Readings:

Genesis  22, 1-18,  God put Abraham to the test.

Psalm 116,    I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

Romans, 8, 31-34,   If God is with us who can be against us?

 Mark 9, 2-10,   The Transfiguration.

Brandon, our official Cub Scout Greeter, says, "Hi, Everybody, Welcome in out of the cold & rain."

Genesis observations:

Today’s Selection: To figure out what is going on in Genesis this morning, I want to tell you a story, the story of Abraham and his wife, Sarah.

But first, a few brief reminders.  Genesis is the first book of the Bible, a fascinating look at our ancestors trying to answer the universal questions, like where did we come from and how did we get to be the way we are.  Last week we heard God tell Noah that floods would no longer kill everybody, and the signature of this agreement, the rainbow.

Cathy, too, says, "Welcome in, Everybody."

This morning we are watching Abraham, the great father of the Jewish nation.  Abraham is being asked by God to sacrifice his son.  To appreciate even more the power of this, a little story.  We are reading chapter 22.  Chapter 18 sets the stage for the story in chapter 22.

One day, Abraham was sitting in front of his tent at the hottest part of the day.  Suddenly he looked up and saw 3 men.  Without thinking, Abraham rushed to welcome them and offer them refreshment.  They accept and Abraham personally serves them his best food under a shade tree. 

They asked him where was his wife, Sarah.  Both Sarah and Abraham were old, like in their 100’s.  Abraham says Sarah was in the tent.  One of the men said that in 9 months they would return and Sarah would have a son. 

Sarah, who was listening behind the tent flap heard the man and laughed.  ‘What a preposterous idea,’ she thought.

Harper, like her grandmother, says, "Hi, Everybody."

God hears her and God asks Abraham why Sarah laughed.  “Do you think I cannot do this,” he asks Sarah.  Because she was scared she said to God, “I did not laugh.”  And God said, “Yes, you did.” 

Guess what happens 9 months later.

The reading today in chapter 22 assumes you know all this and that you know Sarah had her baby, which she named Isaac.  In the story today Isaac, the beloved son, is a boy of about 10-12.  See what God wants.  Remember that this is tribal oral tradition passed down for centuries, not history. 

Mark 0bservation:

The story in Mark today is the transfiguration.  I want to talk about transfiguration events in our lives.  For example, how about Fred's Memorial a couple of weeks ago?

Cole, a Transfiguration Event just as he is.

Transfiguration Events

Like I mentioned I would like to say a few words about our transfiguration events.  What makes an event a transfiguration event?  When something takes place and I come away with greater faith, greater hope, and greater love, greater faith in people, hope in people, and love for people, and, perhaps, all the above about myself. 

Three examples.

First, our dear friend Beth one day is heading to the Tom Landry Center to work out so she can beat me on a real bicycle.  She is late.  She gets out her iPhone to check the parking garage connected to the Landry Center.  It is full.  Curses.  She then checks the pay parking spots on the street.  She pulls in.  It takes quarters & she does not have enough.  More curses.

Cupcakes of The Week to Sandra and Randolph (for his wife, Michelle)

As she stands there looking in her pockets for quarters, a black guy, somewhat shabby looking, maybe homeless, comes up and all friendly says, “Hi, Looking for change?”  “He is looking for a handout,” thinks Beth immediately.  Remember Beth and Rob now live in the marvelous new melting pot of downtown Dallas. 

So, what does the guy say next?  “Would you like some quarters?  I have some extras.”  “Yes, I really would, thanks so much.”  And the guy pays for her parking. 

Transfiguration event?  I think so.  Even for me when she told me the story.   Greater faith in people, hope for people, and love for people.

Emma caring for her little friends.

The second story comes from the Thursday Dallas Morning News, Metro section.  Seems there is a guy named Ted Washington.  He came from Arkansas and spent 20 years in the Navy.   Since 2005, a good year for Rosemary and me, Ted became a mail man.  He loves it.  He says it is a job that is peaceful and gives him time to reflect on life.

This past week he has faced rain, sleet, and snow, and faced them with good humor.  He delivers the mail in the Lakewood section of Dallas, on the east side of White Rock Lake.  Is this Mary’s mailman?

Leo & Brandon solving world problems.

Ted says he will continue to deliver mail as long as he can, hoping to make the world a better place.  He also is a black man.  The article closes with him saying, “I am a simple man. I don’t have extravagant needs and wants.  When I am carrying mail, my goal is to just help people have a good day.”

Ted Washington, you are a transfiguration person for me.  Thanks.

Toy World with Buddy and Zoe, Emma and Victoria, and Cole with Beth looking on.

The third event was, hang on, the all day snowfall we had Friday.  It was beautiful.  I forgot how beautiful first snow can be.  Everything is clean and quiet.  Nobody was moving around our neighborhood.  Aviana loves it and goes hopping around like a white rabbit, sticking her nose and face into it and tossing her head. 

I hope none of you were caught in that 15 car pileup on 75 & Melissa or in the back up.  I was blessed because I could not go out and do any yard work or housework.  Instead I sat in front of our bay window with Rosemary and Aviana and watched our neighborhood turn magic. 

Leo in action.

Schools all let out at 1:00.  In Saturday’s paper there was a picture of kids and folks sliding down Flag Pole Hill.  For those of you who don’t know that hill it is on NWST Highway just where Buckner Blvd. begins and heads south toward the Casa Linda area.

When I was a kid our family used to have picnics on Flag Pole Hill, sometimes with just our family, often with other families.  I love the place and still see it when Rosemary & I ride our bikes around White Rock in milder weather. 

The snowfall was a transfiguration event for me.  The world was transformed and I had more faith in people, hope for people, and greater love. 

What is your latest Transfiguration event?

Helpers come enthusiastically to help dad with his job of accepting a Cupcake, Buddy and Zoe.

Readings:

Genesis  9, 8-15,  The waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all mortal beings. 

Psalm 25,    Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.

1 Peter 3, 18-22,   Christ suffered for sins once.

 Mark 1, 12-15,   The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert.

Says Harper, "Welcome, Everyone, Come in out of the cold and rain."

Genesis:  observations–

What:  First book of the Bible, starts with creation & ends with the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob (Israel).

Author: Not Moses as was thought for centuries before people began to study the work.  At least 3 sources: 

• a Y (or J) source for the group that addressed God as Yahweh;
• an E for the group who addressed God as Elohim (Like two historians calling NYC The Big Apple or New York City, or Denver by its name or Mile High City);
• and a P group that focused on the priestly class, activities, & customs.

And Emma, too, says, "Hi, Everybody, It's warm in here, come in."

Time: compiled and put together from 950 to 500 BCE.

Today's Selection: the flood has just receded and Noah is receiving a promise (called covenant) from Yahweh that never again will people be wiped out by a flood.  Guess what the sign of the promise is.

And Leo says, "Yippee, I bet my dad gets a Cupcake for his birthday."

A Happy Lent

I want to talk this morning about having a happy Lent.  Why?  Because God created us to be happy. 

I admit again that this is my least favorite season of the year.  I always look for something positive to do and am never really satisfied with what I come up with.

Welcome to a happy Lent.

However, this past week I got something good.  During the week Diane McClurg sent me a facebook note that she had something.   Then she sent me another more insistent facebook saying she was waiting.  So I opened it up.  And am I grateful.

What she had sent was a copy of an article by a woman named Karen Ehman.  Karen Ehman says, ‘For this Lent don’t give something up; take something up.’  She has five ideas that are pretty good.  Here they are.

Cupcake of The Week to Diane for her birthday and for recommending the article on Lent.

1. Take up note writing to people with whom you don’t communicate that often, but who are friends.  She says she buys 40 cards, envelopes, and stamps.  Each morning she sends one out to a friend, just saying that she likes the person.
2. Take up the phone and call someone every day or once a week and tell them you are calling just to tell them thanks for being a good friend.  
3. Take up a simple gift for a friend or family member.  Like bring flowers to someone, bring a Starbucks, offer to wash the dishes, or clean or dust the house, mow the grass (welcome to Tulip Lane).  Invite someone to lunch.  This is a once a week or occasional take up.

23 years for Alison and John.

1. Take up a simple gift for a stranger.  Like the recycle men, the garbage men, the checkers at the grocery.  Compliment the checker on her finger nails, give $10 to each of the garbage men (watch out for their over the top gratitude). 
2. Take up visiting someone in retirement or in a hospital.  (This is my addition, not Karen’s)  We got lots of people you may choose from, starting with Rita. 

Brent and Meredith keeping warm.

As you can see, some of these suggestions are occasional or once a week ideas.  Plus, what we have here are only seeds.  Even while you were listening to the five I put forward, you may be been thinking about other possibilities.

How can you have a happy Lent?

Source: Karen Ehman, on line.

Life for Cowboy Cole and Emma.

Readings:  (special for Fred)

Isaiah 43, 1-5,  Do not be afraid, you are mine

Psalm 32,    I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

1 Corinthians 13, 1-3,   If I have no love, I am nothing.

 John 15, 10-11,   As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you.  Live in my love.  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and you joy may be complete.

Maureen and Fred Macchio.

Today's readings, observation:

I have chosen all of these readings with the spirit of Fred Macchio  and the family in mind.

The Macchio Clan.

Fred Macchio

I would like to talk about our dear old friend, Fred.  I have two small vignettes and, then, I would like to tell my most favorite Fred story, the pickup story.

First, we have a group of guys who meet every Friday at 1:00 at Jason’s Deli at Collin Creek.  The group was christened “Romeo’s” by Mike Moran, though I have gathered this is not an original.  Like, try T.I. and Poor Richard’s.  Nevertheless, Fred was always with us every week.

When we got together there were two things.  First, every time I had to be absent, Fred would tell me that the numbers jumped to a dozen or more.

Thanks to all from Maureen and the Macchios.

Secondly, Fred would always find in the Thursday blog I sent out a mistake or two or more.  Like, “Hey, you forgot to change the date.”  Or “Hey, you misspelled this or that word.”  It really became a game for me and I enlisted Rosemary to get rid of mistakes.  However, even with her help Fred always caught something.  I got better, though, and was ready to wager him.   No mistakes, he buys my lunch.  A mistake, I buy his lunch.   So, you know how he handled that, he checked out on me.

Second, a little fact you all may not know about Fred.  He donated his body to Southwestern Medical.  I was so impressed that I have started the screening process for myself.

And now the pickup story.

The scene with pictures and hats.

In 1990 I was driving an old Chevy pickup that was a castoff from Jesuit.  Trouble was, it was dying.  I needed a new ¾ ton to continue my tree planting hobby.  I was pulling an 800 gallon water tank to water all summer the new trees.

So I approached my Jesuit community, the other priests, and asked for a new truck.   “Sure,” they said, but I had to find the money myself. 

Like, where am I going to find some thousands of bucks to buy a new truck?  I was, at that time, celebrating a 9:00 and a 10:30 Sunday Mass every week at St. Marks.  I had a bunch of friends there.

Cupcake of the Week to Maureen for just being Maureen and for inviting us all to share in this special memorial.

So, I called the pastor one day and asked if I may contact some of the parishioners who are my special friends.  “Yes,” he said somewhat reluctantly if I remember correctly.  “But, never, never, never mention this at the Mass or anywhere at any church function where I am the celebrant.”  Okay by me.  I felt grateful that I got what I got.

So I contact some of these dear friends of mine.  And guess who one of these people was.  Yes, my buddy Fred. 

A week passed.  Then another week.  On, perhaps the third Sunday after making my calls, I am walking from the main church to the cafetorium, where we had the 10:30 Mass.  Suddenly, a woman comes up and gives me a page.  I think it might have been Marcia Kolar.  I look at it and it says, “Help Stack get his pickup.” 

Cupcake of the Week for being Danny's wife.

I go in the cafetorium and I find these empty gallon jars that had contained mustard or ketchup.  Pasted on the jars, “Help Stack get his pickup.”  Jim Herman, who died a few years ago, was the reader that Sunday and he is up at the podium saying the same thing.  Wow, I was really getting nervous.  We could be in deep doo doo.

I see Fred and ask what does he know about all this.  He says cryptically, I will always remember, “It is easier sometimes to apologize after it is done, than to request permission ahead of time.”  

More of those marvelous Macchios.

Suddenly at that moment, like a clap of thunder in comes the pastor, yelling, “Who did this?”  He goes for me and yells that he had told me never.  He is yelling and running around trying to take back from people those little pages with “Help Stack get his truck.”  It was quite a scene.

He kept yelling and finally I gave a nod to Teresa, she started the music, and I just simply walked away and up the aisle.

The Girls.

After the Mass he was back, saying, “I know who did this,” and yelling at Fred and even Maureen, saying that Fred was going to pay for this. 

Sometime later, Fred says to me, “In all my years here, I’ve never seen him go nuclear like that.”  Before Christmas that year I was handed enough to pay $15,000 in cash for that truck. 

Fred, I never thanked you enough.

The Guys.