Welcome in Everybody, and welcome to Advent.

Readings:  

Jeremiah  33, 14-16, “The days are coming”, says the Lord, “when I will fulfill the promise I made.”

Psalm 25,  To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

1 Thesssalonians 3,12-4,2, May the Lord make you increase and abound in love.

Like 21,  25-28, 34-36, There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars.  

Welcome from today's Offertory Team, Michelle & Gil, Carol & Rich

One Day on a Walker   

For a New Appreciation of People, Try a Walker

This morning I would like to talk about how I came to see again how genuinely good ordinary people can be.  Want a quickie answer to that?  Try lumbar stenosis which leads to lower back pain which leads to life on a walker.

Another Day on the walker.

Two examples.

Just after the doctor put me on a walker I had an 8:00 A.M. appointment with my skin doctor.  It was freezing dark, cold, windy, and I had to park in one of those ground level parking areas, like about ½ a mile from the double glass entrance doors. 

As I hobbled up to the doors, a guy and a woman jumped ahead of me and held the doors open for me.  I was most touched.

Leo the Candle Man in Action.

The same thing happened when I departed the buildings.

Other similar events happened all the time we were in Hilton Head.   But a special one took place at an Alabama highway welcome facility just departing Georgia. 

We stopped in the visitor space to visit the facilities.  As I approached the one story building I noticed that the host of the facility this particular morning was a black guy about 60.  He saw me and was immediately heading toward the entrance doors.

Buddy reading the Blessing of The Advent Candle.

We arrived about the same moment and I reached out to pull outward the right hand door.  Trouble was, I was coming at it from the left.  I was awkwardly pulling the door with my right hand when the guy opened the door and stepped out to help me. 

Lucky me, because I was planning on using the door handle with my right hand to balance.  Suddenly the door was open, the handle out of reach, and I am falling over—right into the arms of the welcoming station.  Yes, he caught me and graciously got me righted.

Yes, Harper, you look really pretty with your new shorter hair.

Then, even at the restroom door, truckers were holding it so I could enter and depart.

I have been most touched, folks, and feel privileged.

Any of you seen these people around lately? 

And the question I would ask normally, I don’t ask now because it is irrelevant.  You do this kind of activity every day.

Could it be that Leo's most favorite time of our Sunday Mass is the Cupcake of the Week time.

Note: we are now meeting at Legacy Academy.  We will continue to post this map until after Christmas Eve. 

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

Time: 9:30; Celebrate with the Community &  John Stack

Place: Legacy Charter School, Accent Drive, Plano, TX 75075

 Readings:  

Jeremiah 33:14-16,  The days are surely coming, says the LORD

Psalm 25:1-10,  To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13,  How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you?

Luke 21:25-36,  Then he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees . . .

 Sorry the Blog is late.  Too much turkey!

Note: we are now meeting at Legacy Academy.  We will continue to post this map until after Christmas Eve. 

"I believe"

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

Time: 9:30; Celebrate with the Community &  John Cade

Place: Legacy Charter School, Accent Drive, Plano, TX 75075

All kids welcome.

Readings:  

Daniel 7, 13-14, I saw one like a Son of man coming.

Psalm 93,  The Lord is king, he is robed in majesty.

Revelation 1, 5-8,  Jesus Christ is the faithful witness.

John 18,  32-37,  Are you the king of the Jews

Community Activities:  

"Welcome, All You Girls."

ROMEO MEET: Friday, November 30, Jason's Deli, Collin Creek Mall, west side of Central, 1:00.  Welcome all wakos, you will fit right in.  Let’s skip the day after Thanksgiving.

JULIETTE LUNCHEON  December Luncheon  

Note 1:  The Meyerson Christmas concert, December 13, Thursday.  Welcome.  Rosemary is filling the list. Tickets are $32.00.

Carrie & Paul are actually awake and  listening!

TRUE?

Two boys were walking home from Sunday school

after hearing a strong preaching on the devil.

One said to the other, 'What do you think about

all this Satan stuff?'

The other boy replied, 'Well, you know how

Santa Claus turned out.

It's probably just your Dad..'

Our Father 1.

What is going on in our Catholic world?

1.  Ignore the Vatican & their inactivity, National Catholic Reporter, November 13   https://www.ncronline.org/news/accountability/ignore-vatican-bishops-can-forge-ahead-stopping-abuse-cover?utm_source=NOV_13_CLOHESSY_FORGE+AHEAD&utm_campaign=cc&utm_medium=email

Peace, Everybody & have a Happy Thanksgiving Holiday.

See you Sunday,

J.S., 214-783-0443

Ugh oh, here's trouble.

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.

Says our dearest Harper, "Welcome in, Everybody. 

Readings:  

Daniel 12, 1-3, In those day, I, Daniel, heard the word of the Lord

Psalm 16,  You are my inheritance, O Lord

1 Corinthians 1, 3-9, I give thanks  (selection from Thanksgiving Day)

Mark 13,  24-32,  Learn a lesson from the fig tree.

With Buddy reading the blessing of the candles, Emma lights the candles.

Thanksgiving History: Everyone knows about the first Thanksgiving in 1602 with the Pilgrims and the Indians eating together, the Mayflower, and Plymouth Rock.   Here are 5 facts that people do not hear about usually.

1.  When did Thanksgiving begin?  Our ancestors have celebrated end of harvest feasts of gratitude for centuries.  Lincoln first focused on a national feast; FDR established the national holiday in 1941.

Michelle with her dad, Gil.

1.  The pilgrims did not know they were pilgrims.  They called themselves saints, and non-saints were called strangers.  The word pilgrim came along in the 18 hundreds, 2 centuries later.  They were not even Puritans, but separatists.  They split off from the Church of England, old Henry VIII's church, and the Puritans did not split off. 
2.   The Separatists did not come to establish religious freedom.  They came for religious freedom for their religion and only their religion.  Like the Catholic Church, the Separatists demanded everyone belong to their program.  Failure to conform could result in execution, ala inquisition.

And the Father will Dance, One of our most favorite hymns led by Ben.

1.  The Mayflower returned to England, was torn apart, and its beams were used to build a barn in Buckinghamshire (just north of London & east of Oxford).
2.  How did the Indians & Separatists communicate?   The Indians were Algonquians & one of them, Squanto had actually lived in Briton some years.  He returned to his tribe and taught his friend, Samoset English.  It was Samoset who communicated with the Separatists, & the Indians taught them to raise corn, to fish, and to hunt.  In the first winter half of the 100 Separatists died before the Indians taught them how to survive.

Elevation time.

Thanksgiving

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, my most favorite celebration, I would like to talk about blessings.  Excuse me for the personal focus.  It is my annual assessment.  Rosemary & I do this together more toward the end of the year, but initially I put together my own list.

As an aside, this Tuesday we celebrate the 26^th anniversary of the 6 Jesuits killed in the patio of their residence of their university, UCA, University of Central America, El Salvador.

Offertory with Mike, John, and Connie.

Thanksgiving

Despite the fact that Rosemary says, when she hears that I want to give a Thanksgiving homily this Sunday, “Not another thanksgiving homily.”  I  promise her that  won’t repeat the Big 3 Blessings in my life.  Like entering the Jesuits, spending 10 years in East Africa, and marrying her. 

Instead, I have Ragbrai.  The ride across Iowa in July.  You have heard me talk about this event on numerous occasions.  To me this is an extraordinary event, some 30 thousand riders, 400-500 miles from the Missouri River to the Mississippi.

 Saturday night wedding with Christi and Steve.

 I have my favorite vendor, the Mennonite community, serving home made pie slices and a big bowl of vanilla ice cream.  One flavor of ice cream, a dozen flavors of pie, which the are baking right there on the edge of the road. Like in October we took an ocean cruise in the North Atlantic, starting in Bergen, Switzerland, and continuing through Amsterdam and Portsmouth, England through the Straights of Gibraltar to Barcelona, Spain.

One of the most moving experiences was taking a bus from Bruge, Belgium to the First World War battle lines at Ypres.  This was to be the war to end all wars.

Away they go on a new journey in life.

Thirdly, and this is the best year after year.  This community, you people.  Like what community could you find who would welcome with open arms a crazy woman who wants to tell us about her ancestors who came over on the Mayflower.  Moreover, we loved the presentation, complete with singing and a costume change.

These are just three of my blessings this year.  What are three of yours. 

Even big kids get to play with the toys, as long as the kids don't see them

Rosemary's Blessing:

“Father and Mother of all:

We give thanks for food and remember the hungry,

We give thanks for health and remember the sick,

We give thanks for friends and remember the friendless,

We give thanks for freedom and remember the enslaved.

May our giving thanks stir us to service, that our blessings may be shared with others. Amen.”

A Thanksgiving prayer from a Dear Abbey column

 Mary reading from Daniel.

Thanks to these special people

• For  the Readings:  Mary  &   Bernadette
• For The Team:    Buddy  &  Georgie
• For the Communion Bread:   Alison & John
• For the Special Communion Cups: Jan & Charlie
• For the Pictures:   Rick & Mike  &   Connie
• For the coffee and extras:  Jackie & Becky & Tom
• For the altar & sound:  Jackie & Hue 
• For the Music:     Ben  
• For Becky & her generous hospitality at Legacy
• For all who helped with communion

Bernadette reads from 2 Corinthians.

Birthdays:   Diane McMahon (Sunday, 81), Frank Esparza (Monday), Ron Ackerman (Thursday)

Rosemary reading her Blessing of The The Week. 

Remember these special people

For Meredith, cancer free;  For David Dinsmore's cousin in W. VA & for Darbyanne;  For Jerry Brophy, a high school classmate of mine  For Tom Quinn’s brother,Tim;  For Hue;  For John O'Donnell & Mary Ellen;   For Carol's recuperation;   For  Joe Mazzei's sister, Nina with cancer; For Dee and her daughter, Lisa; For John Schanot's continued recuperation;   For a young man who is suffering from depression;  For Cliff & Jean, plus Jean's brother Terry;   For Rosemary's niece, Beth and her partner, Sarah with cancer;   For Laura's sister Claudia;   For Dawn;    For Anthony & Sabrina; 

Our Dearest Emma, you are a natural.  You do everything so well.

For John & Jean's son John Louis;   For our good friend Kay (at 90 years!) in Ontario;  For Jackie's friend, Barbara, plus Angela & her mom;    or Sr. Patricia Otillio, a nun I worked with for years in Grand Coteau;   John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli;  for Frank’s brother with advanced Parkinsons;      For Steve Barrett, Rose, & Katie;  Dick Thompson's daughter, Teri Jill, and Judy's aging parents;  Barb & Warren's grandbabies, Leighton Elizabeth and Warren Phillip and Ethan Michel, & their friend Chris, plus Barb's  Annie & Kaitlen; 

Happy 81st birthday today, Dearest Diane.  You are still one of my classiest dancers.

Tom and Teresa Quinn's niece, Chawna, with cancer, their granddaughter, Mikayla;   plus Neva Flynn, Angel, and Diane Kreeitzer;   Connie Doherty's mom and her sister, plus Kevin's cousin, Peter; For a number of David McKeon's family who are having a rough time with health issues; for our friends, sons, and daughters in the military, including Ryan McClurg and Chebino; cure for autism from Laura Chollick; for our President.

And Happy Birthday to you Dear Frank.

Your Finances, November 18, 2018

Expenses:    $5235.00

Outreach:    $315.00

Thanks for your Generosity, Everybody

We donated $2,000.00 to Soul's Harbor today.

Jim, you got that cupcake because everyone felt sorry for you, being a student in my classes back at Jesuit in the 60's.

Have a Great Week, J.S.

(214-783-0443)

Welcome, Brent, to our monthly contribution to souls Harbor, the great work you do.   Wish it could be more.

JSM Mission-Faith Statement  

    Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People,  provides for & challenges spiritual & total growth.  

      Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged & make the world  we live in a better place to live.

Trouble makers brewing up some trouble?