Says, Tori, "Welcome in, Everybody.

Readings:

Isaiah 60, 1-6,   Upon you the Lord shines

Psalm 72,  Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

Ephesians 3, 2-3, 5-6,  You have heard of the stewardship.

Matthew, 2 , 1-12  The Epiphany (the Magi)

Shonda, Ben & David doing it.

Isaiah 60:  observations–

1.  Who:  Can you guess which Isaiah this is, 1, 2, or 3?  Yes, this is Isaiah III who seems to have lived after the Babylonian Captivity, that is, 555 Before Christ
2. Today’s passage: chapter 60 is addressed to Jerusalem as a symbol, which is in total  destruction.  Isaiah  is trying to lift the spirits of the people who are depressed at seeing the mess that is Jerusalem.   He is saying that your day is coming, Jerusalem, when you will return to being the most splendid city of all, and by extension, the tribe.

Isaiah 3 should get a commission from the Jerusalem chamber of commerce.  

One of our Best Helpers, Leo.

The Epiphany, a Cornucopia of Symbols:

2 observations & 2 postscripts–

Where to begin, folks.  There is so much symbolism in this liturgy, in Matthew, for sure, and in the combination of Matthew with Isaiah and Psalm 72.  I'll touch 2 points, each with 3 subdivisions.. 

1. The Wise Men

1. The Wise Men have a double & triple significance because they are Gentiles
2. They come from the east, considered the source of wisdom in the world of that time.  Where does the sun rise?  Where do stars rise?  A new son has been born and like the sun in the east or a star, he will bring new light. 
3. They are searchers & symbolize every person’s search for meaning in life.    Remember Matthew speaks to two audiences, his fellow Israelites, whom he is chastising for not searching, and the Gentiles. 

Emma, our Candle Lighter of the Week, in action.

2. The 3 gifts. 

1. Gold is given because it signifies royalty. 
2. Frankincense, or incense, signifies divinity. 
3. Myrra signifies medicine.  Myrra is for human health.  It comes from a bush like tree that has a yellow, sticky sap on its bark.  The sap was good for skin infections and acne, asthma, colds, and flu, and even herpes.  It is found in Saudi Arabia & Somalia.

Suit up time.

 A post script.  People in Europe used to write an inscription over their doors, e.g. 20+C+M+B+18.  The numbers are our year.  The letters are Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar.   Christians made it say, “Christ Bless our house or Maison the year listed.

Another post script.  In New Orleans Epiphany starts Carnival season, which leads up to Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.  The parades are starting, folks.  Let's go.

 Sources: Reginal Fuller, St. Louis U. Liturgy; Biblical & Theological Resources, the Voice Institute, on line; Wikipedia; and other sources.

Suit up time continues.
 

An Epiphany Event

I would like to define epiphany as a giving & receiving of good news.  To exemplify this I have a story about a Christmas dinner I hosted one Christmas afternoon in the Jesuit house I used as a base in Tanzania.  I had been in East Africa at this time for about 7 or 8 years.  Because Christmas had often been lonely & sort of a downer, I decided this year to throw a dinner.

Since there were no turkeys available where I lived, I had to travel a day up north to Nairobi, Kenya.  I got a frozen turkey, returned and had to explain to the customs on both sides of the border.  Since, as a white guy who spoke Swahili pretty fluently, they passed me through probably thinking I was a bit crazy, like most wazungu, dizzy white guys in Swahili.

The Team, all suited up.

Next step.  Invite the neighbors on both sides of our house.  So I went to the father on the east side and invited him to come to my office.  He was a police chief, a very important person to have as a friend.

So, I said to him, “Mohammad, I want to invite you & the family to a special dinner on what we Christians call Christmas day.  On one condition: you get drunk, you may not come.”  “Oh, yes, yes, asante sana, (thanks, thanks),” he responded.

Offertory with Ray & Claire (whose mom just died today in New Orleans), Barb & Ron.

Christmas Eve I celebrate a late night Mass at the Capuchin sisters complex about 900’ up the south slope of Kilimajaro.  I almost live here because the sisters have a guest house with about 15 rooms.  I run 10 to 30 day seminars and retreats at their guest house.

Christmas day I travel the 2 hours down from the mountain.  It is summer time.  I pull into our dirt driveway and park under the canopy.  Behind me pulls in an old battered Land Rover.  Two guys get out and stagger toward me all buddy, buddy.  Yep, one of them is Mohammed. 

Welcome back Georgie.  So nice to see you again.

I am so disappointed and tell him, “Mohammed, you cannot come, Bwana.  We had a deal.”  This could have been a tough moment for me if he refused.  But, no, he apologized and the two guys drove off in their old Land Rover. 

I was a  little anxious about him coming anyway, but at 4:00 everybody started coming.  I expected maybe 10, but along with his wife and their two delightful little girls, extended family members showed up, a very common East Africa custom.

The minor elevation.

All this took place on our roof, from which you could see Kilimanjaro.  We had a partial Arab style house with a flat roof with cinder block railing.

The Epiphany is a giving & receiving good news.  The roof top dinner we had was a giving & receiving good news.

What are your epiphanies?

Guess what is coming!

Special thanks, Hue and Ken, for the heads up on a mistake in the last edition of the blog.

The Correction: Mass this Sunday will be at 9:30, the usual Sunday schedule (not 4:00 P.M.)

Hi, Emma, and Happy Christmas.  You look gorgeous.

Welcome: Catholic Mass with coffee & juice, and pastries, some bought, some home-made.  

Time: 4:00; Celebrate with the Community & Stack

Place: Sigler Elementary, 1400 Janwood Drive, Plano, TX 75075

 Note for bad weather Sundays:  If you wonder if we will have our celebration, call me (214-783-0443) and I will record a message.   I will also get a phone tree moving.  Check the directory for phone numbers.  If we know for sure the Saturday evening before, I can also post a blog.

Hi, Nora, I hear Santa  is coming to visit you tonight and maybe even this evening.

Readings:

Genesis15, 1-6; 21, 1-3    Look up at the sky and count the stars.  Just so shall your descendants be.

Psalm, 105,  the Lord remembers his covenant forever.

Hebrews 11, 8, 11-12, 17-19  By faith Abraham obeyed.

Luke 2, 22-40,   Simeon & Anna meet Jesus

Quiz: how many people are singing in the photo.

Community Activities:  

ROMEO MEET: Friday, December  29, Jason's Deli, Collin Creek Mall, west side of Central, 1:00.  Welcome all wakos,  you will fit right in.  Apologies for the mix up last Friday.

JULIET LUNCHEON, (aka.,just us ladies into eating together),  January Lunch, TBA

Dickenson Trip:  February 23- March 3

Those Bresson kids.

What is going on in Our Catholic World:

1    The cruelty of the tax plan, NationalCatholic Reporter, December 14, 666  words,    Download THE CRUEL BUDGET 12-28-17- 

2.  Jesuit parishes as sanctuaries, National Catholic Reporter,   December 21, 654 words,    Download SJ PARISHES SANCTUARIES 12-28-17

3.   How to reform the Vatican, National Catholic Reporter,  December 21, 255 words, Download REFORMING VATICAN 12-28-31

I think I see some shepherds.

True?

The belief that there is only one truth, and that oneself is in possession of it, is the root of all evil in the world.

Max Born

Under that bush, could there be a Cathy?

See you Sunday, December 31, 2017

J.S., 214-783-0443

Sez Sam, "Where is that Santa character?"

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.

Sez Tori,  "He's coming, Sam.  You just watch."

"I've seen him," says Zoe

The Living Nativity.  

Readings:

Isaiah 9, 1-6,    The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light, upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shown.  (Wow!  Beautiful)

Psalm, 96,  Today is born our savior, Christ the Lord.

Titus 2, 10-11,  The grace of God has appeared.

Luke 2, 1-14,   The Nativity story.   (Lovely)

What do we have here?  A donkey, a giraffe, an Addie?  

Isaiah observations:

This is Isaiah 1, a beautiful, hope filled piece.

Ever see a prettier Mary?  Hi, CC.

The Daily Nativities bringing Peace, Joy, & Gratitude

I would like to talk a few minutes this evening about celebrating the Nativity.  We do this once a year.  I propose that we can celebrate the Nativity, not once a year, but everyday.  The Nativity is an event that gives me peace and joy and a sense of gratitude.  These nativities happen daily. 

Hey, who let this character in?  Got a gift for me Santa?

Two examples.

There is a little widow lady named Joyce who lives right across the street from Rosemary & me.  She is on the southeast corner of Tulip Lane & Camellia.  We are on the northeast corner.

Joyce is 89 years old and Aviana & I visit her every morning.  In fact, we give her our newspaper after we have read it.

Has Santa run out of presents?  No way!

A week ago Joyce walked over to The Tom Thumb on the corner of Preston & Royal, a ten minute walk from our corner.  After buying bread and crossing over Preston at the light, Joyce was crossing Royal at Camellia.  As she walks to the median, she steps into a pile of leaves thinking it was flat.  

Nope, it was the curb and Joyce falls face down on the cement of the median.  She gets right up and is bleeding all over herself from where her sunglasses had cut around her left eye.  Not the eye itself, but her face.

Thanks, Emma, for doing your Candle Magic again.

At this point Joyce says all these people literally stopped their cars and ran to her.  Some wanted to call an ambulance for her.  Others offered to drive her home.  “No,” she said, “I am okay and only live right there,” and she points to her house.

One guy, however, puts his arm around her waist and offers to walk her home.  She accepts and gets home.

"All I want for Christmas?  Yes," says Vivian, my front tooth."  And Viki, her mom agrees

Want to know what really touched her?  Yes, all the people who ran to help her, leaving their cars right there on extremely busy Royal Lane. 

Those people were a Nativity event for Joyce.  And guess what.  She has  great peace, joy, and gratitude.

The Team, Georgie & Buddy, Leo & Mike.

The second example of a nativity happened to me Thursday.  I went to the main Dallas recycle dump on Harry Hines & Webb Chapel.  I get on the ramp and start unloading empty paint cans, old phones, and stuff that had accumulated for a year or more.

Coming up and helping me was a tall, old black guy, probably older even than I am.   I’m thinking this guy should be retired and at home with his grandkids.  I take the stuff out of the van, he takes  it and puts it in the correct container.  I am most touched.

And the Rest of The Team.

I wish him Happy Christmas and I start to get into the van.  “He deserves a tip,” I think and look into my bill fold.  5 bucks, maybe.  No luck.  No fives, no tens even.  Only a 20.  “Rosemary is going to kill me,”  So I walk over and shake his hand, the 20 in the shake. 

He, of course, tells me how I do not need to do this a bunch of times.  But finally he is all gratitude.  I get into the van quickly so he won’t see my tears.

Jack & his sister Sophia, who dances, like to all the music their dad (Ben) is playing.

A daily nativity event.  I gave him a 20.  I took from him peace, joy, and gratitude.

Where is the Nativity Event in your life this season?

Merry Christmas, Carrie.  Merry Christmas, Paul.