Says Tori, "Welcome in Everybody, and Happy Mother's Day.

Readings:  

 Acts of the Apostles 1, 15-17, 20-26,  The lot fell upon Matthias.

Psalm 103,  The Lord has set his throne in heaven.

 1 John 4, 11-16,  We must love one another.

 John 17, 11-19,  When I was with them I protected them.

They are back, Everybody.  Welcome Home, Bernadette, to you and Gilbert playing with the kids in the hallway.Welcome home to both of you from your around the world cruise.
 

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.  

Welcome in, too, Tom & Teresa.  Are you ready for an around the world Viking cruise?

Happy Mother’s Day

This morning I would like to tell the story of how on one occasion I attempted to make up to my mom all that she had to put up with in me.  This took place when I must have been about 40, still living and working in East Africa, but on a home leave.  Rosemary says I have shared this story before.  Pardon me if I go here again.  It was one of the highlights of my life.

I had a couple of things I figured I owed her for.  The first was that she thought I was a bad kid, especially that afternoon the University Park Police came to our house looking for me. 

It just happened to be the very day on which my mom was hosting her whole bridge club. 

Sister team, Zoe & Georgie teaming up to light and bless our candles for the week.

The second was that I did not go to College (I was enrolled at N.D.) 
Instead, I joined the Jesuits in the days when we never came home.  It was seven years before I got back to Dallas, not to go home, but to teach at Jesuit.

To compound this event some 15 years later I agreed to accept an invitation to set up a spiritual center in Nairobi, Kenya.  For at least 5 or 6 years my mom never spoke to the Jesuits in Dallas.  She was convinced I had been sent.

The team special for today on Mother's Day & the special vow renewal.

So, at about 40 years of age I am on a few months home leave, when my mom asks would I be willing to come to Ireland with her and her two sisters, Kitty and Pauline.  “Sure,” I said.  I would be their driver.

So, we met up in London.  

We went to eat at The Irish Pub where we were seated in the basement.  Half way through the meal a victorious Irish rugby club tromps in.  There was a piano player doing Irish songs at the end of the room on a little platform.  These guys joined in with such gusto that I think they drove the poor guy out.

John reads the closing.

Guess who took up the piano, my Aunt Pauline from N.Y.  Eventually, all the guys and my girls got up, made a ring around the otherwise now empty basement, we held hands, and with my aunt playing we danced around in a counter clockwise direction.  It was one of the most memorable nights of my life and got us all off to a roaring start.

In Dublin we rented a little red car, took off to the north, and laughed our way through the next ten days.  We drove counter clockwise all the way over to and beyond Shannon.   

Thanks, Shonda and Ben, for singing & leading us in The Father will Dance, one of my most favorite hymns.

Our daily drill was breakfast around 9:00, in the car about 10:00.  At 12:00 we were looking for lunch until 1:00 or 1:30.  3:00 was time for tea, and by 5:00 I had to find a place to stay that was clean, had carpet, and had bathrooms connected to the rooms.  The girls stayed in one room and laughed until they cried every night.  If Ireland were not so small we would never have gotten anywhere.

This was probably the best time I ever had with my mom.

You?  What was the best time?  Or as a mom, what was the best time?

The Blessing of All The Mothers, actual or virtual.

 The Special Blessing.

 Welcome back, Everybody, to our Community Blog.  We are back in business.

Thanks, John Cade, for covering so beautifully for the two weeks Rosemary & I were in France.

Hi, Zoe, so nice to see you after two long weeks of us being away

Readings:  

 Acts of the Apostles 10, 25-26, 34-35, 48-48,  God shows no partiality

Psalm 98,  The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.  

 1 John 4, 7- 10,  God is love.

John  15, 9-17,     If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love.

 Note how conditional the love of God is presented.  Truly?

Hi, Harper, so nice to see you, too.

Sing to the Lord a New Song

Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds, Ps. 98

I want to talk this morning about singing a new song to the Lord, because I am a richer person than the last time we were together.

I am richer because of our trip to south west France.  I am richer because of traveling with Rosemary and Mike & Judy.  I am a richer person because of a couple with whom we had dinner probably the 4^th night of our river cruise.

Emma, our super candle lighter, doing her magic, while Georgie reads the Blessing For Candles.

The couple, Leon & Karen, are retired and live in California.  Listen to Leon for a sentence or two and you know he does not come from Texas, not even the States.  He had the beautiful Brit accent.

Karen I could not place.  She was, in fact, German.  They both had been long gone from the countries of origin.  In fact, they met in Switzerland and had been married, I think, around 40 years.  

Two new community members in their doggie carrier?   Are we not an inclusive community or not!
 

As I listened to Karen I became more curious.  She was not only German.  I began to suspect we were very close in age.  In fact, we shared the same age, 78.  Knowing we were the same age and she was German, oh, no.   The Question immediately came up in me.  I hesitated.  I did not want to disturb Karen with a heavy, personal question when everything had been light and social.

Finally, sensing an inner peace in Karen, I asked, How were you affected by WW2?

And the excellent music plays on.

Calmly & without hesitating she responded with 4 experiences.

1. She remembers ’44.  She was 4 years old.
2. She lived in a town that was getting heavily bombed.
3. The family ran to the mountains of Bavaria.
4.  After the war her father returned from being captured and imprisoned by the British.  He was never the same.

The elevation with Buddy & Georgie helping.

As she tells me this, I am so moved I am in tears.  I am humbled.  How old was I in’44?  4 years old.  How come I was so blessed?  While Karen is running from bombs and enduring the reconstruction, little John is living peacefully and without a care in the world in the safe little village of University Park.  His next door neighbor is Sam Berger, a good friend of my dad and a Jew.

I have never met a person like Karen, a person who lived through the War in Germany.  And who was so peaceful.

I went to ask her permission to talk about her.  Of course, I got teared up just asking.  Without hesitation she said, “Sure.”

I am sorry we have no cupcake for you, Brent, but I am so proud that  our community can give you $2,000 a month for Souls Harbor.

I come back from this trip, humbled, touched, and singing  to the Lord a new song.

What is your song this morning?

Juliettes eating out.  Jason's Deli?

Our brother – sister act, beautiful

Readings:  

 Acts of the Apostles 3, 13-5, 17-19,  Peter speaks again.

Psalm 4,  Lord, Let you face shine on us.

 1 John 2, 1-5,  Whoever keeps his word, the word of God is perfected in him.

John  24, 35-48,  Jesus appears in the upper room. 

Trying out for the choir Buddy?

Acts: A review–

Author:  Luke, the author of both The Gospel and Acts.  Today we get Luke twice, in the first reading with Acts and in the last reading, today's Gospel. 

While we are on the subject, Luke's gospel story today is a compliment to last week's gospel story by John.  Both John & Luke find the apostles in a locked room, Jesus appears, and he says, "Peace."  Both focus on the physical, last week on Thomas demanding to see the wounds, this week Jesus eating.  What does he eat?   Why so much focus on the physical? 

Date:  written about 40-60 years after Jesus death, i.e., ca. 70-100 A.D.

Suited up and ready to go!

Subject: Two parts.  Part one covers chapters 1-8, which focus on the resurrection, ascension, and Pentecost, plus their effect on the community.  The rest of the book, i.e., chapters 9-28, the focus is on Paul, his conversion & travels.  

Today's Selection:  

The scene is this, just like last week.   Peter & John have just healed a lame man at the door of the temple.  The people come rushing to see.  Peter & John say, "Hey, we did not do it."  In fact, Jesus did it and he has been raised from the dead.  This caught the attention of the priests and authorities who had the two arrested and put before the council.  They are released the next day after a warning not to talk about this Jesus.  Then they return to the local community of believers. 

 Today we go back to the time just after the healing of the lame man.  The people have rushed to see the phenomenon and ask Peter & John to explain.  Today's reading is their explanation.

Love for Kids Picnic & our team under the patronage of St.Bonaventure U., NY

Let Your Face Shine Upon Us

I want to talk about how the Lord’s face shone upon me this week.  Two stories.

First, Thursday afternoon Rosemary & I finally went for a bike ride down & back on the White Rock Creek Trail.  I’ve already mentioned often what a jewel this path is.   With the forest and the birds singing, is this Dallas?

As usual we stopped for a break on the bridge overlooking the doggie park swimming hole.  It is always a joy watching the dogs jumping into the water & playing.  Thursday there was one lab especially joyous and full of energy.

Good Morning, My Dearest Zoe.

The lady who was his owner would toss a stick as far as she could into the water.  She and the dog were on the third level of the terraced bank, all paved.  That dog would race down the two levels and then launch himself (or herself) a good ten feet above the water. 

That dog was the Lord’s face shining upon us.

The second story has to do with that beloved and cursed Love for the Kids picnic, cursed because it always takes place on a Saturday, when I am pretty busy getting ready for you know what.

The Offertory Team, Beth & Emma, Allan & Aggie.

So, I am driving north on I35 sort of grousing at that Hammond who keeps inviting me to events like this and at the same time aware that I always return home richer and more humbled.  I then realize that Bill is also inviting me to Dickenson again and to a CO backpacking trip.  And I am saying no to everything.  This even goes to L’Alliance Francais, where I am getting invited more and more to plug back in after about a half a year dropping out.

It hit me, am I getting to be some kind of old stay at home?  Some old monk?  I confess I just love staying at home hanging around with Rosemary & Aviana.

You think I'm going to trust that right hand of yours, Sir Charlie?  No way!
 

 As I drive along, L’Alliance Francais came to my mind.  Monday evening I have a two hour class with a group of voyajeurs, travelers to France.  5:00 P.M. I wish I did not have to go.   I go. And return full of joy.  

All this went through my mind as I drive north on I35 to Love for Kids.  I realized I do not want to only stay at home.  As I walk around the picnic grounds I know I want to go to L’Alliance and to Dickinson and to CO.  Sign me up, Bill.

This Love for Kids Picnic is dangerous, Folks.

These are two ways the Lord’s face shone on me this week.

And You?

Good Morning, Beth, Sir Charlie is awaiting you.  Does he have a deal for you, like a motor enhanced bike.  Oh, I forget.  You already have one.

Rosemary's Blessing:

Let us walk softly on the earth

With all living beings, great and small,

Remembering as we go,

That one God, kind and wise, created all.

Author Unknown

Sent to me by Sandra Pratt

John reading from Acts of the Apostles

Thanks to these special people:

•    For  the Readings:   John & Hue
•    For The Team:    Buddy  & Georgie
•    For the Communion Bread:   Alison
•    For the Special Communion Cups:  Jan
•    For the Pictures:   Rick  &  Becky  &  Beth   
•    For the coffee and extras: Tom & Becky & Jackie
•    For the altar & sound:  Jackie & Hue
•    For the Music:     Ben  & Shonda
•    For all who helped with Communion

Hue reading from 1 John

Birthdays:   Claire (Tuesday), Darbianna (22, Tuesday)

Anniversary:

John & Connie Doherty

Rosemary reading her Blessing of The Week.

Remember these special people

For Beth & John O'Donnell & Mary Ellen;   For Carol's recuperation;   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;   For John & Jean's son John Louis;   For our good friend Kay in Ontario;   For Rose's daughter in law Jamie; For a  young father of two & married, Paul Day, struggling with a heart problem.

Thanks, Sophia, for lighting our candles this morning.

For Rosemary's sister, Patty and her husband, Lou;   For Mary Jane Stevenson's son Philip, 34, sick & don't know why;   For Jackie's friend, Barbara, plus Angela & her mom;    For 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;

Happy Birthday, Claire.

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; 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.

Remember, Ray, that cupcake is for Hammond.  Do you think it will arrive at the Hammond household, Everybody?

Your Finances, April 15, 2018

Expenses:    $700.00

Outreach:    $265.00

Thanks for your Generosity, Everybody.

Brent, it is an honor to be able to donate to your Souls Harbor $2000 every month.

Have a Great Week, J.S.

(214-783-0443)

Lo and Behold, what do we have hiding here?  Two little mice?

NOTE:  There will be no Sunday blogs for the next 2 Sundays.  The editors will be in France.

Special Community Blessing for Barbara & her health.

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.

"Welcome back next week, Everybody," says Emma.

Hi, Tori and Michelle.  You two look terrific.

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

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

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

And you, too, Zoe, you look beautiful.

Readings:  

 Acts of the Apostles 3, 13-5, 17-19,  Peter speaks again.

Psalm 4,  Lord, Let you face shine on us.

 1 John 2, 1-5,  Whoever keeps his word, the word of God is perfected in him.

John  24, 35-48, Jesus appears in the upper room. 

Suit-up time.

Community Activities:  

ROMEO MEET: Friday, April 13, Jason's Deli, Collin Creek Mall, west side of Central, 1:00.  Welcome all wakos, you will fit right in.  

JULIET LUNCHEON, (aka.,just us ladies into eating together),  May Luncheon, TBA

Healing for Emma & Beth.

What is going on in Our Catholic World:

• Evangelicals,  Corpus & The Boston Globe,  April 2, 2018,  666 words ,      Download EVANGELICALS 4-12-18 

Healing for Hugh & Sydney. 

True?

Just when I discovered the meaning of life, they changed it.

George Carlin

Our Father.

See you Sunday.

J.S., 214-783-0443

Louis, Neil, and Jean solving The Big Problems.

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.

Peace, Everybody.