose that, among all the qualities of a father, one that enables a father to reflect the image of God is my favorite line, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and rich in kindness.  These qualities are attributed to God  and I think men can image the same qualities.  An example.

Ever hear of a guy named Kenny Thompson?   He is an elementary school tutor at Valley Oaks Elementary in Houston and a father.  One day Kenny reads a news report about an elementary school in Salt Lake. 

Emma, "Did somebody mention Cupcake for Emma?"

Turns out a bunch of kids were not getting their normal lunch because they owed money to the cafeteria.  Not a lot f money.  After all, the lunches ran about 40 cents. 

So Kenny enquires about the cafeteria at Valley Oaks where he is a tutor.  He discovers about 60 kids not getting their normal lunch, just a cheese sandwich.  Moreover, many of the kids are so embarrassed they skip going to the cafeteria for the cheese sandwich.

Cupcakes of The Week for Mary & Connie, Emma & Wendy, Mary & Alison.

Kenny Thompson pays up all the kids’ cafeteria bills, totally almost $500.  He says these kids don’t need to be worried about their lunches, for many the only whole meal they will have all day.  They are in the school to learn and they cannot learn on an empty stomach or embarrassment.  

Kenny’s story got picked up by a local TV station and now he has gone national, creating  a fund under the title Feeding the Future Forward. 

Father's Day Blessing.

Kenny Thompson is godlike, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love. 

Know anybody like this?  

How about you?

Who are these Characters?